Searching the creatures, Setomi looks up and says, "I think they are what my people called tengu. I remember some stories my mother told me about them, but that is all."
"I think I remember a story Ameiko told me that had Tengu's in it but I can't quite recall what it was about; we were both much younger at the time."
Sorin will try to open the inner gates, preferrably without too much noise from the rusty hinges.
"Best to unbar the outer doors too, Sorin, in case we have to make a hasty exit."
Raziel channels to heal his companion's minor wounds.
The latches come free rather easily, and Sorin pushes the gates open with as little creaking as he can manage. Fog spills in from the courtyard and hangs at your feet. Ahead of you, you can make out the dark shapes of the buildings within the walls of Brinewall Castle, but it is difficult to discern detail.
Perception check:
Almar doesn't seem to hear anything unusual:"Let's consider facts: we know this place is guarded and that suggest a greater concentration of forces in the rest of the fortress. I suggest we explore the walls and then move to the main building"
Setomi begins to nod in agreement with Almar's plan when she hears something. "Shush! I think I heard a door or gate opening. Did anyone else hear that?"
"No, I didn't," Sorin says, "but your senses are far sharper than mine. Maybe someone did hear the fight. Hopefully, this mist will be as much a hindrance to them as it is to us. We either move forward carefully or wait here to see what shows up. Neither option is particularly attractive."
"I suggest we move forward slowly and keep our heads down. I don't think it wise to dally in one place for too long."
"Let me scout ahead a bit. Perhaps I can see who or what opened the door before we stumble into them. Tengu usually travel in flocks, so my mother told me."
Perception -
Stealth -
Setomi ventures out into the foggy courtyard, but it seems to thicken even as she moves forward. Thinking she hears a hint of movement, she whirls around, but catches sight of nothing.
She will continue to the opposite wall, then follow it clockwise, keeping her eyes and ears sharp.
Stealth -
Setomi steps silently through the thick fog to find a set of massive doors before her, twice the height of the main gate. The hall that they open onto must be great indeed. Though the rest of the castle, and indeed the village, are worn by weather and long years, these doors seem wonderfully preserved and very sturdy.
To the east, the gap between the heart of the castle and the outer wall narrows, but the mist yet obscures your vision.
Continuing to move as silently as possible, Setomi quickly checks the main doors then moves on. She come to an otherwise blank wall, but notices something seems off about the area. She marks it in her memory, then continues to complete her circuit of the courtyard and get back to the others in the gatehouse.
While Setomi is scouting, Sorin will periodically use Detect Evil; mainly to ensure that nothing gets the drop on them.
Keeping your steps light, you continue to slide along, inches from the cold stone, until you come to another perpendicular wall. It seems to come too soon to be the outer wall, but you follow it south until it leads you to an arched opening. You are able to see through rather easily, as the mist is strangely not as thick here.
This smaller courtyard contains what may have once been a fine garden, but neglect has seen the death of the flowers that once grew here. Several broken benches complete the sense of loss. An area in the middle of the old cloister has been cleared of debris, and is marred by numerous bloodstains.
You see no movement and hear no sound. Even still, you are aware of an ominous presence from within the cloister.
It is hard not to imagine some menace lurking in the fog, yet Sorin senses no evil as he concentrates.
Setomi again notes where this area is on her mental map of the grounds and continues her sweep of the area.
Setomi sticks close the wall and her path leads her west once again. A moment later, she rejoins the rest of the group at the gatehouse.
"So? asks Almar inquisitively
Setomi relays all that she has discovered, including the secret door and the small courtyard where she had the creepy feeling.
"The secret door looked not to have been used in some time. And the big entry doors might be a problem to open, due to their size and age. I suggest we go through the secret door."
"That sounds like a reasonable path to take currently. Shall we go?"
Following Setomi's lead, you move carefully through the fog.
Raziel's keen ears pick up the sound of skittering coming through the dense fog.
Setomi will try to work he way around behind these creatures, or will stand still and let them pass her, so she will get a surprise attack if they do not detect her.
"I hear something from around the corner of the castle, to the northwest. Gather round, and we can meet it here on our terms."
Perception -
Ettercap 2:
Perception -
One of the creatures spits a thick wad of webbing at Setomi.
As the sticky webbing wraps itself around the ninja's body, the creature closes with her.
The other creature ambles forward, moving around Setomi for the flank, then attempting to sink its fangs into her.
Despite the warning, Sorin is caught off-guard by the speed of the creatures attack. Seeing Setomi temporarily immobilzed, Sorin rushes forward to attack.
Sorin moves to hoping to keep the creatures attention away from Setomi (as I recall, Setomi can't provide a flanking bonus while entangled since she doesn't threaten any squares). He aims his attack at the back creature in .
11 damage if the Confirm failed, 32 if it succeeded.
With a mighty stroke, Sorin brings the blade of his glaive down upon the creature's shoulder, slicing through bone and sinew as if it were nothing. As he tugs his polearm free from the monster's chest, black blood erupts onto the cold ground.
Almar slides his rapier from its scabbard, and with a quick step forward, he thrusts at the creature before him.
The point of Almar's silver blade sinks into the creature's thigh, and it releases a high pitched shriek.
Raziel steps close to the castle wall, wresting his scimitar free of its sheath and slashing at the monster with a backhand cut.
Raziel opens a wound on the monster's left shoulder. Again, it shrieks in pain.
Meanwhile Setomi slips free of the webbing.
The monster twists away from the attackers at its flank, and makes for the castle wall a few feet away.
The monster's claws close on the jagged stone wall, and it hoists itself up. Ascending vertically as easily as any of you might walk or run, its muscular body becomes a dark shape as it passes into the mist above, and a moment later, disappears over the edge.
Sorin will move to where the creature is scaling the wall and strike at it with his glaive.
Unless someone else does something, Sorin will watch in frustration as the creature makes its escape.
Setomi looks to the others as the creature skitters up the wall. "Should I follow it?" she asks, sheathing her swords and readying to climb after the monster.
"Remain with us, Setomi. We do not want to get seperated here, where we could not come to each other's aid."
"Where is this secret door which you spoke of?"