Mi'Dre |
How heavy is the locker and contents? Guessing about 40 or 50 lbs? The coins alone would be almost 25lbs.
"Mmm, looks tasty." Mi'Dre comments as he emerges from the bedroom carrying the relocked lockbox-now with the canteen of whiskey added-to find Albina rummaging through the storage, examining some rather disgusting looking food. "Could you hand me some of that rope." he asks her, setting the box down long enough to sling the coil over his shoulder much like Albina had. "If you want some food I left some in the mess." he calls back to her before he heads into the hallway, and finds Grumblejack squeezing out into the hall.
"I'll tell ya what Grumblejack. If you hold onto this, and carry it out for me, then I'll let you have some of what's inside once we get away from this place." he tells the Ogre, holding out the lockbox to Grumblejack with a grin.
Shendalyn Shawn |
"If we go, we leave the Warden alive. He can marshal the remaining guards and hound us quite quickly. It might make sense to at least assassinate him so that the remaining guards are left to stand around with no leadership," Albrecht says thoughtfully.
We can always just split the weight around and worry about proper division later. It's not like we have anywhere to run.
"Or rally at the death of their commander and hunt us down like dogs." Shendalyn muses. "I think we'd be better off sabotaging the ways off this island once we've secured a boat." Then Shendalyn glances at grumblejack and shrugs. "Or two. It keeps them from chasing us for quite a while. Still I'm not against the idea of revenge."
Mi'Dre |
"Well, we've got plenty of fuel for some fires." Mi'Dre suggests with a grin. He was always happy to cause some mayhem and destruction. "I'm gunna go sneak around out there and see if there's anything else we can use first though."
Just waiting for a response from Grumblejack there to Mi'Dre's proposal.
DM - Voice of the Voiceless |
Grumblejack looks at the chest before shrugging and acceding to Mi'Dre's request "What so important in there?" Hefting the chest with a pained grunt. While he is an ogre, it is plain that he is still sickened by poison and wounded from the guard's ministrations and Blackerly's cut earlier.
You guys know that the prison sits high on an outcrop of rock which doesn't include any type of port. To get the mainland you'll need to cross a stone bridge that you wager is on the other side of the guardhouse Gurthock saw.
One on the mainland, your rendezvous with Albina's sister is across the moors.
Black Jack |
Black Jack retrieves the greatsword from the armory, 50ft of rope, a lantern that he fills with oil, the canteen with whiskey, 3 rations that he tries to select among the more edible ones and the adventure's outfit Mi'dri found. Civilian cloths, nice! Not finding a backpack he improvise a sack with one of the blankets from the barracks and picks an extra one just in case.. While in the kitchen he looks for drinkable water, if there is any Jack will empty the whiskey, after drinking some, and fill the canteen with it.
After getting ready he rejoins the rest of them in mid conversation.
While I would love to split that bastard's skull I am not sure how wise it would be for us to linger around hunting for him. It has been an eventful day. Jack says scratching one of his bruises.
Did shorty saw any horses or wagon?
Srry by the delay in posting DM VoV. I got swallowed by work this week. Updated my equipment.
DM - Voice of the Voiceless |
Jack - the kitchen is where the servant fled into and you then barred the door... so you don't have access to it. Do you still take a swig of whiskey from the flask?
As Mi'Dre attempts to slip through the door unseen... he picks a time when a pair of guards are circling the top of the fort wall to the North East past the dog cage. One of them reacts as the dogs back and sees Mi'Dre as he exits the door, his hand going to the signal horn at his side as he yells "Feck, they got past the Sergeant"
The pair are on top of a wall, so you wouldn't be able to get at them in melee. They have longbows with them, though if you desired to move quickly you could surge forward to the fountain to take cover.
Mi'Dre |
If that's the whiskey with the floral scent from the bedroom Mi'Dre had already put that into the lockbox that Grumblejack has
Mi'Dre curses loudly at the poor timing, and does indeed rush forwards to take cover, before mentally calling back to Albina "<expletive> guards were waitin' when I came out!"
DM - Voice of the Voiceless |
I'm not entirely sure whether to flip to combat yet... will pend on a few of the following actions.
At present - Mi'Dre is outside taking cover behind the fountain. Two guards are roughly 60ft away from him on top of the perimeter wall. The only access that you can see to the top of the wall is via the guardhouse before you (closed door).
Everyone else is still presently inside.
The guard that spotted Mi'Dre puts the signal horn to his lips and blows a clear sound into the night. The second squints his eyes into the gloom and says "Where? I don't see a thing"
How do you react? - do those inside come out? and what is Mi'Dre's next move?
Mi'Dre |
Damn internets troubles! Should all be fixed now hopefully so no more disappearing from me.
Mi'Dre winces as the signal horn sounds; it seemed they'd been lucky the first time, the exterior guards assuming the internal ones would deal with them, but he doubted they'd have such luck this time. As the others burst through the door behind him he crouches, waiting for his opportunity, before barreling forwards again, heading straight for the guard house door about as fast as his small legs can carry him, not looking like he's going to stop unless something changes.
DM - Voice of the Voiceless |
Seems we are missing Albrecht and Albina? They'll tag along... for now
As the group lunges for the cover of the fountain, Grumblejack emerges from the prison and triggers another wave of epithets from the wall.
Signalman looses another blast of the horn before dropping it and stringing his longbow. The other guard now has visual proof of hostiles as well and gets to readying his own ranged weapon.
Mi'Dre rushes forwards and throws open the double doors to the main gatehouse revealing a room 80ft x 50ft and with a set of double doors on the other side of the room.
The dogs continue yapping within their cage, but cannot free themselves.
For ease, I'll keep it in us vs them initiative for a little while longer - until I'm sure where the combat will occur.
Mi'Dre - at doors to gatehouse
Albina / Shendalyn + Fleshmincer / Albrecht / Black Jack - taking cover behind the fountain roughly 30ft from the gatehouse
Grumblejack - standing near to the fountain and not in cover.
Two guards - on the Eastern wall roughly 80ft from the fountain.
Mi'Dre |
Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11
*facepalms and sighs*
So there's only the double doors then, no other exits?
Mi'Dre once again curses under his breath, spinning around and leaning out of the door ever so slightly, trying to catch sight of some other method of gaining the wall. They could just try and flee, but he'd feel better not having Archers shooting arrows into their butts, even if the prison staff had been fairly mediocre so far for something with as fierce a reputation as Branderscar.
DM - Voice of the Voiceless |
Slight facepalm for me too...
To the left of the doubledoors by 40 odd feet (within the prison grounds) is a second single door that enters the gatehouse. Mi'Dre wagers it would get you inside the gatehouse to the West of the Western arrow slits.
For clarity:
Two exits into the guardhouse from the prison grounds.
The double doors - which lead into a rectangular room with only one exit.
The single door to the West - which should lead to a space behind the arrowslits in the West wall.
Albina Mariposa |
Perception 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 2 = 22
Despite being first out the door (after Mi'Dre, anyway), Albina attempts to keep herself in the middle of the pack, unwilling to stick out and make a target of herself.
She points to the East wall and whispers, "I hear guards through those arrow slits, we can't stay here in the courtyard..."
Shendalyn Shawn |
1d20 + 0 ⇒ (12) + 0 = 12 Perception
1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 21 Perception Gurthock
The little devil nods in agreement with Albina and Shendalyn shakes his head. "Stuck in the middle of a courtyard with pointy death awaiting on all sides. Any ideas for a daring escape?"
DM - Voice of the Voiceless |
The two guards have now strung their longbows and each take a shot at the approaching ogre, forsaking the smaller targets for the larger...
Longbow: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 2 = 16 for 1d8 ⇒ 2
Longbow: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (13) + 2 = 15 for 1d8 ⇒ 1
...the arrows thunking into his flesh solidly, but despite all his wounds he still lives on - though barely.
Grumblejack roars in pain and rumbles up next to the wall, using the chest Mi'Dre gave him to hold as a makeshift morningstar...
Big heavy Chest: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (5) + 6 = 11 for 2d6 + 4 ⇒ (1, 1) + 4 = 6
...though his desperate flail does not meet flesh.
The western door is flung open and you are greeted with an empty room that bears a ladder in the centre leading upwards.
You can all bundle into the western room and out of LoS for now - though you'll need to forsake Grumblejack to his probably inevitable doom...
Mi'Dre |
Heal: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 2 = 16
Mi'Dre glances back with a frown as Grumblejack roars in pain. He would have liked to keep the infernal brute, sure that some use could be made of him, but he couldn't do anything from down here anyway. He turns away, moving into the room and heading for the ladder with as much speed as he can manage.
DM - Voice of the Voiceless |
Assuming that Shendalyn and co follow you in
As you rush for the relative safety provided by the side room in the guardtower you see the guards dodge to the side and return fire on Grumblejack...
Longbow: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13 for 1d8 ⇒ 5
Longbow: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6 for 1d8 ⇒ 3
...one shot going wide, but the other lodging in the ogre's belly and sending him to the ground clutching at the almost disappeared shaft. He twitches on the ground showing he lives yet, but Grumblejack is out of the fight for now.
Within the room that you have taken refuge, the only exit is the central ladder - which you wager would get you to the same level within the guard house as the top of the perimeter wall that the two guards stand upon.
Up the ladder - or another direction?
Mi'Dre |
Mmm, I would have liked to. We'll see what happens.
"Assuming we can get out of the gatehouse up there..." Mi'Dre agrees with Shendalyn, and if nobody beats him to it he starts to climb the ladder, peering onto the next floor.
General Perception check: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28
DM - Voice of the Voiceless |
Reading back over the thread it would seem that I inadequately described the room that you entered through the double doors... You entered on the south side, and on the north side were a second set of heavy double doors. Apologies it that was lost in my addled description.
Grumblejack is currently down - not dead yet. So he can still be salvaged later if you would like.
Moving through the room and up the ladder you find yourself in a large chamber that spans the width of the gatehouse. A door is on the Western wall, and there is a ladder against the North wall that leads to the roof of the gatehouse.
In the central area you see the murderhole that looks down upon the central chamber.
The East bears a single door that you wager leads to where the guards from outside on the wall will soon be entering. You also see a trapdoor that would gain access to the ground level in the eastern side of the tower. There is also another ladder leading upwards.
The Northern wall is lined with arrow slits.
Mi'Dre can hear noises coming from the East - sounds of chairs falling over and indistinct voices of men.
Mi'Dre |
Yeah, Mi'Dre wasn't interested in getting away just at the moment (which is where he assumes the other gate will lead). He wants to take out the archers first.
Mi'Dre steps away from the ladder, looking around the room at their options. It seems they could exit onto the wall from here which had been his goal, so the demon preceeds Jack to the Eastern door and presses his ear to it, readying himself should it open suddenly.
DM - Voice of the Voiceless |
Black Jack and Mi'Dre rush to the East to face the guards expected to emerge from the wall and Shendalyn and Albrecht follow close behind. However after Jack and the devil get close you are interrupted by the trapdoor in the floor clattering open. A waft of cheap whiskey flows from the trapdoor and the head of a guard pops up between you.
Hopefully map tonight if my computer agrees with me, but here is the layout:
Mi'Dre and Black Jack 10ft East of the trapdoor; and the door to the wall another 20ft from them.
Albrecht and Shendalyn / Fleshmincer 10ft West of the trapdoor.
Albina is ~15-20ft West of the trapdoor.
Black Jack: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11
Mi'Dre: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 4 = 8
Albrecht: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 2 = 17
Shendalyn + Gurthock: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 1 = 19
Guards: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (6) + 0 = 6
Round 1: Shendalyn and Gurthock, Albrecht, Albina, Black Jack, Mi'Dre, Guards
Shendalyn Shawn |
"Evening sir!" Shendalyn says manically as he brins his own sword down on the man. "Might you point out the way to the midden heap?"
This will likely provide flanking to Midre or Blackjack
Move: Move next to guard.
Swift: Arcane Strike
Standard:
1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22
1d8 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10
Gurthock will mutter and move next to shendalyn but otherwise not act.
Mi'Dre |
Argh! The initiative roller hates meeee!
Mi'Dre pauses momentarily as the hatch opens behind him, not terribly surprised that there were guards somewhere within the gatehouse. He was slightly confused as to how to get into that room from below, but they hadn't exactly had a lot of time to explore...
Regardless with the others quickly dispatching the guard who poked his head up, Mi'Dre continues with his original goal, moving quietly to the door and listening for how far away the guards on the wall are, ready for the door to open.
Stealth & Perception:
1d20 + 12 ⇒ (5) + 12 = 171d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15
Mi'Dre is readying a Noxious Breath for whoever opens the eastern door.