"Thank you for coming here.  I know the king has little enough to spare at this time, with everything else that needs his attention, and I appreciate that you are able to come to my aid."

You are in Lady Meridian Theel's council chamber.  She sits at the head of the table.  Seated to her right is General Osmund Wilders, commander of Lady Meridian's army, and on the table in front of them is a map of her territory within the kingdom.  They both point out relevant locations on it as Lady Meridian continues to speak.

"As you know, the Children of the Sea have been quiet for some time.  The business with their Megapod was a significant setback, and they have been taking their time to regroup.  Of course the quiet since then was only temporary, hardly a return to peace.  It seems we are reaching the end of that little reprieve."

She glances to Wilders, who continues "The Children have been launching raids against some of our communities.  Nothing serious, our soldiers are able to repel them with only minor losses at most; we suspect that they are just testing us now while they prepare whatever they actually have in mind.  But the point is that they are coming out again, and attacking civilian locations no less.  We've sent scouting parties to search the area where we think the Children are based, but we've had no luck so far.  It's that bloody magic of theirs, I suspect.  We just can't figure out what they are doing or how to break through it, and we can't commit more of our own men to the task because we need them to keep the people safe from the raids."

Lady Meridian then resumes speaking.  "And this is where you come in.  We need you to find their outpost, or fortress, or whatever it is.  We can provide soldiers for an assault on the place once we know how to get to it.  Any questions?"

It was a full day of riding from the capital to Lady Meridian's manor - how did you interact with each other along the way?  Did anything noteworthy happen?

And now that the expository mission briefing is done, what do you do?

The journey to the palace was fraught with whiskey colas and pool games… none of which seemed to slow them down, strangely.  It was as though the road existed in its own time dimension which their various watering holes couldn’t interfere with.  Music was their constant companion, on the road and off.  It resonated in their bones.

Geezer bows formally, causing his slightly greasy long hair to flop forward.  A grin alights on his ragged face.  “An honor to serve as always, m’lady.  Will any heavy weaponry be available to us for the final countdown?”
This message was last edited by the player at 15:16, Sun 19 Feb 2023.

She nods in response to your bow, and replies "When the time comes, we shall provide what we can.  But let's find out exactly what we are up against before we roll out the big guns."

"If we take the fight to them, hopefully that sends all the signal they need."

Wilders nods and says "Hah, that should teach them, sure enough!  But any decisive action does require that we know where the action is to take place.  How do you think you'll start?"

“Maybe we should start with the location of their last raid.  They may have left a clue behind unintentionally.”

There seems to be general agreement with Geezer's suggestion, and so you are given the location, but no escort (since it is unlikely that they would be able to keep up, or that you would slow down enough for them).

A couple hours later, you ride into Pernarutto, a small town along the Killing Road.  A scout patrol on horseback spots you on the road as you approach and shows you into town.  One of them rides ahead, and when you get to the impromptu barricade at the edge of the town proper, she is waiting there together with Yan Scotus, the captain of the soldiers who are currently stationed here.  He salutes as you ride up, and calls out "Knights, what can I do for ya?"

"Point the way to the nearest bar, for starters.  In the interest of full disclosure, that's usually how we answer that question."

The captain seems taken aback.  He pauses for a beat, then says "And the nearest bar, that'll help you defend us the the sea beasts because...?"

Geezer shrugs with his shoulder.  “Good place to gather information, for one thing.  Also an excellent source of liquid nourishment, which is essential for any effective fighting force.”

Capt. Scotus shakes his head and mutters "Whatever, you're the Knights here."  He then clears his throat, points into town, and gives you directions to a place called the Final Ward.

There aren't many people inside when you get there.  This isn't surprising since it's the middle of the day, not really peak tavern time.  But there are a few people scattered around, on their own or in small clusters, and one older-looking man behind the bar.

There was an emphatic reaction from Udo, "Yaaaaa!" Taking a moment to remember where he was and the company he was keeping, he constrained himself

"We'll be the paragons of professionalism, don't you worry. It's just like Geezer said, it's a recon visit. People are willing to talk when given some social lubricant."

First things first: Geezer searches for a pool table.  Failing that, he looks for darts.  Or any other similar form of entertainment.  Is there music?

There is indeed a lone pool table in one corner, currently unmanned.  No music plays right now.

Geezer checks out the pool table.  Is it the kind you have to pay to use?  Either way, he’ll rack ‘em up and ask if anyone else in the band group wants to play.

A few cues are leaning in the corner near the table.  Balls are in pockets, and a triangle frame is sitting empty on the table.  There's no chalk though.  It looks like you can play for free.

As you start setting up for the game, two guys who had been sitting at another table approach and ask if they can join in.  You notice that they are wearing the black and green tunics of Lady Meridian's army.

“Gladly.  And welcome.” Geezer racks ‘em up again.  “Here on business?”

"Aye, as long as those damned Children are still about.  Don't know where they'll be next, but we've got to be at least kind of close."

"That's kind of why we're here," Geezer says.  He sips as he looks across the pool table like a general observing the scene of tomorrow's battle, wishing he had a shot glass of perpetual refilling.  "Name the game."

You get to playing, and to trading boasts - first over the game itself, and whatever wagers or trick shots you might choose to make, and then turning toward martial exploits.  These soldiers speak with the bravado of men who at least know how to wield a sword properly and may have even drawn blood at some point, but have never lived through a pitched battle against a serious opponent.

Geezer casually mentions the recent attacks, without even diverting his attention from the table.  He hopes to get something from them… maybe even something they didn’t mean to let slip.

Then he carefully takes his shot.  Nothing like hearing one stick and two balls cracking together.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:21, Mon 24 Apr 2023.

"Funny thing," one of the soldiers says as he lines up his shot.  "When they hit a few weeks ago, I know we fought 'em off okay, but I don't remember anything about how they approached or how they left.  Just remember putting a halberd into one of 'em."  He punctuates his statement with another satisfying crack, hitting a ball at an oblique angle to send it into a corner pocket.  He then stands up straight (more or less) and turns directly to you.  "So what are you lot doing then?  Reinforcing our defensive lines, or hunting the slimy bastards down?"

"Hunting them down, if we can."  He eyes the table, taking careful note of the location of each ball.  He tries to envision where they will travel when his friendly rival takes the most logical next shot.  "So, did they seem to appear out of nowhere?"

"It's more like... it's more like no one remembers the moment they first appeared.  Ask anyone who was there, we can remember fighting, we all know what we did there, it's just like there's the part where we were standing around on guard duty, and then there's the part where we were in the middle of the fight, but there's no in between to connect them."

I get closer to the table, pretending to be watching the game in progress but more interested in the conversation.

I’ll challenge the winner of the game.”

I casually sit on a rickety stool near the pool table and sip my beer, waiting to see if they bombard me with questions or return to their conversation.

OOC: Rosie, since we're retconning to say that you've been here all along, are you envisioning that you came in together with Geezer and any other PCs who are still present, or that you came in separately?

Let’s say we came in together.

OOC: Should I roll to determine my performance at the pool table, or for any other reason?

The soldiers agree to Rosie's issued challenge, but there is no other particular reaction.

Geezer - there's no required roll right now, unless you have serious stakes riding on this game or there's something else you're trying to accomplish.

If you guys think you have enough information to move on then we can do that.  Is there anything else you're trying to get here first?

No rush.  If I think I can still get some information out of this guy, I’ll drag the game out.  Otherwise, I’ll do my best to win.

The soldiers put up a good fight, but Geezer has a clear skill advantage and wins in the end.  They're good sports about it though.

As far as information about the Children, the only other thing they are able to tell you is that scouts think they have seen tracks or other signs of activity in the forest to the west, but they haven't had any luck trying to explore further.

I say we buy the soldiers a round of drinks and find a quiet corner (or backroom?) to discuss what they told us.

Agreed.  Also, I’ll ask if the soldiers could maybe spare someone who could lead us to the tracks.  We don’t need anyone to escort us into the woods, however, since we’re… well, Neon Knights.

After finishing drinks and paying tabs, the soldiers introduce you to their sergeant, who assigns a group of four scouts on horseback to show you the way.  They lead you into the forest a short distance.  Even though it's not dense, the ground is very uneven so movement is slow and it is hard for you to see very far.  At one point the scouts stop, and one of them says "This is where it was.  You can still see the tracks a little bit, they go up that way but they vanish after a few yards.  And then, uh, what was it..."  The four of them confer with each other but none of them seem to be able to remember if they found anything else, or where.

Geezer nods.  They couldn't remember?  How interesting.

Then he thanks them.  Time to head out...

Do we see anything else in the area besides the amazing vanishing footprints? Signs of a struggle maybe? Or even signs of a campsite?

Whichever one of you is in the lead, roll for whichever two stats best describe how you are going about this search, against difficulty 2.

09:30, Today: Geezer Ridire rolled -1 using 4 Fudge dice.  Dil/wis.

Even if the tracks don't extend very far, they do give you an idea of what direction to search.  So search you do.  Occasional broken branches and overturned stones give you the idea that you're probably on the right track.  And then you see your clearest evidence yet - the glint of metal coming from under a bush up ahead.  As you draw closer you see that what is hidden there is some sort of box, maybe half the size of one of your saddlebags, with a couple of tubes sticking out of the sides.  And then it suddenly springs to life, emitting a whitish fog from one of the tubes.

The fog spreads quickly.  Rosie is able to back away before it has done much to her, but Geezer can't escape without breathing some of it in.  As he makes his way back out of the cloud he finds that he is starting to feel somewhat confused and disoriented...

“I think I’m snow blind,” he cries out.  “What manner of sweet leaf hath wrought this?”

I go to Geezer and take his arm, talking to him calmly so he doesn’t run off in his confusion and disorientation.

“You okay bud? Just settle down. Lets step back a bit and let this dissipate.”

I take his canteen, open the top and offer it to him.

I allow Rosie, ever the voice of reason, the guide me out of the fog, since I obviously lack the sense to exit of my own accord.

The confusion doesn't get any worse at least, and the initial panic has subsided after a few minutes, but Geezer is still having some trouble recognizing where he is* or why.  Or why he can't remember any of that, come to think of it.

*"in the forest," sure, but any details which would be more helpful than that seem to be missing.

"Rosie, whole lotta... I remember who you are.  But I'm not so sure about myself, and I sure as hell can't remember why we're here.  What's going on?"

“Well, we were following the tracks of ‘The Children’ the soldiers in town told us about and you got a trap sprung on ya’. It seems they are a little cagier than we gave them credit for.”

I lead Geezer a bit further away and we sit down as I/we try to decide what to do. I wait to see if Geez needs more details or if that was enough to shake his memory.

Not right away, but after a little longer it does seem like his fog is starting to clear.  Although even as everything else starts to come back, the trap itself seems to have been completely erased from Geezer's memory.

“Weird.  Okay Lady Evil, shall we return to the trail?”

Geezer tries to keep a closer lookout for traps this time.

“Sure but let’s be damn careful.”

With Rosie in the lead, it doesn't take long to find your way back to where the trap had been.  The air has pretty much cleared now, and as far as you can tell it is safe to proceed.

You continue in the same direction you had been going for another mile or so before you encounter the next obstacle.  It's not a trap at least.  Instead, it is that the ground is getting much softer and muddier, swampy almost, making it harder to keep moving this way.

By the way, I don't think we specified one way or the other before, but are you guys walking or are you still mounted?

Walking.  Our steads would almost certainly be too heavy for this muck.

Okay, cool, we'll assume they are stowed somewhere safe and not worry about it for now.  Any plans, or just strolling on into the swamp?

No plans, at least on my part.  Just strolling.  At least since we’re together, we don’t have to sing, “Lonely is the Word”.

It's slow going through the muddy terrain, but you continue onward.  Soon you hear someone else continuing onward with you - at least one advantage of the terrain here is that anyone else's footsteps are just as noisy as yours.

And shortly after you've noticed that, you hear a voice call out from behind a tree "Don't move any further!  We have you surrounded!"

I'm experimenting with something here - I'm trying to find the right balance between letting you decide what approaches to roll for a given situation and not slowing things down too much while we trade text posts back and forth.  So what I'd like to try here is that I lay out the situation you've walked into, and then if you want to you can roll for something to mitigate it, which could include some kind of preparations or something you would have done if you could have interrupted my post, the way you would presumably interrupt my narration if we were playing at the same table.  Here's how it will go:

GM, for the NPC mysterious bad guys, rolled 1 using 4 Fudge dice.  ambush (+2).

Now you guys can roll, using whichever approaches make sense for your particular actions, against difficulty 3, to say that you saw this coming and did something to intervene.  Let's assume that the speaker still says the line that I wrote, but let's not assume that it's accurate.

And if this idea of mine works out poorly then I guess I'll know that for the future.

Geezer tries to intimate them.  With an arrogant laugh, he cries out, “Apparently you didn’t notice the ARMY we’re scouting ahead for.  You’ve got us surrounded?  Ha!  You fools are about to become children of the grave!”

10:28, Today: Geezer Ridire rolled 1 using 4 Fudge dice with rolls of -1, 1, 0, 1.  Intimidate/courage.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:29, Wed 07 June 2023.

Rosie steps forward to stand beside Geezer. She assumes a hard stance, one hand on her weapon, the other gesturing to the soldiers.

“We are indeed scouts for a vast army that approaches faster and faster as we speak.”

19:23, Today: Rosie Laveau rolled -3 using 4 Fudge dice with rolls of -1, -1, -1, 0. Courage

Remember, you always add two stats to your roll.  For what you're doing here, I think Wisdom fits best as the second one.  So that brings your totals up to 4 for Geezer and 0 for Rosie.

GM, for the NPC bad guys, rolled 1 using 4 Fudge dice.  Resist intimidation (+1).
-total of 2 means Geezer succeeds on his roll and Rosie fails.  So...

You hear some shifting all around you, and catch brief glimpses of shadowy figures behind the trees, moving from one hiding spot to another.  The same voice as before calls out "How did you find us?"  The voice seems just a tad more nervous now, and clearly trying not to show it.

“Don’t worry about how,” Geezer replies.  “Just know that we did.  Shall we wait here for you to be taken prisoner, or would you like to get out of here?  It’s only sporting that we offer you a chance to get away.”

A few words are exchanged, in a language that you do not understand, and then two of them emerge from between the trees on your right flank and approach quickly, spears level with Rosie's torso.  The group leader says "We will leave, but we would be honored if you would come with us."

Geezer draws his blaster and fires at the spearmen, while urging Rosie to do likewise.  Then, if we can, we’ll make a break for it back the way we came.

19:18, Today: Geezer Ridire rolled -1 using 4 Fudge dice.  Cour/prow
This message was last edited by the player at 23:19, Mon 12 June 2023.

Rosie draw her blaster and fires, then joins Geezer in retreating if possible.

26, Today: Rosie Laveau rolled -2 using 4 Fudge dice with rolls of -1, -1, 1, -1.  Courage & Prowess

OOC: Did you forget to add your modifiers for courage and prowess?

Geezer has a total of 1
bad guys rolled 2 using 4 Fudge dice.  defend vs Geezer (+1) - total of 3
  Geezer misses by 2 - if you have a relevant Aspect you may spend a fate point to invoke it and bring this up to a tie, or you can leave it alone.  The result of a tie would be that you still don't do any damage but you do get a Boost (a single-use Aspect which you can invoke for free).

Rosie has a total of 2
bad guys rolled -2 using 4 Fudge dice.  defend vs Rosie (+1) - total of -1
  Rosie gets a success with style - you can choose to do 3 damage plus your weapon modifier, or reduce the damage by 1 and add a Boost related to the result of your attack.  This can be placed on the bad guys, on you, on the scene as a whole, whatever you want as long as it makes sense for the situation.

Decide what you guys want to do with these rolls and then I'll narrate the outcome.  Also, you can expect to be attacked, so let me know what approaches you want to use for your defense roll.

Could we simply have Rosie wound one of them and then have us make a run for it?  Or is that too simple?
This message was last edited by the player at 12:46, Thu 15 June 2023.

I agree with Geez.

I will try to wound one of them aiming for the arm/shoulder to hopefully handicap any shot he might take at my back while we retreat.

Then we 'make like a tree and get out of there'.

You can certainly try to flee tactically withdraw at high speed, but the mud's not going to be doing you any favors.  That said, Rosie's boost could be something like suppressive fire, which could then be invoked to penalize them (or give you a bonus, since the math works out the same) when they try to pursue you.  I'm treating these guys as two groups of three each, rather than as six individuals, so the damage and the boost apply to one of those whole groups.

Under Fate rules you get a single action per turn, so if you've already attacked then the bad guys do get to go before you can flee.

That said, I'm rereading what your posts were, and while I understood it to be attack rolls with the intention of harming the Children, I could also see it being that you were just shooting to keep them at bay while you turn to run.  The same die rolls could apply, it would just have a different effect now.  I'm going to chalk this up to not being clear enough about mechanical options and/or all of us misunderstanding each other, so I'll allow a retcon if you want to do it this way instead.  Or we can stick with "you attacked them, now they get to act, then next turn you get to run."

A retcon sounds good to me.  Indeed, the whole point of firing was to help us escape.  Suppressive Fire sounds right to me, too.

I agree with both the retcon & suppressive fire ideas.

We didn't have a strict turn order established, so I'll say that Geezer can use Rosie's boost to bring his own roll from a failure up to a tie.  Treating this as an Overcome action, that means you succeed but with a minor cost...

The two of you turn to run, firing over your shoulders as you go.  Geezer shoots wildly into the trees, but Rosie gets close enough to a couple of the Children that they hesitate before following you.  You hear a couple different voices shouting back and forth in their language, and then a spear goes sailing toward Geezer...

GM, for the NPC bad guys, rolled 0 using 4 Fudge dice.  attacking Geezer (+1).
Geezer, roll to defend, using whichever two stats make sense to you.  You need to beat a 1, and if you fail then the spear will do +1 damage (although your -1 armor will balance that out).

They're not chasing you, so once this attack is resolved you will be free to do whatever you want.

Ouch.  10:50, Today: Geezer Ridire rolled -2 using 4 Fudge dice.  Courage/prowess.

If you can think of a way to bring any of your Aspects to bear then you can at least make it less bad of a failure.  Otherwise, take 3 damage, which you can distribute among stress, impairments, and consequences however you want.  Stress won't clear immediately in this case but it still won't hang around too long.

Unfortunately, I don’t think any of my aspects apply to this.  Could you recommend a distribution for the damage?

As a general rule it's best to put it into stress first - it has no mechanical effect, and it clears relatively quickly (usually at the end of the current scene, but since the damage happened right at the end of that scene I'm saying that it lasts for a little bit longer).  Each of the stress boxes on your sheet is labeled for how much damage it can soak.  You can put all of it into the 3 box, or put it into the 1 and 2 and then you'll have the 3 available to soak another heavy hit if you get into another fight really soon.  Honestly it probably won't make a difference this time around, unless you want to act really rash, but for future reference it's good to know the options.

OOC: I’ve marked stress box 1 & 2.

And so you manage to get away, back to the transition zone between the solid forest and the swampier area.  Geezer has stopped bleeding and can safely expect to stop hurting altogether in a few more minutes.  What's your next move?

Let’s head back to town.  We obviously need reinforcements.

You retrieve your Steeds and ride back.  Capt. Scotus is waiting for you when you arrive, eager to hear your report.

“We made contact with the enemy and barely escaped.  I was hurt, but thank God, she’s all right.”  He gives Rosie’s hand a friendly squeeze.  “We need heavy reinforcements to go back in there.  Who can you spare?”
This message was last edited by the player at 19:16, Mon 26 June 2023.

"Yes, definitely reinforcements. We only made it out by the skin of our teeth and a little good luck."

"What kind of force did you encounter?  And what are you thinking now, a direct assault?"

“It was a band of several men, at least.  And there may be more of them.  I want to hunt them down, gathering information, reduce their numbers if possible.”

The captain nods and says "Okay, I can offer you, hm... Twenty.  I need to keep most of my force here, but I can put twenty under your command for this operation.  Gathering intel, small group assaults, that should be fine.  But please, if you find their base, don't do anything reckless.  I need my people as intact as possible."

“Understood and agreed.” He turns to Rosie.  “Ready to head back in?”

With the two of you in the lead, you and your new friends head back into the forest.  You are ready for the gas trap this time and are able to bypass it safely.  Before too long you have returned to the area where the forest begins its transition into the swamp.  What is your plan from here?

First step is look for tracks.  If we find them, follow them.  Otherwise, Rosie and I will have to try to figure out how to get back to where we met the Children of the S from memory.

It isn't too hard to find your own footprints from earlier today.  Cloudy water has seeped into them, but the outlines are still clear as anything.  You can follow this right back to the ambush spot if that's what you want to do.

Indeed.  Rosie and I will take the lead, hoping to catch the ambushers by surprise if they are still in the area.

Pick which two stats you want to use to represent how you lead your troops here.  I'll roll now for the Children to oppose you, so you can tell right away if you succeeded and/or if you want to invoke an Aspect to help, but I'll keep it hidden in case you don't want it to affect your judgment about which stats to use.

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
Children of the Sea, rolled 4 using 4 Fudge dice.  cat and mouse (+1) - total of +5 against your roll

---

This message was last edited by the GM at 23:16, Thu 13 July 2023.

13:22, Today: Geezer Ridire rolled 1 using 4 Fudge dice.  diligence/wisdom.

‘Full speed or nothin’’ could be used against us, if we made it back to the site too quickly.  I’m not sure what else would apply here.

Oof, that takes you to losing by 6 on the roll, which is going to hurt.  But it also earns you one fate point for your troubles.

In his haste to rush back to the ambush site, Geezer pays less attention than he probably should to signs of a new ambush.  The troops following you are focused on following you, and on just staying mobile through the thick mud, so they don't spot it either.

What gives it away is the well-aimed harpoon that comes sailing out of the fog between the trees, followed by the sound of footsteps in the mud, moving away from you.

Geezer - since the enemy succeeded with style against your roll (i.e. beat you by 3 or more) I'm going to rule this as serious damage that skips over stress and goes straight to impairing either Diligence or Wisdom, your choice (since those were the two that you used for your roll).  But on the other hand you can at least clearly hear the enemy now and should be able to follow them if you still want to.

In spite of the blood spurting from his abdomen, Geezer insists on continuing to pursue this enemy.  May God hunt us if we don’t hunt The Children of the Sea!  But first, he’ll ask around in case there happens to be a medic with them.

OOC: I’ll take the wisdom impairment… at this point, I’m not sure how much my character had to begin with.

A couple of the troops could bandage you up, but that would mean either stopping the chase or splitting the group.  What's more important to you right now?

Pressing on.  All I need is blood and sweat and skin and bones!

You hurry on, roughly matching speed with your quarry.  You can still hear them up ahead, first from their own footsteps in the mud, and then as one of them starts shouting something in their language.  You can just barely hear a response coming from further up ahead.

Press on, overtake, attack.

You pick up the pace the best you can, slowly reducing the gap between yourselves and your quarry.  As you do you see their reinforcements approaching - two more groups of Children, eight strong each, coming from 10 and 2 o'clock respectively.  As you are taking this in you also notice that they are running more quickly, as though they are on friendlier ground than you are.

Geezer, will you focus on commanding, or on getting into the thick of things yourself?  You can roll whatever you want to use once you decide.

I’ll focus on commanding.  However, since so many reinforcements are coming in, I’ll order a fighting retreat.

02:53, Today: Geezer Ridire rolled 3 using 4 Fudge dice.  Courage/dilligence.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:53, Thu 27 July 2023.

I will stick close to Geezer, keeping on eye on him and his wound in case he needs help.

GM, for the NPC Children of the Sea, rolled 1 using 4 Fudge dice.  combat tactics (+1).
-you win by 2, so...

The soldiers promptly shift gears, so to speak, getting their shields up for cover as they back away from the oncoming enemy.  You manage to create a little distance but they continue to pursue for now.  They sound a lot angrier than they did before.

this is looking more like a chase than a fight, so I'm going to shift to using those rules as long as you want to keep retreating.  You currently have 1 win, with 3 needed to successfully escape.

The Aspect of thick mud will likely be present throughout this chase, which could be used for or against you.

We continue the fighting retreat, getting some shots in if we can, but taking no unwarranted risks.  No sense in all of us dying out here.

21:31, Today: Geezer Ridire rolled 0 using 4 Fudge dice.  courage/dilligence.

GM, for the NPC Children of the Sea, rolled -3 using 4 Fudge dice.  continuing pursuit (+1).

That covering fire seems to help - even when your troops are slowing down and having more trouble focusing on two directions at once, you are able to prevent your pursuers from gaining ground.

You are up to 2 wins.  Your safe escape may be in sight!

Let’s get’r done.  Then we can say that it’s over, yeah… that it just had to be…

18:02, Today: Geezer Ridire rolled 2 using 4 Fudge dice.  Courage/dilligence.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:03, Wed 02 Aug 2023.

GM, for the NPC Children of the Sea, rolled 0 using 4 Fudge dice.  continuing pursuit (+1).

Gradually you increase your lead.  When it gets to the point that you can really tell a difference, you tell the troops that, spurring everyone on to a final burst of speed that gets you out of the swampy area, back to proper solid forest, and out of sight of the Children of the Sea.  You are safe for the moment and can take a breather if you want.

What next?

Can we muster some more reinforcements?  I think we’ll need them.

Geezer - you can clear that impairment from earlier.

You hurry back to town and find Captain Scotus again.  After hearing your report, he says "More troops?  What are you thinking, full assault?"

Geezer nods.  “Aye.  And as soon as possible, before they have a chance to clear out.”

He looks less enthusiastic then you might have hoped, and says But it sounds like you didn't find their base of operations.  Maybe you got close, sure, but apart from the difficult terrain how much do you actually know about the target?

“Nothing, but at the very least, I want to win an engagement with them.  The Children of the Sea need to be confronted until they get the message.  Besides, I’m sure it’s what the legendary general Johnny Blade would do.”

This is going to need a die roll to convince him.  Difficulty 3, because while your argument is not without merit, you are asking a lot from someone who is trying hard not to place his troops at unnecessary risk.

As for the legendary General Blade, who is/was he, and why should Captain Scotus be swayed by this?

05:54, Today: Geezer Ridire rolled 1 using 4 Fudge dice.  Wisdom.empathy.

OOC: Looks like I didn’t do so hot.

I didn’t really have much in mind with the Johnny Blade reference, besides just quoting Sabbath for flavor.  Should I attempt to come up with something?

So there's a couple ways we can do this:
1. You accept the loss, move on, and come up with a different plan.
2. "Success with a serious cost."  I don't have any ideas right now for what that cost might be, but you're welcome to suggest something.
3. We rewind just a bit and say that the Johnny Blade comment is an attempt to establish a bit of setting history and an Aspect to go with it - that's a Create Advantage action, and since it's pretty relevant here I'm going to call it difficulty 1.  Then if you succeed, you can invoke that Aspect to bring your failed roll up to a tie.

Let’s go with option 3.  How does this work again?

For Create Advantage, you roll whichever stats fit best for your action against difficulty 1 since that's what I declared in the previous post.  If you tie, you can create a boost, and if you succeed then it's a full aspect with one or more free invokes (the difference being that a full aspect will stick around longer, in case you want to use it more than once).  Normally you would follow that up with another roll for the persuasion, but you already did that, so instead what will happen is that you can invoke the boost or the aspect and that will put a +2 bonus on your roll from earlier, bringing it up to a tie rather than a failure.

Oh my goodness.

22:08, Today: Geezer Ridire rolled -3 using 4 Fudge dice.  Create advantage/wisdom.

As much as it seems like it should be a sure thing, the captain remains unmoved by your arguments, your bravery, your appeal to past heroes, all of it.  In the end he says "I need to keep this town safe, and I can't do that if I'm sending more and more of my soldiers into danger that we don't even know about.  Get me more intel and maybe I'll change my mind, but until then it's a no."

Geezer calmly asks if he has any suggestions concerning how to gather more intel, preferably without getting ambushed again.

“Any chance of anyone in town - say a barkeep or a traveler - who might have some knowledge they would be willing to share?”

Scotus thinks for a moment and then says "Well there's Ilker Danal.  The Children took him prisoner for a short time, before the attack on the Megapod.  He doesn't like to talk about it but if you can convince him to open up he might have something for you.  You'll probably find him at the lumber yard."

Geezer smiles, realizing that Rosie may have just saved the mission.  He asks for directions to the lumber yard and then heads over there.

The lumberyard is at the edge of town, near the woods.  You had noticed when you first arrived that the whole town lacks a proper wall and is surrounded only by hastily assembled wooden barriers; at the lumber yard, there are more of these barriers and they look a lot sturdier.  On the north side of the yard is a windmill, and on the east side (farthest from the forest) are two other structures - cabins or workshops or something like that.  In between the stacks of logs waiting to be cut and the stacks of planks waiting to be carted away, you notice that a couple of longbows are leaning up against whatever is there, with full quivers on the ground next to them.

You see three men working here right now, carrying planks from the windmill to the stacks.  One of them walks with a mild but noticeable limp.

Geezer greets the worker with the limp, and asks if he has been in battle.  This obviously could be construed as a fairly rude question, but he tries to ask it in such a way as to not give offense.

As a seasoned veteran himself, Geezer knows how to phrase a question like that to be taken in a socially appropriate manner.  Nevertheless, all this gets him right now is an appraising look and a gruff "Yes, what of it?"

Keeping it brief, Geezer asks him if he knows anybody who can tell him something about the recent attacks by the Children.  While doing so, he assures him that he is here on official business.

Rosie remains quiet for the moment, taking the chance to check out the surrounds in more detail.

The man looks sternly at Geezer and says "You want to know something about the recent attacks, talk to the soldiers.  I'll kill any of 'em bastards as might try to get close here, but so far they been smart enough not to try it.  I ain't been in action myself since... before."

Examining the scene more carefully, Rosie can tell that things have been laid out more strategically than it might appear at first glance.  The locations of the various stacks, and of the weapons among them, look like they've been optimized for ease of access in case the inhabitants of the lumber yard need to defend themselves.

You also notice that the other two men here look increasingly uncomfortable as Geezer's conversation gets increasingly personal.

Geezer decides to lay off the guy and looks around for somebody more promising to talk to.

It's just these few workers here right now.  Not especially promising at first, but once they've finished carrying the current load to its destination, one of them approaches you while the others head back toward the windmill.  In a low voice he says "Look, Ilker's a good enough guy but he don't like to talk about what happened to him.  What do you need to know?  Maybe I can help you with it.  We'd all like for the raids to end."

Rosie joins Geezer and the un named worker but says nothing yet, just looks attentively at the worker.

“Anything, however insignificant it might seem.  Was there anything in particular going on at the time of the raids?”

"During the raids no, not that I could tell.  Actually, he kind of seemed at home when the raids started.  Like he was sad but knew exactly what he needed to do.  But no, I think this is something else.  He went through some shit before the cease fire.  Doesn't like to talk about it."

Geezer tries to get him to go into greater detail, although it realizes it may prove difficult.

The worker shakes his head and says "I don't know how much more I can tell you.  He might drop bits and pieces if you catch him in the right mood, but I always just leave it alone.  Look, you guys just coming in here out of nowhere and asking, I get that you're onto something serious, but I don't think he was ready to handle that.  Come back here after dark.  If he's got a good fire going and he's spent some time doing his own thing then he should be alright, he might tell you a little more then."

“Does Ilker have a favorite drink? Perhaps we could bring a bottle tonight.”

The worker rubs his chin for a minute, thinking, and eventually says "I think I remember him saying once that he particularly likes quartz whiskey.  Stuff's expensive though."

Great idea Rosie!  Yes, let's try to procure that particular whiskey, and then return after dark.  We may get more info that way.

Lets ask around for good alehouse/wineshop and see just how expensive this quartz whiskey is.

The tavern where you had hung out earlier seems like as good a place as any to start.  The bartender tells to that he does indeed have a bottle, but it's not cheap.  The price he quotes you isn't ridiculous, but it's more than you could easily afford yourselves, and likely to at least raise some eyebrows on an expense report for official Knight business.

Nonetheless, we’ll buy the whiskey, then lay low until it gets late and head back to try to loosen that guy’s tongue.

I agree with Geez. We will worry about the expense later.

You find a spot to rest up, refuel your Steeds, fuel yourselves, and whatever else you need to do for the moment.  Eventually the sun goes down, and a little more time passes just to be sure, and then you walk back up through town toward the lumber yard.  The gates are closed, but in between the cracks you can see the warm light coming from one of the buildings you had noticed earlier.

We have to try to figure out how to get in.  Do we see or hear anyone around?

Not at the moment.  The lumber yard is separated a bit from where most other folks live around here, so you've got some semblance of privacy.

Just how gaped is the gate and fence?

Geez you want to take a quick walk around and see if we can find somewhere to slip in?

Good thinking.  We’ll check to see how gaped the fence and gate are, and if that reveals nothing, we’ll take a walk around, looking for another way in.

The gap is just an inch or two - enough for you to see through but not to slip through.  The whole lumberyard is practically fortified, with this wooden wall around it cut to jagged points at the top.

Geezer, do you have anything we could use for a grappling hook and rope to try and climb the wall? Though if the tops are really sharp they may slice through ordinary rope.

Are there any trees (or anything else) near enough to the fence that we could climb up?

Sadly, no - any trees that might have been here before have been cleared to help build the place.  Although for what it's worth, a rope landing in between the points at the top of the wall would probably be safe.

Off the top of my head, can I think of anywhere we can get a rope?

13:55, Today: Geezer Ridire rolled 1 using 4 Fudge dice.  wisdom/diligence.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:56, Mon 02 Oct 2023.

Ropes come in handy pretty often, one of you should have a decent one in your saddle bags.

Okay.  We'll run and fetch some rope, then return ASAP.

So you are trying to climb over the wall into the lumber yard - what's the plan once you get in?

Act friendly, if we’re spotted.  If not, approach the light.  (We brought booze, right?)

Agreed. Friendly and willing to share our bottle.

Once inside, the place looks pretty much how you remember it.  The light is coming from the windows and open door of the workshop.  You approach quietly, and as you come closer you can see the man, Ilker, leaning back in a chair and whittling something the size of his fist, you can't quite see what from here.  When you have almost reached him he suddenly hears you and springs to his feet (clearly favoring one of them), knife in hand.  He slowly lowers it once he sees who you are, though he is still definitely ready with it.  In a tense voice he says "What are you doing here?  What do you want from me?"

“Relax. Relax. We uh…just thought you could use a drink, right Geezer?”

“Right.” He presents the booze.  “We were hoping you’d join us for a little party.”

His glance rests just long enough on the bottle to confirm that it was the right choice.  Then he narrows his eyes at the two of you and says "What kind of party, exactly?"

“Well, we thought if we shared this excellent bottle with you, you might be willing to share some information with us? Strictly confidential of course.”

"You drink first, and then I'll be happy to join you."

Fifteen minutes later you are all feeling pretty good, warmed outside by the fire and inside by the liquor.  Ilker finally seems like he might be ready to let his guard down and talk.

Geezer tries to gently steer the conversation onto the Children’s attacks.  But he won’t force it, if the guy puts up stiff resistance.

The alcohol has had the intended effect, and he is more willing to talk about it now.  It does darken the mood but that doesn't stop him.

"I think they're bluffing, in a way.  The Megapod was the best weapon they had, and when it went down they lost a lot of material, and a lot of good fighters too.  These attacks now?  I think they're trying to make us think that they're stronger than they really are.  Not to say they're weak, of course.  They got no conscience, they'll hurt anyone for any reason and not care about it, and if we ever don't repel an attack there's no telling what they'll do once they get in.  But look, they're still just fighting at the walls of some random town.  They're not ready to attack a serious strategic location."

Geezer asks if he knows of any special weaknesses the Children may have, and if so, how to exploit them.

Ilker rocks back in his chair, thinking for a minute, and then says "Well they always seemed to make a big deal about keeping their skin wet.  Not like an every five minutes thing, obviously, or they'd never be able to attack us.  But there was definitely something to that."

“That’s interesting.  I wonder how that could be exploited in battle.  Have you noticed if they wait for any particular kind of weather before attacking?”

"They definitely like the rain better.  I kind of feel like I remember overhearing something about trying to control that, but..." he sighs and then continues in a more resigned tone "it's hard to remember much detail from then, with all the... with everything else that happened."

In a whisper to Geezer:
"Hmmm....I wonder how they feel about salt? Do we have a weapon we could load with rock salt?"

That wouldn't be part of your standard loadout but you could probably whip something up if you had the right tools and/or help

“If they’re from the sea, I doubt salt would present much of a problem for them.  But there may be some way to dry them out.  Perhaps some other substance would work.”

"Huh.  Interesting idea.  Afraid I can't help with the specifics of that one."

"This may be an odd question, but so far as you know, are the Children fond of drink?"

"What, you mean booze?  Not that I saw, but I guess there could be some underwater thing I didn't recognize."

In reply to Geezer Ridire (msg # 168):
What other substances could work I wonder?  I knowing medicinal (rubbing) alcohol can be drying but I don’t think it would be enough to dry up the Children.  Oil
Heat would work of course but I don’t think they will just stand next to a fire til they turn to nori sheets.

“I don’t know.  At any rate, they aren’t just going to stand there and let us coat them with whatever substance we want.  I’m not sure how we can use this potential weakness against them.”

“Neither am I. But we have to figure out a way.”

I turn to our new friend and ask “Do they have any other weaknesses? Or any particular strengths that we don’t know about?

"Not that I know of.  Doesn't mean it's not there, of course.  But I only remember bits and pieces.  My time with them... wasn't exactly peaceful studying."  He takes another large shot of whiskey at that.

"So they... took you prisoner?" Geezer tries to ask delicately.

"Yeah.  I don't know how long it was.  Got to see more of that damn Megapod than most folks did though."

"Did you notice anything unusual in there?  Anything that might be useful to us?"

I top off his glass of whiskey and try to look both interested and respectful of anything he has to say.

Ilker thinks for a minute, and finally says "There's one other thing I remember.  Not about the Megapod, but about the Children themselves.  Their skin changes color, and I think it means something socially, like who's in charge.  If it's just one of them and a human prisoner then it's like a dark greenish blue, but when some others come in then that first guard turns a lighter shade, and the darkest one of the new bunch seems to be the commander.  I think... no, that's all I've got."

Geezer nods.  "So the darker, the more valuable the target.  Thank you for that.  That may indeed be useful."

We wrap this up, leave what remains of the booze, and then depart.

As Knights on official duty, you would normally be given accommodations at the local barracks or fort, but there is nothing of the sort here.  Soldiers who have been temporarily stationed to guard the town sleep in tents or barns.  The two of you, as VIPs, get free lodging at the inn where you had stopped upon your arrival.

So, if you want it, you have some modicum of privacy for planning your next move.  Though of course you can also take it to Captain Scotus if you'd prefer to do that.

Let's get some rest first.  Who knows?  Maybe we'll dream up our next strategy.

Alas, no prophetic dreams come to you - you'll have to figure this one out yourselves :)

Let's have a good breakfast and then find out if we can round up some volunteers for another scouting mission.

You mean like talking to the captain and getting some soldiers, or talking to the townspeople and getting whoever decides to follow you?

We'll start by talking to the captain.  Attempting to recruit from the townsfolk would be a desperate last resort, unless we have some reason to believe some of them would be able to contribute something special to the mission.

You find Capt. Scotus in the house that has been commandeered as his headquarters for the time being.  He is reviewing a map with a couple of his officers, apparently pointing out your discovery from yesterday.  You are shown into the office to make your request, to which he replies "I think I can spare a few men.  Which way are you planning to try today?"

Geezer examines the map.  What are some of his options?

Rosie also leans closer to the map, watching Captain Scotus carefully for signs of just how helpful he will be.

It's a curious thing, the map doesn't give any indication of a marsh, just regular forest in the area that you had tried before.  There is a river that passes nearby, to the north.  Another option is southwest from where you found them, where the map shows some hills in the forest.  The only problem is that to get there from the town you would either need to pass right by the Children's hideout, or else go very far out of your way to keep a safe distance from them.

"According to the map, this area is supposed to be dry.  Have the Children altered the terrain somehow?"

"Huh, I guess so.  We never got close enough to realize it had changed until you went in.  Let's hope they can't spread it further at least."

Geezer nods.  "Interesting.  I suggest we gather a scouting group and investigate the river.  These Children are obviously big on water."

“Maybe we should bring along a skilled map maker to catalogue the area since the Children have altered it so.”

"Alright, I can assign the same group you had before, plus a survey team.  They'll be ready shortly."

An hour later you are leading your troops through the woods again, along the riverbank.  The river averages around 8-10 meters wide, with a slow current.

What's the plan from here?

Do either of us have the capability to draw an accurate, detailed map?  If not, is there anybody we could hire or otherwise recruit to do it for us?

The survey team that was sent with you can handle mapping.

Let's search the area of signs of the Children, either recent or otherwise.

Rosie nods agreement, while secretly praying the survey team is A.) quick & efficient at their job, and B.) able to defend themselves well if it comes to that.

I need one of you to roll against difficulty 2.  Your choice of stats, depending on how you are searching, though I think Wisdom or Prudence are the most likely to make sense.

07:06, Today: Geezer Ridire rolled -2 using 4 Fudge dice.  Wis roll.

Geezer's first impression is that there's been no unusual activity here.  Then he pauses, reconsiders and looks more carefully.  He realizes that it actually looks like something has been here and has made an effort to cover its tracks.  Good enough that you can't find anything obvious to follow (apart from the river itself, of course), but also just enough for you to realize the fakery.

“What do you see Geezer?”

“They’ve been here,” he tells her.  “Look, here and there.  See where they covered up their tracks?  Now if only we could figure out where they went.”
This message was last edited by the player at 07:21, Sat 23 Dec 2023.

The survey team is studying the maps they brought with them, comparing what they have to the actual terrain here.  After a few minutes one of them points out where the map indicates a slight downward slope (too subtle to notice when you're standing on it, but clearly indicated by the contour lines) where water might flow more easily to collect at the bottom.  As best as any of you can tell, it does seem to at least sorta-kinda correspond to the spot where you are gathered right now.

Geezer asks if they are already at the very bottom of the slope, or if they could go even lower.  As usual, he is seeking the absolute dregs.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:50, Fri 29 Dec 2023.

They show you on the map where it could get lower.  And that does seem to take you back in the same rough direction as the surprise swamp you encountered yesterday.

“Well Geez, ready to sink even lower?”

"Damn right," he says, then instructs their guides to take them to the lowest point imaginable.

Rosie follows, privately hoping they all live to regret her question.

It doesn't take long for the ground to start getting swampier - and, once again, no such swamp is indicated on any of the maps your party has brought.  As you continue some of the soldiers start raising questions about the Children's guard patrols or other potential threats.

You guys can decide what you want to do here, but I will attempt to bribe you with a fate point if you ignore the warnings - it's Full Speed or Nothin', right Geezer?

Geezer tells them they’re going all the way… but he wants to figure out a plan.  Assuming there are Children’s guard patrols in the area, how could they set a trap for them?

I wonder if we could find a way to change the color of one of our skins to at least temporarily match the color of one of the Children in charge and lead them into an ambush? Anyone know a spell, scroll, potion or sorcerer who could do that?

Or one of us could volunteer to be seen and run, leading them into a trap, maybe even just a pit? (Presuming we can dig one around here in the swampy mush.)

There's no one in town capable of controlling magic, but they do have paint in various colors.  Almost definitely something that could match a Sea Children skin tone.

There is general agreement that leading their scouts or guard patrol or whatever into an ambush would probably be good, but a lot less agreement about who would play what role.  It seems none of the soldiers here are all that eager to be the bait...

Geezer seems skeptical that the Children would really be gullible to mistake someone in disguise for one of their own, but he supposes it’s an idea they could try.  But only if someone wants to volunteer as bait.

Anyone who is close in size to the Children? They certainly won’t believe someone who isn’t the right size.

OOC: Was there something odd about their size?

I don't think we ever said anything specific about their size, so let's make it official now - they are about the same size as humans, though they tend to be a bit more lithe and less bulky on average.

Does anyone around here fit that description?

Is there anyone in the survey team (or anyone period) that could be swayed to volunteer? Someone very greedy or maybe not very bright?

Rosie is able to identify Larsen Olrek as the soldier who best fits the bill, physically and mentally.  But it'll still take a bit of effort to convince him to put himself out there.

Difficulty 0, but still needs a roll.  Guile seems like the best fit for how you phrased it there, but if you want to change your approach then you could maybe justify a different stat.

Would courage be appropriate for the roll?  Perhaps my courage could inspire Larsen to great deeds.

Sure, if you're being honest about the danger he faces in his role.  From Rosie's post I thought you guys were going for something a little less up-front about it, but this is definitely a valid option as well.

6:38, Today: Geezer Ridire rolled -2 using 4 Fudge dice ((-1, -1, 1, -1)).

Larsen still seems a little reluctant, but he agrees to go in disguise and be the point person for your plan.

As you head back to town to get the paint, you think you see the soldiers giving each other some surreptitious looks.  No one says anything to the two of you though.

Unspecified Negative Aspect has been added to the situation.  You'll find out what it is if/when it kicks in.

Disguise is in place - what's the next part of the plan?

What do you think, Rosie?  I believe this was your idea.

I suggest we try to find a small group of the Children, hopefully only two or three and test out his disguise. If all goes well, approach a larger group and try to rouse them to action. Perhaps we can kind a group that is already a bit rowdy?

Any addendums or alternatives happily accepted.

I guess we’ll send our imposter out in search of a small group of Children, while we watch from afar.

"Watch from afar" as in physically close enough to see him, and intervene if necessary?  That will require one of you to make a Diligence roll, which will eventually be opposed by the Children.

Or if you have a different idea in mind then let me know.

No, that sounds good.  Shall I roll now?

Yeah, go for it, and then we'll get into how the scene plays out

15:31, Today: Geezer Ridire rolled -1 using 4 Fudge dice with rolls of 0, 1, -1, -1.  dilligence. – -1

You return to the forest, same area where you were before, and wait to activate your trap.  After a little while a guard patrol does approach, six strong, holding spears.  Your man in disguise waves his arms to get their attention, and they hurry over to him and start talking.  There is a problem though - you don't know their language, and neither do any of the soldiers, including Larsen.  He glances around nervously.  Another one of the guards, with the darkest skin, steps up and shouts in Larsen's face.  The other guards all turn a shade or two lighter, but of course Larsen cannot.  Before he can do anything, or any of you for that matter, two of the sea children grab him.  The guard leader quickly scans the area where you thought you were hidden and locks eyes with Geezer.  It continues shouting, not that you can make any sense of it.  But you also notice a faint electric hum coming from it, or something that it is carrying.

GM, for the NPC Children, rolled 3 using 4 Fudge dice.  spot hidden enemies +1.
-they succeeded with style against Geezer's diligence, and get a boost called We Have a Hostage

Geezer shouts, waves his hands and tries to start a parlay.  But at the same time, he tries not to expose himself too badly.

Their leader points at Geezer, then points down at the ground in front if it, and glares at you impatiently.

Rosie tries her best to stay hidden, waiting to see what happens next. She furtively searches the area for more of the Children.

Supposing that means he’s been personally invited to parlay, Geezer reluctantly steps out.

The lead guard (Child?) turns an even darker shade of blue as it continues to shout in their language.  When Geezer approaches, two of the others move up to flank him.  You notice right away that one of them is holding some sort of thick elastic band.  It is stretching it between both hands right now, wide enough to, say, bind a human's two wrists together.

Rosie does not see any more of the Children around, only this one group.

“Do any of you speak our language?  We can’t understand the jibber-jabber that you speak.”

The only response you get is more jibber-jabber, and the others moving in close to try to bind your wrists in the elastic band.  Do you let them?

No.  I take a step back with my hands held up, indicating I’m not surrendering but want to parlay.

It shouts more, and the ones that are still holding weapons point them at you rather emphatically.

I rush back and order everyone to prepare to fight.  These Children are most unreasonable!  But I hope to make them Children of the Grave.

Geezer, they've got you nearly surrounded already, so if you're trying to break free and get back to where you once were armed then you'll need to roll something or other against difficulty 4

Any suggestions regarding what I should roll against?  These Children sure are a bunch of sneaky rat-finks.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:36, Mon 04 Mar.

These are the options I'm seeing:
Guile - if you try to be extra sneaky right back at them
Prudence - if you take the extra couple of seconds to watch for a good opening before you move
Vigor - if you are relying on brute force and speed to get past them

If you go with Guile or Vigor, you can be pretty confident that a failed roll will result in you getting injured.  A Prudent action will carry less risk of injury, but a failed roll gives them a better chance to successfully bind you.

Rosie, what are you doing while all this is going on?
This message was lightly edited by the GM at 01:35, Sat 09 Mar.

I will step forward in preparation of helping Geezer if it looks as if he can’t break away.

Would a courage roll make any sense?

I'll allow it if you can explain it

Perhaps the courage roll could represent a bold bluff, resulting in me breaking past them to return to my friends?

Okay, let's try that.  Post something and let's see how bold you can get...

I suddenly snarl like a maniac, lunging toward them with menace.  Then I make a break through it… assuming there is a gap in their lines(?) behind me.

17:46, Today: Geezer Ridire rolled 2 using 4 Fudge dice ((1, -1, 1, 1)).
This message was last edited by the player at 21:46, Wed 20 Mar.

Don't forget to add your stat bonus there - I spent several minutes writing options for dealing with a failed roll here before I realized you actually tied :)

The manic frenzy is enough to give the Children pause.  It's not a perfect plan, but it means that Geezer only takes a few scratches (1 stress after armor) as he breaks through and starts running back to your somewhat hidden allies.

What now?

Encourage my friends and allies to start opening fire as I finish running to them.

I follow Geezer’s lead, letting out a fearsome screech and charge in with my sword waving.

13:52, Today: Rosie Laveau rolled 3 using 4 Fudge dice ((1, 0, 1, 1)).

GM, for the NPC Children, rolled -1 using 4 Fudge dice.  Defend (+1).

Rosie leads the charge and quickly cuts down the first two of the Children that are pursuing Geezer.  Your soldiers cheer and rush forward, as much as the woody terrain will let them rush anyway.  The remaining Children, including their leader, quickly break and run.

What about the poor guy we recruited to try to pose as one of them?

He stays with you while his "kin" flee.  Fortunately there are no friendly fire issues.

“Well, that was easier than I thought. No reason to get cocky though.”

"Easy for you, maybe," Larsen says.  "You were nice and secure there in the trees, I was out here with them.  And they saw through my disguise right from the start!"

“I apologize, Larsen.  That plan was ill-conceived in the extreme.  Now, does anyone have any ideas about what to try next?”
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 01:44, Thu 11 Apr.

"Sorry Larsen. When we get back to town, drinks are on me."

"So when are we getting back to town then?"

“I suppose we should head back now, then try to think of a better plan.  What do you say, Rosie?”

“Town sounds darn good to me. Let’s make like a tree & leave.”

The trip back to town is fairly quiet, and the sun is setting by the time you return.  Do you report to the captain right away, or do you intend to stop somewhere else first?

“Should we stop off for a drink of something or other before we report back to the Captain?”

“No, let’s meet with him right away.  He should hear the bad news ASAP.”

You report to Captain Scotus and tell him what happened in the woods.  He is clearly irritated, and he takes a slow breath before responding.  "So we have a better idea of where they are based now, and they know that we know.  Which means they'll probably accelerate their plans to deny us the chance for our own counter-assault.  I'll need to send a message to Lady Meridian to request reinforcements.  And what will the two of you be doing?"

I shrug my shoulders and cast a sideways glance at Geezer with a raised eyebrow, wishing we were both psychic.
“Repairing and healing so we will be ready to fight sir!”

I let out a sigh.  "We're open to suggestions.  Obviously, our last idea didn't work out at all.  We should have done a better job thinking it through."
This message was last edited by the player at 15:51, Thu 25 Apr.

Agreed.
"What can we do to help?"