Arryn grabs some food and hands it to the Halfling ranger.
”Slow, little bites, and small sips of water.”
"Thanksh!" the halfling exclaims, tearing into the food, apparently ignoring the advice to take little bites.
He nods at Dregg's compliment, then turns to Aramis' question.
"Not really sure, but I'm guesshing the hobgoblinsh moved on," he says, taking another bite and speaking with his mouth full. "The charming, hairy gentleman whoje been pointing and laughing at me the pasht few daysh saysh hish name ish Halk Grundlechar. He thinkss of himshelf as shome kind of fey warlord, but we’ve shpent the pasht few yearsh liberating him of those illusions. Shoundsh like he and all the shiftlesh fey of the Chernashardo have made themshelvesh at home.”
He stops for a second to swallow, and then takes another huge bite, chewing furiously.
"Huh. What can you tell us about Fort Ristin? What's the layout? We've plenty of fey left to oust. I'm sure your advice will be invaluable."
"Halk Grundlechar? What else do you know about him? Any weaknesses we could exploit?"
"I'm not in full fighting shape," he says, gesturing at his leg, "but I can tell you what I know." He sketches out the layout of the fort , though admits he obviously doesn't know where they fey are or what they're doing.
"We could also see if anyone escaped. There might be others in the forest -- probably at the other two forts we keep, but maybe just in hiding. I know we keep a secret stash of weapons under Fort Nunder."
He shakes his head at Aramis.
"Not much, other than he's a sadistic bastard. They couldn't be bothered to even feed us half the time. If the infected wounds didn't kill my friends, starving certainly didn't help!"
"Can you give us a map to the other two forts? We just struck out blindly in this general direction and hoped we would stumble upon one."
As Aramis and Cirieo discuss the feys’ weaknesses, Dregg grunts, ”Well, if Halk is anything like his brother,” the half-orc gestures at the dead korred nearby, ”then an axe to the dome seems effective enough.”
He looks to Cirieo as the questions seem to wrap up, ”You want to hole up here? I’ve got room on my back if you’d like to get some payback.”
"Dregg makes an excellent war horse, though he fights the bit sometimes."
"Less chatter. Do we want to hang around and slice up Halk or move for the next fort? There doesn't look to be much here for us, unless you all want to try to recruit the Fey against the Hobs."
"I have to admit, part of me -- the bit the dragon didn't bite off, mind you -- wouldn't mind a little vengeance against Halk. Some of my friends are dead because of him," Cirieo says. "But getting out of here would be good too. I'm not going anywhere fast on my own, so if it's all the same to you, I'll stick with you. Whatever you decide. I can certainly lead you to the other forts."
"Are there any other supplies at this fort that we might be able to salvage? Anything essential or hidden? Any information that might be of use to us or the other rangers?"
"We're not done here." Aramis remarks, looking certain. "There could be other's being held here, tormented by these fey. And, if not, Halk is a menace that must be dealt with. We should finish exploring this fort and put a bloody end to his reign."
Dregg grins and offers an enthusiastic nod to Aramis’ suggestion. ”Heh heh. Yeah, what Red said.”
Cirieo shrugs. "Hard to say," he replies. "I've been stuck down here for a bit. That said, the front towers were living areas along with guard posts. The north one had a room we used to sew, weave, and knit various supplies, plus barracks at the top; the southern one had storage, a garderobe and more barracks."
He continues, pointing to other parts of his map.
"The southwest tower was a workshop, and the northwest ... well, I guess that's as gone as my leg. Between them is the main barracks on the second floor, then on the third floor is the officer's quarters, equipment room and strategy room. If there's anything still useful in here, I'd guess it might be in those rooms, but like I said, between hobgoblins and fey, who knows what's what anymore"
Garrivek nods. "I suppose we should go check that out then."
"Let's see if we can find you a makeshift cane or crutch or something."
The korred's club proves to be a useful crutch, Cirieo cackling briefly over the irony of his now getting to use one of his tormentor's weapons as an aid.
"Yeah, that should do the trick for now, hey?"
"Let's head back up to the main entryway and enter the south west tower we haven't been in yet. Does anyone need healing before we go?"
”I’m good, Beltbuckle. Thanks, though.” Dregg grins as the group sets out for the tower, seemingly eager to put his axe to work against more fey.
HP: 48/49
AC: 16 (12 T / 15 FF)
CMD: 18
F/R/W: +8/+4/+3
Rage rounds used: 6/8
Limited Focus used: 1/10
Spell slots used
Level 1: 2/3
Bless (bead): 0/1
Cure serious wounds, remove blindness/deafness, or remove disease (bead): 1/1
-Ongoing Effects-
Rage: +2 to hit, +2 damage, +2 Will, -2 AC, +2 temp HP
Accurate stance: +1 to hit
Power attack: -2/+6
Focus: +2 Str
"Suggest we try to be a bit more tricksy from here on in," Isabella says. "This Fey warlord may be a joke to a full army, but we don't want him getting the drunken dancers in from the courtyard if we run into him."
Arryn will likewise make efforts at silent movement.
A stone staircase ascends in the northwestern corner of the tower chamber and wooden doors lead out to the west . A makeshift forge, long cold, stands against the southern wall, and two badly taxidermied bears stand against the walls, rearing up in fearsome poses.
Garrivek pokes around the room, checking if there's anything of use at the forge.
Let's see, let's see, let's see... What have we here.
Aramis curls her lip up a the taxidermy bears. Deciding she'd rather not insult the taxidermy skills of one of his dead companions, she keeps her mouth shut. She helps Garrivek check out the forge.
As Garrivek moves into the room, the two bears suddenly begin to move, letting out a silent roar! Still, despite your surprise, you all react far more quickly than the rough creatures move.
They're taxidermied bears, a type of construct. Judging from the rents already in their form, you suspect slashing weapons would do a number on these things.
Arryn’s mind picks up a piece of rubble and flings it at the bear thing.
"They're constructs," Aramis hisses in an effort to 'shout quietly.' "Slash them if you can."
Aramis takes a step back and summons a magical shield to protect herself from harm. and casting shield.
Arryn’s kinetic blast counts as slashing, if that matters.
Garrivek grips his weapon with reach and attacks!
”Heh. My pleasure.” Dregg chuckles in response to Aramis before darting forward and swinging heavily at one of the decorations.
HP: 48/49
AC: 16 (12 T / 15 FF)
CMD: 18
F/R/W: +8/+4/+3
Rage rounds used: 6/8
Limited Focus used: 1/10
Spell slots used
Level 1: 2/3
Bless (bead): 0/1
Cure serious wounds, remove blindness/deafness, or remove disease (bead): 1/1
-Ongoing Effects-
Rage: +2 to hit, +2 damage, +2 Will, -2 AC, +2 temp HP
Accurate stance: +1 to hit
Power attack: -2/+6
Focus: +2 Str
Garrivek: 22
Isabella: 19
Arryn: 13
Aramis: 10
Dregg: 7
Antagonist: 6
Isabella mutters a curse as Aramis urges slashing weapons and joins Dregg in rushing to attack. She slashes a gash in it, before Dregg and Arryn's attacks take it down -- sending white, cottony stuffing and long strands of straw flying through the room where there once was a bear-thing.
The other one is undaunted, and lurches forward, clawing and biting at Garrivek.
"Hey! Get away from Beltbuckle!" Dregg wheels around and rushes the remaining faux-bear.
HP: 48/49
AC: 16 (12 T / 15 FF)
CMD: 18
F/R/W: +8/+4/+3
Rage rounds used: 6/8
Limited Focus used: 1/10
Spell slots used
Level 1: 2/3
Bless (bead): 0/1
Cure serious wounds, remove blindness/deafness, or remove disease (bead): 1/1
-Ongoing Effects-
Rage: +2 to hit, +2 damage, +2 Will, -2 AC, +2 temp HP
Accurate stance: +1 to hit
Power attack: -2/+6
Focus: +2 Str
The green veins marking Aramis' hands, neck, and cheek writhe under her flesh as she chants out a spell. A pair of magical bolts fly from her hands, around her companions, and slam into the bears.
One of the paws of the destroyed bear stops its tumble through the air, turns around, and flies at its owner's companion.
x 1.5 = 58 points
Arryn regains some of his former impishness as he slams the bear paw into the construct, then guides it as it works its way around inside the stuffing to then come shooting out of the bear's mouth, covering Dregg with moldy hay. Seeing the half-orc picking hay from his hair, Arryn comments, "Oh, Dregg, did you hit it, too? Good job."
"Well, that's a first," Garrivek remarks as he nudges the dead taxidermy bear. Garrivek pulls out and uses the wand on himself.
Garrivek gets covered again in stuffing and straw as the bear seems to just utterly explode as the other creature's paw hits it.
As you look around the debris, Dregg and Isabella notice the cold forge conceals a hidden niche containing 10 crossbow bolts, 7 of which radiate magic. Six look like basic magic but one has a more complex aura.
It's a bolt of magical beast slaying.
Once you're ready, you head up the stairs, to find the stone of the next room has been smoothed and reshaped like soft clay. A door stands to the north, but the stone wall flows over the jamb, blocking it shut. Stone rods crisscross arrow slits in the southern and eastern walls. The staircase you're ascending also appears to have been completely sealed at the ceiling, preventing you from going up to the third story.
Beakers and woodworking tools cover the low stone tables lining the walls, while the center of the room is filled with a six-armed wicker mannequin stretching from floor to ceiling. A wooden box the size of a footstool rests in an opening in the mannequin’s chest.
Working at the table is a squat korred with thick, wiry hair that sticks out from his head and ears. He pokes at something on the table with his hands while his animated hair shifts the pieces around. As Isabella leads the way into the room, he -- without looking around -- shouts, "I SAID ABSOLUTE PRIVACY!" and hurls a handful of rivets.
”Halk needs you now,” Arryn barks back.
Before they leave the forge, Garrivek heals himself some more with the wand.
Garrivek inspects the arrows. "Oooh, what do we have here...? ...Nope! No clue. Very nice, though. Oh, yes. Very nice..."
He steps into the room and to the side, being sure not to block the entrance from his other companions, weapon in hand and ready.
"I said leave me alone!" the tinkerer snaps back, spinning around just as Garrivek tries to move through the room.
He lets out a cry of rage and lifts his massive wrench to attack!
"'Scuse me, coming through!" Isabella says, squeezing past her allies, then running up to the tinkerer with a gleeful smile on her face and a blade in both hands!
Aramis hustles into the room and hugs the wall, then sends a blast of writhing vines out from her hands and flicks her wrist, causing them to grab hold of the fey's leg. She gives a yank, trying to pull him right off his feet.
Dregg works his jaw side to side and sighs deeply. Storming up to the korred, he brings his axe down in a heavy swing as he growls, "Shut up and put the wrench down, grabbybeard."
HP: 48/49
AC: 16 (12 T / 15 FF)
CMD: 18
F/R/W: +8/+4/+3
Rage rounds used: 6/8
Limited Focus used: 1/10
Spell slots used
Level 1: 2/3
Bless (bead): 0/1
Cure serious wounds, remove blindness/deafness, or remove disease (bead): 1/1
-Ongoing Effects-
Rage: +2 to hit, +2 damage, +2 Will, -2 AC, +2 temp HP
Accurate stance: +1 to hit
Power attack: -2/+6
Focus: +2 Str
Arryn: 11*
Garrivek: 6*
Aramis: 21
Dregg: 21
Isabella: 20
Antagonist: 13
Aramis tries to trip him, but can't quite reach, as she has to hustle up the steep stairs. Isabella races up as well, closing into combat range as Dregg charges past her and swings wildly.
He carefully casts a spell, and a shimmering field settles around him before disappearing.
He cast mage armor.
"Give me some room to work here, green genes!" Isabella says as she again swings at the korred with both blades.
Dregg angrily glares at Isabella. "What? You gonna tickle him to death?" Shaking his head in frustration and barely constrained fury, he backs into the center of the room. "Fine. Have at it, Goggles."
HP: 48/49
AC: 16 (12 T / 15 FF)
CMD: 18
F/R/W: +8/+4/+3
Rage rounds used: 6/8
Limited Focus used: 1/10
Spell slots used
Level 1: 2/3
Bless (bead): 0/1
Cure serious wounds, remove blindness/deafness, or remove disease (bead): 1/1
-Ongoing Effects-
Rage: +2 to hit, +2 damage, +2 Will, -2 AC, +2 temp HP
Accurate stance: +1 to hit
Power attack: -2/+6
Focus: +2 Str
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Dregg angrily glares at Isabella. "What? You gonna tickle him to death?" Shaking his head in frustration and barely constrained fury, he backs into the center of the room. "Fine. Have at it, Goggles."
** spoiler omitted **
Arryn steps into the room. One of the screw drivers lifts off of the work bench and flies for the korred's neck.
Aramis moves deeper into the room and sends out her vines again. She gives a yank and tries to trip the korred.