In reply to Herkimer (msg # 917):

I have dabbled in many of the colleges, I find some of the interactions curious. Can't say that I know anything about Gates though. We frequently create special mixtures to enhance growing or remove blights. I can use magic here...confluence of two ley lines. But what leaves has to work without magic...so we can create with magic, but it must function in the normal world. We have created a few items that won't function here, but will when you leave Geden. It's a bit hit or miss though.

In reply to Wulfe The Pretty (msg # 918):

Yes, we do for what we need. Transporting metals is costly and slow, but some have bought the stone for it's anti-magicial properties too.  Megalos has been here almost 6 months now. And yes, we used to trade out through the pass almost totally before this.

In reply to Phutzephuze (msg # 921):

"What Items have you created? They could be trade items as well..."

Well the biggest number are tonics for our farms to make plants grow or cure some blight, as I said... we have made a few other things such as light sources, items that can hear at a distance.... see at a distance... that sort of thing.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:42, Sun 05 Feb 2017.

In reply to Phutzephuze (msg # 924):

"All very useful. No explosive potions or casks of acid for siege weapons?"

Oh No... what few siege weapon we have have been disassembled... you can't shoot through the pass.

In reply to Phutzephuze (msg # 926):

"But can you lob projectiles over onto it from a safe vantage point? Or get Gargoyles to drop them on those below? They fly, right..."

In reply to Thomas Hawk (msg # 920):

Ovo sat back and looked at the king with raised brows.

"All o' them then? Might I suggest ye place a few up there. This way ye kin fire off a few now n' again jus let them know ye still mean business. Have their troops see it might jus get inta their heads wot they're face'n when they come call'n again. Ye see the battle is sum-times won on the field but other times in the head o' yer opponent. I'd also recommend barrels o' oil or pitch ta be brought up. This way ye fire them off and have yer archers put flame'n arrows ta lite 'em once they be on the ground. In fact, if ye do so on both sides o' the pass ye bundle the other troops in the middle make'n it harder fer them ta move and easier targets ta hit by arrow or siege engine."

Wulfe considered the ideas carefully. He was no strategist but it was something he had to become, he felt, in his new role. Never before had his considerations of what people should do in a battle been such a real issue for him. Back when he was a soldier, sitting around a campfire with his friends and unit it was easy for people to drink a little and announce to the rest of the group what strategies and tactics they'd employ to win the day. Numbers of them would provide their announcement that a flank left followed by some dividing push in the centre from a nearby hillock would win the day, and Wulfe had joined in, but ultiamtely it was perhaps more complex than that.

Simpler times he thought inwardly.

Wulfe had a decent amount of time leading men after being given a command by the king but nothing he had encountered to date had really been on the scale that it was for Thomas Hawk or Gedan. In fact all considerations at that level were out of his hands and usually offered to the more experienced higher ranks.

Wulfe leaned on the nearby wall and sipped some of the tea he'd taken, lost in thought for a moment or two. "The way I see it, and they are all fine suggestions, that maybe the gargoyles wouldn't want any part in a man's war and Megalos would just sit down the pass out of range of any throwers that Gedan put on their defence. They're definitely good to have in case the worst happens. But if I were the general of that army, knowing what I did about Gedan, a blockade would be the right thing. Any assault would result in massive loss of the attackers, you can't starve them out if their greenery is so bountiful so maybe they're just trying to block the trade from Gedan in an effort to fuck with the money. As soon as people start running out of that they'll start getting angry and weaken its position. he said, using a slightly more vulgar and casual tone - the way he talked with friends - lost in thought.

"The dwarf passage being built is a great asset to Gedan, especially if Megalos doesn't know of its existence, maintaining an army is expensive and if they're doing it to try and wreck the wealth of Gedan then that tunnel will ultimately make it a stalemate.

If you really want to get rid of them, cut their supply. he said finally.


OOC:

I dunno if i wrote it well enough to give the right impression - but was being diplomatic in his suggestion - at least he wasn't trying to undermine anyone's suggestion

In reply to John of Mallwyd (msg # 927):

He Laughs... Nay Lad ... you'll not be shootin' anything over it.... and Gargoyles nay fly so high.

In reply to Ovo Goldenshield (msg # 928):

The Lord Laughs... You do need to see the pass ... none of that is likely to be possible... the mountains are many thousands of feet tall.

Ovo's brows furrow "Then ye'll nay be need'n me advise I take it. Mayhaps ye'll appoint me ah page ta escort me ta the nearest ale... unless ye ye think me so funny that I be ah candidate fer yer new court jester? Since ye find me so funny M'laird."

Ovo stands dust'n off his hands.

Have a seat Ovo ... I'll have the Ale brought here.... No one laughs at you, I laugh because I can see all the parts of the situation, which you have not as of yet.  Your knowledge will most certainly be valuable, but you do need to see the situation to understand it. we will do that shortly, if you are all up to a bit of a hike. We'll have to spend the night there and return in the morning, it's a three to four hour trip.

In reply to Phutzephuze (msg # 930):

"Still, to work out the magic used to fly may still enable us to do that. Let us look into this together."

Ovo slowly sat down but did not otherwise respond. He continued to listen intently.

In reply to John of Mallwyd (msg # 934):

Aye... flight has a draw to it, but the cost of lifting weights is large... and getting far over the mountains to avoid their anti-magic is also...  so far we cannot do it efficiently.

In reply to Phutzephuze (msg # 936):

" But the gargoyles do it without avoiding antimagic..."

Yes they do... and we can't replicate that.

In reply to Phutzephuze (msg # 938):

"But you must have researched it. What have you found?"

We have, but cannot isolate the thing or things allowing the ability. We suspect it has to do with their diet, but have no proof.  perhaps a greater Mage or Arch Mage could.

In reply to Phutzephuze (msg # 940):

"That sounds like a good place to start. Shall we, Herkimer? Sounds like a challenge set for us..."

[OOC: That sounds like a lot of boring research...what should we roll?]

"I don't see why we couldn't look into it. I would also like to propose some looking into weaponizing lead against enemy spellcasters. But experimenting with a diet of lichen sounds easier to start with." Herkier looks to John.
"It would be helpful perhaps to first procure samples and run a gamut of experiments within magical areas and then to see what happens when we step out into the mountainous regions? Also..." Herkimer drifts off into various other steps and hypothesis testing to validate their findings.

I shall have Sturge, one of our best journeymen,  accompany you with several soldiers, so you will have no issues...


You are escorted to the mountains and put up at a small hostel near by... you get as much support as they can provide (within reason).

Shortly, a Sergeant comes to tell The Lord that the escort is ready... outside you find 20 men with a junior officer and two sergeants, one of whom came in to get you. It's a good five hour hike over cobbled road to a fortification looking down river at the Gorge ... and Gorge it is with Sides rising steeply for thousands of feet before angling off toward the mountain tops. At the bottom a small furious stream boils between the rocks and a road comes around from the left side and rounds a depression to arrive in front of this fortification. An arched bridge about as wide as 4 or 5 men tall crosses the river gorge which is some 4 or 5 men deep here beside the fort. There are several small walled redoubts on teach side of the great gorge, but no connecting road or path visible. Anyone with military training can see it would be a hard place to force.

It's far more constrained down in the gorge and we have removed the bridge as well. Lord Hawk says.

The young mages ask a lot of questions as they lead you to the cliff face.... several Gargoyles can be seen clinging to the walls and presumably eating. None is very low, so you can't get close.