hey gang ... i have 2 opening nites tomorrow as director and actor and things have been frantic ... I'll post soon though (soz) :)

congrats prankster, hope it all goes well for you.

As the party gathers near the tower to investigate the scroll, the thunder takes a short pause and something is heard from the hole.

Latro -

"do you guys hear that?... sounds like there are more down there. Lets find a way in and deal with them before they realize we're here."

"We could trick them up here? Ask for reinforcements"

Thanks ... went amazingly"

tha sounds like a great plan, we can use the ruins for cover an catch em with their pants down when they come up. One a you humans should call out eh, whaduya think. Rulf whispers to his friends with a malicious glint in his eye as he puts the scroll away in his belongings.

Latro leans closer to the whole, as if listening intently. When A'loran speaks, Latro speaks in hushed tones as well,

"I hear them too. Someone said an elven wizard built this place, but more importantly, someone else said something about keeping the dwarves alive...to dig? I think there might be some dwarven hostages down there. Maybe we're gonna have to go down there and rescue your kinsman Rulf."

"Well, I might be able to lure a few of the bandits up here and scout out down there in one fell swoop. Archibald, go take a quick fly down there and back out, would you?"

Any objections to this plan of action?

Canas -

"The Archibald plan sounds good Canas, but if there are more hostages down there, we probably want to descend. We'll want to be careful though because our last HOSTAGE turned out to be the enemy!"

"Don't worry, no hostages. Just a lot of bandits, some of them on scaffolding. There's also a rather grisly-looking device, but let's hope we don't see it used. Now, go get their attention and come back, Archie."

Meanwhile, the owl flies close enough to the bandits to get their attention and flies back to the entrance, assuming he can do that and remain within 10 squares.

Canas -

Everybody can hear cries of alarm, but then a harsh shout of "Hold it!" ends the ruckus.

Latro -

As Archibald returns to his shoulder, Canas frowns. "Well, that didn't work as planned. It looks like they're just getting ready to shoot whatever comes down next. Still, it seems that they're keeping the dwarves nearby. I suppose I might as well go first, draw their fire, all that?"

Volunteering because I have a lot of HP and AC 19 with Shadow Walk in effect. Also, how high from the bottom are we? If it's 15 feet, I could just teleport down for another +2 to AC.

The brigands have punched a hole through the flagstone floor of the tower, exposing a 5-footdeep shaft that breaks through the ceiling of a 20-foot-high chamber. Anyone standing within the tower can see flickering light and hear faint voices rising up through the gaping hole. Anyone who falls down lands on the pile of jagged rubble in the middle of the chamber (3d10 damage).
A rope ladder with one end tied off to an iron spike in the floor is rolled up next to the hole. The ladder is 50 feet long and descends to the lower chamber.

"Shhh...Don't send Archie down there again. Those bandits have orders from their boss to shoot him on sight."

"So what do we do? It looks like a long way down and the bandits will be shooting us if we throw the ladder down and start climbing. I'm for climbing down, but it might hurt a bit."

"Shall we call them up? Impersonate their human companions and tell them to get up here and help with these bodies. The flaming town guard are wise to us. Something like that, but a human voice would help. Canas? I just fear if we descend we will become pin cushions."

Sorry guys ... been dealing with a mad director in one show AND a cast with anxiety issues in another. Will be back to this full time after tonight

Lady Kava has the right of it methinks. We need to try an bluff em in to sending help up here an i think it needs ta be a human voice.. I'd do it myself but mines too resonant yer know an filled wit proper words, Rulf says with complete sincerity.

LOL

"Well, I suppose I am the only human here, aren't I? Well, here it goes." Canas clears his throat before leaning over the opening. "Hey! Some adventurers tried attacking! How about some of you get up here and help with the bodies already!"

Bluff: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23

Kava seeks total cover L16 and motions the others to do likewise

A voice from below calls out, "What? Adventurers? Just throw the bodies down!"

We're going to try this as a skill challenge. Two more successes will draw the bandits out. Bluff, Diplomacy, and Insight are primary skills, but other skills might help.
Kava"s turn
Latro
Rulf
A'loran
Canas

Use Bluff +8

Latro calls down, disguising his voice as best he can. "I think these adventurers had enough gold to keep me and boys up here happy for a long time. Much more than standing in the rain and fog, guarding a broken tower pays. A little help and maybe we'd be willing to share it!"

Calling over his shoulder to his companions, he continues his bluff, "So what'd ya think boys? Take off and let those lazy bums rot down in the hole. Or should we at least give them a chance to share in our new-found wealth?"

use insight +9. No real idea how, maybe give latro some suggestions on how to increase the appeal of monetary gain. Rulf doesn't want to give the game away by raising his obvious voice.

After a couple of usefull suggestions to Latro Rulf makes his way behind the nearest cover. Seeking total cover from the entrance

I'll assist Latro
Kava whispers "tell them if they do not come up they will miss out on the loot, all the more for us." As Latro bluff's Kava jingles some coins

Kava assists Latro (Bluff = 23).
Kava gives Latro a nudge with what should be a believable lie, too bad the bandits don't seem convinced. "If you're willing to split gold, it must be more work than it's worth.", yells up one voice.
Latro earns 1 failure (Bluff = 12).

Rulf listens to the exchange, but can't figure out anything that would convince them to leave their hole, especially if gold didn't work.
Rulf earns a second failure (Insight = 11).

A'loran's turn.
Canas
Kava
Latro
Rulf

A'loran taps his head with his staff... 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (10) + 12 = 22 history check to gain any helpful information for our endeavor

With Kava's help, I though I had a pretty good shot. I can't believe I rolled a freakin' 2!! I should have assisted Kava!

Kava whispers "Maybe bribing them may help a bit."

A'loran taps his head with his staff... 1d20+12 history check to gain any helpful information for our endeavor

Bandits have a strong history of robbing from the vulnerable and not contributing to society in a meaningful way. Chris, are you messing with me?

Canas, feel free to act.

"Well, maybe they're not in this for gold?" Canas quietly consults with the owl for the next course of action.

Insight, +6+1d4(from owl familiar)

Chris, are you messing with me?

Perhaps if Canans had been more descriptive as to what he may or maynot have discovered down below (in the ruins I mean) re: the bandits etal.

Ghetto DM wrote:

Chris, are you messing with me?

Perhaps if Canans had been more descriptive as to what he may or maynot have discovered down below (in the ruins I mean) re: the bandits etal.

Not that much to say. They're all painted with yellow skulls like the guys out here were, there's a lot of them, and one of them seems to be a leader. They also have what looks like a blood-stained bear trap lying around, but let's hope it won't magically animate and attack us.

"Well they are some kinda of necromantically inclined folks, though I have never know evil not to covet gold. Perhaps something regarding corpses and zombies?" whispers Kava

Not that much to say. ....

Is that player chat or character? because it might help out Elf-Features History check. It'll certainly help out a religeon check (I'm guessing). But thanks BigC for the heads up. Now I've got DumDum DumDum going through my head when you mention the Jaws [/shivers]

Well I figured with the faded crest that was uncovered... and maybe the dwarf turning on us. That there might be some historical knowledge that could assist us... or some info that could assist a bluff.

Well I figured with the faded crest that was uncovered... and maybe the dwarf turning on us. That there might be some historical knowledge that could assist us... or some info that could assist a bluff.

Sorry, but you've already garnered what you could about those things. There isn't anything historically that will help you draw the bandits out.

Canas figures out that the thieves may want to come up (especially for gold), but something is holding them back, maybe orders. Canas gained a second success (Insight = 15).

Kava"s turn
Latro
Rulf
A'loran
Canas

Let's try this again. Bluff +8.

Using the knowledge that orders might be holding them back, "We're still willing to share. There's enough here for all of us to never have to take orders again! Man, I'm outta here. Final chance to come along and leave this foresaken place."

Kava flicks down a gold piece to aid in Latro's appeal
Aid Latro

Rulf looks at the corpses probing his memory about religions to see if there could be something usefull with their beliefs. Maybe they dain't covet gold, let me think back on this base cult. Religion + 6

"No, no, they're definitely in this for gold. That much is certain. They'd probably be up here right now if they weren't being ordered to stay down there."

to Canas Kava says in hushed tones "And a good soldier shows a little initiative ... that is how one gets promoted. There is a saying amongst my people
vi nadot nurti waph ghent xtirl mrith wer irlym - A plan never survives the contact with the enemy
Perhaps it is the same with these bandits?"

A'loran rubs the spot where he tapped his head to no avail. "I read in a book once Insight 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14 that.... Bandits love to drink. And so do Dwarfs.... " A'loran stares at Rulf for a bit. "So maybe we should cheer that we found a keg of beer."

Kava assists Latro (Bluff: 14).
As Latro implores the bandits again, the rope ladder goes taut.
Latro gained a third success (Bluff: 26), and the bandits have been drawn out. Now, where is everybody on the map?

Map

Rain and light fog provide concealment to anything 5 squares away, and visibility is limited to 10 squares. Green squares are bushes and count as difficult terrain. Green squares surrounding a brown square are a tree and provide concealment and/or cover. The red square is a cook fire. Tan squares are tents. Dark gray squares are stone rubble and count as difficult terrain. Blue squares are water and count as difficult terrain. Black squares are stone wall. Light gray squares are stone floor. The three brown squares to the right are an overturned cart.

Also, this was an impromptu skill challenge. The adventure text says those bandits come up for nothing. Let me know if it worked for you.

"Load up the cart and behind the tents, they will not see your features in the fog ... I'll spring the trap once they are outside"
Kava runs to her hiding place

Canas takes his position behind the tower's wall.

I'll take O21. Stealth: +2

Move to U15, drawing shuriken.

In a whisper, "Well that worked. I'll have my surprise ready when you're ready Kava."

Latro heads into the fog and around the corner of the tower. A glint of steel flashes in his hand.

Rulf takes up his position M13 behind the ruined walls and whispers to Kava well that worked, I bags any o'them pesky gnomes.

great work on the impromptu skill challenge Ghetto.

T24

->: HAPPY 2000th POST :<-