Bob the Bards Grand Adventure
Chapter 4
Soon a large bonfire and celebration filled the village square. Locals and travelers brought out several music instruments while dancers entered the square. After a few local songs the elders asked of Bob to perform for the people.
I have only acquired this simple flute since arriving in these lands but I shall do my best. Bob began a slow tune, suggesting a simple life as those in the square listened in. Soon a few mice members of the gathering entered the dance area. Bob got a strange feeling from the Tabard of Honour as he watched them. They all wore cloaks and seemed to sway to the music. They began to spin around faster and faster, their dancing causing their cloaks to open and hood to fall back.
Rats! Came the cry as the dancers were all revealed to be young rats from the enemy's forces.
Spies, assassins and saboteurs no doubt, Sir Jeepea stated. They have sent in their small and young, pretending to be mice. There will be more about the camp most likely.
The spinning rats could only look on helplessly as they danced to Bob's tune as the locals approached with drawn weapons to finish them off. With the last rat dispatched the bodies were searched with several poisoned weapons and powdered poisons found upon them.
One of the musicians asked Bob if this was some his magic?
Bob replied that it was not his that he knew of but the flute had begun to feel odd as he played.
The musician examined the flute and remarked that it was a bone flute. Another said it looked like a mouse or no not a mouse but a rat's leg bone. I bet my whiskers it is rat bone and that's why it drew them out. Bobs bardic magic was making the rat bone effect any nearby rats, like unto like or resonance or sympathy or something like that.
We must sweep the armies camps Bob stated. There may be more. Let us be discrete about this else they be forewarned and flee.
Bob quickly led a musical procession of the war council and fighters through the camp who swiftly deal with the entranced rats that were drawn to Bob in their fatal dances. Along the way they found the rats had been poisoning the food supplies that were being readied for the next day's breakfast. After two full sweeps of the camp the danger was deemed to have passed with the poisoned food found and poisoned blade wielders silenced.
The war council agreed that this can only mean the enemy will strike tomorrow expecting a weakened and leaderless army. Have the owls stand watch in the forest through the night to give the peoples a safe sleep. Then at the first light of day let the winged folk go forth and harry the enemy fliers so they cannot spy upon our forces. Let the enemy march in to our trap, blind to our plans and positions.
Bob suggested adding the tactic of those within militia units to act sick as lures for the enemy to try to easily over run them. Maybe have some acting out the part with some fake vomit (porridge) for good effect. Cause the enemy to be more careless and eager to make tactical mistakes. Even better yet use the enemies poison against them. It may sound gruesome but we set up poison traps using these rats we have caught. Butcher them into steaks, season them with their own poison and place them along with the poisoned food stocks in a few broken carts in the path of the enemy's advance. Have some of the fastest and bravest people wait there pretending to repair the carts, and then flee at the first sight of the enemy. As one might say turnabout is fair play, and it will whittle down or weaken a number of them before the battle.
One ferret leader thumped Bob on the shoulder and proclaimed that it was a marvelous idea and that Bob wasn't just some fop pansy hero waiting for the ladies to swoon after him, but a heroic leader who makes the difficult but correct decisions to win the day. But he thought Bobs hat was ridiculous poofy.
Sir Jeepea whispered into the ferret's ear, probably to inform him of Bobs "special" friendship with the fairy Lady of the Pools.
The ferrets face grew a wide grin then turned to Bob and bowed stating "I stand corrected good Sir; it seems you most certainly already have ladies swooning over you as you do your heroic thing, but that hat is still poofy".
Bob replied, I shall wear it all the more proudly then good Sir as a sign of a fair ladies favour. With a roar of laughter the music resumed. This time accompanied by the thuds of butchers meat cleavers upon rat meat which gave Bob the idea for another new song. Another memory suddenly came to Bobs mind and he gathered the others around to explain another battle tactic he had seen used against orc's to confound the enemy.
At the first hint of morning the poisoned bait carts were already placed a league away with the assigned fast running "repair workers". Meanwhile an army of shovels, pails, axes, hoes and claws was turning the field of battle to their advantage. Coloured ribbons soon flew on stakes marking missile weapons ranges and safe routes for passage, others warned of dangers from traps. Then the people's army assembled upon the field awaiting the enemy. The majority lay down hidden under camouflaging grasses while the cavalry, archers, crossbows users and some peasants armed with farm implements" moved about to draw the enemy's eye.
That morning Bob had used his magic to create many more good berries before he once again tested his magic tabards flying ability but while he seemed to have improved from yesterdays "quick crashes and bruises attempts" he could now be best described by locals as "as gracefully as a drunken dove". For now Bob would perform music as he walked throughout the army giving tips for combat or stirring their hearts to inspire the peoples.
They were not too long in waiting as the repair crews of the poisoned food laden carts came racing back to the battle field. They made their way through the safe paths to report the enemy had taken the carts of poisoned bait. It was about an hour later when the vanguard of the enemy's war bands started appearing from the forest trails.