Yes. I looked, and it goes down to the courtyard, but there were people down there. Not sure if it would be better than the stairs. What do you think?
"Depends on if there are still people there, or if they are gathering at the bottom of the stairs to come up here. If we can jump past the bulk of the remaining cultists, we might avoid some fighting."
Since the stairs seem clear she says I think we should take the stairs. Carrakas, will any of these robes fit you?
She makes sure she has a mask to cover her face and her "signature" rapier out, and walks to the top of the stairs. As soon as the rest of the party are close enough to her so that she can include everyone in the channel, she does so, twice (figuring she can do the second while everyone is walking the rest of the way).
Then she waits for someone who has the ability to lie to take the lead, and hopes no one will ask her a direct question.
Carrakas puts on one of the robes as quickly as he can, then picks back up his shield. He puts on a mask, shuddering lightly as he does so. Bloody masks, hope this one doesn't try to suffocate me too... As he joins Marzela, he too waits for someone else to take the lead. "Not much of a liar myself - never found it necessary. Someone else better take point."
Jaed adjusts his mask and walks past Carrakas and Marzela. "No worries, I have told some alternative facts to this guys before and they believed them, they are not very smart."
He will descend the stairs when everyone is ready and if everything is clear then head towards the door.
Finnrick dons a robe and mask and follows Jaed, ready to reach out and touch him with enhanced diplomacy. He also casts it on himself as they leave.
He hasn't had a chance to process his transformation yet or the fact that it seemed like Millsy spoke to him, but that will have to wait until they get out.
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Jaed walks down the stairs and looks around. The main worship hall you're in appears to be empty with the double doors to the hallway leading outside closed.
Everybody gathers around the door downstairs, ready to bluff their way past any challengers. Taking a deep breath, Jaed opens the unlocked door...and is immediately met with short swords and a mini hail of crossbow bolts from the five cultists on the other side.
"What do you think you are doing!! Lay down your weapons now and you won't be too harshly punished. Just this little bit." Jaed tries to give his voice a deeper tone to sounds more like Egarthis and so it cannot be easily identified by Evlar.
The rogue complies with his threat by unleashing his swords and attacking the cultist that just injured him.
Carrakas moves forward solemnly, and stands before Finnick. He raises his shield, and takes up a defensive stance. "Stand down, you have been commanded and obedience is required!"
Cultist: -3, bleeding out
With a cry, the white robed cultist in front of Jaed falls. The gray robed cultist reloads his crossbow as does Evlar, both keeping their weapons trained on the rogue. "Then why didn't you say the password before entering? Where's Krant?" The gray robed woman makes a gesture towards the other white-robed crossbowman, who steps forward and begins administering a potion to the fallen cultist. The still standing cultist with a short sword likewise holds his weapon at the ready.
Marzela responds to the questions asked calmly:
We don't have time for passwords right now. Didn't you hear the fighting upstairs earlier? Krant is dead, and we barely made it out ourselves. We're going to talk to someone about this break-in. Now clear the way for us so that we don't have to kill you on the way.
<--only 29 for any non-humans
"Beware of who you are talking to, I don't like that tone. Krant gave his live for the Living God, watch you are not next." Jaed tries to sound as intimidating as he can.
"Now move aside. As she said, we have urgent matters to attend. Our temple has been desecrated. This cannot happen again. Praise Razmir."
Finnrick begins to say something but thinks better of it. For not being able to lie, that cleric certainly came up with a convincing story. he thinks to himself as he ushers Millsy behind him.
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"We have strict orders from Faltore not to let anyone through without the password until the intruders have been killed. If you want us to disobey his orders, you'll have to speak to him directly. I'll have Samael fetch him."
The white robed cultists who had been feeding their fallen comrade a potion steps back, reloads his crossbow, and joins his companions in pointing it at Jaed. The prone cultist then proceeds to wobbily get to his feet and move off to follow the gray robed one's instruction.
Do you really need to go count the bodies up there to SEE that they all have been KILLED? Is it not OBVIOUS since we are standing before you?
... That's fine. You go get Faltore and waste your own time. In the meantime, we'll kill anyone who stands in our way. Nothing personal. You're just under orders, I understand. The loss of life is a shame, and I wish that I could spare you, but if you can't think for yourselves...
<-- minus 4 for non-humans
Marzela draws her Scimitar.
Kill them.
At Marzela's command, Carrakas begins to move, ignoring the nearest cultist with the short sword. He simply moves around the man until he is behind him.
Once he is in position behind him, the masked tiefling will again form his kinetic blade, dirt and earth rushing toward his hand until his double-bladed axe is formed once more, and then he will take a powerful swing at the one cultist blocking the exit in the south half of the hallway.
Jaed shrugs afeter Marzela's words and not trying to hide his real voice anymore he adds: "Well, you've heard the lady. Time to die."
He then takes a step to the side to flank the cultist with the short sword and attacks him.
As soon as hostilities resume, more blows rain down upon Jaed, but only the short sword manages to land.
Carrakas moves around one cultist, who's blow bounces off his armor, and scores a solid hit on Evlar that falls slightly short of being truly devasating. Meanwhile Jaed soon gets his revenge on the sword-sword wielding cultist as the man falls.
Well, you say "won't listen to reason" I say, "You're all very clearly lying and only Jaed's high bluff and their low sense motive had the cultists second guessing themselves". ;-)
Attempting to take advantage of a relatively clean shot, Finnrick pulls out his sling and aims at Evlar as Millsy leaps into the fray soon after, attempting to bite and trip the man.
Unfortunately, the mask slips down Finnrick's face, causing his shot to bounce off the ground and forcing Millsy to jump back to avoid it before completing her attack.
As all pretense is dropped, Evlar immediately recognizes Jaed's voice and his hands begin to shake in anger. "You! I knew you were villainous scum, but now this?! Of course you would try to skip straight to the top. Always thought you were better'n all the rest of us. I bet this week was the first time you ever did any real work, but I guess that was too far below you."
He looks like he's about to throw his crossbow past Carrakas at the rogue when the gray-robed cultist's voice interrupts him. "Evlar, enough of this nonsense. Go warn the others." There's a brief pause as he clenches his fist around his weapon before complying and withdrawing and running out the front doors.
The gray robed cultist steps forward to take his place, dropping her crossbow as she does so to instead pull out her rapier. The white robed man next to her does likewise with his sword sword. Looking between the heavily armored tiefling and the small cat, both concentrate on the small cat.
In the distance you can hear Evlar and the other white robed cultists shouting, no doubt to raise the alarm.
Carrakas growls at the retreating Evlar. That's not good - time to leave! He reaches back and forms his blade yet again, swinging it forward at the white-robed cultist. His swing is a little more careful this time, and seems to have a little extra weight behind it.
Seeing his foe take a vicious hit and get sent rushing back, the tiefling takes the opportunity to rush forward. "Move, now!" he calls to his friends, as he moves tidily around the cultists and out the same double doors that Evalr went out., before turning back toward the cultists in the hallway with his shield raised.
In response to Carrakas' yell, Marzela sprints for the street exit.
Millsy attempts to leap past the cultist and give chase to Evlar just as she leaps off Finnrick brushes her fur "May Sarenrae guide you. Go get him girl," He casts guidance on Millsy while droping his sling and drawing his scimitar.
Situation Base Acrobatics DC1
Move through a threatened area Opponent’s Combat Maneuver Defense
Move through an enemy’s space 5 + Opponent’s Combat Maneuver Defense
Seeing that Carrakas is taking the cultists' attention, Lily hurries to evacuate the area along with her companions.
Carrakas slashes at the white robed cultist, easily pushing him back and almost dropping him. He then quickly dashes past as both people swing their blades at him.
However, both blades clack useless off of his armor. Millsy takes the cultist's distraction to also dash past.
Marzela runs up to the doors, looking to see if the gates are open.
Jaed seizes the opportunity and moves behind the white robed cultist. "Move people! To the doors! Carrakas and I will cover you."
In an attempt to keep the cultists busy he attacks the the guy next to him:
Jaed slashes out, cutting down the already badly wounded white-robe next to him.
"They're here! They're here! They're trying to pass themselves off as priests and heralds!" Evlar begins shouting as he drops his crossbow in favor of his blade.
Hearing the warning, two of the new guards on the ramparts look over and also join in. Not quite sure who's who, they aim at Millsy, who is at least an obvious enemy. Unfortunately for them, the wily cat simply jumps out of the way. A third acolyte also pops up on the walkway and looks around, a bit confused over the sudden action as the one who had been about to enter charges forward, drawing his sword and looking generally menacing without doing anything just yet.
Still inside the temple, the gray robed priest looks at Jaed and Carrakas looming behind Lily and promptly turns to attack Finnrick where he stands alone.
Lily turns and launches an arrow at one of the guards on the ramparts.
...with the usual outcome.
Marzela stabs Evlar with her scimitar, pitying the misguided cultist and wishing she didn't need to, but needing to defend herself.
"Jaed, help" Finnrick yelps as he pummeled by the cultist he raises his sword and makes a tentative swing at his attacker, worroring more about self preservation than actually killing him.
Millsy on the other hand lashes out at the newest cultist.
"Hey you, leave my friend alone. Go back to your books and sermons. I'm getting bored of killing y'all like flies." With his words Jaed tries to attract the cultist attention away from Finnrick.
The combined efforts of Jaed and Finnrick are enough to take down the priest harrying the druid. Meanwhile outside Marzela takes a large chunk out of Evlar, who cries out in pain but remains standing. Milly tries to imitate her companion, but the cultist seems ready for any attacks and dodges out of the way.
Carrakas looks back at his companions as they drop the last cultist inside. he gives them a quick nod, then says "Someone should see if any of these doors lock, to cut off reinforcements." He then begins to move forward, coming up between Marzela and Millsy. His eyes glint through the mask as he looks at Evlar. "Weren't able to run fast enough, eh boy? Heh. Let's see if you can hit any better than you run away."
DM: Hide
Evlar: 16
Evlar snarls derisively at Carrakas as he approaches. "Ha! Now I know you're friends with that lot. No doubt you also think four on one is a fair fight, just like the rest of them!" He lifts up his mask to spit at the tieflings' feet. "Nothing but a bunch of bullies, the lot of you! Bullies and traitors!" Evlar then steps back and quickly quaffs a potion.
The other cultist on the ground, not liking the position he's in, moves to have the stable at his back and attacks the cat.
Up on the wall, the gray robed priest yells down as the acolytes aim their crossbows at different people. "Remove your masks and surrender or face the consequences! This will be your only warning!"
Seeing that the Stabby boy isn't trying to gut her anymore, Marzela turns and tries the door. If it opens and she can get out, she definitely gets out.
Carrakas, the door is locked. Time for your backup over the wall plan. I'll be right behind you.
Marzela pulls out two vials, looks at one longingly, but applies the other to herself.
Marzela disappears.
As soon as Marzela makes a move that isn't to take off her mask and surrender, another hail of crossbow bolt rains down on the team. However, all the bolts miss.
The door is unlocked. However, on the other side is an iron portcullis that is currently down.
Carrakas, the portcullis is down. Time for the backup over the wall plan. I'll be right behind you.
Carrakas nods in response to Marzela. He moves away from the cultist he is engaged with and moves up to the wall east of the door. Without any hesitation, he reaches out his hands, and they seem to meld with the very stone of the wall. He begins to easily climb up the wall, seemingly just as easily as walking, and quickly arrives at the top of the wall next to the cultist. Once at the top of the wall, he forms another earthen axe and swings it at the cultist.
The cultist desperately attempts to whack Carrakas as he retreats, but once again, the blade merely bounces off of his armor. The tiefling then smoothly glides up the wall, leaping up and attempting to hit the priest at the top. The priest however, sees the man's approach and dodges.
Lily turns and fires at the cultist that Carrakas ducked away from, but continues to miss.