Elyas watches the creatures flee, but does not move to chase.
"They don't seem the type to stand and fight against long odds. hopefuly they are giving up on this fort. let's dig in here, see what's around and if they don't harry us any more, we can spend the night here to recover.
he lets his sword and magical wolverine vanish.
Gather round. who's wounded?
once people gather around, Elyas will channel healing energy into the group
As the last korreds retreat, Nyakala relaxes from her fighting stance and takes a series of deep breaths, solidifying the edges of her body that frayed as she pushed her powers to the limit.
She nods as Elyas speaks. "I won't be of much help until tomorrow, so I'm happy to rest. Might be better to do it outside the fort though, so we can't be trapped in here."
Annelise nods. "I think we drove them off, we should kep an eye out in case they return but I'm glad it's over. Those things had some tricks up their sleeves."
She frowsn and dismisses the elemental she summoned. "shall we look around the place?"
Carthas smiles a rather...off-kilter...smile. "I don't know that we've cleared all of them off - those who fled the courtyard may have simply fled further in the fort. I suspect we are not finished with battle for the day yet. I am unharmed, yet can also provide some healing if needed."
If we don't have any serious injuries, it may be best to explore a little more today, to make sure we are safe before resting. I have enough magic left for the day to carry on
Elyas waits to hear opinions from the others, as he doesn't want to force anyone to continue if they feel they can't. but seeing how quickly the living Korreds fled he is fairly confident that the scattered survivors won't stand and fight against the full party if confronted today. if they regroup and come back tomorrow it might be a different story entirely
"I have no objection to the group exploring further, just be aware that I will be unable to provide much assistance if you run into trouble."
Annelise is wary of giving away what she can and can't do, and is doubly cautios about admitting any sign of weakness - in Nidal, weakness is fatal, if you're lucky. But she kind of nods along with Nyakala, either in agreement or in sympathy.
"Actually Elyas I am still quite injured. I was able to give as good as I got but still I will need a bit of patching up I fear. I do not need to rest beyond that but of our magic wielders do then we should let them rest if possible."
Oh, I'm sorry Charles, I didn't see how badly they got you!
Elyas converts Hold Person to Cure Moderate Wounds and casts it on Charles for VP
"Let us press on. Nyakala, please provide what aid you can - you may use my crossbow, if you think it would help."
:: Lamashan 31 - Early Afternoon - Fort Ristin::
As the webs disperse you looks around the courtyard more thoroughly. It looks like the fey have been partying here for a long time. The walls are red and brown with dried blood and dead prisoners still hang from the walls.
Searching out the area, the stable at the south end contains two live oxen eating mouldy straw and looking rather thin. They seem relieved to see you. On a bench near the door are seven horse shoes. Size are made of a startlingly black metal and one is looks normal but is entirely rust free.
You also hear a scream and thump coming from the northwest tower where one of the korreds fled. Looking closer blood is oozing through the cracks in the door and is pooling underneath it.
Elyas is examining the oxen when he hears the scream.
Did you hear that? someone is in trouble. we should check it out!
"Then that is where we must go - to see who is in trouble, and save them if we can."
Hearing the scream Charles moves while the others talk. Still injured he is not as fast as normal but he double times it to the tower door and readies to pull it open.
Annelise moves to support the others, ready to cast one of her few remianing spells.
As the others investigate the stable, Nyakala studies the bodies on the walls. She tries to determine whether they are hobgoblins or humans, examines their injuries, and searches for any strange or useful items they might still be carrying.
When she hears the scream, Nyakala joins the rest of the group in moving towards the tower, though she remains at the back.
:: Lamashan 31 - Early Afternoon - Fort Ristin::
Nyakala examines the corpses. All of them seem to be at least a week old and a combination of goblinoids and humans. With a bit more time, you also notice that the stones from the broken wall all seem to be partially melted.
Reacting to the scream and thump at the north west door, the group moves over and Charles opens the door once its open.
The door opens easily and the body of a korred flops on Charles feet. The korreds torso has been stabbed repeatedly from an awkward downward angle. Looking into the room you can see that it is unlit, and there are a couple weapon racks stand in one corner, covered in strips of flesh being tanned.
A small humanoid creature with a red hat, long wispy white hair, and a scythe turns to looks at you, "Begone foul creatures! Leave us alone to our work!"
Charles, of course, doesn't know what they are but speaks anyway.
"It seems we have a common enemy my friends."
Carthas frowns at the creature before them. "What work do you seek to do, and how have we interfered?"
He also tries to determine what it is.
:: Lamashan 31 - Early Afternoon - Fort Ristin::
"Leave now! The tanning must be undisturbed."
The small frail looking creature takes a step towards you, gesturing threateningly with a well made human sized scythe.
The creature is a redcap. They are acrobatic fey who's regenerative power lies in the cap they wear, which is drenched in the blood of their foes. They are weak to cold iron and otherwise quite resistant, though they are threatened by and balk at obvious and public displays of religion.
Nyakala tenses as she recognizes the bloodthirsty fey but forces herself to relax. Her voice murmurs in the ears of her companions. "That's a redcap, another dangerous fey. If we fight it, try removing its cap or obviously displaying a religion somehow."
Carthas whispers to the others, "Nyakala is quite knowledgeable about fey. That scythe in particular is quite vicious, but we will need to remove it from here if we intend to set up our camp here."
Elyas fiddles with his holy symbol, standing behind Carthas and Charles you mean like this one?
Elyas steps forward to address the small fey, holding his symbol of Iomedae clearly visible.
We have chased out the Korreds, and we are taking this fort back in the name of Iomedae. We do not want to fight you, but we will be taking back this fort. you have until sundown to finish your task and vacate this place or we will be forced to remove you.
Annelise waits to see what the outcome is, hoping that it doesn't come to another fight. She's amolost out of magic for the day.
Charles takes a step back and readies to parry any attack that comes.
"If it comes to it, I don't mind fighting you. Still it would be better for you to just leave."
:: Lamashan 31 - Early Afternoon - Fort Ristin::
"Foul, mean, creatures you are!" the redcap screams as it backs away and scurries up the stairs to the next level.
"Looks like we'll have to drive it from the tower, then."
Elyas sighs it's never the easy way is it?
he backs away and motions for the others to follow
"I told him to be gone by sundown. let's leave the tower and not fight him unless he forces our hand. he's scared, hopefully he doesn't try anything funny. enough deaths today, let's give him a chance
"I have no love for fey, but it does seem unnecessary to go after him today. We'll just need good sentries tonight."
"Let's investigate the other towers - the main gates house a basidirond that we don't want to deal with until Nyakala and Annelise have replenished their magic."
sure, let's move around the fort to the left and circle through it all before holing up for the night
:: Lamashan 31 - Early Afternoon - Fort Ristin::
Leaving the northwest tower, you head left past the gatehouse to the southwest tower.
At the front Charles opens the door. Several training dummies and archery targets stand scattered around this room, which has an ascending staircase to the north and an iron-bound wooden door leading to the east. A bench with four evenly spaced holes sits against the southern wall, partially visible behind a canvas curtain.
With how the lighting is Charles and Carthas notice an odd thin streak of light near the bottom of the stairs. Examining the light further, it looks like a trip wire runs from the base of the stairs to each of the training dummies and targets in the room.
Charles eyes go wide and he backs away.
"Someone may want to deal with that wire there. Not my area but I am guessing it causes something bad."
Carthas studies the wire, then looks at the training dummies and targets. "If I had to guess, the wire is designed to either knock all the targets and dummies over in a loud noise, alerting the tower's occupants, or else to fire some sort of weapon that will then strike the targets and dummies. However, it is not my area of expertise. Since we are aware of it, if no one can deal with it, we could carefully step over it if needed."
Elyas hangs back, careful not to touch the wire.
I am not much use in disarming traps I'm afraid. can we avoid it?
:: Lamashan 31 - Early Afternoon - Fort Ristin::
Unable to determine the best solution for the trapped tower, the group heads over to the south east tower, having found only oxen and horseshoes (one that is oddly well preserved) in the stable.
At the south east tower you listen carefully before opening the door. In the room stands a make shift forge that has long been cold along the southern wall and two preserved grizzly bears show off a bad example of taxidermy along the east wall.
At the back of the forge it look like s brick is loose and rotate slightly and you can see a metallic glint behind it.
Elyas casts light on his sword and uses it to look around, keeping an eye open for traps before moving in to look at the metalic glint he sees.
:: Lamashan 31 - Early Afternoon - Fort Ristin::
Elyas moves over to the forge while everyone else remains outside. Pulling the brick full away, Elyas finds 10 crossbow bolts. 6 have a slight gleam to them, three are made of a matte black metal, and one has a red shimmer to it.
Elyas can also see that the floor is covered in dust, except for some foot prints going through the door to the main hall.
footprints here, heading further in. and some nice arrows if anyone can make use of them.
Elyas bends down to look at the footprints closer.
Carthas says, "I have my crossbow, and could make use of them. For now, however, I favor my spear, and am content to let others use them."
Carthas also studies the footprints.
Charles double times it to catch up with Elyas not wanting him in a room alone. He shrugs at the crossbow bolts and moves to the door.
Once someone gives the sign he will happily open it.
:: Lamashan 31 - Early Afternoon - Fort Ristin::[
The foot steps seem to have rushed through the room, but stayed as far away from the base of the stairs as possible. No one seems to see anything other than the foot prints and there is nothing of note around the stairs.
"Let's head for the door - we'll come back for the stairs."
agreed. right behind you Carthas
"Either way we leave something at our back. Best to just keep moving I would think."
Charles reaches for the door.