WWYCD in the event of an approaching army

[Kristopher]

Re: WWYCD in the event of an approaching army

 

Is it an vast, barbaric army of WWYCD threads in a forum that had never seen them before?

 

Nuke 'em from orbit. Only way to be sure.

 

[David Johnston]

Re: WWYCD in the event of an approaching army

 

Your PC is powerful' date=' but even [i']s/he[/i] can't stand against an army. And that's what's coming this way. Its soldiers are renowned for their brutality, and closing in on your location. You had a defense plan, but you don't know what happened to your allies, and there's a depressing number of soldiers headed your way from all directions. The civilians with you, desperate to escape the imminent beating, rape, and murder, want to commit suicide. But they're too cowardly to fall on their own blades, so they ask you to do it for them. To grant them a merciful death, instead of ask them to stand against the invading army in a hopeless battle to the fate worse than death.

 

WWYCD?

 

Tanis says, "Guys, guys, you are looking at this all wrong. You can _easily_ get those guys to stab you to death, so why are you asking me to do it? Nobody has to be taken alive here and me stabbing you isn't going to hurt you any less than them stabbing you. And if we can hold them off for just one candlemark, our reinforcements will arrive and most of us might even still be alive to see it! You'd rather be live heroes than dead nithlings, right? Now everyone grab hold of your pointy things and point them at the bad guys. Remember, they're more afraid of death than you are. So you can beat them. Trust me."

[Robyn]

Re: WWYCD in the event of an approaching army

 

Tanis says' date=' "Guys, guys, you are looking at this all wrong. You can _easily_ get those guys to stab you to death, so why are you asking me to do it? Nobody has to be taken alive here and me stabbing you isn't going to hurt you any less than them stabbing you. And if we can hold them off for just one candlemark, our reinforcements will arrive and most of us might even still be alive to see it! You'd rather be live heroes than dead nithlings, right? Now everyone grab hold of your pointy things and point them at the bad guys. Remember, they're more afraid of death than you are. So you can beat them. Trust me."[/quote']

 

It's entirely possible they would go for this; the worst side effect I'd impose on a successful roll to convince them to stand and fight, when they're already convinced that resistance will just make their deaths worse, is giving them the bright idea of making sure that, when they go, they go quickly - by rigging the town to burn (or explode, if they have fireworks on hand) if they're overrun. One person stays behind when the defenders start fighting, ready to light the fuse if everyone else falls.

 

Of course, if I wanted to be really evil, I would have them implement this plan without telling the hero

[David Johnston]

Re: WWYCD in the event of an approaching army

 

It's entirely possible they would go for this; the worst side effect I'd impose on a successful roll to convince them to stand and fight' date=' when they're already convinced that resistance will just make their deaths worse, is giving them the bright idea of [i']making sure[/i] that, when they go, they go quickly - by rigging the town to burn (or explode, if they have fireworks on hand) if they're overrun. One person stays behind when the defenders start fighting, ready to light the fuse if everyone else falls.

 

Of course, if I wanted to be really evil, I would have them implement this plan without telling the hero

 

Wouldn't matter. If they were overrun, Tanis would already be trying to use invisibility to bail. Never trust someone who says "trust me".

[Killer Shrike]

Re: WWYCD in the event of an approaching army

 

MOD HAT ON:

 

Lets keep things civil, shall we?

[AmadanNaBriona]

Re: WWYCD in the event of an approaching army

 

Caveat: I'm not big on the whole "Authors Fiat" lack of choces WWYCD thread style that you (Robyn) seem to fond of, but in light of KS's request, 'll answer straight.

 

of my various main FH characters, assuming the context of the scario is appropriate to their specfic campaign worlds...

 

Dalton is a brawler and a bounty hunter, not a world beater. He's also not a very nice guy, and a pretty reluctant hero most of the time (The best recent analogy I can think of to compare him to would be a Fantasy version of Jayne from Firefly). He'd curse the townsfolk for thier cowardace & stupidity, and toss whoever was acting as spokesman a vial of black gummy resin and tell him or her that if they really want to suicide, brew up a big batch of tea, disolve the resin in the tea and drink it. He'd then take volunteers to go with him to try and bushwack some outriders from the army and make a dedicated effort to steal some uniforms and slip through the enemy lines. Failing that, he'd turn his coat and look for a chance to slip off somtime in the future.

 

Caine is my other bastard of a character, similar to Bronn from The Game of Thrones. He wouldn't care a bit. If they were persuasive, he might be willing to off them, but most likely, he'd forego the option and try and figure out a way of avoiding capture by waiting for the enemy to come and taking advantage of the distraction provided by the enemy soliders amusing themselves with the villagers. If he felt indebted to the vlagers for some reason, he might go ahead and mercy kill the women and children.

 

Grimwald is a bona fide hero. He's also an Einherjar (chosen warrior of the norse pantheon, Heimdall the Guardian in particular) and a galdor-vitki (runemaster), who has spent years living with his own personal Doom (a draugear ate his fate, leaving him accursed and incredibly unlucky). He would refuse to take a hand in sending any souls to Hel by granting a cowards death. His most likely course of action would be to strike the rune of the dead upon the brows of the towns folk, sending ther souls to the afterlife without truly killing them, then raising a cairn over the "corpses". He would then attempt to escape to a safe location in the most inhospitible area nearby... he can survive virtually anywhere. Woe betide any who stand against him... While he fears and dislikes the power it contains, he bears an artifact level magic blade and some pretty awesome magic powers that make him a match for almost anything an opposing army might sen to stop him...this is a hero who has faced and slain one of Ymir's children, who destroyed a wightlord (who was invunerable to mortal weapons) by picking it up and crushing its bones with his barehands.

 

Cennan is another of my mighty hero types. Half blood Tuatha De Dannan, living Champion of the Goddess Danu... he's a Finn MacCumhal/Cuchulainn level hero, who HAS taken on armies by himself before. Given the obvious terror of the townsfolk, he'd probably opt for the path of peace,lead the townsfolk to the most secluded area they could reach (to best allow the bulk of the army to pass by) and unsling his harp and start playing. It'd be a test of endurance, but once his bardsong is heard, it's almost impossible for the listeners to do anything violent or offensive. This should both assuage the villagers fears, and defuse any of the invaders who come within earshot.

Should someone come who is immune to his song, or brings a greater magic to bear to cancel his actions, then he'd let his heros mantle arise, uneash the fire in his head, take up his invincible spear and give them a fight they'd be unlikely to forget. In his setting, such feared invaders are probably either Norse raiders or Formorians, both of whom have AMPLE cause to fear him... as the annointed defender of the land he has a HUGE reputation as someone not to mess with (The last party of raiders come a-Viking to face him were slaughtered but for the one man he left mamed but alive to bear the tale of his deeds... more would have gotten away had he not shattered the mast of the longship with a single throw of his spear). In no case, however, would he be willing to kill the villagers, as it would defy one of his gesa, as would refusing the fight, should battle be offered. As a last resort he would sing his deathsong, call upon the goddess to guide his hand (and burn his rather 'spensive Divine Favor) and challenge the entire enemy army to single combat.

He might even win.

[Robyn]

Re: WWYCD in the event of an approaching army

 

He'd then take volunteers to go with him to try and bushwack some outriders from the army and make a dedicated effort to steal some uniforms and slip through the enemy lines.

 

I'd been wondering how long it would be before someone thought of that. (More recently it seemed more of an "if" than a "when", but still.) Good idea: can't win a fight, can't run away (only towards), but sidestepping the apparent "on encountering the enemy, must initiate battle" paradigm is an excellent answer that utilizes a creative approach to details that weren't limited by the scenario outline

 

I would Rep you, but I still can't

[Curufea]

Re: WWYCD in the event of an approaching army

 

I feel so left out, I've never been a player in FH - only a GM ;p

[Gawain]

Re: WWYCD in the event of an approaching army

 

I feel so left out' date=' I've never been a player in FH - only a GM ;p[/quote']

 

Me too.

[Curufea]

Re: WWYCD in the event of an approaching army

 

We should start an alternate thread "How do you handle an army that is bearing down on one (or more) of your PCs"

WWYDAGM (What would you do as GM)

[AmadanNaBriona]

Re: WWYCD in the event of an approaching army

 

I'd been wondering how long it would be before someone thought of that. (More recently it seemed more of an "if" than a "when"' date=' but still.) Good idea: can't win a fight, can't run away (only towards), but sidestepping the apparent "on encountering the enemy, must initiate battle" paradigm is an excellent answer that utilizes a creative approach to details that [i']weren't[/i] limited by the scenario outline

 

I would Rep you, but I still can't

 

Dude... I'm Irish. We used to do stuff like this ALL the time

[David Johnston]

Re: WWYCD in the event of an approaching army

 

I'd been wondering how long it would be before someone thought of that.

 

I considered it, but rejected it. This bunch of bedwetters obviously aren't suitable for that kind of operation.

[BlackSword]

Re: WWYCD in the event of an approaching army

 

Gregor is an in your face fire sorceror. He would inspire the townsfolk to get weapons, stand up and fight. He would do his best to improve the defense or more perferably rely on a soldier or someone with better training. When the army approached he would (in the words of the GM) do something unholy.

 

Alishaer would also inspire the townsfolk to take up arms. He is more face first than subtle, but has good knowledge of tactics so his knowledge would likely keep him from striking the army head on. As a Paladin he would refuse to kill anyone no matter how much they begged. Those who refused to fight he would ensure they would be kept safe. Then he would kill anything that threatened his wards.

[TheQuestionMan]

Re: WWYCD in the event of an approaching army

 

Errandis Menelvagor - sends messengers to the local Nobility with orders to mobilize in the Emperor's Name (He'll pay for it later.)

 

Scout the Enemy's leaders, eliminate them, then take their place and reap havok and infighting.

 

Create rumours of a counter attack on there homeland. Those who remained behin have beeen over thrown and they must know march back home. More rumours of another Warrior Race/Nation attacking them from behind. Spread rumours of plague and famine. Undermine the force that bind them together.

 

Fight a guerilla war. Striking at Officers and Leaders. Poison Supplies, disrupt supply line and when he believes that the Noble have asembled the army Gate them into prepared amush positions.

 

Then Strike Back

 

QM

[Outsider]

Re: WWYCD in the event of an approaching army

 

If we're allowing bad guys to participate, there is this necromancer/demonologist I have...

 

 

 

If his goal here (for whatever reason) is to save as many of the townsfolk as possible :

 

Option 1)

Cast 'Sleep of the Dead' (a Life Support spell that also puts the recipient into a (timed) death like trance) and "Corpse's Visage" (a spell that makes the recipient appear to be a more or less decayed corpse) on most or all of the townfolk, then infect a few 'volunteers' with a highly contagious magically created disease. Send the carriers out to infect the surrounding army, making sure that the army knows where they came from. ("Everyone is dead back there, please help me!" (projectile vomit some blood) Even if it doesnt kill that many of the soldiers, they will be likely to avoid the town. Once the army has passed on, the people revive and all is well. Their town doesnt even get looted by the army... though it might get burned as a quarantine measure.

 

2) If there is a bit more time, have the townsfolk dig a mass graves for themselves, then have them bury eachother as I cast 'Sleep of the Dead' and 'Corpse Visage' on them. I bury the last few myself, then use other spells to avoid the army myself. If I think the army will dig up the mass graves, then I sprinkle some actual horribly diseased corpses (bodies provided through a 'volunteer' lottery again, or from other places (the enemy army itself, or its previous victims)) in the upper reaches of the graves. Very doubtful that the diggers would keep digging after the first diseased corpse they find. After the army has passed on, simply dig the townsfolk up.

 

3) If disease is nothing to be frightened of, as magical cures are easily available, AND the enemy army is likely to dig up any recently turned earth they find, then the whole 'disease' option is out. Faking the death of everyone in town is still an option, but would depend on how the army is likely to deal with corpses it encounters. If it leaves the dead alone, just 'corpsing' the townsfolk is still a good bet. If it is likely to not leave the corpses alone (IE, an orcish army who will eat them, or a fastidious army who would send a detail to burn them) then the 'corpsing' can stil be used, but a rael good hiding place would have to be found... maybe weighting and sinking the bodies into the bottom of a nearby pond or lake. After the army passes, just fish them out.

 

 

 

OR... If doing damage to the surrouinding army is my main goal...

 

4) Use one of the above ideas as a ruse to get the townsfolk into a helpless state, then sacrifice all of them to gain an immense amount of life essence to power my major spells. Use some of the essence to reanimate the townsfolk's bodies as zombies. Zombies who won't have a problem with fighting the army. The rest of the essence could be used to summon some really nasty critters (undead or infernal) to kill as many of the enemy soldiers as possible. Perhaps some of the juicier townsfolk (young women, children) could be set aside as a 'bribe' to cajole a really nasty greater demon to wipe this army for me...

[Robyn]

Re: WWYCD in the event of an approaching army

 

If we're allowing bad guys to participate' date=' there [i']is[/i] this necromancer/demonologist I have...

 

Sure "Hero" wasn't specified.

 

have the townsfolk dig a mass graves for themselves' date=' then have them bury eachother as I cast 'Sleep of the Dead' and 'Corpse Visage' on them.[/quote']

 

Repped for giving everyone in the scenario exactly what they want

[Capt JT Kohonez]

Re: WWYCD in the event of an approaching army

 

"We must Fight!!!"

"NO!!"

"We must Flee!!"

 

Beastmaster- The Movie

[Frenchman]

Re: WWYCD in the event of an approaching army

 

When this happened to Thurg, the Half-Orc Warrior-Priest, he and his companions (both the 9-Months pregnant Mage and the 10-year-old war orphan) stood alone in front of the city gates to confront them. Thurg used his holy powers to project a message from the Goddess (duo-theistic setting, Good Goddess, Evil God) informing the approaching army that they would have to fight and slay a child, a pregnant woman, and a holy man in order to breach the city gates and do unspeakable things to those within, and such an act would doom every last one of them to an eternity of torment in hell.

They left the city alone (as far as we know, since we left only a few hours later to pursue the bigger army marching east)

[Sword-dancer]

Re: WWYCD in the event of an approaching army

 

If Rondirai couldn`t call the the people to fight and go down honourable, she would meet the army in the open raising her blessed blade to the heavens calling these hyaenas to fight her.

 

The last time she did raise this blade to heaven she was answered with a storm from her goddess , giving refugees a free passage through a gauntlet of flaming death, a martyr and saint of hergoddess died in this way, fighting unbeatable odds, the enemy army was drowned and cursed(living as a kind of undead in limbo) to the very last man.

 

Also the whole army nows retribution will be swift, merciless till the last of them is put to death through steel or drawn and halved.

[TheQuestionMan]

Re: WWYCD in the event of an approaching army

 

Cat Elendil - Were Panther, Ranger, Knight of the Stone, and Champion of Caithness. Send word to the villages, farms, and forts to flee to the Keeps of the Barons.

 

Assassinate the invading armies Scouts, Wizards, and Officers. Finally their leadership.

 

When it comes to stealth, weapon mastery, and pure nastiness only a Demon Lord of War can match him. (a 6+ year old character, played every 2 weeks. And my first survivor.)

 

 

 

Cheers

 

QM

[Thia Halmades]

Re: WWYCD in the event of an approaching army

 

Ew. Threadcromancy.