Titus and his men, having found the marching forces stick to the shadows as they flank the creatures, using the mountain and the forest for cover. When forced to cover open ground, Titus casts an invisibility spell upon each of them and they move swiftly from cover to cover.
Stealth roll:
Stealth roll: invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2606548/ = 1
Second roll due to a 1: invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2606550/ = 6
Total: 2 ( Stealth ) + 2 ( Dexterity ) + 12 = 16
Excellent! You do make it aound to the back of the march un-noticed (as far as you can tell).
I will have a combat scenario prepared for you tomorrow. I am heading home from the library for the day.
You see that the war party consists of more than two-score of ogres, mostly savage brutes but a few that seem well equipped. There are three amongst them that qualify as giants rather than ogres, and one of the giants has a pair of beastial firedrakes on chains with spiked collars. Towards the rear is the baggage train, carts full of dead beasts and sacks of bone meal, being pulled by a dozen human slaves. Riding atop one cart there is an ogre with a whip driving the slaves forward.
Oh, and there are also a bunch of dogs. Huge ogre-dogs, roughly the same size as your familiar. The magi have encountered these before. Vicious growling curs, begging eagerly for every scrap the whip-weilding ogre tosses them.
[color=green]Jose: [color=red]Pinche perros sussios, filthy mutts. Well, they obviously haven't spotted us yet. Think your dog can take on a dozen his own size? If it can lure them away, we have a good chance of taking out the overseer and freeing the slaves. That should slow the march up a bit.
OOC: I'm not sure how far out we are, but assuming nothing prevents him Titus would want to be roughly 90 paces away. Also, since we used the mountain as cover, I'm going to assume that we're on the highest terrain we could find with the mountain at our back. Oh and Titus' Parma is covering the group ( assuming the Andorrans will let him ), as he would have done that the minute they set out, the same goes for activating his and Cadoc's Armor effect. Just wanted to make sure that was clear before the arrows started flying as it were!
Looking down from their perch, Titus' eyes narrow in anger upon seeing the slaves. “Oh we're not luring anything away, we're going to kill the bastards... every... last... one.” He stresses the last part and then makes a motion to his men. They form up into a firing line and nod, awaiting his next command. “You're about to see why we carry these 'hunting weapons'.”
“I'm going to cast an Invisibility spell on you both. Remain concealed while we fire and draw them to us. When they approach, Cadoc and both of you will spring an ambush and cut them down.” Upon receiving confirmation from both of them, Titus casts Veil of Invisibility on the two Andorran Soldiers.
Spell Rolls: invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2608557/
Spell Totals: 8 ( Roll ) + 22 ( Bonuses ) = 30
The spells are easily cast and Titus moves into position with the rest of his men. “Aim for the Giants first, Mervyn you take the one holding the drakes, lets see if we can cause a panic if we kill their handler. I'll take out the fat one with the whip.” His men nod and Mervyn being the most skilled at leading men and archery assumes command of the group. He takes aim, while the others mimic his movements and moments later four arrows fly into the darkness with a hiss.
Mervyn is both the Vanguard and Leader. They're adding their group bonus into attack for this round.
Attack Roll: invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2608581/
Botch Dice Roll: invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2608582/
No Botch... Whew. I knew my luck had to run out sometime!
Attack Total: 0 ( Roll ) + 19 ( Attack ) + 39 ( Group Bonus ) - 1 ( Encumbrance ) - 6 ( Range ) = 51
Damage is at a +10 assuming that they hit, just for your reference Marko.
That's one arrow at each of the three giants and one at the ogre taskmaster. Here's to hoping we kill the drakes' handler eh?
Meanwhile Cadoc settles quietly into the shadows and uses his Shadow Form. ( 1 Might point used ).
Initiative for the next round of combat and Cadoc's Stealth roll.
Initiative Roll: invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2608572/
Initiative Total: 9 ( Roll ) + 0 = 9
Stealth Roll: invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2608595/
Stealth Total: 2 ( Roll ) + 5 ( Stealth ) + 2 ( Dex ) + 4 ( Shadow Form ) = 13
The guards let you place Parma overthem, they see it as standard proceedure. However, since they cannot see each other and you cannot see them, if they ever loose sight of you the protection ends.
I am assigning a -3 Defense penalty to the opponents for this first volley of arrows. They don't know they are coming in the first place, and it is only just before impact that they hear them whistling.
so...
(snipped, edited, and reposted)
That's fine! Quick question, have they spotted us yet? We are in the dark, up on a hill and in cover 90 paces away, it's quite possible that they haven't. Let me know if you want me to make a Stealth Roll. Regardless, the archers are going to fire another volley.
Attack Roll: invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/2609522/ = 5
Attack Total: 5 ( Roll ) + 19 ( Attack ) + 39 ( Group Bonus ) - 1 ( Encumbrance ) - 6 ( Range ) = 56
Damage is at a +10
Granted this is assuming they haven't spotted us and started to close the distance, if they have then adjust the range penalty as needed.
Edit: I just realized that you hadn't rolled initiative for them yet. Silly me just assuming we'd go first in the next round! Well regardless, the Archers are still going to fire, even if they are acting after the Ogres/Giants.
I assume that the undue delay of Valkian & Co. delays the group only slightly afterwhich Ludovico will tell them to go on while he investigates whatever may have delayed them for a moment.
Ludovico would begin by spending a moment in concentration to assess whether this control spells are still intact. Being concentration duration spells under sustainment, that shouldn't be a difficult feat. Second on the 'inspection list' is the concealing/shrouding spell he normally places on the control spells, of a similar nature, to verify they are intact as well.
Based on the results of these, if the spells are still intact, he would proceed with an immediate casting of his hermetic summoning spell, using his ACs/names for the ghosts to boost his penetration, to summon them to him. If the spells are not intact he will retire immediately back to his sanctum and use the warded summoning circle there to perform these summons, using it to contain the spirits and then quickly rebind them.
If neither of these scenarios work ( i.e. the spirits don't arrive when summoned for some reason ) Ludo would become... angry.
Is/was Ludo supposed to accompany Titus on his ambush, or participate in a different part of this operation? Or does anyone really care and I can just decide for myself? I don't recall being asked to do anything in specific here?
I assumed that he would be setting the trap with Inigo. However if he wanted to come with, Titus wouldn't have raised an objection.
Six is indeed the limit. The astraction strains and breaks if you go much further. However, having said that I would stretch a little if the PC group consisted of seven.
The groups, ah! I screwed up a bit. The giants form one group, the well armed ogres another, the savage ogres form two or three groups, and the dogs form another group. The two drakes are individuals.
Thus, the injuries from that first arrow volley affects the giants only. And, like the giant encountered on Bone Hill, they suffer no injury penalties (as they have Endurance of the Berzerkers as a personal power).
Time for some harsh circumstances.
The spells are no longer effective because the targets no longer exist. Someone or something (probably that Hag) has obliterated the ghosts. They are forever destroyed.
Be angry. Be very angry. Then go get your revenge...
Oh and Marko, what's the initiative order for combat now that the groups are divided up?
Initiative is only rolled once in a combat scene, at the very start. English style. So, you guys took a shot, it is their turn now. Once they are done, it starts all over.
I have made some errors though, and need to make some calculations at home (sitting with the rule books). I apologize for the delay.
Not a problem, I have to reread a few things myself.
No free round for surprise?
I thought we got one, hence my roll for initiative to determine things for the next round... And do they get a defense roll if it's a surprise? I honestly can't remember.
Ludovico had taken his leave from the other Magi and their assembled soldiery as they made ready to depart. After a cursory mental inspection of his enchantments and discovering the spells which bound 'Valkian & Co.' no longer intact he grew concerned. Returning with no small haste to his Sanctum the sorcerer makes a quick though thorough inspection of his Circle and summoning space. Despite being completely confident that everything was just as he had left it moments ago when he left this element of his training was well and truly ingrained in him. One did not take for granted that such life or death things as a warding circle were still exactly as you had left them, even under such a controlled space and scrutiny as this. He inspects the thing meticulously, but with a practiced ease of a long familiar task. A wave of his hand and a small fiery sprite appears and flies about the room lighting the candles and sconces, immediately improving the lighting.
Ruth, the peasant ( yes, I used the word Marko! ) girl recently taken as apprentice by the sorcerer, instantly retreats from the chamber. The fear in her eyes is one born of knowledge and experience. The agitation in her Master is plain and she wants none of it to come her way. She falls back into the sleeping chambers and closes the door.
The Magus moved quickly after this point, finishing the inspection, and moving to stand imperiously at the 'front' of the circle if one could be said to have one. A warding circle however is a different creature. For those unaware there 'is' a designated place to stand for the sorcerer. It is there that he makes ready and casts the rites of conjuring.
And for once, there is no effect. The Magus' eyes narrow. He tries again. Nothing. Again, this time with a different Name being the focus of his power. And still nothing.
And the rage of the Magus roars with an absolute intensity that those who had not witnessed the transformation into it from his normally calm and congenial manner would find shocking.
The stark and murderous fury in him leads him on a small rampage within the sanctum, tossing, throwing, kicking, and smashing. Yet. None of the damaged objects etc. are items essential to the Circle or his immediate practice of the Art. He is not so 'mad' as that. Yet more than terrifying enough for Ruth who can be heard weeping from the sleeping quarters when silence falls and he recovers control over himself. As if nothing had transpired Ludovico then clears off the debris/dust from his sleeves and stomps his boots, sighing and clearing his thoughts.
Cool and calm. Right. On the outside.
[ Using his personal flight spell and some liberal applications of Yasmine's Auram powers to ward him vs. weather and create storms/clouds/thunder etc. throughout the sky in the valley.]
Ludovico ascends the battlements of the keep of Andorra at this point and with a brisk step aloft soars in the sky. As he sails upward through the air the singsong voice of Yasmine can be heard. [color=blue] "Let me ease your anger my love. Come, come with me to my bower... and let us think pleasant thoughts and fill tonight with more pleasing deeds." Yet the eyes and coldness of Ludovico will not be swayed, his rage merely smolders within. [color=red] "First. Revenge." he says.
And with a sigh Yasmine caresses him, and responds to his will. [color=blue] "Be wary my love. Do not let them harm you." And, as he ascends, she begins to wrap him in wards of air and a cloak of storm. The clouds roil and boil, lightning and thunder beginning to roll out from the central point that is the Sorcerer. The sky overcasts and darkens in the span of breaths, wherein the Magus looses himself, sailing through it all unaffected. Unhindered and concealed he makes a swift circuit of the castle and then drifts higher still, and out over the valley and toward the village.
As the clouds fill the sky, spreading like a drop of dye in water and threading themselves throughout until permeating all of the air, the boisterous thunder grows louder. A booming and echoing that heralds his challenge throughout in valley itself.
Ordobos whispers in his ear, the Volcano God's hand figuratively on his shoulder as he pauses to survey the valley below. [color=blue] "My Lord, shall I guard you? The Hag Agthene, she was mighty enough to defeat the Maga Kallista previously. Do not be overconfident. I would feel better if you sent me to destroy her alone."
Marie who hasn't crossed through the mirror, asks the efreet or the drakes to send her back to Andorra whwere she can open the arts of her apprentice.
Wrong thread Jean? 
Actually, I thought a thread called side stories was about side stories (and Marie's rasing an apprentice is a side story), but I may be wrong.
Maybe side stories means something else altogether - and I just can't grasp it (I am blond, so this happens all the time). 
Haha, I should be the one being called a blond not you! That makes perfect sense! You were just posting in the other thread so it threw me for a loop is all! 
Come kill some Ogres with us!