Move 177: Making Plans
Tunnels—Afternoon, 7 Eleint 1374 DRThe group continued to discuss plans while Arachne rested to fully regain her strength. Nothing much happened until it was time for them to finalize their decisions regarding how to proceed.
Echo said, "So the plan is me and Renn go first to get in position to silence the far end of the cavern. When the rest of you show up with the light, that's the signal for the spell. Is that right? How are you going to conceal the light until you're ready?" She looked at the goblins and shook her head.
Aloysius said, "That is my understanding as well, Echo. Assuming the glow of the portals does not betray our arrival, we shall provide Rennirolas and yourself a couple of minutes to get where you need to be. Then, we shall illuminate the area. I think if Janathell and Azrun keep the stones well-concealed, they shouldn't give us away. Isn't that correct, Azrun?"
Azrun nodded, "I usually keep them in a pouch or something."
The mage was getting jumpy. "Perhaps betwixt the two light stones and Daelen's sword, we can momentarily blind these creatures. We must all remember to cover our eyes before the light is revealed lest we become
blinded ourselves."Arachne shook her head. "Fifty or more feet between you and the orcs," she reminded Aloysius. "At least I hope it'll be that much when we go in. And it'll be very dark. _Very_ dark. You won't be able to see your way to go anywhere and you'll be dying to get a little light going just as soon as you can. You won't be able to use the lights to try to blind the orcs or lizards. Besides, the idea of using the lights is both to make you less uncomfortable here under ground and also to make the enemy think they know where we all are.
"Echo and Renn, another thing to consider: When we light up the place, an orc or maybe a lizard or two is likely to employ the side passage with the same idea that we are: surprise attack from an unexpected location. Our only advantage will be getting there first. You should be alert to the possibility and try to get yourselves a hiding place so that you can let them go by if they do that. It's a natural cavern; there ought to be stalagmites or an alcove you can use. And then you can decide whom you want to attack after silencing the far exit."
"The goblins?" Echo asked. "I guess we need to leave them tied up out here. I don't think either letting them go or taking them with is a good idea."
"Aye, there is that," Renn nodded. "As for the sneaking, I have some skill at that. But only from childhood play," Renn shrugged. "If it is thought best, I can go through the portal alone at first, to attempt to silence the passageway. I shall have to shed my mail to do so and move stealthily."
"But, an you think it is best for both Echo and I to proceed, I am agreeable to that as well," Rennirolas added.
"I'll go with you," Echo said with a glance at Jana. "If something goes wrong, it'd be better."
"This is insane," Jana growled, walking back. "We're not going to sneak up on them, and anyone who tries is probably going to end up inside one of those lizards. Which, I might add, we've yet to figure out how to handle and are probably way more dangerous than the damned orcs." She bounced the stone in her hand. "Who wants to carry this? I can't and still fight. I need both hands. If no one took it, she handed it back to Azrun. "I think we should send the most heavily-armored people through first and we should take out those lizard-things. The quieter folks can slip in behind and use the distraction to get under cover or around behind the orcs or something."
Daelen nodded hesitantly. "The orcs might not call for help if they think there are only 3 or 4 of us. And since we'll have lights, they're not likely to spot anyone sneaking around in the dark..." he said with a shrug.
"Any approach we take shall be wrought with peril," said Aloysius. "If we attack directly, then we may well be better suited at dealing with these lizards, but we shall also be powerless to prevent these orcs from summoning reserves."
He shook his head. "Stargazer knows not. The questions as to how to proceed I can easily formulate, but answers I have none. Howe'er, if we are to achieve our goal of freeing the captives, through these portals must we venture. Janathell, Eric, and Daelen will bear the majority of the risk in combat. As such, methinks it just that they determine how we proceed."
"Either plan sounds as good as the other. As for the light stone, you can throw it at the orcs from the other side of the piller. That may blind them like that warrior chick did to us in the keep. I'll do it if you like." Blacky said "Let's make a decision so we can get going."
Jana handed the light stone to Blacky and said, "I've got this shield," she said, wiggling Kaileer's shield, "so why don't I go through first, so I can sort of block anything that might be there unexpectedly, and you can come through next and toss the stone, and then Daelen can come and his sword'll give us light. I'll go through and move forward, you go right when you're through and Daelen left, so we don't all run into each other. The others'll wait for a few seconds to come through, so our heads'll be clear and we'll be out of the way and there to guard them if things aren't going like we planned." Jana looked around. "Is that all right? I'm not sure how to deploy the rest of you guys. Once everyone's through, the three of us can each take a lizard, unless you guys have some better idea how to fight them, and I'm hoping you do."
"I think Aloysius or Renn should come next. Either to ensnare as many in a web or silence them. I don't know which is more needed. I'll throw the light stone, then let us wait for them to come to us. Use missile fire to weaken them while they're on the way." Blacky said gripping a throwing axe in one hand and the light stone, trying to hide as much of its light as possible, in the other.
"That seems sound," said Aloysius. "I shall come through after the fighters and attempt to enspell as many orcs as I can with my sleep incantation." He removed a pinch of something from his pouch.
"Stargazer is ready."
"From what Arachne aid of the width of the chamber, a web spell may not be wise," said Aloysius. "If the chamber is too wide, the webs will simply gather into a useless ball and fall to the ground. I shall employ my sleep spell first, and if the need arises and the chamber is narrow 'enow, I shall envoke the web."
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