He coughs a bit, trying to sit up farther on the wall. "Aye, from Molthuni side of things, but you bunch don't seem like your a part of either side of this bloody never ending fight." He puts the sword on the ground trying to sit up more.
"Three days ago the Hobgoblins attacked in numbers as we were trying to take the keep back from the Lieutenant. We came here thinking there was cache of supplies to be taken. Don't know whats downstairs but after the first set of soliders sent down didn't come back none of us wanted anything to do with it, and just wanted to head back." He finally manages to get into a semi-decent sitting position. "When we quit following orders, the hobs showed up in force."
"Names Akre Belring, from a little place down in Shrikewood, might not know of it, but would like to get out of here and go back some day. I can let you know what I know, it might not be much but would give you the layout at least."
Male CG Half-Orc Unchained Barbarian (Invulnerable Rager) 6.1 | AC 21 (T 13/FF 19) | CMB +11 CMD 24 (FF 22)+2 CMB/CMD Sunder | HP 65/65 | Init +3 | Fort +7 Ref +4 Will +2 | Perception +5 | Darkvision 60' | Speed 30' | Orc Ferocity 1/1 | Rage 12/16 | Draw Weapon as Free Action during Surprise | +2 STR & Ignore 2 Hardness to break object+Smasher: Ignore 6 Hardness | Damage Reduction (3/-), (6/lethal) | Extreme Cold Endurance(Cold Resistance: 1)| Active Conditions:
"Perhaps hobgoblin leader down below." He looks to others, "heal man, let him escape keep through secret door out while we go down and deal with threat."
”Enora” | Female LN Small Halfling Arcanist 4 | HP 27| AC 13, T 13, FF 11 (Mage armor: AC 17, T 13, FF 15) | CMD 12 | F +4 R +5 W +5; +2 vs. fear | Init +2 | Perc +1 | Speed 30ft |
"It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance Akre Belring ... although I would have wished this to happen under better circumstances. To be honest I would rather have you wait here for us. The secret door we found can be observed and you do not look as if you are able to get out without aid and will surely be seen and attacked. Stay here. Give us the maps and all information you have ... and we will then act!" Enora says calmly.
He doesn't have ink and paper but he will tell you about the layout of the two secret doors Evan already found out.
"Vos can be found upstairs, the North section leads up for you. His quarters are in to the West once your up there." He starts breathing easier. "You can find there are a few of the walls up there have doors to them. The stairs to each of the corners when you get there, and then a matching set in the Southern Ramparts, the North ones also have openings to the main halls." I'll mark them for you.
"The Door right by us is the Storage room, and the Kitchen across the way, and since this is the East on this floor, well that's where you'll find the path to who knows what ate up those boys, they were good men. I wish I could tell you whats down there but we don't even know. The west side is nothing but barracks, South is well, they made it hard to break into this place, they jokingly called it the Gauntlet. It's the hall to the main gates, but its defended on either side."
"It is likely that the hobgoblins haven't found the secret passages yet as they have been unguarded thus far. We may way to secure this area first so that we have our own base of operations before tackling the hobgoblins."
I'm suggesting that we go down and clear out anything there before we go up and tackle the hobgoblins. Basically I'm arguing for the opposite of what Yaiho suggested.
”Enora” | Female LN Small Halfling Arcanist 4 | HP 27| AC 13, T 13, FF 11 (Mage armor: AC 17, T 13, FF 15) | CMD 12 | F +4 R +5 W +5; +2 vs. fear | Init +2 | Perc +1 | Speed 30ft |
"I would rather first tackle the hobgoblins. I don't want any surprises later!" Enora says.
”Enora” | Female LN Small Halfling Arcanist 4 | HP 27| AC 13, T 13, FF 11 (Mage armor: AC 17, T 13, FF 15) | CMD 12 | F +4 R +5 W +5; +2 vs. fear | Init +2 | Perc +1 | Speed 30ft |
"Then let us go down but we should really barricade the door!" Enora says.
You manage to barricade the door that you are not planning on using, and Akre will hold up in the secret tunnel having that way barricaded off as well.
The room your door leads out into has tall, empty shelves lining the walls of this small storage chamber, reaching almost to the ceiling. Two barrels that must have once contained pickles lie on their sides, brine puddles still pooled beneath them. Numerous empty meat hooks dangle from the ceiling.
Perception DC 10:
There is hidden among the lets over bits and bobs of empty boxes, a masterwork hand crossbow, and a few bolts. A few left over aged rations are in a low shelf where they were overlooked.
If you are going straight for going down, you were informed that the door would be on your right coming out of the storage room. There does not appear to be anything stopping you in the hallway.
The flagstone tiles of this room have all been pulled up and lie stacked against the walls. The room has been completely excavated, and picks and shovels still lie scattered about. The digging has unearthed an old circular staircase made of a lighter stone than the rest of the keep. The staircase begins at the bottom of a seven-food-deep pit accessed by a short ladder, and leads down into darkness.
Shining a light down into the hole you can see three charred humans, and further on down a decapitated human, and then four petrified hobgoblins. If you are walking down past these, let me know a marching order.
”Enora” | Female LN Small Halfling Arcanist 4 | HP 27| AC 13, T 13, FF 11 (Mage armor: AC 17, T 13, FF 15) | CMD 12 | F +4 R +5 W +5; +2 vs. fear | Init +2 | Perc +1 | Speed 30ft |
GM Phoenix Kyten wrote:
... The staircase begins at the bottom of a seven-food-deep pit accessed by a short ladder, and leads down into darkness.
Shining a light down into the hole you can see three charred humans, and further on down a decapitated human, and then four petrified hobgoblins. If you are walking down past these, let me know a marching order.
Enora is clearly moved by this sight!
"Oh look at this! What do we do now?"
Enora waits to see what the others do but she will stay in the middle of the group.
Xiao makes his way down the stairs a bit, and you realize the mess around you is the remains of these poor folk triggering the traps that were here and no longer active.
At the bottom this semicircular room is drenched in blood. Detached body parts of both hobgoblins and humans lie strewn about amid fragments of ancient furniture and half-dried pools of blood, and broad spatters of blood decorate the walls. A circular staircase winds up into the ceiling, while to the south a large, beige stone door without handles appears to be the only other way out.
Xiao notices among this dancing around the bits and pieces of fallen both human and hobgoblin is about a two foot tall minuscule, wicked old man, this snarling little humanoid wears metal boots and a blood-red pointed cap, holding what looks like for it's size an oversized scythe.
”Enora” | Female LN Small Halfling Arcanist 4 | HP 27| AC 13, T 13, FF 11 (Mage armor: AC 17, T 13, FF 15) | CMD 12 | F +4 R +5 W +5; +2 vs. fear | Init +2 | Perc +1 | Speed 30ft |
”Oh this sounds horrible! Xiao, so good you made it out alive and undetected! Let me think... “
How tall is the room, how long are the stairs? How big is the area below the ladder? Can multiple people stand there?
"Let us continue down. The hobgoblins appear to know about this place, but likely they fear it because many have been murdered there. Let me stick to the walls and try to get the drop on him. But come rushing down when I give the signal."
Once he reaches the bottom of the ladder, Xiao then prepares a dose of poison on his net and moves towards where he can try to drop it on the creature.
Xiao's net is coated in dusk agate extract, a contact poison.
Xiao then uses his vanishing trick to become invisible and sneaks down the stairs until he can get in range of the creature. (Hopefully it won't take more than 4 rounds.)
”Enora” | Female LN Small Halfling Arcanist 4 | HP 27| AC 13, T 13, FF 11 (Mage armor: AC 17, T 13, FF 15) | CMD 12 | F +4 R +5 W +5; +2 vs. fear | Init +2 | Perc +1 | Speed 30ft |
Enora retrieves alchemist fire and throws the flask on the monster.
On a hit, the creature is entangled requiring a DC 20 escape artist check or DC 25 Strength check as a full-round action to escape or dealing 5 damage to the net.
Also, the dusk agate extract forces the creature to make a DC 13 Fortitude save vs poison or fall unconscious for 1 minute.
If the creature is caught in the net, but does not get knocked out, Xiao will try to tumble away 10 feet up the wall. Remember the creature's CMD would be reduced by 2 as it has a -4 Dex penalty while entangled.
"It worked! Hey we should take his weapon away and tie him up good. It won't knock the old man out for more than a minute and then he'll have an awful headache."
"Do you believe this thing really killed all these people? If yes, then I would just kill it too! Too dangerous and it certainly deserves its fate!" Enora says with a bitter voice.
"Yes we should have. But it's no use to cry over spilled... brain matter, I guess" Zhatara scowls and shrugs almost at the same time "Let's get going, we've got no time to waste..."
Leaving the squished up fae creature behind, you pass through the only door.
The walls, floors, and ceiling of this half-moon-shaped room are covered in hundreds of mirrors of all shapes and sizes, some still intact, but most broken. To the north is a beige stone door built into the wall; the southern wall sports two milk-white stone doors of a similar design.
Perception DC 20:
After spending a few moments glancing into the mirrors there is a vague shape of a humanoid woman. As you continue to stare, the figure becomes clearer, eventually transforming into an unknown elven woman standing in the background of every mirror in the room. She is elderly and somewhat frail looking, but still quite beautiful, and is dressed in long, light green robes and ornate jade headpieces. She does not speak, and if you keep staring at her for more than 1 minute her face slowly contorts into a demonic visage before the entire vision dispersal.
Male CG Half-Orc Unchained Barbarian (Invulnerable Rager) 6.1 | AC 21 (T 13/FF 19) | CMB +11 CMD 24 (FF 22)+2 CMB/CMD Sunder | HP 65/65 | Init +3 | Fort +7 Ref +4 Will +2 | Perception +5 | Darkvision 60' | Speed 30' | Orc Ferocity 1/1 | Rage 12/16 | Draw Weapon as Free Action during Surprise | +2 STR & Ignore 2 Hardness to break object+Smasher: Ignore 6 Hardness | Damage Reduction (3/-), (6/lethal) | Extreme Cold Endurance(Cold Resistance: 1)| Active Conditions:
Perception:1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12
Yaiho moves along with the group, itching to break a few mirrors before walking up to the stone door. He then looks back at the doors in the southern wall. "Which way?"
”Enora” | Female LN Small Halfling Arcanist 4 | HP 27| AC 13, T 13, FF 11 (Mage armor: AC 17, T 13, FF 15) | CMD 12 | F +4 R +5 W +5; +2 vs. fear | Init +2 | Perc +1 | Speed 30ft |
