GM Blood's Way of the Wicked (Inactive)

Game Master David James Olsen

Round 7

Steinki squares his feet and brings the axe around again, this time grunting with satisfaction as the blade buries itself in the warden's midsection.
Attack 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (14) + 3 = 17
Damage 2d6 + 3 ⇒ (4, 1) + 3 = 8

Warden Mathias Richter's luck finally run out as Ash and Steinki combine for a 1-2 lethal combination.

The warden’s well-appointed private bed chambers has a fine four poster bed, a full length mirror and an oaken wardrobe. Though the furniture here is of high quality, there would be no easy way to get it out. More portable is the Warden’s wardrobe including no less than five noble outfits (worth 375 gp in total). This collection of noble finery is mostly elegant silk robes and could fit most anyone.

There is also a sturdy oak chest pushed into one corner of the Warden’s private chambers. It is a well packed alchemist’s lab (worth 200 gp; weighing 40 lbs.).

The warden had potion of cure light wounds, scrolls of (magic missile,
hideous laughter and invisibility), dagger, wizard’s college class ring (gold with diamonds worth 250 gp), ioun torch.

Checking out his office:

This is the Warden’s office. Tastefully adorned in hard wood, the office is dominated by a massive oak desk. Inside the Warden’s desk is a neatly folded map of the surrounding area. The map shows the quickest route through the moors. It also shows Old Moor Road – your destination.

The desk has one locked drawer.

Hugh pauses in his identification of the items and motions to the halfling. "Drawer's all yours, Lueck. Or do you want to come back after we finish off the other guards?"

Steinki let's out a pleased exclamation as the warden finally drops dead. He shows little interest in the warden's clothes, more in the lab and magic though there is little enough he can make use of. Garret or Lueck for the potion? Hugh for the scrolls? I'm probably the best bet to drag along the lab if we want to take it.

Lueck will check to see if the warden has the drawer trapped, then try to get it open safely.

Perception 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (3) + 6 = 9
Disable Device 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 8 + 2 = 20

If that doesn't do it, then he'll check to see if the warden had keys, including perhaps a key for the drawer.

Lueck tries to pick the lock, but it seems more complex than what he is used to. Searching around the wizard's room you find a key in his night stand that fits the lock. Finding no trap you open it up and discover a book.

This beautiful book is made of fine cerulean leather embossed with gold leaf. Its edges are reinforced with brass fittings and strange arcane symbols adorn its covered. It bears the draconic rune of “R” in the center of its front cover.

Steinki holds out his sack from the kitchen to see if Lueck wants to throw the book in. His gives a quizzical nod back in the direction of the (hopefully) trapped guards.

Lueck gladly throws the book into the sack without ceremony. He'll check the desk and its drawers for secret compartments before moving on.

Perception 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22

And finally, as something of a trophy, he'll collect the warden's key ring.

You verify there isn't anything else let behind and make you way to the Gatehouse. Grumblejack still sits there on top of the boulder keep the men inside. "I take it things went well? That leaves only these guys and whomever is left on the mainland at the gatehouse."

Lueck snaps his fingers in exasperation. "Grumblejack! I'm sorry! I meant to bring you the warden's head but I got caught up in looting his private chambers. Forgive me, please!"

And then, with a wicked grin, he adds "Shall we see to the playthings Grumblejack has kept for us?"

Steinki nods, anxious to finish with the prison and get off the island.

Hugh answers the halfling's grin with one of his own. "I have an idea. The sergeant, he's not one of these goody-goody types like my cousin...I think he belongs to our master, and if he had any more balls, he'd be with us. That woman who gave me the veil did something to him, charmed him so he gave all these orders that made our breakout easier. See if you can bluff the others. Tell him thanks for all the help, he made it easy for us to get out and kill the warden and the other guards. And all he has to do now is kill the guards with him and we'll get him out of there. Then we sit back and watch the show."

"Heh heh. I like it. Any objections?"

If no one objects, Lueck will call in to them:

”Hey Blackerly! It worked! The warden and the rest of the guards are dead! All that’s left is the shmucks in there with you. We couldn’t have done it without you! You ready for us to open up and help you finish them?”

Bluff 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (14) + 7 = 21

Your words seem to have an effect down below. Blackerly spurts out, "C'mon guys you know that is a load of bull. I've always had your back!".

Two of the guards draw their weapon and say, "You did let that woman in to see them, was that part of the plan?".

The third guardsman moves to Blackerly and defends him, "C'mon you fools they are using you against him to ease their escape!"

The two men seem to have nothing of it, "You were one of the guards that let that murderer see the woman, you must be in on it too! Once you are down all we have to do is hold out until Sir Balin gets here at sun up!"

The two men attack, one on the guard the other on Blackerly.

Longsword G#1 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (15) + 5 = 20 *Hit*
Damage 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (1) + 2 = 3

Longsword G#2 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7
Damage 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8

Blackelry growls and says, "Kill these fools, they are right at least about Sir Balin"

Longsword G#1 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14
Damage 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10

Longsword Blackerly 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (9) + 7 = 16
Damage 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9

I'll keep running this fight round by round if you decide to intervene, otherwise if you just watch I'll run it to its conclusion

Lueck whispers "Sir Balin at sun up?" He is clearly alarmed at the news.

How long until dawn?

Lueck is inclined to let them work it out amongst themselves...

Hugh's jaw drops. "Wonderful--Balin the Blessed is coming here. We'd better get moving." Despite the urgency of his words, he shows no sign of leaving the fight, though.

You still have an hour or so before dawn"

Lueck nods in agreement. He whispers "We finish this" with a jerk of his head toward the fighting "And then we are on the road."

Since we're probably not using the ear trumpet for all of this, Steinki will just watch with black delight as the guards turn on one another.

The desperate fight continues. The first guard scores a follow up hit on his fellow guardsmen while Balckerly hits the one on him. Soon its Blackerly against the other two guards. But his training and supior equipment outlast them and the heavily wounded sergeant dispatches his opposition then drinks a potion, his wounds healing, "You'll need to come down here and do the deed yourself if you want me!" he yells up at you.

Hugh claps slowly. "Oh, well fought. Before we come down there, though, just think for a moment about what you did tonight. Who ordered the guards out of the cell block, giving us all the time we needed? Why, none other than good old Sergeant Blackerly! Why ever did you do such a thing? Your weak will let us kill everyone else in the prison. Every other guard. The Warden. The cook and his wife. All dead, because you failed to resist a charm. Asmodeus judges you an ally, Sergeant. In that knowledge, despair and die." The inquisitor looses an arrow at Branderscar's last defender.

Hugh pronounces judgment, specifically of justice.

Arrow to Sergeant, incl. judgment but not including PBS: 1d20 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (15) + 2 + 1 = 18
Longbow damage, if applicable: 1d8 ⇒ 8

The arrow sticks in Blackerly wiping out the results of the potion drank.

Steinki borrows the holy symbol of Asmodeus, casts true strike and sends another arrow flying toward the Sergeant.
Attack 1d20 + 1 + 20 ⇒ (3) + 1 + 20 = 24
1d8 ⇒ 5

Sergeant Blackerly hides underneath the table allowing him protection versus more arrows, begging for mercy the whole while. But Steinki's magic spells allows his arrow to hit him, killing Blackerly and ending his pathetic whimpering.

On Blackerly you find chainmail, masterwork longsword, sergeant’s
uniform, 30 gp, and a key ring most likely for his room and office.

The guards have their regular set of equipment and there is also 1d10 ⇒ 2 gp of various coins here.

"Ah, this will probably open that chest under his bed. Let's go."

"Let's check the chest quickly, then get off of this island! If I thought only Balin was coming, I'd love to ambush him. But without doubt he'll have some sort of entourage, and I don't want to end back up where I was a few hours ago."

Inside that box is a case of rotgut whiskey (a dozen bottles worth 5 gp a bottle) and 1235 gp. It takes no roll of any sort to realize this is a huge amount of money to be possessed by a common sergeant.

Don't forget there is still a guard on the far side of the bridge at the gatehouse on the mainland to deal with

Steinki let's out a low whistle upon seeing all of the gold. With the aid of the ear trumpet he comments, [b]"Think you were right Hugh to see if he wanted to serve The Lord of Darkness. Certainly was serving someone other than Mitra."[/ooc] Once the goods are secured, Steinki signals his interest in seeing to the last guard and getting off the island.

"Unless there's a boat on the scarf, we'd better get walking. Ash and I go out first again, in tabards, then the rest of you come up?"

"A good plan. If either of you think the rest of us need to rush up, just put your left hand up behind your back, like you're scratching an itch." Lueck does the gesture himself, to show what he means. "We should be able to see either of you doing that from back here. Otherwise, we'll figure you have something in mind to take down the last guard."

Steinki nods in agreement once the plan has been laid out to him. He hefts his axe and pats the wooden handle, eager to get moving and see about the last guard.

Getting out past the gatehouse feels great, even if you are still on the island that Branderscar prison is on. The path winds around for 200' before reaching the bridge to the mainland.

The wide stone bridge has a two-foot tall guard rail and as you reach the middle of the bridge you notice below that there are no rocks stick out of the water, but as you get closer to the mainland you see them sticking out of the water again.

This small two-room guard house on the mainland is made of grey stone and is the only remains of the old keep that used to protect the shore. There is a curious up-side-down portcullis inside a lone stone arch that blocks
entry to the bridge. As you approach the guardhouse a voice calls out, "Password". You also hear a dog on the other side of the portcullis making a low growl and the guard saying "Shut up stupid mutt!" to it.

Can the guardhouse be seen from the gatehouse?

The path that leads to the bridge is 200' and the bridge itself is another 140'. So probably at this time of night while its dark that would be too far away.

But the rest of the party can hang back on the bridge and (presumably) be out of sight of the guard?

Yes, humans and their short range vision!

One more question--do you have a map of the guardhouse and arch?

Bridge and guardhouse

There is no way around the guardhouse/portcullis though the portcullis could be climbed, but falling would most likely be your death on the rocks below.

Hugh is going to do a whole bunch of little things in sequence, so let me know if he's interrupted.

At the guard's demand, Hugh casually holds up his right hand in a placating gestures while reaching around to scratch his back with his left hand. After scratching, he pulls out the veil. "Window." He tears loose the window patch and slaps it against the guardhouse wall.

Wall into the gatehouse or Portcullis? Just making sure

Gatehouse.

Pardon me, guardhouse. Around the middle of the part of the wall that he can reach.

Right I wrote it wrong. Confusing at times! :)

Seeing the signal they had arranged, Lueck darts forward to join the others.

Steinki rushes forward with Lueck, axe ready to smash the final guard.

As Hugh says Window the guard seems confused as that clearly isn't the password. When he slaps the wall with the window and goes through while others come up from the bridge the guard is on alert

Grumblejack stayed back farther but moves up this turn

Round 1

Initiative Order - Grumblejack, Ash, Lueck, Hugh, Enemy, Steinki

Guard AC 17 T 11 FF 16 CMD 14

Guard Dog AC 13 T 12 FF 11 CMD 15 (19 Trip)

The bridge is brown, the closed gate is black, the transparent box is the guardhouse with the line on it the wall between rooms

At his action, Hugh will open the portcullis. "'Ware the dog, all! "

Lueck moves to L10 and readies an action to impale the dog should it get within range.

To hit 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16
Damage 1d3 + 0 ⇒ (3) + 0 = 3

I'm here, but holding since I'm after the guard and dog.