Nari tried her best to stay hidden and wait patiently as the others examined the inside of the structure.
Ekuur continues to look menacing, but also tries to look around himself.
perception
knowledge religion
knowledge planes
"We're about to have company. Signers it sounds like. Maybe they will keep the nosey guards off of our backs." Justin murmurs to Karrin.
"Lovely," Karrin mutters, "We'll need to try to stay out of this, the last thing we need is to get caught up in a faction war. We need to work fast cuz I don't know when we're going to get back this way again."
Justin nods in silent but emphatic agreement with Karrin, then moves over to Ekuur and begins pointing out structural things that have nothing to do with anything but giving the two-headed thug something to look at as he confers with Ekuur about what they might be facing here.
Ekuur:
Justin:
OUTSIDE
As the group of armed Signers nears the temple, a hue and cry rings out. Crossbow men on the surrounding roofs begin to fire into the mail-clad attackers. The Signers scatter, hugging walls and ducking in alleyways.
INSIDE
As the group looks about the crumbling room, a racket begins back in the narthex. A shout goes up
"Signers at the door! It's a full assault!"
The plated sexually-dimorphic ettin shouts
"These berks are distracting us! They're spies! "
The huge ettin unslings a huge maul
imitative:
"Bloody perfect timing," Karrin rumbles, "We're in the middle of a web of a bloody enchantment and now we got to deal with friendly fire? Just freakn' lovely. Bloody signers must have been waiting for us to go in or something."
Bluff
"Signers? Let me at 'em!" Aid another on the bluff, but he also ignites the fire on his trikal.
The ettin pauses, looking unsure
"Fine. If you are with us, then man the door! We need all the swords we can field!"
She/he frowns
"One false move and yeh'll be sorry"
"I'll watch the door with you," Karrin says, "But my team stays here. There's a rumor about other ways into this place and we haven't had a chance to investigate that. I'm not taking the chance that this is a distraction and the bloody berts sneaking in through the back or something. Bloody suspicious them moving straight down the road so we can all spot them if you ask me. There has to be something else at play here."
"What you want the rest of us to do?" Merle messaging Justin
The sound of Rhiannon's drwn sword rings through the air, speaking for her.
"What you want the rest of us to do?" Merle messaging Justin
"I'll watch the door with you," Karrin says, "But my team stays here. There's a rumor about other ways into this place and we haven't had a chance to investigate that. I'm not taking the chance that this is a distraction and the bloody berts sneaking in through the back or something. Bloody suspicious them moving straight down the road so we can all spot them if you ask me. There has to be something else at play here."
The ettin grunts assent
"We're not charging out after them. Let them come to us, they'll pay the blood price if they want to see the inside of this ruin"
She/he starts shouting orders to her squad
"Bows at the ready! Grim, you get a few buckets of that rain water here should they try to smoke us out! Drulin and Perch, you two out behind those broken columns. I need to know what they are doing! "
Justin turns his back to the Ettin, Karrin is doing a fine job of keeping it (Them?) distracted. He continues to wave his arms as he whispers to Merle.
'We're ok for now. What's going on in back?'
Then, after a brief moment and a glance at the ettin.
'Stay hidden for a few. Keep watch. We do not want any other uninvited guests to join this party.'
Turning to Ekuur Justin speaks in normally.
"I've seen these carvings before. On a Prime World. No translation yet. Give me a few moments."
"Whatever is or isn't in this room is the prize," Karrin says, "And I just don't want some bloody signer distraction taking our eyes off of it. Could be that they got better researchers then us and they're moving on some schedule that we don't know about. These things can be linked to prime worlds and fer all we know might working off a stars or some such. I'm keeping my team here. They've already started their spells so moving them to guard a wall would be a mistake. Me on the other hand, I'm mobile, and I can get back here fast should things go as I suspect outside."
Justin turns his back to the Ettin, Karrin is doing a fine job of keeping it (Them?) distracted. He continues to wave his arms as he whispers to Merle.
'We're ok for now. What's going on in back?'
Then, after a brief moment and a glance at the ettin.
'Stay hidden for a few. Keep watch. We do not want any other uninvited guests to join this party.'
Turning to Ekuur Justin speaks in normally.
"I've seen these carvings before. On a Prime World. No translation yet. Give me a few moments."
"And they remind me of some old scrolls I saw from some desert worlds. Strange."
1d20+10
Naridre:
"Whatever is or isn't in this room is the prize," Karrin says, "And I just don't want some bloody signer distraction taking our eyes off of it. Could be that they got better researchers then us and they're moving on some schedule that we don't know about. These things can be linked to prime worlds and fer all we know might working off a stars or some such. I'm keeping my team here. They've already started their spells so moving them to guard a wall would be a mistake. Me on the other hand, I'm mobile, and I can get back here fast should things go as I suspect outside."
The ettin scowls
"If the Signers get in all yer spells won't mean nought anyway"
She/he snorts and waves dismissively
"Keep yer pet dazzlers in there then"
1d20+10Naridre: ** spoiler omitted **
"We have more company coming," she hissed, trying to point out the shapes to her teammates.
Karrin laughs, "I'm not scared of anyone getting through us, or more specifically through me, but I'm always worried about the old flanking maneuver. Anytime someone does something stupid on the battle field it gets me hairs on end. Sometimes you're just dealing with idiots. Other times . . . I'm not going to risk a possible old one temple ta . . . hmmm, perhaps you'd best forget that last bit, too much of a long shot anyways. Let's get to the doors."
"They know were here yet?" Merle
Perception
"We have more company coming," she hissed, trying to point out the shapes to her teammates.
Justin stops, holding out his hands, tucking his chin down as if listening to something. Which he is.
'Wait, what,... where? Back door?' He hisses through the magic link to team sneaky.
At the Temple
The cries of struck Signers outside mingle with the hiss of crossbow bolts. The squad of Athar toughs have deployed about the temple doors, and are firing into the gloom. Crossbow bolts come winging in to the narthex. An Athar namer staggers, blood spurting from a thigh wound
Out back
Nari can see several forms approaching. They don't seem to have seen them ...yet. . Merle can see a little, but her eyes seem to be a bit off
Stealth
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Stealth
1d20 +21
The dim shapes don't seem to see Merle. They approach, and she can see they are all thin humanoids, dressed in dark leather.
Issac's skills allow him to blend in amongst the rubble
Nari tried to hide but not quite as successfully as the others. She should probably have worn a hat. Red hair didn't blend into much.
'Merle? Nari? Isaac?' Justin hisses under his breath,...
"Company bunch of kind of thin guys in leather. Think we should take them?" Merle hisses back
As the battle rages, Ekuur continues to check the room seeing if there is anything else he can discern. However, he remains at alert in case the Signers break in.
linguistics
spellcraft
"Company bunch of kind of thin guys in leather. Think we should take them?" Merle hisses back
Justin curses under his breath, fervently regretting his decision not to include Karrin on the whisper-link. He was no battlefield strategist. Unable to think of a way (a swift way) to ask Karrin without alerting their 'hosts' he makes a judgement call. Karrin-style.
'No! Leave them, Let the bully-boys deal with them!' Justin hisses urgently. Then he spins and calls to the two-headed ogre;
"Ware! My familiar has spotted a group trying to sneak in from the rear of the building!" He calls loudly in aristocratic overtones.
"As I suspected," Karrin muses, "You got good eyes back there I hope?" Karrin asks the ettin, "Maybe we can capture one and find out what they're after? Could make our job that much easier."
"Company bunch of kind of thin guys in leather. Think we should take them?" Merle hisses backJustin curses under his breath, fervently regretting his decision not to include Karrin on the whisper-link. He was no battlefield strategist. Unable to think of a way (a swift way) to ask Karrin without alerting their 'hosts' he makes a judgement call. Karrin-style.
'No! Leave them, Let the bully-boys deal with them!' Justin hisses urgently. Then he spins and calls to the two-headed ogre;
"Ware! My familiar has spotted a group trying to sneak in from the rear of the building!" He calls loudly in aristocratic overtones.
The two heads of the ettin swivel at this.
"They're trying to flank us! "
The odd dimorphic being points at the party.
"Yeh wanted to investigate the back? How about yeh lot keep the back room secure from Signers?"
At the ettin's words, Ekuur makes his trikal burst into flames. He grins wickedly, but otherwise doesn't say anything.
Merle keeping an eye on things from where she is.
Justin shrugs.
'Not quite the reaction I was hoping for.' He thinks to himself.
Justin looks at KArrin for confirmation.
"If they interrupt my spell-web, I'll make them wish they hadn't." He agrees casually,turning back to the investigation.
"Hsst, Merle, what are the new arrivals doing?" He WHispers to the group out back.
"Just a sec." Merle as she tries to get a good look at things.
Ekuur stands ready, waiting for a possible break-in. He keeps his holy symbol slightly hidden under his armor.
"Company bunch of kind of thin guys in leather. Think we should take them?" Merle hisses backJustin curses under his breath, fervently regretting his decision not to include Karrin on the whisper-link. He was no battlefield strategist. Unable to think of a way (a swift way) to ask Karrin without alerting their 'hosts' he makes a judgement call. Karrin-style.
'No! Leave them, Let the bully-boys deal with them!' Justin hisses urgently. Then he spins and calls to the two-headed ogre;
"Ware! My familiar has spotted a group trying to sneak in from the rear of the building!" He calls loudly in aristocratic overtones.
The two heads of the ettin swivel at this.
"They're trying to flank us! "
The odd dimorphic being points at the party.
"Yeh wanted to investigate the back? How about yeh lot keep the back room secure from Signers?"
"We can guard the manifestation I suppose," Karrin says, "I mean if you're sure you got the front and back covered . . . the front is probably just a ruse anyways, lots of noise to try to draw you out or to make you commit . . . while the real danger is coming from the flank. We stay calm and don't let them move us around and they'll likely avoid the fight. All the same the boys at the front might not be aware that they're a diversion, try to be careful, and watch out for wan wood staffs, especially those between four and six cubits, and dacite stone disks, again a bit of a long shot, especially as you're likely facing the diversion, but under no circumstances should items like that cross the threshold. Obviously keep everyone out but watch out for anyone carrying something like that and give us a shout if they move to the side of the building. I can't explain what's with those things but lets just say it could be very bad indeed."
Merle sees the dark figures heading to the crumbled back wall of the ancient church, dropping and crab walking through the drunken tombstones.
The party in the interior heads into the main space of the building. The space is marked off with stakes and string. There is a hush to the place that feels strange
Justin follows Karrin's lead into the other room.
"Out of the frying pan,..." he murmurs, his eyes glazed slightly as he focuses on his detection charm.
"Merle,...?!?" He whispers, only slightly nervously.
Merle continues to update Justin "Think I should take a shot at them?" She asks moving to get a good clean shot at as many as possible.
"Hopefully we can keep our hosts occupied looking for sticks and stones," Karrin mumbles, "On the off chance that I am right and they're only a diversion, but we still got to deal with this secondary force and hopefully figure out this mystery within the next twenty minutes or so . . ."