A Probe North

[Stildawn]

A selection of the best riders and horses Tripoli had to offer waited just outside the city. The ten strong scouting force was built along the lines of speed and endurance, their goal was not to fight but to discover.

[The Mad Skylord]

Edelhard rode out of the city, with his sword and targ strapped to his saddle. He wore no armour, just simple Gaelic clothes. He cantered off and the column of Tripoli riders followed him quietly.

They made their way to their destination:

Maraclea.

[Stildawn]

The group approached the coastal city from the east.

OOC: Scout Roll Please (I guess LM has to do this)

[Gandalfus]

The group approached the coastal city from the east.

OOC: Scout Roll Please (I guess LM has to do this)

Moderation:

A large group of Saracens, swiftly travelling on horseback, could be seen riding away from the city and towards the scouts. They were well armed and armoured, and outnumbered the Christians rather heavily. Their only chance of survival would be to escape - these men were out for blood.

[Gandalfus]

OOC: Might as well post it in this thread, to save time.

Meanwhile, in the north, a similar operation was being undertaken. A small group of horsemen, armed in lighter, cooler armour, so as not to be encumbered by the heat, rode south. They hoped to be mistaken for Saracens as they rode towards Jableh, meaning to scout out the settlement, determining the number of enemies that might be present.

[Stildawn]

OOC: Might as well post it in this thread, to save time.

Meanwhile, in the north, a similar operation was being undertaken. A small group of horsemen, armed in lighter, cooler armour, so as not to be encumbered by the heat, rode south. They hoped to be mistaken for Saracens as they rode towards Jableh, meaning to scout out the settlement, determining the number of enemies that might be present.

Moderation:
Unfortunately for the scouts the Emirs also had scouts out, seeing a seemingly Saracens party coming south the muslim scouts were puzzled, and set forth to intercept the Princes scouting group before they even got close to Jableh.

Roll of 8, failed to gain any information.

[Stildawn]

The group of riders are far swifter than there heavily armed and armoured pursuers. They skirt back west, quickly losing the muslims behind in a cloud of dust.

Making good time, they head north on their secondary mission, but the Edelhard decides to also check out the settlement of Margat on their way north to also scout Jableh.

[Gandalfus]

Moderation:

As the group approach Margat, it becomes clear that the local Emirs have all been raising forces to defend their settlements from the bordering Crusader states. They can see that almost all of the wooden wall of Margat is manned, with at least four hundred standing atop the walls. Of course, large pockets of soldiers are encamped outside the settlement and have set up small wooden fortification, many of which look manned. There could be at least a thousand, perhaps even a thousand and a half, if all are brought into a total. However, these encampments are well guarded, and to take a closer look the scouts would have to risk getting closer to the small cavalry patrols that ride along the dirt paths connecting Margat to the outlying villages.

[Stildawn]

Stopping behind a crest out of sight the scouts take a moment of rest, watering their horses.

Edelhard speaks up to the group.

"I want to get a better count of Margat... So I need a volunteer" He said with a grin.

"I need one rider, on our best horse, to get closer while the rest of us circle further out but in sight to hopefully draw their cavalry patrols away from our man... Who of you have the balls?" He spoke with conviction, almost daring them to be brave.

The group murmured quickly before one lad, the smallest of the ten and thus the lightest raised his arm... "Then it should be me" He said looking around the group.

Edelhard looked the lad over nodding.

"Good... Good... Take my horse, its our swiftest. Give most of your gear to us so you can ride light... Here's the plan..." Edelhard said peering over the sandy ground, grabbing a small nearby stick he began to make crude marks on the ground.

"Here we are" He said stabbing a point in his "map"

"This is Margat... This is the line of the crest running north to south..." He said pointing out a circle representing the town, and running his stick along the line to the east of the town represent the crest.


"We will ride north hiding behind the crest, we will show ourselves here, circling closer but out of range of their cavalry" He said pointing to a place to the north of the town.

"You wait here until we do this... Then dart up here and get as good a count as you can while we keep their attention to your north..." Edelhard said looking for the nods of understanding from the men, especially from the volunteer.

"Good, we'll meet here after you get away with the information, but if all else fails and you are cut off, just head back south for home and delivery your information to the Count" Edelhard said, not expecting for that to happen but it was best to plan for it anyway.

The men all nodded agreement and then transferred equipment between the volunteer and them, they even changed the saddle, to the best one of the group, giving all advantages they could to the lone scout.

With the prepared the larger group headed north, popping up from time to time to catch quick glances of Margat, but more importantly to garner the attention of the cavalry patrols.

Meanwhile the volunteer waited out of sight, sitting on his horse waiting.

The larger group was soon in position to the north, the revealed themselves circling closer and closer to Margat while making sure they were always a quick sprint away from any Cavalry patrols...

The volunteer readied himself, said a quick prayer to God and then spurred out to perform his closer inspection.

OOC: As per the plan lol, hopefully RP comes into stuff.

[Gandalfus]

Moderation:

50% chance of success.

Is the plan successful? 6/20. Successful.

The distraction works, and two of the patrols are diverted towards the main body, dust gathering as they rush off after them. This leave the scout free reign to race towards Margat's fortifications, taking a more accurate estimation of the troop numbers. Although he is spotted and chased after, he manages to make it away in time with slightly more accurate information. After Edelhard loses his pursuers, he and his men rendezvous with the scout back at the initial position. The scout reports numbers similar to the previous reports, but has narrowed it down to between five hundred to one thousand two hundred men.

(Basically what I did was added on a small modifier for the plan if it was successful, bumping it up into the next category. If it had failed, you would have probably been killed and lost most of your intel Thought it was a good risk/reward strategy)

[Stildawn]

The men reunited and headed back south, easily keeping out of reach of any muslims as they made there way back to Tripoli, with the information they had uncovered.