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An Interlude

You are Eteocles Oedipodionidês, and you sit straight-backed upon your father’s throne – the throne of Thebes. It is an imposing thing – a gigantic, smoothly-hewn chair of dark stone, it has a magnetic presence within the throne room. This strikes you as fitting - it is the singular locus of power of one of the great Hellenic powers. Your fingertips drum the polished rock absentmindedly. You are dressed in the finest robes of regal purple silk, threaded with gold. They cascade softly as you shift upon the unyielding stone; their whisper of affirmation audible only to you. The embroidered silks are quite comfortable, if heavy, due to the gold - the robes are tailored to your massive frame. In your right hand, a large silver goblet is filled with well-mixed wine; an exquisite vintage you only just discovered in your father’s cellars yesterday. Taken together, the robes, the goblet, and your godlike appearance all contribute to the desired effect…

When seated upon the throne of Cadmus, which is raised on a dais – you loom over the hall like proud Zeus himself. You have learned over the past year that appearances matter greatly in the business of kings. A king is required by necessity to project strength and authority at all times, even in such quotidian affairs as this one – the public hearings that you allow once weekly, where nearly any Theban is allowed to air their concerns, provided that they are willing to queue and wait their turn to speak. Governance over the unruly and disagreeable Theban nobility has always been a delicate balance; the hearings provide a necessary mechanism for a Theban king to manage discontent. Between you and the unruly masses, your elite guard stands with spears raised – a constant reminder that a simple command could send their shades down to the realm of the Black Thunderer.

There is a middle-aged petitioner speaking to you in droning words, a rural nobleman just barely ranked above commoners. You make a show of attentiveness, even while your mind wanders. You are more concerned with the posturing of his body than the content of his plea – it is cringing and servile, as is proper. The petitioner is all but abasing himself, making yet another complaint about soil quality that you cannot bring yourself to care about. You advise the petitioner “patience”, and summon the next forward from the endless, milling crowd of needful Thebans standing in the center of the throne room. To each side, the assorted higher Theban nobility sit on rising benches, arranged at varying heights like those in an arena or theatre. The Theban nobility, brightly dressed, are splashes of color in the gloomy hall; this early in the morning, the mirrors have yet to catch the light of Helios Ηλεκτωρ to properly illuminate the interior.

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Torchlight seems to add the shadows rather than the light; the silence in the room is heavy, despite the many people present. The nobles sit primly and silently with artfully concealed irritation and boredom; you have cowed them, over the last year, but not yet broken their spirit. You sup at your goblet of wine – the flickering, ruddy torchlight interacts strangely with your reflection in the wine’s rippling surface. Your duplicate’s features become distorted and shadowed in the brimming goblet; a grimacing deathmask instead of the broad and handsome face you expect to see.

Frowning, you tear your gaze away, looking for the next supplicant to step forward, but there’s some confusion amongst the crowd – you hear a man barking indistinct orders towards the entrance of the hall, but you can’t make out the words.

With no supplicant approaching, you take the moment’s respite to wrestle with your thoughts.

You’ve learned over your brief reign that despite your previous imaginings, there are no differences between being a king and becoming a king. To become a king, one must be merciless, strong, decisive, and perceptive. A king must seize power and control when given the opportunity; a lion must take the stallion in the throat in one strike, or risk trampling. To be a king simply means that you must become a king every day – the work is never done. You must hunt for weakness in yourself and crush it mercilessly before it can be exploited by others; when you find weakness in others, you must exploit it to strengthen yourself. Your eye wanders over to Creon, your maternal uncle and former regent – he sits like a vulture upon the uppermost benches, waiting for your mistake. Tiresias, that old deviant, is busy whispering with a cluster of seers towards the other end of the hall. Of all present, he does the poorest job of respecting your authority, but what can be done? The blind man’s contributions to Thebes are unassailable, and he knows it.

You regret that the elite guard must be present in the throne room and you must display your authority so brashly, but in argumentative Thebes, this is the only means to rule - this is the Cadmeian burden. When your weakling father blinded himself in shame, when he crumpled with the revelation of his crime - he discarded any pretense of respect and authority. He allowed himself to be a victim of the gods, on every level. Now you understand that he drifts through the Theban countryside like a vagrant, betraying your every childhood dream of his wisdom and fortitude. Your mother has retreated to her palace tower and has not been seen in months – you are told that she spends most days in catatonia, withering to nothing.

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In those first days after the revelation – when you learned that you and your brother Polynices were products of a vile coupling between your father and his own mother (organized by the deceitful gods, no less), in your shock, you agreed to a compact – to trade the throne of Thebes every year with your brother. Your father had begged this of you, promising that such an arrangement was the only path to Theban peace and prosperity.

He was right, although not in the way that he meant. The moment of that hollow oath is seared in your mind – your younger brother, silver-tongued Polynices, with flat eyes above an ingenuine smile; the wolf promising not to consume the lamb. You had forced your own mouth into the twisted approximation of a grin; you doubt you fared any better in deceiving your brother than he you.

I must strike, you had thought in that moment, still clasping your brother’s hand, before he betrays me.

And by happy chance – pure fortune – your lot was drawn from the golden mixing bowl, and you were installed first upon the throne. Fortunate – through prompt and ruthless action, you had spared Thebes a season of bloodshed. Your brother’s tongue is dangerous – who knows how many men he might have lured to his doomed cause, before you won the succession war? Thousands of Thebans live today, because you exiled your brother into the summer night three months into your rule… Sending him scrounging into the dry countryside like a starving wolf searching for scraps. Oh, your father had wailed and gnashed his teeth – and did nothing. Creon, your uncle and former regent of the kingdom, extolled your wisdom and maturity – you didn’t believe a word of it then, and certainly not now – but you expect that would prefer to rule a kingdom and not a bloody battlefield.

And then for months – you heard nothing about your brother at all. You had wondered if he died on the road, but only a few weeks ago, you learned that he had wed Argia, daughter of King Adrastus of Argos. You were unsurprised to learn that he had managed to talk his way into a princedom, but the news was deeply unsettling. Argos is one of the great cities of Hellas – the Argives are a people twice descended by Zeus, certainly not to be trifled with. Polynices did not choose Argia at random - he means to take the throne with Argos at his back. You have been waiting for his next move - for the rumor of war from the south, but you've heard nothing as of yet.

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Rolled 7, 2 - 3 = 6 (2d20 - 3)

Your reminiscences are interrupted by the parting of the petitioners – and a blonde man, travelworn and cloaked in a boar’s hide, strides forth purposefully, holding an olive branch aloft. At once, you rank him a deadly combatant and likely a man of royal heritage himself – he has the look of an angry prince… and you would know. You suspect this is your brother’s doing; the next move in the deadly game of petteia that you must now play.

A king must never show weakness. you think, and so you call out to the man, your voice pleasant and measured:

“Who do I welcome in the halls of Echion, sacred messenger? Which prince of Hellas has passed betwixt the Protides Gates to address the King of Thebes?” Your baritone rings out clearly against the walls of the throneroom – all await the response of the blonde man eagerly.
Brusquely, the man responds:

“I am Tydeus, son of King Oeneus of Caledon, and I bring you word from your blameless brother, Polynices.” The tension in the room skyrockets, and some of the more dim-witted nobility actually gasp in surprise. As for you, you quickly rack your brain - how many marriageable daughters does Adrastus of Argos have? Two? Three? You can’t recall, but this “Tydeus” has been bent to your brother’s will all the same. As you regard the man, you notice a strange resemblance – in his features, he almost has the same lean look of your family – the high cheekbones, the strong jaw. If not for his wild eyes and his coloration (blonde, pale), you might believe him to be a hidden bastard of your father’s. One difference between yourself and he – the Caledonian is always in constant motion. You know his type; he cannot stop himself from tapping a finger, shifting restlessly on his feet, his eyes darting here and there…

“Speak then, Prince Tydeus of Caledon – what message does my brother deliver?” you reply with a false smile, feigning magnanimity.
Tydeus clears his throat, clearly preparing to deliver his finest words of diplomancy…

>welcome to SATQ #2, /qst/ - give me FOUR rolls of dice+1d20+10 to determine Eteocles’ WILL to resist Tydeus’ persuasion attempt…
>Polynice is holding court in his own throne room, and enjoys a very substantial bonus to his WILL as a result

Rolled 1 + 10 (1d20 + 10)

>>5976684
It’s back!

Rolled 9 + 10 (1d20 + 10)

>>5976684
By Zeus!
Now, Lesches, I have a wandering IP, should I tripfag or something?

>>5976692

Sure I’m not opposed to players tripfagging for verification later. This is actually something of a pre-thread opener, so the registration window has actually started yet, if that matters.

Rolled 8 + 10 (1d20 + 10)

>>5976684
Sick.

Rolled 16 + 10 (1d20 + 10)

>>5976684
Welcome back, QM!

>>5976675
Hail Noble Lesches, conjurer of great (animations) illusions!

>>5976675

The speaker returns to us! His reprieve was brief, but hopefully, quite restful.

Rolled 9 + 10 (1d20 + 10)

>>5976684
Good to be back

>>5976687
>>5976692
>>5976696
>>5976723

>26 vs 4 - kek, just like the gods intended
>Polynices is unmoved, to say the least.

I'm hoping to close out this interlude with tonight's update.

Thanks for the kind words, all - it was a longer hiatus than I intended, thanks for everyone's patience.

>>5976742

hahaha...no. But now that I've started SATQ, I can't stop until it's done.

>>5976748
>Hey, Eteo-
>Shut the FUCK up, Tydeus.
Ouch.

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As Tydeus swaggers forward, unconcerned with the bronze spearpoints of your elite guard drifting in his direction, there is a moment of strange doubling – you half-remember a nightmare from several weeks ago. In the dream, a pale shade claiming to be your grandfather Laius had berated you for laziness, for doing nothing while Polynices’ wagging tongue set Argos to work. The apparition had warned you of your brother’s tricks, advised you to steel yourself, to hold Thebes – and that Olympus itself supports your claim to the throne.

You inwardly smile, now supremely confident in your position – there is no need for fear here, not when Zeus Ὑπσιστος himself has decided that you will succeed in holding your kingdom!

>Eteocles’ WILL challenge is an astounding success, and as a result, he remembers the vision of Laius!
>Eteocles' will now always AUTO-SUCCEED any WILL challenge if it pertains to surrendering the throne of Thebes! Zeus’ support is a heady thing, indeed.

Tydeus begins to speak – and you immediately see that this “diplomatic envoy” is nothing of the sort. The man seeks to provoke you on behalf of your brother, not to find common cause:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHwJFRPFG-8

“If you had an ounce of plain honesty left and cared at

all for your sworn oath, when your year was up, you’d have made damn

sure envoys went out from here to your brother, and you – on time!

smiling! – would have stripped off your robes and climbed down from your

throne

so that he, long at loose ends and exposed to dangers in strange

cities, should nonetheless succeed to the realm as agreed.

But, given your sweet love of kingship and flattery’s power,

we come to you: the swift cycle has already twirled

the starry globe round, and bare hills grow shady once more

since your brother, a penniless exile, began his sad life

in strange towns. Now it’s time for you to pass your days

under the open sky, to stretch out your limbs on the cold,

hard ground, to bow and scrape before foreign Hearth Gods.

The party’s over! Flashy in purple and gaudy with gold,

you’ve sneered long enough at your brother the pauper’s lean

year. My advice is, forget kingly fun and games!

Grin and bear it – that’s what brings the exile back home.”*

By the end of the screed, a poisonous silence has stolen over the throne room - the Theban nobility are no doubt paralyzed in terror at your potential response. Rage boils deep in your gut - the audacity of this pauper prince, to come HERE. Where is Polynices now? Cowering under the bedsheets in the Argive Royal Palace? You bite back the urge to simply have this man killed on the spot - tampering with a sacred envoy in such dramatic fashion would only hasten Zeus' retribution...

* This dialogue taken straight from Jane Wilson Joyce's translation of Thebaid Book II---

And so you do your best to moderate your tone, as your regal baritone washes over the shocked hall:

“Had the signs which forewarned me against my brother’s aggression

been hazy, his hatred subtle, not clearly revealed, this

proof alone would suffice! You with your vicious harangue – and all

one-sided! – you serve to herald his fury, as though

a fresh sapper had already breached our bulwarks while trumpets

roused enemy troops! Were you addressing Bistonês, bringing

word to pale Scythians from whom the sun flees, you’d have

tempered your ‘eloquence’, launched your cause with more for what’s

fair and moderate.”

This caterwauling about Polynices being penniless is both offensive and hardly true – Argos is one of the wealthiest kingdoms in all of Hellas – Thebes is impoverished in comparison! You sigh deeply – as irritating as this man is, you should not give him the satisfaction of sending you into an impotent rage. The true culprit is Polynices, the “penniless exile” who has inherited an army.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwzeM2J3Emk

”Well, I shouldn’t charge you with this mad

attack – you speak as you’ve been told to. Now…since threats fill

your entire speech, and demands for the scepter sans pledge or truce

-- and your hand tight on your hilt the while! – take these my words

(no match for yours – not so far!) back to your Argive “king”:

‘The lot that’s mine by right, the scepter I’ve been assigned
by the honor due my years – this I hold and shall long hold.
You keep the royal dowry, keep your Inachian bride’s
gift; let your Danaan riches accumulate – why should I
envy you those greater gains? May you reign over Argos
and Lerna with luck and prosperity! Dircê’s rough fields,
the shores Euboea’s seas hem in tight – those we hold,
feeling there’s no shame in the fact that our father was wretched
Oedipus. For you, wealth and nobility – the line of Pelops
and Tantalus, veins bluer than ours with Zeus’ blood, now
bound to you!
‘Could your queen, used to her father’s luxury,
endure this house? True, our sisters would give her her due,
carding their careworn wool; but our mother, haggard with long grief
would cause her distress – as would sounds she might chance to hear
from that old fiend in his dark lair. By now, the people are schooled
to my yoke: what a pity – for commoners and nobles both! –
to endure so much uncertainty, groaning as governance
changes and grumbling that they must serve a tyrant they doubt!
A brief reign upsets the populace. Look at them! What
Horror they feel, how dumbstruck the citizens are at our struggle!
Desert these men whose death is certain if you’re king? For
You come, kinsman, in anger.
‘Suppose I agree: the elders –
If I know them! Loving and grateful for favors! – they’ll not
Let me resign the reign –“

>cont

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Now Tydeus, purple-faced with frenzy and pacing furiously to and fro, interrupts your kingly speech with an insane torrent of venom:

”You will give it back, you will! Not if iron ramparts surround you, not

if Amphion, heard to sign anew, should whip you up walls

triple-thick – not sword, not fire can save you: you will

pay for your brazen acts and, with your diadem captive

under our guard, you’ll claw the dust as you die – just

what you deserve! But these men I pity: you drag them away

from their wives and children to hideous fights, massacres where their

blood’s cheap, good King! O Cithaeron! How many dead will

roll down Your slopes, and into Your bloady shoals, Ismenos!

Is this piety, this your fair word?

“Well, I’m not surprised

At crimes of your clan. Your bloodline was sired by one such,

Your forebears law in incestuous beds. But records deceive:

Oedipus had only one son – you! and that’s the reward

You get for your wicked ways, blackguard! We claim our year.

But I’m wasting my time.”

And with that, the blonde prince abruptly whirls, sprinting out of the throne room and shouldering masses of petitioners out of the way. He hurls his olive branch – the sacred sign of diplomacy guaranteeing the protection of the immortal gods – against the stone wall above the benched nobles, and it shatters into fragments. Pandemonium erupts – shouting, vile insults thrown at the Caledonian’s back as his boarskin cloak vanishes from sight. The Theban nobility themselves dissolve in quarreling bunches, arguing with each other - Tydeus' uncouth address having broken open old fissures.

You manage to restrain yourself from adding to the stream of invective, but only just… And then your eye finds a scrap of olive wood, having bounced from the far wall. It rests just before your elite guard - a splinter of the larger branch borne by Tydeus.

Ah. you think.

Now here is some weakness to crush.

End Interlude

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LESCHES’ NOTES

Seven Against Thebes Quest is a spin-off quest related to the series of Trojan War Quests that were created first by Homer, and then hijacked by yours truly last year (to mixed results). This quest is set in Mythic Greece – a time of brazen helms and spearpoints, of demigods and Olympians, and occurs approximately twenty years prior to the events of Trojan War Quest. We will be playing as the father of the TWQ and TWQ:DS’ main characters (Nikandros and Deianira) – the legendary Hippomedon Aristomachides of Argos, near the peak of his physical ability and fame. Please note – no prior experience in the other quests or knowledge of Mythic Greece will be necessary to play this quest – this quest is meant to stand alone as a complete and self-limiting story. Unlike his children, as one of the prominent Hellenic princes of the Mythic Era, Hippomedon is already well-known in the Peloponnese as one of the prime enforcers of the Kingdom of Argos.

His actions during the upcoming events are quite important – not just to his compatriots as they struggle against the Thebans and their allies, but also for his future family. Gods, goddesses and spinners alike will be watching his actions with great interest, and unforeseen consequences are a certainty…

VOTING REQUIREMENTS

One-post ID votes will be ignored, unless they back-link their previous posts and claim them for identification.
Players must “register” by posting within the thread within 48 hours of thread creation; only “registered” posters will have valid votes.
Players who miss initial “registration” window may choose to provide six lines of original poetry in Homeric style OR an original TWQ meme of high quality to register. Please note that players can choose to register at any time during the thread!

I reserve the right to call upon suspicious voters to verify themselves in a manner I deem fit.

Recommended Reading:

Seven Against Thebes Quest #1: https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/2024/5934977/

Optional Reading:

Trojan War Quest #1: https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/2023/5579585/
Trojan War Quest #2: https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/2023/5610431/
Trojan War Quest #2: Nostos: https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/2023/5742360/
Trojan War Quest #3: https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/2023/5827930/

Trojan War Quest: Deianira’s Sidestory #1: https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/2023/5644134/
Trojan War Quest: Deianira's Sidestory #2: https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/2023/5687242/
Trojan War Quest: Deianira's Sidestory #2.1: https://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/2023/5725902

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Hippomedon Aristomachides (Ἰππομέδων)

Level Three

Height: 6’8”
Weight: ~375 lbs

Kleos:: Your name has graced the lips and tongue of many Danaans – to your enemies, your name is a synonym for “death”, and to your allies, the byword for the perfect soldier. You are loved by the Argive Royal Family for your many contributions to their safety and security. +8 to Kleos checks. Deeds below.

Major:
• Victorious Argive Prince (+8). You have crushed countless bandits, raiders, Heraclids, and more in the service of your uncle, King Adrastus of Argos. There are very few living Hellenes who can say honestly that they have won more duels and personally slain more foes than you.

Timae: You are a very wealthy prince of Argos, even richer than some minor kings of Hellas – the gifts of your estates are so great that they cannot be easily measured in talents or livestock alone. +8 to Timae checks. Relevant possessions below.

• Hippomedon's Estates (+8): Many thousands of cattle, goats, and pigs are raised at your sprawling compound at the foothill of Mt. Pontinus, and your wheat fields are worked by thousands of slaves. In practice, management of the estate is autonomous, overseen by stewards.

STATS

Strength- (20/24) (+10)
Agility- (18/20) (+6)
Constitution- (17/24) (+5)
Willpower- (13/20) (+1)
Intelligence- (13/24) (+1)
Charisma- (11/20) (+0)

Regional Alignment: Argive. Argive nobility are well-adept at navigating the intricacies of Hellenic noble politics (+3 CHA). Following King Adrastus’ example, the noblemen of Argos are expected to hold fast against their enemies, never quaking or quailing, and to stand firm (+3 WILL).

Epithets:

• πελώριος: “Gigantic” or “the Mighty”, due to Hippomedon’s size and strength.
• ἀμύμονος: “Peerless”, due to Hippomedon’s genius in combat.

Traits:

• (Tier 1) Giant: You are akin in size to the famed Heracles. (+4 to strength and strength cap and +4 to constitution and constitution cap. For reference, the normal cap is 20).
• (Tier 1) Gifted Athlete: You are a gifted athlete, skilled in wrestling, boxing, pankration (unarmed combat), running, swimming, jumping, chariot-driving, horse riding, discus, shotput, archery, and javelin throwing. (+3 to strength and agility, and +3 skill in all the aforementioned).
• (Tier 1) Argive Martial Tempering: You are the product of excellent Argive soldier training (+2 to STR, AGI, +2 skill in unarmed combat, swordplay, spearplay, shielding, javelin throwing, archery, and dodging).
• (Tier 1) Strategist: Basic tenets of troop discipline, camp formation, battlefield tactics and general warfare knowledge has been imparted to you. (+3 intelligence, +2 to petteia, generalship, troop combat rolls when you are in command)
• (Tier 0) Argive Combat Training: Additional instruction with a second weapons-master, stacks with the AMT trait. Further +1 to combat skills, +1 to STR/AGI.

STATUS

HP- (13/13)

Skills:

• Petteia: +2 to the game. (Strategist)
• Command: +2 when commanding your troops personally in battle. (Strategist)
• Combat: +3 to to-hit, wound, dodge and block rolls. (Argive Martial Tempering/Argive Combat Training)
• Athletics: +3 bonus to all such contests. (Gifted Athlete)
• More skills to be uncovered as circumstances and traits necessitate.

Inventory:

• Armor of Aristomachus: Provides a mighty +4 bonus to block rolls, and additionally provides the ability to convert a battlefield unit’s failed morale roll into a success once per battle. The bronze helm is topped with triple-tiered snow-white plumes, and iron chain-mail lines the sides of the torso; the unique appearance of the armor makes you instantly recognizable.

• Royal Quality Bronze Spear (1d5+STR+SKILL), Bronze Sword (1d5+STR+SKILL) and Bronze Shield (+1 to block rolls)
• Heraclid’s Bronze: Ramshackle but functional bronze panoplia stripped from the corpse of a Heraclid raider you slew outside your home estates, this armor is of clearly Dorian manufacture and weathered through hard use. +2 to block rolls, and when donned, provides you the appearance of a raiding Heraclid from the north.
Your Forces:

• Second In Command Currently not with you: Argyros, veteran of the Second Argo-Theban war. An experienced campaigner who is utterly devoted to your family. He can be trusted to command the men in your stead but is a commoner in every other sense. When he is independently commanding your troops, they receive a +3 bonus in combat and another die. His bonus (but not the die) adds to yours when you directly command.

• Inachian Honorguard: This loyal squadron of commoner spearmen is well-seasoned in warfare and well-equipped to boot – they are Tier 3 troops, and their equipment is a cut above most Argive squadrons. Exceedingly well trained, experienced, loyal, and high morale: some of the best troops in the Argive army. (High-quality equipment – 1d4 spear damage, +2 to block rolls).

• Hippomedon’s Army: Two thousand men-at-arms recruited from the large population of your home estate; these men along with all other Argive troops, have been passed through a punishing training program. They are now Tier 2 troops and can be trusted to behave professionally on the field. They have been equipped in the standard fashion of Argive forces: good-quality linothorax, ox-hide shields, leather helms and spears that fly true. (Good quality equipment – 1d3 spear damage, +1 to block rolls)

Whew, that's all the housekeeping.

First actual update of the thread should be out before Monday.

Feel free to engage in light shitposting and maybe some Q&A for vote verification purposes until then.

>>5976898
>Tydeus throws away and breaks the one thing signifying his position as an envoy
>AFTER insulting the local king to the face in full view of said king's court
Tydeus does not seem like a very smart man to me.

>>5976920
He's a bit of a schizoid. But he's handy with his spear, both of them, so everyone likes him. Even Athena.

>>5976878
>Eteocles' will now always AUTO-SUCCEED any WILL challenge if it pertains to surrendering the throne of Thebes! Zeus’ support is a heady thing, indeed.
Dangit.

>>5976920
He is obviously super unstable, base don this and on our boy Hippo's first impressions of him.

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>>5976904
Good to have you back Lesches. This do be me.

>>5976748
As is tradition with TWQ dice. Also an animated intro.....how much did you pay for that?

>>5977134

>animated intro

I actually did it myself by shamelessly stealing material from a great French series on Greek myth and then chopping it up. I don’t know anything about video editing so it was a growth opportunity for me.

>>5977145
Like a true hero of legend, it's yours because you took it.

>>5976945
>He is obviously super unstable
I mean there is also Amp's assessment of Tydeus which basically said the guy is an animal in the shape of a man. If the seer tells you a guy is beastly it's probably best to be wary
>>5976912
>Q&A
Do you have a mechanic for spear breaking?

>>5976687
Would have been funny had this been a critfail.

>>5977332

Yes, I'd stolen Homer's mechanics for this:

1) Spears can break when bronze hits bronze (on a successful block or wounding).

2) Spears may break according to their general quality. Royal-quality spears have a 1/30 chance of breaking upon contact with bronze, but poor-quality spears have something like 1/10, IIRC. Spears can be repaired offscreen with no permanent change to their attributes once the battle/combat is over.

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>>5976904
LETS GO WE ARE BACK!

Posting so I get included, lmao. Wouldn’t want to miss the second part after participating in the first.

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You are Hippomedon Aristomachides, and you are satisfied with your progress, as night deepens and the stars begin to glimmer through Nyx’s shawl. You ride upon King Adrastus’ divine horse, Arion, through the Tegean countryside – a larger, finer, cleverer and faster steed you have never known. He is well-muscled, with clean proportions and a broad neck – his warm brown eyes dance with uncommon intelligence. Adrastus once claimed to hear the beast speak – a story taken seriously, given that the stallion was the product of a union between Poseidon Ἱππιος and his sister Demeter Καλλισφυρος; both were in equine form, if the myth is to be believed. Among other qualities, the god-horse is immortal, and was once gifted to Heracles himself. Before his divine ascension, Heracles had gifted the steed to your uncle, King Adrastus. From there, Adrastus has kept Hellas’ most valuable stud busy – nearly all of your uncle’s horses are descended from him in greater or lesser part. You are only of the only men of Argos who can take Arion out on loan; Adrastus was wise enough to grant your request without question.

>While riding Arion, Hippomedon enjoys a significant +4 bonus to any horse-related challenge, in addition to his regular +3 riding bonus from Gifted Athlete. WILL is the primary attribute for riding and charioteering, so Hippo’s total bonus is actually +8.

>Saddles, stirrups and other such things have not yet been invented in the LBA; mounted combat is generally not done.

Behind you rides your uncle Pronax, upon a large steed of lesser heritage, and behind him, the fifty men of your Inachian Honorguard. Yesterday, in the Trade Quarter of Argos, you had been convinced by your uncles, Mecisteus and Pronax, to conduct a cattle raid upon the estate of the southwesterly Tegean king, Agepenor. Of course, King Agapenor has been a friend to Argos for decades, and so this strike against his livelihood would normally be considered a major violation of ξενία. In most circumstances, the theft of two thousand cattle would require a prompt counter-raid from the victim, lest other unsavory Hellenes believe the victim to be too weak to sustain their holdings. In most cases, these raids and counter-raids might escalate into open war. Needless to say, Argos cannot afford a war to the southwest, not even a minor one - not while she marches on Thebes with nearly every spearman at her disposal. The raid upon Agepenor’s holdings, therefore, must be conducted with misdirection and secrecy, and upon a lesser target: the eastern estates of Agepenor’s youngest brother, Archigeiros. Among Argives, only yourself, your uncles Mecisteus and Pronax, and the men of your Inachian Honorguard know of the plot in order to provide Adrastus plausible deniability. In addition to this, you had suggested to conceal yourself as raiding Dorians, commanded by a pair of Heraclidae.

>cont

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You’ve spent nearly the entire day riding southwest along with Pronax and the fifty men of your honorguard. Each of you is equipped for a cattle-raid – torches, prods, and other such gear needed to direct the livestock as appropriate, even during the night. Importantly, Pronax and yourself carry horns of brass – when blown, they can be heard for stadia in all directions, especially on a quiet night. Additionally, you had prevailed upon the craftsmen yesterday to create thrown stun-weapons…

>Hippomedon is carrying three “Argive Stunners” – these are fist-sized stones, wrapped with wool, and finally sealed inside expertly-sewn leather bags. When thrown, they do dice+1d2+(STR*1/3)+SKILL of damage (so the math is actually dice+1d2+3+3 = 1d2+6, if I'm doing my math right). It is still easy to kill a noncombatant with this, but the vast majority of noblemen warriors would be able to survive a fastball from Hippo.

Your suggestion to conceal yourselves as raiding Dorians was well-taken – your honorguard has been equipped with ramshackle gear, looking every bit the impoverished raiding party. You are wearing the Heraclidean panoplia you stripped from the shoulders of an unfortunate man you slew some months ago. Pronax, without having Heraclidean bronze at his disposal, has instead swapped out elements of his unmarked armor for mismatching components. While not obviously Heraclidean, his armor does not give off the impression that he is brother to one of the wealthiest Hellenic kings, nor does it immediately identify him as Argive. In short – your force can pass as Dorians from afar and likely even in close quarters fighting, but a clever nobleman might see through the deception if given the chance for sustained interrogation of you or your men.

As you make camp with Pronax in a shadowy fold of the Tegean plain, you review the plan of action. You are currently at the most northern edge of Archigeiros’ lands – some five thousand cattle have been verified here by Pronax’s scouts. You and Pronax had previously estimated that you might be able to abscond with two thousand tonight, if you move swiftly, and could return to Argos by morning of the third day. You must carefully weigh the benefits of speed against the security, here. The longer you tarry in the realm of Archigeiros, the greater the chances that your raid is foiled, and worse - that your true identities as Argives would be revealed. If the raid fails, it would be better to withdraw as Dorian raiders and preserve the accord between Adrastus and Agepenor.

>Please see map – red diamond = Archigeiros’ palace. Red squares – guard towers and likely sites of resistance. Brown pentagons = smaller herds of 500 cattle. Big yellow pentagon = Archigeiros’ prime cattle herd of two thousand fat cattle. This vote is the “opener” and will run for ~48 hours.

>Vote post next.

>As a united force, you will ambush the guard towers and patrols at the northwest periphery of Archigeiros’ lands, slowly cutting your way through to the western herds. Between yourself and Pronax, these ambushes are a near-guaranteed success, but this risk-averse strategy is the longest. It will take hours to work your way towards the western herds, and the longer you stay within the lands of Archigeiros, the greater the chances that he may personally arrive to foil the raid.

>You and Pronax will split the honorguard into two halves – Pronax will travel southwest and you will travel southeast. In this fashion, you will each carve a path to the smaller cattle herds on both sides, and once obtained, will retreat to this campsite before moving out as one. This plan balances speed with risk mitigation – with two smaller raids happening simultaneously, the patrols may become confused, and furthermore, this strategy provides tactical flexibility. If one party becomes endangered, the commander (yourself or Pronax) may blow your brass horn to summon assistance from your peer.

>Riding Arion, you have the capacity for very expeditious travel – over the next hour, you will travel to the southeast, finding the southeastern-most guard tower that flanks Archigeiros’ estate. There, you will kill whatever guards are present and set the tower aflame in order to draw his patrols from across his estates. Once accomplished, you will retreat further east, drawing these forces away from the estates. Pronax will take advantage of this, slipping inside Archigeiros’ lands to take the single largest herd of cattle and moving out at once, maximizing chances of escape. This plan prioritizes speed and efficiency at the expense of significant risk – you will be separated from Pronax and your honorguard for an unknown length of time, and even you could eventually fall in combat due to exhaustion.

>Some other strategy?

>>5977775

>Riding Arion, you have the capacity for very expeditious travel – over the next hour, you will travel to the southeast, finding the southeastern-most guard tower that flanks Archigeiros’ estate. There, you will kill whatever guards are present and set the tower aflame in order to draw his patrols from across his estates. Once accomplished, you will retreat further east, drawing these forces away from the estates. Pronax will take advantage of this, slipping inside Archigeiros’ lands to take the single largest herd of cattle and moving out at once, maximizing chances of escape. This plan prioritizes speed and efficiency at the expense of significant risk – you will be separated from Pronax and your honorguard for an unknown length of time, and even you could eventually fall in combat due to exhaustion.

>>5977775
>>You and Pronax will split the honorguard into two halves – Pronax will travel southwest and you will travel southeast. In this fashion, you will each carve a path to the smaller cattle herds on both sides, and once obtained, will retreat to this campsite before moving out as one. This plan balances speed with risk mitigation – with two smaller raids happening simultaneously, the patrols may become confused, and furthermore, this strategy provides tactical flexibility. If one party becomes endangered, the commander (yourself or Pronax) may blow your brass horn to summon assistance from your peer.

>>5977775
>You and Pronax will split the honorguard into two halves – Pronax will travel southwest and you will travel southeast. In this fashion, you will each carve a path to the smaller cattle herds on both sides, and once obtained, will retreat to this campsite before moving out as one. This plan balances speed with risk mitigation – with two smaller raids happening simultaneously, the patrols may become confused, and furthermore, this strategy provides tactical flexibility. If one party becomes endangered, the commander (yourself or Pronax) may blow your brass horn to summon assistance from your peer.

>>5977775
>Riding Arion, you have the capacity for very expeditious travel – over the next hour, you will travel to the southeast, finding the southeastern-most guard tower that flanks Archigeiros’ estate

>>5977775
>HIPPOMEDON WILL RIDE LIKE THE WINDS UPON ARION'S BACK DIRECTLY TO THE SOUTHERNMOST MIDDLE TOWER, SET IT ABLAZE, THEN RIDE WEST, ALERTING THE OTHER TOWERS AS HE GOES & DRAWING THEIR MEN, HURLING INSULTS BEFITTING A MAD HERACLIDAE

>PRONAX & THE INACHIANS WILL SEIZE THE TWO EASTERN HERDS, THEN SPLIT OFF JUST ENOUGH MEN TO DRIVE THEM NORTH; THE MAINSTAY OF HIS HOPLITES & HE WILL SEIZE THE PRIZE HERD UPON SIGHTING THE BURNING TOWER

Why do the Dorians have Auroch (beef) with King Adrastus if Heracles himself gifted the old king a horsey?

Also, is the prize herd normal cows, oxen, auroch, or a mixture?

>>5977996

>why are the Heraclidae such shitheads?

Alas, they just are. The real answer is that in the TWQverse, Arion’s gifting to Adrastus predates the Heraclidae becoming obsessed with ruling over the entire Peloponnese. I haven’t done a deep dive into the literature to confirm but that’s been my impression.

>what’s in the prize herd?

Mostly just prime cattle, but I’ll throw in some semi-divine golden aurochs becaue they’re pretty cool.

Also I’m posting a new ad for the quest tonight - if any new anons stop in, treat them as Xenia dictates, please!

>>5978001
>treat them as Xenia dictates, please!
>[laughs in Odysseus]

>>5977775
>You and Pronax will split the honorguard into two halves – Pronax will travel southwest and you will travel southeast. In this fashion, you will each carve a path to the smaller cattle herds on both sides, and once obtained, will retreat to this campsite before moving out as one. This plan balances speed with risk mitigation – with two smaller raids happening simultaneously, the patrols may become confused, and furthermore, this strategy provides tactical flexibility. If one party becomes endangered, the commander (yourself or Pronax) may blow your brass horn to summon assistance from your peer.

>>5977775
>You and Pronax will split the honorguard into two halves – Pronax will travel southwest and you will travel southeast. In this fashion, you will each carve a path to the smaller cattle herds on both sides, and once obtained, will retreat to this campsite before moving out as one. This plan balances speed with risk mitigation – with two smaller raids happening simultaneously, the patrols may become confused, and furthermore, this strategy provides tactical flexibility. If one party becomes endangered, the commander (yourself or Pronax) may blow your brass horn to summon assistance from your peer.
Speed is of import, so we shaln't go in a single group, plus, said single group is easier to spot.
However, I don't believe that rushing forwards single handedly and setting the tower ablaze is a good idea either, as it would both endanger us, risk us getting spotted and might have the counter-effect of alerting the guards, who might then spot our gang of cattle rustlers (we have fallen to the level of Illyrians).
In fact, if we had brought more nobles of divine heritage, I'd have argued that we should have split into even more groups of cattle rustlers, but alas, now it's late.

Is it possible for Hippo to use the god horse to just ram into people? I'd imagine the combined weight and speed could knock people over. Who knows maybe the horse is strong enough to just kick tower supports over. It is a god after all.

>>5978199
The horse can still get stabbed and hurt. As to whether or not ramming with a horse would be effective, consider that in real life a horse colliding with someone can break bones and send them skittering along the ground from the force of it, to say nothing of the trampling after they bowl a person over, a big super horse would probably outright crush a normal person to death.

Horses, as it happens, are extremely strong. Which is also why centaurs are very dangerous.

>>5978199
>>5978230

>Can Arion be used in a ramming/trampling attack?

Absolutely, but a couple thoughts:

1) dinging up your uncle's prized lamborghini would be ill-advised. Zeus help you if you break Arion's leg... In the setting of the LBA, most of the "mounted combat" is delivered by centaurs. If Hippomedon actually wanted to charge into combat for one reason or another, I'd make you guys roll every turn of combat to keep your seat and not fall off the horse.

2) Arion can deliver extremely dangerous kicks, given that it's a god-horse. I haven't thought to draw up a stat line for Arion, but a full-contact double-kick from Arion would probably be able to one-shot an unarmored Hippomedon and most heroes running around the late LBA.

3) Arion is smart enough to follow simple orders, even when Hippomedon is unmounted.

>>5978307
>3) Arion is smart enough to follow simple orders, even when Hippomedon is unmounted.
LBA pokémon, if only the Arion could trash talk the enemy as well.

Hippo: Black Ops

>>5977798
>>5977828
>>5977994 (as always, your custom votes are appreciated, anon)

Slice & Dice

>>5977805
>>5977822
>>5978148
>>5978150

---

This vote will close at 4pm EST tomorrow - any lurkers and stragglers should feel free to chime in now.

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i dont feel strongly either way, and the winning vote is my gut choice in any case. id stay back as usual if i didnt want to register my ip
glad to see you back lesches

No update tonight, unfortunately. It's only like 40% written (14 hour day today, yeesh) but I know where I'm taking it, at least.

>>5979456
Thanks for the update!

>>5979458

Eh, least I can do is keep everyone in the loop. I still enjoy writing the quest.

On /qtg/ these quests were once summarized as "BIG MEN WITH BIG FEELINGS" and I still laugh about it sometimes.

Plus hot memes like this (>>5979027) keep me going

>>5979456
>14 hour day
Well, nice to know Lesches still manages to keep his enthusiasm about big sweaty muscular Greek men from his Tajikistani metalworking sweatshop,

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You sit by the campfire, which has been partly hidden under a hide tent (even in a small depression, one cannot be too careful). As the honor guard tends to the horses, Pronax sits heavily by your side, waiting for your command - he looks exhausted. Despite the long day’s ride, you feel fresh - the gift of youth sustains you.

Ultimately, division of the band seems wisest to you. A two-fold attack, with each group headed by one of the Talaides, is sure to succeed against whatever patrols and guard posts may be present. You have little concern about splitting the raid force - it is a near-certainty that Pronax and yourself are currently the deadliest men on the Tegean plain. And by splitting the force, should one of the groups be discovered, they could serve as a retreating decoy. Finally, speed is of the essence - you must infiltrate the grounds, kill any patrollers, take the cattle, and retreat without sparking a general alarm. With two groups and the blessing of Αγαθη Τυχη, daughter of Zeus, you will be well on your way to Argos by dawn. You explain your thoughts to Pronax and he sagely nods in agreement:

“A fine plan, nephew. I’ve always preferred your direct approach to such matters - this is the way of Argos,” Pronax affirms. The tented campfire causes the shadows to leap strangely. For a moment, it is your youthful father staring back at you, not his aged brother - strange to think that you will soon be older than he was at the time of his death. Your brow wrinkles in thought - you’d never discussed his death with Pronax or the other uncles, not in detail. You wonder what he knows about…

“Something amiss, Hippomedon?” Pronax inquires; again an old man past his prime, peering with concern. The moment passes - your father is vanished. You wave a broad hand and smile, ready to brush aside the question - but your curiosity lingers, stopping your hand in mid-wave.

“I wonder what Aristomachus would think of all this?” you ask, looking about you. Pronax barks a laugh.

“Think about what - this raid? Your father didn’t do much thinking, Hippomedon. Out of all us, he was strongest… and the most rash. I spent the last half of my youth containing the storm that was your father… But there’s no doubt in my mind that if he was alive, he’d be sitting right there -“ Pronax jabs a finger at an empty patch of dirt next to the tent “- stewing on some half-assed comment Adrastus made three months ago. He was quick to anger and he never forgot a grudge. But on rare days, when the sun was shining - he was as pleasant and mild as one of the Χάριτες*.”

All this you know - your father’s quicksilver moods are still the subject of drunken jests among your uncles.

Graces, the goddesses of charm, beauty, kindness and other such things.

But Pronax surprises you by continuing:

“But we were unkind to him, as he was the youngest son. He wasn't more foolish than any one of us had been, truly, but we were men, and he was just a boy. We made him suffer for the crime of being born last and for no other reason than because we could.” Pronax’s face grows taut - his lip compress. “I once raped one of his boyhood loves for a joke. Adrastus once killed his favorite horse to harden him.”

You’re not sure what to say - should you be angry? Is this a confession? Your uncles have never spoken of this before; these tales are not told at the feasts. Pronax continues, muttering softly, half in a dream.

“Father would say 'let the sons address these concerns as council' and would turn to other matters. And so young Aristomachus was made out to be a hapless fool; no matter his true character. But we loved him, too, Hippomedon. That is the strange thing; we loved him. There were some days where we forgot the games, and lived as brothers. What fools we were..." Pronax's face becomes shadowed, mournful.

"What he did broke our hearts.” Pronax’s eyes are shining now, and he meets your gaze frankly.

What does he speak of? a corner of your mind demands. What is this?! it continues. The question burns your tongue like a flame, and you open your mouth - but Pronax is faster:

“Don’t ask, Hippomedon.” His expression is bleak. “Don’t ask,” he warns again, and turns to stare into the fire. There is a pause - night deepens. You let the moment pass - the question dies on your tongue, a fading ember. You stand up, and make your orders known.

One hour’s rest, and the raid begins.

---

When the time comes, you and your men creep down into the estates to the southeast - the raid begins. Pronax and his men are quickly lost amongst the darkness and night-mists, heading due south for the eastern cattle-herds. They must defeat only one guard-tower on the way; you must defeat at least two. It is very quiet, as you make your approach - your Heraclidean bronze has strapped down securely to reduce the clatter; you hear only the soft hoofbeats of your party on the rich Tegean earth. Approaching the first guardtower is a simple matter - you come across no Tegeans in your brief approach.

To your expectation, the first guard-tower is lit by torchlight and tall - the wooden tower is perhaps the height of five commoner men standing atop another. Two men stand atop the structure, easily visible. A glint of brass shines from the side of one of the Tegean sentinels - a brass horn, similar to the one that you carry. He must die first, or risk spoiling the raid - the rest of the guards must die nearly as quickly to prevent too much noise. Surrounding the guard tower, there are lazily-hung tents - the discipline of these men are clearly poor. With a quick series of gestures, the horses are hidden behind vegetation, and you and your men prowl forwards for the ambush.

>cont

Rolled 20 - 7 (1d20 - 7)

A few minutes later, the Inachian Honorguard has ringed the guard-tower at a distance of about eighty strides - the trap is set.

You give the signal by hand gesture, and each man signals to the next - you clap a single time to set your honorguard on the attack; just loud enough to be heard.

You ready your spear-arm, taking aim at the Tegean hornman - it is a well-lit night, the guardtower is open-topped, and he is on eighty paces and elevated - the breeze is blowing faintly to the west. You have wisely brought an extra spear of common manufacture for exactly this purpose.

The conditions are near-perfect.

Your common spear vanishes into the dark, leaping into the night of its own accord, and there is the faint whistle of death streaking away from you. You begin sprinting towards the guardtower yourself - your feet propel you forwards like a hunting lion. A moment later - you watch the figure of the hornblower topple out of the tower, silently falling to the ground below.

>Hippomedon auto-succeeds this spear-cast on general principles!
>One Tegean guardsman is dead! 49/50 remain!

Near-simultaneously, your honorguard is leaping over the low stone wall that surrounds the guardtower, into the enemy campsite - only the faintest stirrings of alarm have reached your ears! Even though they are significantly outnumbered, the advantage of a surprise ambush by a superior force cannot be overstated - you are confident in your honorguard. As you approach, you see confused Tegean guardsmen stumble out of their tents - the majority of them appear to have been sleeping in their linothorax armor.

You grin - eviscerating these men should help put your father's death out of mind. At a full sprint, you vault the last ten strides like a ravenous tiger...

>okay /qst/, I need the following rolls!

>one roll of dice+1d20+5 for the IH's initiative. They would typically have a -3 penalty, but I'm assigning a +2 bonus due to Hippomedon's command, and another +6 context bonus for the night-time ambush. This context bonus may be reduced if things go sideways.

>I'll roll for the Tegean guardsmen - they'd typically roll at -3 but given that they are Tier 1 troops, assigning an extra -4 penalty.

>I'll need another dice+1d5+11 to see how much damage Hippomedon lays out in this first round of combat (he auto-succeeds on his regular battle-rolling too).

>Starting next battle turn, I'll be rolling a 1d6 each battle turn to see if the Tegeans manage to set off a general alarm (proc on 1).

Rolled 12 + 5 (1d20 + 5)

>>5980212
Wait, is Hippo's lieutenant not here as well?

Rolled 2 + 11 (1d5 + 11)

>>5980212
>Rolled 20
Anger.

Rolled 18, 8, 2, 8, 17, 13 - 5 = 61 (6d20 - 5)

>>5980220

No, he’s home in Argos with Mecisteus training the Argive Army as a whole. I may have mentioned this last in SATQ #1, my apologies. The logic here is that Pronax is a better combatant than Argyros and this is a spec-ops mission.

>17 vs 13 - IH win first strike!
>now I need THREE rolls of dice+2d20+-1 for IH troop performance. I’m pretty sure I’m not fucking the math up here…

>>5980221

>Hippo deals 13 damage - he kills another 2 dudes and gravely wounds a third.

Also when are we going to slap the shit out of Pronax to force him to spill the olives?

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Rolled 14, 7 - 1 = 20 (2d20 - 1)

>>5980227
>meanwhile, the guy who just saw his two buddies get torn in half by a dude rocking heraclid garnishing while the third is pissing blood on the ground

Rolled 16, 17 - 1 = 32 (2d20 - 1)

>>5980227
Oh okay. Though I could've sworn that Hippo had a +13 to attacks (10 STR+2 ART+1 ACT) and +3 command (2 STRAT+1 INT)

Rolled 11, 6 - 1 = 16 (2d20 - 1)

>>5980227
Rollan

Pronax & Mecisteus strike me as such odd fellows. Perhaps they're just hard to read. Definitely hit that BIG MEN WITH BIG FEELINGS tagline on the head with that post.

>>5980228
As soon as we get home.

>>5980258
True. Brutal and brutish, but so sensitive and prone to moodiness.

Rolled 6 (1d6)

>>5980233

Right on both accounts, sorry about that. Will modify the outcomes accordingly.

Still need another roll of dice+1d20+-1 for consistency (although I’ll correct these rolls to +0 bonus)

Rolled 5 - 1 (1d20 - 1)

>>5980400

>>5980403

Sorry, one more roll please? I’m phone posting while frantically running between tasks if anyone is curious why I’m fucking up so much, lol

Rolled 20 - 1 (1d20 - 1)

This it chief? >>5980411

>>5980419

Yes, thanks. I’m hoping for an update later tonight but will keep you all yodated

Rolled 2, 1, 2, 1, 1, 1, 2, 1, 4, 4, 1, 3, 3, 1, 3 = 30 (15d4)

>>5980227

Corrected rolls:

>18 vs 13 - IH win first strike
>Hippo deals 15 damage - 3 guys killed instead of 2

Tegean guards roll a 13,12 vs IH’s 16,17. IH damages the Tehran guard!

>>5980403
>>5980419

Turns out I didn’t need these rolls, I missed a third roll above since my life is chaos right now, lol.

Now I’ll roll for IH damage!

Rolled 1, 1, 1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 1, 4, 4 = 20 (10d4)

And second half

>>5978463
Reminds me of when Arion shows up in the Percy Jackson: Heroes of Olympus series and he swears like a sailor but the only one who can tell is the eponymous Percy Jackson because he can talk to horses.

>>5980468
Also, is it still verifying time?

>>5980465
>>5980467

Basically a perfectly typical first strike, but Hippo and co have great positioning to finish the job quickly. Damage applied is ~70 so enemy health is 180/250= 72%. Additional -2 wound malus to future Tegean rolls.

>>5980202
Dont tell me these idiots bullied Hippo's dad into killing himself or some such shit.

>>5980633
Given he was mighty and proen to rage and they raped his childhood crush and kiled his horse, they're lucky he didn't murder all of THEM.

>>5980633
My guess
>"Hey, I bet you can't go and fuck that nymph."
>"I don't want to fuck the nymph, I know she's pretty."
>"No balls."
>aristomachus was found dead later that evening with an arrow in his eye

>>5980468
>>5980477

We’re outside the verification window but never too late to submit a hot meme to verify your ID!

>>5980674
Or a poem, don't forget the poem. Though writing it in Homeric style is a pain in the neck.

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Your spearpoint whistles and sings at a pitch just outside your range of hearing - you move without conscious thought, knees bent, your feet rippling over the soft earth. Your senses are sharpened by the chaotic scene as you wheel into range of the enemy – you were made for this. The Tegeans have finally realized that they are under attack - but their previous lack of discipline hinders them. Their lazily-erected tents, scattered around the wooden watch-tower, now prevent them from quickly assembling as a united force - they trip over each other and their tent-lines as they bunch together into small, confused groups.

You blink - your spear plunges into the breast of a young man, smashing aside his ribs, puncturing his lung, shredding his heart. He dies instantly as you retract your weapon - his teeth grip the earth as you step over him. You glance up and see that the Inachian Honorguard now threaten the Tegeans from all sides, begin to draw the trap shut. Despite their fewer number, they are effectively corralling the enemy closer to the watch-tower. Shouts of alarm come from Tegeans as they catch a glimpse of your hulking form, and of the mismatched gear of the concealed Argives:

“Look, Heraclid!” and “Dorians - sound the alarm!”

You blink - you are pulling your spear free from a Tegean’s shattered eye-socket. Gore and streams of mulched brain flow freely from the wound. You step over his boneless corpse - you have already forgotten his face. In the chaos, none of the enemy can locate their fallen hornsman; at least for now, the wider estate is unaware of your ambush. Your honor guard commit themselves well to the butchery – Tegean shouts and cries of alarm fly into the night air - but they do not sail upon the wind. The night air is still; there is little breeze. Their shouts will not carry far.

You blink – you have torn out the throat of a young man foolish enough to charge you. He flops against the earth like a gasping fish. You look up again, and see that the remaining battered Tegeans have collected themselves into loose ring, shields and spears outward, backs against the watch-tower. A desperate defense, and one doomed to fail, even if you were not present. Still, the fight is not yet over, and desperate men can sometimes surprise. You shift your grip on your spear and advance – you will smash apart their resistance and pick them apart!

>okay, /qst/ - give me another set of rolls!
>Hippomedon auto-wins his combat rolls - I need ONE roll of dice+1d5+13 to determine damage output!
>The Inachian Honorguard are rolling for initiative - I need ONE roll of dice+1d20 for this. No ambush bonus now that true battle is joined (although this will reset for the next watch-tower).
>The Inachian Honorguard are rolling for combat - I need THREE rolls of dice+2d20 for this.
>I'm rolling for Tegean initiative and combat performance (current -9 malus) and combat performance. This is going to be a blow-out...

Rolled 9 (1d20)

>>5981020
Quickly now, lads.

Rolled 4 + 13 (1d5 + 13)

>>5981020
Spear in hand

Rolled 18, 3, 2, 20, 19, 4, 15 - 9 = 72 (7d20 - 9)

>>5981020

Oops, forgot my own rolls.

Rolled 12, 7 = 19 (2d20)

>>5981020

First Inachian Honourguard combat roll.

>>5981026
If I'm reading this right we have to beat a
Initiative: 9
Dodge: 11
Block: 10
Leave it to Lesches to roll a 20 and 19 for combat performance.

Rolled 19, 8 = 27 (2d20)

>>5981020

Rolled 13, 9 = 22 (2d20)

>>5981020
Still need a roll for the IH, yea?

>>5981064
>>5981110
>>5981176

IH sort of bumbles the attack here - my prelim read is that no damage is dealt. Le sigh. Even highly trained commoners are still just commoners sometimes.

Rolling a dice+1d6 to see if the Tehran’s find the alarm-horn that they’re trampling over. 1 is bad.

Rolled 5 (1d6)

>>5981312

>>5981312
Can Hippo find and break the horn?

>>5981335

Sure, that’s a good thought - I’ll give you guys a quick mini-vote (closing at 8pm EST) to address:

>sacrifice Hippomedon’s next combat turn to find and crush the Tegean horn
>continue on with combat as usual, contributing to a potential morale break

Players should note that the enemy unit may well suffer morale break in the near-future - if they do, they’ll likely get totally butchered near-instantly since they are hemmed in and Hippomedon can throw spears like no-one’s business.

>>5981350
>sacrifice Hippomedon’s next combat turn to find and crush the Tegean horn

If victory is at hand already, stopping the enemy from calling for reinforcements takes precedence.

>>5981350
>sacrifice Hippomedon’s next combat turn to find and crush the Tegean horn

>>5981350
BLOOD FOR ARES, FINISH THE BATTLE

>>5981350
>sacrifice Hippomedon’s next combat turn to find and crush the Tegean horn

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Rolled 4, 17, 18, 10, 2, 17 - 10 = 58 (6d20 - 10)

In an eyeblink, you have dashed forwards, and are charging the Tegeans – with their backs to the watch-tower, they’ve confounded your Inachian Honorguard. Your troops are superior – they expected to crash through such a poorly-trained division like a prime steer through a wicker gate. The Tegeans, to their credit, have done something unexpected in the confusion of the ambush. By putting their backs against the watch-tower, they brace their cowardly feet from inadvertently propelling them out of formation. It’s perhaps the least bad option available to them, allowing them keep their positioning – you expect that this is pure luck on their part. Your men are frustrated by the lack of movement and with inferior numbers, they cannot menace the Tegeans properly.

You have no such concerns as you collide with the Tegean line – your spear pins an unfortunate against the watch-tower, and he proceeds to violently vomit blood down the front of his linothorax. You spin, unarmed, cutting with the side of your brazen shield, knocking aside the spear of his nearest companion before crushing his chest edge-on – he collapses in a heap. You turn back to your first victim, retrieving your spear, and tear open a fatal wound in the thigh of a third, portly Tegean – the fat glistens whitely, before the man tumbles to the ground.

This ambush is taking too long, you realize – the Tegeans are losing, but not fast enough.

The horn must be addressed. you think. You take a moment to catch your bearings – the horn-blower you slew at the beginning of the ambush had tumbled from the watch-tower, but he must have landed on the other side of the structure. You’ll need to forgo your assault against the Tegeans momentarily to ensure that they cannot notify their peers. You begin your left-handed sweep around the watch-tower – with your honorguard to your right and beyond them, the Tegeans against the watch-tower. You come across a wounded guardsman – he is attempting to crawl surreptitiously away from the fighting. Such cowardice offends you – you exterminate him with a spear-thrust through his neck without a second thought.

A sudden lull in the sounds of fighting draws your attention – amazingly, the Tegeans are obviously collecting themselves for a counter push against your men. The effort is certainly doomed to failure, but you are beginning to admire their resolve – a shame that you must murder Hellenes this night.

>The Inachian Honorguard are rolling for combat - I need THREE rolls of dice+2d20 for this!
>I'm rolling for the Tegeans again - they just narrowly avoided a morale check last round, but this is almost certainly the last round of combat anyways.

Rolled 1 (1d6)

Rolling for horn business

>>5981809

How exciting!

Rolled 7, 18 = 25 (2d20)

>>5981808

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Rolled 18, 7 = 25 (2d20)

>>5981808
Just die.

>>5981809
I guess Hippo sacrificed his turn for nothing.

>>5981822

Don’t worry, you guys did decide to go hunting for it so that earns Hippo a fair chance to salvage.

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>>5981829
Nay. I have decided. Stealth, never again. Now all missions are loud! Now every problem is a nail, and we, the hammer.

Rolled 14, 8 = 22 (2d20)

>>5981808

>>5981821
>>5981822
>>5981861

>Tegeans roll a 8,7 vs 18,18 - they botch the attack

Writing now. I'm hoping to put out 2-3 updates today and start making some serious progress narratively...

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Rolled 3 (1d20)

You traverse the soft earth with a hurried step, investigating the bodies and wounded Tegeans that you come across – every moment that this skirmish goes on, the risk climbs. Out of the side of your eye, you watch the Tegeans attempt a push against your menacing Inachians – but their “assault” is an uncoordinated, disjointed effort – instead of a surprising sweep forward, taking advantage of their numbers, they telegraph their advance through shouted commands and provide plenty of time for your men to advance backwards and spoil the attack. Some parts of the Tegean defensive ring move forwards too cautiously, and while other sections leap too quickly out of position, before falling back in fear. The movement is accompanied by much shouting by the Tegeans, but you hear no screams or shouts of pain – you expect that your honorguard is still completely unharmed. As is typical, your honorguard fights in silence.

As you round the watch-tower, you hiss through your teeth in dismay -

A thin and wrinkled Tegean, much too old to be serving in his lord’s guard, is standing in the shadows, and is just pressing his squadron’s horn against his lips. The horn itself is caked with dirt – it must have been partly pressed into the earth when its master tumbled from the watch-tower top. His frame is gaunt – the linothorax armor hangs loosely on his body, designed for healthy men decades younger. The old man’s eyes are wide with terror – he catches sight of your horse-hair crests first, and then your brazen form. You watch in alarm as the elderly man behinds to inhale, filling his lungs with cool night air – you have less than a second to cast!

>okay, /qst/ - this will be something of an initiative check.

>roll me a dice+1d20+6 to see if Hippomedon’s reflexes are fast enough to cast a spear and take out the old geezer. There’s no need to roll for wound/block/damage under these circumstances.

>The old-timer would normally be rolling at a -3 penalty for initiative but I’m assigning him a +3 context bonus because he’s already got the horn to his lips.

>This will be a degrees of success check – 3+ degrees of success, the horn is not blown, 2 degrees, the horn call is both faint and short, 1 degree of success, the horn call is loud but cut short at the end, and failure = the old guy definitely notifies the estate that you are present!

Rolled 11 + 6 (1d20 + 6)

>>5982099
Hush

Rolled 2 + 6 (1d20 + 6)

>>5982099

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>>5982102

Rolled 18, 7, 12, 9, 13, 20 - 10 = 69 (6d20 - 10)

>17 vs a literal 3 - kek

The old man hesitates – whether from terror or from the delayed reflexes of long years, he fails to blow the horn at the earliest moment. You’re quick to take advantage - your right hand flashes out independently, moving faster than you can think – your spear pierces the night, a darker shadow tipped with flickering bronze, and tears the old man down before he can blow the horn. The force of your cast causes him to flail wildly as he tumbles – the brazen horn is, by chance, thrown in your direction – it’s a trivial matter for a man of your heritage and training to draw your brazen sword from your belt, step forwards quickly, and shear the horn in half with a quick chop. You take a moment to inspect the edge of your blade - still unmarked. The brass the horn was soft, a sign of good quality.

Retrieving your spear itself takes only another moment – the old man’s expression is frozen in one of surprise, his brow wrinkled in confusion. As you wrench your spear loose, you have a passing moment of regret – you have killed uncountable hundreds, perhaps even thousands of men, but it is rare for you to kill a man so advanced in age.

[i]Wrong of Archigeiros to employ men of such advanced age in his forces… I will have to ensure such men are properly retired to noncombat role amongst my own estates, [/i] you think.

The skirmish draws on – the Tegean attack has been entirely foiled by your men, and so you return your attentions to the fight. You wonder how Pronax fares in his own raid...

>I need ONE roll of dice+1d5+13 for Hippomedon's combat performance.

>I need THREE rolls of dice+2d20 for troop combat performance

>I’ll be rolling for the Tegeans – they continue to have a terrible -10 penalty, this will probably be the last turn of combat in this little skirmish.

Rolled 1 + 13 (1d5 + 13)

>>5982183

Rolled 10, 19 = 29 (2d20)

>>5982183

Rolled 3, 18 = 21 (2d20)

>>5982183

Rolled 3, 10 = 13 (2d20)

>>5982183

Rolled 3, 3, 4, 4, 4, 3, 1, 2, 3, 4, 2, 4, 2, 3, 1 = 43 (15d4)

>>5982193
>>5982195
>>5982197
>>5982216

>Hippo deals 18 damage
>IH vs Tegeans = 10, 19 vs 8, 10

I'm rolling for damage against the Tegeans now...

Rolled 1, 2, 3, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 4, 3 = 19 (10d4)

>>5982341

Derp, I meant 14 damage for Hippo. Here's the second half of the damage rolls

Rolled 14 (1d20)

>>5982341
>>5982342

>Enemy Tegean unit has been reduced from 63->33% unit health. This triggers a morale check!

>Tegeans must roll 6 or under here to maintain their composure

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You leap back into combat – although, for you, this has been a lazy affair. Your spear drinks deeply from a Tegean’s heart; you had caught him from the side while he had been trading thrusts with one of your men. His companion, a larger commoner man, spins to you, mouth agape, before screaming madly in torment – against all reason, he charges you, his crude spear held awkwardly in your direction. You don’t draw out the man’s misery; your spear takes him in the neck, tearing open a ragged gash and ending his cries – he emits a series of gurgling coughs before going still.

Looking to your side, you see a Tegean with a wounded shoulder angling away from the watch-tower, seeking to ambush one of your men from the side. He foolishly placed his back to you – you puncture his side before kicking his body off your weapon. This skirmish has gone on longer than you had hoped – you are becoming irritated, despite the steady progress. These past few minutes, the original Tegean squadron of fifty men has been cut down to a ragged thirty – the time to act decisively is here!

“INACHIANS, CRUSH THEM! you shout – loudly enough to be heard over the clashing men, but not so loudly as to notify the other Tegeans. As one, your honorguard leaps forward together, and this time, the Tegeans crumple and panic as they begin to be cut down. After a few heartbeats, perhaps only another fifteen remain standing – half of these throw down their weapons in a foolish attempt to surrender, and the other half attempt to flee. Only two men escape the ring that your Inachians have made – you make quick work of these two by casting Tegean spears into their backs.

The skirmish is over – you and your men are breathing heavily, but apart from some minor scrapes and bruises amongst your troops, you and they are completely unharmed.

Silence steals over the Tegean camp once more, as the final survivors are sent down to the Lord of Many. You once again muse how Pronax might be –

A wild series of horn-blasts shatters the stillness of the night; the thin music of a desperate player. You immediately discern that the horn is not Argive in nature – the note is too high.

>cont

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You bark out a vile curse – Pronax is discovered. Can I not trust the man to do anything!? you nearly shout aloud. The horn is silenced mid-blast, but too late – if you’ve heard the horn this clearly, you must assume that Archigeiros and the rest of his estates will soon spring into action. You order your honorguard to retrieve the horses with all speed - you may not have time to hide the corpses here like you had planned. You rapidly re-evaluate your options…

>okay /qst/, wat do? Apologies for this - I actually simulated Pronax’s skirmish and it’s pure bad luck that the Tegeans rolled a 1 on their “horn alarm” check immediately. This is a pretty important vote, so I'll provide a full 24-hr window - vote closes at 3pm EST tomorrow.

>Pick up your own horn and send an order to Pronax – continue the raid! He may be able to abscond with at least some of the cattle, fleeing to the east, if not the full thousand he had hoped for. PLEASE NOTE: blowing your own horn will notify the Tegeans of your approximate location.

>Pick up your own horn and send an order to Pronax – flee the estates now! His current position is known – he cannot hope to continue the raid with twenty-five men against hundreds of Tegeans. PLEASE NOTE: blowing your own horn will notify the Tegeans of your approximate location.

>You are not yet discovered! Continue the raid on your end; with Tegean forces streaming east, you should be able to take the western cattle herds – some two thousand cattle are here. You will need to conduct at least one additional ambush, and avoid any Tegeans who may be traveling to Pronax's location besides. Pronax will have to use his best judgment without your command.

>Abandon caution, leap astride Arion, and make for the palace of Archigeiros. If you can approach the palace and set it ablaze, this should cause pandemonium in the estates – this would mark the end of the cattle raid, but provide the maximum opportunity for yourself, Pronax and your honorguard to escape with your identities as Dorians maintained. PLEASE NOTE: If successful, this would be considered an act of war by the Tegeans should Hippomedon's identity be revealed (now or later).

>Something else?

>>5982448
>You are not yet discovered! Continue the raid on your end; with Tegean forces streaming east, you should be able to take the western cattle herds – some two thousand cattle are here. You will need to conduct at least one additional ambush, and avoid any Tegeans who may be traveling to Pronax's location besides. Pronax will have to use his best judgment without your command.

>>5982448
>You are not yet discovered! Continue the raid on your end; with Tegean forces streaming east, you should be able to take the western cattle herds – some two thousand cattle are here. You will need to conduct at least one additional ambush, and avoid any Tegeans who may be traveling to Pronax's location besides. Pronax will have to use his best judgment without your command.

>>5982448
>You are not yet discovered! Continue the raid on your end; with Tegean forces streaming east, you should be able to take the western cattle herds – some two thousand cattle are here. You will need to conduct at least one additional ambush, and avoid any Tegeans who may be traveling to Pronax's location besides. Pronax will have to use his best judgment without your command.
Watch this be a fucking setup to try and get us killed.

>>5982448
>Maintain radio silence

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>>5982623
Should be easy, in a time before radios.

>>5982448
>>You are not yet discovered! Continue the raid on your end; with Tegean forces streaming east, you should be able to take the western cattle herds – some two thousand cattle are here. You will need to conduct at least one additional ambush, and avoid any Tegeans who may be traveling to Pronax's location besides. Pronax will have to use his best judgment without your command.
le sigh

>>5982448
>>You are not yet discovered! Continue the raid on your end; with Tegean forces streaming east, you should be able to take the western cattle herds – some two thousand cattle are here. You will need to conduct at least one additional ambush, and avoid any Tegeans who may be traveling to Pronax's location besides. Pronax will have to use his best judgment without your command.

Rolled 13, 19 - 3 = 29 (2d20 - 3)

Seeing as the vote is unanimous, and I have some free time – let’s just move ahead…

The raid must continue, you determine. You had split your forces for exactly this purpose – so that if one arm of the raid fails, the other arm might finish the work. You send up a prayer to Hermes Αρχοσ Φηλητεων, trickster, and king of cattle thieves, in the hopes of receiving his blessing. You dearly wish that your uncle has either the wisdom to flee and draw the Tegeans away from the estates, the cunning to steal some portion of the herds, and speed enough to do both.

As for yourself – you’re not one to pray for your own wellbeing. You’ve had better luck in trusting your spear-hand, all things considered.

“Inachians, fix the tents! Store the bodies within! We move out in three minutes!”

Your men, still laboring for breath, leap at your word – the area surrounding the watch-tower bustles with activity, as you leap atop Arion’s broad back. You survey the land to the southwest –Tegean patrols will likely be sprinting down the paths in response. But if you ride single-file through the low brush and shrubbery, avoiding the paths, and choosing your timing carefully – it should be possible to snake your way through your foes, assault the second watch-tower (if necessary), and then collect your thousand Tegean cattle.

Hearing no Argive horn-blast from Pronax, you assume that the man has things well in hand for now. The Inachian Honorguard has finished their tidying of the watch-tower – at passing glance, it would appear that the men stationed here had simply abandoned their post in response to the Tegean alarm – their deaths will not likely be discovered until morning.

You summon your men to you, all present now riding superior Argive stallions, and you set off together. Arion’s coat of ebony swallows the starlight – his mane shines brightly with the light of Selene Πασιφαε… In fact, you wish the moonlight was not quite so bright, but the divines do as they please, and mortal men must suffer along as best as they can.

>okay /qst/ - I have secretly rolled to determine the number of patrols that Hippomedon and co must avoid.

>This will be essentially be a series of collective riding vs intellect contests. Hippomedon’s command bonus (+3) applies to the IH’s typical riding bonus (-3), and I’m providing a very significant +2 and extra die context bonus, given Hippomedon and co are currently undetected and Pronax has created a racket on the other side of the estates. Enemy Tegeans will generally be rolling at -3 INT bonus to detect the infiltrating Argives.

>So I need THREE rolls of dice+1d20+2 to see how stealthy Hippo’s team is as they move ahead.

Rolled 6 + 2 (1d20 + 2)

>>5982769

Rolled 5 + 2 (1d20 + 2)

>>5982769

Rolled 5 + 2 (1d20 + 2)

>>5982769
Fucking Hermes. Fucking Pronax. Fucking Tegeans.

>>5982778
>>5982779
>same second
>same roll
wuh

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>>5982770
>>5982778
>>5982779

>>5982770
>>5982778
>>5982779
Just remember lads, when this kills us, its the QMs fault this time.

>>5982780
I have a feeling that bugged the roll, but could be wrong.

>>5982783
Nah this won't kill us. Just make us utterly fail in this godsforaken endeavor. And then we can chokeslam Pronax for being a fucking fuckhead as well as our other uncle. Because their stupid idea was stupid.

>>5982785
Since rolls are time-seeded it's entirely possible we both rolled down to the same milisecond which gave us the exact same result, which would be effectively one roll. Which would be wild as fuck.

>>5982787
you DID invoke Hermes, the fastest greek god

>>5982805
Damn his sandals kek

>>5982778
>>5982779

This looks like 4chan board fuckery to me, I request a new 3rd roll from the players.

Rolled 11 + 2 (1d20 + 2)

>>5982988
Watch this 5

>>5982783

Eh, Hippomedon has little to fear here, given that he has Arion. However, his boys could definitely be killed and then he’d need to spend time rebuilding his honorguard.

By the way, if the IH successfully kill 10 enemy squadrons, they’d level up to Tier 4. I have to go back and count but I think you guys are at 3/10 currently. Basically only active combat can cause units to advance after Tier 2

>>5982770
>>5982778
>>5982779
>>5982990

>13 vs 16 - tough

Well, it was a good effort, but somebody coughs at the wrong time… I’m hoping for another 2-3 updates today, but let’s see how it plays out

>>5982991
How much for tier 5? Would the first platoon also be at 1/10 for the centaur raid?

>>5982996

Tier 5 basically means the unit has pulled off a “legendary action” on the battlefield or is special in some other meaningful way. It’s possible but unlikely that the IH hit Tier 5 depending on player choices in SATQ.

First platoon - I’d have to double-check on their history but that sounds right. The progress would have theoretically carried between Deianira’s quest and Nikon’s quest if, you know, Nikon hadn’t taken a spear to the face from Hector :(

You and your companions thread carefully through the Tegean estates – whenever possible, you stick to the shadowed copses of cypress that dot the grounds of Archigeiros’ lands. Unfortunately, it is not heavily-forested – the trees and bushes can only partially screen you and your men as you creep. You pay similar attention to the noise of your travel – making every effort to keep to the softer earth, traveling single-file (the better to hide your numbers to any future investigator), and keeping all communication at a whisper.

From across the larger estate, you hear indistinct shouting, carried to you by errant breezes. You hear no Argive horn-blast, nor do you see any obvious work of Pronax from this distance - you had half-wondered if he might try to set a watch-tower ablaze to increase the level of panic amongst the Tegeans, but no such conflagration is visible to you - he must be hoping to take at least some portion of the cattle - a good sign. At one point, you hear the sound of another horn-blower, this one much further to the south-east – a controlled series of notes that must provide some meaningful orders to the Tegean guards. You presume that this is an order from Archigeiros himself, given that the palace lies in this direction... And because many horns answer from all corners of the estate – each of them sounding one long blast, followed by a short one. If you had to guess – these answering horns translate to orders received, we are en route.

However, you are fortunate – few Tegeans are seen scurrying along the paths, and the few that you see are clearly noncombatants – laborers and fieldworkers fleeing their huts on the outskirts of the estate for the safety of their master’s palace, if you had to guess. You’re peering at one such group when a hiss from behind you catches your attention. It is your military scout, Chabrianos – the blonde man only seems to appear when there is unhappy news to share.
“Lord, quickly! Look to the northwest trail – Tegeans approach!”

Your scout speaks truly – you catch a glimpse of a marching troop before they pass into a depression, perhaps only two minutes away.

Rolled 8 - 7 (1d20 - 7)

“Inachians, to the trees, there!” Your only chance to avoid detection is a dense collection of trees, perhaps thirty strides east of the path. Your men drop out of single-file immediately, and as a group, you canter as swiftly and as quietly as you can. Once there, you and your men dismount your collective steeds, soothing them as best as you can, and tying them in place. You quickly remind the men that you pretend to be Dorians tonight – unlike the previous skirmish, if combat breaks out, you will not have the enemy penned in place. Survivors could possibly flee to report to their master, deception is necessary as a result. As the Tegeans begin passing by, another squadron of fifty strong, you collectively hold your breath…

And one of the Argive stallions whickers loudly – the unmistakable sound of infiltrators on the ground. You growl yet another curse, as shouts of alarm rise from the passing patrol – they have clearly heard the beast but have not yet seen you and your troops. The Tegeans draw together as a unit, bunching closely – a few men immediately separate from the group to search in your direction - only a matter of time before they locate you. In the cloudless night and from this close range, it’s easy to make out the shine of brass as one of the Tegeans lifts a horn to his lips…

And your spear shatters his skull like a goose egg. The would-be horn-sounder continues to stand for another few seconds - he doesn't seem to realize that he is dead. His own companions stare at him in dread and terror, before he slowly sinks out of your sight.

Drawing your brazen sword, you shout:

”DORIANS, ATTACK, ATTACK, ATTACK!

And as one, you and your men sprint out of the shadows against the Tegean troop!

>okay /qst/ - roll me a dice+1d20 for IH initiative. There’s no context bonus here, unfortunately, given that the Tegeans are already aware of your presence.

>I’ll be rolling for the Tegeans - they are Tier 1 troops and so suffer the typical malii here.

>>5983006
> Rolled 8 - 7 (1d20 - 7)
>Literal 1!
Why the dice so wild all the time

>>5983009

You’d be surprised and slow to respond too if your sleepy evening guarding your master’s cattle turned into an honest-to-Zeus cattle raid and then not even a couple minutes later, your good buddy Zosimus’ head explodes with no warning…

Rolled 11 (1d20)

>>5983011
Average LBA commoner experience.
Here’s the dice. -7 might mean this could be quick and we might even be able to destroy the horn again.

Rolled 7, 20, 6, 14, 7, 12 - 7 = 59 (6d20 - 7)

>>5983012

Nice, you guys get first blood again:

For Hippomedon, I need another dice+1d5+13. The sword-user malus basically doesn’t matter given Hippo’s insane combat bonii anyways.

For the IH, I need THREE rolls of dice+2d20 for combat performance. I’ll be rolling for the Tegeans in the typical (d,d,d,b,b,b) format.

Rolled 4, 7 = 11 (2d20)

>>5983016

Rolled 15, 13 = 28 (2d20)

>>5983016

Rolled 1 + 13 (1d5 + 13)

>>5983016

Rolled 18, 5 = 23 (2d20)

>>5983016

Rolled 4, 4, 4, 1, 2, 4, 2, 3, 1, 1, 2, 4, 1, 2, 4 = 39 (15d4)

>>5983016
>>5983017
>>5983021
>>5983022
>>5983064

>Hippo does 14 damage
>IH against Tegeans - 18, 13 vs 13, 7 - successful attack!

Rolling for troop damage part 1

Rolled 2, 4, 3, 1, 1, 1, 3, 2, 2, 2 = 21 (10d4)

>>5983080

rolling for troop damage part 2

I'm hoping to get out another update somewhere around 2-3pm to conclude this battle turn. Starting next turn, I'll have the Tegeans start rolling 1d6s to recover their lost horn.

Let's have another mini-vote that will end at 3pm:

>continue Hippomedon's attack to kill as many as possible. The Tegeans will break faster if Hippomedon is at work!
>abandon Hippomedon's next combat turn to find and destroy the Tegean horn ASAP.

>>5983083
>abandon Hippomedon's next combat turn to find and destroy the Tegean horn ASAP.

>>5983083
>>abandon Hippomedon's next combat turn to find and destroy the Tegean horn ASAP.

>>5983083
>abandon Hippomedon's next combat turn to find and destroy the Tegean horn ASAP.

Delay on the update - should be out for 10pm or so EST. Got stuck in some other business

Uh, a second delay. When it rains, it pours, lads. Update will probably come tomorrow night but a slim chance that I can put something out for 7am EST

>>5983272
>>5983849
Busy weekend, huh? I hope all is well, and will be waiting warmly.

As you sprint out of the underbrush, outpacing your men, you hear cries of alarm – the idiots are still looking at their collapsed hornblower. Only one man, on the east side of the formation, is paying attention:

“Look up, look up, they are coming!”

Even with this Tegeans’ word of warning, his squadron is slow to react – faces finally turn in your direction, but the enemy unit is a green one… They cannot believe that they are actually under attack. With your limited numbers and such a slow-footing enemy, you elect to shift your men and match them man for man at one end. You intend to place yourself in the middle of the troop, to give your men time to attack. Additionally, their horn lies somewhere in the middle of the unit – best destroy it as soon as possible.

”DORIANS, SHIFT SOUTH!” you cry, as you maintain your heading, and you leap into the Tegeans like a wolf might leap into the chicken coop. Your sword’s edge is sharp; you remove the head of a Tegean without a second thought, and in the same motion, disembowel one of the lesser men now behind you. The Tegeans panic – their lesser blows scrabble against your bronze, but none of these commoners have the strength or skill necessary to wound you, or even to slow you down. Another Tegean exposes his neck and left shoulder with a childish thrust against your breastplate – you don’t even bother to block the “attack” before chopping down at the man, carving a phenomenal gash from his collarbone to his umbilicus. The closest Tegean men stagger backwards, fleeing your immediate zone of control, and in the process – revealing their detachment’s brass horn, and the motionless form of your hornblower. You seize the moment, forgoing another flashing attack to crush the horn with a sandaled stop, and then bending low to retrieve your spear from the skull of the Tegean. You sigh faintly in relief – fighting with a sword just isn’t the same. A grateful thought enters your mind, almost unrelated to the moment at hand –

Truly, I am blessed that I am so capable in application of arms – these simple pleasures in service to Argos sustain me...

Your honorguard reaches the southern end of the Tegean patrol, and find immediate purchase there – lesser wolves flensing the living meat from a pack of hounds. In the first few moments, approximately twelve Tegeans of fifty are slain; another handful are wounded so badly they are out of the fight. Your men have successfully opened a line of battle, and you are placed within the center mass of the enemy, spear in hand. Excellent positioning!

>okay, /qst/ - we need new combat rolls for the IH vs T unit skirmish. I'll be rolling for the Tegean initiative and combat performance - they now have a general -9 performance malii.
>I need ONE roll of dice+1d20 for IH initiative, followed by THREE rolls of dice+2d20, please!

Rolled 1, 15, 2, 19, 20, 5, 17 = 79 (7d20)

>>5984081

Oops, forgot my rolls.

>>5983850

You know, sometimes I get roped into "family time" for such reasons as "your family loves you" and "put that ancient fucking poem down, you moron".

>>5984082

>Tegeans roll a literal one for initiative for the second time in a row. Jesus.
>IH must beat a 9,10

I'm giving back Hippomedon's combat turn for this battle phase through QM fiat, this unit deserves to be put out of its misery. I need an additional dice+1d5+13 for Hippomedon's attack!

Rolled 1 + 13 (1d5 + 13)

>>5984083

Rolled 10, 4 = 14 (2d20)

>>5984081
Here

Rolled 17, 13 = 30 (2d20)

>>5984081
Are we looting the Tegeans as we go? Seems like a Dorian thing to do.

>>5984147

You haven’t been, actually.

These guys are dirt-poor and really don’t have anything of value on them, besides their shoddy arms and armor. The brass horns are worth something but Hippomedon is so filthy rich he doesn’t care about them, beyond destroying them. Behind the scenes, the IH are replacing any broken gear automatically.

Rolled 9, 13 = 22 (2d20)

>>5984081

Rolled 2, 4, 3, 3, 1, 2, 1, 3, 2, 4, 4, 3, 2, 1, 2 = 37 (15d4)

>>5984091
>>5984147
>>5984247

I’m phone posting but IH beat the Tegeans again through solid and unremarkable spear work. Consistency is the mark of greatness, you know.

Rolled 3, 3, 2, 4, 3, 3, 3, 3, 1, 4 = 29 (10d4)

>>5984270

And the second half of damage rolls…

Rolled 14 (1d20)

>>5984271

Morale check - Tegeans must roll 6 or under to stay in the fight

File: fleeing tegeans.jpg (346 KB, 960x600)

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Spear in hand once more, you proceed to slay another two men – neither of them prepared for your spear’s reach or the expert skill in which you wield it. The first dies badly – your spear smashes apart his jaws and throat, leaving a mangled mess behind – a slow end. The second dies better – your spear penetrates his lower gut, and withdrawing, you set loose a great torrent of his life’s blood – such men die so quickly as to nearly avoid the pain of it. With a passing strike of your spear-butt, a third Tegean is brained – he falls senselessly to the ground, although whether he lives still is unclear to you.

You glance to your men and find that to the immediate south, your men are making steady work of the Tegeans – no acts of brilliance from them, they are succeeding once again through cautious and consistent spearwork. The Tegeans, by comparison, are visibly fraying – alternating between rage and terror, they stumble forwards to make uncoordinated spear-thrusts and then stumble back with every counter-stroke. Your honorguard makes excellent use of their limited numbers – constantly picking apart the Tegean line by luring individual soldiers out of position and then bringing them down before they can rejoin their squadron. They make quick work of the enemy in this fashion – another fifteen or so Tegeans are cut down in a matter of a few heartbeats, as you watch.

When the Tegeans break, they attempt to flee in nearly all directions – annoying of them, as they scream and shout their prayers to the Olympians. The racket causes you to wince - perhaps eleven of them are still unwounded enough to run properly, while another four Tegeans hobble, crawl and scrabble away into the grasses like undignified beasts. You cannot let them escape, of course.

”Dorians, cast spears!”, you cry.

Your men quickly oblige, while you gather a few Tegean spears for yourself – you plan to take any who escape, but it ends up not being necessary – your honorguard pick their targets well, and run down the victims who survive their first wounding. Stashing the bodies in the copse off the trail, where you had hidden the horses, is another hurried affair. The blood on the trail will be discovered by sunrise, but the night has only just begun – you still have many hours until Helios Ὑπεριων’s chariot takes flight above the disc of the world once more.

As you make your way southwest, you listen carefully - still, there is the repeating of horns from the various patrols as they head to Pronax's location, but no change in their patterns - you suspect that Pronax has either hidden himself well, or has fled his position, making all speed to the eastern herds. You set your mind to the task of steathily approaching the next watch-tower - your men ride single-file once more, borne upon the backs of Argive stallions...

>okay, /qst/ - I need ONE roll of dice+1d20 - we're taking a spin on the Homeric Happenings table, good luck!

Rolled 16 (1d20)

>>5984460
You mean a roll on the "shit's fucked" table? kek

>>5984481

Thanks anon - a better-than-expected outcome! Usually these random events really end up rustling everyone jimmies, but not this time!

>>5984504
Don't worry, a decent roll here means dogwater rolls for the next thing instead.

Is Hippo a good enough shot to spearcast the next horn directly rather than just simply the hornblower?

>>5984558

My gut reaction is “yes, but that’s a tricky shot to make and you guys would have to roll for it.” Hippo would probably prefer to just kill the hornblower and find the horn after, since that’s worked well so far.

>>5984563
What do these horns even look like?

If these hornblowers are wearing them on their sides, I don't quite see why a spear cast wouldn't utterly tear in half the carrier, even with a partial hit.

>>5984581
I'm pretty sure they're just relatively long straight horns. Kinda like a clarinet without the holes or buttons.

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>>5984581
>>5984599

Right, they’re long and pretty thin except for the wider part at the end, it could be tough to have a clear shot at the bell end of it, given that the Tegean would have it strapped to his back or belt. If the guy turns slightly it could occlude the cast, basically

Your travel through the night countryside is a strange thing – hurried through the open spaces, near-dawdling when you must creep through the underbrush. You stay off the trail – keeping it somewhere between thirty and fifty strides to your right, close enough for monitoring of any Tegean traffic. You must occasionally risk detection by spying ahead with Chabrianos, but your troupe successfully stays out of sight – the initial burst of fleeing servants and laborers has dwindled. As you crest over a low hill, a strange sight greets you in the shallow depression below:

Two robed figures labor against a donkey cart, stuck within a muddy patch of the trail – clearly straining against the weight. A donkey is hitched to the cart, but even from this distance, you can see that it labors for breath in an exhausted fashion. The cart itself is covered with a woolen blanket or hide of some kind, and it’s not overly large – you can think of few things that might make a small cart so heavy that a donkey and two men cannot move it.

For one - gold.

The robed figures hiss at each other in frustration, their voices lowered – they haven’t spotted you. From their attire, their predicament, and their venomous whispering, you guess at once that they are thieves. You’re quick to halt your band of castle rustlers, as you drop to your feet, and consider your next move.

>wat do, /qst/?

>The gods are kind to Argive men – slay these men, take whatever Timae is present, and move along, as is your right. The donkey-cart, if it is full of gold like you suspect, will make a fine addition to the cattle-raid’s profits, even if it slows the travel of your particular group.

>Leave the men be – whatever tribulations they suffer are none of your concern, nor do you wish to complicate your cattle raid. You've found success in life through dutiful action and avoiding complexities; you will not deviate from this path for an uncertain benefit.

>Take the men hostage and learn what you can from them – perhaps further interrogation will clarify your best course of action. Of course, the longer you speak with them, the greater the chances that they may deduce your true identity.

>Something else?

>>5985532
>Leave the men be – whatever tribulations they suffer are none of your concern, nor do you wish to complicate your cattle raid. You've found success in life through dutiful action and avoiding complexities; you will not deviate from this path for an uncertain benefit.

>>5985532
>The gods are kind to Argive men – slay these men, take whatever Timae is present, and move along, as is your right.

Supplies win wars, and Hippo and Co have already killed like a hundred guys, what's two more?

This reminds me of Nira and that one handmaiden gal, though looking back on it, that handmaiden had a heart of stone by abandoning her lady, whom she abused into being an empty husk. I even remember Nira being somewhat horrified by the relationship that handmaiden created with her lady.
>>5983084
me

>>5985532
>>The gods are kind to Argive men – slay these men, take whatever Timae is present, and move along, as is your right. The donkey-cart, if it is full of gold like you suspect, will make a fine addition to the cattle-raid’s profits, even if it slows the travel of your particular group.

>>5985532
>The gods are kind to Argive men – slay these men, take whatever Timae is present, and move along, as is your right. The donkey-cart, if it is full of gold like you suspect, will make a fine addition to the cattle-raid’s profits, even if it slows the travel of your particular group.

We are here to get supplies and money to make it to Thebes unmolested. We are going to fucking do that. Killing a couple of thieves is of little consequence unless these are Gods or Daimons in disguise to fuck with us.
.....considering the QM enforced nature of this raid, something fucked up is bound to happen.

>>5985532
>LOOT
>Tie the wagon to a pair of horses rather than a lone donkey

>>5985532
>>Take the men hostage and learn what you can from them – perhaps further interrogation will clarify your best course of action. Of course, the longer you speak with them, the greater the chances that they may deduce your true identity.
Curiosity killed the cat but satisfaction brought it back.

Let em slide

>>5985533

Take what's yours

>>5985545
>>5985551
>>5985553
>>5985571 (and ditch the donkey)

Interrogate

>>5985622


---

"Kill em good" wins, but unfortunately no update tonight - have too much work to juggle. Next update tomorrow at 10pm EST

>>5986238
Thanks for the update, QM!

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In the end, you decide that you must do as a raiding Heraclid must do – you will kill the cart-pushers and take their wealth for your own. Some stealth is required here – you remove your triple-tiered helm, its white plumes standing erect and tall, and calmly hand it over to Chabrianos, your military scout. The weight of the helm is barely noticeable to you, but Chabrianos strains to avoid dropping it into the dirt. Paying him no mind, you collect a pair of Tegean spears that you had pilfered after the last skirmish, and crouching forwards, peer over the grasses of the hill at the straining men below.

Looking at them and their furtive movements a second time – they hunch their shoulders and duck their heads by reflex. You suspect the men are not amateurs, but instead practiced thieves of some kind fresh from their own raid on Archigeiros’ treasure vault. They probably had been planning this heist for days or even longer, and your cattle raid was a convenient opportunity for them to strike. All the better – it is no crime to re-appropriate stolen goods, for one, and for two – you’re here to rob Archigeiros yourself.

You test the Tegean spears – crudely hewn wooden stakes with equally-crude bronze tips. At this short distance, the shoddy quality won’t matter – not with your powerful right arm casting them and your keen eye guiding them.
>Hippomedon auto-succeeds on these casts, of course…

Your first spear takes the taller of the two men in the upper back – he makes an awful hacking sound before a death-rattle escapes his lips. The second of the thieves, thicker around the middle and surprisingly fast on his feet, doesn’t spare a though for his collapsing comrade – he immediately turns and flees at top speed. No matter – he cannot run faster than you can throw. Your spear takes him in the side, sending him sprawling into the grasses by the trailside. You wait patiently for signs of life, but you’re satisfied when you hear nothing and see no movement from the two corpses.

The donkey, oblivious to the death of its masters, stamps its front hooves, seemingly bored.

You flash hand-signals to your honorguard, and approach the cart flanked by your men – covered with a heavy hide tarp, the cart’s wheels have sunk heavily into the muddy trail. Another set of your Inachians move to collect the dead thieves for inspection. While they labor with the corpses, you grasp at the hide tarp with one hand and with a single motion, strip it from the cart. You and your men peer inside, eager to learn what riches are within…

>roll me a dice+1d4 to see how much Timae's inside, /qst/

Rolled 4 (1d4)

>>5986951

>>5986959

Nice - and there’ll be more than gold in there.

Next update tomorrow night EST!

>>5986959
>>5986961
Hippo was right, these guys were PROFESSIONAL thieves. A shame they had to die.

>>5986966
Not shame, thieves and criminals get what they deserve.

>>5987067
Then I can't help but wonder what Hippo will deserve for his actions in this raid.

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The cart brims with Tegean gold – under the moonlight, it takes on a silverish-quality, but you know the look of it under any circumstances. Goblets, mixing bowls studded with jewels, statuettes , and silverware are scattered within – piles of gold talents drown the bottom of the cart carelessly, and hide further treasures from sight. A silver-nailed sword and gilded scabbard, clearly meant as display pieces, stands against the cart wall in the far corner. In the other corner, a heavy tapestry or rug of some kind is rolled up into a long tube, and bent in the middle to fit inside the crammed cart – it is covered with a white linen cloth of high-quality, glimmering under the light of Selene. You trade excited glances with Chabrianos – this is wealth enough for a commoner and his extended family to live like royalty for decades, if they can hold onto it. Even for you, a very wealthy man, it represents a very significant amount of gold. Your own treasure vault might hold three times the gold, although your wealth in herds and livestock cannot be reduced to a single room. No wonder the men were struggling to get this cart up the hill – you actually have to strain a bit yourself to free the cart from the muddy path; it pops loose with a sucking noise.

For player convenience = this cart is basically worth about 500 cattle on its own. I’d like to make clear that Timae points are not all equal; they are a measure of relative wealth and so the “Timae scale” is logarithmic in nature.

A phenomenal find. you consider, this alone might be success enough for the cattle raid… It occurs to you that you might simply take the cart and head back to Argos; it would be tremendously easier and safer to smuggle a single gold-laden cart home than a thousand cattle, although armies cannot eat gold. As you consider, you inspect the bodies of the slain thieves, who have been brought to the cart for closer inspection:

The taller and thinner of the two men is clearly of noble heritage, although only of average height for a nobleman. His hair is light brown, as is his eyes, but his skin is lighter – likely he hails from the middle part of Hellas. He carries almost nothing on his person, leaving you with few clues as to his identity – the only exception, is a silver ring on his left hand. Removing it, you see that there are markings on the interior surface, although you cannot read them yourself – you’ll have to show the ring to one of the literate Argives that you know to discern the meaning. From his features and coloration, you guess that he is Phocian, although you cannot be certain of it. The second man is found to be a large commoner man, bearded, with rounded belly and thick shoulders. There are millions of commoner Hellenes who have this profile – you immediately assume that he is the Phocian’s thiefly lieutenant.

>2nd half of the update will come later tonight, ran out of time before work...

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The donkey stirs – you had forgotten about it. You free the beast and slap its hindquarters, and it ambles a few strides off the trail to munch on weeds. You whistle to your men and one of the Argive steeds is hitched to the cart. Mounting Arion, you distinctly see the white linen cloth covering the tapestry twitch.

Someone is in there!

You leap off Arion once more, and quickly pull back the linen sheet:

A woman is trapped within the rolled tapestry – the heavy weave traps her entire body from the neck down, and she is both blindfolded and gagged. Your right hand rises to your temple in surprise – you were not expecting a hostage! Even with her face partially obscured by her bonds, you can tell the woman is of noble birth and of great beauty; messy curls of gleaming hair cascade freely about her face, ebony tresses that catch the starlight and reflect it back to you. A strange acrid scent fills your nose – a sour and musty smell from the tapestry; the night breeze carries the scent away. Pleasant perfume rises into the air to take its place. You stretch forwards and remove the woman’s gag – she immediately spits out a smaller, second ball of slimy cloth, and hoarsely whispers:

“Archigeiros – is that you?! Release me from this damned rug!!” The noblewoman struggles against her bonds, desperate to escape her situation.

Chabrianos looks at you questioningly – you groan as you consider the implications. You are tempted to simply strangle her now, but her death might complicate matters immensely in the future. For one, a cattle raid can be forgiven with appropriate remuneration, but you doubt that Archigeiros and his family could forgive the murder of a sister, cousin or wife – this woman's death could spark a war.

>/qst/ - what do? This vote closes at 8pm EST.

>Release the bonds of the woman and speak with her further to determine her identity and her potential value as a hostage. However, this approach may risk Hippomedon’s disguise as a Heraclid. On the upside – the woman may be worth significant wealth as a hostage, and perhaps there’s a clever way to sell her off to a third kingdom without spoiling your identity. QM’S WARNING: Beautiful Hellenic women have a tendency of getting what they want - she may be persuasive.

>Re-gag the woman; institute silence amongst your men to preserve your identities – this is a problem to address once the raid is over, and in conference with Pronax. Hippomedon will keep the woman safely within the cart for now.

>Re-gag the woman; silence amongst your men – and drop the woman off at the nearest safe opportunity. She is sure to be discovered by the Tegeans sooner rather than later, and this option will preserve Hippomedon’s identity, while also keeping this cattle raid simplified. However, Hippomedon loses out on any opportunity to discover her identity or otherwise profit from her capture.

>Something else?

>>5988007
>>Re-gag the woman; institute silence amongst your men to preserve your identities – this is a problem to address once the raid is over, and in conference with Pronax. Hippomedon will keep the woman safely within the cart for now.

>>5988007
>Re-gag the woman; institute silence amongst your men to preserve your identities – this is a problem to address once the raid is over, and in conference with Pronax. Hippomedon will keep the woman safely within the cart for now.
Can’t Hippo just render her unconscious rather than instituting silence among his men?

>>5988013

We’re sort of operating on real-life mechanics here - knocking someone out in real life carries the very real risk of accidentally killing them. Hippomedon’s not sure that he can deliver the precise force necessary to put her out without killing her in the process. Not to mention - even noblewomen with divine ancestry can be physically fragile. If there was consensus, you could certainly try to do this, but I’d make guys roll for it.

Anyways, silence is not a big deal for Hippo and his crew, since they also have the ability to speak in hand-signs. Hippomedon is a battle autist and trained his IH years ago for situations like this.

>>5988018
I was thinking more of a chokehold or something rather than Hippo just cracking her over the head.
> trained his IH years ago for situations like this.
Thank goodness for battle autism!

>>5988021

Oh I see - these kinds of sleeper holds in real-life are usually pretty temporary, once O2 is getting back to the brain, people wake up in a few seconds, maybe half a minute at the absolute longest. Anything longer and you start getting into brain damage territory.

Source: me getting my ass handled in friendly wrestling bouts in college

>>5988007
>No gag, silence, give her water, leave her here blindfolded with the donkey & the dead thieves
Without a gag she can call for help when the Tegeans are nearby, the water will keep her alive, the blindfold ensures our anonimity, leaving her here & the small act of kindness will cause the Tegeans to be slightly less vengeful towards us should our identities be surmised, & the thieves will clearly be the kidnappers.

>>5988036
Honestly based that you aren't giving us either option, a quarterish-divine giant warrior smacking you on the back of the head is a good way to have your eggs scrambled.

>>5988007
>Re-gag the woman; institute silence amongst your men to preserve your identities – this is a problem to address once the raid is over, and in conference with Pronax. Hippomedon will keep the woman safely within the cart for now.

>>5988135
Imagine someone "gently" knocking you out with a shovel. That's probably what it's like for Hippo to pat the back of someone's head. Which, by the way in case anyone is curious, the back of the head is one of the more dangerous places to hit someone, please express caution when doing so.

>>5988007
>Something else?
>Kill her.
If we do anything else we WILL be flagged as NOT DORIANS! This is absolutely the WORST fucking thing that could happen here. Honestly we would be better off just killing her. She even mentioned the fucker that we are currently cattle raiding, she could be his fucking wife. This bitch is CLEARLY a threat to this already stupid mission. Kill her and be done with it to avoid an international incident.

Figure it out later

>>5988011
>>5988013
>>5988152

Drop her off now

>>5988130

Murder
>>5988404

---

"Figure it out later" is locked in - I should be able to push out a morning update tomorrow EST, but nothing for tonight, unfortunately. The universe is sort of conspiring against me to jam up my days with nonsense right now.

I’ve been sort of wondering this, but why is it the nobles, or at least when we are reading through their POVs, notice how similar they all look to each other: Hippo with that Hercalide and Eteocles with Tydeus? Unless godly genes mean some features just really get passed on, no matter how diluted.

Also, were there supposed to be godly-rage-murder-murder-mode rolls with this raid?

>>5989030

I’m stealing Statius’ artistic vision and passing it off as my own. It’ll become clearer over time.

>>5989030

I havent clarified this in the past but aristeias are really only prompted when nobility are under significant threat. You guys have been by BTFOing the Tegeans so hard, Hippomedon hasn’t even broken a sweat. Just a lazy day at the office for him… Mechanically, Hippo is already auto-winning his combat rolls here given the massive disparity between himself and the Tegeans, so assigning another +4 combat bonii wouldn’t be terribly impactful either

>>5988641
Fuck, missed the vote. Luckily it still went the way I wanted.
If we keep her gagged and blindfolded and don't let her see anything, we can always pretend we either freed her, or we can always drop her off on the roadside. And we can also always interrogate her, potentially learn more things. It's simply delaying our choice until later when we will know more.

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A dilemma for another time, you decide. You shove the slimy ball of cloth back into the woman’s mouth, before replacing her gag – her indignant shouts are soon muffled. The white linen sheet goes back over her head, and flashing hand-signals, you begin to travel once more.

Chabrianos asks with his hands –

Who is she?

You reply:

Don’t know. Must confer with Pronax. The heavily-scarred commoner shrugs, clearly mollified by your decision - he rejoins the honorguard.

As you set off, you listen carefully for signs of trouble on the Tegean estate, but there’s still been no change of affairs : the Tegean squadron horns have continued to sound at regular intervals, drifting east, and you’ve heard no Argive horn-blasts. Whether Pronax has successfully taken any cattle, you aren’t sure, but at the least, he must have escaped, drawing Archigeiros’ forces in that direction. You are still undiscovered – the blessing of Hermes Φηλητης is still upon your and your half of the Inachian Honorguard. The woman in the donkey cart occasionally attempts to scream and shout, but her bonds are tight and her gag secure – you can barely hear her muffled cries yourself, and so you have little to fear that she might spoil your raid. The cart itself is quite heavy, clinking faintly with gold, and cannot easily travel through rough terrain - it stays upon the trail, while you and your men can shadow its progress from a distance.

Darting southwest, you come across the next watch-tower – and find it abandoned. You’re momentarily confused by this, but you conclude that the Tegean unit you had ambushed on the road must have come from this sentry post. As to why they might leave their position – that question is answered when you take a moment to climb the watch-tower’s wooden ladder, to the top platform. The timbre groans in protest at the weight of you and your armor, but the wood is old – made petrified and strong after years of arid summer heat. There’s another sentry-post quite close to the northwest – it’s easily visible to you as you crouch to reduce your profile as best as you can. Based on the number of torches dotting the sentry-post and surrounding ground, it’s a double encampment – two separate Tegean squads are there, likely totaling 100 men. The Tegean troopers you killed earlier on the road must have joined the hunt for Pronax, given that three squadrons had been placed here.
Scanning south – you see your prize! There are many motionless silhouettes of sleeping cattle, bunched together within two neighboring pastures, visible under the moon and stars. Pronax’s scouts spoke truly, for you estimate that a thousand head of livestock are within sight. But how to proceed?

>vote post next

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>This vote will close at 9pm EST tonight...

>The double-unit watchtower to the northwest be addressed before any livestock are captured – your presence makes it possible for a tiny ambush force to attack the larger group and win. Your honorguard and yourself will attempt the same ring-ambush method that worked well against the first watch-tower’s sentries. However, there is a 1:5 disparity in troop count here – victory is not guaranteed, even with your presence. Additionally, there are likely at least two horn-blowers here, doubling the chances of a wider alarm being sounded across the enemy estate.

>The double-unit watchtower to the northwest must be addressed – but you’ll have to separate the units somehow. Multiple options here are present, but each of them risks the possibility of a wider alarm going up against the wider estates. Three main subvote items here are:

a) Hippo rides Arion and serves as bait from the northwest – he kills any horn-blowers from afar, and attempts to draw an enemy unit in pursuit. Once separated, your honorguard attacks the remaining unit, while you singlehandedly defeat your pursuers.

b) Hippo creates some sort of bait here at the abandoned watch-tower to draw a Tegean unit to this position for an ambush. However, their reaction to any such bait will be uncertain, and fighting even a single Tegean guard unit here will almost certainly draw the attentions of the remaining unit – they’ll certainly hear the sound of combat.

c) Something other strategy to address the doubled guard? Please specify if possible.

>Forget the double watch-tower entirely, and instead seek to capture a smaller number of cattle – it may be possible to smuggle a smaller herd further south, looping towards the main palace (out of sight of the double guard-tower) and then returning north. However, five hundred moving cattle do not travel quietly – it’s very possible that you might be spotted as you travel through the estates in this fashion.

>Abandon the cattle raid at this juncture, and make your escape with your Tegean gold - this is compensation enough for the night's labors.

>>5989156
>Abandon the cattle raid at this juncture, and make your escape with your Tegean gold - this is compensation enough for the night's labors.

Agamemnon wants gold, he'll get it but not from Argive coffers!

>>5989156
>Abandon the cattle raid at this juncture, and make your escape with your Tegean gold - this is compensation enough for the night's labors.
I wonder how much cattle a noblewoman’s ransom is worth

>>5989156
>Forget the double watch-tower entirely, and instead seek to capture a smaller number of cattle – it may be possible to smuggle a smaller herd further south, looping towards the main palace (out of sight of the double guard-tower) and then returning north. However, five hundred moving cattle do not travel quietly – it’s very possible that you might be spotted as you travel through the estates in this fashion.

>>5989173

>how much is a hostage worth?

Tons of variables here, but the wealth of the “purchaser” and identity of the hostage are probably two biggest drivers. Any sale of this woman would be complicated by the fact that Hippo and co would have to conceal their identities as the kidnappers in the process, which would probably reduce profit at the bottom line (unless you guys think up a clever solution)

>>5989155
>Five Inachians will return with the cart & hostage, being sure to maintain silence
>Hippo will sneak up to the double encampment along with his scout Chabrianos & identify, then eliminate the brass horns
>The remaining Inachians will lie in wait to ambush the Tegeans as they chase Hippo & Chabrianos, setting traps along the route

This raid would be a failure if we returned to Archigeiros and could not answer when he proclaims: "Where's the beef?!"

>>5989211
Ah, but we AREN'T the kidnappers! We can make the sounds of battle all around her once we get her home, then untie and unbind her later and say we liberated she and her surrounding possessions from some bandits. We can then 'request' the contents of the wagon (and some a little something extra) as a boon in return.

>>5989392

This kind of deception could be organized but would require some rolling - the noblewoman should be given a fair chance to dissect the lie in Homer's system of contested rolls.

>>5989392
>>5989433
The problem I see with it is she'll hear the cows we bring along with it. If we "rescued" her but didn't return ANY of the shit, it could be seen as "tough luck" or as mighty fishy. I guess it would depend on how relieved she and Archie are for her to be okay.

If we wanted to do any of that we'd want to break her off after a spell so she would hear the cattle leave. Then it's just a girl and a cart full of goodies that get "liberated". Maybe have someone other than Hippo and the honorguard release her, and then blame the Dorians. Long shot but still.

>>5989442

As a QM’s hint: remember that Hippomedon is more or less “the crown prince” of Argos, and not a fucking nobody like Nikandros. Characters in SATQ will behave accordingly, and may act in counterintuitive fashion in some cases

>>5989447
I'm hoping the dark was enough to obscure her vision enough to not be able to pick out Hippo's features when he ungagged her.

Seems like a plan is coming together, just need to separate her from the cattle, get some bandits who look sufficiently Dorian as props (corpses), & then we can "avenge" our neighbors against the "Heraclidae" and send her home. The cattle must have already set sail.

>>5989173
I change my vote to this,
>a) Hippo rides Arion and serves as bait from the northwest – he kills any horn-blowers from afar, and attempts to draw an enemy unit in pursuit. Once separated, your honorguard attacks the remaining unit, while you singlehandedly defeat your pursuers.

>>5989455
Likewise.

>>5989442
I think we can pull that off!

>>5989455
>>5989588

This might have been unclear, but she was blindfolded the whole time - Hippo just temporarily removed her gag and then replaced it.

However you’ll note that she can hear perfectly well, which is why Hippo instituted hand signs only

>>5989593
I really did read "blindfolded and gagged" and completely forgot I read "blindfolded". My brain is mashed fucking peas I swear to god kek.

Friendly bump - I’m extending the vote window to 12am EST since we’re missing about half our typical voters…

Next update will likely come tomorrow night EST

>>5989156
>Forget the double watch-tower entirely, and instead seek to capture a smaller number of cattle – it may be possible to smuggle a smaller herd further south, looping towards the main palace (out of sight of the double guard-tower) and then returning north. However, five hundred moving cattle do not travel quietly – it’s very possible that you might be spotted as you travel through the estates in this fashion.
The least bad option of the lot. I do NOT trust using this woman wont fuck us over somehow.We should steal the 1000 cows off to the right side of the estate, take the gold and sell the bitch to the Dorians and be done with it.

>>5989707
>right side of the estate
If I’m not mistaken that’s where Pronax is and probably the vast majority of the estate troops currently.

I wonder, could it be possible to get Arion to go alone up to those commoners speak to them and trick them into heading east by posing as a messenger of the gods?

>>5989740
Arion cannot speak. He is a god-horse, but still a horse.

>>5989740
The horse can TALK? Sheeeeeit son. I vote to go with this plan.

>>5989746
>Adrastus once claimed to hear the beast speak – a story taken seriously, given that the stallion was the product of a union between Poseidon Ἱππιος and his sister Demeter Καλλισφυρος
Maybe uncle is just senile.
But if Lesches approves my plan I'll change my vote >>5989572 to horse talk trickery.

>>5989740
>>5989746
>>5989756
>>5989767

Hippomedon can ask the horse to speak, but there’s no guarantee that Arion will comply with Hippo’s request. In fact, some would argue that Arion is a pure Olympian by heritage, despite his equine form.

We appear to be deadlocked 2-2 - I’m extending the vote window to 8pm tonight so that lurkers can jump in and make their voice heard.

If we’re still locked by 8pm, will roll a d2 to determine our destiny

>>5990077
Let the Furies decide, Great Poet

Rolled 1 (1d2)

>>5990369

You got it boss

1 = Hippo exfils now with the money
2 = Hippo goes for the beef