It worries me that the vampires or someone they control knows enough Hermatic magic to be able to detect a srying spell.
"If they can somehow track me, I will at least know whether they have penetrated my Parma," Laetitia adds, with an uncomfortable frown.
Alexei takes the parcel from Laetitia and puts it in a secure pouch on his belt, but stays quiet as the divinations are done. He is slightly envious, his Pater's teaching methods worked fabulously at making his magic inconspicuous, but working magic further away from his grasp was difficult.
He turns to the grogs with them and speaks in French. "Men, these creatures, remember if you stab them or shed their blood, bring the blood to your master or the magi you are guarding. Fall back but do not leave yourself exposed. Help each other. Where I can I shall stun them or blast them back to provide cover. Listen to your magus first so as not to spoil his spells."
Alexei starts going over the various spells he cast on everyone and recalls how much time they have before they fall. "Sodales I dont mean to insult you, but I hate to presume. You are familiar with the rudiments of Penetration? For if you are not, the blood shouldn't be brought to you so as not waste time. Stay with your shield grogs, I shall be in front as I consider myself a frontline warrior. Who has the ring and the bandages? I believe I gave them to you Laetitia?"
((Did any grogs take the additional Verditian sword and shield?))
So I can clearly understand what you're suggesting. You want a grog to present their bloodied weapon to the magus so he can get a bit of a penetration bonus? That seems ill-advised on so many levels. I suggest dropping the suggestion altogether.
Deykin looks around at the party and sees several shield grogs paired up with the magi (Vin Diesel – Viscaria, Brione – Alexei, and Elaine – Laetitia), while several magi (Apollodorus, Korvin, Isen, and Theraphosa, kinda) have no "shield grogs," and he and Claude have no one to protect.
He raises his hand to get Alexei's attention. "Magus...Claude and me...where do you want us?" he asks in French.
((Not exactly sure why that's a problem, it could add four times their Penetration score should they need it, Alexei can get a +16 on his Corpus spells from blood. A lot of what I based Alexei on was close combat tactics and this was one talked about and even written in the Magi of Hermes book for Hugh ex Flambeau. Of course leaving formation and turning one's back is not advised, which is why he said not to expose themselves. Unless the blood is dangerous to touch or something.))
Alexei looks at the grogs and then at the magi. "No magi needs you? No magi needs a shield grog?" he asks the magi. "If not, then you shall stay with me, we'll form a wedge and fight as a unit, watch each other's unprotected flanks and backs."
Isen didn't understood the grogs.
But hearing alexei, he'll turn to the grogs, make a clear gesture of gratitude, like saluting with his blade, and tell Alexei
I would gladly accept their aid, yes. If one of them agrees to come with me. Although I shouldn't need blood. I just want a grog to watch my back
(OOC: I agree with Qcipher's previous post, I don't understand the problem. Could you please explain?)
In French, Apollodorus says to Deykin, "You. You're with me. Speak Welsh, I'll understand you perfectly."
((I thought Claude was for Korvin?))
Alexei looks over some of the magi and the grogs, some of them might not be able to handle the responsibility during combat. He nods to Brionn, Brionne knew well the tactic and wouldn't have problems followig it. He speaks again in French to the Grogs. "Men...regarding the blood, first seek your Magi's approval to even try. The chaos might make it difficult, if it is too difficult do not sacrifice your position or advantage to do this."
He speaks to the magi in Latin. "This tactic is sound, but it can require some practice and coordination. It is something I drill the shiled grogs for, but due to various issues I haven't been able to do that yet. This is sloppiness on my part and inexcusable. Hopefully it shall not get us killed."
((Ah...you're right, I missed that. I was going off of my Character Listing spreadsheet, which didn't have a shield grog listed for Korvin (or Fieltarn or Onesiphorus either). I fixed the Korvin/Claude/Jolanda thingie in my file. My bad.))
"Thank you, m'lord," Deykin says. "Forgive me, but...I do not speak Latin, and I do not know what you told the others a moment ago. I know that you have asked for men of stout heart, and I have answered your call."
Apollodorus Lookst at Deykin with some chagrin. In French, to those who didn't understand Latin he repeats everything he said in Latin to the magi.
"My pater follows Vilano's lead, and I walk in his footsteps. I'll not be targeting anyone directly. Save the blood for others. I will focus on keeping the path before and behind us open and free from surprises."
A few minutes later, she adds, "Hey, can I see that map? I should be able to remove an obstacle or two quite handily with an accurate map."
Presumably, this happens while Laetitia is doing The Inexorable Search -- I believe we discovered there is no Aura. Since there's time during Appolodorus's French repetition, we can just say she cast Eyes before, lost concentration on the terrain and then cast it again during the French summation.
(The French Summation should be a historical event)
Die roll is 6, total is 35/2 > 15, spell succeeds.
Viscaria tears her mind away from the horrors her employer has just described, her mind flashing back to scenes from The Unending Siege -- drooling ghoul-spirits struggling with a cage of vines, angels ripped out of the skies, ghostly warriors doing battle against kindred spirits. She has experienced violence. She is familiar with war. Yet, somehow, all her experiences in such matters have been remarkably blood free.
No, she focuses her will, and speaks the words of the spell. She concentrates on the ground in front of them, and turns a blind eye to the past.
((beforeI forget to mention it...Korvin will extend his Parma for Claude))
Apollodorus does the same for Deykin. While he wasn't bothered by Apollodorus, Deykin noticeably relaxes in relation to the other Magi. "We're going to make our way to that cave entrance. We will probably encounter mundane resistance before then, there may be a vampire or two amonst them as handlers. Once we're inside the cave, there's probably a 20% chance that an individual is a vampire, initially, growing to an almost certainty by the time we're getting close to where Marcus is." Apollodorus repeats the same thing in French.
When everyone set (and everyone has recovered for a couple of minutes, regaining any fatigue to go from Winded to Fresh, but no more) Apollodorus says, "Alexei, Isen let's proceed, if one of you would take the van, and the other the rear, I'd appreciate it."
Anymore spontaneous spells requiring fatigue should be noted plainly, and I'll keep track of any penalties levels.
Isen, to Alexei
Do you have a preference? As most of my spells give me some range, I think I have a slight advantage at being front, while your school and training would let you better react to a surprise attack from the back. But this is your turf, so I'll defer to you and your experience with the grogs.
Alexei considers a moment. "I get in close quickly. I usually need to touch my foes, but fortunately I can transport myself instantly to them. In this situation though I don't want to outpace Brionne or the group. My suggestion is that if we see anyone at the cave entrance, I transport myself there along with anyone else that can and dispatch the guards quickly, and then allow the rest to catch up. I worry though that they might have a fast response. If we could possibly silence that area to prevent them from raising an alarm, then attack that would be best." he adjusts his armour before continuing. "Unfortunately I am not able to cast such a spell so quickly. My spell casting would not be foiled by a silenced zone though. Does anyone think they have a way of silencing guards? Or an alternative way to take down the guards that should be at the cave entrance?"
((I won't be able to post much today most likely, perhaps again in a few hours, this evening I'll be out. For a quick break down though:
- Scout exterior of cave, try to silence guards before engaging.
- Teleport over to guards with 'Wizard's Leap' which can work for 50 paces, anyone that can join should do so, Alexei's magic is short ranged so he likely can't bring people over from afar
- Stun guards with staff's power, use 'Titan's Gentle Slap' on any guards that my be near the edge of a cliff. If the spell works it will cause a Medium wound and throw them back about 5 paces, maybe enough to knock them off a cliff
- Secure entrance and clear way for the rest of the group
Alexei would like, if possible, for the area around the guards to be silenced with Perdo Imaginem target Group, but even if he's the target he can cast spells silently at no penalty. Or Rego Mentem or something to prevent an alarm
Could we cast a spell on an object that Alexei could carry that radiates silence out from it a few paces? If so Alexei could carry it, teleport over to them and bring the silence with him. Not sure if that's hermetically possible or not though.))
Remember the horn. They know they have been scryed. They will be on alert.
As you wish, says Isen.
Korvin is, sadly, right. We can't hope to surprise them much, and will likely be walking into a trap. It's probably best, then, to press whatever element of surprise we may have.
"They will be expecting us to make our way through the caves. Why not travel over them? We can sense the network of caves beneath us, position ourselves above where Marcus is being held, and then burrow through from above, avoiding the long network of tunnels where they have undoubtedly packed all their warriors to harry us."