I would have never seen that, good thing he was out in front. In my haste to save the girl i could have killed someone
Jun limps along keeping up with the group
T-t-thank you. Of course go a head. the half orc says while fiishing up with the tripwire.
Visibly embarressed Eudonius mumbles as he gets up. Master Dow, If I could have a moment with y-you please... my n-name is Eudonius, with an N-I-U-S at the end. Like in EudoNIUSSS! Sorry to bother you with it but I am sure you understand. he fumbles with his hands for a few seconds not quite sure what to do with them until finally putting them on his trouser's pockets and smilling awkwardly at Gyllan.
His eyes widened slightly in amazement, Gyllan looks at Eudonius in the flickering firelight. "And this is the moment you felt you had to tell me? We're sneaking through a cave, fighting for our lives, trying to rescue a princess - or near enough - and you're spelling your name for me? That, my friend, tells me how important this must be to you. I will try to be more careful in the future, though I may forget in the heat of the moment. Like now."
Jun speaks up, " And my name is J-U-N!", Jun smiles sheepishly at his attempt at humor
Eudo successfully disabled the tripwire, set to unleash some falling rocks from the ceiling. Gyllan quietly moves up the corridor and peers down the corridor. He sees two bed mats on the floor, two crates, and an open door at the end of the corridor, leading into another section. Oddly, the torch at L38 is not lit, casting shadows in this section.
Gyllan takes a few steps back from the corner and waves Eudonius forward, whispering to him, "Doctor Lynch, It's a little dark up there and I don't want to miss anything, would you take a look around the corner and see if you spot any more surprises?"
"My name is Cinnamon, but I'll answer to Hey Stupid as long as you're buying."
She pauses for a moment and looks around the cave, as if realizing for the first time exactly where she is.
"Someone is buying aren't they? After this little adventure I'm going to need one hell of an afterparty."
"Now that we've all been properly introduced... Cinnamon, you can see in the dark better than I can. Would you come take a peek around this corner and make sure I haven't missed anything? I'll buy you a glass of something nice, or something strong, or something nice and strong, when we're finally out of this cave and back in Korvosa."
Cinnamon smiles at Gyllan's offer. "That's what I'm talking about. Anything for you, sugar."
Cinnamon hands the torch to Luc, then moves up to the corner and peers around it into what others call darkness.
Cin looks down the hallway but sees nothing of interest or concern, same as Gyllan.
Gyllan smiles at Cinnamon's response, thinking Eudo - I mean EudoNIUS - spells his name for me after a fight, and Cinn sounds like she's picking me up in a bar on the docks. A truly Korvosan cast of characters we've got here...
He then looks at his companions and whispers ”Well, it seems the coast is clear. I’ll take a peek up at the next door. Jun, would you keep an eye on me and help me with your hex thing if more tengu start shooting at me?”
Gyllan then proceeds around the corner and down the hall, moving quietly and keeping his eyes peeled.
Gyllan moves through the door into the hallway and he sees the hallway splits in two passages, one heading east and one heading west. In the western one, he catches the sight of an unoccupied bedroll on the floor.
Gyllan raises a hand to the group behind him, signaling them to stop. He squats down and looks carefully at the floor, trying to determine which direction gets more traffic, and which has been used more more recently.
The ground here is dirt. You don't see any human tracks but you do see fresh tracks heading both directions, made within the last few minutes.
Jun has a feeling so he speaks up (in a low voice), "I think we should go west"
Cinnamon nods enthusiastically. "Let's do it."
As the party starts to move toward the west, suddenly, two Tengu armed with long swords race out from the west passageway, while you hear two more appear from behind you, one wielding a bastard sword and a muscular leader wielding a 2-handed sword. The leader yells, "Kill the intruders!" The three other Tengu yell, "Yes, Kondor!"
Round 1: Kondor's turn
The leader of the Tengu moves up with his 2-handed sword to R37 and strikes at Eudo, but luck is on the alchemist's side and the warrior almost slips, the blow glancing off the stone wall. Kondor growls in disgust.
The half orc shrugs his shoulders discouraged before continuing down the corridor. Sure Misses Oskrev, I will buy you a drink. I will probably need quite a few myself.
As their enemy surround them he attacks the nearest one.
Gyllan dodges past his companions, hoping to land a decisive strike on Kondor and end the battle before it has really begun. He swings his longsword with both hands and brutally connects with the tengu leader.
Gyllan delivers a powerful blow on Kondor but the Tengu leader still stands, though terribly wounded.
Luc drops his crossbow, draws his long sword and attacks the leader as well, but Kondor parries his blow away.
Tengus Attack:
The one from the east (red border) moves in, brandishing his bastard sword 2-handed against Gyllan:
The longsword wielding Tengu (green border) attacks and flanks Luc, while a flat-footed Cin can only watch, as Luc is viciously wounded and barely standing:
The longsword wielding Tengu (yellow border) attacks a flat-footed Cin, but her physical appearance makes him wary and his swing is awkward and ill-timed, as it strikes nothing but air!
When Eudo moves to attack, Jun will cast a cure light wounds and 5' step to Luc and heal him
cure light wounds
Cinnamon growls as the Tengu savages Luc right beside her. "Better look out, birdie, or you're going to get plucked."
Oh C#^%!!!!
Gyllan takes another powerful swing at the tengu leader.
Round 2: Kondor
Kondor attacks Gyllan with his greatsword but the ranger deftly deflects the blow and counterstrikes, killing the Tengu leader!
Luc thanks Jun for the heals and moves over the leader's body and strikes at the Red Tengu, killing him in one blow, as he drives his sword into its neck!
The yellow and last remaining Tengu drops his weapon and surrenders.
Do you want to l-live? You better start to s-sing birdy. Where is the girl? the half orc asks trying to look menacing but his stuttering fumbles the effect.
"No no no. No no no no no," Cinnamon says laughingly to Eudonius as she struts towards the surrendering Tengu. "This one looks ok. I like him. I'm sure he'll be much more helpful than Palo was."
Cinnamon giggles and starts to put her hand on the Tengu's shoulder, before scrutinizing the blood on her claws, which she is seemingly just noticing. She casually wipes her claws on her dress, then puts a hand on each of his shoulders.
"He's going to tell us all about Amber, and all about Bones and where they both are, and he's going to do it because he wants to be our friend, because he knows how good we are to our friends, doesn't he.
She smiles broadly.
"Say friend, do you know about Sarenrae? The Dawnflower has love in her heart even for kidnappers like you. It's true!"
Jun looks through the tengu leader's things to see if he is carrying anything useful to them while the others question the survivor[/ooc]
Take 10 for an 11 or a Take 20 if we have the time for 21
The Tengu winces when Cin brings her blood-drenched claws to his shoulder but tries not to move out of fear what she will do to him. "It seems you are familiar with all the parties. The white half-orc showed up about an hour ago, demanding an audience with the human male and his demented sister and the woman you call Amber. We heard them arguing about gold or payment but then things calmed down. Then we heard our brother's call for assistance and Kondor...there...told us to set up an ambush for you but it failed miserably. As evident here. What else do you wish to know? They're down that hallway," says the Tengu, pointing to the Eastern corridor.
Luc grunts in satisfaction, glad that Amber is still alive, and that Cin is able to get information out of the Tengu. He still looks a little pale, as he is gripping his open wound, trying to stem the blood flow.
Jun finds 150 gp in platinum coins neatly stacked in a fine leather pouch on Kondor's corpse as well as a masterwork greatsword.
Jun indicates what he found. Showing the purse of money he says, "Nice stack of platinum, payment for this job perhaps?"
"The human and his sister? Tell me more about them. Pretty please?"
Gyllan picks up the greatsword, a smile of wonder on his face.
"While information about our enemy is useful, we might not want to linger here too long chatting with this bird-man, especially if they don't yet know how the ambush worked out."
Holding up Kondor's beautiful sword, Gyllan continues, "Once we understand who this human and his sister are, I'd like to use this and take the fight to them, so we can rescue Amber. So speak up, tengu, and we'll send you on your way! Or keep quiet and die on your leader's sword."
Human male and his demented sister? Eudonius thinks to himself while waiting for the Tengu's next words.
"I will talk, no need for threats. The human is similar to that one, wears the same garb of chain armor and the same tabard. Guess they belong to same flock. He's the one with the coins so Kondor said to treat him with respect. His sister or so he says is a crazy one, talking to and dressing in armor adorned with skulls. Said something about sacrificing her enemies to her god to appease him. Unnerving if you ask me."
Luc stands there shocked as hears the Tengu describe someone garbed in the Royal Guard uniform.
Gyllan listens to the tengu's description of the humans and thinks for a moment, trying to recall if he knows anything of these people. Looking at Luc, he asks, "Do you know who he's talking about?"
Other than understanding it is a member of the Royal Guard or someone garbed in their uniform, Gyllan cannot determine much more than that.
"No, I have no idea, except what the bird-man makes sense. We were betrayed from within. I've been wracking my brain how someone could have known about Amber...I mean the Seneschal daughter's trip. It was top secret for her safety and that ambush was too well planned. Only someone who knew the exact details, our route, number of men, etc. could have told the Tengu when and where to set up. Aaaarh! I'm going to kill the traitor responsible, I swear it! Selling out like this and for what?!" Luc forgets his current condition but a pained look on his face reminds him he is wounded and he seethes quietly.
Once they are out of range of the tengu (or it no longer can be healed), Jun will channel again for . "Hopefully this will make both you and Gyllan feel up for whomever we face from the Royal Guard, as I expect that may take all we have to win"
"Agreed. Do you think we should go in fast and quiet, or would you like me to use magic to make it sound like there are more of us and either trying to either fool them into surrendering, or goad them into attacking us?"
Eudonius draws a vial keeping it ready for comsumption. At this p-point, fast and q-quiet. They can use the girl as s-shield if they think its h-hopeless to f-fight.
There was enough platinum on that money purse to keep my research going for a whole year! But one must not loose perspective. Luc is a fool and he will get us all killed, this is only the tip of the iceberg. The king sick, betrayals inside the palace's inner circle, slaughter priests... I dont like where this is going, dont like it at all. What are you getting yourself into Eudonius.
"At this point, I doubt we'll surprise anyone - but attacking fast is better than attacking slow. Cinn, if you can, it might be a good idea to try to daze that sister - I don't know what awful god she worships, but I don't like the idea of his powers being used on us. I'll take the fellow in the king's guard armor, and Eudo and Luc can take on Bones. Sound okay? I'll take Bones if you want, but I've spent a lot of time studying how humans fight, and I'll have an edge on him. Once I take down the man, I'll move to his sister. Oh, and thanks for the healing, Jun. We're working pretty well together as a team, let's keep it up and rescue Amber."
Cinnamon nods. "Then lets do it."
What so you do with Tengu?
Gyllan turns to the wounded tengu and says, "If you leave now, and fast, I'll be true to my word and let you go. Hells, you're used to being paid for your services, I'll even give you five gold pieces, for the information you've provided and for getting far away from here right now."
The Tengu leaps at the prospect of coins, scoops up the 5 gp, and runs toward the exit, sending thanks your way for sparing him. Luc thanks Jun graciously for the healing, as the wound though open is much less serious and his face regains its natural color.
You check the western section of the corridor and see it ends in a wall and 2 bedrolls on the floor. No secret doors are noticed. As you are about to proceed up the eastern passage, the door opens and out steps a massive (about 6'5") albino half-orc, his muscles taut as he grips in his hands an earthbreaker. He is garbed in winter clothes though you hear the clink of metal armor underneath.
He smiles as he sees the five of you, "You must be the so-called heroes, come to save the Seneschal's daughter, along with the whelp there...Luc, is it? The one in love with Amber?" He grins, as Luc struggles to keep his cool. "I am Bones, you must have heard of me, I'm sure. Now, what's the deal here? Am I going to have to take you all on? I know nothing of your prowess and you may vanquish me, but be sure, I will take 1-2 of you, if not more with me. And all this, while Tessa and her brother, Viktor...." Bones smiles as he sees Luc's shocked face, "Yes, boy, that Viktor, your commander, haven't you figured it out that he was the one who betrayed you yet? Wow, you Royal Guard are slow! Anyway, he and his crazy sister and their undead bodyguard are aware of your incursion into the cave and that has accelerated their plans. They are about to sacrifice Amber within the next few minutes. So either you waste time fighting me and I will put a world of hurt on you or you let me leave peacefully with my coin since I just got paid, which is all I care about, and we save our dance for another time, like when the Seneschal's daughter is not about to become one of the undead? You decide! But be quick about it, I ain't got all day and it's cold!" Bones grips his weapon in case combat becomes necessary and he looks very serious.
"Viktor did this??!!! I trusted that bastard like a father! Aaaaargh!" Luc screams out of anger, frustration, betrayal, and the other 30 emotions he is feeling right now.
"Luc this is your call. I don't like letting scum like this walk away, but if you feel we need to let him go so we can save Amber I am with you."
"I appreciate what you're saying, Jun, but my head is not right after everything I have just learned and I am not in the right place to make such a decision. But you have my sword-arm if you need against this bastard and the rest of them."