GM Blood's Way of the Wicked #2 (Inactive)

Game Master David James Olsen

Having seemingly taken the guards by surprise Daimon moves, trying to close distance as quickly as possible.

Move Action: A-11 to E-17, I think that is as far as I can get

Aevry - We are supposed to be shackled to chains in the walls with hand and foot shackles. I doubt having the manacles still appear on will have much effect since your feet are no longer chained and the manacles are no longer connected to the chain/wall.
Our goal is to get out of the cell and remove the horn from the non-drunk guard.

Basically what Rytara said, we aren't shackled and the door isn't locked. Hurry and go and beat them with your fists man! :)

I was not sure of the configuration of our restraints within the cell. The fists will happen soon enough. I was hoping we could at least drop the one with the horn on the surprise round.

DevonRex/Aevry - make sure you select the correct avatar.

We are in the cell. On the surprise round, we can make a single action - move or standard, not both. I do not think that one of us can move to the door and open it for the others. My plan is to move to the door and open it for the rest of you next round if I can act before you. Otherwise one of you three will have to do it. If the guard is fascinated, then he should lose his action, no horn, until we do something threatening to him. I am hoping that he misses his save, not a very high DC, but it is a guard, not a priest, so we can always hope.

Eh, I thought (or maybe it was just hoping) we could move out of the cell during the surprise round, guess we will find out, my attempted move puts me outside the cell door.

Ok, so Avery misses with his spell but Rytara fascinates the horn wielder. Daimon moves through through the unlocked cell door with ease.

Tearyn up last before the 1st round starts

Tearyn rushes out the door and lines up next to Daimon. Sizing up the guards with their padded clubs, she grins as she brandishes her dagger. "Grumblejack, now is the time to take vengeance, join the fight!"

Move to F17

Grumblejack takes a step forward and punches the drunk guard without the horn

Attack 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10
Non Lethal 1d4 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8

Round 1

Initiative Order - Tearyn, Avery, Guards, Rytara, Grumblejack, Daimon

Guard Stats AC 17 T 11 FF 16 Guard with horn fascinated until either broken or Rytara's turn

Tearyn and Avery up before the guards

"Tearyn, Avery, Grumblejack lets charge that guard together"

Delay action until after Rytara? We don't want to break the fascinate early if we can avoid it and waste her surprise action

Tearyn darts towards the guard that Grumblejack injured, thrusting her dagger towards his exposed back.

Attack+Flank: 1d20 + 4 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 4 + 2 = 21
damage: 1d4 + 1d6 ⇒ (4) + (3) = 7

Grinning widely as she finds a crease in the guard's armor and slides her dagger, twisting within a vital organ, Tearyn whispers to the guard "You cannot hope to contain the Chosen of the Dark Lord, so now you meet your fate."

Move to H13 to strike

Rytara calls out:
Keep one alive. He can tell us of the guards and prison.

Tearyn stabs the drunk non horn guard who crumbles to the ground. Non-Lethal damage is greater than current hps

Avery's turn up next

Aevry darts out of the cell and charges towards the guards, closing with the horn wielder.
Double move to E12

Avery approaching the fascinated guard allows another save to break the spell, and the guard succeeds! The fascinated guard shakes off the spell and quickly surveys the scene and decides to throw down his padded club and shield and surrender!

"Please spare me and Jeb! We have a family!"

Tearyn approaches the surrendering guard with the bloodied knife, wiping the blood on the guard's clothes.

"You might live if you can serve a purpose. Tell us the layout of this prison and where the guards are."

Perhaps there is an outer wall where we can make use of that window, or at least a way to assure our escape.

Daimon uses detect good on the guards.

Rytara casually gets up and walks out to where the guards are.

She stands over the cowering guard, gives him a kick and spits on his head.

You worthless cur. I've know rats with more guts than you.

She then looks at the other drunk guard bleeding on the ground before turning back to the surrendered guard.

Personally, I think that we should just slit your throat. However, we need information and if we can reach an agreement, the First will not allow me to go back on that agreement.

On the other hand, should we find ANY of the information you give us to be untrue, then trust me, you will wish that we had slit your throat.

She pauses and looks to the others before turning back to guard:
Now then, what is the layout of this prison? How many guards are there and where are they stationed at this time of night? Where is the warden and the old man? I am looking forward to causing them both a slow painful and terrifying death.

Aevry smiles at the guards cowardice.

You are smart enough to know when you are beaten at least. In addition to your information we will also need your clothes and equipment.

The aasimar drags the unconscious guard into the cell and strips him methodically. He nods to Daimon.

I think now would be a good time for that spare symbol of Asmodeus.

The guardsman is clearly terrified of you and relates the following:

The barracks are downstairs on the right of the great entry way, which the great entry way is always guarded by a pair of guardsman.

I assume by the warden and old man you instead mean the sergeant and the warden(who is the old man)

Sergeant Blakerly's quarters is on the left of the great entry way and includes the storeroom and armory and is always locked and Blackerly has the key.

The warden can be found in the tower at the back of the prison.

As to the number of guards there will be some sleeping in the barracks of course, and a pair of guards in each guard tower watching the courtyard (4 towers). A pair on the gatehouse roof and a pair of guards on the other side of the bridge at the guard house.

He says that a card game is going on all night tonight in the gatehouse and that it is likely some of the other guards are there leaving only 1 of them at the post instead of two. (but he didn't know which ones)

Thinking of the window on the kerchief as a possible way to escape without further risk, Tearyn asks, "Which walls are outer walls that if we dug through would allow us to escape? Not ones that open over water or cliffs, mind you - or you might be thrown through first." Then holding up the two keys, she asks "And what do these open?"

"This whole prison is on a small island, the only way is to cross the bridge, or somehow get past the rocks at the bottom of the cliff and swim to land" He says the last one like he doesn't believe anyone could do it.

Rytara listens and nods as the information is provided.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (19) + 11 = 30

What is the layout of the gatehouse? Where in it is this card game exactly and what is stopping us from simply walking through?

Also, are there guard dogs outside? Where are the dogs? And do they answer to any command words?

"The gatehouse has three levels.The main level has three rooms, the eastern room is where they play cards, only accessible by the second floor which you can get to from the western room going up. The third floor has the guards and the trap doors have large rocks to prevent anyone accessing it from below.

There is a kennel of dogs in the courtyard by the gatehouse. They will follow commands of any of us because they know us, but will attack anyone they do not know.

The gatehouse can be barred from the inside but isn't done usually so you can go right through and cross the bridge. The guardhouse on the mainland has a portcullis that is always down"

Rytara looks to the others before turning back to the guard:

Do the walls connect to the warden's tower or to the gatehouse? Can we get into the gatehouse from the top? And how do we access the wall towers?

Daimon removes the patch with the holy symbol of Asmodeus and then hands the symbol to Avery.

Daimon then proceeds to take one of the guards longsword and dons a chain shirt while Rytara and Tearyn question him.

After the guard answers Tearyn. Daimon will try to use Diplomacy to see if he can shake anything else loose from the guard.

1d20 + 8 ⇒ (1) + 8 = 9

"Look, we don't have to kill you. There are some nice comfy cells we can lock you in so tell us what you know"

Regardless of the answers given Daimon will knock him out after he finishes speaking.

"We don't have all night for interrogation, kill them or lock them in the cells but we need to get moving."

Aevry leaves the interrogation of the guard to the others and holds the unholy symbol. He walks over to Grumble jack and examines him.
Heal check to determine how badly wounded he is.1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6
Phew, those guards did a number on you friend. I'm surprised your able to stand.
He murmurs a short prayer in infernal, unholy symbol glowing with a reddish light and touches Grumblejack soothing his wounds.
Casting Cure Light Wounds 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

Aevry, it looks like he was beaten fairly severely. Non Lethal Damage With your cure light wounds most of the lumps and bruises have disappeared, though some do remain he seems in fighting shape now[/ooc]

The guard reveals that the walls connects the towers. You can get in a tower through a door at its base and on the wall through a tower. I think I misread something before. There is a pair of guards that roam the walls between the towers looking into the courtyard not a pair at each tower

The Warden's tower does not connect to the walls, they go around it.

Trying to form a vision of the layout in her mind, Tearyn says, "So, we have to get out to the main courtyard, cross the bridge and somehow get the portcullus to open so we can get to the mainland... We can fight or sneak past the first part, but how to we get past the portcullus?"

These daggers will serve me well enough, and that armor will only hurt my chances of sneaking if it comes down to it. Maybe I'd have a better chance of leaving these to their own devices and just sneaking away... but it is too much of a coincidence that all of us are followers of the Dark Prince and all brought together like this. It must mean that we should join forces and work together.

Tearyn then holds up the keys to the guard, "Again, which of these opens what?

When the keys are shown, the guard says, "Those are keys to our lockers in the barracks downstairs"

Rytara looks at the others: We have to escape from this cell block, which we have accomplished. Escape from the guard room. Escape from the prison building, which apparently has guard barracks below. Get across the courtyard. Get through the main gate. Get across the causeway. And then get past the guard post which has the portcullis.

We can sneak, or we can fight. The problem with fighting is that we risk getting killed or recaptured. The problem with the sneaking is that there are multiple points at which a guard could see us. There are guards on the walls, guards on top of the gate house, there are guard dogs, there are guards drinking and gambling in the gate house, and there are guards at the guardhouse.

Personally, I would rather risk it and try to take the guards down one or two at a time. We have seen that they carry these horns. If we can take out or break the horns, I think that we are strong enough as a group to overcome a few guards.

Also, the Warden appeared to be some type of a magician. I do not know what, but I have no doubt that he likely will have some magic that may be useful in helping us overcome the guards. Also, anything of value that he may have will be most useful as I do not know what, if anything, our benefactor may provide for us once we have escaped.

***poke***

"The Warden is someone I would like to try and avoid. While it's true that he might have the most equipment he is also the one most likely to kill us. Now Blackerly on the other hand I have plans for. Oh yes he will convert to Asmodeus.... or be killed."

Aevry nods to Rytara.
I like the way you think. Let's get these two shackled and knock this one out. Afterall, we want at least one survivor to tell our tale.

Rytara looks over at Daimon: Considering the enjoyment in his eyes when he branded us, I imagine that the sergeant is already a follower, although he may have not yet admitted it to himself. However, our goal, and our only goal, is to escape this place.

We can do it through stealth, which as I stated, requires all of us to sneak past several well watched guard points. If we make it past some, but not all, then we shall find ourselves sandwiched between armed guards, possibly with a magician of some sort, and a locked portcullis. Personally, I would prefer to have the armed guards and the magician not be behind us.

We can do it through brute force. And while you all seem quite sure of yourselves, I do not fancy facing a battalion of armed guards when I am ill equipped and undermanned.

Or, we can use stealth to one by one eliminate the guards as we work forward. Take out those sleeping below and anyone in this prison first. Then scale the walls and take the two guards on watch up there by surprise. Next, we use stealth to enter the Warden's tower. With the guards in the prison and on the wall gone, it is unlikely that the Warden will be able to summon any assistance.

When we have finished this, we eliminate the dogs, if we have not already, and then move through the gatehouse.

Finally, once we have done this, we don the garb of the soldiers and ride right up to the portcullis. With any luck, we will have obtained the password and be able to walk right through before the guards at the guardhouse realize their folly.

Tearyn nods at Rytara in agreement. "Stealth and force together, then. If you think we need to let these two live, let us bind, gag, and chain them in our places. Then let us deal with their comrades one-by-one until we are ready to make a move on the main gate."

It would be better to kill them, but if she swore by the Dark Prince then I will not make her a breaker of such an oath.

DM Blood, I think we are ready to head down. Is there a stairwell? Or how do we get off this level?

Everyone list what they have for equipment. I think there were two chain shirts, two swords, and two padded clubs. I would like one of the clubs if I can remove the padding from it to turn it into a normal club.

I took a Chain Shirt and a Longsword (also with a belt and a sheath if available). I also have the veil which has some assorted items remaining including rope, a lantern, the 'window', spell components.

You move to the room to the south and quickly look around seeing it is empty, including the interrogation room where Tiadora was met. There is a set of dice on the table that the guards probably used to pass the time. There is a set of stairs leading down to the first level here.

Rytara puts her finger to her lips as she looks down the stairway.

Quietly: I doubt there are any traps as these guards seemed to not think that anyone could escape from within. However, I have fairly good eyes and will see whether there is anything dangerous. If there is, someone else will have to disarm it as that is not one of my talents.

Rytara then quietly moves down the stairwell looking for any traps or devices that would sound an alarm.

Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (16) + 10 = 26

Stealth: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7

Rytare heads down the stairs which descends into a 20' east to west by 40' stairwell room lit by a single torch on a sconce. There is a closed door on the north wall.

Rytara looks back and waves the others down the steps.

Before we head down, we make sure that the guards are all taking nice long naps. I suppose Grumblejack would enjoy clunking each one on the head hard enough to knock them out, but not hard enough to kill them.

Grumblejack pounds the pair of guards a few times each with his fists. You are pretty sure he kept them alive.

Rytara heads down and listens at the door to the north.

Perception: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (10) + 10 = 20

Rytara doesn't hear anything for a bit, but just as she starts to pull away from the door she hears a clearing of the throat from someone

Rytara puts her finger to her lips and motions for the others to silently come closer.

She then whispers quietly to the others: There is someone on the other side of the door. Possibly a guard.

Can we update the map with the party gathered outside the door that Rytara listened to?

Following Rytara closely Tearyn whispers, We should prepare to rush in and attack, take them by surprise before they raise an alarm...

how are you going to udder yourselves?

Rytara nods in agreement:
I can open the door. And hit someone with my powers. If there is more than one someone, you all will have to charge out and take them down. As before, we take them down quickly and quietly.

Rytara pauses for a moment: Unless the door is locked or barred in some manner.

I would think the best order would be Avery and Daimon in the front. Tearyn and myself in the back.

GM Blood - was I able to un-non-lethal one of the clubs?

dumb phone, udder= order