While Rikar and Kreig fiddle with the door, Misha looks in the direction they're not--especially from the south--to be sure no one surprises THEM while they work on surprising everyone else.
Rikar steps into the room, with Josef and Borris close behind, demanding the goblin surrender. Instead, it jumps out of the bed, and between the two greatswords and the earthbreaker, it is quickly killed.
Kreig, unlocks and opens the other doors, one at a time, and the three, Rikar, Josef and Borris step into each room, but all the other rooms on the western side are empty of humans, orcs or goblins.
Moving over to the eastern set of rooms, you go thru the same drill. Kreig unlocks and opens the other doors, one at a time and the three of you step in. It is not till you get to the northwest room, that you actually find someone. An older human is still asleep in bed, and when told to surrender or die, he simply shrugs his shoulders, rolls back over in bed and says "Ok, I surrender."
Ole Kreig, what a great stupid dwarf you are, eh? He closes the door on the older human and laughs to himself and shakes his head. "What a great big cluster..." He stops himself when he sees Misha and Redona descending the stairs into the eastern room area.
"Sorry. Looks like my paranoia got the better o' me." He thinks on the time he wasted dragging Rikar down here and locking and unlocking the rooms. "Time's wastin' n' I'm down here convincin' ya of a gobber invasion in these here rooms. I shoulda known they'd be down in their arena like the firs' guy told us."
The dwarf looks uncertain, realizing there was a reason why he preferred working alone that went beyond the excuse that others couldn't do the job as well as he could do it. No, the real reason was he didn't want to let others down like he did his pappy. Since leaving that stinkhole Kaer Maga, Kreig had been climbing out of a pit of his own digging for a while. At the least, Uncle Jasper had been willing to get him some work in Stonehold...but as it was now, Kreig was making for a really bad decision maker.
"Lookie here, I ain't worked well with lots of other folks. In fact, this crew of dwarves yer helpin' me find needs more 'n my dumb hoop ta get 'em outta this mess." He rocks up on the balls of his feet and settles back on his heels. "Sorry fer the wild goose chase, but now we got less time ta see this thru 'fore the change o' the guard thanks ta my bad judgment. An hour's worth o' work n' all we got is a dead gobber n' a old man who could care less."
Kreig slips his shortbow into its notch alongside the quiver at his back and holds up his hands in front of him and closes eyes. "Ok, I'll make a suggestions, but I want ya all ta let me know if n' we should exit this pit and recupe back at Stonehold." He pauses, takes a breath and provides his thought. "What if we continue south as far as the cells ta see if my boss - Brahli - is there, then use the secret passages ta get my guys outta here. Then we high tail it outta the mountain and regroup."
He lets his hands drop to his sides and he opens his eyes. "If I don't screw it up, n' you'll have me, I'll be glad ta come back down here n' help ya with yer quest."
A lump descends down the dwarf's throat as he swallows a large helping of humble pie. He realizes that the minutes spent doing this fruitless delve may have cost the lives of Brahli and the other dwarves.
As the others learn that the rooms are empty, Misha follows behind, going into the rooms already opened and searches them. While her biggest interest is in maps and documents, she will keep an eye out for anything of interest of use to them, scanning the area with detect magic to also find any enchanted objects.
(And ninjaed by Kreig.)
Misha shakes her head, a silent "don't worry about it." Making sure they're out of earshot of the one human they found (shutting the door he's in at least), she says, "Let's finish searching these rooms at least. If we find any weapons, I think we should stash them somewhere, so when they come back to roost, they won't have any extra weapons. It'll put them on alert, but that might also make'em paranoid and sloppy. You've already proven to us their lieutenants aren't exactly wizard-material, if you know what I mean. And we might get something else useful.
"I'll keep looking through the rooms here while you figure out what to do with the codger in there. Then yes, let's use the secret passages to find your leader."
Misha then goes back to her search. "Redona, can you help me see what's magical in here?"
Redona gives Kreig a warm smile, one that displays the fact that she's already rather fond of him, for a man they met so very recently. "We would be honored to have you come with us, Mr. Kreig." she says for the group. She feels safer with a dwarf in the mountains again. And Kreig seemed like even if he was being paranoid, what he was doing could save her friends from a dire fate.
"Besides, I know I can't really fight. I'm just bandages and moral support," she chuckles. "I'd feel a lot better having you to keep my other friends safe where I couldn't."
To Misha she nods. "Of Course. I'd be happy to." She goes about helping Misha with her task, casting detect magic where directed.
Kreig is grateful for the relative darkness in the area and his abundance of fiery-orange whiskers as he blushes in reaction. He blows out his moustaches and nods, hooking his thumbs in his belt and puffing up his chest in an attempt to cover up his embarrassment. "Well, err, ahem...thank ya kindly."
He looks at the others to get their opionions on their next steps, hoping they hadn't seen him fluster like a little girl with pigtails.
"Tell ya what, dwarf. You save your energy for beatin' up the folks that have got your friends, and stop wasting it on beatin' yourself up, got me? We all agreed this was the safest way to go, so we wouldn't leave an army of thugs behind us - and you did a hell of a job of it, by the way. Now we know there's no threat back here - once you lock the old man in again - and we can head on as you say and look for your boss."
Looking around at the rest of the original group of travellers, Rikar continues, "Seems to me we need to head on and try to rescue this Brahli if we can, just like Kreig says, and then we decide if it's time to get out and rest up a bit. What do you all think?"
Shouldn't we at least ask the old man some questions? Borris is puzzeled he figueres they notice he got bored when they had to wait while Rikar and Krieg had all the Fun, I dont like to lurk in the shadows nor do I like to stay in the background but it was efective!!
Don't worry as long as you dont get the idea to wonder off alone to a set of rooms then you'll be fine!
|
"Agreed. An effective sweep, and all rooms cleared without incident or injury. Hardly a waste of time."
Josef casts detect magic, easily able to do so now after some practice casting in light armor, and assists with the search.
"I agree with Kreig. Let us grab this dead goblin, any wealth and weapons we can carry, and scoot as soon as possible. Missing and the unexplained should help to throw their camp into unrest. Perhaps a mislead trail, with dead humans slain by falchion and all the orcs gone, will lead to dissension in their ranks."
Kreig agrees with the fighter. "We could get some info outta him. If n' he's this lazy, maybe some..." The dwarf works his forefingers and thumb in the universal symbol of money. "...might loosen his gabber."
The magic-user's suggestion also brings a nod of agreement. "A little misdirectin' ta help cover our escape. I like it."
Kreig looks to the others and gestures for the stairs leading back to the balcony. "I'll lead the way with Rikar a few feet back so we can relay for the rest of ya to come up? He pauses, feeling some of his old confidence returning. He gesturs to the team. "Sound like a good party order?"
Misha pops her head out of another room she's searching. "Sure, I don't mind chipping in some money to bribe the man -- to keep him quiet and get some information."
Kreig reaches into his belt pouch amd extracts a pair of gold pieces. He grins and hands them over. "Bribery may work a bit better n' what I had in mind. Less messy too..." The dwarf winks to reinforce that he's joking.
Kreig enters the room with the older warrior in it again. "Figured you would be back" is the response. After much conversation, he confirms that he is a mercenary, hired by the Stormcloud company to guard the room. He guessed that you killed the others. He also confirms that there is a nasty bugbear and goblins stationed where you thought . He knows the gnoll says that he is the high priest of the Dragon God, but everyone thinks the gnoll is crazy and General Tor says to leave it alone as long as it stays in the old temple, which it has whenever he was on guard. He also says, "yea, a dwarf was captured by the hobgoblins, although that dwarf killed a few of them. Heh. He is probably, in the cell just to the east of the stairs leading to the lower fortress level . I don't hold truck with killing or tortuting prisoners. If they were going to kill the dwarf it should have been in fair combat. Now if you are done, I think I'll be leaving for home. I knew I should have just retired like my wife wanted me to, but this job paid so well." He starts to get up and put his armor on. "Ok if I take my sword? he asks. "Oh, and you should have about 3 hours without patrols to get your friend out. But after the fights are done, there are lots of folks wandering the halls, and it wouldn't do to be caught in here. Tor hates dwarves. Don't know why, just that he does."
Kreig studies the face of the old mercenary as he straps on his armor. He looks tired, regretful...and brought to mind the kind of place Kreig could find himself over the next few hundred years. If he'd stayed in Kaer Maga, who knows the depths to which the dwarf could have delved. Long into his 3rd century...beard graying and white and brittle...-slag affixed firmly to his family name...
Steady ole Kreig, that ain't your fate... He shakes himself and looks at the old mercenary again. ...no, it ain't me now, but it could be ifn' I don't keep my hoop clean.
"Take yer weapons, old fella." Kreig finds himself saying to the old human. In fact, he reaches into his backpack and withdraws a small wax paper bundle. Inside were a few strips of dried beef. The dwarf rogue hands it over to the human. "Here, some food fer the road."
Looking back to the rest of the group, Kreig's frown deepens, the lines of his face like worry-canyons. "We gotta move, see if we can deal wid this bugbear, the goblins, then get Brahli. Maybe see ifn' we can get to my guys 'fore this lot gets back ta business."
The dwarf leans against the nearby wall and waits. In his mind, he hears the ticking of his pappy's old clock back in Janderhoff.
Redona nods at Kreig again, looking serious. She wasn't a lot of use right now, but it was almost as important to her as it was to Kreig to rescue his friends before any real harm came to them. No matter what, she would help them. That much she knew.
She lookS at Kreig, who was doing exactly as she would have done for the mercenary. She smiles at him gently. "Don't worry, Kreig. We'll save your friends. I'm sure of it. I'll help no matter what." she reassures him, walking over and putting a hand on his dwarven shoulder.
Rikar nods in approval as Kreig treats the old mercenary humanely. Old codger did us more good than harm, and aims to light out of here and leave this life, it seems. Only right not to rob him when he's trying to get on a better path.
Seeing the worry lining the face of the dwarf, Rikar responds quickly and reassuringly, "Let's move. Straight through the bugbear and the goblins to Brahli and your friends. You take point and I'll be right behind you."
"Sounds like a plan to me."
Misha and Redona use their skills at searching, and their magic to see what they can find in the twelve rooms. Unfortunately for the group, it seems that none of the Stormcloud members trust other Stormcloud members because the only thing that they find is bedding. All armor, weapons and whatever valuables that the orcs, goblins and humans have was taken with them to the arena.
There is still some mundane armor and weapons from the members of the Stormclould company that you have put down. Goblins, orcs and humans here in the big room and the side corridor, as well as goblins and a bugbear back thru the steel door.
"Also," Misha pipes up before they go, "now that we've given away my mule, I don't have to keep standing in the back, do I? I feel like I keep missing all the fun. I mean, go, scout ahead, but I don't want to be trailing behind generally. Maybe in the middle?"
As Rikar and Kreig go off to scout, Misha retrieves her backpack and follows with the others to wait to hear what the scouts have found.
Rikar follows behind Kreig as they make their way south, Goma close by his side.
Kreig looks to the rest of the team. "Stay close, say twenty feet 'er so. Rikar 'n I will signal ya up as we advance so ya kin come a runnin'"
With that he sets off, bow in hand, arrow knocked.
Going south into room B7
He's checking that the door to B8 is not opening, no noise from behind it.
Checking if anything is coming down the hall in B9.
If its all clear, he'll wave the rest of the group into the B7 room.
Kreig stealthily heads in the room just south of the main room and listens at the door where the gnoll is supposed to be. He hears someone (something?) talking, but in a language that while similar to the guttural language of the goblins is different enough that he can not understand what is being said.
Moving to the eastern door in the room, he listens but does not hear anything on the other side. Either the bugbear, that both humans talked about, is not there, or it is being very quite.
Kreig's brow furrows into a myriad of crevasses. Too quiet fer my likin'...
The dwarf gestures to the others waiting at the north door to B7, signaling for them to approach quietly.
Then he looks to Rikar. "Gotta be extra quiet, longshanks. Not sure what may come outta there..." He nods to the room (B8) with the muttering.
Once everyone arrives, Kreig will suggest (thru gesture) they arrange Josef, Rikar, Borris and Misha in a semicircle about the door opening to B9. Redona in the back. Then he'll make sure they're watching if the door to B8 comes flying open.
Once in position, Kreig will open the door to B9:
Redona certainly doesn't mind being in the back. The "fun" the others are having isn't really for her. She just shrugs follows the plan, finally getting into position with the others. She nods that she's as ready as she'll ever be, hoping she can keep people safe with the limited abilities she has in reserve.
Rikar stands in a semi-circle circle with his friends, Goma close behind him, blade drawn and ready for Kreig to open the door. When he sees the group assembled, he gives a quick nod, a grim smile on his face.
Goma - Same as Rikar
Everyone gets to their places, facing the doors into the south rooms, with major attention to the room where the bugbear is supposed to be. Kreig opens the door as quietly as possible, and just as door is open enough to look in a javelin comes flying out, missing everyone, but it was thrown with such force that it reaches the back wall of the room and breaks upon impact with the wall. Looking in you see a big bugbear in banded mail, drawing his morningstar and picking up his shield. He looks at the group with murder in his eyes.
Redona, low on spells, wants to save her command spell in case she needs to exchange it for a cure light wounds spell. Instead, she raises the crossbow she had at the ready, firing at the bugbear.
+1 crossbow
damage
Borris Actions
If Kreig steps back, Borris will move to Y14 and attack, then when Josef spell goes off take up the X13/14/Y13/14 block. If Kreig does not move back, he moves to Y13 and attacks.
Kreig staggers under the onslaught, pain erupting from his shoulder. He takes a 5ft step back , then uses his action to move to V13 next to Redona.
His bow feels shaky in his hand, his shoulder most likely broken or worse. Kreig looks at Redona and smiles reassuringly, closing his grin quickly when he feels blood seeping into his beard. "Don't worry, darlin'. Ole Kreig's had worse."
The dwarf fumbles in his pouch for the Cure Moderate Wounds potion he acquired earlier.
Rikar steps into the space vacated by Kreig, swinging his greatsword. He connects easily, but fails to put much power into the strike.
Misha draws her swords and slips around Borris's enlarged frame. "Why don't ya pick on someone your own... never mind..."
As she squeezes past Borris , she thrusts Better Slice toward the Bugbear's ribs, fueling arcane energy through the already magical blade.
sense motive
Redona's eyes open wide as she see's poor Krieg's injuries. Her mind races as she wonders what she should do. She can't fire the crossbow without risking hitting her friends. She has a single spell left at this point, and A single use of her channel energy left. And Kreig certainly hasn't been hurt this badly before, or at least not in his recent memory. The poor girl can see that much. What to do? She looks at the bugbear, and tells it "Surrender" using the Command spell (DC15 Will). If this works, they can take care of the bugbear without any more injuries.
Kreig, severely injured, withdraws from the combat, at least as far back as Redona. Misha moves up next to the murderous looking bugbear and attacks it with Better Slice, but misses. Borris, hearing the now familiar spell being cast, moves up but leaves room for Rikar to engage and attacks the bugbear with his earthbreaker, and just manages to hit the creature. Rikar, nodding to Borris for the room, moves up and hits his favored enemy, but the creature remains standing, wounded but still full of fight. Josef finishes casting his spells, which increases Borris size, and then enhances a dart and hurls it at the creature, but it bounces off the wall. Redona commands the bugbear to fall down, and it obligingly does. While down, he says in very broken common "female! Tor give me mate!" and it growls at Misha.
"Nice work, kid." He uncorks the CMW potion and lifts it to his lips. "Ya just kept us in this fight!"
The potion takes the edge off, dulling the pain of his shoulder enough that he can pull the string on his bow. Kreig readies himself to fire on the bugbear as soon as he gets a relatively clear shot. Hut he stays put at Redona's side.
Meanwhile, he casts a weather eye on the door to the goblin god's room. "Promised ya a female, eh? Guess yer tha female there buggy, cuz yer about ta get gelded!"
Checking the door to B8 isn't opening.
Misha laughs and answers in Goblin as she steps around the bugbear.
Goblin
"Sorry handsome," (where "handsome" probably means something like "impressively-scarred-one") "I was promised to the gnoll. He don't like cheaters."
She twirls her swords with flair and swings them down toward his exposed gut.
Rikar laughs heartily alongside Misha, though his laughter changes to a very impressed-sounding chuckle as the petite bard strikes deftly at the bugbear on the ground, her spinning blades glinting in the torchlight. "Well done, lass. Time to end this!"
He steps close to the prone creature, bracing his greatsword against his hip and using the weight of his body to drive the blade through its armor and deep into its chest.