"Now, now..." Meliandri pats the until-recently-prisoner on the back, smiling a wide smile and striking a heroic pose. "Eet eez going to be alright. I believe we can probably be letting you go; 'owever, zere eez a concern I 'ave. 'ow weel we be finding you when zis eez over? Do you 'ave a name?"
After a moment, she eyes the door they came in, then steps toward it, drawing her rapier. "Does anyone 'ear anything from zee rest of zis place? Eet eez very quiet."
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The man answers Lirotha's question first:"Let me think... there's usually 9 of them at any time inside the compound. Common thugs, the lot of them but for Kossrani. He's a nasty piece of work, he is. Get rid of him first if you can, without him the others shall fall like leaves in autumn. As for the factory, I don't think they trapped anything, they lack the ingenuity, you know?"
Then he turns his head towards Mel:"Ah... right, sorry my lady. Name is Jonah, I've been working with Crowe and his crew for some time now. Damn shame they got us with our pants down. We were just minding our own business and drinking our fill at Clenchjaw’s when two dozen dottaris surround the bar and demand our surrender on charge of subversion and fomenting disorder. Considering we were outnumbered 6 to 1 we did the sensible thing: we surrendered and ended here as slave labor for Thrune. Right now that damn dwarf and the rest of his cronies are probably working rest of my friends within an inch of their lives into the salt pit. A couple might be playing cards or in the front office doing the selling. And well... if you let me go and save the others I'll make sure to find you. Crowe still owes me this month's pay"
Sweeping her hand towards the door in a welcoming gesture, Lirotha moves lightly towards the exit.
"You're free to go Sweetie. I promise. The back is clear. You just have to climb the fence. The dead guard in the back corner should still have his pig-sticker or similar. You are welcome to grab one on your way out."
She then holds a single finger in the air to halt him.
"Just remember Jonah: The Silver Raven's won't let the city fall to the forces of Hell if we have anything to say about it. However, we will need the people's help to do it in the end. We can't do it alone! So skee-dattle and pass that 'long now!"
After trying several keys, Rocco finally manages to find the one matching Jonah's manacles and unchains the man. "Sorry, 'bout that, Jonah. Our custodian friend out here seems to have the key to every lock in the daggum city on here. Anyway, like Lirotha says, you're free to go. We'd be glad to have you and your friends' help if you think you'd like to put Ol' Barzy Thrune in his place. Here, why don't you see if you can pick out the key to get your friends loose. I'll hang on to the rest in case we need 'em."
Rocco hands the key ring over to Jonah and gives him a minute to find the key he needs to free the other prisoners before taking the rest of the keys back. Before the man leaves, Rocco will point toward the southern door and ask, "Any chance you know what's through door number two over here? We gonna find ourselves a mess of guards in there or what? I noticed it sounded like there was a fire goin' in there earlier."
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Jonah nods at Lirotha and Rocco, a thankful expression painted on his face:"Much obliged gents. I'll make sure to tell everyone about the Silver Ravens fighting against oppression! And of course I know. It's the furnace, I think it was Rex's duty to keep it well lit, but since you dealt with him..." he says while moving towards the corpse and retrieving his cudgel "...I suppose the fire will die down sooner or later and the others will come to check on the reason. The fire is needed to dry the salt in the salt pit"
With a heavy smile, Lirotha will pump her arm and clench her fist.
"Score! Now...let's try those keys on the next door then me lovelies!"
"Asmodeans? Bah!" Veccio makes to spit on the floor, but catches a glimpse of Mels and decides against it. "Let's get that door open and keep moving," he mutters, blushing and turning his gaze to the floor.
Rocco and Kurglunn move back into the hall while Veccio and Lirotha investigate the furnace room. Rocco leads the phantom to the door at the end of the hall , and they put their ears against the door, Kurglunn craning over top of Rocco's head to get near enough to listen in.
Meliandri examines the furnace, looking for a way to reroute the heat or block the air intake. After a moment, she stops and looks back toward the door. "Did zee guard 'ave a shield? We could use eet to stop up zee entrance so air does not get in. Zat might turn eet off, and we could ambush guards eef zey investigate."
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Rocco hears 4 distinct voices coming from the other side of the door. One in particular seems gruff and authoritarian, giving sharp orders to the others.
On Mel's suggestion the party searches the dead guard again but aside from his studded leather armor, a set of manacles, a bronze Thrune pendant and 4 gp the guy has nothing else on him. There might be some other way to use the furnace to the party's advantage but using a shield is not it.
"Did zee guard 'ave a shield? We could use eet to stop up zee entrance so air does not get in.
Zat might turn eet off, and we could ambush guards eef zey investigate."
Lirotha will check for magic on the Thrune pendant, but take it either way. Could be useful later.
She smiles at Meliandri.
"I like the way you think Mel my'dearie! But I have little knowledge of such things. I can create fire, but that's my limitation here.
Any liquids in the barrels back there? Some water or wine would work to put out the fire? If it comes down to it, we can stuff the body in
there, and that should put a damper on the fire quickly enough. Fresh bodies are tougher than water-slogged oak to burn quickly."
- Searching the store room for any non-flammable liquids or similar that can be used to put out or
slow down the furnace fire.
Rocco and Kurglunn move into the furnace room with the others, where they describe what they heard in the other room. "Looks like that might be where a few more of our friends are congregating at the moment. Sounds like Kossrani is in there too. I like the sounds of this ambush plan. The less of these brutes we have to face at once, the better. Gotta say, I'm not too keen on throwing anyone's body on the fire though. I was thinkin' we were trying to be better than the devils, not join their number."
Liotha will sigh and shake her head as she continues looking for something to put the fire out with.
"I was only tryin' to be practical Rocco my darlin'. It's not like I'm suggesting we turn his corpse inta' a zombie and make him fight for us. He's dead: Maybe he would want to be cremated? Besides, it was just a suggestion. Make of it what ya' want, or suggest something better: I care not which."
With a frustrated groan, Lirotha pulls her half-empty waterskin out of her sash and moves back to the furnace room.
She then, with a sigh, tosses it on the fire, which already seems to be diminishing.
"That waterskin should burst inna' minute or so and cool the fire enough to get someone's attention...hopefully.
Now, let's find some cover and get ready to pounce me-lovelies!"
She then moves to the prison/office room with her starknife again in hand, standing just inside door but out of sight.
She leaves it slightly ajar so she can still hear and see somewhat.
After staring at Lirotha for a moment, Veccio grabs Meliandri's upper arm. "Come on! Let's move!" he exclaims, moving to follow the Varisian woman.
Rocco moves to the far end of the hall and tucks himself around the corner. He pulls a sling bullet from the pouch hanging at his belt. He makes a few brief gestures and utters an incantation, and the lump of metal begins to hover a few inches above his palm once again.
Kurglunn starts to follow Rocco down the hall, but the halfling stops him as they pass the door where Jonah had been chained up. "You wait in here with Lirotha and Veccio," Rocco says. "When it's time for to come out, I'll let you know, and you come straight through that wall and give those goons a proper shock!"
The phantom nods along as Rocco explains the plan, but the look of fear and concern on his face grows steadily as well. Before doing as Rocco asked, he sits down on the floor curling his knees up to his chest and wrapping his ghostly arms around them. As he sits on the floor, slowly rocking back and forth, he whimpers to Rocco, "But Kurglunn doesn't want to fight scary bad people. Kurglunn doesn't know how."
Rocco simply sighs and pats the phantom on the knee, though he immediately regrets this as his hand comes away covered in silvery ectoplasm. Wiping the goo off on his cloak, he simply says, "You'll know how when the time comes, buddy. Don't you worry about that," then continues down the hall. Kurglunn moves into the room and takes up a spot in the southern corner, ready to push his way through the wall when Rocco gives him the signal.
Meliandri tucks herself behind the woodpile in the furnace room, readying her blade. "When zey come een, do not waste any time following!"
Eallos follows Kurglunn into the room, standing by the door with his crossbow loaded as he looks around at Lirotha, Veccio and the phantom as he waits for either a signal or for someone to enter the room.
She then moves to the prison/office room with her starknife again in hand, standing just inside door but out of sight.
She leaves it slightly ajar so she can still hear and see somewhat.Stealth: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 3 = 16
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After ten minutes or so you hear someone approaching. It's a couple of guards apparently checking on the furnace.
"Lothar! Where in the 9 hells has he gone now? If Kossrani finds out he's not on his post he'll have his skin..." murmurs one of the two.
The men proceed towards the furnace oblivious to your ambush.
Hearing the guards enter the furnace room, Lirotha will move quickly out through the door of the office and into the threshold of the Furnace room.
"You want fire boys? Then have some!"
Rocco sees the guards move into the furnace room and realizes too late that he's missed his chance to make his surprise attack. Lirotha moves down the hall ahead of him and, as he moves toward the door, he thinks, [i]Now. Gotta get down the hall now![/ooc]
Just then, Kurglunn emerges into the hall and begins wailing miserably. The phantom sees his small friend standing nearby, hands on his hips and glaring daggers at him. "Well, that's not what I had in mind, but fine. Just get in there you big lummox!" Kurglunn sheepishly moves behind Lirotha and waits for the flames to abate before moving in to attack.
Veccio follows Lirotha before moving in front of her, rapier drawn, hoping to draw the guards' attention before they can search too much of the room.
Eallos steps away from the door as the guard walks in, his crossbow held high.
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Seeing the 2 thugs enter the room Mel keeps her head down and stays quiet while the others move into position for the ambush!
As the trap is sprung the two blackguards go for their maces while yelling:"What in the nine hells is this??? Intruders! Allarm! ALLARM!!!"
Round 1 - Bold may post
Eallos
Meliandri
Veccio
Rocco
Thugs
Lirotha
Kurglunn
edit:
Eallos shrugs as they begin to yell, firing his crossbow at the nearer of the two and quickly reloading.
Rocco moves next to Kurglunn and does his best to launch the projectile hovering in his hand at the nearest guard without hitting either of his new companions. "Watch your head, folks. Coming in!"
"Oh, shut up!" Veccio hisses, stabbing quickly at the nearest thug's shoulder. "Can't you see we're trying to be heroes here?"
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Eallos and Rocco attempt to shoot down the thugs but in their eagerness their aim is less than praiseworthy and the thugs are left unschated.
Veccio on the other hand does better slashing open a nasty gash on the green clad thug's shoulder. Meanwhile Meliandri comes out of hiding and starts to sing a melody about valor of arms and defiance against evil.
Identifying the most dangerous assaliant in the young swashbuckler the thugs concentrate their efforts on Veccio...
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The blackguard in green manages to smash Veccio's arm with his mace while the other one rushes his timing hitting only air.
Meanwhile you hear clamor coming from the room to the south. You have been discovered!
Round 1 - Bold may post
Eallos
Meliandri
Veccio
Rocco
Thug (green)
Thug (red)
Lirotha
Kurglunn
Kurglunn moves around Lirotha and charges through the wall, emerging beside Veccio with a bone curdling scream and striking at the guard clad in red.
As the phantom emerges from the wall, the sound of Meliandri's singing and the beauty of her performance breaks through the fear that constitutes his very being. Somehow, it brings his spirit to a greater level of power and he brings one great ectoplasmic fist crashing down on the chest of the guard, sending a wave of cold, paralyzing fear into the man's heart.
Glancing over her shoulder Lirotha looks at Eallos and Rocco with a quick grin and moves with a flouncy bounce.
"Cover me, my lovelies!"
She then moves to the double doors, drawing two of her daggers, and tries to see the best way to wedge them in to possibly slow their enemies from opening them easily.
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Kurglunn immaterial form coalesces near the red clad servant of Thrune and smashes his head with his ectoplasmic fists. The man has barely the time to register the action as a look of pure horror paints his visage. Then he falls on the ground. Dead.
Meanwhile Lirotha moves near the doors and easily identifies a metal bar laying nearby and wedges it between the door handles blocking them.
Round 2 - Bold may post
Eallos
Meliandri
Veccio
Rocco
Thug (green) -5hp
Thug (red) dead
Lirotha
Kurglunn
Setting the bar firmly in its place, Lirotha will make a vaguely evil-looking gesture at the double doors as she seems
to fire off a quick 'witchy' limerick.
"By the Hammers and Keys, I spit at thee! By the Books and the Stars, we avoid you thus far!"
Rocco takes a step closer to the double doors at the end of the hall. "Well done, Lirotha. We don't need to welcome any unfriendly company just yet. Now,"[b] he says, turning his attention standing just beyond Veccio, [b]"time to do something about you, my good sir ruffian." He raises a hand toward the man he can just barely see through the daring cavalier's legs and mutters a quick incantation before an ominous blue-grey light begins to emanate around his hand, while a similarly colored haze hovers around the head of the green-clad guard.
Eallos fires again, slightly more accurate but still missing his mark.