"Ok, some nice stash you found. Wonder what Blackerly was planning on doing with it. If we get get out of here we can split it and put it to good use. Let's take a look at this gatehouse." Sion moves to the big front door and opens it a crack, looking through to see if there seems to be any signs of guards outside.
Donovan follows the others through the keep's various rooms, not bothering much with any of their contents until he spies the branding irons.
Aaah, tools for a true Mitran crusader, he says in typical unnerving sarcasm as he placing a branding iron in his belt next to the butcher knife, It looks like Father Gance will need to change a bit. In these dark and desperate times what's needed is someone with a bit more of a backbone, a bit less of a morality. Somebody like... Inquisitor Gance.
Yes, yes what a ring that has!
Once free of his little daydream of sorts, Donovan moves to the ready near the front door with Sion.
The gatehouse seems quiet. There is no sign of any of the guards.
The large double doors are closed however.
Well, it seems like the coast is clear. Shall we move on the gatehouse? Hopefully Blackerly's keys will open it if it's locked on us. Be prepared for any guards inside." When everyone is ready Sion will lead the way, instructing Grumblejack to stay just behind him.
Mordesel curses. He sets his things down, returning to the armory. When he returns he is holding several longswords. He retains one, handing the others to anyone who will take one, and begins chopping at the door.
The largest key, while fitting the lock, fails to open the door. Clearly it has been barred on the other side. You hear a voice and the scurrying of feet from inside.
"Hold criminals! We wish to parley!" A fearful voice cries out.
After a moment several (three) guards appear on the battlements above. One of the wears a sash signifying him as a slightly higher ran than the others. He and his two companions have bows in hand. He speaks sternly.
"Traitors of Talingard! I have no desire to witness any more deaths among those under my charge. I give you an offer. We will open these gates to allow you escape into the swamp, to be chased down at a later time. In exchange, you release Dale unharmed to us!"
Dane halts his steps, though keeps his legs coiled in case he needs to charge under a tiny hail of arrows. "Well lad? Looks like your moment of truth comes early. Whom do you trust to watch your back more, me or them?"
Whilst giving Dale a moment's pause to think the matter over, Dane shouts what he thinks of the deal back. "And what guarantee do you give us that you do not fill our backs with arrows after the gate closes behind us? Your fellow Blackerly would surely have commended such trickery from his men!"
The speaker hesitates.
"We're not all corrupt like the Sergeant, nor are we apathetic like the Warden. Some of us are simply honest Talingarde soldiers who want to see their homes again. I offer this with honesty because I value the lives of my men more than yours. But we will fight to the bitter end if we must."
He sighs.
"Dale will not be harmed. Blackerly may have wished to hang him but I do not. He is one of us."
Dale looks up at Dane, clearly hoping for the chance to rejoin his comrades.
Mordesel nods. He speaks quietly to his new companions I believe 'em. And I don't know if it's worth trying to assault the gates. But mine's not the only life on the line here. Anyone opposed?
Dane quietly murmurs back. "Taking the gatehouse from three or four more shouldn't be any trouble, so let's see us actually get something for our negotiations."
Dane feels slightly disappointed that he's being forced to barter away his toy, nevertheless offers the following counter-proposal. "If you wish Dale, so be it. But for him and your lives, you must offer me more than what I could have taken myself anyway. You will not only release us, you will aid our escape by delaying the reinforcements. First, you will let us out the gates, once we are clear of the range of your bows, I will release Dale to return to the prison. You will then delay the reinforcements once they arrive with the following story: We broke free of our bonds somehow and broke free from the prison, raising an alarm. As we rampaged through the central keep, the warden being the coward he was, Mitra rest his soul, had began mustering the guard around his tower instead of the gatehouse. In the time it took to muster, we had apparently raided the armory, using keys that Blackerly had apparently left lying about, and reclaimed our weapons and armor. Perhaps because we saw the challenge, or perhaps because we were confused by the mustering enough to think that the gatehouse, we assaulted and overcame the garrison, capturing Dale and barricading ourselves in the tower. You haven't heard a peep out of the tower since, but have held the actual gatehouse as the ranking man of these..." Dane scoffs "Honorable Talingardeans. With the reinforcements, lead an assault on the tower, which with the exception of Dale whom you'll find locked in the Warden's old bedchamber, you'll find abandoned of course. Upon finding him, interrogate Dale as to where we went, and he will tell you that as we had not realized that the guard was so badly bloodied and that the gate was held by only your handful, we assumed that a much larger force guarded the gatehouse than the warden. Being bloodied and tired from the previous fight, we decided to try descending the walls to sea. We'll send Dale back with Blackerly's keys so that you can make sure any and all doors that need to be locked, are. After that's done however, you are to cast them into the sea and pretend you never had them, and that we still carry the keys ourselves."
Giving the guards a moment to process his instructions, Dane finishes with one last threat/offer. "Offer me anything less little Talingardean, and you offer me nothing I don't already have. If the reinforcements find trace of us later and attempt to track us, so be it. But regardless of any offers here, that would have happened anyway. So any promise of less promises me nothing. The only other offer I may be willing to consider, would be if you fine lads feel up for becoming real men and join me with the Iraens!" The big man laughs, then summarizes. "You've four options boy. One, you make yourself look good and deceive anyone and everyone that we ever left through that gate. We leave unharmed with less chance of pursuit, you probably get a promotion. Two, you let us through that gate as you originally offered and hope that the man who oversees your collective court-marshals doesn't see you all hang as men who have abandoned their duty to Talingarde, or in other words, Deserters. Three, you join me and my merry lot, kidnap your wives, families and lovers at later dates, and make new lives for yourselves under my charge as Iraens. Or four, you can die here like dogs who are too stupid to take the better offers. Note that since the second option does me no good, that's probably option four. I just wanted to emphasize that option one is better for you and me both."
Dane paces back and forth. "You've ten minutes to decide, we may offer you one or two more options in the meantime. Choose wisely."
The guard falls silent for a brief moment after hearing Dane's ultimatum. The two guards next to him look crestfallen, but their faces harden as they nod to their leader in grim acceptance. Dale turns pale at Dane's words.
"I was a fool for believing that reason and honour would mean anything to a vile savage. This may be our last stand, but at least we'll die honourably! ATTACK!!"
The three guards fire arrows. The leader targets Dane, the others target Nikita and Donovan.
Nikita takes an arrow to the chest, injuring her greatly . Dane's armor absorbs the worst of the attack but he arrow inflicts a minor flesh wound.. Donovan ducks the shot.
"Perhaps someone ELSE can negotiate next time."
"Grumblejack Charge!!!"
Sion charges the door with his full might.
Donovan draws his butcher's knife as he moves up to the wall, pushing himself flat against it in hopes of giving the archers less of a target.
As much as I enjoy hacking our way through the entire garrison, I cannot help but agree with Sion.
Anyways, we'd best get that door open quickly. Grumblejack?
Sion hurls himself at the door. Despite his strength, the door refuses to break.
The ogre curses the guards above them as he charges the door.
Anton shakes his head, All those words.. was he trying to confuse them, or bore them to death?. He then moves off into the darkness, slowing when he steps into it, not wanting to trip over a hidden rock. Once hidden in the shadows, he unslings his bow from his back.
Mordesel throws his weight into the door, trying to help Scion break through.
Mordesel and Sion ram the door for all their worth. It creaks and cracks, and is on the verge of breaking, but manages to hold.
Nikita groans from her wound, quickly taking whatever cover she can from the fountain.
She looks up at the guards. Cursing, she recognizes two of the guards from before. Still, the one in charge is new.
Dane charges the gate, putting his shoulder into it, hoping to barrel straight through.
"Damn fools! My idea was better for both of us! Should have offered a counter proposal!" Why do Talingardeans negotiate so oddly? They offered an ultimatum, I offer three viable options, they attack? Hrumph...
Dane slams against the door, but the wooden barrier manages to hold.
One of the guards shakes the sleeping man awake. He stirs, rises, and picks his weapons up.
The third guard shoots again, aiming at Nikita.
The arrow hits home, the witch severely injured.
Mordesel steps back and then moves forward to bash the door again.
In like suit, Dane backs up, and rams the door once more.
But Dane, despite his strength makes little difference.
From the relative safety of the keep, Anton fires an test shot from his bow at one of the guards.
Anton's arrow bounces off the battlement wall.
Nikita tries a minor spell to distract one of the guards.
The guard easily shakes off the effect.
The ogre roars in frustration and tries to smash the door to splinters with his greatclub.
The door begins to splinter from Grumblejack's assault but still holds.
The guards rain down more arrows, targeting the ogre (2) and Nikita (1).
A single arrow pierces Grumblejack's thick hide, causing him to cry out in pain . He groans as he yanks the missile from his shoulder.
OR
Dane draws his weapon and joins 'Jack in trying to batter their way through.
That's it fellows! Teamwork! With it we may just defeat our deadliest foe yet...the Dreadful Door, the Brute of Branderscar, Punisher of Prisoners, Murderer of Misfits, Slayer of the Sacrilegious... Donovan shouts, pausing briefly to cast a quick spell and bracing himself for the inevitable fall of the door.
...Gorefiend of the Godforsaken, Flayer of Felons, Hungerer for the Horrible...
With a powerful swing of his weapon, Dane smashes down the door. It breaks in half and partially collapses into a pile of splintered wood.
The mighty door has fallen.
Inside is a large stone chamber. Arrow slits line the west and east walls. In the middle of the room is a wooden ladder leading up to a hole in the ceiling. On the other side of the room is a set of thick double doors. They are partially open.
Nikita rushes out of cover and ducks into the relative safety of the gatehouse.
Mordesel follows Nikita inside the gatehouse. He looks briefly at the ladder, then says to the others, We can go kill them, or we can just leave. At this point, I feel they are not worth it. And Dale can stay if he wishes as well. He waves dismissively as he stops at the door to wait for the other's decisions.
"And they will shoot us as we run, some of you may die and shadow girl is very wounded. Can someone heal her? Remember we are all wanted at our destination." Sion follows them inside.
Once inside the gate house Donovan first examines the ladder then moves over to peek through the doors.
I'm all for simply fleeing. We've certainly nothing to gain here.
The ladder can be removed quite easily. It's a 10-foot wooden ladder.
The double doors lead outside. A winding path leads to a bridge that connects to the mainland. (Branderscar Prison is built on an island). There is no sign of any more guards.
Dale chirps in.
"Let me go! If they don't see me with you, they're sure to hold their fire when you escape!"
"I don't think these guards are going to give up the chase. You heard what they said. They'll see exactly which way we go and have our trail for the search party to follow us. The moor may be difficult to cross, and hopefully we have the only easily accessible map. But I don't like leaving things to chance."
Dane considers things for a moment, before untying Dale, and recoiling the rope. "Go, let your friends know you're safe." Dane gestures at the ladder. "While they're distracted with the reunion, we make a run for it."
Mordesel nods, Go on up to your friends Dale. As soon as Dale's up the ladder, Mordesel begins speaking again, Quickly, get ready to go, wounded first so they have a better chance of getting out of bow shot, he pauses a moment, and go.
Once Nikita, Grumblejack and Dane are out the door, Mordesel follows right behind them urging them--and himself--ever faster down the trail.
Without looking back, Dale scurries up the ladder and out of sight with astonishing speed. Without a moment to lose, you all hurry down the winding path at breakneck speed.
The trail is deceptive though, much further (240ft) than it first appeared. Yet, no arrows fly at you. Glancing back, the more observant in your group notices four men on the battlements with bows in hand, watching motionlessly you escape.
Reaching the bridge, you hurry across (150ft) without being accosted. Passing through an open gate and an abandoned guard house on the other side, you hurry on.
Just out of sight of the prison, you all pause to catch your breath. The road is clear, Branderscar is behind you, and your destiny lies ahead.
As the sky turns red with the approach of dusk, Grumblejack begins to laugh heartily.
"It seems we have escaped, although a little worse for wear," he says, glancing at the heavily wounded Nikita. "Now, for those who wish to visit our benefactor, I'm afraid we shall need to cross the moor up the way and through to the Old Moor Road. I'm thinking the map that we acquired should help immensely to keep from straying from the path."
He glances at the sky and the burgeoning darkness. "And those torches may be of use soon, although it may draw attention to our presence, I expect the moor to be a treacherous place in the dark."