Arendyl Gilvanus |
After being tossed forward by the force of the wall striking him Aren looks back and says "That could have been worse. At least I still have all of my limbs. "
I certainly would not turn down a heal but I can go without if we want to conserve.
Aren looks toward the ladder, "Alright, let's see what the next doom to have fallen on this poor town is. "
Tzardüsk |
Tzardusk offers a quick prayer to Raurvir and touches Arendyl.
clw: 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9
Thrand Prymlea |
Thrand replies to the she-elf's inquiry, "There is a thunderstorm centered over the citadel, my lady. It does not seem natural. The townsfolk are afraid, but I do not believe that they are in any immediate danger just yet."
Anchard Wulfphear |
"The barrier was disrupted or weakened by the presence of a positive aura. I feel nothing here is for our benefit. Be on your guards."
Arendyl Gilvanus |
Aren looks to Tzardusk and nods. His opinion of the half orc has improved greatly over the past day. Thank you.
As we exit the tunnel I suggest stealth or at least Ollok could scout it out first.
Stealth: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15
GM Qwerty |
Ollok finds no traps on the door and he quietly opens it. He tells the others the area above them is empty and the group climbs out noticing they are in an empty stall in what appears to be a stable for the citadel. they look around and see there are just over a dozen (16) horses here that look malnourshied and underfed as if ignored. Thrand calculates th stable can hold up to 25.
The group looks out acrss the citadel courtyard and sees half a dozen guards standing rigid and unmoving. They are still dressed in their armor and have their weapons and shields.
Something is odd with the guards as if they are not moving at all, even breathing... and there is a slight burn smell eminating from them
These guards have been transformed into undead, but not regular undead, or even zombies. This is something new to this time period and ancient, unholy powers did this.
You detect the faint trace of corrupted arcane magik at work. dark and evil magik.
Tzardüsk |
perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 9 well that sucked
Arendyl Gilvanus |
Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28
Aren takes in his surroundings and whispers to the others "It appears we have not improved our safety by moving into the citadel. The guards appear to be undead. I think it goes without saying that there is some dark arcane magic at work here." Aren draws his bow and notches an arrow but waits before attacking in case a different plan is decided upon.
Ill ready an action that if we are attacked to fire an arrow at the attacker.
Thrand Prymlea |
Thrand says, "Yes, they do appear to be undead, but not any kind that I am familiar with. Some ancient, unholy power is at work here. May Pelor protect us! Everybody be on your guard." He grips his magical sword and thinks how best to divide and conquer their undead foe.
Perception: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (14) + 0 = 14
Kn. Religion: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22
Ollok Stoneguard |
Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25
Hmph...orcs outside, dead inside seems that we have much to do. The dead are outside of my area of knowledge - it is sickening enough to think that one would defile another's ancestor like that - so I'll follow your lead. What is that burning smell though?
Tzardüsk |
"I have no experience with anything like this before... I'm sorry I'm not going to be more help in planning our strategy against them... Maybe we could avoid them completely and get to the keep without .. I don't know... activating them?"
"WHat if we were to let the horses loose to cover our approach to the keep? or each one walk on the opposite side of a horse to hide our movement?"
Thrand Prymlea |
Thrand replies, "We could try releasing all of the horses at once as you suggest, or we could release one now and see how the undead react to it. We could also attempt to lure one of the undead to an isolated position, or find one that is already off by itself, and see how difficult it is to kill. We could also try luring all of the undead back through the passage. Arendyl nearly lost a foot moving through the magical barrier. The undead may be just as vulnerable to it as we are. The rest of us could hide in the stables and the most agile among us could be bait."
Ollok Stoneguard |
"Any fighting is going to be loud. These things are dead already. Will take more than the slicing of a throat to be done with them. Hmph. Releasing a horse and seeing what they do sounds like a good plan."
Thrand Prymlea |
Thrand approaches a horse and calms it as he frees it from its stall. He walks it as close to the stable doors as he can without being seen by the undead, then slaps the horse on its rump to send it running into the courtyard.
Handle Animal: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22
Arendyl Gilvanus |
"The horses have suffered enough. I'd rather not send one out as bait. I would offer myself as bait first. I feel confident I could draw their attention and still get away from them. Says Aren looking concernedly at the mal nourished animals.
Ollok Stoneguard |
Grabs Arendyl's shoulder tightly. "No. If the horses were going to die the creatures would have killed them already. Who knows what controls these unfortunate souls. If it sees you it might mean we lose our opportunity to catch it unaware. Weigh the people in the town before the life of this horse."
Arendyl Gilvanus |
Ollok can tell that Aren probably values these horses lives as equally as those of the humans in the town, but he the dwarves wise words have convinced him. "Hopefully you're right that they will have no interest in harming them. They have after all been here the whole time." Aren agrees to the plan.
Arendyl Gilvanus |
The funny part is Thrand and I posted almost the same time when Aren protested. I did not even see his post with the handle animal roll until now.
From a group consensus perspective, we have four of us on board with releasing the horse. Was Tanariel's kn arcane roll successfull in providing any info on these particular creatures?
Thrand Prymlea |
Unless someone has any better ideas, I am still in favor of releasing the horse. Does anyone have any considerations from a non-PETA perspective?
GM Qwerty |
Tanariel tells the others she detects the faint trace of corrupted arcane magik at work in the air, dark and evil magik.
Thrand releases one of the horse into the courtyard and the horse moves over to a spot of grass to start eating. The group notices the undead creatures around the horse barely give it any attention.
After a few minutes a dark haired male human figure leans out of the top window of the tower and sees the horse. He then goes back inside and you can hear him yelling to someone else inside the tower.
Thrand Prymlea |
"They have certainly been alerted to the presence of one of their own starving horses escaping to eat grass. We should form a defensive line at the stable doors. I wonder what happens when I do this..." Thrand sheathes his sword and loads a bullet in his sling, which he hurls at the nearest undead creature.
Sling: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 201d4 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6
Arendyl Gilvanus |
"I'm sad to say I almost miss the orcs. At least them I understand. It looks like the tower is where we need to go. Let's head that way staying out of sight as much as possible."
Thrand Prymlea |
Thrand clanks to Arendyl's side in a demonstration of just how stealthy a knight of Furyondy can be expected to be. "I do not think it wise to leave an enemy at our backs. Let us kill these undead before we attack the tower." He draws his sword, but waits and listens to what the others have to say.
Stealth: 1d20 - 3 ⇒ (5) - 3 = 2
Anchard Wulfphear |
Anchard nods, "I am with Thrand. The undead may leave here after we deal with the source of evil and then they may wander into town."
Ollok Stoneguard |
The dwarf looks at the knight and the others. "Hmph. You weren't asked to come along for your stealth, Thrand. We can deal with the dead ones but we need to first see if we can get into the tower. We should move to the tower. The dead ones didn't do anything when the horse moved their eyes are looking for the enemy to come from outside not inside. Maybe Arendyl and I can get to the tower to see if we can find entry. Once there start to let the horse out one by one maybe it will cause whoever is in the tower to come investigate."
Thrand Prymlea |
Thrand nods. "Tempt death as you see fit." He sheathes his sword again and draws out his sling so he that can resume his experiments with the undead while Ollok and Arendyl are out on their mission.
Arendyl Gilvanus |
So the plan as I understand it is for Ollok and myself to sneak into an ambush location closer to the tower. The others will then release the horses in an attempt to get someone in the tower to come down. When they come out we spring the attack. If that is correct then...
Aren prepares to head toward the tower stealthfully with Ollok.
Stealth: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11
Ollok Stoneguard |
That's how I envisioned it Arendyl. We are the two stealthiest figured it's better to let them open the door for us :)
Securing his shield to his back Ollok draws his throwing axes and nods to the others as he and Arendyl move towards the tower. He looks for the route that gives him and the elf the best cover as well as keeps them out of sight from the undead guards.
stealth: 1d20 + 7 - 2 ⇒ (13) + 7 - 2 = 18
perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11
Thrand Prymlea |
Thrand continues abusing the undead from the apparent safety of the stables.
Sling: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 121d4 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6
GM Qwerty |
Thrand manages to knock down one of the undead with his sling and during that time the undead does not move one bit.
Ollok and Arendyl decide to skirt the walls of the Citadel and use the building to their south to move into a better position to enter the citadel. The do notice there are no undead guards on this side of the citadel most likely due to the cliff and fall on the other side of the Citadel walls. The building they are next to appears to have been the barracks. They have not entered it yet. There is an undead by the door of the barracks, but facing the towards the door of the barracks. Ollok and Arendyl can enter the barracks through a window if they so desire.
Ollok Stoneguard |
Ollok motions with his hands to Arendyl about going in through window or going back to get the others all the while keeping a lookout for any sudden movement by the undead or anything entering the courtyard.
perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12
Thrand Prymlea |
Thrand says, "That's one down. Would anyone else care to join in? There is no fun or honor in this, but it must be done. Shall we see how they react to the sword?"
Arendyl Gilvanus |
Aren looks at the window with a shake of his head. "Stick to the plan. Sir Thrand and the others should be ready to start setting free horses. Hopefully it exposes our enemy. " he whispers.
Ollok Stoneguard |
"We'll be needing to pass around that dead one than before we reach the tower. So it might mean we need to take this one out."
Thrand Prymlea |
Thrand whispers, "You have remarkable hearing, Arendyl." to the elf across the courtyard. He attacks the other undead at the gate with his sling.
Sword: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (9) + 3 = 121d4 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5
GM Qwerty |
The group is quietly muttering amongst themselves on what to do next when a figure walks out through he Citadel door towards the horse. He is a male human dressed in dark robes. As he walks you notice he purposely takes a wide path around the undead sentries. He sees one of the sentries on the ground stops and looks at it but does not approach. He smirks a bit and then continues walking towards the horse.
you have one round of action before he gets close to the stables with a chance to notice you as he walks by
Arendyl Gilvanus |
can you place us approx where we are located on the map? Also how many undead guards have counted so far?
Aren draws his bow and takes aim on the robed figure. He readies a shot in the event that the newcomer is alerted to the party's location.