Folks -- looks like we have a winner!
So Monday the 2nd of September, be at the Standley place! 1PM should still be the target time, anyone who can't get there perfectly on time may just miss out on a little planning or whatever, so no big deal. If anyone has a real delay due to other activities we can start a bit later.
While we were wrapping up last time, the party had (thanks to not being spotted by anyone in the buildings) managed to clear and search all three towers, resulting in 3 dead bakemono warlords and 24 dead common bakemono (2 on the roof and 6 inside with their boss), and finding some loot of various sorts as well, including a +3 STR mighty daikyu (comp. longbow) and a +1 STR mighty yumi (comp. shortbow), and some unknown high-born warrior's katana. Characters will want to figure out who is carrying what...
Also investigated through monkey eyes the upstairs arrow slit/windows and get info on the layout and occupants -- which appeared to all be slaves, a total of 11 humans in two rooms (tentatively identified by small as 6 peasants and 5 barbarians) in the larger building, 3 korobokuru and 2 badger hengeyokai in hybrid form in two rooms in the smaller building. Each also had a room with miscellaneous stuff stored in it, and in one there was a more or less empty room, in the other a more or less empty hallway. There also appeared to be stairways with doors at the top of them, unknown whether any doors at the bottom of the stairs -- they seemed to go down 5' and hit a landing, which is probably 5' square with another 5' stairway down to the ground floor, but no good line of sight from the inner edge of the slit/window. At that time Saru scuttled back to his master while the characters began to plan their next steps. As of that point, no alarm had appeared to be raised at either of the buildings, and no activity was evident at the mine when Saru was looking that way.
Where are the characters congregating to make their plans? I believe it was the bottom level of the gatehouse tower, so that the entrance to the keep would be under control in case something happens while you are making plans. It also allowed those not inclined to climb ladders -- wolves, samurai in great armor -- to remain at the ground level.
Assuming that is the case, are any sentries being posted while you heal up the wounded, discuss your remaining magical capabilities and fighting options, and decide to go house-to-house hunting ogres? If so, who and where?
Note -- Mike's character is a korobokuru barbarian ranger. If he wants, and is back in town by the 2nd (not sure when he's getting back), he can be one of the 3 korobokuru prisoners -- and if that is the case, his starting stuff (surprise!) will be in the storage room in that building. All korobokuru are known for two things -- all are fierce barbarians, and all have special tricks they learn in terms of fighting giants, including ogres. It might be quite reasonable for the invading heroes to go after the ogres guarding the korobokuru and badger-folk first, with the idea that perhaps one or more of the korobokuru at least might be annoyed enough with their captors -- and as yet not completely beaten down by them -- and want to help fight back! The slaves have been getting enough food to be able to keep working, and they have indeed been worked hard -- but at this point they have also gotten a few hours of sleep, enough rest for a sturdy korobokuru to be willing to shove aside his fatigue and slay ogres... ;)
That would allow Mike to join us on the 2nd IF he is home and available, and give you at least one reinforcement willing to go into the mines with you, I expect. If not, no big deal either, but if Mike is around I want to give him the chance to start playing...
-- Ernie III