The general scowls at Nerak and growls, "Generals plan options."
Usual Twisted Nail AC 14
Arlan = AC 27 & 76/76
Beltzer = AC 16 & 58/58
Lys = AC 21 & 66/66
Nerak = AC 14 & 48/48
Wulfrum = 60/60 & AC 23
Ingrahild = AC 18 & 55/55
Varin if NPC
Umlo
Rolling her eyes in an almost audible manner, Lys turns to Droja, putting a cheeky smile on her face. "Leave it to them to obsess over chests, right?", she chuckles dirtily, before turning to the general. "If you think that whatever's in there might help us, I am definitely not too proud to accept it. In fact, I am never too proud to receive any gifts, like flowers or whiskey.", she grins towards the rest of the group.
She takes a step towards the general, then starts unbuckling the armour on her left hand. Taking off the Lastwall gauntlet, she points it at the orcs. "This is just me overthinking stuff, right?", she says. "But I think an exchange of gifts isn't that bad for...", she stares upwards and snaps her fingers at Nerak. "A-ha! Solidifying agreements. Right?" She puts the gauntlet on a rock, then steps back from it and crosses her arms. "That's all I can give, really, unless someone is really keen on my hat.", she takes off her hat.
"Or, we can leave the whole 'I want to play with my buddy's toy!' until after we've taken care of the giants. But I think that they're the mammoth in the dining hall at the minute, as the northerners say." She starts tapping her foot nervously.
The general grunts at Lys and growls, "When will you go? Which entrance? Need to prepare guards."
Usual Twisted Nail AC 14
Arlan = AC 27 & 76/76
Beltzer = AC 16 & 58/58
Lys = AC 21 & 66/66
Nerak = AC 14 & 48/48
Wulfrum = 60/60 & AC 23
Ingrahild = AC 18 & 55/55
Varin if NPC
Umlo
Lys puts a finger on her lip, appearing to think. "I don't know...", she says. "I would prefer the tent, myself.", she says, before adopting a stance. "But what would the neighbours say about me visiting your boidoir, General Karrguk? Scandalous!", she makes her best impression of a Taldane noblewoman, before crossing her arms.
"I suggest the sewers - I'm not sure we'll all feel very welcome in the camp, and that's the realist in me talking, but some of your people might speak about this affair to the giants, out of fear rather than greed, I imagine.", she points out, raising her hands. "On the other hand, the grate is probably going to ruin my shoes and my nose, but I'd rather take a mountain than a river."
"So,", she says, picking up her gauntlet, "If you really are struggling to decide, flip a coin." She flips a golden coin towards Arlan with a wink.
Wulfrum snorts. "Aye, the grate is fine. If you can get your troops and such out of the way by tomorrow at high sun then we'll strike then. Otherwise, I ask for the next day. Best to use the light to our advantage."
Lys nods at Wulfrum. "That, and there's a really good chance I may shoot one of you in the dark. Without me wanting to.", she chuckles. "I think that's everything, then." She turns to the orcish general. "Now would be the perfect time to mention if they have, like, a dragon or anything of the sort.", she grins, before tipping her hat.
After the general and his entourage depart, Ingrahild and Umlo thank you for saving them. After a polite amount of time, the depart for the mountains to head home.
The next day, you prepare yourselves and head back to the fort for high noon. You get through the palisade and waltz through the empty orc camp and make your way back to grate of the sewer.
Barred with an iron grate (hardness 10, hp 30, break DC 24), a narrow sewer tunnel only 4 feet in diameter opens into the fort’s outer wall. This culvert was originally submerged, but with the draining of the moat, the grate is now visible, and the sloped tunnel provides access to the basement of the fort’s keep.
Usual Twisted Nail AC 14
Arlan = AC 27 & 76/76
Beltzer = AC 16 & 58/58
Lys = AC 21 & 66/66
Nerak = AC 14 & 48/48
Wulfrum = 60/60 & AC 23
Varin if NPC
As Lys steps close to the grate, she takes a long whiff of the air, then lets out a pleasurous sigh. "You smell that, boys?", she says in a quiet tone. "The smell of liberation, freedom, justice, and cannibalism-heavy diet." She unsheathes her crossbow, taking a step towards the sewers. "Definitely mostly the latter." After a cursory glance reveals no traps on the outside, Lys waves her hand for the others to follow.
Biting into her gauntlet, she stares at the grate. "Now, are we breaking into it?", she asks, grabbing the grate. "Or are we going to go for the more devious route of getting captured, eaten, and then infiltrating via their guts?" She slams her boot on the wall and starts pulling with enthusiastic and amusing to watch, yet terribly inefficient pulling technique.
Wulfrum raises a brow at Lys's words. "I doubt, this here grate is gonna give us much trouble...and I ain't getting captured. We're gonna lift the grate, step through, step up into that there fortress and shove a dragon sized boot up everyone's a**@!$%@ that gets in our way." he said grabbing a bit grate himself ready to give it the old heave ho.
Lys moves to the side to let Wulfy have a go at the grate, as she grits her teeth trying to move it to the side. "Oh, Uncle Wulfy.", she says, chuckling at the suggestion with appreciation. "We do know how to party in the best of places, right? Ha!", she lets out a very unladylike laugh. Spending the next several seconds trying to pry away the grate with groans, grumbles, and complaints about the smell, she sighs, feeling the grate starting to give way. "So, have you thought what you'll do, after we stop rummaging around giant plumbing for a living?", she says, wiping her forehead and grabbing the grate again. "I mean, you still got at least as many years as I have. Imagine how many young generations you can send to sleep?", she asks, her tone's joy somewhat fake.
After days of traveling, Crom arrives at the pallisade and crosses into the abandoned orc camp. He looks sideways at his fellow travelers and shrugs. "Lads, I think this is what we're looking for."
As they approach, he sees a small group examining a sewer grate. Crom squints his eyes and elbows Nox when he sees the red bearded dwarf. "By Gorum, that's cousin Wulfrum! Wulfrum Boulderhead, fancy meeting you in a conspicuously empty orc camp deep in Belkzen. Did you kill all of the green-blooded bastards? Didn't leave any for your old cousins, heh?"
He slaps Wulfrum on the back and then nods to the others. "I'm Crom. I'm here to kill and pillage."
Crom then examines the sewer grate and pulls out his crow bar. "Well, let's get this thing off then."
A reddish cat follows in Nox' wake. She looks around at the others, her gaze slowly sweeping between them. "Meow."
Zekal has done his best to keep himself presentable on the journey but still his shiny armor and embrodery in his pants is tarnished. As he sees the others he smiles.
"Elize? Nerak? Erastil be praised we did manage to find you, its been years but clearly you have been busy! He looks around the area... glad to see you are working to defend the good peoples of Golarian!"
Looking at the others.
"My new friends have as much of a grudge against the giants as I do so they will be good allies in this I think! Gods! It is good to see familiar faces after searching as we have!"
After the warm greeting his face grows much more serious.
"So.. were going in there?"
Waving cheerfully at the new arrivals, Lys flashes a wide smile at Wulfrum. "May your joy be as eternal as Torag's..., uh, scowl.", she sends an improvised dwarven greeting at the new arrivals, paying special attention to the cougar. "Hey! I'm Lys Brokenshield.", she introduces herself, then grins widely at Zekal. "I am always busy. Especially when I'm trying to look as busy as possible.", she leaps in to give the archer a hug.
Sending a look at the grate, she nods. "Well...", she says, shrugging. "I'm sure it's not that bad, for a secret assassination tunnels. I've heard of some significanly worse."
Zekel gives the grate an appraising look but chooses not to touch the old iron.
"In there pretty tight?" He looks at the dwarves that have been traveling with him. "It is lucky I have been traveling with these mighty fellows then. I am sure I could not budge them."
Wulfrum looks up at the commotion as they had reached the grate and were getting ready to do their thing. He hadn't been looking forward to doing this with so few and when he heard the noise, he tensed up.
He heard the voices and turned about surprised and with a scowl on his face. "Oi, you lot of dunderheaded excuses for boulders. We're at the edge of a siege....a little quiet about this would make us all less suspicious." he said in an equally loud tone before becoming more hushed.
He claps the two dwarves heartily on the shoulders in return before giving a nod at the youngster of the pack.
He cast Lys a sideways glance for the, well attempt at a dwarven greeting before shaking his head. "Alright you lot, it's good to see yah. I reckon yah got your blood all boiling for some excitement and all...but listen here and I mean this. As much as I ain't fond of it, we've got an Oath signed and watched over by Kols with the orcs. Don't raise your arms against them least they be chopping first...then all bets are off, got it. I'll not have a dwarf be the idjit to break an Oath sworn in the presence of Kols." he said staring at them and hoping they got the meaning of what he said, both of the meanings his words could have.
He paused for a minute, nodded that he felt they understood and then joined them on the line to lift the grate.
Zekal smiles at Wulfrums rough greeting not having realized he knew him from home, beard must be fuller or some such.
"So the orc's are going to let us just walk out. Well... that will be a first I guess. May Kols and Erastil, and us , show them the light if they are untrue in that."
Crom sighs, "Mark my words, laddy, we'll be killin 'em green tuskers before too long. They ain't ones to keep their word. But, by Kols, I guess I can refrain from splitting their heads for a couple of hours. I reckon we'll find somethin' else to kill and loot in that there sewer."
Once the grate is removed, Crom will listen at the sewer entrance before jumping in.
Before Crom rips the gate out of the wall Zekal looks to the others to fill in some holes in what he knows.
"It seems the gods have put together a group with a lot of connections. That is fortunate, we will fight harder for those we know. I do wonder, how did you free this fellow from fighting bears and where did his most unusual weapon come from?"
Lys shrugs. "Well, you know what they say. The best orc is the orc you have to kill tomorrow, since you struck a truce with them today to aid you in the goals for next week." She nods at herself. "I am, so wise." Throwing a glance at Crom, her eyebrow raises. "Hm. Iron Cudgel? That... sounds familiar...", she says. "Hey! I think my mom's mentioned you. Or insulted you. Or both, really. You know a Grimrelda Brokenshield? She went by Grim back in her day.", she asks, hoping that a dwarf clad in mostly spite, curses and axes is hard to forget.
"Oh! Umlo.", she jerks back up as Zekal inquires about The Skillet. "That's all on our very own tactical genius Nerak. The short answer is - magic. The long answer involves bears, long hours of planning, and the most adorable flying pebble in the world." She grins. "And the planning did involve some vulgar drawings on a map. Like I said - long story."
Crom spits a large wad of tobacco onto the ground. "Aye, I know Grimrelda. Ain't seen Grim in a while. That your mama? How'd a human girl like you end up with dwarf parents? And what's she up to these days? Cursing and killing anything in her way I imagine. If you got her fire then we'll be alright, I reckon."
"Shame I missed that, just glad we caught up when we did. Not sure if Erastil would have guided us into a sewer pipe."
Lys chuckles. "Raising houses, roosts and chickens, last time I left her. That, and telling Dad 'That's f%&$ing nice, dear.' whenever he starts explaining something enthusiastically.", she giggles. "The fact they don't listen to each other is pretty much the thing keeping them together, I imagine."
"Myself, though,", she starts saying with a shrug to the dwarf. "Her fire, possibly, but not her axe skills - unless firewood's involved.", she taps her massive crossbow. "They, uh, took me in when I was little and raised me. Plenty of kids either taller or shorter than their parents in Trunau." Her smile is solemn. "Some of them a lot greener, too." Chuckling at Zekal, she punches the archer in the shoulder. "Few things are more natural than second hand food and drink, so maybe Erastil was feeling particularly whimsical today?"
After some effort, the dwarves pop the grate loose and sets it aside. Then, everyone looks at the narrow sewer tunnel only 4 feet in diameter
opening into the fort’s outer wall and then each other.
Usual Twisted Nail AC 14
Arlan = AC 27 & 76/76
Beltzer = AC 16 & 58/58
Lys = AC 21 & 66/66
Nerak = AC 14 & 48/48
Wulfrum = 60/60 & AC 23
Varin if NPC
Zekal looks at the heavily armed dwarfs.
"After you, please."
Wulfrum looked at the others and then at his shield. He jerked his head towards the now open grate. "Let's go, dwarves in front...though I wouldn't say it's a terrible idea to have one of us in back in case this is a trap." he said showing just how much he trusted the Orcs to stay true to their word.
He stepped into the sewer and began feeling a bit claustrophobic but otherwise just pushed forwards once he could hear the footsteps of the others.
”I’ll take second, I think. Oughta be able to reach out and touch someone with me trusty axe if it comes to that.” Nox says, choking up a bit so that it doesn’t reach out past Wulfrum until needed.
Nox’s trusty firepelt cougar stops at the grate, sniffs around a bit hesitantly, but ultimately follows her master in.
Crom sticks another tobacco wad into his mouth and then jumps down and follows behind Nox. "Yar, smells right perty down here. Just like home."
He unlimbers his ax as he moves.
Wulfrum enters the sewer tunnel followed by Nox, kitty, then Crom.
Very quickly, Wulfrum notices the sides of the walls are coated with seemingly moist stone.
Bad guy
Crom = AC 21 & 90/90
Lys = AC 21 & 66/66
Nerak = AC 14 & 48/48
Nox = AC 19 & 84/84
Gwenhyfar = AC 23 & 27/27
Wulfrum = AC 22 & 60/60
Zekel = AC 19 & 59/59
The stats are correct for Crom.
Wulfrum paused, seeing an enemy in front of him "S*$*..." he said before almost running into it. He raised the warhammer and brought it down upon the creature in front of him.
Wulfrum paused, seeing an enemy in front of him "S~!$..." he said before almost running into it. He raised the warhammer and brought it down upon the creature in front of him.
While Wulfrum is satisfied that he damaged the odd creature, he smells the acridic scent of his warhammer melting.
Suddenly, a terrible pseudopod lashes out and replies to Wulfrum. The dwarf is slammed and slimed with adhesive acid.
Bad guy 14 damage and is grappled
Crom = AC 21 & 90/90
Lys = AC 21 & 66/66
Nerak = AC 14 & 48/48
Nox = AC 19 & 84/84
Gwenhyfar = AC 23 & 27/27
Wulfrum = AC 22 & 60-9=51/60 and is grappled
Zekel = AC 19 & 59/59
Hearing the commotion from the passage ahead Zekal sights and mumbles to himself. "Always the problem with tunnels, no way to tell what is going on.
Likewise.
Lys tenses visibly as the sounds of fighting begin. S*$&, s!&#, s*~+, I need to be in there..., she thinks, but the long line of dwarves in front of her proves her wrong. Should've gone second. At least I can shoot above Wufly., she thinks, before hissing. "What's going on in there?!", at the tunnel.
Crom steps to the side to make room for the others. "Backup and bring 'em into the open space so that we can help."
"Yeah, good plan." Nox says, already backpedaling into the open area.
Wulfrum grunts and snarls a bit at the creature "Git off me, I ain't yor dinnah" he said towards the group.
Wulfrum grunts and snarls a bit at the creature "Git off me, I ain't yor dinnah" he said towards the group.
Suddenly, a terrible pseudopod lashes out again and replies to Wulfrum. The dwarf is slammed and stuck with adhesive acid.
Bad guy 14 damage and is grappled
Crom = AC 21 & 90/90
Lys = AC 21 & 66/66
Nerak = AC 14 & 48/48
Nox = AC 19 & 84/84
Gwenhyfar = AC 23 & 27/27
Wulfrum = AC 22 & 51-10=41/60 and is pinned
Zekel = AC 19 & 59/59