You stand outside the twelve foot high wrought iron fence with a high box hedge just inside nearly the entire perimeter. There is a large ornate gate on the far side (the main entrance on the east side of the estate). On your side of the estate, there is a narrower more simple gate - the one Marquel said he'd arrange to leave unlocked for you.
So Stricia ask as she waits with Nio and gestures towards his armor. Are you a traitor?
She's a blunt person.
The gate swings open with a gentle push.. well oiled.. no creak. Hasta sniffs the air, and seems to pick up a scent ahead and to your left. Erodel hears a series of low snorting sounds.. not terribly threatening at the moment, but that of an animal either eating or in a light and fitful doze.
That is when you see the huge ten-by-ten "doghouse".. twenty feet from the gate. You do not see the creature.. it must be inside. The portcullis-like gate is raised open.
At the house (where you see no guards or any other signs of people) there is a candle glowing in Marquel's second story window.
Meanwhile.. Stricia and Nio come around to the front. There are lantern posts lining the thoroughfare which provide dim light, but currently no one visible within sight. Two more lights glow on either side of the main gate.
Idril saw the huge doghouse and went cold.
"Huge doghouse in back." She whispered to Message Stricia and Nio. "Can't see... whatever it is. Candle lit in window."
Bastargrae recalls though hellhounds will consume any meat, they largely prefer their food to be living.
Stricia does not hear Idril's message... you appear to be just out of range. The spell will require you to be just a little closer to the house.
Idril frowned.
"Stricia? Can you hear? Message check, check?" She whispered, straining to hear an answer.
Thinking she might be just a little out of range, she crept closer the house.
Stricia, expecting updates from Idril, frowns and moves over to the corner to get closer. Idril? Can you hear? What is happening for you? It is quiet here.
bastargrae pondered,wondering if he could pretend to be an animal in distress to distract the hellhound.
As Idril steps forward, Stricia and she can suddenly hear each other.
It is at this time, the feral noises turn to snarls. A three headed flayed skinless dog peers out of it's shelter. One head drops a broken femur before joining in on the fang-bearing growls.
Idril takes a (Fighting Defensively) stance.
Worried about just such an occasion, Idril drew the improvised straw out, peeled both ends, then blew the table pepper out in a 10'x10' cube starting in her NE corner and extending N and W ten feet.
Bastargrae,recovering a vial and inhaling its contents with seconds to spare, retrieved the letter they were meant to deliver.
Realizing that stealth hadn't worked Stricia sprints towards the combat. Will draw him to the front!
Nio pelted after Stricia, falling behind but not too far behind.
Erodel swings wide as the two-headed feral beast lunges from his lair.
Though Idril's cloud of pepper seems to affect its focus, it still bites into Erodel viciously.
Dammit, so much for stealth...
Idril twirled into her Battle Dance, {Move Act}
then let her bladed scarf drift about until it grazed the beast.
for a possible slashing damage.
Indio shares Idril's thoughts on the situation, although he cannot know them of course.
With the element of stealth more than likely lost, what was needed now was speed.
Consequently, he moved up towards the hellish hound and flashed his glare AND his blade at it.
Bastargrae hacked and spat the contents of his guts at the awful beast, entangling it in a gluey mess that stuck it fast to the ground.
He darted off, hoping the others could handle it, downing another extract as he made distance.
Seeing the others move in, Hasta also darts in to attack.
Nio continues running after Stricia toward the noise of battle.
If, after her full run she is able to move into combat she will do so, otherwise she'll continue just moving into melee. Flank with Indio or Idril.
The beast moves just enough to avoid Bastargrae's glob of stickiness.
So far, only Hasta's claws seems to damage its gruesome blood-red hide.
One head continues to bite at Erodel.. the other yanks its mass over to get at Nio's pet.
As Bastargrae moves toward the manor, he sees Marquel's window open, and the young man peer out.
STricia is barely able to get next to Erodel in her next move and tries to hit the horrible monster.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Stricia comes rushing through the gate, and slugs the monstrous dog in the neck - the side mad snarling at Erodel with his blood on its fangs. You see the feral rage in its eyes as it recovers from the blow.
Indio frowns, worried that the combat is taking too long.
Sooner or later they would be noticed, the fact that the dog had not made more noise yet was a blessing, but not one that would last for too long.
Once more, while maintaining his stern glare, he makes a faint, making sure to catch the ambient light and direct it towards the dog, then he strikes out.
Idril swore alound in a most unladylike manner as the Hasta stepped into her intended flank position.
Idril spun like a mad dervish and allowed her bladed scarf to lash out with one end, distracting it before caressing the creature gently with the other end.
IF feint succeeds, the next attack is vs Flat footed AC.[/ooc]
for a possible slashing damage. Plus precision damage from sneak attack if feint succeeded.
Bastargrae gulped down his Jump extract in one go , stashing the empty phial back upon his person and sprang as though from a spring to the open window.
The grasshopper leg bits caught in his throat and he coughed.
Hello, there, chap! Letter for ya.
He handed the letter to the man as he balanced on the windowsill, watching the goings on below anxiously.
Nio stomps to a halt as soon as he can see in the gate and fires off a shot at the monster as his wounded friend continues tearing at it with tooth and claw.
Bastargrae rifled through his cloak, finding another phial he had prepared as a contingency.
I know I might not look it, but I seem to be your ride to safety. You might want to hold onto me quite tightly. I will need a moment.
The infernal beast takes several wounds without losing its intense rage, until Erodel strikes. His first swing sends a spray of blood across the courtyard. His second swing nearly cleaves the nearer head from its shoulders. The beast drops.
There is a yell from within the mansion... "Nooo! Get out there now! Go! Go!" Considering there are no doors on the back side of the house, it is not yet clear from which side you might expect the guards to arrive... but they will likely be on you soon.
Meanwhile, Marquel - with a hesitant look - awkwardly holds on to the tiny gnome. "Are you sure?"
Awkwardly, the gnome proceeded to down the contents of two vials with the young man pretty much riding him piggy back. It was quite uncomfortable.
A bit of ant carapace and deer fur from the mix of extracts made him choke as he fought not to gag. He really needed to take more care with his mixtures. Then again, the ingredients required didn't make the best teas.
Stricia moves under the window to help break the fall if need be.
Idril stopped her Dervish dance and poised, ready to run. She held her action to see if Blastargae needed help first.
As Bastargrae prepares to jump down with Marquel awkwardly clinging to her torso, those on the ground see first of the house guard emerge from between the north side of mansion and hedge. He is a large man wearing heavy leather spiked bracers wielding a similarly spiked club... he looks enraged.
Stricia readies to help with the descending duo.
Indio, knowing it is assuredly a VERY unlikely thing to succeed tries a long shot.
Staring at the man, using his will to lower his defenses, he then casts a charm person on the guard that emerges.
"Good sir, you are very lightly armed and armored, not to mention terribly outnumbered, you best retreat and find better equipment and reinforcements."
Idril assumes a total defense stance and holds position.
The guard stops in his tracks, then turns back.. you can hear him speak to another guard. "Fall back! .. We're outnumbered! Call for reinforcements!" You hear the response.. "Reinforcements!?"
At this point, Bastargrae jumps down with Marquel clinging. Bastargrae lands fairly well, but even with Stricia's assistance, Marquel's dangling legs hit the ground hard. It takes several seconds for him to stand with stability. He winces as he gingerly steps toward the group. "Thank you.. thank you.. where now?" He glances over to the dead cerberi and retreating guard.
Nio points west out of the garden walls. "Let's go!"
Hop on my back, I will take you to safety.
Bastargrae grimaced at the ungainly landing and the general twinge of being unused to physical exertion.
Goodness me, that's a new experience I do not wish to repeat. The gnome rubbed at his back and legs, hefting his cane.
He nodded to the others and took off at a sprightly jog.
Make haste!