Finnabar turns on Ayles, trying to finish the fight as quickly as possible whith another axe blow.
, damage
, extra damage
Xarafine joins in on the attack against Ayles, striking at his unguarded flank. She continues to channel the power of Belam through her sword.
Finnabar turns with a snarl and brings his axe flashing down at Ayles. The blade bites deeply into the bandit's neck, cutting down through his ribcage and opening the man's chest cavity in a spray of blood that speckles the earthen floor with crimson droplets. The light fades quickly from his eyes as he drops to the floor with barely a sound.
Seeing the bandit fall to Finnabar's attack, Xarafine moves in to flank the beast, hoping to strike it down while it is surrounded by multiple foes.
Bein and Arundel continued their combined strikes on the beast, Beins blade slashed across its back side while Arundel reared and kicked at it. Together Bein hoped they would be enough to bring it down...
Jack attacks with a THWACK!
Hey guys, sorry for the delay. I thought I had posted that I would be very busy for a couple of weeks but the post seems to have been eaten. I should be back up tomorrow with a new post so that we can conclude the fight and everything - sorry again... Moving state, starting phd, painting house and a LOT of trips to the tip has caused my brain to melt.
Stand by for an update tomorrow.
Owlbear 53 damage (DEAD) - Bein
Jex 12 (DEAD) - Jack
Akiros 29 damage
Xerafine's attack strikes the looming creature, drawing the huge beast's attention. As it turns towards her Bein moves in and, with a savage cut, severs the animal's neck, a great plume of crimson blood rising from the mortal wound and inundating its coat. Akiros backs away hurriedly, fear in his eyes. "I yield"" he gasps out, throwing his sword to the ground. "Don't hurt me. The Stag,.. you've got to deal with him fast. Before he realises what's going on. He might get out through the tunnels to meet those 'friends' of his. You'll need to be quick!"
Meanwhile, on the walkway above, Jack steps forward close to the bandit he faces. With an evil smile he calmly slides his blade deep into the man's stomach, dropping him to floor in one fluid movement.
Hi guys. Sorry for the long delay - moving and renovating proved to be more work than we thought. I still don't have internet at home (except via phone) so posts will be slow on weekends but I should be able to post almost every weekday from here on in.
"Where does the tunnel exit?" Xarafine demands. "Is near the fort?"
Jack is almost surprised at how easily his blade found the weak point in the man's armor, and watches with a mix of revulsion and grim satisfaction as the cruel bandit falls to the ground, life suddenly extinguished, a pool of blood forming quickly around his body. The same fate for all bandits, who delivered such a death to Arion.
Jack wipes the blood off his blade and resheathes it and walks away from the body, wanting little more to do with it. While up on the watchtower, he tries to get a good look at the situation, and has to swallow back a hooray as Bein and Xarafine fell the creature, and Akiros raises his hands in surrender.
Still, there are other bandits about, and possibly other nasty surprises, so Jack takes a moment to see what other dangers may be near his friends.
Finnabar nods at the last remaining bandit with a strange look of sadness.
"I accept your surrender and I apologize for going through this charade. I am Finnabar d'Orlowsky, mandated by the authorities of Restov to stop the Stag and the banditry in this region. Of all of those we saw here, you were the only one to stand up to this monster. For this courage and the way I saw you commanding, I think there is still something to save in you. Come on, pick up that weapon and join us, this is your only chance to redeem yourself. Help us take out the Stag and turn towards the good path and I swear I will protect you as I would one of my men."
"On the other hand", he adds, moving briskly towards Falgrim and trying to keep the bandit from dying. "This one is wanted alive, so let's keep him so. not that he'll thank me I think."
, DC 15
Then, raising his head, he adds with a brisk tone. "Well done every one and especially you Teacher for taking this risk. Let's move quickly down the tunnel and take out the Stag. Jack and Bein, please remove what's blocking the trapdoor. Teacher, find something to light our way, please. If you have any suggestion, let's hear them."
"Light I can readily provide, Captain," Xarafine replies.
"I would recommend Jack take the lead, as he is an experienced tracker, has the keenest eyes, and can use his bow to engage the Stag at range, should he turn to face us. Assuming our young charge chooses redemption, he should follow Jack, so that he can offer insight to the tunnel layout. You should then follow him, Captain, in case he loses his resolve. I will follow you, moving the lights as we progress, and offering support as I am able. Bein will be the rearguard, ready to strike down anyone who would seek to ambush from behind."
At Finnabar's words Akiros sighs with relief, standing stiffly because of the wounds he suffered from his hight with the owlbear. "My thanks. Truth be told I wasn't happy here. The Stag may be a drunkard, but he's also a crafty bastard. I was thinking of leaving and trying to make something of myself away from these animals. As for the tunnels milady. I don't know where they come out - I've never seen 'em but I can't think of another way his 'guests' could come to visit. There's also the old bastard. Fought like a mule when we got him and he's got some magic to help him too. I don't know if the Stag'd take him, or even if the Stag would've gone himself, so we'll have to watch out as we go down."
"Good.Jack and Bein, if you agree, we'll do as the teacher proposes with one inversion. I'll take rear guard and Bein will go just behind Akiros and Jack."
Reassured that any danger is over for now, Jack pushes the body off the wall, so the corpse is not forgotten and left to rot.(Although he shows little reverence when handling the body).
He now re-enters the tower and goes back down, rejoining the party.
"All clear," he says.
Presuming the orders given him are repeated to him now that he is back with everyone else, he agrees to take the lead to scout ahead. This is the best way to the Stag, yes?"
Once the tunnel is opened, Xarafine calls on the Nine to light their path.
With a graceful motion of her hands, she guides the lights into the tunnel.
"Our path is lit, Captain."
The owlbear falls and Bein steps into the line of its arterial spray, shielding Xarafine as best he could. With the beast down he raises his blade, readying to strike and pursuing the retreating bandit leader Akiro's. Bein fully intended to destroy them all this day, to the last man, no exception. Even when Akiro's drops his blade and yields, Bein continues forward his bloodied armor paired with his closed helm the very image of crimson death come calling on the battlefield. He finally stops when Finnabar accepts the man's surrender, his armor rattled as he restrained his pounding adrenaline. His blade however didn't lower, for far too long a moment he hesitated before reluctantly lowering his greatsword. He turned then as Finnabar spoke and in a single stride reached the downed Dovan and drove his blade through his back, rewarded by the snapping of a rib and the grinding of dirt as the tip buried into the floor of the fort. He twists the blade, angling it back and forth for a brief moment to ensure the lieutenant was finished...
He repeats this process on each of those nearby, hastening their journey to judgement, all save for the one Finnabar wanted alive. To Bein these men didn't deserve the mercy of the rope. He had nearly finished his brutal work as Jack enters, he regarded his companion with a creaking nod as he slams his blade through another man's chest, piercing their heart and ensuring they would not rise again. They would not steal up from behind them, they would never again harm the innocent.
He nods, wordlessly agreeing to the Teacher's plan, he nods again to Finnabar accepting his orders and watches Akiro's like one would regard a coiled snake. Ready to break its neck if it moved to strike him. He'd not give Akiros the luxury of his trust, if the man betrayed them he would be put down. Plain and simple. He gave Arundel a low whistle and the Warhorse trotted back towards the other horses, intent on guarding them until his masters return. They would be needed in the time's soon to come, a good start.
When the Teacher had casted her spells he moved to descend into the dark cellar below...
Akiros moves to the tarp door with the rest of you and helps Jack and Bein to shift the barrel. Motioning you back Akiros flips the trapdoor upwards, revealing the stone staircase which leads downwards into the area below the fort.
The smell emanating from below, a foul mixture of rot, mold and stale alcohol, grows stronger as you descend past the carved figures of animal-headed humanoids.
The staircase opens into the West side of a small (15x15 ft) room with entrances to the East, West and North. It is soon apparent that The Stag has fled. His filthy room (20x20 ft) to the East is empty apart from the filthy furnishings and the remains of bottles strewn about. The corner where the old man was chained is similarly unoccupied. Moving back into the main chamber you quickly find that the northern doorway leads to a small storeroom (15x15 ft) stacked with barrels. The Southern door leads to another small room, however, the southern wall of this room has been demolished, revealing an ancient archway which seems to have been bricked-in until fairly recently (within a few months).
Carefully moving through the archway you find yourselves in a long narrow passage (15x55 ft). Along each wall, set at 10 ft intervals stand immobile animal-headed statues – each with the head of a different beast. At the southern end of the corridor stands an archway which opens into a narrow (5ft) wide passageway which angles downwards. The footsteps of two humanoids in the dust clearly lead into the darkness...
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Btw welcome back HYMEN! Glad to see you again! :D
Bein was incensed by the Stag Lords retreat, he had abandoned his followers to the sword and saved his own skin. He wanted to roar a challenge, but he knew it would only allow the coward to set up an ambush of his own. So he quietly followed the Akiros and Jack, his armor shaking with the barely contained anger he had. He'd given up much for them to get this far today.
He kept his greatsword at the ready, so long as the teacher used his blade he would bare the wait of the massive weapon in the hopes that he could land a few hits on their foes when they found them. At the archway he looked to Finnabar and motioned.
With his armored fingers he pointed at himself and then towards the archway. :Want me to lead?:
Reading his body language, Xarafine presents the longsword back to Bein.
"My thanks to you for the use of your sword, Bein. It will serve us better in your hands within the confines of these tunnels."
She nods respectfully, and gives him a warm smile.
Finnabar answers with a negative sign to Bein proposal and whispers. "Just stay behind Jack and be ready to swich in front. Jack still has the best sight and hearing of us all."
Bein nods quietly to Xarafine. Sheathing his greatsword and gently taking his longsword from the Teacher. With the lighter blade in his hands he pulls out his shield, hoping the added armor would protect him. He quietly whispered back to the Teacher. "My services and gear are yours always Teacher."
At Finnabar's reply Bein holds his position, ready to advacne as normal when the others pressed forward.
As Bein turns to enter the tunnel, Xarafine mouths a prayer of thanks to the Nine that, facing away from her, the knight could not see her blush.
She takes a deep breath, quickly regains composure, and moves into the tunnel; moving the magical lights as she goes.
Jack is very focused on finding the Lord, but he does pause to check the prints in the dust carefully -- both to be sure they were not fabricated, and to see if he can tell the speed of movement and if they were carrying anything (from the weight indicated by the print).
He also keeps an eye out for anything dangerous.
Jack: The footsteps do not seem to have been fabricated.
The small passageway leads south and downwards as do the footprints you are following. After almost 60ft you begin to hear a noise from ahead. Although distant, the noise is identifiable as the shouts of a man, although at first the words are hard to decipher. As you continue forwards, however the words become clearer...
"YA BASTARDS,.. YA THEIVEN SONS OF PIGS, YA CAN'T GO BACK ON THE DEAL! YA CAN'T JUST LEAVE ME HERE. I WAS PROMISED A KINGDOM YA MONGRELS. I'LL HUNT YA DOWN! EVERY LAST STINKIN' ONE OF YA! YA WHITE-SKINNED HEATHENS. BY THE NINE I'LL GET YER! I'LL CUT OUT YER F^*KIN' LYING TONGUES..."
The stream of obscenities words continues as you make your way closer, until finally you come to the end of the passage. Almost blocking your passage a 1ft thick stone door descends from the roof, only failing to block your way because of a series of rough oak props have been wedged into the space to prevent its descent.
The cavernous room beyond is 55 ft square. bisected from east to west by a 35ft wide channel (15 ft deep) filled to about 1 ft with stagnent water although, judging from the satins on the channel walls, it was once much deeper. At the east and west ends of the channel are small (3ft) openings which seem to have once been the source and drain of the water. In the centre of the room, and connected to the 10ft wide ledge you emerge from by a simple wooden plank bridge (5ft wide) is a 15ft wide platform, on which stand The Stag in his strange skull-like helmet, and the cowering figure of the old man. The Stag stands on the edge of the platform, shaking his fist at three silent cowled figures which stand on the ledge opposite, in front of a doorway which mirrors the one through which you enter.
Jack stops at the doorway and readies his bow. Taking an arrow, he points the tip at the stag, and then gives an enquiring look to the rest of the party--should he shoot him now?
Catching Jack's inquiring look, Xarafine turns her head toward Finnabar, and nods, indicating her opinion that Jack should take the shot while the Stag is distracted.
Bein's anger was slowly eroded by the amazing and stunning archietcture of this underground ruin. Despite his affinity for overland travel he looked forward to seeing this place returned to its former glory. If they could just get the water flowing again...
The Cowardly Stags threats pulled him from his calm thoughts and returned him to the present. Seeing that he now had the room to swing he sheathed his longsword and prepared to move across the bridge to take on the Stag Lord.
"Just give the word Milord."
The stag is 35 ft from the door. You could sneak forward to the edge of the ledge to close the distance to 25ft.
Finnabar nods at Jack's and Bein's proposals, using hand gestures and whispers to direct Bein to cross right after Jack first shot.
Then he motions Xarafine and Akiros to cross after Bein and concentrate on the old man by the Stag. "Be carreful, he may be a magic user.", he whispers.
Taking a step back, he swirls Belem's Gift in his hands, ready to enter the fray himself.
Xarafine steadies her breath and tenses her body into a coil, ready to spring as soon as Jack and Bein move into action.
Turning so his cloak helps him blend with the shadows, Jack quietly steps forward, pulling his bow string. As soon as he gets a clean shot to the Stag, he releases, praying his arrow brings down this inhumane, filthy braggart.
As Jacl launched his deadly arrows Bein quickly made his way across the bridge in two quick move actions. Crossing roughly forty feet and hoping to arrive on the platform wih his Gewatsword drawn and at the ready. He wait to call his challenge until he was sure of who he was taking down first...
Double move 40ft. Draw greatsword on second move actions as a free action!
Lets get these punks!
As Bein launches forward, Xarafine pulls the lights into the area, moving with them to the bridge . She stops adjacent to the old man and prepares to strike him, should he begin the motions of casting a spell.
Stag damage: 10
Jack's arrow streaks forward, striking The Stag in the back and sending him reeling forward. Immediately behind the speeding arrow comes Bein, yelling as he runs. Akiros joins Bein's headlong rush, positioning himself in contact with the old man and The Stag (between Bien and Xerafine)
With his troops going forwards, Finnabar steps onto the platform, axe ready.
Taking advantage of the reverberation of the sound in the room, he calls out to the Stag, while he swirls his axe in a menacing pattern.
"You there. Yes you, the one that has the effrontery to call yourself Stag Lord. You have set yourself against the will of Restov and behind that of Vithan. You have gathered a band of outlaws and organized murders and thefts. Know that your time has run out and you will meet the gods today."
Jack readies another arrow.
Bein had only a small distance between himself and their opponents, when Akiros rushed forward he feared the man would turn against them but Bein reserved the hope he would continue to stand with them. The Teachers warning didn't fall on deaf ears and from his stance alone showed he was wary of both men equally. If the opportunity came to put the old man down he would take it, he broken his Code tonight and he would dig in deeper if it meant their victory was assured.
With Greatsword upraised Bein prepares to charge into battle with the enemies they have sought so long!
Stag Damage: 10 (shaken: -2 Attack, Saves, Skills, Ability checks)
Old Man Damage: 0
Stag Init:
Old Man Init:
Strangers Init:
Init:
Jack: 25
Finn: 20
Strangers: 12
Stag: 11
Bein 10
Xerafine: 9
Old Man: 7
Expertly keeping the Stag in his sights as the others charge, Jack looses the next arrow.
Stag Damage: 20 (shaken: -2 Attack, Saves, Skills, Ability checks)
Old Man Damage: 0
Jack's arrow flies between Bein and Xerafine, burying its self in The Stag's arm and drawing a bellow of pain from the angry bandit.
Sensing the Stag has been weakened by his display, Finnabar charges across the bridge. Axe and shield held high, he uses his momentum to lash with all his strength at the shaken Stag.
,
Stag Damage: 34 (shaken: -2 Attack, Saves, Skills, Ability checks)
Old Man Damage: 0
Stag attack: , Dam:
Finnabar's axe slices into the Stag's arms, cutting in nastily sand adding to the growing pool of blood around the bandit lord. The 'strangers', their hoods hiding their features, seem calm and, without a word walk unhurridely through doorway behind them. A loud grating sound fills the chamber as the solid stone barrier begins to descend as they pass, cutting off the passage.
As they retreat the Stag bends his head back in a howl of anger and pain. Drawing a managing looking blade from his belt he slashes forward at Finnabar in revenge for the sudden attack. The blade bites into Finnabar's side, drawing blood.
Jack: 25
Finn: 20
Strangers: 12
Stag: 11
Bein 10
Xerafine: 9
Old Man: 7
Bein!
Seeing the blood on the Stag Lords Blade brought out a rage in Bein, one not easily quenched save for the death of the one who harmed his lord. But vengeance would have to wait as he moved to engage the old man. Placing himself between the old man and the Bandit Lord. The speed of his blade was astounding, as was the depth he drove it into the old man's side. He tore it free and paid no attention to the injury he inflictedon the seemingly unarmed man. When he spoke his voice was devoid of emotion, the threat of his words were as real as the glare he gave the old man through his visor. "Help Lord Finn if you must Teacher. I'll finish this one..." His armor grinded loudly as he shifted his stance, bringing the greatblade up and preparing for another powerful stroke...