Perhaps we should do what he says, Fade, after all, he might put us to the sword as well when we least expect it if we don't do what he says says the elven enchantress in Common.
Utterly aghast at the man's cold reasoning, Faedrin continues to shout, "That one hadn't attacked us, he'd not even gotten the chance to! And even if he had, it's not like the pair of them were any real threat to us. We are a group of armed strangers demanding to see someone we aren't even sure is here, Dareon! And whether she is here or not, these men didn't deserve to die for trying to chase trespassers away!" Faedrin's eyes narrow as he turns in frustrated circles, his hands gesticulating wildly. "I'm all for ignoring rules when it's prudent, but murdering a helpless man because he told you to leave his property?! That's a terrible line to cross!"
By the time Faedrin is finished with his angry monologue, Dareon is already trying the door on the southern side of the building. They can address this issue later. Now, they're on the job.
Perhaps we can discuss this later, Faedrin? Be careful dear brother, you might anger or make the boy impatient and then he will kill you too! And maybe he will kill me too for taking an interest in him and teasing him. in Elven.
Revulsion begins to turn to despair in Faedrin's face as he seems to be the only one present appalled at Dareon's cold lethality. He looks to his twin, pain and regret filling his eyes, "This is all wrong, Wasp. I don't know what to do."
Perhaps he has gone mad?
Dareon waves off the concerns and moves to open the door to the building, the old wooden door opens easily.
Do I need to produce magical light or can everyone see ok? asks the elf maiden in a very subdued tone of voice.
Tanjvats, rattled by the battle, its resolution and the resulting debate, shook his head in response to Elrawien's question. His eyes could see perfectly well in the dark.
"I guess we need to cross that plank", he mumbled, obviously, at a loss for anything else to say.
"Mad? Perhaps. We should inform Sheila. Keep an eye on him in the meantime; we don't want any other blood shed needlessly."
Bereft, Faedrin slips back into the shed and pats the unconscious thug down, looking for a key ring in particular but also wanting to ensure if the man does wake soon that he'd not be armed in case the group was still on the premises. He shakes his head in disbelief, muttering to himself as he sets about his work.
Dareon sheaths his shield and pulls out a torch, lighting it before sticking it ahead of him into the room and walking in first.
"Listen, you'll all thank me when you get out of missions like these unscathed. I will do things that must be done so that you may not have to."
Taking stock of the room, looking around and lighting things with his torch, he moves on. "Okay, I do not think anybody armored should try to climb the ladder for the alternate trip across. Additionally, I don't like surprises, so if no one has any objections I'm simply going to jump into the sludge and cross it that way. Does anyone have a pole or something else that can help me gauge depth?"
"No, Dareon, I won't thank you. That's the thing of it, you keep saying that murdering that man was a necessity. It wasn't. Sparing thirty seconds to tie a sleeping man up or to pummel him into unconsciousness wouldn't have put us behind whatever schedule you think we're operating on."
Faedrin's next words are hard and cold as steel, "It wasn't necessary, Dareon. It was easy. Frighteningly so. And here you are now, about to spend more time jabbing a stick into sludge than it would have taken to bind him."
Faedrin then shoulders past Dareon and glides effortlessly across the board to the far door.
Killing a helpless foe is murder, Dareon, and for your attempts at trying to come across as noble, this is behavior for the much lower class. Perhaps even fiendish or diabloical.
How does the other side look, brother?
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As Oz sat and watched the dauntingly boring setup, in hopes of something actually showing up, he had a bit of a thought cross his mind. This was going to be risky business, wasn't it? Sczarni, Nidalese slavers, and all kinds of other things. He'd had his share of fights, what with eavesdropping on the Sczarni, but he'd yet to actually kill anyone.
He felt around in his clothes, quickly pulling out the new dagger he'd taken. A wonderful thing, really, but as with all his other pristinely polished blades, a virgin. Hell, he'd thrown them at whatever those ugly things earlier were, but failed miserably to hit any of them in the chaos. After that he believes he just sort of stood around, making swoosh noises.
Twirling the dagger in his black clothed hand, he couldn't help but feel.. worried. He'd probably have to kill something soon, so he figured that the least he could do was make it as painless as possible. If he had the option, he wouldn't do it. He really needed to get his hands on a sap, but they're so clunky that it's irritating.
Taking a moment to look out at the structure, he couldn't help but think that there was actually something that was going to go down there. Hopefully his allies wouldn't be too cross with him having took his sweet time.
"How can you defend those men?" says Dareon, irritability starting to creep into his typically impassive voice. "they began the hostilities, they made the fight lethal, and they ignored your noble requests for mercy. If they had died in the heat of the battle on Gaileyon's axe, you would not be chastising him, and there was, to me, no reason to let him live. You say that they were just minding their own business on their property, and then armed strangers came about and attacked them. Think about it. If I owned a property, would I sit, armed and armored, in the shed of the property? Would I attack strangers who came speaking of helping somebody? These people were hostiles and criminals, and I can't justify defending them."
With that and a grunt, Dareon jumps into the sludge, making sure to hold his sword and torch above his head in the event that it goes to his shoulders or higher. If he can move, he crosses the gap.
The difference being, son of the House of Niroden, that you killed a man who was asleep. Helpless and not able to defend himself. While they did attack us first, they were subdued. If the dwarf killed one who was a threat and attacking him, that is a different matter. You MURDERED a helpless person. Since you have been cast out of your house, your point is mute.
Faedrin finds fairly common gear on the man, as he has nothing more than his shield, chainmail, morninstar, light crossbow, and around a double fist of gold. He only gets into the building, and halfway across the plank before Dareon is in right after him.
As Dareon's torch is lit, the foulness of the air within the building causes it to pop and sputter, especially when he hops down into the muck and stirs up the vapors. The filth resting in the bottom of the room is about up to Dareon's waist, and will be a bit much to slog through.
Dareon
Elrawein
Faedrin
Gaileyon
Tanjvats
Enemy(ies)
Round S:
Elrawien -
Dareon -
Gaileyon -
Enemy -
Faedrin -
Tanjvats -
My fingers got a head of my head.
Perception Check
Dareon's head snaps to the wall and the pipes, where he sees the destructive little green creatures.
"Goblins! Over by the wall!"
Slogging through the muck, even with the effort it takes, he still makes it across the room, sword in hand.
When he sees the first goblin, his sword responds, flashing through the air towards the little green menace. Unfortunately, his foot catches on something in the muck, where he can't see it, and his swing goes wide.
He can only hit sleeping targets.
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Gaileyon shakes his head at the two's squabble. "Lads, the man's dead. No matter the debate, he's dead. Nothin' left for him on this plane anymore, so lets worry about the here and now and save the discussion for later."
He hears the goblins maneuvering, and takes flight. He maneuvers himself into the room, closer to the commotion drawing his Waraxe. His mind analyzing the fight in-front of him, the shield obviously being an extra hindrance if he has to delve into the mud along with Dareon.
LADS, Master Dwarf?
The moral and ethical quandaries being argued by the group, combined with the practical challenges of such differences in a supposed "team", began to make Tanjvats' vision blur. He saw floating images from a childhood story of mis-matched heroes eventually learning to conquer. Then everything went red.
"Happily ever, happily ever" he whispered, trying to avoid being heard, but desperately needing the words to clear his vision.
When Dareon yelled about goblins, Tanjvats blinked, shook his head.
"What?"
Turning to his right at the disgusting sounds coming from the pipe, Faedrin's eyes narrow as he notices the goblin. Focusing his attention fully on the creature, he mutters a spell hoping to delay it even further.
HP: 8/8
AC: 19 (15 T / 14 FF)
CMD: 16
F/R/W: +2/+4/+3 (+2 vs enchantment, immune sleep)
Arcane Pool used: 1/5
Spells Prepared:
Cantrips (3) - acid splash, daze, disrupt undead
Level 1 (1) - expeditious retreat [ ], jump [ ]
Ongoing Effects
none
As the ugly creature moves up to the end of the pipe Dareon, Faedrin and Gaileyon are alerted to its presence.
Dareon ducks under the board Faedrin is crossing to stand at the end of the pipe the goblin is coming down. As the light gets closer he is able to see that the pipes lead back into an opening, and there are more goblins inside.
Gaileyon draws his waraxe as he hops into the muck beside the southern pipe. The filth sits a little higher on Gaileyon, around the bottom of his ribcage.
The two new goblins each have a strange bag that they then throw at whatever is directly in front of their pipe. The first one throws at Dareon, but ends up dropping it behind him.
The second goblin with a bag throws it at Faedrin on the board. The sack hits the balancing elf with a wet 'slorp' and he feels something with a sharp edge scratch his thigh. The smell of whatever is in the bag is almost worse than the room itself, and he can feel a twinge overcome him as it oozes into and stings the new scratch. He instantly feels queasy and weak as the filth seeps into the wound.
The first goblin you saw at the pipe's entrance tries to swing it's staff at Dareon, but since it wasn't expecting to use it in combat, it was barely holding it the right way for a swing.
Round 1:
Elrawien -
Dareon - Moved to O11
Gaileyon - Moved to Q12, while drawing his weapon
Goblin 1 - Missed Dareon with filth bag
Goblin 2 - Hit Faedrin with filth bag
Goblin 3 - Missed Dareon
Faedrin -
Tanjvats -
Round One
Dareon rears back at the goblin staff-swinging at him, much more prepared himself to strike right back at it.
He pulls his sword-arm up, and brings the blade down in an overhand swing.
Elrawein will cast acid splash at the goblin that threw stuff at her brother taking a side step to s13.
RTA
damage
Feadrin wobbles on the plank, but manages to keep on his feet. He whips out a spell at the thing, but it just shrugs the effects off.
Dareon swings at the goblin standing in the end of the pipe, but his swing is awkward at first. He struggles to get a good swing that doesn't have him beating his sword against the pipe.
Oh ok. I will enter the room and go to P9.
Tanjvats stared dumbly into the filthy room as the action erupted. Battle, death, moral quandary, and now an overpowering sensory return to his childhood as a street cleaner: all had collided in his mind and left him motionless. A small, sane part of him yelled to get moving, but he couldn't.
Elrawien moves into the building, and wastes no time hopping down into the sewage. The liquid nature of it easily soaking into her clothing, while the solid portions cling to the material itself. Slogging through the muck, she turns and fires more acid, this time down the tunnel at the goblin that hit Fade. The pipe once again provide too much protection for the insipid creatures.
Round 1:
Gaileyon - Moved to Q12, while drawing his weapon
Goblin 1 - Missed Dareon with filth bag
Goblin 2 - Hit Faedrin with filth bag
Goblin 3 - Missed Dareon
Faedrin -
Tanjvats -
Elrawien - Moved to P9
Dareon - Missed goblin 3
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Gaileyon moves into the pipe nearest him thinking he'll get behind the creature nearest his Human ally. To his surprise, he runs into the goblin nearest him instead! He grunts in annoyance and swings his Dwarven Waraxe towards the Goblin,
"Damndable creatures! Goblins! Why. Is. It. Always. GOBLINS!" he holds his rage back, but barely. His uncles training teaching him how to keep himself under control.
Impressive damage if you had hit, Gaileyon. :)
The darkness had settled in, and the old building has made no sign of movement. The minimal light not allowing for much visibility, but the constant state of dark helping to signify that there was nothing happening that at least required light. As the night becomes what is likely around the midnight hour, there is a change in the building. Something has happened, and snapped Oz out of whatever trance he had put himself in to be able to sit and watch the place so diligently. There is light coming from inside the building, subtle flashes of what could most likely be torchlight can just be seen through the small cracks of the boarded door and windows.
------------------------
Gaileyon grips the pipes edge and forces his bulk into it. The small space within the thing causing him to have to squeeze to make his way further. Swinging, as best he can in the cramped conditions, proves fruitless as he can't get much in the way of leverage in the tight quarters.
The goblins in the small cave seem worked up over the dwarf's entrance into the pipe. It's tough to tell if they are afraid of him coming in, or excited that he's stuffed himself into the pipe.
The one furthest back once again throws a small wet sack at Dareon, despite its ally being in between the two of them. Much like previously, it drops the bag, only to have it bust when it lands. There is a distinct irritated whine from the creature when this happens. It decides to draw its ill-kept short sword.
The second goblin in the cave looks only too excited to have the dwarf right where he is. He steps back, grabs a second filth bag, and throws it right at Gaileyon's struggling form. The dwarf manages to avoid a face full of it, but in turning his head down and away, the mess splashes into the neck of his armor. The rough bits inside scratch his neck, as he can feel it run in rivulets around his neck and down his chest.
The goblin with the staff, which up close actually looks more like an old broom handle, swings again at Dareon standing in front of the pipe opening. He manages to connect, but it's a glancing blow that just bounces off Dareon's breastplate. The thing decides to step away from the heavily armored man.
Round 1:
Faedrin - Cast daze on Goblin 3
Tanjvats -
Elrawien - Moved to P9
Dareon - Missed goblin 3
Gaileyon - Moved to Q12, while drawing his weapon
Goblin 1 - Missed Dareon again with filth bag, drew short sword
Goblin 2 - 5' step, hit Gaileyon with filth bag
Goblin 3 - Missed Dareon again, 5' step
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Almost. Almost. He had Almost nodded off when he cast one final glance at the building to see a flicker of light, something that absolutely woke him up. He even almost yelled out in delight as he saw it, but stifled himself as he giggled happily. It was about that time, even in his moment of clarity where he learned he hadn't been a major fool, that he realized. Oh crap there's someone in there.
He considered his options... merely standing around at the moment. This accursed darkness was... well... dark. He couldn't see at all, despite his training, but he atleast felt happy that he'd be able to see what was going on.
With a quick run, he hurdled down the steps of his perch, slinking back into the alleyways. He smiled beneath it, removing his mask to reveal nothing but more darkness. Not wanting to be revealed due to a small patch of white ceramic, he placed it within his coat with glee, going over the layout of the building. He couldn't see into it, but he remembered that it creaked, and he had fortunately been very perceptive earlier!
As he stared at the flicker from across the way in the alley, a place pitch-full of darkness, his smile started to break a few physics rules. This was his element! So much darkness! So little eyesight! With that, he called upon his reserves of dexterity and went about his way to get a closer look by returning to his previous entrance...
Walking into the back door of the building, Oz sees the place much better, now that it's illuminated. The building is mostly just a small tavern room, the bar splitting the back half in two. The front, where the boarded up door stands, has a few tables and chairs scattered about. Standing just inside the boarded front door is a faintly glowing, vaguely humanoid form. It does not look as if it has noticed Oz's presence.
|
|
Oz peers around the room, rather well-hidden and comfortable. Looking around, he notices both things, a curious fact... but, as for what they are he seems to not be certain. They're humanoid, so that's a good sign.
Interesting...
Like a shadow incarnate, he proceeds to slowly get closer, quiet as possible, attempting to figure out what they are and perhaps overhear a conversation of sort... They were getting comfortable. Perhaps using the area for sleep? He was confused, to say the least, but it didn't show in his extremely careful movements.
Oz manages to stay low behind the bar and move around to the end of it, allowing him to get a peek at the two. The glowing manform doesn't appear to move, or even look solid. It appears as just a being made of light. The man in the corner, however, looks alert and ready like he's waiting for someone.
He is a thin man with a weak chin and what looks like a ratty, self-inflicted haircut. His outfit looks like that of a noble, once. Now it is filthy and threadbare.
MAP,
Blanching at the hideously overwhelming stench of this vile hole, Faedrin at least manages to keep his head about him. He nimbly steps to his left and draws his bow, sending an arrow through the pipe before him at one of the troubling monsters within.
HP: 7/8
AC: 19 (15 T / 14 FF)
CMD: 16
F/R/W: +2/+4/+3 (+2 vs enchantment, immune sleep)
Arcane Pool used: 1/5
Spells Prepared:
Cantrips (3) - acid splash, daze, disrupt undead
Level 1 (1) - expeditious retreat [ ], jump [ ]
Ongoing Effects
sickened: 1/1 rounds
balancing (flat-footed)
Tanjvats winced as his companions struggled about in the horrific muck. His gorge rose as the bags of filth burst.
I must help! he thought, but his eyes lingered fearfully on the foul pit. He'd sloshed through his share of sewers...why did he fear this one?
He raised his hands to cast a spell. They were shaking slightly. "Gods protect us and guide our hands as we fight in this foul place!'
Fade retains his place on the board, and manages to pull his bow and fire it. The shot ricochets off the pipe, not even dangerously close to Dareon standing in front of it.
Tanjvats offers a prayer for the others, asking the gods to bless them with success in the fight.
Round 2:
Elrawien - Moved to P9
Dareon - Missed goblin 3
Gaileyon - Moved to Q12, while drawing his weapon
Goblin 1 - Missed Dareon again with filth bag, drew short sword
Goblin 2 - 5' step, hit Gaileyon with filth bag
Goblin 3 - Missed Dareon again, 5' step
Faedrin - Moved, missed goblin 3
Tanjvats - Cast bless
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Taking his time to consider the situation, the look of the translucent man was disturbing and rather worrisome. The fact that something he couldn't understand was present here absolutely worried him. The man getting comfortable in the corner? He could easily handle such a fool, but this didn't seem like a slave operation at all...
it just seemed weird.
Wanting to be rather careful, from his stealth, he watched the translucent body, taking plenty of time to register whether it was living, or just a mere illusion. he would deal with the other man accordingly.
After all, it was only common sense he couldn't stab light. I mean, if he could, he'd be a better rogue. Killing light all the time. It was worrisome that he was this silly, even in a heated moment such as this...
Elrawien will move to q12 and cast daze on the goblin in 014.
Dareon grasps the edge of the building on the other side of the collapse and heaves himself up. "If they're gonna stay in their caves, we're not small enough to get in there. Let them come to us, it isn't worth it to try and get in there to get them."
Elrawien looks up the pipe and causes the goblin seen within to stop and look completely befuddled by the current state of affairs.
Dareon decides to try and clamber up the side of the chamber wall, only to find it is much more slippery and crumbling than it would first appear. He can find neither hand or foothold to make any headway.