Rhade manages after a while to regain his wits.
Whilst the others gathered at the pit, he remained behind trying to get over his fright.
Walking across he glances over Zo's shoulder to see what had caught their interest.
"Leave the copper, we might need the silver if there's any lycanthropes inside mind you it might be worth taking a couple of sacks to bribe whoever slammed those gates but we can always pick whatevers' left on the way out," he advises.

Sorry had to restore my computer after it failed Wednesday pm, have to say I was seriously relieved it fell before it reached Rhade!

Once everyone is together again, Ignacious does his best to spread the coins around the entire party to distribute their weight. Once that is accomplished the group must now decide on how to enter Bargle's lair. Through the hole in the wall? Bust down the gate? Climb over the wall? Or perhaps some enterprising soul will devise an even clever entry?

Zo only:

Rhade moves back to the carrion crawler's corpse hoping to retrieve his arrows whilst the others decide on what they want to do next.

Perception check to see how many of his arrows he can salvage Roll 1d20+9: 17+9 for Total of 26

Rhade moves back to the carrion crawler's corpse hoping to retrieve his arrows whilst the others decide on what they want to do next.

Perception check to see how many of his arrows he can salvage Roll 1d20+9: 17+9 for Total of 26

Rhade wrote:

Rhade moves back to the carrion crawler's corpse hoping to retrieve his arrows whilst the others decide on what they want to do next.

Perception check to see how many of his arrows he can salvage Roll 1d20+9: 17+9 for Total of 26

Rhade looks about the battle site while the others are busy around the pit. After a few minutes of searching, he is able to recover one of his arrows which did not find its mark.

"Thanks by the way," Rhade says to Ignacious as he passes the now overloaded mage.

"If the beasts know we're coming, then perhaps a different approach is called for. Maybe up and over? I can summon a mount for myself, but I don't think I can call them for long enough to ferry EVERYONE, but perhaps one or two of you. One COULD fly a rope up there, perhaps?"

"Zo...Rhade, what are the chances you two could sneak a peek inside that hole and let us know what thier numbers are how they are set up?"

"Well if I cut off some of that things hide perhaps we can use that to shield us from their attacks when we do," Rhade suggests as he puts his bow away and draws his blades.

"If you've memorised that spell it might prove advantageous if Lady Crichton accompanied you so she can smite them from above," Rhade mentions to Ignacious.
"And I'll go through as you head near the top to draw their attention when you do," Rhade looks back at the hole.

"You need a distraction."

Gregori walks up to the front gate, a resolute look on his face.

"BARGLE! .......BARGLE....... TIME TO DIE!!!"

Rhade shakes his head in disbelief.
"Let's go," he mutters to Zo as he heads for the hole intending to go through hoping he can fight his way through for the others to follow.

"You need a distraction."

Gregori walks up to the front gate, a resolute look on his face.

"BARGLE! .......BARGLE....... TIME TO DIE!!!"

Rhade shakes his head in disbelief.
"Let's go," he mutters to Zo as he heads for the hole intending to go through hoping he can fight his way through for the others to follow.

"Bargle... I'm going to kill you!! AND I'M GOING TO ENJOY IT!! COME OUT HERE YOU SONOFAb&#%%!!!!"

Rhade grimaced at the sight of the gathered coins.
Then he glances at the hole in the wall before glancing back at the coins.
A slight smile begins to form as he moves alongside Zo and leaning down mutters something to her.

"Thanks by the way," Rhade says to Ignacious as he passes the now overloaded mage.

Ignacious winks at Rhade, then goes back to scowling. "Greedy, am I? We'll see who's complaining when we get back to town after all this and SOMEONE needs to have a foot regrown. 'Oh I wish I had that treasure we left lying in that filthy unprotected worm's nest! Oh, then I'd have a new foot!'"

"Bargle... I'm going to kill you!! AND I'M GOING TO ENJOY IT!! COME OUT HERE YOU SONOFAb&#%%!!!!"

Turning her attention back to the keep, Zo examines the wall, weighing their options. "I don't like that hole," she says decidedly. "It's far too obvious. We'll use it if we have to, but only when we've exhausted all other possibilities."

How high is this wall, DM?

How high is this wall, DM?

Leaving Gregori raising Cain at the front gate, Zo moves to the other end of the wall from the gaping hole to the right, I think? as quietly as she can. She still does not completely trust the terrain leading up to the wall and keeps searching for hidden pits or trip wires as she approaches.

Stealth (1d20+12=24); Perception (1d20+6=14)

If she reaches the wall in safety, she looks for a small hole at or below eye-level through which she might be able to get a glimpse of what lies within.

Watching the paladin indulging his inner bard, Ignacious sighs. "Well, I can see that preparation and stealth will be of no use. Perhaps we should construct some sort of a large wooden rabbit and hide inside it. When they take it inside, we'll spring forth and take them by surprise? No? Yes, I suppose it is a rather cliched idea..."

Gregori listens for the chattering kobolds. perception1d20+1=20

When he has a good idea where they are he hurls a bottle of alchenist fire over the wall into what shoul be their midst.
Attack roll to hit square, % for aiming blind athough with a splash weapon it probably doesn't matter. 1d20+3=22, 1d100=48

"If I have to crawl over a mountain of your dead lackeys I will

Leaving Gregori raising Cain at the front gate, Zo moves to the other end of the wall from the gaping hole to the right, I think? as quietly as she can. She still does not completely trust the terrain leading up to the wall and keeps searching for hidden pits or trip wires as she approaches.

If she reaches the wall in safety, she looks for a small hole at or below eye-level through which she might be able to get a glimpse of what lies within.

Rhade grimaced at the sight of the gathered coins.
Then he glances at the hole in the wall before glancing back at the coins.
A slight smile begins to form as he moves alongside Zo and leaning down mutters something to her.
Rhade:** spoiler omitted **

"Thanks by the way," Rhade says to Ignacious as he passes the now overloaded mage.
"Oh, I'm sure he's keeping track of exactly how many charges he's having to use from his wand and which of us are benefitting. If we survive, he'll be giving us each an itemized bill for fair market value of his magic," she tells Rhade.

Ignacious winks at Rhade, then goes back to scowling. "Greedy, am I? We'll see who's complaining when we get back to town after all this and SOMEONE needs to have a foot regrown. 'Oh I wish I had that treasure we left lying in that filthy unprotected worm's nest! Oh, then I'd have a new foot!'"
"And whichever one of us needs that new foot will be making payments on it for the next thirty years."

Turning her attention back to the keep, Zo examines the wall, weighing their options. "I don't like that hole," she says decidedly. [b]"It's far too obvious. We'll use it if we have to, but only when we've exhausted all other possibilities."

Once Ignatious is finished with the coins, Cordelia collects her rope and places it back into her pack, watching Gregori verbally abuse the Gate and smiling to herself. "Woe to anyone who stands between him and Bargle," she thinks to herself.
Shouldering her pack, she accompanies Father Meghdad over to stand behind Gregori, motioning to Ignatious to put the coins away and follow. She resists glancing in the direction of Zo or Rhade in case it alerts anyone to their presence.

When he has a good idea where they are he hurls a bottle of alchenist fire over the wall into what shoul be their midst.
Attack roll to hit square, % for aiming blind athough with a splash weapon it probably doesn't matter. 1d20+3=22, 1d100=48

"If I have to crawl over a mountain of your dead lackeys I will

Zo:

"So is it a go?" Rhade whispers to Zo.

Stealth check: Roll 1d20+7:19+7 for Total of 26

Having seen enough, Zo moves to sneak back to the main party and discuss tactics. She accidentally kicks some loose rubble on the ground and winces at the sound but hopes the paladin's ravings will cover her mistake.

Stealth (1d20+12=13)

Arriving back at the gates and motioning Rhade to rejoin them, Zo relates, "It looks like Sarenrae was with you, Gregori: You actually hit one of them with your fire. Of course, it might have been a more difficult task to hit a spot that didn't have a kobold in it. The courtyard is full of rocks and rubble with a kobold hiding behind everything that's large enough. There will be no charging or running in there, not unless you want to end up on the ground with a kobold at your throat. They're expecting us through that hole; we need a distraction from some other direction if we're going to get through it." She glances at the half-elf. "Rhade and I might be able to climb the wall and shoot at them from the other side of the courtyard while the rest of you come through the hole, but we'd make excellent targets. Iggie, could you summon some kind of creature to the other side of that wall? The rank and file seem nervous; a little panic could be enough to make them stop listening to their commander's orders."

" Iggie, could you summon some kind of creature to the other side of that wall? The rank and file seem nervous; a little panic could be enough to make them stop listening to their commander's orders."

"If I can see the area, I can summon into it."

Ignacious Throckmorton III wrote:

"If I can see the area, I can summon into it."

You could see through the same hole in the wall Zo spied through ... if you stand on your toes.

Ignacious still move over to the hole and peer through.

"You know what spells does Ignacious knows?" Rhade whispers to Zo.
"I mean could he magically open those doors for example?" he very quietly wonders.
"Oh well lets see what develops..." he sighs also very quietly.

Does this count as another Stealth check?

"You know what spells does Ignacious knows?" Rhade whispers to Zo.
"I mean could he magically open those doors for example?" he very quietly wonders.

Rhade wrote:

"You know what spells does Ignacious knows?" Rhade whispers to Zo.
"I mean could he magically open those doors for example?" he very quietly wonders.

"If he can and doesn't volunteer the fact, I'll roast him on a spit when this is over," Zo replies dryly. "Do you think it's worth trying to climb that wall to cover Gregori going through the hole? Or would you rather go in with him and fight hand-to-hand?"

"I'm wondering if its worth getting Lady Crichton over here and sending them a load of that heavenly fire of hers as an extra incentive for them to keep their heads down whilst we stealth in," Rhade muses quietly.

"That depends, what did you see when you peaked in there?" Rhade asks curiously.

"I can handle them for long enough if you all lay down cover fire. It's traps I have to worry about. I say Ignatious does his summoning and we move during the chaos. Two on the wall I go in first to draw their attacks."

Their is a glint of something in his eyes. An eagerness that is the tiniest bit unsettling.

Rhade wrote:

"That depends, what did you see when you peaked in there?" Rhade asks curiously.

"At least three kobolds, but probably a lot more. Treacherous footing." She shrugs. "Don't know if you'd rather try to pick them off from above or use your blades. Only problem is if Gregori gets into trouble, it'll take either one of us a while to get down off the wall."

"Does that sound as crazy to you as it does to me?" he then asks as he looks over at the Paladin.

"Crazy, no, bold, undoubtably"

"Crazy, no, bold, undoubtably"

"Please Lady Crichton back Ignacious whilst the good father and Zo take up the rear when we storm that place," Rhade asks her.

"I figure once you summon whatever it is, the distraction will be very short, but every step we make beyond that hole should put us close enough for the pair of you to strike down any of those critters with ranged weapons whilst we sort out the rest hand to hand, any problems with that?" Rhade asks Ignacious and the others keeping his voice down.

"So Ignacious you ready?" Rhade asks as they towards the hole.

"Please Lady Crichton back Ignacious whilst the good father and Zo take up the rear when we storm that place," Rhade asks her.

"I figure once you summon whatever it is, the distraction will be very short, but every step we make beyond that hole should put us close enough for the pair of you to strike down any of those critters with ranged weapons whilst we sort out the rest hand to hand, any problems with that?" Rhade asks Ignacious and the others keeping his voice down.

Invisible castle: 1d3=3

After a round's worth of chanting and gesturing, three Celestial Giant Fire Beetles appear, two flanking the exposed kobold and one adjacent to the hidden kobold.

Stats for the Beetles:

And Initiative: 1d20+3=7

And three attacks and damage for the Beetles (John, Paul and George!):
2 Flankers (John and Paul): 1d20+5=20, 2d4+2=8 and 1d20+5=15, 2d4+2=4

And the Lone Beetle (George): 1d20+3=7, 2d4+2=8

Once Ignacious has cast his spell Rhade rushes in through the hole drawing his blades once he can and going defensive until he can engage the nearest opponents inside.

Initiative: Roll 1d20+3:1+3 for Total of 4, just my luck!

Zo loads her crossbow while Ignacious casts his spell, so she is ready to fire when needed.

Initiative (1d20+8=16)

OK, I'm going to run it like this: Ignacious is casting his summoning spell through the hole in the eastern edge of the wall. I am going to rule that the summoned celestial fire beetles get to act in a surprise round. After that all of you come pouring through the gap in the western edge of the wall and everyone acts in their initiative order. If any of this contradicts what you thought was going on, please let me know and we can change it. I placed all of you on the map in places that made sense. If you would have rather started in a different place, please say so and we can change it.

SURPRISE ROUND
Through the chink in the wall, Ignacious watches as his three summoned fire beetles appear among the kobolds. Caught completely off guard, the first beetle nearly takes the red kobold's head off, dropping him instantly. Now without an opponent, the second beetle scuttles off towards the back of the nearest kobold, while the third snaps its scintillating mandibles at a kobold near the front entrance of the manor. Just in the nick of time, the kobold sees the creature out of the corner of his eye and ducks, avoiding certain beetly death.

INITIATIVE:
Zo 16
Kobolds 16
Ignacious and the Beatles 7
Rhade 4
Gregori Shadowbane ?
Cordelia Crichton ?
Father Meghdad ?

END OF SURPRISE ROUND COMBAT MAP

Please remember that everything in the courtyard is difficult terrain, which has the following effects: Movement is halved (2 squares of movement, 3 for diagonal), no running, no charging, no 5 ft. steps.

Initiative. (1d20+2=19)

I'm assuming it has been longer than 3 minutes since the end of the fight with the Carrion Crawler, so both FM's Bless and my Shield will have worn off.

Cordelia intones a quick prayer to Saranrae, asking for strength in the coming battle. Everyone suddenly feels more confident as a warm glow spreads from her outstretched arms to suffuse the party with courage.
She then strides forward through the gap to take up a supporting position inside the courtyard.
Casts Bless on the party (sorry Ignacious, you're out of range) and then moves through the breach in the wall to end up in square N-2.
3 minutes of Bless remaining, giving a +1 Bonus to Attack Rolls and Saves vs. Fear.

I'll post Rhade's move now to avoid holding things up later, he'll do a double move which I believe you said was difficult terrain so he only covers 6 squares first to M,-3 then diagonally for the rest ending up on either P,-0 or R,+2 depending on what movement rules are for that kind of thing

Rhade rushes in trying to close on the kobolds before they can react to them.

Initiative1d20=9

Double move to M2

Sword drawn Gregori closes in on the kobolds.

Zo will delay until after Gregori and Rhade have entered the hole, then go through, take up a position with her back to the wall at N-2 or thereabouts, and shoot her crossbow at the first kobold she can get a clear shot at, preferably one not in melee.

Attack (1d20+6=21) Damage (1d8=5)

Ignacious will run toward the opening in the wall while his little friends work their magic!

South Beetle will attack: 1d20+3=23, 2d4+2=7 and to confirm the crit: 1d20+3=11, 2d4+2=8

Middle beetle will double move to attack the nearest kobold.

North Beetle will attack again: 1d20+3=20, 2d4+2=8

"Okay then Gregori and me rush in, Ignacious and Lady Crichton provide covering fire once Ignacious casts whatever spell he has to distract them long enough for us to get through that hole and rush them, you stick with the good father hopefully me and the paladin won't get too badly hurt before making enough headway for the rest of you to rejoin us inside," Rhade says to Zo.

"Does that sound as crazy to you as it does to me?" he then asks as he looks over at the Paladin.

Drink Potion of shiled of faith:+2 AC

SURPRISE ROUND
Through the chink in the wall, Ignacious watches as his three summoned fire beetles appear among the kobolds. Caught completely off guard, the first beetle nearly takes the red kobold's head off, dropping him instantly. Now without an opponent, the second beetle scuttles off towards the back of the nearest kobold, while the third snaps its scintillating mandibles at a kobold near the front entrance of the manor. Just in the nick of time, the kobold sees the creature out of the corner of his eye and ducks, avoiding certain beetly death.

Meghdad darts across the opening in the wall taking up a position to cover the others as they enter the courtyard. Taking aim he fires upon the kolbold in his direct line of sight. "And so it begins," he says matter of factly.

Move to -4;-L and shoot at the kolbold in space 5;-T

Attack Roll (1d20+3=18)

Damage Roll (1d8=8)

ROUND 1

INITIATIVE:
Father Meghdad 21
Cordelia Crichton 19
Kobolds 16
Gregori Shadowbane 9
Ignacious and the Beatles 7
Rhade 4
Zo 4

The kobolds are screaming and pointing at the fire beetles and are momentarily distracted, giving the group a chance to come in through the gap in the wall.

Meghdad darts across the opening in the wall taking up a position to cover the others as they enter the courtyard. Taking aim he fires upon the kobold in his direct line of sight. "And so it begins," he says matter of factly. Despite the fact that the Father doesn't have a clear shot because of the wall, and that his target is crouched behind a large rock, the bolt takes the kobold through the throat, and he collapses on the ground.(Move; crossbow attack 15+3-4(Cover)=14, hit! Damage 1d8=8, kobold is dying)

Cordelia regrets that her earlier spell has expired, and intones a quick prayer to Saranrae, asking for strength in the coming battle. Everyone suddenly feels more confident as a warm glow spreads from her outstretched arms to suffuse the party with courage.
She then strides forward through the gap to take up a supporting position inside the courtyard. (Casts Bless on the party (sorry Ignacious, you're out of range) and then double moves through the breach in the wall to end up in square N-2. 3 minutes of Bless remaining, giving a +1 Bonus to Attack Rolls and Saves vs. Fear.)

The red kobolds seem so taken aback by the strange, glowing beetles that they don't seem to notice that one of their companions is lying in a pool of his own blood. Most of the kobolds jab desperately at the beetles with their small spears, but seem remarkably ineffectual. One even slips while trying to flank the northernmost beetle, crying out in pain. Only one kobold, the one who had seen his companion skewered by Father Meghdad's crossbow bolt, turns and cries out in alarm. He then grabs his sling and advances towards Cordelia, but his attack fails to hit her. (Kobold#11 attacks fire beetle George and hits AC 11, miss; kobold#12 attacks fire beetle George and fumbles takes 2 Strength damage; kobold#8 attacks fire beetle George and hits AC 7, miss; kobold#3 attacks fire beetle George and hits AC 8, miss; kobold#9 attacks fire beetle Paul and hits AC 8, miss; kobold#5 warns others of PCs and advances towards Cordelia, attacking with a sling and hits AC 10, miss)

Sword drawn Gregori closes in on the kobolds, but makes poor progress over the difficult terrain of the courtyard (Double move)

Ignacious runs toward the opening in the wall while his little friends work their magic! (Run)

Meanwhile in the courtyard the southernnmost beetle lunges at the kobold in front of it, nearly severing its arm. The middle beetle skitters over the rubble towards the nearest enemy and takes a chunk out of it with its glittering mandibles, dropping him. The northern beetle, now surrounded, snaps about it, catching a kobold in the neck with a sickening craaack! The creature seems lifeless after that. (Southern fire beetle attacks 1d20+3=23, hit! Damage 2d4+2=7 and to confirm the crit: 1d20+3=11, no crit, kobold is dying; Middle beetle attacks 18+3=21, hit! Damage 2d4+2=4, kobold#2 is disabled; Northern beetle attacks 1d20+3=20, hit! Damage 2d4+2=8, kobold is dying)

Rhade rushes in trying to close on the kobolds before they can react to them. (Double move)

Zo ducks through the gap behind the rest and enters the fray, picking her way over the broken rubble that makes moving about quite a hazard. Her crossbow in hand, she fires at the nearest red kobold, the one who had just fired his sling at Cordelia. The bolt passes through his chest and emerges most of the way out his other side, much to his consternation and confusion. (Delay; Move action; Crossbow attack on kobold 15+6+1(Bless)-4(Cover)=18, hit! Damage 1d8=5, kobold is dying)

END OF ROUND 1 COMBAT MAP

"Good work everyone, will have them on the run soon." Meghdad slips through the wall and reloads his crossbow.

move action from -4;-L to -4;-N and move action load crossbow

Seeing her companions take out the closest Kobolds, Cordelia moves her way along the wall towards more of the annoying creatures.
Double Move along the wall to -N4

Zo quickly draws a new bolt and reloads her crossbow. Seeing that the magical beetles seem to have the kobolds at the other end of the courtyard in hand for the moment, she decides to save her ammunition. Still on her guard, she carefully moves a few steps closer to the remaining kobolds and the inner gate.

Move to -P-1

Ignacious will double move to get to the wall opening, wheezing as he goes from the exertion.

North beetle will attack the kobold at U10: 1d20+3=14, 2d4+2=10

Middle beetle will move to V13 and attack the flanked kobold: 1d20+5=14, 2d4+2=6

South beetle will attack the kobold at O12: 1d20+3=23, 2d4+2=7 and confirm: 1d20+3=9, 2d4+2=5 (edit: accidentally pasted the same roll...)

This done, the three beetles will disappear, their 3 rounds of summoned life spent.