...Where The Company of Heroes Gather and Bond

"And the only place for which you have a physical anchor is the bedroom, correct?"

"That would be correct, Korgazhar."

"Then logically we cannot have a safe teleport, since it is now warded. Aelfric's question then, can we teleport to the concubine? If not, then we have exhausted all teleportation possibilities. It's moot." Korgazhar weighed the options.

"Can we bypass the distance between here and the steading? If so, we avoid the patrols. Using mounts allows us to do so, but it still means we land, dismount and fight, in the open courtyard here, the only available place for mounts to land. Assuming they don't have ranged attacks as we approach."

While he awaited the wizard's assessment, Ælfric pondered the possibility of successfully cloaking so many people and mounts for an assault on the stronghold.

"It is possible that I could safely teleport us to the location of either Nosnra or his concubine. I would need to perform the scrying ritual yet again, and there is a chance the sorceress simply dispels my divination before I have the chance to teleport us."

"Then the choice is simple. Plan A is to teleport to Nosra, strike at him and the Drow quickly, and get out. If we cannot, plan B is to wear them down through attrition. Capture them if we can, kill them if they struggle. Just the body of a dark elf should be enough proof for the Earl that House Eilserv is involved. "

OOC: Fernal lets the caster type people plan thing out. Planning or even looking to the future were never her strong point. She was never accused of being intelligent. A pretty setting sun could easily distract her. On the other hand she isn't one to give up either, she always comes back to the main point. Just sometimes later.

Her hatred of the giants drives her on. She would spend months just picking them off, but that wouldn't probably stop them, but it would surely irate them for their losses. So any plan better is good. She is a notable friend of Dwarves and shares their hatred.

She is rather quite (not unusual) in the planning and now enjoy some more of her wine barrel while it lasts (She is working on it.) and distastefully eat her cold rations. She has her silver dagger out and putting a fine edge on it with a whetstone.

You know that she wants to go out hunting and have some nice well roasted meat (dear or bear would do finely). She is well accustom to running down what ever she sees or lay in traps. She is a huntress. A rather wild thang.

She is only 5'10 and probably not the tallest person here. Even being fairly strong, there surely is others stronger. You have noticed that she rather deliberately or just naturally gracefully moves about with the quietness that would make cats sound a touch loud. Her normal walking speed is 20' casual when by herself or no need for speed, 30' with others or their slowest speed when moving as a group, and 50' when she is alone on a hunt.

"Like orcish children," Korgazhar muttered at their indecision, then, with his anger still in check, he repeated himself, slowly this time, "Julian has said he cannot teleport us accurately, without risk, and without certainty of a safe location. It does not matter whether your toy recharges or not. That option is closed." The half-orc said with an air of finality. "Entering with our mounts means landing in the courtyard, which means we have our first fight there, with giants and wolves. Unless we intend to land just outside, which means we get to choose the entrance we want. In either of these, we must be prepared for ranged combat."

"We have magicks that allow us to move stealthily for certain durations, as Aelfric has demonstrated. Let us use that when we approach."

"Korgazhar is right. Teleportation will be our means of egress, rather than our way in. We will attack the steading on our mounts, moving in from a direction different from that of our cave, and when we need to leave I will return us here."

Korgazhar looked again at the map that Julian had drawn for them.

"Hmm, fighting in the courtyard will be a big battle with many foes. Messy. Why not from this other entrance?" He pointed to the door depicted on the bottom of the sketch. "There's a guardtower, so one of you must assassinate the guard, before we enter. But it will be a more tactically stealthy and sound entrance, with fewer guards, and no noisy wolves. We land close enough, and then Aelfric can climb up the tower, same way he scaled the wall previously."

Ælfric nodded despite not liking being cast in the assassin role.

"If it were an orc, perhaps, but I doubt I can kill a giant instantly. Altering the guard's mind might serve us better so we can gain entry and get information on internal workings without needing to scry. Julian? Alain?"

Korgazhar nodded in return. "Kill or neutralise by whatever means, both work." The half-orc signaled to his retainers to begin to prepare their mounts, as it seemed certain that they would be moving out soon.

"Remember that my cloaking will merely make us harder to observe and track; it won't make us invisible. We'll have to fly low through the trees and near the ground for as long as possible, and even then a group of winged invaders might be noticed. We must be prepared for this to go from stealth incursion to all out bombardment in an instant."

Ælfric looked back at his griffon, Garuda, and half-smiled.

"Either way, we'll give them Nine Hells... at least... but we must be absolutely sure of our objectives. Kill the two giant leaders and the Drow sorceress then teleport out. No deviation."

Ælfric was well aware that his deviation from the original plan is what led to this. Had he been satisfied with getting Nosnra's hair and not tried to get the concubine's, they would not be in this situation now. He would not make any more mistakes.

"That entrance will do, Korgazhar. We should make our entrance as subtle as possible, until stealth no longer becomes an option."

"Divination is my specialty, Ælfric, not enchantment. Though I do possess some magicks that alter the mind, they would only incapacitate the giant for a brief time. I might also compel the lookout to quietly walk into the woods, and go as far from the steading as eight hours will allow; however, he needs to understand my command, and I do not speak giant. Perhaps one of you could supply me with the words?"