rolled 4, 2, 4 = 10

Once again, everything has come together. The Terror Saints have joined the Wallsmashers, forming a force of nearly 20,000 men, all under the command of Knight Commander Symon. Vast stockpiles of thermite, amassed before your arrival, are being distributed and converted. Some to chain-mines, many to bolas. Considering the firepower at the commander's disposal, you doubt this foul beast will last long.

Corias took you into the friendly camp while his own soldiers set up their tents and dug trenches. You were surprised at how much the uniforms differ- many of the Wallsmasher troops seem to favor wide-brimmed helmets (for deflecting arrows), carry digging tools on their belts and packs, and wear or carry greatcoats covered in fire retardant. Since they are a siege-focused unit, you suppose it'd be odd for them to have the exact same equipment as everyone else.

After reaching the command post, Corias caught up with the other commander, talking like the two were old friends. He went over your recent exploits quite thoroughly, embellishing a few bits, and suggesting that the army should hire more Frost Giants. While the officers were talking, you discussed digging machines with Mitchell and a few of the regular troops, describing the tunnel-borers of your world. Apparently, a few of their mages and engineers have been working on something like that, but it had to be left behind.

When the commanders have finished their exchange, you introduce yourself, as modestly as possible. The next probing attack is scheduled for tomorrow, and, given the aid you've provided so far and your experience, you have some say in the tactics.

>>9965832
Let's try the method we used before, thumpers everywhere to distract it and a small elite force infiltrates and kills te head

>>9965832
Okay, can we make a few spears?
Lay a few traps?
Have some guys dig a few holes, put a ballista in the hole so that it'll shoot up, close up and reinforce the tops of the holes enough that the centipede can't get down but the ballista can still shoot up, and tell them to fire if they see a giant centipede climbing over them?

>9965859
iirc this particular monster doesn't respond to sound or vibrations.

rolled 2, 3, 4 = 9

>>9965859
Thumpers are not guaranteed to work, since the centipede doesn't appear to rely on vibrations to sense prey, but it might be worth a try.

>>9965899
Yes, you can do that. Crafting spears with that design will require a bit of experimentation, since you'll have to use alchemy to get the tungsten.

>>9965927
what does it seem to use then ?

rolled 2, 4, 4 = 10

>>9965947
It doesn't use any visible method. So far, it has detected everything that enters the fog, so it probably uses some kind of scrying magic.

Reposting something from the previous thread, in case it'll give you ideas.

We'd have to agree on an ambush point ahead of time. Get the tunnelers to dig a huge hole below the ambush point, supported by wooden bulwarks.

Then we could fill the bottom of the hole with thermite. High quality, low quality, doesn't matter. We might not need much thermite per square inch. No need for canisters or anything, just thermite.
Then Maya (as the fastest runner and the only one covered in magma steel who can generate a personal cold aura) draws the thing to the ambush point and uses lightning on a strip of magnesium that pokes above the surface and leads to the thermite. Then we fight the thing for maybe a second and get out of the pit.

>>9965947

Since it's centipede-based and doesn't use vibrations, I'd guess smell.
But it could be magic. Just plain magic.

>>9965978
Let's suggest that and put up the stinkiest thing they got.
If they don't have anything, let's transmute some sulphur.

I guess we could have our guys dig a centipede-sized tunnel, with thermite carpeting the floor. And they could paint the roof and walls with pitch or some other such sticky incendiary, using electric lights or magic to light their way so as not to ignite the tar. We could dig this tunnel into the centipede's territory, have Maya blast open the last few feet with an ice grenade so it's exposed to the surface, have her exit and wait for the centipede, and when the centipede comes for her, withdraw into the tunnel, just slowly enough to make sure the damn thing follows her, and when it's well immersed in the trap and Maya's clear of the incendiary, we light it all up and run like hell. The pitch at least will stick to the monster and burn it even if it gets clear of the thermite before said thermite does serious damage to it, the whole conflagration should collapse the tunnel's (presumably wooden) supports and cave it all in on top of the centipede, the air should run out in the confined space, the thermite won't need air to burn, and everyone should be clear of the damn thing so nobody dies or gets hurt. Basically we trap it and then we light the trap on fire, under thousands of tons of dirt and rock.

>>9966093
best idea yet

>>9966093
Sounds good.

rolled 3, 3, 1 = 7

>>9966048
Rations long past their due and human waste.

A barrel of horror is trundled out of the camp, set near the fog, and watched (at a distance) by a squad of fast-responders. After two minutes (the centipede's longest response time) the squad members relax noticeably. After ten, they push the barrel just past the edge of the fog. Thirty seconds later, the centipede roars out of the mist, pushes the barrel over, and retreats.

So much for that.

I wonder if we could build a coal-powered steam engine, apply it to a cart, fill a back car of the engine with magnesium and thermite, and send the thing off at the edge of the centipede's range into it's lair? If the centipede attacks everything, it will presumably attack the steam engine, and (if the engine is JUST poorly-designed enough) cause a boiler explosion. If it eats it's prey whole, then some of the coals might possibly strike at the magnesium and trigger the thermite. If it eats it's prey whole and that never happens, then a thermite grenade someone chucks down it's throat might trigger the cartload of thermite. If it just strikes at it's prey, the engine might rupture and/or cause a boiler explosion. If nothing of the sort happens, then at least nobody died to find out.

>>9966134
Okay, apparently it's magical then.
Can we have an anti scrying item put into a barrel and then see if it happens the same ?

rolled 2, 1, 4 = 7

>>9966093
It moves faster than you. Since you're armored with Magma Steel, though, you will probably not be harmed if the tunnel is ignited before you're out. If it manages to catch you, things will go very badly.

If everyone agrees with this, it'll be your top plan.

>>9966167
Making a steam engine would take a LOT of time. Way too much. Bad idea.

>>9966134
I can just imagine what's going through the centipede's mind. "Puny barrel! You are no match for me! Bwahahaha!"

rolled 2, 4, 2 = 8

>>9966167
Even a simple steam engine is beyond your skills right now. With a week or two, you could probably make one, though.

Given your strength, and the creature's apparent lack of interest for anything outside the fog, you could just pile explosives on a regular cart and push it in.

>>9966168
One of the mages drops a small amulet in another barrel, and the same squad takes it to the edge.

"If this works," says Symon, "It'll take a load off, that's for sure."

The barrel is pushed into the fog, and the squad waits. A minute later, the centipede appears, screeches, tips the barrel over, and retreats again.

>>9966186
We can create and "ice cork" inside the tunnel to delay him (AFAIR we can summon quite big amount of ice if we don't need it to take any specific shape) if things go ugly.

>>9966093
If it's intelligent this might also teach the son of a bitch to not enter or investigate any tunnels, which would then let us tunnel fucking everything and lay traps and collapse the surface everywhere like it was Dorf fucking Fortress.

>>9966251
FUCKIN MAGIC
HOW DOES IT WORK

>>9966251
SO he seems to find things by other means than scrying magic, most likely smell. So pushing something smelly into his territory at multiple points could distract him if we need it (we don't if we use tunnel plan).

rolled 5, 4, 5 = 14

>>9966334
Do you want to test this hypothesis?

>>9966390
yeah I mean, we have plenty of time right ?

rolled 3, 5, 3 = 11

>>9966405
Indeed you do. Against the protests of several of the lower-ranked soldiers, three more barrels of waste are gathered and taken to the edge at various points. An empty barrel is pushed in after, in between two of the others.

This time, the centipede responds almost immediately. It strikes at one barrel, knocking it over, and hits the remaining three, one after the other. It doesn't seem to distinguish between the empty and the full ones.

If we're going with the tunnel plan and we plan to ignite the incendiaries before we're clear of them, we'll want a rebreather (possibly magic) or at least an air filter mask of some kind, because the burning tar would fuck up our lungs.

>>9965899
I've got a modified idea of this one, can we make normal steel tipped spears with thermite-filled heads? Just throw it then hit the shaft that is (hopefully) still sticking out with a bolt and *BAM*, we have an opening.

rolled 1, 2, 3 = 6

>>9966491
The mages have no items that would make this possible, but at least one of them can cast a charm that would allow you to hold your breath for about five minutes.

Unless you wish to try constructing a filter mask with alchemy.

>>9966555
Let's try digging this time

rolled 4, 6, 2 = 12

>>9966534
Yes, if the fuse was accessible enough for you to hit once the spear reached the target. Keep in mind that the centipede's carapace is very tough; your best shot would be to hit it in the eye, or strike one of the joints where the legs connect to the body.

>>9966597
Hmm, yeah. Cooking it inside of the tunnel seems like the best idea then.

rolled 1, 5, 2 = 8

>>9966580
Beneath the setting sun, several squads of sappers labor before the edge, as you and the commanders look on. In short order, they dig a tunnel wide enough for two men, directly underneath the fog and extending several feet in. After that, they withdraw, wait about two minutes, and head back in, extending it a bit more.

They get to about twenty feet before Symon orders them out. The centipede does not appear.

>>9966307

If I had to guess, it would be something like this.

>>9966664
Try throwing a stinkbarrel in

rolled 5, 3, 1 = 9

>>9966729
In it goes. Two of the squad members wheel it to the end of the tunnel, and scramble out, barely restraining the urge to cough. Five minutes later, nothing has happened. Of course, the smell probably didn't penetrate the ground.

>>9966772
Declare tunneling apparently safe, proceed to our main plan.

FUCK YEAH

FG quest!

...

But I'm so tired

>>9966772
hmm

Have someone dig a trench into the scrying zone. Ready to run quick.

rolled 2, 6, 2 = 10

>>9966800
With Symon's approval, you declare tunneling safe, and outline your main plan. Digging a tunnel large enough for the centipede, including legs, will take a while, so you won't be killing anything tonight.

>>9966870
Wary of exposing themselves to attack, the sappers dig a bit sluggishly, clearing a trench deep enough to hide a full-grown man if he ducks. Half a minute after they get past the edge of the fog, the centipede charges out, striking the trench just after the sappers clear out, shouting madly.

The centipede turns in the general direction of the tunnel, hesitates for a brief moment, and retreats.

>>9966664
>>9966772

That might mean that our tunnelling plan will be a great success, OR it might mean that the monster won't follow us into the tunnel so our trap won't work at all. But even if the latter is true, at least then we'll have a giant tunnel directly into it's territory that we can go through without it attacking us along the way, which could help some other attack plan later.

rolled 4, 5, 3 = 12

Unless there is something else you wish to attempt, the sappers will start work on the large tunnel. A squad of scouts will stand by to warn them if the centipede appears, and a few groups of mages will attempt to hold the thing off if the sappers need more time to escape.

If the sappers work through the night (which they will), the tunnel will be complete somewhere around lunchtime tomorrow.

Orders?

We could enhance our speed for the duration of tunnel plan to outrun the thing, no?

While others are busy digging the tunnel, I guess we could spend our time making thermite spears. Thrusting spears for infantry, throwing spears and maybe a thrusting spear for Maya (hooray for automatic hits), and maybe thermite lances of some sort for cavalry.

Or maybe we could try the same idea to make thermite bolts for the ballistas.

rolled 6, 4, 2 = 12

>>9967116
Yes. The effect of a speed charm would be limited to a short burst, but that's all you would need anyway.

>>9967121
You can do both. Do you wish to make them out of steel or tungsten?

>>9967168

Tungsten. I'd prefer not to have the tip melt off before it has a chance to get embedded in a monster's face.

>>9967168
Does either of them penetrate better than the other?

rolled 1, 1, 2 = 4

>>9967192
Acknowledged.

>>9967197
They seem to be fairly equal, in your experience. Against the carapace, they will only be useful against weak spots, regardless of the material.

Email field: dice+1d20 for alchemy. Success on 11, result determines quality.

rolled 5 = 5

>>9967251

>>9967259
haha

We try again

rolled 3 = 3

ooops
>>9967315

Dammit.

Should we try again? We have time till tomorrow anyway

rolled 5, 1, 4 = 10

>Part of your comment isn't allowed to be posted. :(

Well, thank you 4chan.

You manage to make quite a lot of black goo, which sinks back into the earth after you're done. Mitchell remarks on how alchemy brings out bad luck.

Roll again.

rolled 11 = 11

.

>>9967259
>>9967327
>5
>3

rolled 14 = 14

.>>9967393

Let's have small talk with Mitchell in mean time. You know, about ... things.

rolled 2 = 2

>>9967393

rolled 5, 5, 6 = 16

>Part of your comment isn't allowed to be posted

I'm having a bit of a problem here. Hang on.

>>9967577
Are you trying to post something that resembles a real geographical location?

rolled 6, 3, 3 = 12

>>9967434

rolled 5, 4, 4 = 13

>>9967610
No, I don't think so.

>>9967614

Let's test them

>>9967610
>a real geographical location

W... why would something like that be banned on tg ?

>>9967434
Oooh, nice. >>9967404 doesn;t count since it doesn't quote.

rolled 6, 3, 4 = 13

>>9967640
Very well. Do you want to lure the centipede, or use an archery target, or something else?

>>9967631

Have you tried reconfiguring the phase variance of the plasma coils?

>>9967721
No, but I tried banging your wife.

With my phaser.

Maybe it some shit to prevent posting how to make bomb? We are talking about fuses and stuff.

>>9967694

But little did they know that >>9967404 and
>>9967434 are, in fact, samefag

>>9967706

Let's try lighting them and stabbing them into a tree first.
We want to see if they light properly, if the thermite all drains out through the hole where the magnesium fuse is when the aluminum liquifies, if the tungsten can stand being stabbed into something solid, if the heat shielding stuff works, etc.

>>9967706

On a target, we need to see if the thing will ignite at all.

>>9967706
Attach a rope to the spear.
Do the barrel trick. When it comes out to push it away, SPEAR IT!

>>9967706
>Do you want to lure the centipede

It would be entirely hilarious if we lured it, threw a spear in its eye (and auto-hitting) and killed it in process by burning the thermite to its brain.

Later we would tell were were just practicing our new toy

rolled 5, 3, 6 = 14

>>9967721
Yes. The main deflector is still non-operational. Go have a drink with Julian, I'll get this.

>>9967755
There are no trees nearby, so Mitchell suggests you throw it into one of the fire-retardant boards. You get the men to clear the area, anchor one of the boards in the ground, and strike it with a spear. It embeds itself in the surface, taking no damage. You light it with a storm knife, shielding your eyes.

The thermite flares, transferring its heat to the spear. A pinpoint of light bleeds through the hole where the fuse was, but the thermite remains contained. It takes several seconds for the heat to eat through the board, and the edges of the strike-point soon blacken and curl away. The spear falls out and onto the ground, burning itself out.

>>9967846

In my long years of experience fighting magically empowered centipedes, I've learned that when you destroy the head, the next segment just becomes the new head.

>>9967872

We should first light them and then throw them. Eliminates the possibility of missing the lighting attack that way.

Useful to know.

rolled 6, 2, 6 = 14

>>9967787
>>9967937
Roll 1d20 for spear-throwing. Your auto-hit applies mostly to boulders, but you've got good aim anyway. Result determines effectiveness.

rolled 5 = 5

>>9967988

>>9967846
Expanding upon this idea:

By the results of >>9967872 it seems that the spear would burn for a while in the eye and fall of without damaging interior of the head.

So my idea is:
Since our scientist in Dreamworld has successfully made rocket powder (iirc) we could make these spears like rockets. We throw them, they impale in the eye, the rocket ignites and slowly burrows deeper in the head, melting the brain

How does this plan look?

rolled 13 = 13

>>9967988

Hits away!

>>9968013

I think I'd prefer if the spear had jagged hooks at the back end or teeth. Or if the shaft right behind the spearhead could twist, bend, and break so the spearhead would be embedded away from the entry wound. The rocket spear just sounds too implausible.

Also:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilum
>Most later pila were constructed such that the iron shank would bend on impact; early pila do not seem to have had this characteristic. A pilum, having penetrated a shield through a small hole and its shank having bent would now be difficult to remove.

>>9968093
Oh, okay.

I just wanted it to go deeper inside the head.
Also, the jagged teeth idea is good, our spears should be like that

Hey I think we should HEY EVERYBODY DID THE NEWS GET AROUND ABOUT A MAN NAMED BUTCHER PETE?

rolled 6, 3, 5 = 14

This is starting to annoy me.

rolled 6, 4, 2 = 12

>>9968013
It is possible for you to make black powder, with time. However, getting the mix right, not to mention the design of the projectile, would take experimentation.

>>9968093
>>9968143
Would you like to alter the remaining spears to reflect this?

>>9968157
Gorsh damn it

>>9968157

Maybe you should clear your cache and/or switch to a different browser.

>>9968155
OH PETE JUST FLEW INTO THIS TOWN AND HE'S CHOPPIN' UP ALL THE WOMEN MEAT

>>9968200
Yeah do that.

Also, let's skip to lunch time and deal with this centipede problem.
I am really getting tired of these fortress recaptures taking so much time.

rolled 5, 2, 1 = 8

>>9968230
Spears altered. Skipping forward, if no one objects.

rolled 6, 1, 3 = 10

For the remainder of your time, you practice alchemy and oversee further production of thermite, with Symon's blessing. Your armor still refuses to yield to your magical talents, but your lenses continue to increase in quality, making reliable (if limited) spyglasses. By mid-afternoon of the next day, you've armed several squads with thermite spears, and kept several for yourself, all with jagged teeth.

When the tunnel is complete, the sappers emerge, tired and covered in dirt, having swapped out three or four times during the job. Thankfully, the centipede hasn't attacked the tunnel, and it has been reinforced just enough to hold for your escape. The floor is layered with thermite grenades just below thin planks, with a single linked fuse feeding them all. The walls and ceiling are thick with tar, ready to immolate anything that enters.

At the commander's order, you enter the tunnel, reaching the end without trouble, stepping lightly. Your breathing charm gives you five minutes, which is more than enough time, and haste will carry you faster than the beast. Hopefully. Time to shine.

Roll 1d20 for grenades. Success on six.

rolled 11 = 11

>>9968400

>>9968437
Alright, proceed with the plan

Don't forget to stay just out of its reach to lure it in the tunnel

>>9968437
Just as planned...

rolled 6, 6, 2 = 14

>>9968437

>>9968574

Cut the leg off

>>9968574
Try to break the leg with our flail

rolled 6, 6, 1 = 13

>>9968604
You have a steel flail and a Magma Steel knife. Do you want to use these, a bola, magic, or something else?

>>9968523
>>9968574

I wonder what would have happened if we failed that roll. Would the whole plan be botched? Or would we have to try again?

>>9968574
Thermite spear right next to the leg. Hope to embed it in a weak joint.

>>9968616
Batarang.

>>9968617
It's not like we didn't have backup plans.
And backup plans for our backup plans.

>>9968574
Run like fuck. We know that once it dies, the fog will clear in a very short time. So everyone run out of the fog, and wait to see if it disappears. If it does, it's dead. If it doesn't, it's still alive and we need to go and mop up.

>>9968665
I thought the fog was just with the worm-type shoggoths, and that this one didn't have fog at all?

>>9968665
Are we sure that it's the only centipide? And that it is the source of the fog?
We might need to go to the center to deactivate whatever is powering the fog and anti-scry

>>9968665
What? No. We need to summon ice grenades where the leg looks like it leads. Kill, not run away. Liberal application of thermite when the main body is exposed.

>9968713
>Liberal application of thermite when the main body is exposed.
We DID just cover it's entire body in thermite and burning tar, you know.

>>9968744
Yeah, I meant with one of the spears. Internal application. If that doesn't work, make a hole for internal application.

>>9968744
overkill is the best kill

rolled 2, 5, 4 = 11

Cache cleared. I'm going to switch to IE and see what happens

I just realized, we haven't made a single one-liner yet.

WE NEED FIRE-RELATED PUNS HERE, PEOPLE.

>>9968780

I guess we just wait and see

>>9968780
Freeze the centipede into the ground. Or try dropping a large chunk of ice on the exposed body. Or summoning a huge block of ice to encase the exposed body where it emerges from the earth.

rolled 5, 2, 5 = 12

>>9968780
Same result. I suppose I just have to deal with it for now. Moving on:

>>9968680
It has plenty of fog, of the same type and range.

>>9968700
You're not sure of either of these things yet.

Target with grenades?

>>9968780

FOUL MUTANTS, MONSTERS, AND DEMONS ALIKE SHALL ALL BURN IN THE FIRES OF PROGRESS.

rolled 2, 6, 1 = 9

>>9968925
Roll 2d20 for ice. First for drop, second for encasement/freezing. Successes on five and eight.

rolled 14, 8 = 22

>>9968982

don't fail

>>9968928
How effective have ice grenades been on this thing? Try blowing open the body where it's emerging with ice grenades, then chuck in thermite.

rolled 11, 6 = 17

>>9968982

Time to hit him with a one-liner. I mean a real ICE BURN here. Someone think of something, it's gotta be real cool and incredibly insulting and inflammatory at the same time.

>>9969004
Just barely.

But wouldn't that hinder our burning process?

>>9969039
Maybe, but maybe the rapid temperature shift would make the carapace crack and make the rest of our job that much easier when it inevitably rises, howling and furious from the lake of fire where it laid entombed.

>>9969079
I like your style.

rolled 2, 2, 2 = 6

Oh, how you hate things that don't want to die.

>14

An enormous block of ice forms in the air, congealing from ambient vapor. It drops like an anvil, pinning the centipede's body against the ground and shattering into several pieces. The screeches become more frantic.

>8

The creature's legs begin to freeze within the solidifying ground, trapping the strange thing as it tries to extract itself, its cries weakening. Spreading ice takes its body, wrapping around the segments and keeping them together, slowly freezing the centipede whole. The carapace splits open in several places, revealing the soft white flesh beneath.

The screeches die out. The legs stop moving. Yet the fog remains.

>>9969184
Time for some soft white flesh to burn. Take it apart. It oughta be safe enough for the men to help too.

>>9969184
>The screeches die out. The legs stop moving. Yet the fog remains.
Well let's be rigorous about this.
We've got to dispose of the body first, I for one would hate to find out it had just entered a hibernation cycle or something when we froze it, so let's smash the thing's face and remove all the legs from the body. By removing the legs, we both cripple it if it decides to resurrect suddenly, and we follow it's body to it's source, which might be another tree thing, or a nest full of these god-awful things, or nothing at all. We'll have to make our judgements based on what we find as we desecrate it's corpse.

rolled 1, 4, 5 = 10

>>9969230
With Symon's approval, the troops approach the centipede, cautiously prodding its exposed body with swords and spears. When it becomes apparent that it can do nothing to stop them, they tear into it with gusto, ripping it to pieces and burning it with thermite. The frozen legs are smashed, the brittle carapace peeled away, and the beast becomes so much meat, lying in scattered pieces on the ground.

The head, or what's left of it, has almost completely liquefied, and the rest of the body is inactive. The commander has decided against destroying the rest of it, at least for now, since there's no way to know how long it actually is, and he doesn't want anyone getting trapped in the fog.

For now, the immediate threat has been eliminated, and nothing else has come calling. But still the mist refuses to dissipate.

>>9969297
Chop off the body forward of the ice block. Unearth the head and destroy it.

>>9969364
Get permission to follow the body back to its source. Have the men help by being obvious distractions near the edge of the fog. They can also make more traps while we're gone.

>>9969364
Also, have the men keep destroying the body as it leads into the fog. Keep them at safe exposure limits, however.

>>9969364
Well, fuck

I knew whatever was holding the mist was at the center. Let's go there. Assemble a squad if necessary

rolled 5, 6, 6 = 17

>>9969297
Legs removed, up to about a hundred feet from the head.

>>9969367
The head and anything forward of the commander's range limit has been destroyed, torn apart, or otherwise rendered useless. The flesh is being burned in piles.

>>9969364
Huh. I don't suppose that this was just a small tendril and that we've yet to see the actual head, thus explaining the fog still being here?

>>9969364
>For now, the immediate threat has been eliminated, and nothing else has come calling. But still the mist refuses to dissipate.
Know what I'm thinkin'?
Tunnel network.
Burrow under the mist, following along the creature's body. Place light enchantment shield things at all tunnel openings to keep the mist out. That way the men stay out of the mist, we follow along the thing's body and see what we can see, and if any more aboveground abominations show up the men can gtfo back underground right quick.

>>9969456
see
>>9967931

If you destroy the head, the next healthy part becomes the head. And smaller centipedes move faster.

rolled 3, 2, 6 = 11

>>9969412
>>9969439
The Knight Commander takes a bit of convincing, but in the end, he agrees, mostly due to Corias's insistence. He refuses to allow his own men to accompany you into the fog, but Corias clarifies that that restriction does not apply to the Terror Saints. You gather a dozen men of good constitution, half of them mages, and move forward.

After you reach the end of the corpse, you order the squad to separate the legs, cleave apart the segments, and burn everything. Momentarily bringing up your aura, you clear the fog in a wide radius, and see, thankfully, that the centipede doesn't go on forever. Another hundred and fifty feet and that'll be it.

>>9969439
Yes, assemble a squad. Hopefully unexposed so far. Kill it at the source.

>>9969534
>>only 150 feet
But what will we find at that end?

DUN DUN DUN!

Perhaps the centipede wasn't the monster at all.
Perhaps the centipede had simply been touched by the Colour Out of Space.
Perhaps the true battle at this fort will be against a shade of octarine.

rolled 6, 1, 2 = 9

It takes a while, but you and the squad manage to hack the entire corpse apart, burn the flesh, and scatter the pieces. You can't imagine anything regenerating that much damage.

The way ahead is clear enough, mostly flat, and devoid of everything but grass. There are no vibrations, no sounds of any kind, and nothing to suggest anything out of the ordinary. The squad is in good spirits, and doesn't expect to find much. All there is is fog, extending as far as you can see.

To the center?

>>9969534
Use freezing again in case the other end decides to rise up

>>9969677
To the center, but tell the men to stay frosty. We have no idea what to expect here, but whatever it is, it's snow pushover. We need to keep cool heads, ready weapons, and keep our ice open.

>>9969677
yes

>>9969658
If we come across anything octarine then we'd better hope there's a chap with a worn hat with the faded letters W-I-Z-Z-A-R-D on it waiting that we can convince to help us.

>>9969803
He would probably run away very fast before we can even start talking

I would like to participate more
but its late and I'm exhausted

Goodnight DM, thanks for quest

>>9969852
Good thing we have that speed enchantment, are fast and could freeze him in place.

rolled 3, 1, 3 = 7

>>9969721

rolled 4, 4, 5 = 13

>>9969867
Thanks for being here.

Sorry about the delay, I had to bring in groceries.

>>9969959
Didn't that game come out AFTER we'd left Earth?

rolled 5, 6, 3 = 14

>>9969995
Perhaps you had inside knowledge. Or maybe you left from the future. Or maybe I just thought it was funny.

>>9969959
>pits much larger than the puncture marks
>the puncture marks are centipede footprints
Did we just kill a babby or something?
Okay, I want a view of the area above the fog in case there's something truly HUEG out there somewhere, like another dark tower or something. Ice staircase?
Also, if the pits were dug by the centipede, we might need to do something to them. So while we're doing the staircase, have the men dig in the pits. We might find an "Aliens"-esque underground egg creche or something.

rolled 2, 6, 5 = 13

>>9970066
Roll 1d20 for ice staircase, success on seven.

>>9970026
I just think that it will be interesting to see what other pop culture references will happen over the course of Frost Giant Quest that Maya won't know about. It's interesting to look at, you know? To think that the quest has been going for so long that ass these kinds of memes and references have come and gone. Fifty three sessions is a long time.

rolled 19 = 19

rolled 6 = 6

>>9970124
Dammit, forgot to quote the post.

>>9970187
>19
DAMMIT.

rolled 5, 2, 3 = 10

>>9970149
Indeed it is. Since it was brought up, I might as well ask: How's the pace? I'm perfectly all right with speeding things up, or slowing them down, or focusing on certain things more than others. If the players want to skip a few weeks at a time and just see the highlights, I can do that.

>>9970187
>>9970212
I'll give you the 19. It's just a staircase, after all.

rolled 6, 4, 6 = 16

Since you're here, you might as well search the area before you give up and head back out. After all, if you can't clear the fog, the return trip will make your minds that much worse. You make a couple of shovels for the non-mages with alchemy, and have them start digging into the pits, just in case. The steel implements probably won't last very long, but you don't want to stay here very long either.

>19

Twenty-four icy pillars descend from the heavens, forming out of the mist itself. Wide, ornate steps slide out, connecting to each other to form a spiral staircase extending out of the fog. Unknown runes adorn the sides, and the face of each step is imprinted with the marathon symbol. You climb, proud of yourself.

What you see is quite surprising. The misty edges are retreating towards you at great speed, and at least two miles of fog have already been erased. However, you are still blocked from contacting the gods, the Conclave, and everyone else, so the anti-scrying field must still be up, at least in the immediate area.

Orders?

>>9970307
Whatever we're looking for, it's probably underground. Go to the exact center and dig or something.

>>9970307
Sounds like we've done everything we can here.
Leave, contact everyone, report in, and move on. I don't know if a giant ice-mage would even be necessary for whatever comes next. Maybe those spider creatures who use magic senses instead of eyes to see would have better chances of telling what's what around here.

>>9970237
I think the pace is fine so far. Granted, some days we talk and talk for hours and get very little done, but that's pretty normal. If I had any complaints, it would be that the war arc is dragging on a bit. It feels like every time we finally start to get a handle on things, take one step forwards, something new comes up and it's two steps back. I'm not sure if I'm the only one who feels this way, but I'd be very happy if these fortresses are the last thing that need to be taken care of before the army can finally invade Forus for good and take them out.

rolled 6, 6, 5 = 17

>>9970355
You climb back down and return to the center, seeing that the squad members have found nothing yet. Constructing a nice, icy shovel, you dig in, rapidly excavating a large pit after breaking up the courtyard. It doesn't take long, but you don't find anything of note, and neither does anyone else.

>>9970392
With nothing else to do, and no idea what you're supposed to be looking for, if there's anything out here at all, you decided to depart, quickly reaching the moving edge, less than half a mile from the center. You contact the command post.

"Nothing, eh?" says Corias. "I thought not. Some of my people think it was a delayed reaction. Others believe there is still something out there. For now, I think you should head back." He pauses for a moment, then laughs softly. "Oh, and by the way, this is not a hallucination." Another laugh, and the link cuts.

>>9970497

Well I guess we should contact the Conclave, tell them we killed the giant monster and the fog is starting to fall back but there are possible shenanigans afoot.

Maybe it laid its eggs?

rolled 2, 3, 6 = 11

>>9970832

Well, we already told these people the story of the Spartans at Thermopylae, so how about we tell them about the English at Crecy, how normal people managed to utterly crush a force far more powerful than themselves by cleverly using new technology. Spin it into a sort of morality tale with French aristocracy as obvious expies of Forusian magocrats.

rolled 6, 5, 2 = 13

>>9971024
Time for a story. At dinner, you begin the tale of Crecy, of the great victory of the common English against the bickering, lofty-headed French. Of course, you have to go into some of the history, since neither of those nations exist here. You speak of the close proximity, the French raids into English land, the constant warfare, and the Brits getting right proper pissed at having their tea interrupted by frog-eating dipshits with spears.

The English, outnumbered and outgunned, after protecting their bowstrings during a short rainstorm, take the superior position on the battlefield, forcing the French to slog through muddy ground to reach them. The enemy's mercenaries, with wet, damaged crossbows and pavises a mile behind them in the train, fall in droves to English bows. The knights, aristocratic bastards with their own code, are massacred with ease by an army of peasants.

The comparison is obvious. Perin's army is composed of conscripts and commoners, villagers and city folk fighting for their lives against an evil empire in which battle-skill and magical talent determines the worth of a man. It is an inspiring story, telling of the victory of an inferior force through tactical awesome.

If they remember nothing else of you, they will remember Crecy.

rolled 2, 5, 4 = 11

>>9971227
If there's nothing else, timeskip?

>>9971330
Sure.

>>9971330
Sure.

>>9971227
And yet, the French WON the Hundred Year War....

rolled 1, 6, 5 = 12

>>9971387
You happened to omit that part.

Say, I got an idea. We keep trying unsuccessfully to recreate magma steel, maybe we could get some tips from the forge god in the bro network?

>>9971387

This is one of those things we should never, ever tell these folks.

rolled 4, 6, 6 = 16

rolled 4, 4, 3 = 11

>>9971451
He's told you to keep at it until you get it right; all metals will bend to your will with constant pressure. Of course, he doesn't work with Magma Steel much, but it really isn't that different from standard metals.

None of the alchemists you've talked to think that it's anything more than a temporary problem. The armor is not magically immune to alchemy, as far as anyone can tell, so it should work eventually.

Battlestations, men! get your gear out and prepare for a fight. Keep in mind the guys we're meeting up with may have had exposure to the fog!

>>9971447
Oh, and the British were the original aggressors. And the French were often outmatched and suffered many defeats of their own. And Joan of Arc. Ect.

>>9971720
Sorry, English, not British. I can't brain tonight.

rolled 1, 6, 3 = 10

>>9971712
"And stay frosty!"

The entire detachment prepares to meet the enemy head-on. Corias orders ranged and mages to the front lines, getting everyone ready to soften up whatever's out there. The Conclave deploys several spirit scouts as close as they can, gathers some information, and reports back to the command staff and to you.

It's not the hybrid. It's the Forusians. They must have 'ported right into place, accounting for the anti-scrying field. The Perinese are surrounded, encircled on three sides by the enemy and with their backs to the fog. They have nowhere to run.

>>9971720
Fortunately, there's no way for anyone here to verify what you tell them. You could have everyone totally convinced that the Brits sent a squadron of M1 Serenities against the French Death Ball in 1492.

>>9971840
Excellent, I'm finally online for an infantry engagement. We simply need to engage the Forusians on one of the sides, pincering them between us and the other detachment. Drive through their lines like a spear, then on one side of the new breach, set up a strong defense to hold while the majority of the troops head over to destroy the other half. In this way, an army that is initially outnumbered can split an enemy force in half and devour them one by one,.

rolled 3, 4, 2 = 9

>>9971840
The Forusians are bearing down, crushing your 10,000 allies with the weight of numbers. There are siege beasts mixed in with the middle ranks, pouring flame into a massive light shield. No siege engines are present, but they don't need to be. It's a grinder; there are at least three times as many Forusians as there are Perinese, not to mention the beasts. According to the Conclave, a shield of the size they see could only withstand the beasts' attacks if it was being maintained by nearly all of the mages in the detachment.

>>9971917
I'm assuming you wish to engage the closest side. The fog is to the right of the detachment, seen from where you are. If the enemy has an even distribution, they have about 10,000 per side, in addition to the 2-3 beasts per side.

Focus fire on bringing the beasts down, just like usual.

The thermite cans shouldn't be as useful in this instance, so have the men drop them first if they're too weighed down.

>>9971976
You assume correctly. Now, what I'd do if I was in charge, is form up the men in a wedge formation to pierce the enemy line. Move fast, and quickly secure a foothold and communications with the second detachment. This should leave a total of 15000 Forusians on either side of the breach, minus however many we've killed by that point. As I said in my previous post, set up a defense to hold one of those groups while the majority of our two detachments engage one of the remaining Forusian groups, which should now be outnumbered themselves. Once that is dealt with, turn to mop up the other half.

rolled 6, 3, 4 = 13

>>9972022
>>9972039
Corias is already ahead of you. He is relaying orders to the forward lines, bunching them up into a breaching formation. All non-essentials have already been abandoned; only the carts of thermite are still being towed, since command isn't ready to leave them behind. The Conclave is attempting to gather reinforcements from the detachment after this one, but they will not arrive for days even if they leave now. The Terror Saints will be on their own for this rescue.

The commander requests that you use your long-range skill to take out the beasts when they're in range. He'd rather have you picking them off then attacking the infantry. This time, you're ahead of him.

Roll 1d6 for boulders. There are only two targets at the edge of your range, but you can hit them easily.

rolled 3 = 3

>>9972078

rolled 3 = 3

>>9972078
Let's rock.

rolled 2, 1, 2 = 5

>>9972093
You break off from the rest of the group, calling one of your favorite weapons.

>3

Three hollow iron spheres burst from the ground and into your hands, ready for action. You fill each of them with as many ice grenades as you can fit, and fire 'em off, one by one.

The first strikes a beast in the leg, detonating marvelously and tearing the limb from its joint. The four-legged abomination, surprised and thrown off-balance, tips over, losing its aim and vomiting magma into its own ranks. With your second shot, you puncture its stomach, letting the rest of the foul brew engulf the nearby infantry.

Your second target rears up, clamping its mouth shut and coming about, as the men atop it bring the ballista to bear. You shatter its jaw, sending it reeling, and the ballista fires, embedding a menacing-looking bolt in a depression off to the left.

>>9972078
If we're not able to use the thermite in this engagement but we don't want to leave it behind, use our earth magic to bury it. We don't want to be occupied with protecting military secrets when we should be combat mobile.

rolled 5, 3, 1 = 9

>>9972176
Two more siege beasts have broken off their attack and are heading to you. The injured one is groaning horribly and refuses to get up, as magma dribbles from its gaping wound. The lines ahead are in disarray, losing at least a thousand men to the flames and trying to recompose to meet the Terror Saints.

>>9972232
More rocks, take out the beasts.

rolled 3, 6, 4 = 13

>>9972182
Acknowledged. At this point, about half of the men are armed with grenades, so there is no real need for the rest of the stockpile. Against infantry, thermite is not nearly as useful.

>>9972238
Roll 1d6 again.

>>9972176
you know covering a thermite grenade in a block of ice should give us a fairly lethal shrapnel grenade that requires no rolls and is a guaranteed hit

rolled 5 = 5

>>9972261

>>9972261
At this point, we're like some kind of giant, blue demoman, grenade-spamming the battlements on 2fort.

Make sure to toss in a good ol "They'll have ta glue you together in HELL!"

>>9972299
Maybe, but filling a boulder with exploding ice grenades does the same thing, is way heavier and harder-hitting, and doesn't waste thermite.

rolled 5, 3, 6 = 14

This is ridiculous. I even switched computers.

>>9972261

>>9972425
Can we provide some close-order artillery support by sending some ice grenade-filled boulders into the oncoming Forusian lines?

rolled 6, 3, 2 = 11

>>9972565
Absolutely. Roll another 1d6 for boulders. Do you want them to airburst, come in at ground level, curve?

rolled 6 = 6

>>9972597
Airburst should do the most damage.

>>9972658

well shit. we might as well start wearing an eyepatch and heading out into battle with a big ol bottle of scrumpy.

rolled 6, 2, 3 = 11

>>9972658

>>9972865
What's this? Fear? That's unusual. So these one's aren't mindless drones like the others. Curious.

Looks like you-know-who is coming again. Let's prepare a few welcoming iron balls for him.

rolled 5 = 5

>>9972865
Shit! Incoming enemy teleport!
Is that column of ash within range of our boulders?

rolled 4, 2, 4 = 10

>>9972934
Yes. However, the lack of horns, or of any sound at all, suggests that it's not a summoning, but rather a preparation for extraction.

>>9972908
Well, the others were either part of a massive force that grossly out numbered our troops, or were killed too quickly to show fear.

That and word travels slowly with no computers, phones, etc. I am guessing now that stories of us just been reaching the rank and file infantry, and that their command structure has been informed that we are a serious roadblock to anything they attempt to do.

Keep up the bombardment, all damage to both morale and their troops is another victory for us!

Also: With this fear thing i just realized how incredibly powerful Maya has become, this is awesome.

>>9972961

Let's fire up the ice lazers, just for fun.

>>9972961
Shall we give them something to remember us by?

And I like that we're now like Dr. Gordon "The One Free Man" Freeman in being able to inspire fear in our enemies.

rolled 6, 2, 1 = 9

>>9972983
Roll 1d6 for boulders. Target the ranks in front, the other 20,000, or both?

>>9972989
Roll 1d20 for ice laser, success on five. Result determines effectiveness.

>>9972961

Can we block off their retreat? Wall of ice in front of the ash clouds?

>>9972961
DOOM COMETS!

Doom comets into one of the extraction portals. Lets make them think twice about thinking with portals. If we are lucky, maybe we can take out some of the mages who have been trained to do these mass teleportations, and / or damage any equipment and materials they are using to do this.

rolled 12 = 12

>>9973005

Lazer roll

rolled 8 = 8

>>9973005
lasers

>>9972865
"RUN, COWARDS! RUN BACK TO YOUR CRAVEN MASTERS AND TELL THEM THAT I AM *COMING* FOR THEM!"

>>9973005
Hold off on rolls against the infantry right now please, I wanna see if I can get a consensus about targeting some doom comets into the portals.

rolled 2 = 2

>>9973005

Boulders.

Both, if possible.

rolled 3 = 3

>>9973005
Boulder roll.
Target the remaining 20,000. The Forusians in front of us are already demoralized; let's give the others something to fear.

rolled 6, 6, 1 = 13

>>9973007
No. To create a wall that long, and thick enough to resist mage fire, is beyond your power. Even with potions to restore your energy, you would have to do it in many sections.

>>9973011
>>9973037
You can do both, you know. Even in full retreat at maximum speed, they wouldn't reach the ash clouds for several minutes.

>>9972979
No, see, before we were facing troops with literally no mind or emotion, acting in concert as if with a hive mind, not caring how many fell, eagerly stepping over the forms of their fallen comrades to get to us. This is different.

If we cast Doom Comets into one of the portals, we will be taking out both the infantry and whatever is on the other side. I think its better than trying to take out some of just the infantry with our normal bag of tricks.

>>9973059
Hmm, those were the ones that were coming out of the portals from the dark towers that ran on death magic. Perhaps they had mages altering their minds before going through the portals, causing them to attack with reckless abandon, thus providing more power to the death magic towers.

Sure, putting a few through the portal sounds like a good idea. It sounds as if we'll have quite a lot of time to do so anyway.

>>9973049

Doom comets @ retreating Forusians, after we've softened up those still fighting first.

rolled 5, 3, 1 = 9

>>9973061
>>9973100
Roll 1d20 for doom comets. Result determines effectiveness.

>>9973049
May I suggest then creating a few small wall barriers, maybe just sections of icy spikes jutting out of the ground, to funnel them together in a clump, thus slowing them down and creating one central killing ground for our future attacks, such as the Doom Comets.

rolled 2 = 2

>>9973115

Let's do this

rolled 9 = 9

>>9973115

Breaking the pic out for the big rolls, also we have a line to say :D

>>9973121

Alright. fair enough. It's not like we're sticking our head into a fire god's asshole without our armor again.

>Fear.
I thought the Terror Saints accounts said the Forusians had become like CoC cultists at 0 SAN, unshakeable and unbreakable.

...maybe these aren't soldiers. Maybe all the soldiers got brainwashed or whatever, and maybe this lot are just civilian conscripts, warm bodies pressed into service.

>>9973121

facepalm.jpeg

>>9973089
It wasn't just that. Remember, when we first met up with the Terror Saints, the commander mentioned that their fear tactics weren't working anymore since several weeks before, since the enemy had grown emotionless and unresponsive. This was while fighting them in Forus, long before they invaded and took the fortresses.

>>9965818
Say, have there been any pictures of maya in the nude?

>>9973139
It may be that a combination that the enemy got used to their tactics now, and maybe they have mages who are able to alter the minds of the infantry before major engagements.

Or maybe now since the war has dragged on so long, those that are fighting are the hardliners or fanatics, or even the desperate. Maybe they believe they will all be killed or turn into slaves if Perin wins the war.

>>9973159

rolled 1, 2, 5 = 8

The allied commander is quick. Very quick. All the forces he can spare are moving up to break through the infantry ahead, probing for the weakest point. You call yet more boulders as the Perinese find their mark, and rush in, cleaving the enemy ranks in two.

>2

There is only enough iron beneath you to make two more, and you don't have time to focus on transmutation. You work with what you've got, filling both with explosives and tossing them in. The first curves into the 4,500, shearing them apart with shrapnel. The next careens through the bulk of the enemy forces, rolling almost to ground level and bouncing up, crushing dozens and slaying many with its exploding shards.

The wedge contacts the disorganized and demoralized 4,000, crushing them against two fronts. Blood runs like a river, and men die like ants beneath the heel of your boot.

>12

You level your gauntlet, pouring your will into your runic ring, sweeping a fine white beam across every enemy line you can see. Hundreds of soldiers freeze to the ground and are shattered by their retreating comrades, now forming an enormous mass of bodies trampling all in its path. The other detachment is pursuing them, blasting mage fire into their backs and slaughtering them.

>2

Using what remains of your energy, you attempt to call forth a mighty storm, succeeding only in making a light drizzle. The battle being what it is, the retreating mass attempts to stop, believing this to be only the beginning of another insane attack. Hundreds stumble and fall as the army collapses on itself, a herd of frightened animals without control.

Honestly, I don't think we should cut off the enemy retreat completely. An army that believes the only way to stay alive is by fighting and breaking out is a dangerous enemy. As long as the chance of escape is dangled in front of a broken enemy, humans will choose to run rather than fight.

Do no make this death ground for the Forusians.

rolled 4, 4, 3 = 11

>>9973116
You're nearly out of power at this point, but you can always chug a potion if you want.

>>9973177
>Maybe they believe they will all be killed or turn into slaves if Perin wins the war.

And they would be mostly right. If Perin does manage to finally conquer Forus, mercy will be in short supply.

>>9973250

hold off on the potion; let's melee our way through for a bit, and chase them back into the ash. Focus on the division that's turning the fire magic on their own retreating forces. Jazz it up with some storm knife strikes.

>>9973250
Nevermind about the ice wall sections, >>9973235 makes a good point. Maybe we could get them to surrender, I think it would be a much more useful tactic than simply killing them. Demoralize the rest of their army with their surrender, maybe slowly start planting the idea the only way to survive is to surrender.

>>9973307

Wait, I misread an earlier post. Though one set of Forusians were attacking some of those retreating my bad. Just go for the thickest mass of troops still standing.

rolled 7 = 7

>>9973235
>>9973315
Agreeing with these guys.

agreed. If we can get some surrenders happening, we'll have potential information coming our way. Make every attempt at possible at a capture.

>>9973139
I find this to be the most likely explanation.

>>9973315
Further thoughts, if we could start spreading propaganda, that those who get sent through these portals are slaughtered by a Perin "special division." And that the only way to survive is to quickly surrender, that could help us out.

The propaganda will probably be ineffective targeting those who are fighting in Forus defending their homes, but if we could demoralize those who get sent through the portals, that might have some interesting effects.

Might be possible to get someone higher up in their command structure to surrender a large force, instead of porting in and getting slaughtered.

You have to remember that these are Medieval armies, for all their usage of slightly modern tactics due to magic. To them, surrender doesn't mean a clean POW camp with 3 meals a day far from the fighting until the war is over. It means torture, enslavement, and/or death (unless you were a noble and could afford paying a ransom). The idea that you are guaranteed safety if you lay down your arms and will be given your freedom at the end of the war is a totally alien concept, perhaps one we can exploit.

If we're going to try taking prisoners, should relay our plans to Corias first.

rolled 2, 3, 2 = 7

>>9973307
>>9973315
>>9973345
>>9973359

>>9973407

We might end up bringing more heat down on ourselves. Don't forget that other giant thing that won't stay dead.

rolled 6, 5, 1 = 12

>>9973407
>>9973424
>>9973429
Job's done. A few of the quicker men probably managed to get through the portals before they disappeared, but you'd estimate less than a dozen, at the most. Corias is extremely pleased that you saved him some subjects to interrogate, though he expresses concern about taking an amount of prisoners only a quarter less in numbers than both Perinese detachments.

Hooray! We win!

Now what the heck're we gonna do with ~15k Forusian POWs? Let's sort things out with Corias and the Conclave.

>>9973485

Guess we've got to babysit them until reinforcements show up?

>>9973424
True, but it doesn't mean that it might give us a shot a brokering a deal with someone who is higher up in their command structure. Tell them when this is over, Perin will need people to control the population of Forus, and it will be much easier coming from someone who was part of their military, a lot less problems. Make the argument that perhaps the only way to truly protect your homeland and its people would be to surrender.

I am guessing that there is probably a lot of people that might be looking for a way out now, kinda similar how there was a lot of the nazi high command who wanted to broker a deal with the allies and end the war. They just ended up either being executed by the SS under orders from hitler, or making an offer way to late.

Even if no one takes the offer, the fact that its there will make them suspicious of one another. That alone could wreak havoc on their morale and tactics. I wouldn't be so eager to march my troops to go save another division if I thought it might be a trap set by a traitor general.

>>9973486
Well, we could build some sort of encampment, where Forusians would be concentrated...

>>9973485

Let's ring up the Conclave; the anti-scrying field's down right? Also, confer with the commander of the guys we rescued.

>>9973511
>>9973486
>>9973485
Maybe we can offer some advice on how POW camps were set up in our world? Things to avoid, like Andersonville, the Bataan Death March, and the Hanoi Hilton?

rolled 6, 2, 1 = 9

>>9973486
Though there are obviously no treaties between Perin and Forus that could possibly be counted on, there are internal rules about treatment of prisoners, interrogation, exchange, torture, and all that. Considering the situation, not just here but in the larger picture, and the scarcity of supplies, the Conclave finds it hard to justify keeping more than a few hundred, and even then only officers and those who might have useful information.

Corias is against killing them after they've surrendered, but accepts that there is no way all of them can be supported and guarded while a slaving force is arranged to take them for processing. Cursory inspection reveals them as shock troops, carrying enough rations per man for a day at best. If no way can be found to feed them, they will die anyway, not to mention the wounded.

The allied commander, Lucio, is also against killing them, but sees no alternative to a cull, humane or otherwise. Neither of the Knight Commanders is willing to share their own troops' meager resources with prisoners, especially Forusian prisoners.

You can say whatever you like, generally, but you are a Captain, and you have no command in this matter.

>>9973572
I hate to say this, but Dreamwood currently has more food, more support, and more personnel than it currently needs, and is out of the way enough that the Forusian military won't liberate a prison there and escaped prisoners won't be able to wreak havoc on the nation.

>>9973618

Nonononono.

There's like, 100+ people in Dreamwood. Ignoring the logistics of getting them there, there's no way they've got the manpower to keep an eye on 15,000 prisoners.

>>9973599
We could establish a concentration camp for them and have the gods beam them there. There they would perform valuable labor for the agriculture and industry of the Reich, farming crops and manufacturing goods to make up for the absent adult male workforce.

>>9973618

And how would you get them there?

>>9973652
Divine teleportation, in groups.

>>9973618
We'd need to run some calculations on how much food Dreamwood has available. I guess we can make them help farm in order to produce the much larger harvest required. The threat of Maya coming back if they try anything funny might be enough to keep them from running.
We still need to find a way of teleporting them there, though.

>>9973599

Is there anything between our current position and Forus? If not, why not order them to march back home. Say we'll be keeping an eye on them via scrying; if they try to turn around and head into Perin, we'll come after them.

>>9973662

That would take some time, hmm, but I think it could work out.

>>9973599
Que sera sera. What will be will be. No one ever said war was nice.

rolled 5, 1, 6 = 12

>>9973650
That is an idea, but the gods only have enough power to teleport, at most, several hundred people at a time, and it would take up to a month to move all 15,000. Besides that, they would not be able to reincarnate Erivrus without all that power.

>>9973673

Doubt the citizens of Dreamwood would like the idea of feeding Forusians, given all the sons they've got fighting the war.

>>9973599
Send them right back to the enemy, preferably to an area where the enemy's resources are stretched to breaking.

Let the enemy have the problem of figuring out how to feed its men, and the morale issues of having to execute them.

Alternatively, we could just freeze them all, then thaw them back out as we have the chance to process them.

>>9973599

Keep some to interrogate, tell the rest to march home. If they starve on the way, though nuts.

>>9973700

Could we have them port -in- supplies then?

>>9973717

I don't think freezing works like that.

>>9973717
Are we capable of fine-tuning our ice magic for cryogenic suspension? And if we don't currently, are we willing to...experiment? I'd rather not turn Maya in this world's Josef Mengele, or our mage unit into Unit 731.

rolled 2, 2, 1 = 5

>>9973673
Enough to support about triple the current population, and barely meet quota for taxes. All excess has been either sold or stockpiled. Note that that's with an average harvest. If something goes wrong, there will be problems.

>>9973682
There are other border fortresses, but if these were warned in advance or an escort was supplied, there would probably not be an issue.

>>9973717
I don't think the freezing process works like that. This isn't Encino Man.

Does Forus take prisoners? Is an exchange out of the questions?

>>9973599
Mention this nifty little tactic that has been used. If there is ever a large city or fortification that is being sieged, marching the prisoners to city and releasing them will cause all sorts of interesting things to happen.

First what ever supplies they were counting on to outlast the siege, they are gonna run out a whole lot sooner.

Second, the issue of command structure becomes a problem if they are some officers in with the regular infantry, which will cause our third and most important result:

Infighting. Short on supplies, more mouths to feed than expected, control issues, all of these in an already tense and stressful situation, fighting will break out in no time. Whatever morale they had before this incident, will be shot to hell. Other outcomes include the military presence becoming so weakened that a successful attack can be launched. Hell, even disease and sickness might spread like wildfire and leave their force in no condition to fend off a siege.

Would be entirely possible to take a city or fortification without having to fight.

Worst case scenario is that they enemy commander is able to see all these problems and is forced to kill or send away their comrades to die. This too will crush morale.

rolled 6, 1, 1 = 8

>>9973739
Yes. Teleportation is done by mass, so you could feed a lot of people with a hundred-man-weight in food.

>>9973755
Possibly. Normal physics do not apply to magic, so even though it would be impossible in our world, you could potentially devise a spell to freeze and preserve a person for later thawing. It is also possible to induce hypothermic hibernation, though keeping someone in this state (in the real world) will kill them.

>>9973757

Let's send warning to the other fortresses, and send them on their way. Let the Forusians know if they attempt to attack any of Perin's holdings on the way out, it wouldn't be much trouble for you to be teleported in and lay waste to their faces.

>>9973789
This is an anonymous I wouldn't want to have to face in a war.

Do it.

>>9973744
It worked when they saved Hitler's brain.

>>9973744
>>9973755
>>9973763
Well, it'll probably kill them all, but maybe not. It's better odds than the prisoners will have if we just outright execute them.

>>9973765
Logical question. I was assuming they didn't, because if they did prisoner exchange would have been the first option mentioned.

>>9973808

I suppose we could 'port in some supplies, with the Conclave's and the commander's okay, but we should send the bulk of the prisoners on their way after that. Too much dead weight.

rolled 2, 3, 2 = 7

>>9973765
They do, occasionally, but when they did exchange, they did it very rarely, and only for specific, high-value prisoners. There have been no exchanges since before your arrival to this world.

>>9973789
This simple, effective tactic appeals to the two commanders, but the Conclave deems it useless. Even if the prisoners could be brought to a Forusian city under siege, they would not be allowed in. Paranoia and ruthlessness makes such an act ridiculously improbable.

>>9973789
Excellent idea.

If we wanted to be real bastards, though, just teleport random groups of them into the enemy countryside, and give them very simple weapons before we do.

Ready-made bandit gangs looting everything outside the cities should screw with the enemy war effort nicely.

>>9973869
Teleport the prisoners into the enemy cities.

Or use them as literal meat shields for assaults.

>>9973815
>>9973789
I think the important question we have to ask first, is the most personal one: how ruthless do we want to be? Maya has read history, knows the things that humans can do to each other, has read of things that the military leaders of Perin or Forus could never dream of in their darkest nightmares. How far are we willing to go?

>>9973869
Then there's nothing to do but kill them.

>>9973869

Let's teleport in some supplies, and send the bulk of the prisoners back home.

>>9973808
Teleport in food for them. Set up a camp or something. And send an envoy to the Forusians under flag of truce to mention the concept of paroling ordinary soldiers.

If they throw it back in our face, then we go to our prisoners and explain to them how their leaders just sold them down the river. See how many we can get to join us.

>>9973921
How do you want to go about it? A forced march? Trenches? Furnaces?
Shall we have them dig pits in the ground, line up on the lip, and shoot them?

>>9973869
>Even if the prisoners could be brought to a Forusian city under siege, they would not be allowed in. Paranoia and ruthlessness makes such an act ridiculously improbable.
Really?
So the enemy will be too paranoid and too ruthless to ever trust or deal with prisoners who were in our hands?
Then let's release them and send them home! Jesus, can you imagine all the paranoia and the civilian crackdowns as they try to track down and execute every single one of them?

Shit, one very obvious thing: we need indelible markers, or some magical equivalent.

Before we release the prisoners, we mark them on the forehead, or hand, or somewhere equally visible. If we catch a marked soldier fighting us in the future, they get executed.

We're sending them home, but they're sitting the war out if they want to live through it.

>>9973975
I like this idea. Turning your opponents against themselves, treating your captured prisoners well so that they work for you. An excellent application of the Art of War.

>>9973909
Well, with morality concern, its forcing them to make the hard decision to kill their own men, rather than having us make a less difficult decision and kill them. We are at least giving them a chance to live.

Side note though, is this truly the conclave's decision on what to do with the prisoners? If they two commanders see the value in this tactic, couldn't they forward the idea to their superiors? If I remember correctly, the military and conclave are separate enough structures that this really be more of a matter for the Perin military, and not the conclave.

omfg, I forgot about Frost Giant quest.

...and I am dismayed at the situation I see us now in. Still, it is much better than having the roles reversed.
Would it be possible to give them the choice of suicide over starvation/execution? Also would it be possible to have scribes if some of them wanted any last words sent to their family after the war?

>>9974021

Good lord you're depressing.

But isn't the main problem that we're a captain, and in the military, so the decision is really out of our hands?

rolled 3, 1, 5 = 9

>>9974020
The Conclave is in contact with the higher-ups in the military, but since they are the ones with the distance link, the orders are relayed through their mages.

>>9974021
Non-mages may choose suicide over execution. Mages are not. Last words are not granted to common prisoners.

>>9973984
SPIES AND INFILTRATORS
THOUSANDS OF THEM

>>9973983
Oh cut the drama. Just go with the old hoods over their heads followed by decapitation.

rolled 3, 1, 4 = 8

>>9974120
>are

May.

>>9974088
Yes. All you can provide is an opinion, though you can be quite convincing.

>>9974120
Chug potion. Freeze as many of them as we can.

They'll probably die, but some of them might not. And even if they die, we can at least try to send them home for burial after the war or something.

>>9974120

Imma vote for sitting out on execution duty. Work on securing supplies via Bro network.

>>9974088
Yes, but we have the two commanders who support the idea, I am pretty sure they can send the idea up to their superiors who do have the authority to make the decision.

I would really rather not have to execute a bunch of people who surrendered to us. If they have to die, let their own countrymen pass judgment on them and execute them.

If there is an easy solution to feeding them, that would be fine, because I think they would be useful to us later when we start an industrial revolution. But if its not possible to do without putting our military efforts at a serious disadvantage, well, we need to do the best we can with the situation.

>>9974086
I know. ;_;

>>9974120
I go with the "tag and release" option. Use indelible marker on the foreheads, tell them they're free to go, warn them that if we catch them in battle again we'll kill them out of hand.

>>9974134
Drama? This isn't about drama, this is about logistics. We have thousands of people we need to execute. How are we going to do it in a timely and efficient manner? Considerations for the executions tools need to be made; after all, that's a lot of necks to go through. How are we going to dispose of all the bodies? A giant pyre? And now that they are faced with certain death, how do we prevent a prisoner riot? These are real considerations that need to be made with cold calculation, not some drama to be hand-waved away.

Order's been given, so let's start finding some info on the next fog beast while the army handles that whole unpleasantness.

>>9974120
I suppose we sit this one out then. War is indeed a dirty business. If we are bothered by this, then I suggest that we remember this, and work to getting into a position of power where we would not have to follow such an order.

rolled 1, 2, 3 = 6

>>9974162
If you amp up your aura enough, and those marked for execution are in a small enough space, you can flash-freeze them almost instantly.

>>9974232
You have no indelible ink, and even a 'permanent' mark, such as a scar or tattoo, can easily be removed if you have access to magic.

>>9974274
The unit we are with is called the "TERROR SAINTS."
I'm guessing this isn't their first barbecue.
They can handle it.

>>9974314

I'd rather sit this one out, but if flash-freezing is the most humane way to execute all those prisoners, we might as well pitch in. Then take the rest of the day to rest & prepare for the next fog critter.

>>9974328
Well, obviously they're hardened against the kind of mass execution that this is going to become. But still, 13,000 corpses is a lot to get rid of, and that's not counting the already battle dead.

>>9974314
What, we have no magical methods that would screw with that? Or that would cause the horrible death of the person we applied it to if someone tried to remove it?

>>9974314
To be honest I would rather not waste a potion on them. I would actually rather not have a hand directly in the killing, so we can have the morale high ground.

It will be useful later on to say that we honorably in the war, and did not kill unarmed prisoners who surrendered to us.

>>9974274
My mistake. You choice of gruesome tasks led me to believe that you were simply trying to show the horror of it to highlight just how terrible this will be and to discourage us from supporting it.

rolled 5, 1, 5 = 11

>>9974393
Neither you nor any of the mages present knows that type of magic. Since there is no one from Intelligence here, that is not surprising, as that would be their forte.

Lark is the only person you know who had the ability to place cursed marks. He never taught you how.

Looks like the majority is voting to stay out of it. You will not involve yourself in the execution.

>>9974419
*fought honorably in the war.*

We've already gotten used to the idea of killing thousands of the enemy in battle. I don't think we want to cross the line and get used to killing them when they are tied up and unable to fight back, especially since we have a choice.

>>9974440

Well we could do it without pain and a minimum amount of clean-up. If they have to die, let's help them along their way.

rolled 2, 2, 6 = 10

>>9974450
>>9974481
It's already been decided, at least for this instance. If you intend to fight on the front line until the war is over, you will probably have many more chances like this one.

Is there anything that absolutely needs to be taken care of before this session ends?

Commander Corias has already given us a choice to stay out of the executions. But if I may, I'd like to correct him a little, if others don't mind.
"Yes, sir, war is a dirty business. More so than you can realize. It's simple pragmatism on my part that makes me regret this course of action, that we could not use all of the captured fully."

>>9974536

Eh, can't think of anything.

rolled 5, 2, 4 = 11

>>9974568

>>9974536
Confer with the commander of the Perinese detachment that was stationed here and get some intel on whatever is lurking inside the fog.

rolled 6, 1, 5 = 12

>>9974588
Then we'll break for now and continue tomorrow. Thanks for playing.

>>9974672

Looking forward to it; g'night folks!

rolled 4, 3, 2 = 9

>>9974660
Spiders. Thousands and thousands of spiders. At least according to the sound. The scouts have always withdrawn before making contact with the creatures within.

Maybe we could get in contact with vasian back home and get plans for his flame-thrower device?

welp I for one am glad we won't have to deal with the baggage of this/the next threads two weeks hence, convenient archive amnesia is convenient