Feeling that his angry projections were on a bit of a roll, he continued his verbal and gestural assault, this time focusing on the warhound in front of the fallen guard. He began barking wildly as if he himself were a hound dog, hoping to somehow reach the canines on their level.
By the gods, I've got to get to Will and use my healing magic. We'll need every good sword hand we can muster before this is over.
Will ties not to die anymore.
Sonja moves up on one of the wardogs, her eyes now cold and calculating now that her vengeance was sated. She studies the canine's movements for a moment before thrusting her blades deep into its chest.
__________
"Hjalvar, get out of Gromplejak's way!" Óbjarni starts to inspire everyone again chanting a battle song while trying to keep his new shield between himself at the dog.
Somewhat desperate at their current situation. Kellan studies the veil and pulls the other bag from it. Maybe it is something that can be used in the current situation.
As the bag turns into a magik pouch, the old man smiles. Finally he would be able to do something to help.
Feeling that his angry projections were on a bit of a roll, he continued his verbal and gestural assault, this time focusing on the warhound in front of the fallen guard. He began barking wildly as if he himself were a hound dog, hoping to somehow reach the canines on their level. By the gods, I've got to get to Will and use my healing magic. We'll need every good sword hand we can muster before this is over.
Sonja moves up on one of the wardogs, her eyes now cold and calculating now that her vengeance was sated. She studies the canine's movements for a moment before thrusting her blades deep into its chest.
"Hjalvar, get out of Gromplejak's way!" Óbjarni starts to inspire everyone again chanting a battle song while trying to keep his new shield between himself at the dog.
Somewhat desperate at their current situation. Kellan studies the veil and pulls the other bag from it. Maybe it is something that can be used in the current situation. As the bag turns into a magik pouch, the old man smiles. Finally he would be able to do something to help.
The wounded dog lunges at Sonja as it dies. The other dog leaps on Objarni.
================================
_________________________________
The dog bites Óbjarni's exposed leg and rips it open. He continues chanting a battle song recovering strength from his favorite part and attempts to club the fighting dog. However, he slips on his own blood but remains on his own feet.
Sonja lashes out with her blades, trying to fell the canines and clear a path to the open door and Will's bleeding body.
__________
Dags, Yeiks! Kellan mutters as Sonja and Objarni deals with the hounds.
In his current position, there isn't much he could do, except give a small boon to others.
Hjalvar maintains his song, stepping out of the giant's way as well.
The dog bites Óbjarni's exposed leg and rips it open. He continues chanting a battle song recovering strength from his favorite part and attempts to club the fighting dog. However, he slips on his own blood but remains on his own feet.
Sonja lashes out with her blades, trying to fell the canines and clear a path to the open door and Will's bleeding body.
Dags, Yeiks! Kellan mutters as Sonja and Objarni deals with the hounds.
In his current position, there isn't much he could do, except give a small boon to others.
Hjalvar maintains his song, stepping out of the giant's way as well.
Gromplejak steps forward and tries to smash the dog. He cuts its rear legs off, but sadly the hound still lives. The dog, mad with pain continues to attack. It tears Sonja off her feet.
================================
_______________________________________
Kellan has been waiting for this and as soon the dog falls, he moves out of the room to will and tries to drag the man back inside. The man as between life and dead, but there were archers and painting himself another target doesn’t help at all.
Óbjarni steps over the dead dog to make more room in the bottleneck. He attempts to club the last dog but is distracted...
Sonja holds her blades between her and the remaining dog, cautiously rising to her feet, despite the sharp pain shooting through her bitten leg.
__________
Seeing the vicious dogs tearing into his jailmates, the white-haired warrior poet zipped under the giant's feet and brought his new longsword down upon the attack dog in a powerful swipe!
The dog goes down.
Óbjarni continues chanting to reinvigorate himself and moves up to the door behind his shield taking cover from the doorway. "Does the Decanus have any keys?" He asks behind him. Maybe the wounded can search him.
Seeing the last threat that was indoors fall, Sonja leans against the wall and looks around, favoring the leg that the dog had bitten so savagely. She turns her eyes towards the wound, and grits her teeth. "Damned Roman hounds. Fight better than their damned soldiers."
She lifts her head towards the giant and asks, "Can you get him out of the doorway? He may still be alive," as she motions her head towards Will and points at him with her dagger.
Somewhat afraid of how his companions would react to the use of magick, the bard opted to act on his impulse instead of bowing to caution. Hjalvar began to cast a simple cantrip, one that used the force of an invisible hand to pull closed the door where arrows had flown through. He began motioning at the door with a sort of arcane beckoning gesture, causing the passage to close off...for the moment.
Óbjarni continues chanting to reinvigorate himself and moves up to the door behind his shield taking cover from the doorway. "Does the Decanus have any keys?" He asks behind him. Maybe the wounded can search him. As soon as he enters the doorway five arrows come hissing angrily through the air. The missiles thunk into his shield, and shatter against the stone of the doorframe.
Seeing the last threat that was indoors fall, Sonja leans against the wall and looks around, favoring the leg that the dog had bitten so savagely. She turns her eyes towards the wound, and grits her teeth. "Damned Roman hounds. Fight better than their damned soldiers."
She lifts her head towards the giant and asks, "Can you get him out of the doorway? He may still be alive," as she motions her head towards Will and points at him with her dagger.
Somewhat afraid of how his companions would react to the use of magick, the bard opted to act on his impulse instead of bowing to caution. Hjalvar began to cast a simple cantrip, one that used the force of an invisible hand to pull closed the door where arrows had flown through. He began motioning at the door with a sort of arcane beckoning gesture, causing the passage to close off...for the moment.
Gromplejak looks around, seeing no more enemies he stops bellowing. "What should I do now, lil 'uns?"
_______________________________
With the doors closed and no more immediate threat, Kellan walks to will and starts chanting his magic words, causing his wounds to heal.
When the door closes, Óbjarni stops chanting and looks for the lock or bar. "We've five archers targeting this way out. Gromblejak, do you know the layout of the prison? We may have a way to get through a wall with the magic window. Do those rooms have anything useful?" Óbjarni asks looking for ideas and options.
Seeing that the strange man named Kellan wielded magic of his own, Hjalvar was both taken aback and relieved at the same time. True magicians were rare indeed, and his healing touch seemed as powerful as any the bard had ever witnessed. They might just get out of this alive.
Turning to his female companion, he knelt beside her. "Hold still, fighter Sonja. Your wounds are grievous. Allow me to share my magic to close some of those bites."
"Would someone mind helping me with this armor?"
Will doesn't even move when the arrow is pulled out and the wound stitches itself closed. As soon as the spell is done his eyes pop open and he attempts to spring up. He immediately becomes light headed and falls back over. He takes a moment to orient himself and finally notices the enemy is dead. "Maybe we should use that window now. Can't go out that way," he says nodding towards the double-doors.
Sonja nods a thanks to Hjalvar. "We should gather what gear we can find. Something in here just may be the key to escaping."
The sergeant has a keyring, and his sword is nicer than the others .
This was the Decanus's office. It is a plain affair with a single cluttered desk and a couple of chairs.
This room is lit by a pair of sconces holding torches.
The door to the north is locked.
At first glance this appears to simply be the slovenly kept bed chamber of the Decanus. There is a bed, a small table and wardrobe which contain Lucata’s personal effects which are by in large worthless.
However, under the bed is an iron strong box with a good lock.
This large room has a few wooden tables and benches. It is here that the guards and guard sergeant take their meals. A banner emblazoned with the emblem of Rome hangs on the eastern wall. The banner is not valuable in and of itself but it is a symbol of the garrison's honor.
This simple room has a few cots and a dozen locked footlockers.
Óbjarni first focuses on helping everyone don armor who has not yet. He inventories the longswords available wondering if everyone has a sword now. The use of magic does not surprise him. He knows it exists but decides now is not the time of existential questions about how they affect it.
After up-armoring his companions, Óbjarni will join the search of the office of the Decanus. "Hey, here's a map of the prison with guard posts! What's the best way out? Let's examine the map before we open any more doors or use the magic window."
While Óbjarni investigates the dining room with the Roman banner is sees into the back room with another door. He thinks he sees some people, "Hello?"
After nursing will back to the living, Kellan goes about to equip and arm himself. From the spoils, he takes a chainshirt, a shield and nothing more.
Walking down to Hjalvar he helps the man put his armor on and them ask for help in return "Help me will ye?"
Will seems enormously interested in the ma and joins Objarni in scanning it for weaknesses. After looking at it for a while he points at a room. The one they happen to be in. "Here. If we can get out of this room with that magic scarf we can head for this tower and get down from there. Or head along the wall to the gate. Harder to hit. Need to move quick before more show up," he says in his heavily accented Norse.
While Óbjarni investigates the dining room with the Roman banner is sees into the back room with another door. He thinks he sees some people, "Hello?"
Objarni opens the door to the south.
This room houses a well-stocked kitchen and pantry. Besides, the usual collection of plates, bowls and other cooking paraphernalia, there are six large knives here (equivalent to a dagger) and a long meat cleaver (equivalent to a short sword). There is also roughly fifty days’worth of food stored here – forty days’ worth of perishable and ten days’ worth of iron rations.
A man and woman, apparently kitchen staff, huddle in the corner. At the sight of Objarni, they whimper, apparently not understanding Norse.
Reviewing the map with Will, Óbjarni replies, "The moat beyond might be challenging if we're loaded with gear. Let's see what material we can find in here."
==================
In the kitchen, Óbjarni casually collects the long meat cleaver and locks/bars the back door if possible. Then, he motions the couple of kitchen staff toward Sonja. He suspects she can speak to them and wield the cleaver in her off hand. As the last one out of the room, he grabs something portable to eat.
When he gets to Sonja, he hands her the cleaver and says, "Think they work the kitchens and don't speak Norse. Might have useful information. We need to find some backpacks to carry food and gear."
Sonja takes the cleaver and gauges the blade's weight. She slips the dagger into its sheath and takes up the crude blade in her left hand, before casting a baleful glance at the Roman servants. "And why would they? Damned lapdogs."
"Like the cleaver, I prefer using everything available. Do with them as you wish."
He finds the keys of the Decanus and tries to unlock and explore the last two rooms .
"Can't take too long," Will says scratching the arrow wound. "Archers know we're here. More will come." The others seemed to think time wasn't tight at the moment so if they were going to take forever, best use the time he had. He takes a sack from the kitchen and starts throwing food into it for the journey. "Will someone at least see if our hope isn't misplaced with the window?"
Hjalvar gladly accepts the aid of his friends and reciprocates by helping Kellen arrange his new chainmail shirt.
"Will someone at least see if our hope isn't misplaced with the window?"
"Should we use this window to sneak out the back of this building? We can avoid the archers, but then what? Shall we climb up to the battlements?"
Hjalvar points to the Area 21 and Area 6a on the map.
"That was the plan," he says impatiently.
The window peels off the veil and becomes a simple wooden frame. It is clearly magical, as it can be stretched by pulling at the corners. It can go as small as a foot across, or as big as eight feet. The 'back' of the frame sparkles and glows softly.
We need to find some backpacks to carry food and gear."
Inside are six spare sets of gear for soldiers: chain shirt, heavy wooden shield, long sword and longbow. There is also a rack holding a dozen more leather-wrapped clubs.
Further, there is also a stock pile of 240 arrows in twelve quivers. These items (save for the arrows and the clubs) bear the mark of Rome somewhere on them.
There is also an assortment of weaponry that the soldiers have lootted recently. These weapons are jumbled together and obviously little cared for. That assortment includes: a shiv made from a women’s metal comb (treat as a dagger), a heavy mace, spear, quarterstaff, battle axe, and a glaive and two old Roman gladius (short swords).
Supplies for the fort are stored here. There are 200 torches, ten lanterns, two 10 gallon kegs of lantern oil, six spare soldier's uniforms, dozen signal horns, twenty 50’lengths of rope and two barrels labeled ‘emergency rations’.
The emergency rations barrels contain maggoty old iron rations that has gotten wet, moldered and not been replaced.
Hanging in a special rack is also to be found several brands with the X symbol and a specially made brazier for heating them. The prisoners immediately recognize these items as the brands that marked them.
Óbjarni takes a longbow, a quiver of 20 arrows, two coils of 50 feet length of rope, and five torches. He looks for flint and steel.
"Gromplejak, there are other weapons in here that you may prefer. Can you take those kegs of oil and four coils of rope, too? The kegs make big fires for cooking Romans, and the ropes could be useful. Let's load up on as much food as we can carry without slowing us down."
He also tears up the Roman banner to prepare five bottles of rotgut to explode. He sacks 10 pounds of food for himself.
"Do we want to escape or kill everyone? If we want to kill everyone, why don't we attack that big tower in the back where the loot is? Most of the guards are defending the gatehouse, so the tower should be empty or not defended. Then, we can attack the gatehouse."