The windows on the ground floor are immediately above the rose bushes. The back door is between them.
Hezrog and Cindy can see that all three are half-orcs, one female and two male.
If they are half orcs, Hezrog will not try to sneak up on them in the dark. He will however still study one of the ones in the back (the woman) and inch up a little closer.
Cindy will close the distance in the surprise round flying in an arc near the building to the south and then to the east side of the NE corner. In the first full round she will peer around the corner and attempt to slumber the intruder inside the yard.
If we are starting the fight now and taking our surprise rounds, Hezrog starts closing the distance as well (to F4).
Stealth for the turn was:
While Cindy and Cormick reposition, Herzog studies one of the targets.
The male in the yard pulls something from within the folds of his cloak and bends down over the door knob of the back door.
At a whispered signal to coordinate the attacks, Cindy unleashes her slumber hex.
[ooc]Will save d20 + mods = 21.
Followed by Cormick attempting a spell on the same target.
Hezrog closes in, trying to keep out of sight will doing so.
Not sensing that the magic of his spell was able to bend the mind of the assailant, Cormick tries the spell once more.
Cormick gets over the fence as best he can and starts for the backdoor.
The witch vomits forth a swarm of wasps that fly to the half orc standing at the back door and begin to sting him.
[ooc]Poison save DC13 fort or loose one point of Dex. Distraction save Dc 13 or loose standard action.
Dressed as a city guardsman Cindy move out from the corner, great axe raised and advances on the stung man. Halt. You have been caught! She says.
The half-orc lets out a curse as the wasps swarm over him, swatting at them uselessly, and dropping his tools. The man however flees westward, away from Cormick, and begins climbing over the fence - right near where Hezrog is standing.
The other two sprint eastward, rounding the fence and closing on Cormick, drawing daggers as they do so.
Hezrog adjusts (five foot or move action if necessary to get closer / center myself in front of his square), then swiftly studies the climber and takes a readied action to shield-bash him as he comes over the fence.
(power attack vs flat-footed)
If he continues moving after I can reach him here's my AoO just in case, to speed things along.
(power attack vs flat-footed)
"Hold there a minute you two, I am not with the guard. No reason to fight with me." Cormick says with a smile.
Then he steps back and flips a small shard of mirror at one of them, as he casts smug narcissism (DC18 Will) on one the ruffians.
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Current Effects: Unadulterated Loathing (on ruffian), 7 days; Smug Narcissism (on ruffian), 70 min;
The half-orc woman slaps the mirror away, continuing to advance on Cormick.
While Hezrog slams the man climbing the fence with his shield, knocking him prone to the ground.
Using a standard action Cindy directs her wasps to fly to D18 - D21. She then flies to C 18 it flank the enemy and commands Drop your weapons or you will be put down!
The man near Hezrog tries to stand, but Hezrog hits him again, knocking him unconscious.
With the wasps swarming them, the male surrenders, the woman however tries to flee northeast.
Cindy takes here AOO and when she misses she moves the wasps again onto the woman before fling adjacent to her again. I recommend surrender. She advises. You cannot outrun these wasps.
Hezrog swiftly studies the fleeing target, so that he can track her more easily if needed. Hopeful that his allies can catch her, he then turns his attention to the unconscious man at his feet, making sure that he does not bleed out.
Assuming there are no immediate distractions, take 10 = 15 Heal check.
"Well I am glad one of you had the sense to surrender."
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Current Effects: Unadulterated Loathing (on ruffian), 7 days;
Neither Cormick of Cindy is able to strike the woman as she flees, but finding herself unable to escape the swarm of wasps, she shouts, "Call them off, call them off. I yield." She covers her head as best she can and curls into a tight ball.
Hezrog stops the bleeding on the unconscious half-orc.
Pulling rope from her pack Cindy Moves the wasps to from a wall on two sides of the woman on the opposite side of her to limit her chances to run. That's better. Now Do I need to use this rope or are you willing to come back to your friend there, sit down and have a chat?
Assuming that the woman cooperates she will guide her back to Cormick and allow him to question the two conscious captives.
If at any point tying someone up is needed, Hezrog volunteers. (escape DC 32)
The half-orc woman submissively comes back to stand by her friend, plopping herself down onto the hard street.
Hezrog takes some time getting the unconscious one from inside the fence, and brings him over as well.
Cindy looks to Cormick to begin the questioning, knowing he can talk the pants off of most folk.
Cormcik pulls out a small vial as he apprroaches the ruffians, and places a drop of a golden liquid on his tongue before incanting a spell.
"I am Cormick Egerton, and I as I said earlier I am not part of the city guard. And as such I have a much more flexibility on how an interrogation, no sorry, an interview can go. My associates are more of the physical stimuli produce the greatest reward, but I hope we can prove them wrong. I am sorry for your unconscious friend there, as he is not going to wake up a happy camper when he sees me." Cormick kneels down next the unconscious one, adjusts his body so that he will not die in his own vomit.
"So let me start with asking who might each of you be and what organization and/or person you work for?"
"Why are you here tonight at this house and what were your objectives?"
"When you completed your task here, what where you to do next?"
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Current Effects: unadulterated loathing (on ruffian), 7 days; honeyed tongue, 70 min;
Cindy takes up position on the roof of a nearby house and watches for any possible intrusions.
The two look at each other, then the woman responds, "This is Honskel, and I'm Bird. We don't work for no one in particular, just take odd jobs when we can find 'em."
"Two nights ago a woman hired us to come and scare the folks who live here. Said we was supposed to remind them of some debts owed."
An incomplete truth about scaring them. The woman squirms a little at answering the question, unwilling to give the full details of what was intended.
"We are supposed to meet with her again tomorrow to report on the completion of our task."
This one has more information, and has only told us a half truth, Hezrog says directly to Cormick. Your call on how to handle it, he adds as he lifts his shield to display a cruel-looking whip from his time as a taskmaster in the mines.
Hearing Herzog's conclusion Cindy flies down from the roof and lands in front of the woman. You are defending someone who sent you on a fool's quest. You little no chance of success and your employer had to know this. She send you to us so you should feel no loyalty to her. You can tell us more of your mission and employer and then go free after we visit this employer, or you can be turned over to the guard. What shall it be?
The woman, looking extremely uncomfortable, looks away. The male half-orc answers instead. "Our employer indicated we were to remove the son from the picture if they didn't pay up on their debts. We can introduce you to her tomorrow night, and you can take it up with her."
The witch pales at the statement. Remove the son? You were prepared to do that? He is only a child...If we let you go, we are going to need some promise that you will seek other work. and what debts are you referring to? What was the amount and from where did it come from?
Turning to the Cormick and Hexrog she comments It seems we have an engagement tomorrow night. say we wake the others for their thoughts. Adn these three will need to come with us.
"Our employer did not tell us what the debt was for, but that the master of the house was aware of it and the amount required."
The woman speaks up again, "It may very well be time we find employ elsewhere."
And the claimed amount of that debt? Also tell us where this meeting is to take place?
"We weren't told the amount, just that they would know it."
"We are meeting her tomorrow night at The Iron Gullet. 9:00 in the evening."
The Iron Gullet is a rather seedy tavern with a rough reputation. Bar fights are frequent, usually every night. Bets are often placed on the outcome on the spot, though the owner insists on no weapons or magic in such fights. When those 'rules' are violated the bouncers get involved.
The Iron Gullet faces north into a street market. During the day the street is often filled with vendors and street musicians, while during the early evening hours the vendors are replaced by drunkards, and others of less reputable status.
The large building is surrounded on the other three sides by smaller homes and dirty alleys.
Inside the tavern, a large earthen pit has been dug into the floor, a drop of about 2' from the floor proper. Those who participate, willing or unwillingly, in the fist fights are pushed into the pit to settle their differences.
A back door leads out of the tavern from underneath the stairs.
The stairs lead up to a 10' wide balcony that runs along the east, south, and west sides.
Both the barkeep and the 6 bouncers who work the tavern at night are known to be spell casters, two of them clerics, the others wizards. They frequently employ mending spells on broken tables and chairs (and sometimes the windows), the first casualties of fights before they can be pushed into the pits. But they have also been known to employ healing magic for those who sustain more serious wounds, or spells of hold person for those who don't abide by the rules.
The place also employs several bookies to manage the bets that take place on the pit fights. At any given time there are at least two on both the main floor and on the balcony.
Without more info, there is nothing to be gather about the thugs employer.
Sounds like your kind of place Herzog. I still say we would might be better off taking them in the courtyard outside the inn, but there is likely to be a lot of bystanders about. What do you all think?
If it comes down to fighting them in the pit, I may be our best bet. That said, this is probably not my strength if there are many rules...
If we want to hit them outside, maybe we can create a distraction that causes bystanders to leave?
Issa thinks at what his comrades says and reveals about their night and the upcoming meeting.
Did you get a good view of the villains ? One of us, with good skills in disguise and bluff could try to pass for one of them and meet the woman. Once we are sure that the one, he could asks her to meet at another place to take care of "the boy", where we wait for her.
He proposes
As for the place, is not my taste and I think I will be to much a curiosity to be of help inside.
As usual, I could cast Status to follow from afar and be sure everyone is safe.
Hezrog will do as instructed, but if no other orders are given, he follows Cormick inside.
I think we should be early so we see everyone arrive and not vice versa