Contracted Construct Construction

[Corwyn]

*Do you intend to ride as fast as possible, or will you allow the journey back to camp to take the rest of the day (regular riding speed), or what? (it is almost midday by now.)*

[Corwyn]

Originally Posted by Eindric

Ein rides on ahead of Nino and Nino keeps an eye on the machine to make sure that it follows and whistle in the event of anything odd.

The construct maintains exactly Eindric's speed, keeping the bard just within sight. If Eindric stops, the construct moves to be within 600 feet of him and becomes rigid, but it always keeps it's eyes on Eindric.

[Krowout]

Then we ride back quickly. The horses will be rested when we get there and with any luck, the machine will break. Coinspinner doesn't happen to be handy at the moment does it?

[Corwyn]

Nino pushes his horse to the extreme, and Eindric rides his stone horse, keeping up easily. By the time dusk settles, Eindric is aware that thre is not many hours left in his week's allotment of the stone horse. Meanwhile the metal horse is keeping up without showing any signs of fatigue. Draminton is still beyond the range of sight, but columns of smoke and the smell of fresh bread herald her proximity. Nino thinks his mount can push on for the last few miles, but it will surely use up the last of the stone horse for a while.

[Krowout]

Eindric will miss ol' Stoney while he's away but he has little choice at the moment.

We will ride into town and sound an alarm. He will explain to Decagui and anyone else who heeds the alarm about the foul beast and try to manipulate it into a possition where it will cause less disturbance of the townsfolk.

In the absence of any better idea, he will commission as many hands as he can to dig the largest and deepest foundation they have yet created. It will need two sloped sides so that it is more of a deep, inverted ramp than a foundation. He plans to walk himself through it and stop when the machine is at its deepest point. Then he wants the thing filled with stone and cement and mortar and anything else that might hold the thing.

Bertrude will definately be consulted as to the beast's capabilities and his advice on depth of the hole and covering fill will be taken.

This needs to be accomplished at break-neck speed so every hand he can obtain will be used.

Once in the ground, Ein will stay nearby all night and possition seige weapons with crews all around the area. When the cements would have dried, he will move away and see if the thing somehow manages to follow despite these efforts.

His next plan of attack will be to ride to Baston and take a boat ride...


All of this of course, only in the event that no one in town has any other suggestion that seems better. Perhaps there is an abandoned mine shaft that can be filled, thus speeding the mission - or something else. Maybe a smith or scribe can open the thing up or melt it down or... anything!

[Corwyn]

As Eindric and Nino approach the city, a few of the Flying E's scouts and guards notice them and some of them ride to intercept them. Suddenly, Nino shouts out looking over his shoulder. Eindric turns in time to see the steel horse fleeing in the opposite direction, vanishing into the darkening sky. It moves much faster than any normal horse could travel.

[Krowout]

Eindric shouts: SON OF A BlTCH! NO! That bastard is headed right back to the others. Quickly, Nino - secure two of the fastest mounts we've got and make ready to ride hard.
You there, where is Bertrude? I need him NOW.
The bard is livid.
Ein hurries to Berty to quickly review the mechanical situation including the knight and aks if he knows anything or if anyone else here is likely to have some insight. Also we must make superior haste returning, what have we got to those ends?
Panic, worry and frustrated haste are all over his face and body language.

[Corwyn]

Bertrude is awoken from sleep and summoned to Eindric as the bard enters the camp, his stone horse dematerializing into thin air. Nino vanishes among the teamsters, calling for horses. Bertrude listens to Eindric's story and despite yawning and letting his eyes drift closed occassionally he responds lucently, sounds like the dragon's got herself a machinist. Beware more contraptions like that horse, that knight is not the only human in the dragon's employ. The horse is headed back to the knight, it won't attack without him, he must be ready to fight despite the whopping you guys gave him. There are few things that might stop that horse, or the knight for that matter. I doubt anyone here could have destroyed it anyway. Nor would burying it have stopped it, I don't think. Head for the hidden entrance, they'll be there. Try using ice on them, particularly magical ice and cold attacks. Good luck, sir. Nino returns with two fresh mounts, saddled and eager to run. There are two mounted men with him, each leading a spare, saddled mount. Nino also leads two more saddled mounts.

[Krowout]

Ein picks up his 4 horseshoes putting them away with his stone horse figurine. Ice? I haven't any ice! Has anyone in camp got any way to generate ice? Eindric is looking worried. And Berty, another question: Are the Horseshoes able to be removed from a normal horse?
Whatever his replies, Eindric clasps his shoulder, I'm sorry to have awoken you my friend. Thank you for your council. While I'm here is there anything that needs tending? Is Toko alright?

[Corwyn]

you'd better move quick if you want to catch that thing by the time it reaches your friends. Just say the command word, 'Eeatach', and the shoes will fall from the hooves. Toko has been missing since last night. Basil ordered him imprisoned and when the soldiers went to collect him, there was no sign of him, Decagai is investigating right now. Speaking of Decagai, he has a sword of ice, doesn't he? Other than that, I do not think we have any ice of yet.

[Corwyn]

Originally Posted by Bertrude

you'd better move quick if you want to catch that thing by the time it reaches your friends.

Originally Posted by DM

you'd better move quick if you want to catch that thing by the time it reaches your friends.

[Krowout]

Right.
I will quickly and politely comandere Decagui and tell Nino that I think it best if he stayed here. Unless Nino insists on joining us, Decagui and I will immediately take the four horses and make a mad dash for the hills. I'll fill him in on the way. We'll switch horses after a few hours.

[Krowout]

"Love ya Nino" Ein shouts as he tears off back the way he had come thinking: 'Sleep is such a nuisance. I really must learn to live without it on a permanent basis.'

[Corwyn]

Nino passes some instructions to the other two men as he hastily exchanges places with Decagui. The veteran soldier leaps into the saddle without preamble, checking only that his sword is firmly locked on before spurring his mount into a run, let's go boss...

After a few moments of pounding along the road at full speed, Eindric begins to wonder how Decagui expects these horses to maek such a long journey, even with the extra mounts, but then it becomes apparent. At about the place where the steel horse was last seen, there are a few men holding torches to light the area. There are eight horses there, saddled and facing north east, off the path. Quick to determine what is required, Eindric leaps from his tired horse and onto the saddle of the next one. Decagui is already headed off the road, and the other two men are right behind the bard as he charges after the soldier. After a while, Decagui whistles and then slows his exhausted horse to a stop, leaping into the saddle of the one he had been leading. Eindric and the others follow suit, releasing the other four horses to wonder back to camp on thier own. Thirty minutes go by before the terrain gets rough and Eindric notices the clearly cut path of the steel horse. It had not paused to go around or even over obstacles, smashing through brush and trees alike. A neat, narrow swath is cut through the landscape, even rocks are split and crumbled in the creatures path. All of the riders are now forced to duck close to thier mounts as the forest and rock outcroppings reach out to pry them from thier saddles.

*Make a Ride Check*

[Krowout]

Ride

Dice Roll:

(as this is an older post, these rolls are interpreted by the older (more basic) dice roller code)
d20+9:	(12) + 9	Total = 21

*To be clear, I only intended to take Decagui along so as not to risk any more lives than neccessary. I will send them back as soon as it is feasable given the horse-exchange plan unless they have a serious objection for some reason *Also metagaming the reduction in the number of NPCs we have to manage in any given situation.**