Remove ads

Glory of the Emerald Empire (Legend of the 5 Rings Quest)

Reader mode
[x] Decipher the Papers
[x] If the cunning encryption defeats you, bring them to Talak'tet
[x] Loom menacingly behind Talak'tet if the interrogation needs it.
 
[x] Decipher the Papers
[x] If the cunning encryption defeats you, bring them to Talak'tet
[x] Loom menacingly behind Talak'tet if the interrogation needs it.
 
[X] Decipher the Papers
[X] If the cunning encryption defeats you, bring them to Talak'tet
[X] Loom menacingly behind Talak'tet if the interrogation needs it.
 
Remove ads
1.22
  • Threadmarks
    • [X] Decipher the Papers
    [X] If the cunning encryption defeats you, bring them to Talak'tet
    [X] Loom menacingly behind Talak'tet if the interrogation needs it.

    Battle Skill Roll: 4k2=15


    You shuffle through the papers, looking at each one carefully. The characters on the pages are written so badly they'd shame a toddler, and you're pretty sure it's in some kind of code. But you are familiar with battles from going over the histories of past Crab conflicts. You know how to read marching orders and guess their contents even if you can't determine all the fine details. So after a few minutes of looking the pages over you've got some idea of the information they contain.

    The map details a network of tunnels beneath the Shadowlands stretching for miles all around. It's frighteningly extensive, and it's obvious this has been the work of years. Some of the tunnels and caves in this network might have been natural, but there's no way all of them are. They're too uniform and spread out. You could move armies underneath the surface of the earth, and there would be no way for Crab Clan scouts or the Nezumi to find them. It is a terrifying prospect by any measure.

    The other pages detail estimated troop strengths of both Shiro Hiruma and Shinsei's Last Hope. You know for certain the numbers listed for Shiro Hiruma's garrison are off by a few thousand Samurai, though you can't say one way or the other for Shinsei's Last Hope. The other pages seem to detail the orders for this group of Goblins. Protect the cave mouth, since this is apparently a newly made entrance to the tunnel system. When the time comes, join the main army. Said army is described only vaguely, and you can't make out everything. But the implication is that the numbers are surprisingly large.

    The more you read, the more your horror grows. It's obvious what all this is to you, even if you can't fully decipher everything written, and your blood runs cold. These are the plans for an assault.

    Shiro Hiruma and Shinsei's Last Hope are going to be attacked by Shadowland armies traveling underground. The defenders of both these places won't see the attack coming until it's right on top of them. They'll be taken completely unawares!

    [] Write in.
     
    Last edited:
  • Threadmarks
    • Gah. Does it give us any idea as to when the attacks might be launched? We might need to warn both Shiro Hiruma and Shinsei's Last Hope ASAP.
     
    Garlak said:
    Gah. Does it give us any idea as to when the attacks might be launched?
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    That^

    Is what we have a goblin warmonger prisoner for.

    [x] Tell Talak'tet what we've found.
    [x] See if he can extract from our captive any information as to when the assault might be coming.
    [x] It is imperative that both Shinsei's Last Hope and Shiro Hiruma learn of the impending attack.
    [x] We, ourselves, can warn only one of them
    -[x] If the Nezumi can warn the other, disaster can be averted
     
    Last edited:
    I trust that we included writing materials and a personal seal in our traveling pack. If so, we can write messages explaining this intelligence to both locations and give them to the nezumi, who move both far faster and more stealthily than we do in the Shadowlands. That's probably the fastest way to both get this information to where it needs to be and ensure it's believed.

    We'll obviously travel toward one of them ourselves as well, but there's basically no way that we can move as fast as one of the nezumi, and the injured one probably needs careful escort and transport by someone strong that we're best suited to provide.
     
    Oh shit.

    Tunnels.

    Wait. @Winged Knight, how close is the nearest tunnel entrance to Shiro Hiruma. And, much more importantly, are any of the tunnels leading in the direction of the Great Wall?

    Edit: Also, are the numbers for Shiro Hiruma overstating the troops stationed there (ie do they think there is a LARGER force than there really is) or are they understating the troops stationed there (ie do they think there is a SMALLER force stationed there than there really is)?

    Because if it'S the former, we need to leg it to Shiro Hiruma now, because the Hiruma family cannot lose Shiro Hiruma again.
     
    Last edited:
    [x] Tell Talak'tet what we've found.
    [x] It is imperative that both Shinsei's Last Hope and Shiro Hiruma learn of the impending attack.
    [x] We, ourselves, can warn only one of them.
    -[x] If the Nezumi can warn the other, disaster can be averted.
     
    [x] Tell Talak'tet what we've found.
    [x] See if he can extract from our captive any information as to when the assault might be coming.
    [x] It is imperative that both Shinsei's Last Hope and Shiro Hiruma learn of the impending attack.
    [x] We, ourselves, can warn only one of them
    -[x] If the Nezumi can warn the other, disaster can be averted

    I'm quite torn between deciding where to head ourselves.
     
    Last edited:
    [x] Tell Talak'tet what we've found.
    [x] It is imperative that both Shinsei's Last Hope and Shiro Hiruma learn of the impending attack.
    [x] We, ourselves, can warn only one of them
    -[x] If the Nezumi can warn the other, disaster can be averted
     
    If we go for the guard tower, would it have someway to warn both locations at the same time?

    its two days for any of the targets, but only one to the tower.
     
    Bastur2 said:
    If we go for the guard tower, would it have someway to warn both locations at the same time?

    its two days for any of the targets, but only one to the tower.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    The current plan is warning both locations at the same time, as I understand it, with Hiruma warning one group, and the Nezumi warning the other.

    Going to the guard tower and then getting somebody to the target location will certainly take longer than either Hiruma or the Nezumi going there directly.
     
    Brandark said:
    The current plan is warning both locations at the same time, as I understand it, with Hiruma warning one group, and the Nezumi warning the other.

    Going to the guard tower and then getting somebody to the target location will certainly take longer than either Hiruma or the Nezumi going there directly.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...

    Unless the guard tower is part of a chain and has a way to warn both locations faster than us going for them.

    if this is the case, one day can make the difference in how much of a defense we are able to make.
     
    Bastur2 said:
    Unless the guard tower is part of a chain and has a way to warn both locations faster than us going for them.

    if this is the case, one day can make the difference in how much of a defense we are able to make.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    Well, if that is true then it may change things. But keep in mind that we have to cross a river to get there, so the journey may end up being longer.
     
    For all those wondering on an exact time to the attack, Sosuke doesn't know. If it's written on the papers, he can't deduce it from their contents.

    I can, however, fix one point of confusion.

    Cornuthaum said:
    Edit: Also, are the numbers for Shiro Hiruma overstating the troops stationed there (ie do they think there is a LARGER force than there really is) or are they understating the troops stationed there (ie do they think there is a SMALLER force stationed there than there really is)?

    Because if it'S the former, we need to leg it to Shiro Hiruma now, because the Hiruma family cannot lose Shiro Hiruma again.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...

    I apologize for not making this clearer. The guess on the castle's troop strength underestimates the size of Shiro Hiruma's fighting force. So the numbers understate how many soldiers Shiro Hiruma can rally to its defense.
     
    Last edited:
    Brandark said:
    Well, if that is true then it may change things. But keep in mind that we have to cross a river to get there, so the journey may end up being longer.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...

    Also, guard tower signals are often limited to "We're under attack. Massive surge. Everyone get ready." or similarly crude signals. On the other hand, both Shinsei's Last Hope and Shiro Hiruma are likely to have shugenja and/or message birds who are able to send messages. If we head for one, and the ratlings head for the other, more than likely one group or the other will get through with the message.
     
    Sirrocco said:
    Also, guard tower signals are often limited to "We're under attack. Massive surge. Everyone get ready." or similarly crude signals. On the other hand, both Shinsei's Last Hope and Shiro Hiruma are likely to have shugenja and/or message birds who are able to send messages. If we head for one, and the ratlings head for the other, more than likely one group or the other will get through with the message.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    Yes but they could receive notice to start defending thenselves ...
    we don't realy know how much time we have...
    I lie, we do have an idea.

    it takes two day from here to any of the targets , and this group, aparentily was tasked to join one of them.

    if travel time inside of the tunnels are the same (difficult to gauge) them we have at a minimum two days.

    Of corse the attack could already be happening or will happen tomorrow.with this groups tasked to reach the army after the start of the engagement.

    any one of this options are not very good for us, as try means that even if we reach the place in time , it may not be enough for a full defense.

    on the other hand, we have two other options...
    one is to go for the tower, sending our companions for one of the targets... This way, if we reach the tower and manage to get a full mobilization signal, the defense will be already in place when they get there.

    if we don't manage, they will be able to give notice, with luck, in time.


    the other option is for as one of us go to the tower or one of the target, the rest try to scout the tunnels for more information.

    anyway I belive that the tower would be the best option
     
    A few things to consider.
    - We *don't* know when the attack will come. Sending the "Imminent attack! Everyone panic!" signal is actively counterproductive when there's no attack happening immediately. That's not a "hey, you might want to be ready" - it's a "drag people out of bed - we need them on the Wall *now*". If we get there in person, we can give a far more complete explanation, and they can react *much* better, and we dont' needlessly waste the time and energy of the many, many defenders on the Kaiu Wall itself - which, I will remind you, is not actually under attack.
    - We can pretty much guarantee that we'll cover ground faster than a band of goblins and a half-starved ogre would - especially since the tunnels themselves are unlikely to be all that straight.
    - "A Band of Goblins and their half-starved Ogre" is pretty much a textbook example of the sorts of shadowlands grunts that you send in first so that the samurai get tired killing them prior to the main event. They're likely to be attacking in the front.
    - "Full Defense" is what happens when you explain to the Earth Shugenja what's going on in some detail and they call the kami to collapse the tunnels for you. It's not what happens when you send the samurai to the walls with no information as to what's going on. It's certainly not what happens a day after you've dragged them out of bed for an unscheduled wasn't-an-attack-after-all.
     
    Sirrocco said:
    A few things to consider.
    - We *don't* know when the attack will come. Sending the "Imminent attack! Everyone panic!" signal is actively counterproductive when there's no attack happening immediately. That's not a "hey, you might want to be ready" - it's a "drag people out of bed - we need them on the Wall *now*". If we get there in person, we can give a far more complete explanation, and they can react *much* better, and we dont' needlessly waste the time and energy of the many, many defenders on the Kaiu Wall itself - which, I will remind you, is not actually under attack.
    - We can pretty much guarantee that we'll cover ground faster than a band of goblins and a half-starved ogre would - especially since the tunnels themselves are unlikely to be all that straight.
    - "A Band of Goblins and their half-starved Ogre" is pretty much a textbook example of the sorts of shadowlands grunts that you send in first so that the samurai get tired killing them prior to the main event. They're likely to be attacking in the front.
    - "Full Defense" is what happens when you explain to the Earth Shugenja what's going on in some detail and they call the kami to collapse the tunnels for you. It's not what happens when you send the samurai to the walls with no information as to what's going on. It's certainly not what happens a day after you've dragged them out of bed for an unscheduled wasn't-an-attack-after-all.
    Click to expand...
    Click to shrink...
    All true, but dependent on the time we have on our hands.
    If we have time, yes going for the targets directly would be better.

    but if we don't know how much time we do have, them even if the full information only gets there one day after the signal, they will already be ready to act.

    and this, only if we don't have anyway to send a more complete report from the tower...

    if the tower doesn't have any way to send complex informations, after the signal is received the mages of our clan will try to discern the reason for it and may have a way to get in contact with us.
     
    Taking a side trip to the Kaiu Wall means that it will take us longer to get to Shinsei's Last Hope. (It also means that our Gempukku won't be quite as awesome.) It also, again, involves trying to cross a river, which is a not entirely trivial barrier - and the message that the walls could send is *essentially useless* unless we happen to know that the attack is imminent. We have strong reason to believe that it is not imminent. Indeed, it might be a week, or a month. The only information we have is that it is almost certianly more than two days - and two days will get us to the destination and let them get started preparing properly, rather than spending a lot of effort uselessly bracing for a sudden assault that probably isn't coming just yet.

    [x] Tell Talak'tet what we've found.
    [x] See if he can extract from our captive any information as to when the assault might be coming.
    [x] It is imperative that both Shinsei's Last Hope and Shiro Hiruma learn of the impending attack.
    [x] We, ourselves, can warn only one of them
    -[x] If the Nezumi can warn the other, disaster can be averted
     
    Last edited:
    Y'all do know the Nezumi can run way faster than Sosuke can, right? Some of them can run even faster than horses. And Sosuke would know this.

    Just putting that out there.
     
    Changing vote.

    [x] Tell Talak'tet what we've found.
    [x] See if he can extract from our captive any information as to when the assault might be coming.
    [x] It is imperative that both Shinsei's Last Hope and Shiro Hiruma learn of the impending attack.
    [x] We, ourselves, should head for Shinsei's Last Hope.
    -[x] If the Nezumi can warn Shiro Hiruma, disaster can be averted.
     
    Last edited:
    Reader mode
    You must login or register to reply here.
    Remove ads
    Back
    Top