Crom opens the double doors and looks out. He then moves to the south and looks through the opening. He shrugs as he moves past the bricked wall. "We don't need no death magic, we got axes. Leave it."
He then leads the way down the stairs.
Crom opens the double doors and looks out. He sees blue skies and the Mindspin Mountains. Due to the angle, he cannot see the fort below the crenelated wall.
He then moves to the south and looks through the opening. He shrugs as he moves past the bricked wall. "We don't need no death magic, we got axes. Leave it." He then leads the way down the stairs.
Crom = AC 25 & 83/90
Lys = AC 21 & 66/66
Nerak = AC 14 & 48/48
* Nox = AC 27 with DR 2/- & 84/84
Gwenhyfar = AC 23 & 27/27
Wulfrum = AC 28 & 60/60
* Zekel = AC 19 & 51/59* –2 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, ability checks, skill checks, and weapon damage rolls
"The source of that curse is the object. If we don't get the object we can't break the curse. It didn't effect me, if everyone else is fine we can leave it. If not, unless you want to spend your life cursed best break down the wall."
Leave it to dwarves to be scared of a little magic they don't understand.
"Hmmm, are they still eating the giants?"
Downstairs Zekal listens at the doors trying to hear what is going on beyond.
Wulfrum blinked "Eh? Curse yah say." he says looking at the others and then back at the new patch of bricks. "Ah, that's why this here spot is new." he says before raising the big hammer and striking the wall in that spot.
Wulfrum makes short work of the brick wall. And with Detect Magic, Nerak finds the cursed skull inside the bricked-up alcove to the northwest.
Zekel hears a melee in the barracks outside the closed double doors of the treasury. Lots of roaring and crashing furniture.
Crom = AC 25 & 83/90
Lys = AC 21 & 66/66
Nerak = AC 14 & 48/48
* Nox = AC 27 with DR 2/- & 84/84
Gwenhyfar = AC 23 & 27/27
Wulfrum = AC 28 & 60/60
* Zekel = AC 19 & 51/59* –2 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, ability checks, skill checks, and weapon damage rolls
"Well once we smash that skull on the fort's alter of Iomedae. Everyone effected by the curse should be fine, it will also cleanse the fort. Which personally I think is needed badly all things considered. Do we know where the shrine is?"
The alternative being magic far beyond his ability. They certainly didn't have access to high priest or archmages for hundreds of miles.
"I fear my days in the wild hunting has limited my abilities as a pries to date. I doubt it is something I could remove. I would imagine the alter s behind all these giants that are quite annoyed with us."
Before going downstairs Crom yells over his shoulder, "Take the skull. We'll find the temple later. We need to get movin' before this whole place crashes down on us!"
Nox follows Crom, squeezing back the way they came. His (rather sizable) kitty cat follows at his heels.
Wulfrum follows the others into the next area.
everyone returns to the treasury room. Zekel confirms that there is a melee in the barracks outside the closed double doors of the treasury. Lots of roaring and crashing furniture seems to be winding down.
Crom = AC 25 & 83/90
Lys = AC 21 & 66/66
Nerak = AC 14 & 48/48
* Nox = AC 27 with DR 2/- & 84/84
Gwenhyfar = AC 23 & 27/27
Wulfrum = AC 28 & 60/60
* Zekel = AC 19 & 51/59* –2 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, ability checks, skill checks, and weapon damage rolls
Wulfrum raises a brow as the sounds outside start to die down. "Welp, I guess we should open the door and see what we got? Either beastie or brute yea?" he asked standing beside the door with one hand on it ready to open it if no complaints are offered.
"After you."
He would not be walking into a fight between manticores and giants.
"Right behind you, well a good bit behind." Zekal says with a smile.
Wulfrum shook his head and just shoved the doors open, curious to see how things have evolved.
Following Nerak down the stairs, Lys stares at the skull. "So, do you know how this necromancy works? Like, not necessarily this one, but necromancy in general?", a question escapes her lips, only for her to jerk up as she hears the sounds herself. "Well, the enemy of my enemy is an enemy nonetheless, as mom used to say.", she shrugs, aiming the crossbow at whatever lies behind the doors.
Crom helps Wulfrum open the doors and then steps into the room with his axe ready.
Reopening the double doors, you find an abattoir. Four dead ogres; two half eaten giants; and one dead manticore.
Crom = AC 25 & 83/90
Lys = AC 21 & 66/66
Nerak = AC 14 & 48/48
* Nox = AC 27 with DR 2/- & 84/84
Gwenhyfar = AC 23 & 27/27
Wulfrum = AC 28 & 60/60
* Zekel = AC 19 & 51/59* –2 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, ability checks, skill checks, and weapon damage rolls
"Yes, it's a school of magic. Not one I am overly fond of personally but any wizard worth the name knows about necromancy."
He replies to Lys before they come upon the carnage.
"That's four less giants for us to deal with. The surviving manticore has ether fled or running amok I'd guess. Both options aren't bad for us."
Wulfrum steps into the room and looks around "Aye, setting them free was quite the boon. Really should've had the Orcs give us a headcount...provided they could count." he said smirking a bit.
He looked around and checked the ground real quick for tracks.
Nox looks around, but does no better than Wulfrum. The scene's a bit of a mess.
"I admit, I thought it would be better to kill the beasts in their cage but this has worked out well so far. Regardless of the count there are certinally more."
Zerkal moves up to the opening to look at the activity out there suggesting attacking from range if there are giants out there.
Lys waves her hand in front of her with a frown. "That's one battle I didn't wish I hadn't missed.", she comments, before moving towards the door next to Zekal. "What do you think, left or right?", she asks, seeing the bloodspattered corridor. "I'm thinking left.", she quickly comments, poking her head out, then quickly taking a couple of steps, hugging the wall. I hope there isn't a pack of ballistas around here., she says, nodding at the others.
As soon as she sees any obvious dangers, or lack thereof, she waves towards the room, fingers pointing the direction. "Let's hoof it before the locals get more restless!", she hisses.
Crom scans the room and then carefully opens both sets of doors to recon the areas beyond. "Best we know what's back here."
The other double doors have stayed open. If you want to continue, you open the first door.
Crom sees a walkway from the keep along an open crenelated battlement to another single door in another building.
Crom = AC 25 & 83/90
Lys = AC 21 & 66/66
Nerak = AC 14 & 48/48
* Nox = AC 27 with DR 2/- & 84/84
Gwenhyfar = AC 23 & 27/27
Wulfrum = AC 28 & 60/60
* Zekel = AC 19 & 51/59* –2 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, ability checks, skill checks, and weapon damage rolls
Crom moves back into the room and quickly tells the others what he's seen. Assuming the doors by Wulfrum lead to a similar walkway, he moves down to the courtyard with Lys. "Let's keep moving."
"Agreed."
Zekal hangs back to let the larger dwarfs go first and to take advantage of a potential high ground if attacked in the courtyard.
Lys throws a glance at Crom. "Damn dwarves with their long legs, always in a hurry somewhere.", she teases the now-significantly taller dwarf, taking care to stay close. "So, what do you think's our reward going to be when we get back to Trunau? Praise? Songs?", she suggests with a jovial smile. "A couple of night watch shifts off?"
Heading down into the courtyard, you hear another melee occurring on the battlements separating the inner and outer baileys. The second manticore is getting beaten to death by an enraged hill giant.
In two separate guard towers overlooking the inner bailey (3 stories up), you see two deformed ogres behind battlement cover turning their attention from the giant melee to you raising their longbows.
From Lys’s far left and going clockwise around the courtyard, you see a (1) set of double doors, a (2) door in the base of the guard tower where a deformed ogre is at the top, another (3) set of double doors, a (4) portcullis separating the inner and outer baileys under the giant melee, a (5) door in the base of the other guard tower where a deformed ogre is at the top, (6) stairs to the battlements where the giant melee is, and another (7) set of double doors in a round tower. Lots of places to run toward.
Crom = AC 25 & 83/90
Lys = AC 21 & 66/66
Nerak = AC 14 & 48/48
* Nox = AC 27 with DR 2/- & 84/84
Gwenhyfar = AC 23 & 27/27
Wulfrum = AC 28 & 60/60
* Zekel = AC 19 & 51/59* –2 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, ability checks, skill checks, and weapon damage rolls
Looking around the courtyard Zekal spots the Ogres-things raising bows, with arrows much bigger then his.
"Snipers up top folks."
He raises is bow and fires off two arrows at one of the ogres.
"Best we move folks."
Crom runs to the double doors across the courtyard with his axe ready. He yells over his shoulder to Zekal as he moves, "Don't give them targets ! Stay together!"
"We'd better move, cousin." Nox says to Wulfrum, before ducking as low as he can and dashing out past Lys. His mountain lion follows him out, but continues past, coming up next to the wall.
Wulfrum nods and follows along, pacing himself out a bit from the others to try and get as much of the area covered by others perception as possible. It was hard to see where the Giants went.
Seeing Zekal fire off a barrage, Lys turns her heel and follows suit. "We gotta take them out!", she shouts, as three bolts fly towards the ogre, jabbing themselves into pieces of the battlement. "Torag, if this is because I don't scowl hard enough...", she hisses, before taking a step towards Wulfrum.
You scatter among a couple of bow shots from the ogres in the towers. No one hits nothing.
Beyond the double doors, Crom sees piles of cracked bones, discarded hides, rotten meat, and other refuse are heaped along the walls, filling the air with an overwhelming stench. To the southeast, a narrow staircase ascends to an open rooftop overlooking the inner ward.
Crom = AC 25 & 83/90
Lys = AC 21 & 66/66
Nerak = AC 14 & 48/48
* Nox = AC 27 with DR 2/- & 84/84
Gwenhyfar = AC 23 & 27/27
Wulfrum = AC 28 & 60/60
* Zekel = AC 19 & 51/59* –2 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, ability checks, skill checks, and weapon damage rolls
Crom scans the hall and then moves in and opens the double doors to the right.
Wulfrum charges forwards towards the nearest Giant tower.
"Best to not split up I would think."
Zekal fires off one more arrow at the ogres before moving to follow Crom.
"I'd be embarrassed right now, if I knew the meaning of the word.", Lys mutters to herself after seeing all of her shots manage to miss the metaphorical side of a barn, before shrugging and running forward to catch up with the others. "They're a lot easier to shoot when they're dead, though, so lead the way!", she comments as she follows the rest towards the battlements.
You scatter among a couple of bow shots from the ogres in the towers. No one hits nothing.
Beyond the next set of double doors, Crom sees carcasses of various humanoids and animals lie in haphazard piles in this kitchen.
Then, he sees the fort’s resident cook — a fat hill giant. His hands are wrapped in filthy, bloodied bandages, as he constantly gnaws on his own plump fingers, chewing them to the bone. He pulls his ragged fingers from his slobber-filled mouth and excitedly shouts, “More hands for my horse!” before attacking with his giant cleaver.
Crom = AC 25 & 83/90
Lys = AC 21 & 66/66
Nerak = AC 14 & 48/48
* Nox = AC 27 with DR 2/- & 84/84
Gwenhyfar = AC 23 & 27/27
Wulfrum = AC 28 & 60/60
* Zekel = AC 19 & 51/59* –2 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, ability checks, skill checks, and weapon damage rolls
Zekal quickly ducks into the room behind Crom but is brought up short when he sees the giant.
"Gods preserve us, you cannot be allowed in the world."
He snaps off a quick arrow as he stops moving.
Wulfrum ear twitches and he turns his head as he hears the Giant shouting. "Eh...looks like I went the wrong route." he said annoyed and stomped back towards the others.
Crom curses as the cleaver penetrates his armor. "If you giants weren't so stupid you'd be dangerous."
; power attack
; power attack
"Uh, hands for a horse?", asks Lys quietly as she throws a look around the room, not really wanting to ask what's in the stew. Raising the crossbow towards the giant's fat, mishapen head, she pulls the trigger, sending a bolt directly in his forehead.
Wulfrum is next to a wall in the inner bailey. Above him to screen right is a giant-manticore fight. To screen top and bottom are ogres with longbows taking pot shots. To screen top left is the double doors where most everyone else entered to battle the giant cook. To screen left, the stairs up go to a drawbridge and the entrance hall where are bunch of dead giants, ogres and a manticore.
Nox follows the others into the castle, then pulls up short of Crom.