Putting her potions in her pack, Alarra says "I'll take point. I can see better than most in darkness." With that, she loads her crossbow and takes point.
Ithad suppresses a shiver with Moondark and Morosino so close behind him. Ithad looks back trying to find Satinal in all the confusion. He frowns at the noises that the Hell Knights are making upstairs as they search the tavern. As the group starts to head down the sewer tunnel, Ithad dogs Jo's steps. He is always two of his paces behind Jo.
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You begin to move down the sewer tunnel, sounds of the Hellknights fading behind you as you move away from the tavern. Ithad's light shows a well-constructed tunnel, made of large blocks of quarried stone. The sewage channel itself is filled mostly with water, but garbage and sewage is visible as well.
As you move along, Janiven explains, "Arael and I made these marks a few months ago while we explored the sewers. We marked all intersections so our people could find their way through the sewers to our hideout. If we get separated, keep following the marks. Eventually, we will reach one that points up to the safehouse."
"Jo think he get lost anyway." Jo thinks out loud.
He grips his hammer tightly ready for anything.
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Janiven replies, "I'm hoping by the time we reach the safehouse, we'll find they've simply released him. We haven't done anything wrong. But, if not, I'll figure out how to deal with it. I'm troubled by the size of that force they sent against Vizio's."
You march through the sewers for about ten minutes. You occasionally hit an intersection and Janiven pauses to look for the marks, then points to the right direction and you continue on.
You can see that you are approaching another intersection when you hear voices ahead.
"We need to go this way. I'm sure they must be this way."
A second voice calls, "No you idiot. You have no idea which way we need to go. I'm sure it's this way."
A third voice interrupts, "You're both fools. We should wait right here, I'm sure they'll eventually run right into us."
The three voices continue arguing while you decide what to do.
Alarra whispers to the party "Two options: try to go around or try to ambush them. We don't have much time."
Ithad whispering, “Asmodeus's beard! Moondark is right, although how might not be the right question. Having no idea on how many Hell Knights might be behind us, I think it is ill advised to retreat. But fool hardy to rush in with out any knowledge of how many we face ahead. So we will need reconnaissance, so who should go? Moondark?”
Jo whispers to the rest of the party, "Sounds like dare is tree. We can rush and surprise dem or make a sound and bring dem to us."
"Maybe little boy sneak out to get a look see and find out how many"
Seeing Ithad begin to move ahead of the party, Alarra whispers "Let me go. I can see in the dark better than you can. Jo, wait here with the rest. I'll be back shortly."
With that, Alarra sneaks ahead to the intersection and attempts to scout out the competition, taking pains to remain in the darkness where she (hopefully) has a vision advantage over the opposition. She will then attempt to sneak back to the party to report her findings to them.
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Janiven replies, "I was worried about this possibility. There is more than one way into the sewers and the Hellknights may have sent a group ahead of us."
When she mentions the Hellknights, you see Morosino begin to fidget nervously in the light of the wayfinder. While she speaks, Jo tries to stretch up in the tunnel. He can't stand all the way up, but he should be able to fight with his hammer.
After a brief discussion, Alarra slips out ahead toward the intersection.
You reach the intersection and can see that it opens into a large, oddly shaped room with four exit tunnels and multiple sewer channels. One part of a channel connects to a long cesspit. Several large wooden planks form a simple bridge over another section of the channel. The cesspit is only a few inches deeper than the main channel.
To your right, you see three Hellknights. Two are sitting down. The third is standing. They are continuing to argue about whether to stay put or proceed further into the tunnels. While you watch them, you notice that while they appear to wear the intimidating armor of the Order of the Rack, the “plates” of their armor are actually boiled leather with chainmail reinforcements.
“Morosino, what do you know about the Hell Knights? Is there more that we should know? Any details that might have slipped your mind after your run?”, Ithad asks, keeping his voice as low as it will go.
Does Alarra know the significance of the lookalike armor?
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Morosino turns to Ithad, trembling as he hisses, "Gosh no! But, if they're Hellknights, we're doomed. They're terrible. They come to take you and lock you up and do terrible things to you. They're in allegiance with Hell for Iomedae's sake."
Janiven grabs the boy by the shoulders, "Easy Morosino, don't get yourself all worked up. They are trouble, but they're not all bad. We need to be careful around them, but they are only men."
You know that Hellknight recruits do not earn the full armor of the hellknights immediately upon joining the group. These may be trainees.
Map
Ithad suppresses a chuckle, “This is Cheliax, it seems anyone who is anyone has an allegiance to hell.” His countenance turns again morse, ”It is their steel that I worry about, but we have more than Hell on our side.”
"Dats right...you got JO!!!"
Jo grins a huge smile that is missing more than one tooth.
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Ithad suppresses a chuckle, “This is Cheliax, it seems anyone who is anyone has an allegiance to hell.” His countenance turns again morse, ”It is their steel that I worry about, but we have more than Hell on our side.”
"Is that a confession, Thrune? What is taking Alarra so long? I'm not sure I trust her either. I seem to remember hearing Selkie Jim was seeing a woman with mismatched eyes before he got snatched..."
Alarra sneaks back to the party, and says, quietly, "There are three hellknight trainees ahead. I don't think they spotted me or know of our presence, but it would be difficult to sneak past them. Can any of you knock them out without harming them? I would rather not kill anyone, hellknight or no."
"Jo say we smash 'em!"
Jo lifts his hammer head that has obviously seen many battles in The Pits
”No Moondark, it is an accurate observation of our society. It is what it is, just as we now face three hellknight squires. I could keep one with some simple prestidigitation, leaving two for the rest of the group to subdue. And we would need some rope to secure them with. Noble as your thought is Alarra, I think violence will be the course of the day.”
”So how does an ambush sound? Most of us retreat back to the last intersection and waits as one or two of us lure the squires back there.” Ithad ventures, quickly sketching out his plan with a bit chalk-rock on the walls.
"Jo like Thoon's plan! Jo stay back at here. Not want to scare puny squires away"
Jo is clearly excited about his first combat ourside of The Pits. He looks at Alarra pensively, though. He is also fearful for her safety.
Jo will move into position at the crossroads Ithad suggested in his plan. He will be sure to keep anyone who wants protection behind him.
“Then it is settled, Moondark and I will sneak ahead and attract their attention as the rest set up for an ambush.”
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Janiven nods and with the rest of the group, make their way back to the last intersection.
The Hellknights continue arguing while you sneak down the tunnel. You reach the intersection and can see that it opens into a large, oddly shaped room with four exit tunnels and multiple sewer channels. One part of a channel connects to a long cesspit. Several large wooden planks form a simple bridge over another section of the channel. The cesspit is only a few inches deeper than the main channel.
To your right, you see three Hellknights. Two are sitting down. The third is standing. One of the sitting Hellknights gestures toward the tunnel where you now stand, "I tell you, we need to go that way ...Hey, there they are now!" The other two Hellknights spin and look in your direction.
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Despite her bravado, Moondark is shaking as they approach the Hellknights. Once they are spotted, Moondark steps to the edge of the walkway and flings a readied dart at the closest one. It tumbles end over end into the sewer. She grabs another dart and prepares to run.
init
ranged dart
damage
ranged dart
damage
Stepping forward, Ithad deftly throws one of his daggers, watching it spin blade over pommel towards the standing Hellknight.
"Poor little children playing dress up, does your fathers' know you stole their armor!", Ithad taunts all the while grinning madly, "Try to keep up!"
Ithad turns and races back towards the last intersection, not waiting to see it Moondark keeps up.
Alarra will hide in the shadows at the ambush site with her crossbow drawn and loaded, hoping to snipe the first of the hellknight trainees as they run after Moondark and Ithad. She will wait until they are within 30 feet before firing.
Jo will take up position at the intersection waiting for the first Hellknight to pass. He will swing his hammer at the first target.
To hit:
if hit:
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Initiative for Satinal
Satinal (unresolved)
Moondark (unresolved)
I'm Jo (resolved)
Alarra (resolved)
Ithad (resolved)
The Hellknights run down the corridor pursuing Ithad and Moondark. At the intersection, Moondark darts to the left to hide behind Jo. Ithad continues straight.
Moments later, the Hellknights appear straight ahead. Alarra fires a crossbow bolt at the leading Hellknight. A wicked shot that hits him in the chest and causes him to momentarily falter and bellow, "We'll get you rebels!" They continue toward your position.
When they come within reach, Jo takes a mighty swing at the first Hellknight, but his blow merely glances off the Hellknight's armor.
Ithad spins and begins casting a spell and moments later, a huge rat appears next to the Hellknight.
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As Moondark dodges behind Jo, those who watch her notice that she looks less like a beggar boy than a frightened girl. In fact her voice is pitched a bit higher as she yells encouragement from safely behind the giant pit fighter. but that could just be the fear.
"Push him over Jo, like a turtle. we'll see how tough he is when he's floundering in the muck!"
Jo gets angry that he missed on the first shot but seeing the rat appear gives him a better feeling that now his opponent is flanked.
He holds off his Rage for the time being and swings again at the first bad guy.
Swing at first one -
Damage -
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As soon as the Hellknight step into view, you hear Morosino scream and he runs down the passage away from the Hellknights.
Janiven yells, "Morosino, no!"
In spite of Moondark's aid, Jo strikes only a glancing blow that does no damage to the Hellknight.
Janiven takes aim at the lead Hellknight with her bow, letting an arrow fly.
Janiven's arrow flies wide, striking a chip of stone out of the sewer wall.
Satinal begins speaking in an uplifting language that none of you understand and a light flashes into the Hellknight's face.
The lead Hellknight turns, raising his weapon as if preparing to strike his fellow.
Looks like Hellknight armor to you.
Alarra will reload her light crossbow and fire again at the nearest hellknight.
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Moondark darts across the planks to the other side of the intersection and pushes the planks off into the sewage.
Alarra loads and fires her crossbow at the lead Hellknight, but unfortunately, the shot goes wide, skimming off the surface of the sewage channel.
Inexplicately, the first Hellknight that turned toward the other two, swings his longsword at the Hellknight just behind him.
The attack hits the second Hellknight in the shoulder, but the blow fails to penetrate his armor and the second Hellknight yells, "You idiot, what are doing? Are you working for them?" He swings back at his supposed ally.
His attack also misses and the third Hellknight yells, "You're both idiots, get them not each other!" He swings at the dire rat that Ithad summoned next to him.
His blow cleaves the dire rat through the shoulder and down into its chest. The rat drops into the sewer.
Jo takes an angry swing at the first Hellknight, his hammer crushing down on the Hellknight's helm. The Hellknight crumples to the ground.
Seeing the conjured rat cut down so quickly, Ithad draws a dagger and targets the hell knight that struck the killing blow.