Ha, I missed your post as it was near simultaneous...
There was definitely no rider as it did a few rolls in the sky and you didn't see any. The closest you can get to the wall with cover, sadly, is about 100'.
Human Barbarian 5 | HP 50/50 | AC 18; Tch 12; FF 18 | F +6; R +3; W +3 | CMB+11; CMD 22 | Speed 40 ft | Init +2 | +1 Greatsword (adamantine): +11 (2d6+8/19-20) | Perc +11
Evenstar stares at the wall in the distance while they talk, looking for any detail the others might have missed.
"I think we just bluff our way in, and if it doesn't work, we fight!"
Aasimar monkadin/COI 9 | AC 28 *T21*F26* CMD 34 | 55/65hp | F13 R11 W13 | Per +18 Init +2
"I also think we should try the subtle path for as long as we can. But first...."
Guang moves to the big chest to retrieve one of his wands. "Mister V, does your stagecraft extend to the so-called armor of the arcane? I can use this wand somewhat, but it takes me many tries. I am still perfecting myself in that manner. Those of us without armor, however, may benefit."
Wand of mage armor-- Guang can activate it via UMD, but much better if someone who can actually just use it does so. I say mage armor up all of us "slaves"-- if we end up in combat it's better than naked, at least.
When they are ultimately challenged by the guard, Guang does his best to bolster Vanzetti's tale by appearing as a cowed, subservient slave, cringing every time V or the "guards" look his way.
If possible, aid bluff: aid:1d20 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 2 = 13
hp 54/54 | Ac 23 T 16 FF 17 (+1 AC if adjacent to only 1 foe) | Init +7 | Fort +9 Ref+13 Will +7 | Perception +9 | Panache 3/3 | Plume of Panache 1/1 | Lay on Hands 4/4 | Smite 1/1 | Reroll 1/1
"So, if we are going to bluff our way inside we might as well get going. These rags are starting to itch"
|AC 16*, T 12, FF 16*|HP: 53*/47|F +7, R +6, W +8 * (+7 vs MA, +2 vs divine/Fire/NE/death/ED/Necr/Evil)|Init 0, Perc +1*|CMB +5*, CMD 13|10/10 Sacrifice, 1/1 Pyrotechnics, 1/1 Godless, 1/1 Rally, 1/1 Rova, 1/1 Liberate, X
V has been starting the last two days in the role he was typecast as - playing a priest - and has been buoying morale in the mornings with his tongue-in-cheek readings from his book of war prayers.
Everyone gets a +2 morale bonus to their next saving throw vs fear.
"Oh, yes, no trouble, allow me," He replies to Guang. Anyone who wants an hour of mage armor? You got it now.
After waving Guang's wand over others, he steps back a moment, and gleaming lapis energy emanates from his mask and covers his entire form before fading. That's MY mage armor. It will last 6 hours.
Having stayed his tongue a minute to give the others a chance to air ideas before this most important beat pause, he looks toward the front door.
"Well, I believe we're expected."
Disguise check, plus Sacrificial Boon, disguise kit, and another use of disguise self:1d20 + 19 ⇒ (1) + 19 = 20Ferschlugginer - the mounds of bonus may keep that from being hopeless, but I don't suppose anyone has a way of granting rerolls?
I imagine we should all avail ourselves of another round of disguise augmentations.
IN LINE, SLAVES! You're HOME!" He bellows as he strides up to the door, delivering the hearty but polite 3 knocks distinctive of a trained Razmiran missionary.
N Half-elf 7 :: HP 57/60 :: AC 22 T 15 FF 18 CMD 27 :: Fort +8 Ref +9 Will +6 :: Init +7 Perception +18 (Low-Light)
Before cresting the hill, Jal once again reminds everyone about their jury-rigged restraints. "Slipping them should be easy, but wait until the right time. We want the cover to last as long as it's useful."
Then Jal takes point, marching in front of his boss and trying to wear that bored-but-alert look they so often have.
As V knocks on the door, Jal takes a moment to step near Opal as he looks up to study the gnoll on the tower.
Tower gnoll is Jal's Studied Target for now.
EDIT: oh yah, and Bluff Aid Another
Bluff, DC 10:1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20
Human Barbarian 5 | HP 50/50 | AC 18; Tch 12; FF 18 | F +6; R +3; W +3 | CMB+11; CMD 22 | Speed 40 ft | Init +2 | +1 Greatsword (adamantine): +11 (2d6+8/19-20) | Perc +11
Not one to be bothered with subtle details, Evenstar looks the part, but may not act it.
hp 54/54 | Ac 23 T 16 FF 17 (+1 AC if adjacent to only 1 foe) | Init +7 | Fort +9 Ref+13 Will +7 | Perception +9 | Panache 3/3 | Plume of Panache 1/1 | Lay on Hands 4/4 | Smite 1/1 | Reroll 1/1
I will take a mage armor too, thank you for that
Bluff Aid:1d20 + 3 ⇒ (15) + 3 = 18
Isabella looks to the ground while her 'betters' do the talking, she tries to be the slave she is supposed to be.
Aasimar monkadin/COI 9 | AC 28 *T21*F26* CMD 34 | 55/65hp | F13 R11 W13 | Per +18 Init +2
The Amazing Vanzetti wrote:
I don't suppose anyone has a way of granting rerolls?
Not a mechanical way, but like Opal I have GM re-rolls and a folio...
Guang bows his thanks to V for activating the wand. (Charges for Ludovico, myself, Isabella, and Opal, I presume! My pleasure, they're cheap enough. :) )
Then he waits, tense with the others, to see the confrontation between Vanzetti's acting ability and the guards of the slaver fortress.
(Three Aids on Bluff so far, from Isabella, myself, and Jal, so +6)
Aasimar monkadin/COI 9 | AC 28 *T21*F26* CMD 34 | 55/65hp | F13 R11 W13 | Per +18 Init +2
Sometime during the two days' interlude (RP for Jal, has no bearing on mechanics):
During the long, hot walk through the desert, the insufferable follower of Irori falls in step next to Jal again.
"So as we were talking!" he says amiably. "Ah, I am sad to hear that the history of this blade is one of violent doing, but one cannot be denying that this is usually the situation, for weapons. Yet I am sorry that my fellows made this poor impression on you. I myself avoid the gambling, due to personal oaths that have crossed my lips, yet it is true that it is a passion for many in the lands of the east. Should the chance come in for you, you should of a certainty visit the Ruby of the World, the great city Goka. Further to the rising sun, one finds also Kasai of the Many Lanterns, and Shang-dong, City of Temples. In all of these cities and many others one may be finding the dens for gambling, if it is in your heart to partake of this action, and perhaps in this doing you can discover a more pleasant nature to the People of Heaven."
Guang stops talking for a few seconds, mostly to catch his breath.
With nerves on edge, the party tries to execute the plan, despite not having any gnolls with them. As you approach, the gnoll on the tower growls at your approach. He speaks in the barking language of his people. He then answers in Taldane, "WHERE ARE YOUR GUARDS?!"
"BLAST!" The anger lasts only a second. "“You missed it! Chief
finally ran the veiled lady off! We’re gonna celebrate tonight with her best wine!”
The gates open and you're led inside. You have a few moments to check out your surroundings as you're led to the pens. The doors open to the courtyard (B1). A wall of ochre bricks bristles at its base with sharp stakes, barring entrance to a deep round hollow in the red rocky cliff. The wall curves at a small watchtower with a leather tent roof. Beyond the wall, the cliff rises over a hundred feet, its lower reaches dotted with shallow caves. A trio of gnolls lounge in the hot sun within the courtyard. They eye you suspiciously, but they don't do anything.
The portcullis is opened as you go through into the structure proper (B2). A stone dais painted with a hyena-like face occupies the center of this round chamber. A wide, eight-foot-high ledge runs around the perimeter of the room with a crude ladder to the east connecting the floor and elevated area. To the south, an iron portcullis hangs over the entrance to the caves. Several shallow caves with wooden gates and floors covered in straw open into this room from the north. A door to the east and a door with a barred grille to the west lead to other parts of the stronghold. A shattered wooden box and several dozen scraps of sodden, torn paper lie scattered across the floor. The most striking feature of this room is the horse-sized hyena with an extra set of eyes in its forehead. The chest with your belongings is placed here.
Those of you dressed as slavers are told to go back to the courtyard and told to wait for the chief. Those of you disguised as slaves are rallied to be put in the room to the west.
The party is about to be split. Do you want to keep the charade up, or do something before being separated?
|AC 16*, T 12, FF 16*|HP: 53*/47|F +7, R +6, W +8 * (+7 vs MA, +2 vs divine/Fire/NE/death/ED/Necr/Evil)|Init 0, Perc +1*|CMB +5*, CMD 13|10/10 Sacrifice, 1/1 Pyrotechnics, 1/1 Godless, 1/1 Rally, 1/1 Rova, 1/1 Liberate, X
I'm inclined to vote for keeping it up, but let's review: What's our goal here, and what, if anything, do we know about where we are and who we're dealing with (it would help to know under what circumstances we'd be able to reconvene without provoking suspicion)?
Male Human (Chelaxian) Cavalier 3 Arcane Duelist 1 | AC 21 (t 13) (ff 18) | F+6, R+6, W+4 | CMB +5 CMD 17 | Init +4, Per +0, SM +0 | speed 30 ft | Challenge 1/1 | Calling 2/4 | Tactician 1/1 | Fires of Hell 1/1 | Bardic Performance 13/13 | Spells: 1st 2/2 | HP 37/37
As much as Ludovico despises acting as a slave, his inner strategists is making two points: 1. We really don't know anything about the chief and how many gnolls are in here, so breaking the charade at this point might be unwise, plus we wouldn't have enough time to equip ourselves with our gear in the chest. 2. The gnolls mentioned a big party tonight with wine. Perhaps the time to strike is tonight, when they are likely to be drunk and not paying attention.
As to our goal, we were supposed to find the veiled spymaster and her mirror. I assume that is the same veiled lady that the chief drove off? If that is the case we need to find clues as to where she may have been driven off to.
hp 54/54 | Ac 23 T 16 FF 17 (+1 AC if adjacent to only 1 foe) | Init +7 | Fort +9 Ref+13 Will +7 | Perception +9 | Panache 3/3 | Plume of Panache 1/1 | Lay on Hands 4/4 | Smite 1/1 | Reroll 1/1
Isabella looks towards the room to the west, looks back at the amazing Vanzetti and nods her head.
Bluff:1d20 + 3 ⇒ (10) + 3 = 13
Unfortunately for her the amazing Vanzetti was not paying attention and does not get the message. Luckily for her he did not misread her message...
No ooc comment from me, you need to do it with my ic one ;-)
Aasimar monkadin/COI 9 | AC 28 *T21*F26* CMD 34 | 55/65hp | F13 R11 W13 | Per +18 Init +2
Guang keeps his head bent, mutely permitting himself to be herded off to the slave region. He tries to keep his ears peeled for any talk among their captors, though he does not speak the barking gnollish tongue.
Perceiving any talk among the gnolls?:1d20 + 10 ⇒ (2) + 10 = 12
N Half-elf 7 :: HP 57/60 :: AC 22 T 15 FF 18 CMD 27 :: Fort +8 Ref +9 Will +6 :: Init +7 Perception +18 (Low-Light)
Jal hesitates to see what Vanzetti, but it's clear he's comfortable leaving the 'slaves' in play. He looks at the nearest gnoll, "Until money changes hands, they are ours. You keep your hands off."
The gnolls growl at the show of strength, but they don't do much.
"Wait here."
The gnolls leave you and your "property" in the room. The slaves are locked in the room, but the "slavers" are left in the kennel area with the monstrous looking hyena.
As soon as the gnoll leaves to do whatever it is it's going to do, one of the slaves already here speaks up. Ironically, he wears a wide grin on his face, and greets you on your arrival. “Welcome! I am Korshad, overseer for our masters. Though I wear a collar, you’ll find it’s best to do as I say! Now, they lock us in at night when they go hunting, but mostly we have the run of the place, nearly as much liberty as the hyenas. You’ll be trained to be excellent house slaves, then taken back to the ships to be sold to nice noble families. It may seem harsh, but if you take to it, it’s probably a better life than you were used to before. Meanwhile you should get some rest and we can begin your lessons in the morning. As the proverb says, ‘When the day is hottest, even the busy must rest and wait.’”
hp 54/54 | Ac 23 T 16 FF 17 (+1 AC if adjacent to only 1 foe) | Init +7 | Fort +9 Ref+13 Will +7 | Perception +9 | Panache 3/3 | Plume of Panache 1/1 | Lay on Hands 4/4 | Smite 1/1 | Reroll 1/1
Human Barbarian 5 | HP 50/50 | AC 18; Tch 12; FF 18 | F +6; R +3; W +3 | CMB+11; CMD 22 | Speed 40 ft | Init +2 | +1 Greatsword (adamantine): +11 (2d6+8/19-20) | Perc +11
"I agree we should wait to attack," Evenstar murmurs to the other 'slavers' as they wait. "The thing we need to figure out is what the signal is to let the others know it is time to blow our cover."
|AC 16*, T 12, FF 16*|HP: 53*/47|F +7, R +6, W +8 * (+7 vs MA, +2 vs divine/Fire/NE/death/ED/Necr/Evil)|Init 0, Perc +1*|CMB +5*, CMD 13|10/10 Sacrifice, 1/1 Pyrotechnics, 1/1 Godless, 1/1 Rally, 1/1 Rova, 1/1 Liberate, X
V responds to Evenstar. "Well, our nominal reason for being here is to find our 'veiled' friend...which, evidently, our hosts have already met and driven off. This means they're not on friendly terms...let's consider the implications of that. I suppose we need to find out where she's gone off to before we do anything else. Also, we should strive to find a way to destroy them without getting ourselves or any slaves they have here killed - as a great man once said, 'the first duty of a revolutionary is to get away with it.'"
N Half-elf 7 :: HP 57/60 :: AC 22 T 15 FF 18 CMD 27 :: Fort +8 Ref +9 Will +6 :: Init +7 Perception +18 (Low-Light)
Jal steps away from the door, his face hardening. "They're getting ready to bust in here for a fight." He grabs his morningstar and slings shield into place. "Can y'all kill or take care of this dog-thing? I can hold this door."
Human Barbarian 5 | HP 50/50 | AC 18; Tch 12; FF 18 | F +6; R +3; W +3 | CMB+11; CMD 22 | Speed 40 ft | Init +2 | +1 Greatsword (adamantine): +11 (2d6+8/19-20) | Perc +11
I could certainly get us out of here doing my thing...what about this turncoat slave we have in here? Are we just ready to blow cover?
