Mykhael pauses and holds his position as he casts another spell. He is overcome with euphoria as he feels the divine energy coursing through his muscles.
Once all preparations are set, Colwyn draws back an arrow upon his bowstring, takes a moment to raise his aim to account for the distance, then lets fly upon the lurking beasts.
Crossbow at the ready, Niadroub Kliip's crossbow fires immediately after Colwyn's, at the same target.
Richard combines fire with Colwyn and Niadroub, hoping to put one of the beasts out of action quickly but once he sees his arrow bounce off it's hide he gulps and remembers those tales of poisonous maws.
Colwyn grins like a wicked fool as he watches his arrow find its mark.
Alongside the others, Xan let loose with her new bow, now regretting not taking the time to practice with it to get a feel for the magic's effects.
Elena draws back her bowstring, watching the others so as to shoot at the same time. She aims at the closer of the two beasts.
She lets fly!
Colwyn, Niadroub & Xantria all hit with their missiles, Red slumps to the bank dead.
Elena changes targets and her arrow clips Yellow.
Yellow screeches in rage and tears the ground with her claws as she rushes to close with the party.
The party may now act.
Niadroub Kliip hurriedly reloads his crossbow.
Colwyn nocks another arrow but holds his shot until the beast emerges from the water and clambers back onto land, presenting a clearer shot.
Richard takes a que from Colwyn and waits for the beast to draw up out of the water.
Mykhael moves up and is ready to launch a bullet from his sling at the beast as it emerges from the water, "Wait till it clears the river for a clear shot."
Following the others, Xan held her fire until they had a clear shot.
As Yellow clambers up onto the bank it is hit by a barrage of arrows and slumps dead to the soggy ground. Both the Tatzlwyrm's heads are nicely undamaged, so Oleg will be happy.
Treasure: Though difficult to spot in the powerful, churning currents, the skeletal remains of a long-dead explorer makes up the tatzlwyrms’ meager horde. The skeleton of a long dead adventurer is wedged in the debris.
The skeleton still wears a suit of +1 scale mail, while clutched in one bony hand is a masterwork cold iron longsword.
A closer look reveals additional treasure in the rubble and mud below the skeleton within a rotting leather backpack.
38 gp,
520 sp,
A pewter drinking stein worth 12 gp,
A silver ring worth 35 gp,
A jade carving of a nude female elven monk worth 85 gp,
And a watertight scroll tube.
Inside the tube is a partially completed map of the northwest corner of the Greenbelt that seems to indicate that the explorer approached from the north, reached the source of the Skunk River, and was working his way downriver. While it would have been useful to you when you first started exploring, now it is simply a curiosity.
Onto Hex35 now?
Elena waits for the creature before casting entangle... only to have the creature die before she can complete her spell.
"They didn't seem so dangerous, considering they were dragons," Elena muses.
Mykhael examines the dead explorer's armor as he considers the be idiots of being more heavily protected.
It takes you a day or two to reach the area indicated as the last camp, cautiously advancing through heavy woodlands you find an old trail, one that has been recently clear and bought back into service.
With even more stealth you creep forward and discover something surprising! An old but still in good condition hunting lodge has been taken over by the last group of mercenaries. The plant growth closer to the lodge is younger, showing that once the area around it was cleared, but it has fallen into disuse as the decades have past.
What are you doing now?
"Perhaps we could circle around the side. They seem to have left the northern door unguarded, no doubt it is locked but Colwyn and myself can deal with that... but that's a lot of people to try and sneak in."
Colwyn keeps his bow drawn and dons the Stag Lord's helmet as he also attempts to advance stealthily alongside Richard.
Perhaps owing to his new headgear or his new pride, unfortunately, his steps are not nearly as discreet as they could be.
Despite Mykhaels best efforts he still moves through the woods like a wounded boar, crashing and puffing. You all freeze as the sounds reach a dangerous level, but neither guard seems to notice the noise.
It seems so long unfound has made them careless.
What are you doing now?
Richard checks the door for traps or alarms and if he finds none aids Colwyn in disabling them.
Niadroub Kliip waits stands still, waiting for the battle to start. His crossbow is loaded.
Colwyn fishes his tools from his belt pouch and sets to work on opening the lock.
Normally he would cast a nervous glance over his shoulder at regular intervals, but with Richard watching his back, that old paranoia did not come creeping in.
Colwyn easily opens the lock, while old it has been cleaned and oiled recently, the door slips open quietly and he sees three doors. Two on the right, one on his left.
Further on the hallway widens to the entrance door and a common area, Colwyn can hear sounds out of his sight in the common area.
What are you doing now?
What are you doing now?
Until he can hear combat start or he sees other evidence that Richard and Colwyn have been detected, Niadroub Kliip stays stock still so as to minimize the chance that the guards will be prematurely alerted.
Colwyn stows his bow and draws his sword, just in case.
He quietly steals down the hallway, attempting to get a better idea of how many more mercenaries are inside and what they are up to.
Should he hear someone heading in his direction, he attempts to quickly and quietly slip into the adjoining room to hide.
Colwyn The red circles mark where you can hear movement and/or conversations happening. Someone is moving around in the room you passed. A group is talking loudly down the hall, and from the sounds of it someone is working in the kitchen.
What are you doing now?
Elenal continues to wait silently with Niadroub and the others. She is hunkered down in the bushes with her bow out, waiting to draw.
Richard taps Colwyn on the shoulder. He jacks his thumb back towards teh door. He thn puts the palm of his hands together and then spreads his fingers while keeping his wrists together before snapping them shut. He then points at the doors where they can hear the sounds.
He then jacks his thumb back towards the door and nods in the general direction of the rest of the group. He then draws his sword and makes a silent roar. With his free hand he points at the doors and closes it sharply.
He raises an eyebrow hoping Colwyn understands.
I say old boy will we sneak and and get the bear traps so we can set them up in front of those doors before starting an assault on the front!
Colwyn furrows his brow at the snapping hand gesture, even though he easily understands the rest of the ploy.
After miming his own gesture for confirmation, more akin to a hand puppet fly trap plant, he withdraws with Richard to begin the plan.
Once they are back with the others Richard explains "There's a few rooms inside with people in them. We're going to set up some of the bear traps in the corridors by the doors. Hopefully they'll be in such a rush to come to the front they'll step right on them. We'll double back once they are set up."
Richard unloads the bear traps from his horse and heads back if there are no objects.
You place the traps carefully, heart pounding as you hear voices and the creak of movement in the rooms, but no one seems to be patrolling or alert. Clearly so long without being discovered as left this group lax in their discipline.
What are you doing now?
Richard carefully closes the side door and moves back with Colwyn to the others. "Right that should stem the flow a bit. Let's not test our luck any further I suppose."
Once everyone is ready to spring the assault Richard draws back the string and looses an arrow.
Seeing Richard shoot, Elena looses her own arrow, aiming for the same target.
Niadroub Kliip holds his attack. The first bandit that he sees that's not the one being fired upon by the others will be the recipient of his mudball spell.
Colwyn is unable to suppress his grin as his team prepares to unleash another satisfyingly coordinated attack.
He lines up his shot along with Richard and Elena to ensure that their target is felled.
With the traps set, Xan took aim and fired at the one Colwyn was going for.
Richard, Colwyn, Elena & Xantria all put arrows into Yellow before he even realizes that he is being attacked. He dies with a look of bewilderment on his face.
Niadroub sends a sticky ball of mud into Red's face, blinding him and causing him to stagger about with a cry of surprise.
Those listed may now act.
Niadroub Kliip casts mage armor.
Growing cocky, Colwyn attempts a little trick shooting.
He steps in front of Elena and aims another arrow through the window at one of the mercenaries who just came into view
Richard shoots off an arrow at the remaining sentry before moving up in close to the building hoping to use the defenders advantage against them, forcing them to change position hopefully.
Elena sees Colvyn shoot an arrow into the building, but decides to concentrate on the man already outside.
Mykhael moves over and casts Bless on everyone.
To your amazement the shutters on a window are forced open and a head pokes out, blinking sleepily as the owner looks around in annoyance. "What the bloody hells are you shouting about you worthless turd?
You also hear a howl of pain from inside.
Xantria may now act, and the rest of you can go also as no one else has come out yet.
Since there's only one sleepy bandit in view, and Niadroub Kliip feels confident that the others will make short work of him, the arcanist holds his action until he sees a new bandit come into view. He has a mudball spell with their name on it.
"We better move inseede before they hoole up," he hisses.