Against the Odds

Game Master GM Grimm

Taking a step back, Cerilis sheaves his weapon. He begins to search the men looking in pockets for anything that may give us a clue as to what is going on here.
Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (7) + 6 = 13
keep an eye on the hallway. Someone should check that door as well
Cerilis points towards the door in the east wall.
We need to be quick if these men really had a sixth that went for help.

Aaagghh binds the guards with some rope that he finds, while Cerilis and Ravenna rifle through every conceivable pocket or sleeve on the men and find nothing, not even a coin.

Hrumph. No money whatsoever. So, we wake one up and try to question?

Pulling over a nearby chair Zirul will lift one of the slumbering guards onto it.
Strength Check: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6
But this must have been the over weight one as he nearly drops the poor man on his head.
I'm going to try again but this time I'm just going to take 10 since we're not really in any rush. That gives me a 13.

Except for the empty beds and the blood splattered walls from the pile of bodies strewn about, the dormitory is quite barren. Your party is able to take a breather, there are no other discernible sounds throughout the inn, as far as you can tell from its second floor.

What next?

"If one of them did escape, we should probably get out of here before the constable returns," says Ravenna. Then she frowns slightly and says, "Oh... but these two could describe us. We'd have to flee the town. Um. Anyone have a smart idea?"

Pile everything into the secret hall? I mean these fellows have trogs coming to kill us. We can bring them with us, I say we head downstairs in any event.

Just give me a majority concensus where to go and I will proceed.

Downstairs

I'm good will making my way downstairs.

I say we clear the other room up here before heading downstairs.12,13,14
Also..how many beds were in this room?

There were four beds. Unless more chime in it looks like majority is head downstairs.

Downstairs -- better not to be trapped on the top floor if more enemies show up below, as long as we can escape out the ground floor!

Ok, so we are heading downstairs.

The party proceeds down a narrow hallway with a sturdy oak floor trying to remain as stealthy as possible despite the creaking wood.

They slowly descend the stairs were they find 7 cloaked and armed men waiting for them.

Go ahead and post your actions for Round one and I will rearrange according to initiative later.

Combat Order

Zirul
Cerilis
Siondel
Thugs
Aaagghh
Jax
Ravenna

Coming down the stairs and seeing the group of cloak figures. Muttering to himself
That was fast...like Haste spell type of fast.

Zirul looks at the waiting men and asks "Are you going to follow the lead of the men who attacked us in our sleep and suffer the same fate or will you uphold the law like a good soldier a let us continue our investigation?"
Casting Detect Evil to discern the intentions of the men.

Augier wishes he saved his sleep spell and stands ready to see what their response is.
Holding

"More foolish humans for target practice and bear kibble. Silly choice, if you ask me!"

Siondel launches an arrow at one of the cloaked figures, ordering Medved to guard Cerillis again.

1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11 to hit vs flat footed, for 1d8 ⇒ 4 piercing damage

Waiting on Jax and Ravenna until I recap.

Ravenna brandishes her rapier and says, "Aye, if you be craven scoundrels like the louts above, you'll have a good thrashing!"

Since I'm waiting to see if Zirul senses evil from them, Ravenna readies an action to attack if one of them enters her threatened space to attack.

Readied rapier attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (8) + 5 = 13
Readied rapier damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9

Augier readies his longspear for stabbing if one gets in range
LOngspear,Reach: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (17) + 2 = 191d8 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10

Jax weights the situation, perhaps a tad to longer as the thugs move before him.

Quickly, the elf dashes towards the closest one with his scimitar held high and attacks with all his might.

Charging if possible
Attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19
Damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

ROUND ONE RECAP

Zirul casts a spell to determine the nature of the encounter. Cerilis readies an action against the possible aggressors. Siondel sets things in motion as he launches an arrow into the chest of one of the figures, all of which silently advance towards the group with clubs in hand. The thugs rush the travelers quickly brandishing smooth wooden clubs.
Zirul takes a bashing, (8 hp damage), Cerilis takes a hit, (3 HP damage), and Siondel takes a serious blow, (8 HP damage).

Ravenna and Aaaggghhh both run through their opponents with their respective weapons dropping them to the floor, dead.

Jaxes slash attack further reduces the count of enemies from 7 to 4 with one being extremely injured.

BEGIN ROUND TWO

Seeing Cerilis injured, Medved once again grows ferocious and attacks. If possible, he will flank the man attacking the elf and maul him down.

1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24 bite; 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3 damage
1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19 claw; 1d3 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5 damage
1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20 claw; 1d3 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5 damage

Siondel, bruised and battered, draws his shield and takes a defensive posture.

Readying shield, total defense action, current AC 20, current HP 1/9

"Get them, Medved! Rend their flesh!" he yells in elven.

As I go after the thugs, I will assume that one of them comes to me as I have striken one down. If not and if close enough I'll 5ft step forward. If that isn't possible neither, add 2 to the scimitar to hit and Jax moves to melee

Adopting a defensive stance for barely a moment, Jax resumes his fierce assault as both axe and sword slash at the thug.

Scimitar: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10
Axe: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 = 18
Scimitar Damage: 1d6 + 3 ⇒ (1) + 3 = 4
Axe Damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Cerilis Steps into his assailant, moving himself around to aid his companions. He positions himself opposite one of his allies to better bring the enemy down.
Attack:: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (14) + 5 = 19
+2 to hit if flanking
Damage:: 1d10 ⇒ 1
Sneak Attack Damage: 1d6 ⇒ 1
His sword lands just across the shoulder and does little damage as he slips on the bloody floor.

Augier stabs again!
Longspear,reach: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 2 = 141d8 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

Augier is showing more skill with weapons than spells and might have chosen the wrong vocation

Zirul turns his head spitting the blood that had collected in his mouth onto the floor and says "Well Arete never blessed a cowered." And he swings his Bastard Sword at the nearest enemy.
Attack Roll: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12
Damage Roll: 1d10 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

Ravenna withdraws her rapier from one soldier and lashes out, shifting her angle of attack, at another.

Rapier attack: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12 (presumably a miss)

Zirul's sword rips into the injured figure, leaving three standing. Cerilis's blade flashes, but just knicks his target as he slightly loses her footing on the blood-soaked floor. Medved completely rips apart a thug that shrieks in pain. One thug chargers Jax with a club and strikes a blow against him, before watching his own life fade at Jax's double attack. Augier and Ravenna pair up to finish off the final aggressor. The great room is quiet and blood-filled. The newcomers are bruised and battered. Augier, the smelly C-grade wizard fills whatever holes of self-doubt exists with a pretty effective fighting style. The flashy Ravenna laments the lack of more foes to fell. Except for the bloody mess of combat, the great room is well-organized and clean. The combatants look for chairs to rest in, exhausted by the early morning quarrels, strained from the use of muscle,mentally drained and it isn't even time for breakfast yet.

What actions do you take?

We've really stepped into it now! Umm...I guess we can keep exploring the inn here.

"Good lad, Medved. You did exactly as I asked, and protected us all. Good bear!"

Siondel pets the blood soaked bear on his head, before moving about the fallen enemies searching their pockets.

"This was too much of a coincidence. First we are waylaid by lizard people in the night, then corrupt soldiers, and now these club wielding hooligans. If I did not know better, I'd suggest all the humans in this town were out to get non humans."

1d20 + 10 ⇒ (13) + 10 = 23 perception

Or maybe just all newcomers, easily missed people.

"Then why would that farmer warn us that people were disappearing?" says Ravenna as she wipes down her rapier, shaking slightly. "It seems like something evil is taking root, but not everyone in the town is under its thrall yet."

The elf cleans the blood off his weapons as he walks arouns the room looking for something.

He seems to walk absently, but after a couple seconds he graciously jumps over the counter and grabs a, mug before puring himself an ale "Couldn't decide what spirit would help me swallow this mystery better. Anyone else fancies a drink?"

Jax returns to the chair and sits, sipping on his ale as he eyes the thugs' bodies "I must confess, this is puzzling me as well. As Ravenna said something evil is afoot... but I am starting to think that the black sheeps may outnumber those who aren't part of it... too many goons we have encountered. We should seek the farmer and make sure he is alright, perhaps he and his neighbour are more talkative now."

Siondel drags one of the corpses over to the center of the room, exposing its tattoo.

"They each have this same tattoo. A cult, religion, or some kind of secret society? Whomever they are, they'really certainly not friendly."

Siondel takes an ale himself and slumps onto a stool, gingerly rubbing his bruised torso.

Knowledge Religion: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25 To see if the symbol is from a religion I may know about.
Knowledge Nobility: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20 To see if it is the symbol of a noble family I am familiar with.

Now you know if those were attack rolls I probably would have only gotten like 2s and 3s.

Let us check the bodies upstairs. Augier quickly heads up and has a look at the dead men

Cerilis slumps down in a chair to catch his breath. After a few hearbeats, he stands up and walks over to one of the thugs.
Kn:Local: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19

These men got here very fast, so fast that it makes me think that they were in the building while we were upstairs. There might be something more to this building than what we are seeing. I also think that since we have encountered those that are of good heart and are afraid for their own lives...there might be more here in this town and maybe we can enlist their aid in removing this...plague

Augier goes upstairs alone?

Anyone want to come with me? Best we not go alone.

"Sure, I'll go," says Ravenna.

"I will accompany you, but I warn you I am injured. Medved is perfectly fine and ready to aid, though."

Augier checks the other bodies for tattoos

The three venture upstairs into the room with the soldiers and find the tattoo on each of their chests as well.

Meanwhile, downstairs, a stranger walks into the great room and is visibly shocked. He was carrying a case of goods to the inn for sale to its proprietor who is nowhere to be seen.

"Wha-what happened here, " he mutters in shock as he drops the case and eggs crash onto the floor. Someone needs to get the constable, he declares to himself while shaking and begins to head for the door.