Thout turns to D'ogryn and quickly raises his forearm, hand and axe towards the ceiling. He points to his ear, then cups it from behind. He moves his head side to side, shrugging his shoulders. He points at D'ogryn then back to his ear. Before D'ogryn opens the door, he moves against the west hallway wall and raises his axe in preparation for a big strike.
Edan
The Touv tenses as he sees Thout signal D'ogryn he hears something. Edan raises his off hand opened to alert those behind him. As he does he readies his staff and widens his stance readying himself to assist both his companions.
Soros
Seeing Edan tense the young spellcaster readies himself as well. Thinking of the spells he might want to cast and mentally walking through the gestures and verbal components. In way this seems to calm his nerves...which are on a razor-thin edge. Young Soros thought of a saying his father would tell him when the young boy would get uptight...If I put a piece of iron up that hole of yours it would spit out an anvil...learn to relax. He laughed to himself...not really understanding the meaning when he was young...he understood it now...Soros took a deep breath and relaxed as best he could.
Seeing the group prepare for a threat, the olf bends the bow, sighting the doorframe next to D'Ogryn, before rolling the weight across the shoulder of his pulling arm, transferring the work to hold the draw from his arm to his back, so that he can stay fully ready longer, if necessary.
Thout turns to D'ogryn and quickly raises his forearm, hand and axe towards the ceiling. He points to his ear, then cups it from behind. He moves his head side to side, shrugging his shoulders. He points at D'ogryn then back to his ear. Before D'ogryn opens the door, he moves against the west hallway wall and raises his axe in preparation for a big strike.
D'orgryn stops and tilts his head to the side. It appears he is trying to listen to something distant. He pauses for a few heartbeats and then looks back at the others. He raise his hand and points to his ear and then towards the door that he was just looking at. He then mouths the word "Slowly..." and he puts a finger to his mouth to keep them quiet. He points down the hallway towards the group that is spread out back in the entrance way. Waving for them to come forward. As they move, D'ogryn returns his tools and pulls forth a single danger. Once he sees them gathering together, the young cook holds up his fingers and silently counts to three. As he finishes his count he slowly turns back to the door and draws forth a second dagger. FREEZE!...Thanks Dalt Just as he is about to open the door he stops and remains still for what seems an eternity. His head comes up and he looks up at the door. He looks directly at the opening of the door across the top, down to the bottom and then across the base of the door. So very slowly he puts one of his daggers under the door and slides it across to the other side, his senses are trying to pick up if the dagger contacts with some sort of wire or device that is on the inside of the door and beyond his original inspection. He then repeats the process on the other two sides of the door. Once he is certain he pushes the door slowly open.
Edan
Edan sees D'ogryn's signal and he snugs the southeast wall as he waves Naia and Rabalar up and signals for them to move quietly.
Edan moves like a jungle panther towards the wall. His senses tell him something is in fact wrong. puts the staff to the side leaning it up on the wall. He quietly draws his sword and waits for his companions.
Soros
Soros seeing Edan move up to the wall decides to move up to the opposite wall and ready himself for whatever is to come. I will hold on to casting my protection spells until I need them. The wet leather seems to squeak as he walks...which is nearly humorous as he attempts to walk quietly. The water dribbling off his wet robes amplifying the noise as a sloshing sound follows the squeaking.
The Ranger tries to slide silently across the house, going into the open room across the hall to create the best line of fire through the soon-to-be-opened doorway that he can get. The boards creak under his feet as he moves, slightly.
Thout raises the axe over his head, ready for D'ogryn to open the door when he sees D'ogryn take one of the daggers he has just drawn and slide it around the edge of the door, "He's checking again?!" The irritation and even a bit of anger start to well up within him. Only his long ingrained dwarven appreciation of patience and thoroughness allows him to keep it in check. As the feelings wash over him and recede, they are replaced with surprise. He was never like that as a child. He would spend hours practicing a single motion with either his shield or axe to get it just so. "Must be this house. Maybe that mouth... I don't know..." He flexes his axe arm and repositions his shield as he waits for D'ogryn to open the door.
Though Naia sees the others move she stays at her position, keeping her two lines of sight open.
Not much I can do in a cramped corridor...
The Party - 3rd Day of Readying, Moonday
Evening
1st Floor
Party Skill, Save, and Ability Check Macros Sheet
D'ogryan
Naia
Rabalar
Thout
Edan
Soros
Encounter
D'ogryn slides the dagger under the door and slides it from one side to the other...nothing comes from it. But he hears something shuffling in the room...near the door but D'ogryn was not sure where. He opens the door slowly and staring down at him on the wall near his head is a pair of antennas connected to the hugest roach you have ever seen. It scrambles towards D'ogryn in a rush of legs and mandibles.
D'ogryn was not surpirsed that something was there but he was surprised that it was a roach. A big ass roach.
D'ogryn Throws his one dagger at the raoach and the tumbles past the creature in an attempt to move into the room. Come up on his feet with his other dagger in his dominate hand again.
The Party - 3rd Day of Readying, Moonday
Evening
1st Floor
Party Skill, Save, and Ability Check Macros Sheet
D'orgyn (done)
Thout
------
Soros
Naia
------
Rabalar
Edan
Giant Roach
The roach reels back the dagger as the dagger sinks into its exoskeleton.
** spoiler omitted **
know it's D'ogryn's turn, but I'm looking at the room layout, and I'm going to ask several questions just to try and cut out the back and forth. Please only answer the ones you think relevant. Is the furniture considered difficult terrain? Is it a barrier? Does it look sturdy enough to jump up on? If so, how hard does it look to do so? I'm thinking about either getting up on it or around it in a move action, so I can strike with my standard.
Thout peers quickly into the room trying to gauge what to do as D'ogryn rolls into the room away from the dog-sized roach.
At one time a long table stood in the center of this room; now it lies broken — though still recognizable on the floor. Three legs are broken or shattered while the fourth one is still attached and the table is tilted but cracked and split in part of it. A broken chair stands against the wall between the windows and there is a heap of broken china in the northwest corner. The room is covered in cobwebs, spider webs, dust, and debris.
Antas, Ferona, Peran - 4th Day of Readying, Godsday (worship day)
[b]Early Afternoon
The three of you make a round trip around the small fishing village getting your bearings. Peran makes it a point to nod and smile at the many sailors, villagers, and craftsman.
As you pass the commons and work your way back the tavern you hear two town guards talking about a group hunting goblins on the Old East Road. One of them is talking about the nephew of the commander joining the party and how one of the Temlow's is involved as well. They speak about how the party was ambushed by the goblins in the woods and broke the ambush and scattered the goblins. Now it sounds like they are back out hunting the remaining goblins down. Wish we were out there with them! No excitement here just a bunch of merchants and wagon folk. At least we would be in the thick of it Magnus! The older man turns to his young charge. Don't be in a rush to go and get yourself killed boy. They got lucky the first time; luck gets you so far. The two guards cross the road and head into the Commons as you make your way west and towards your inn.
"Goblins!" Ferona exclaims to her fellow companions, "I find news of those filthy disgusting vermin menacing this area troubling, to say the very least. Before we leave Saltmarsh we need to be aware of these potential hazards along the Old East Road." she is silent for a moment before adding, "The commanders's nephew is among those hunting down the gobinz. Perhaps we should seek to confer with him and his companions, once they have returned."
D'ogryn opens the door and immediately throws a dagger. Thout hears the thunk as it hits its target and he knows it is close. He opens his mouth to say he's coming through when suddenly D'ogryn makes a small jump and tumbles into the room out of sight. Thout's visage turns grim, he pulls his lips into a thin, tight line and follows D'ogryn around the corner.
As he leaves the hallway, he raises his shield and swings his axe by his legs in a practiced arc as he passes over the threshold. He is surprised to see a huge roach hanging on the wall but is glad that D'ogryn is fine and has put some distance between himself and the bug. Thout, seeing his chance, quickly interposes himself and takes a mighty swing.
Seeing the team obviously engage something that he can't see, the ranger adjusts his position until he can see the opposition. A cockroach that big? The sight of their target surprises him, but his training kicks in and he lets fly, regardless.
Hearing the commotion, every fibre in her body wishes to rush to it - Naia breathes, and knuckles white from tension on stave and string stays her position.
"Rab?! What is going on?" she calls, all attempt at stealth dismissed.
The Party - 3rd Day of Readying, Moonday
Evening
1st Floor
Party Skill, Save, and Ability Check Macros Sheet
HN 25
RE 15
PHN 15
Thout steps inside the room and to his right is a dog-sized roach on the wall. No wonder D'og scrambled away from the doorway! What else is in this house! The creature still reeling from the knife is not ready for the well placed and thunderous swing of Thout's ax which splits the roach in half and the blade sinks through the plaster and wooden wall with ease; nearly a quarter of its blade sticking out the other side of the wall. As he does an arrow sinks into the head of the roach pinning the upper half to the wall in an angler manner due to the direction the arrow hits it. Thout turns and can see Rabalar in the hallway pulling another arrow from his quiver. The lower half of the insect falls to the floor spilling white and mustard green entrails on the wooden planks. The smell is horrible as if it is putrid garbage and stagnet water...as quickly as it all started the encounter with the oversized roach is over. Thout's heart is pounding like a smith at an anvil...his first actual combat and he marked himself well... He laughs to himself. It is not a goblin...but it will do! He turns to D'ogryn and sees him standing looking at the insect as well...shocked at the size of it and disgusted at the smell.
D'ogryn stands from his crouch and looks at what remains of the roach. Then he lets his eyes move to the his companions. Bringing a finger to his lips to quiet them before anymore noise can be made. His head again tilts to the side as he tries to listen to something far off.
After some time passes he walks over to remove his dagger, cleaning off the blade before he returns it to his sheaf.
When Rabalar's arrow pierces the roach, leaving the upper half pinned to the wall, Thout exhales deeply. He didn't even realize he had been holding his breath. He breathes back in and smells the roach for the first time. "Ugghh, hugghh" His face twists in a grimace of displeasure, "D'ogryn had the right idea; kill them from a distance!" He looks through the doorway, smiles, and gives Rabalar a thumbs up before turning to D'ogryn. He starts to speak, but immediately stops when D'ogryn holds up his finger. He holds position, waiting for a sign from D'ogryn. When D'ogryn relaxes, he chuckles and shakes his arms, trying to cool from the adrenaline rush. "Aye! Quick and to the point!" Still needing a moment, he begins to look more closely around the room.
He walks over to the pile of broken china and casually sifts through it with his axe.
4th Day of Readying, Godsday (worship day)- Early Afternoon
Peran turns to Ferona, nodding his head in agreement.
"It would be good to help the people of this town. As St. Cuthbert says, 'Talk is cheap, Actions Speak'."
When Rabalar's arrow pierces the roach, leaving the upper half pinned to the wall, Thout exhales deeply. He didn't even realize he had been holding his breath. He breathes back in and smells the roach for the first time. "Ugghh, hugghh" His face twists in a grimace of displeasure, "D'ogryn had the right idea; kill them from a distance!" He looks through the doorway, smiles, and gives Rabalar a thumbs up before turning to D'ogryn. He starts to speak, but immediately stops when D'ogryn holds up his finger. He holds position, waiting for a sign from D'ogryn. When D'ogryn relaxes, he chuckles and shakes his arms, trying to cool from the adrenaline rush. "Aye! Quick and to the point!" Still needing a moment, he begins to look more closely around the room.
[dice=Perception]1d20+6
He walks over to the pile of broken china and casually sifts through it with his axe.
[dice=Perception]1d20+6
Thout walks the room and sees nothing of real interest or value. Although he sees a small crack in the wood planks and plaster in the ceiling in the southeast corner that would be big enough for this dog-sized roach to come through. He backs away from the hole unsure if another one might come scurrying out of the dark spot.
D'ogryn stands from his crouch and looks at what remains of the roach. Then he lets his eyes move to his companions. Bringing a finger to his lips to quiet them before any more noise can be made. His head again tilts to the side as he tries to listen to something far off.
[dice=Perception: Listen]1d20 + 5After some time passes he walks over to remove his dagger, cleaning off the blade before he returns it to his sheaf.
D'ogryn looks about the room and his eye catches the hole as well in the ceiling in the southeast corner and Thout is right. There along the ceiling are drag marks and contact marks of the insect's legs in the dust and cobwebs. As he focuses in on the marks he sees where the long whip-like appendages of the roach, antenna he believes they are called, drug and touched the walls around it as it entered the room through the hole. It seems watching Rabalar as the ranger conducted his tracking is starting to rub off on the perceptive cook. It is then as he glances down at the floor he notices something on the floor in the room in the nearby corner and as he looks around he sees other marks on the ground. Thout...hold on. Stop moving for a moment. He turns to Rabalar and waves him into the room. These marks on the floor they look like tracks similar to the ones the goblin's made. He points them out to the olf as he comes into the room.
Thout backs away from the hole, almost tripping over D'ogryn. Once D'ogryn points out the marks on the floor that are likely made by goblins, it makes sense to Thout. "Hmm. Goblins aren't much bigger than that bug..." Excited, he remarks, "D'ogryn, good eye! Rabalar's lookin' for other ways te goblins are movin' around." He carefully steps out into the hallway, trying to not disturb things any more than they already are, and vigoursly signals to Rabalar, "Come see!" Once the olf comes over, he says to them both, "D'ogryn, show him what you found."
The ranger moves into the room to see if he can retrieve the arrow or not, stopping as the others tell him to look around.
After seeing what he can tell from the scuffs his companions point out, he finishes trying to retrieve the arrow.
Naia frowns as the commotion seems to have ended with the blade of Thout's axe appearing through the wall.
Either Rab didn't hear, or he's ignoring me. Neither of which are good signs.
Naia clicks her tongue to get Soros' attention.
"Soros, what is happening?"
"Didn't know till I shot it, and it was already over, then. Goblin-sized cockroach."
Rabalar enters the room and checks out the tracks. Thout stands to the side until he is done then points to the hole, "Could goblins be usin' this? Could a human use it?"
Goblin-sized cockroach?!?
"OK." Naia returns.
The young woman's mind turns to other equally fantastic goblin-sized insects, arthropods and even, at the end, a goblin-sized horseshoe crab. She shuuders inwardly, and keeps a weather eye on the stairs.
Yeuchh!
Soros
He turns to Naia and looks back over his shoulder just before Rabalar chimes in confirming what occurred. "I don't really know...something about a roach...but I know it is dead...very dead"
As Rabalar moves into the room he realizes the lighting in the room must be poor since all the main light is in the main hall. He moves down the hall and stands by the door letting light bath the room that the rest of the party is standing in. As he does he sees the severed parts of the roach and walks into the smell of the innards. He steps back for a moment and covers his mouth and makes a choking/puking look. "That is most foul!
"Didn't know till I shot it, and it was already over, then. Goblin-sized cockroach."
Rabalar walks in and surveys the room. The giant roach is, well, horrible to look at and smells awful but it is nothing that the trained ranger has not come across before as far as smells go. He sees the tracks of both the roach and what D'ogryn professes is goblin tracks and the hole in the ceiling. D'ogryn has a perceptive eye for finding things; that is for sure. The roach did come from the hole but the goblins appear to have gone into the hole...looks like they used each other to build a ladder. This was prior to that bug coming out of it some time ago. Looks like three to five goblins at most. The hole is to small for any of the group to crawl through and it is probably the spacing between the floors and walls they are using to crawl about the house. As he looks about and pulls his arrow out the head of the roach and remains fall to the floor with some of its insides splatting against Rabalar's boot he realizes the roach probably came in the room a few moments before D'ogryn start searching the door...when it heard the noise on the other side it must have come down the wall to check to see if it was food.
The Party - 3rd Day of Readying, Moonday
Evening
1st Floor
Party Skill, Save, and Ability Check Macros Sheet
"Looks like the goblins went up through that hole some little time ago. We wouldn't fit. Not much evidence of the roach, it must have come down very recently. Probably more curious about D'Og poking about then anything." Cleaning these boots is going to be a chore this time. The ranger lets out a quiet sigh while looking at this feet.
After a moment's thought, he looks around the room. "If we could block access to the windows, and secure the door from outside, when the goblins try to bolt through here to get out, we would trap them inside instead. Can we do that with what's at hand?"
Thout looks around the room after Rabalar's comments, "If we can, we should. But let's check the next room first, then come back with any ideas on how te do it. Don't want te start construction with somethin' next door." He twirls his axe in his hand, adjusts his shield, and steps out into the hall.
Not seeing Edan and Naia immediately, he peers back the way they came. Spotting them to the north, he waves them forward and points to the door at the end of the hall. He then moves to take position just west of the last door on the floor. Striking a blow on the giant bug seemed to have calmed Thout's nerves a bit. He has no unusual anxiety waiting for the last door to be checked. Rabalar and D'ogryn were right, clearing this floor first needed to be done. "Clear dis room, then go find some goblins..."
Edan
Edan moves back towards Naia so she can have light. Seeing that there is ample light on the balcony above for a few more minutes or so.
He turns to Naia, "They are searching the last few rooms down the hall. Not sure how many are left but they seem to have it well in hand Mistress Naia." He plants his staff on the floor and offers a blessing again to Berna has his off hand holds his holy symbol...the light flickers with a tint of blue and then finds its original glow.
He looks around the room and scans the balcony as well as the two halls. He doesn't see anything that appears to be a threat to his companions.
D'ogryn takes all in stride and responds in a simple matter of fact way.
I was thinking that the noise was coming from some sort of mechanical trap on the other side of the door with the wind blowing at a wire or arming bar.
He looks at the window and then at the door.
I may be able to do something to lock the door again...maybe.
Shall we get to the end of the hall?
The young cook makes his way to the last door and once against kneels down to inspect the door.
Antas, Ferona, Peran - 4th Day of Readying, Godsday (worship day)
Late Morning
As the three of you walk by the Saltmarsh Jeweller on the south side of the Touleven Road south of the Common. As you walk past several shops and homes you see the Full Moon Inn on the northeast corner of two roads. You turn south and walk down the road that runs parallel to the Saltmarsh bay that leads to the docks. The day is sunny and there is a light breeze coming off of Monmurg Bay. Two merchant ships are making their way out to the ocean. You can see sailors on the ropes of both ships prepping them for the sea and the winds. On the left facing east is the Black Lion Trading Company. It is composed of several buildings, one of them the main house and the others a warehouse and a wagon-house. On the south side of the road you are traveling on are several homes with long rowing boats on the beach. Several boats appear to be missing from their racks...Peran recognizes the boats as whaling boats. The stone homes with thatch roofs are well maintained from what you can tell. As you continue to walk down the road you come back to the Travellers Rest Inn. You notice a wooden sign on the south side of the road... It has two wood boards one pointing Northwest and it states "Saltmarsh" the other points to the Southeast it states "Old Coast Road - Seaton".
Naia nods to the seasoned caravan guard and holds her position.
Ferona points out the sign to her companions, "This must be the main road that passes through Saltmarsh on towards Seaton. Good to know," she oints to the road heading away from Seaton, "that is the direction we must head when our stay here is completed."
The Party - 3rd Day of Readying, Moonday
Evening
1st Floor
Party Skill, Save, and Ability Check Macros Sheet
HN 25
RE 15
PHN 15
D'ogryn settles in front of the door. At first, he listens closely to see if he hears anything at all. He then searches the surrounding area visually working from top to bottom. Inspecting the floor, wall, ceiling and then the door jamb and finally the door. It doesn't appear as if there is any traps or dangers around or on the door. He then inspects the door handle and finally, he listens at the door putting his ears up against the door handle and keyhole.
As D'ogryn and his group inspect the doors in the south of the house Naia and Edan both hear something...a loud knock or something hitting the floor above them. It is muffled but it is above the heads of Naia and Edan. Soros hears the echo of it down the hall over the muffled sounds of the rain. D'ogryn, Rabalar and Thout hear it but they assume it is someone in the main hall making a noise.
The hairs on Naia's neck bristle as a wash of cold encases her spine. She stands taut, aiming at the top of the stairs, daring something to show itself, her tense concentration not allowing her to even acknowledge the sound to Soros or Edan.
Readied Action: Shoot!