"Good, now here is the deal, work with us and help us and you live, perhaps even become the caretaker of this lodge now that the others are dead, but cross us for even a moment and you'll join that corpse pile of your former lodge mates. Flee into the snowy night if you wish, but it'll be your death. Stay here until we come back for you, we'll treat you as our own if you're good to us." Shutting the door on the orc lady, Quinn turns to Tsin, "Watch those stairs, it's likely the leader fled up there." then yelling out the door to Zeno, "Eagle eye Zeno, is anyone escaping from the lodge, any tracks leading away in the snow?"
As the group just begins to question the skulking half orc, a tiny screaming blur lances in through the door, rushing past the group and coming to rest atop the mantle over the fire place.
His beak chatters a bit as he warms his feet on the toasty mantle while ruffling his feathers.
"Zeno! By heavens, where did you get off to earlier? Do you know that you're never around when I need you? I had to drag young master Pemsworth here to safety out on the porch a few minutes ago... by myself!" He wags a finger at the little thrush, "And he's heavier than he looks, I'll have you know."
Zeno looks at Malavarius blankly for a moment before disregarding him completely and turning his attention to Quinn.
After a minute of warming himself by the fire, Zeno zips back out into the wintry outdoors and circles the lodge twice before returning to report his findings.
The half-orc appears relieved as you leave, promising that she'll not cross you.
Hektir opens the door to find a single rumpled bed, along with a closed door leading west. Map
Tsin takes position at the foot of the stairs, and listens as best she can for noises coming from above. She readies to strike at anyone bounding down the stairs at her, and she tries to keep away from angled distance attacks over the stair rails.
Hektir looks around the room, seeing the door to the north.
'Hey! There is a bed over here. Maybe bring Pems over here?"
Hektir goes and tries the door...opening it with a "yar!" yell and a raised sword.
"Ah! A fine idea, lad. Urrrf! Hrrrrk! Hrrrrnnnngh!" Malavarius stands up from dragging Pemsworth half a foot and mops his brow with a white hankerchief. To no one in particular he declares, "Ho ho! This is hard work, don't you know?"
Once Pemsworth is finally in the bed, Malavarius will cover him up with the blankets, then take a seat at the foot of the bed, his staff in hand. He pats Pemsworth's leg reassuringly, "You just rest up there, lad."
Two other doors open into the room, Hektir. A sturdy bed heaped with blankets sits near the only window, and a large maple chest occupies the southwest corner.
Hektir spits when he sees the new room and the chest.
"A chest! Maybe we should leave that for when Sleeping Pemsty wakes up."
The lil' bugger will be mad if he doesn't get the chance to hurt himself on whatever trap is on that. He just loves testing how strong traps are.
Hektir will open the door to the common room, leaving it open for others if they need to come quick.
"C'mon Quinn! There is another door here!"
When Quinn is nearby, Hektir will open the door in the North East corner...next to the red bed.
"Dar!" Hektir yells as he opens the door, scimitar raised.
Tsin waits impatiently as the first floor is cleared, eyes trained on the stairs. Whatever remains here waits above.
Quinn stays side by side with Hektir, rapier at the ready as they continue clearing the rooms of the lower floor.
A bed and chest sit across from one another in this small room. Two doors serve as exits -- one you entered, one to the south -- and a window looks out on the north side of the lodge.
Quinn and Hektir continuing clearing the rooms downstairs, leaving chests closed and focusing on finding the leader and the missing guard from the entryway.
Hektir nods at Quinn.
This is going well.
Hektir moves to explore the dark area on the right/east side of the map.
The door to the south opens into what's clearly the other half of the room you first entered from outside.
A large table and two benches run the length of this hall, and a twenty-foot-high vaulted ceiling rises into the rafters overhead. To the west, a roaring fireplace provides a welcome heat and light while to the south, a flight of stairs ascends to a wooden balcony overlooking the room. Below it, a door opens to the south, while a set of double doors leading outside stands in the wall to the east, one of them flapping in the wind and letting in a cold chill.
Through the door below the balcony, you find a large room with four beds, two large chests, and a single table with four chairs occupy. Three windows look out to the east, west, and south, providing a grand view of the snowy gorge outside the lodge.
Hektir spits and turns to Quinn. "Looks like this floor is done. Good work, Quinn," he says as he returns to where Tsin waits on the stairs.
"Tsin, Bottom floor is done, I think. We got the trapdoor, but that can wait. We have chests, but those can wait too. Upstairs now?" Hektir announces with a spit.
"Mal, you with us going upstairs? Or did you want to keep watch down here?"
HP 9/14
AC 17
"Yes. Let's secure the upper floor. Maybe we can acquire the key from the hostage taker, should he still be present." Tsin starts up the stairs, her blade extended out in front of her. She makes no pretense of stealthing.
Quinn shuts the flapping open door, keeping the cold out of the lodge. "Let's do this, everyone stay alert. Keep watching, Zeno, your eagle eyes will be our first warning of sneaky danger creeping up on us from outside." Quinn shadows Hektir and Tsin as they move up the stairs.
"I think I might remain with Pemsworth for a while longer yet, lad. We aren't alone down here after all." He pokes his head around the corner to catch sight of the half orc in the kitchen. "I say lass, why don't you come over here and have a seat with an old man? So much violence in the world today, too few chances just for polite conversation anymore. Wouldn't you agree? Come, come, now girl. Why don't you start with telling me your name, hmm?"
An L-shaped table with many chairs takes up most of the floor space in this loft. A second smaller table sits near the entrance, and several windows look over the snowy grounds of the lodge. In the southwest corner, a large map hangs on the wall, opposite another door in the northeast wall.
However, before you can see anything else, the soldier from below -- still seeming quite dead -- slams his fist into Hektir, a blow so powerful it leaves the big man gasping for breath and nearly knocks him out.
Hektir:
Malavarius:
Quinn:
Tsin:
Antagonist:
Antagonist:
"Hey! I already killed you!"
Tsin steps in as best she can, letting Hektir fall from the doorway. "You should move, Hektir." That could have been me... he took the blow well enough to keep on his feet. Impressive.
She welcomes a fleshy corpse over a bony one.
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Round 1
Hektir 5' steps* to make room for Tsin.
*=Hektir falls against the wall in obvious agony, wondering how the murderous undead creature got the jump on him, at least that what he would think, should he actually be able to think or speak...but he can't because his breath was just completely knocked out of him so instead, he rolls along the wall, just trying to keep his feet under him while coughing up a bit of blood.
HP: 0/14
"Hey! I already killed you!"
The implications of Hektir's statement confirm the worst fear for Quinn. Grabbing Tsin's shirt and pulling her back, Quinn lunges forward gripping Hektir under the armpits and drags the man back down the stairs. "Back, Tsin, to the bottom of the stairs and ready your bow, this foe may channel death as I do healing!"
Dragging Hektir to the bottom floor, Quinn calls out to Mal, "We've company upstairs, old one, and it ain't the friendly kind."
...and adding a hasty yell to the kitchen area, "Join us, half orc, and you get first choice of the loot and stewardship of the lodge!"
Round 1
"Eh?! What's that? Do you hear that horrible squealing noise? Like a baby pig being strangled? Oh! I say, it's Quinn! Or is his name Tsin? I can't seem to remember. And just as we were about to have a polite conversation too." Malavarius looks to the half orc and nods apologetically, "I'm sorry my dear, it seems there's more trouble yet."
Malavarius moves over to the stairs in response to Quinn's shouts and call up another ward as he arrives. "What's all this shouting about now, hmm? I was about to have a polite conversation, don't you know."
HP: 6/10
AC: 12 (12 T / 11 FF)
Fort: +0 // Ref: +1 // Will: +4 (+1 vs spells, SLAs, & Su abilities of evil arcane spellcasters)
Resist 5: Cold
Cantrips Prepared (3): light, prestidigitation, read magic
Level 1 Prepared (3+2+1): endure elements [X], protection from evil [X], shield* [X], snapdragon fireworks [X] [X] [ ]
Protective Ward used: 6/8
Zeno detect magic used: 0/1
Ongoing Effects
Protective Ward: 1/5
"Back, Tsin, to the bottom of the stairs and ready your bow, this foe may channel death as I do healing!"
Tsin blanches as Quinn sees further into the battle than she does. "Hadn't thought about that, Healer. That's not right. Not right at all." Tsin doesn't resist Quinn's pull, only regrets her movement forward to attack the mock guard.
Malavarius
Hektir
Tsin
Quinn
Antagonist
As Hektir collapses against the wall, Tsin's blow cleaves through the dead man, cutting him in half, before she retreats back down the stairs at Quinn's urging.
As you reach the bottom, you see a man suddenly appear at the top of the stairs, casting a spell and pointing at the group.
It's difficult to tell -- he's making some effort to hide what he's casting -- but you think it's a spell designed to make someone want to momentarily kill their ally.
Make a DC 13 Will save, or be filled with the desire to kill your allie for 1 round
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His hand. How dare he grab me like that!! No one has that right!! I'm not some piece of meat to be pawwed over!! I'll have that hand off his wrist...
Tsin swings at Quinn.
Quinn's eyes nearly pop from their sockets as Tsin turns on him snarling. He ducks just in time as her blade arcs over his head, then staggers back a step from the warrior. "Tsin!, It's me, Quinn, your friend!" Yelling back over his shoulder, "Half orc, now or never, don't follow this evil man, be free and wealthy!"
Round 2
"Bah! He's enchanted her. I hate that blasted school! Frosty little witchy devils up in Irrisen loved the stuff... harumpf! Well let's see how much you like this!" Another screaming likeness of Zeno rockets from the tip of Malavarius' staff, then rebounds off several walls as it zags its way up the stairs before at last exploding in the man's face.
HP: 6/10
AC: 12 (12 T / 11 FF)
Fort: +0 // Ref: +1 // Will: +4 (+1 vs spells, SLAs, & Su abilities of evil arcane spellcasters)
Resist 5: Cold
Cantrips Prepared (3): light, prestidigitation, read magic
Level 1 Prepared (3+2+1): endure elements [X], protection from evil [X], shield* [X], snapdragon fireworks [X] [X] [X]
Protective Ward used: 6/8
Zeno detect magic used: 0/1
Ongoing Effects
Protective Ward: 2/5
Round 2
Hektir shields his eyes from the expectant blood spray that usually accompanies Tsin's sword swipes, but is pleasantly surprised that it's only his blood he tastes.
Hektir moves slowly out of sight of the evil caster, trying to find a moment to catch his breath. (Move action only.)
C'mon Hektir, keep it together.
Hektir struggles to maintain the grip on his both his sword and his swimming consciousness.
Malavarius
Hektir
Tsin
Quinn
Antagonist
Mal's fireworks burst in the bandit leader's face, drawing a cry of surprise, as he blinks back tears while Hektir tries to get out of his sight.
Suddenly, in the midst of the melee, Tsin slashes at Quinn, whose armor absorbs the impact, leaving him unharmed as he steps away and pleads with her and for help from the half-orc.
The man at the top of the stairs gestures, causing a second man -- looking exactly like him -- to appear next to him. They both hold something up, though it's not clear what, as they cast again, but this time their efforts to hide the spell apparently cause it to fizzle as nothing happens when they finish.
Bandit: 3, dazzled
Round 3
Hektir leans against the wall and tries to summon the energy to return to the fight.
C'mon Hektir. To leave now is almost certain death. Almost.
Round 3
"Tsin! Wait... or are you Quinn? Bah, whatever your name is, get a hold of your self and get back up the stairs! I know it's not your fault you're swinging your sword at the wrong person, but I have had just about enough of this nonsense! Now, go on! Up the stairs, young lady! Up up UP!" He points a bony finger at the man at the top of the stairs to punctuate his command.
HP: 6/10
AC: 12 (12 T / 11 FF)
Fort: +0 // Ref: +1 // Will: +4 (+1 vs spells, SLAs, & Su abilities of evil arcane spellcasters)
Resist 5: Cold
Cantrips Prepared (3): light, prestidigitation, read magic
Level 1 Prepared (3+2+1): endure elements [X], protection from evil [X], shield* [X], snapdragon fireworks [X] [X] [X]
Protective Ward used: 6/8
Zeno detect magic used: 0/1
Ongoing Effects
Protective Ward: 3/5
Round 3
AC = 16
HP = 8/14
Weapon Equipped = Falchion
Condition(s) = Horrified
Tsin stares into Quinn's eyes, unbelieving. "What?! What is this madness?! Quinn... I'm so..." Her head swings violently around, and shakes when it's confronted with two enemies where once there was one.
You did this. Got inside my head, and used me.
She races back up the stairs, screaming. Closing the distance, she intends to prevent him from throwing more magicks at them.
Please, I dare you to try something now. You're in my reach.
Hearing the shrill in his own voice, Quinn tries again with the half orc, "Help us, Lady, please help us!"
Dropping his rapier, Quinn draws his crossbow and starts fumbling with a bolt.
Hektir leans against the wall, grasping for breath.
I'm tired.
Malavarius
Hektir
Tsin
Quinn
Antagonist
Mal's words seem to startle the men at the top of the stairs, and they take a step back as Tsin charges up, swinging wildly. It's not enough for her to land a hit, though, as the two figures duck under her blow.
They swing back, landing a glancing blow , though Tsin feels a sudden shortness of breath as the wound burns.
"Ha! Lots of meat on your bones. Clearly it'd take years to turn you into a skeleton, but you'll make a fine zombie, girl."
The half-orc, perhaps swayed by Quinn's words, emerges from the kitchen, throwing a pouch toward the combatants.
It hits one of the men, and burst into a sticky goo, drwaing a cry of outrage from the bandit leader. "We take you in and that's how you repay us? You'll die for that, tusker!" he snarls.
Reflex save:
Quinn loads the bolt, then takes aim on the evil man locked in combat with Tsin. Just like I practiced with Hektir, aim around my companion, anticipate their shift, then hit the opening
Drat! Quinn starts fumbling with another bolt.
Round 4
"" Malavarius barks in surprise at the extremely rude pejorative. "Well... I... never!" He glares up the stairs, his blue eyes shining brightly with outrage beneath his furrowed, bushy eyebrows. "Pemsworth! Zeno! Blast it all, where have you two gotten to? I need something to throw at the man at the top of the stairs to adequately express my displeasure at his unthinkably rude remarks! Zeno?! Confound it all, Zeno! You're never around when I need you!" He then hurries back to Pemsworth's side and begins muttering to himself, "Now if I were a Pemsworth, where would I keep my daggers for throwing at horribly mannered bandit fools?"
HP: 6/10
AC: 12 (12 T / 11 FF)
Fort: +0 // Ref: +1 // Will: +4 (+1 vs spells, SLAs, & Su abilities of evil arcane spellcasters)
Resist 5: Cold
Cantrips Prepared (3): light, prestidigitation, read magic
Level 1 Prepared (3+2+1): endure elements [X], protection from evil [X], shield* [X], snapdragon fireworks [X] [X] [X]
Protective Ward used: 6/8
Zeno detect magic used: 0/1
Ongoing Effects
Protective Ward: 4/5
Round 4
Gritting with pain, Hektir raises his sword, intending on fighting to his dying breath should Tsin fall.
C'mon Hektir. Let's keep it together.
Round 4
AC = 16
HP = 5/14
Weapon Equipped = Falchion
Condition(s) = Bordering on desperation
Tsin wrestles with the doubling foe, keeping her balance at the top of the stairs, and her impending slip into unconsciousness... or worse.