"Keep your weapons close at hand and sleep lightly, my friends... perhaps we should take turns on watch within our respective rooms? For who knows how close the Artonites are to locating us? And on that note, I'll bid you all a restful night..."
The bard heads up to his room. "I'll take first watch, here by the door," he says when Laithe joins him, and draws his father's longsword as he does so.
"Perhaps the kobolds should take the attic room. I'm happy to take the room with the broken shutter, and Keildrithe may like to join me there?" He looks to Keildrithe for confirmation, then looks over at Alton and Pharris. "If you two are happy to watch over the box, perhaps you should take the room with the bunks - as long as the sound of the common room will not cause you too much discomfort? Which leaves Nicolai and Kajetan together. Of course, we will have to convince the kobolds to leave the box in our hands, and I'm probably not the best for that job."
Alton shrugs "Like I said, I don't much care which room I sleep in."
Nicolai is exhausted from the day's events, and doesn't speak much as plans are discussed.
He nods at Laithe when given praise about training Lumbie, and speaks up when the nature of their foes are brought up.
"Devils," he mutters. "Most definitely."
He mutters something else about darkness being less of a hindrance than guards and clergy, but does not push the argument. He seems too tired to go out on a hunting expedition.
"I'll sleep in my room, with whoever. If we're taking watches, I'll take the last one..."
When the discussion breaks, he immediately heads up to the room and climbs into bed.
Rolls:
"Keep your weapons close at hand and sleep lightly, my friends... perhaps we should take turns on watch within our respective rooms? For who knows how close the Artonites are to locating us? And on that note, I'll bid you all a restful night..."
The bard heads up to his room. "I'll take first watch, here by the door," he says when Laithe joins him, and draws his father's longsword as he does so.
Laithe offers a quick good night to the others and heads towards his room. When Keildrithe suggests taking watch in pairs, Laithe shakes his head. "If we take one watch each, I fear we will not get the rest we need for tomorrow. I will sleep on the floor, in front of the door. This should give us warning if anyone tries to enter unbidden. Keeping your sword at hand would certainly not go astray though..."
Laithe offers a quick good night to the others and heads towards his room. When Keildrithe suggests taking watch in pairs, Laithe shakes his head. "If we take one watch each, I fear we will not get the rest we need for tomorrow. I will sleep on the floor, in front of the door. This should give us warning if anyone tries to enter unbidden. Keeping your sword at hand would certainly not go astray though..."
The group beds down in their various rooms, exhausted after the long day, but taking what precautions they might against danger or intruders.
Pharris takes the first watch and lets the little halfling sleep. Four hours later she wakes him and stretches out on the lower bunk her greatsword leaning against the wall nearby.
Alton rises when Pharris wakes him, and stands silently beside the devil box for the next four hours.
Alton/DM
If we are only sleeping a total of 8 hours, Nicolai won't take a watch. If we're sleeping 12, he'll take the last 4 hours and watch over his room. It sounds like we were too tired to organize anything though, so I'm guessing my room is not being watched. I don't even know who's in it! :)
If we are only sleeping a total of 8 hours, Nicolai won't take a watch. If we're sleeping 12, he'll take the last 4 hours and watch over his room. It sounds like we were too tired to organize anything though, so I'm guessing my room is not being watched. I don't even know who's in it! :)
Alton:
It seems only minutes later that you feel Pharris shaking you awake, telling you that it is the middle of the night, and your watch. There are still a few muffled sounds from the common room, but these soon die away, and you fight to stay awake in the small, quiet, dark room, lit only by starlight coming in through the small, highset window. Pharris’ habit of sleeping with her eyes literally open is somewhat disconcerting. You make sure you keep a close eye on the Devil Box in the corner of the room.
Several hours into your watch you think you hear something bat softly against the window, but you can see nothing through the thick, slightly warped glass. Probably just a large moth or night insect. Whatever it might have been, you are more alert after that.
A short time later (it must be getting close to dawn by now, although it still seems quite dark outside) you hear a click, followed by a door creaking open somewhere nearby. You would say it is an external door – perhaps someone going out to the latrine, or one of the staff arriving early to prepare the kitchen for breakfast?
Keildrithe:
You awaken some time in the night – or perhaps the early hours of the morning, given the slight greying of the sky outside your window – feeling fairly refreshed .
You’re not sure what woke you – perhaps a faint need to relieve yourself, or perhaps some noise outside. You strain your ears, unwilling to leave the comfort of your warm blankets just yet … and there it is again, some noise from outside, like something scraping against the wall.
Laithe:
Nicolai:
You awaken some time later, disturbed by some noise. It is still dark (in the room at least – perhaps dawn approaches outside, but the window shutters are tightly closed). Glancing down, you notice that Kajetan’s bedroll on the floor is empty, and that the door to your room is slightly ajar.
Pharris:
Pharris stretches with a blink of her eyes. She starts to rub her fingers through that lovely auburn red hair and then stops when she notices the halfling on watch.
Rolling on her side and curling up into a ball, the warrior maiden smiles at her protector. "I needed that. It looked like you did too."
The lady gets up eventually and stretches and bends at the waist. A yellow-purple bruise appears occasionally on one leg as Pharris touches her toes.
Pharris stretches with a blink of her eyes. She starts to rub her fingers through that lovely auburn red hair and then stops when she notices the halfling on watch.
Rolling on her side and curling up into a ball, the warrior maiden smiles at her protector. "I needed that. It looked like you did too."
The lady gets up eventually and stretches and bends at the waist. A yellow-purple bruise appears occasionally on one leg as Pharris touches her toes.
Alton grins "There are few things that can top the simple pleasure of sleeping in an actual bed in a warm building after a long journey. I for one did not miss my bedroll nor the cold ground."
Growing more serious the halfling asks "All was quiet on my watch, what about yours?"
Pharris nods.
"You ...um... seemed a little restless, Alton. Not surprised though I can't wait to take on these devils. Shall we break our fast?"
Alton and Pharris: It’s still dark outside when Pharris awakens, although it must be close to dawn. Do you want to get an early start, or snatch another couple of hours sleep?
The Devil Box seems to be safe and untouched in its corner.
Bearing in mind the time, the girl realises breakfast may be a while away. "Forget that," as she peeps out the shuttered window.
Pharris is refreshed and ready for action when the exercises complete.
"Alton, you want a little more sleep. I can watch again. How about getting a couple of hours more, my dear?"
Pharris, Alton and Keildrithe:
Annoyed by the sound of scraping coming from outside, Keildrithe grumbles as he rises from beneath his toasty warm heap of blankets, grabs his sword, and peers outside the window, looking for the source of the noise in the twilight.
.
Keildrithe:
DM, Laithe:
Keildrithe nudges Laithe gently with his foot, shivering due to his state of semi-undress in the cold pre-dawn air. "Laithe, my friend, I'm sorry to wake you," whispers the bard, "but I've been hearing a persistent scratching sound, and just a moment ago a thud -- as if someone had fallen? -- outside, around the corner... I can't make out what the source of the sounds is. Perhaps we should make sure the others are alright, and alert... better safe than sorry?"
The bard pulls on his clothes and armour in a hurry, and waits for the druid to rise.
Looking out at the dawn on the buildings around, Pharris spends a little time concentrating on where she is and where she used to be.
DM
Pharris:
DM & Keildrithe:
Keildrithe nudges Laithe gently with his foot, shivering due to his state of semi-undress in the cold pre-dawn air. "Laithe, my friend, I'm sorry to wake you," whispers the bard, "but I've been hearing a persistent scratching sound, and just a moment ago a thud -- as if someone had fallen? -- outside, around the corner... I can't make out what the source of the sounds is. Perhaps we should make sure the others are alright, and alert... better safe than sorry?"
The bard pulls on his clothes and armour in a hurry, and waits for the druid to rise.
Laithe starts awake at Keildrithe's touch out of what had obviously been a deep sleep. He's immediately concerned at Keildrithe's report, andand nods his ascent to check it out. He rises quickly and grabs his spear and shield. Looking to see if Keildrithe is ready, he eases open the door and looks out into the hall.
Laithe (and Keildrithe):
DM
Alton, see the spoiler for Pharris a few posts above.
Mothman & Keildrithe:
The corridor is quite dark, lit only faintly be the near-night from the window of your room, and another window at the end of the corridor. Nothing looks or sounds out of the ordinary … until you glance down the passage towards Nicolai’s room, and notice that the door is slightly ajar. You hear the creak of a floorboard, seemingly coming from within that room.
Laithe hisses to let Keildrithe know something is amiss, and quickly moves out down the hall towards Nicolai's room, weapon at the ready. He aims more for speed, though tries to step as quietly as possible.
DM:
Move Silently: 1d20+3 = 9
He moves to the door and listens for any noise coming from the hall.
Listen: 1d20+1 = 10
If he hears nothing, he slips into the hall and immediately heads to Laithe's room, deeming him the most able at tracking in the night. Nicolai opens the door quietly and steps into the room.
Nicolai:
You creep across the room, stopping for a moment to ascertain in the darkness that Kajetan’s bedroll is indeed empty, and that he’s not lurking in any of the dark corners of the room for any reason. After assuring yourself of the fact, you continue across to the door, again pausing for several moments, straining your ears, listening for anything unusual. Apart from expected sounds, such as the faint creaking and settling of the old building, and the muffled sound of snoring through the relatively thin wall to an adjacent room, there is nothing … so you nearly jump out of your skin when you open the door to see an armed figure looming only a few feet away from you in the dark!
… until you realize that it is the Karandic druid, Laithe, standing outside your room with his spear and shield to hand, his expression unreadable in the dimly lit corridor, but his stance suggesting that he is almost as surprised as you are.
Laithe:
Something does.
You are almost ready to strike, when you suddenly realize that it is Nicolai who has crept out into the corridor, pulling up sharply as he notices you. It is difficult to read his expression in the almost dark passage, but his stance suggests he is surprised to find someone standing so close to his door.
Alton/DM
Pharris almost hops from one foot to the other in sudden excitement. "Someone may be after the box, maybe we should both stay? Or grab the box and join upstairs with the others? Well!!"
She starts to pick up the box, ready to head up to the others.
Pharris and Alton:
Everything seems as it should for the early hours of the morning – quiet, apart from the sound of another patron snoring loudly from a nearby room, and some creaking of the floor from the level above. It seems that the kitchen is still quiet – the staff have not yet begun arriving to prepare breakfast.
DM and Pharris
DM/Pharris
DM and Pharris
Laithe:
If Laithe hasn't seen Kajetan, Nicolai casts a quick Message spell so that he can whisper to Laithe if they get separated. "Are the knockers safe, and the box?"
DM/Alton
While Alton struggles along behind her on the steep, human scaled stairway, Pharris dashes up the stair to the upper level corridor, the Devil Box held firmly in her hands.
As she reaches the top she sees, close to hand, the door to Liathe and Keildrithe’s room open, the bard standing in the open doorway. Further down the corridor she spies Nicolai and Laithe standing outside the formers room, whispering together in the pre-dawn dimness, the latter fully armed.
"I heard a thud, I think it was in the alley. Here's the box just in case."
Pharris lets her heaving chest and heavy breathing slow a little.
"I heard a thud, I think it was in the alley. Here's the box just in case."
Pharris lets her heaving chest and heavy breathing slow a little.
"I heard the same thing, and I heard something scratching at the wall, as well. Couldn't see anything, though, aside from a large rat scurrying through the alley just before I heard the thud... Glad to see everyone's alright, though. Shall we investigate?"
There are two (conventional) methods of egress from the inn. One is the main doors from the common room that open onto the small square and main street in front of the inn. The other is a smaller door that opens onto the back courtyard. From the courtyard, a gate allows access to an alleyway behind the inn.
The windows in Pharris’ and Keildrithe’s rooms open onto an alley beside the inn, that runs between the street at the front and the alley at the rear. However, it is not clear if the sound they heard actually originated in the alley or from somewhere else nearby – it just seemed to come from the alley because that’s where the windows face.
So; which way?
"I think it might be easier for us to maintain cover if we snuck out the back door...???"
"I'm not sure everyone's alright," Nicolai responds after finishing a short incantation. "Kajetan is gone. I think we should investigate the sounds you heard. Should someone guard our little friends?"
Nicolai has no desire to stay behind, but merely makes the suggestion. He follows Keildrithe out of the inn (whichever way), pausing only to cast Light on a copper piece, then running to catch up.
He'll hide the glowing coin in his belt pouch if Keildrithe wants to sneak, but does mention that the devils can see in the dark.
The group (or at least some of the group, if anyone is going upstairs instead to check on the knockers) head back down the narrow, darkened stairway, and head towards the short passageway that leads to the back door.
As anyone who visited the latrine in the night or evening will know, the back door is kept locked in the wee hours, but an oversized key hangs on a hook just inside the door, for the convenience of patrons who may need to relieve themselves.
Now, by the light of Nicolai's glowing coin, it can be seen that the back door is slightly ajar, and the key appears to be missing from the hook.
"I'll go and see them." Pharris carrying the box, rushes upstairs again after the knockers.