On one landing, a set of sawhorses carefully cordon off a hole and various pieces of carpentry equipment which Myriana is easily able to identify as a trap, still under construction, which will eventually be designed to drop the unwarned or unwary many tens of feet onto rocky ground.
Hrunndalf eyes the naked trap with a frown on his brow. "That would have hurt. There might be more of these, and they might not be in need of repairs."
He continues cautiously, using Þrumublað's butt to probe the planks before him.
On one landing, a set of sawhorses carefully cordon off a hole and various pieces of carpentry equipment which Myriana is easily able to identify as a trap, still under construction, which will eventually be designed to drop the unwarned or unwary many tens of feet onto rocky ground.Hrunndalf eyes the naked trap with a frown on his brow. "That would have hurt. There might be more of these, and they might not be in need of repairs."
He continues cautiously, using Þrumublað's butt to probe the planks before him.
1d20+8
Very quietly, but rather firmly, Liothonae addresses Hrunndalf, and anyone else who needs to be asked to keep quiet on the way up, as talking really interferes with stealth. "Please dunna tolk, unl'ss ets emportant so weh kann keep 'e elemumt of serpraise ahs long ahs possebel."
Very quietly, but rather firmly, Liothonae addresses Hrunndalf, and anyone else who needs to be asked to keep quiet on the way up, as talking really interferes with stealth. "Please dunna tolk, unl'ss ets emportant so weh kann keep 'e elemumt of serpraise ahs long ahs possebel."
"Alright," says Hrunndalf as the tower and longhall come into view. "Can anyone make out guards up there? Or the bloodfeather raven?"
"So what is our policy? Do we kill all guards on sight? I do have a sap if we need to subdue people. They might have innocent servants with them."
"Aime naught stoppen tah enquaire ahboute ennocense or guelt. Ef summaone es klearle be'an 'eld ahgainst 'eir well, ye dunna 'ave ta kell 'em, otterwaise, 'eir ahll envolved weth this. Aime naught taken 'e taime to taie 'em up, when 'eir torturen an' kellen people ah kare ahbout." Lio's voice is quiet, measured, cold.
Kalimac and Attatoq, while not nearly in Lio's league when it comes to stealth, are not horribly noisy. In spite of the creaking and groaning stairs they try to be as stealthy as an armored halfling and wolf can be.
They of course are also alert to any completed traps or navigational hazards.
Kalimac and Attatoq, while not nearly in Lio's league when it comes to stealth, are not horribly noisy. In spite of the creaking and groaning stairs they try to be as stealthy as an armored halfling and wolf can be.
They of course are also alert to any completed traps or navigational hazards.
Lio, not an expert trap finder like Myri, but still, pretty perceptive, keeps an eye out for dangers. Unless anyone declares otherwise, she is still in the front.
If Myri is not in the front, Lio very quietly asks her to come to the front to help with finding any traps that might be on the way up.
Perception.
Rhost brings up the rear.
Myriana is a bit leery on the effectiveness of trying to be sneaky, considering the long switch back trail up to this point, but since it sounds like everyone else is at least trying she does as well. It's always possible someone might have been asleep on duty.
Perception: +2 traps not included, FE:Human(+4) not included
Stealth:
Disable Device (if needed): Trapper and tools included
Myri holds her bow in her left hand.
Myriana makes sure the horses are taken care of and gives a departing hug and command to Silmemir to guard them until the party returns.
Mel moves with the group kinda spaced after the perceptive sneakiness of Myri and Lio, but before the armor-laden contingent.
Myriana and Liothonae slip up the stairs like silent shadows, hugging close to the rock face, keeping themselves hidden below the wooden steps that lean above them, nearly invisible if you are not looking directly at them.
The others ... do their best, and tromp on up after them.
Trying to keep stealthy and alert on the slippery stairs means that you are moving at a quarter of your regular speed. It takes 36 rounds before you have made the nine-story climb to the top.
As you approach the top, you see that a small, narrow landing lies in before the front gate. The landing commands a panoramic view of the boggy plains that extend to the hazy horizon. On the other side, the gray stone hall of the fortress looms above it. Two inset arrow slits flank a heavy, bronze-banded portal that leads within. Above, three more arrow slits look out over the precipice.
Through the two arrow slits at the sides of the door, you see a pair of bored-looking guards. They do not appear to have noticed Myriana and Liothonae, who are closest to them, perhaps twenty feet from the landing. They are watching the struggling progress of the others up the stair below with expressions of mild curiosity.
Myriana stays low against the door. She is studying the lock mechanism to see if it could possibly be trapped and how to best disarm and open it quickly when it becomes appropriate.
Perception (traps): trap-finding included
Myriana stays low against the door. She is studying the lock mechanism to see if it could possibly be trapped and how to best disarm and open it quickly when it becomes appropriate.
Blinking against the bright light of morning, Mel makes her way to the top of the stairs. Seeing the guards looking at the group, starts to smile, sneezes. With a shrug she walks over to the arrow slit, waves, and her voice pitched low, but friendly, "Hi. Don't suppose that you'll let us in?"
Kalimac silently wills the bored guards to pay no attention to the group of heavily armed and armored people climbing the stairs to the castle. There are all sorts of logical reasons for five people (one of them riding a wolf) to be decked out for fighting to be coming this way. Maybe we're your reinforcements! Yeah, that's it!
Blinking against the bright light of morning, Mel makes her way to the top of the stairs. Seeing the guards looking at the group, starts to smile, sneezes. With a shrug she walks over to the arrow slit, waves, and her voice pitched low, but friendly, "Hi. Don't suppose that you'll let us in?"
"State your business?" the woman asks, with the air of it being a routine question.
"State your business?" the woman asks, with the air of it being a routine question.
"Performers," Mel says with a smile, "We are here to entertain."
"Performers," Mel says with a smile, "We are here to entertain."
The woman blinks. She looks over Melinda's shoulder at the heavily armed and armored men making their way up the stairs.
She shrugs.
"Well, that'll be nice, I guess."
She appears to be waiting expectantly.
The woman blinks. She looks over Melinda's shoulder at the heavily armed and armored men making their way up the stairs.
She shrugs.
"Well, that'll be nice, I guess."
She appears to be waiting expectantly.
Mel looks back at the group, "Yeah.." a small shrug, "Can't be too careful when you're traveling. They are far more entertaining, but.." sly smile, "I guess a preview isn't too much to ask."
Mel carefully takes her flute case out of her bag, removes the flute, looks over at the guard, "Any requests?" She waits for a response, and attempts to play something in the proper mood.
Mel looks back at the group, "Yeah.." a small shrug, "Can't be too careful when you're traveling. They are far more entertaining, but.." sly smile, "I guess a preview isn't too much to ask."
Mel carefully takes her flute case out of her bag, removes the flute, looks over at the guard, "Any requests?" She waits for a response, and attempts to play something in the proper mood.
The woman clears her throat. "Um," she says, "That's, that's very nice."
"But I still need you to give me the password?" she prompts.
Shuffling closer to the door, Alaric mutters under his breath, "Your mind is an open book."
He motions to Melinda: Draw this out.
The woman clears her throat. "Um," she says, "That's, that's very nice."
"But I still need you to give me the password?" she prompts.
Mel opens her mouth to speak, closes it, shrugs and starts speaking, "I'm gonna be honest. We don't have a password. Truth is we spent the night on the cold hard ground, and frankly, the opportunity for a roof over head, warm food, and to be able to possibly earn a little copper from our talents was too much to pass by."
"We aren't expected, apparently, please, you can check to see if the lord or lady of the keep would like to be entertained?"
A suddenly exasperated Kalimac explodes. "Oh, that's just great! March us all the way out here in lousy weather, risking wild beasts, bandits, and I don't know what all, and no one thought to give us a password? Or even mention that we'd need one? Come on! This is ridiculous. We might as well turn back right now! Of course, you can explain to your master why there isn't any entertainment tonight. Password. Bah!"
Bluff:
Diplomacy:
A suddenly exasperated Kalimac explodes. "Oh, that's just great! March us all the way out here in lousy weather, risking wild beasts, bandits, and I don't know what all, and no one thought to give us a password? Or even mention that we'd need one? Come on! This is ridiculous. We might as well turn back right now! Of course, you can explain to your master why there isn't any entertainment tonight. Password. Bah!"
"I'm really sorry," the Tian woman says without apparent suspicion, "But we are under very strict orders. We let no one in without a password."
"I could send someone to check to see if you're expected?" she offers.
Alaric shoots both Melinda and Kalimac a glare, then taps his temple and points toward the door.
"Hold on, let me check with the big one. When we are in town we scatter... but I know one of us must have done this right." She steps back to speak quietly to Rhost.
Pulling himself together, Kalimac says to the guards, "I'm sorry about that. I shouldn't take it out on you. It's not your fault. But we really have been having a hard time of late. You wouldn't believe how hard it is to make a living as traveling performers these days. But I understand you're just doing your job." Kalimac does his best contrite expression.
Bluff:
Diplomacy:
""Oh, that's just great! March us all the way out here in lousy weather, risking wild beasts, bandits, and I don't know what all, and no one thought to give us a password?"
To Kalimac: "I'm sure the boss has the password. Give her a break, it was late and we were drunk. She wouldn't make us climb that thrice-cursed stair for nothing."
”Oh hey, no problem,” says the woman. ”Look, I’ll just get your story checked out and I’m sure we’ll get this sorted. Hey, Kimo?” You hear a shouted response from somewhere within the building. ”Could you go downstairs and let someone know that the entertainers are here, they forgot the password, and someone who knows that they’re expected needs to come up and let them in? Thanks!”
When the helmet settles on Alaric, he gets used to it for a moment, then hands his cloak of resistance to Mel. "No discussions. It's useless to me as long as I'm wearing him... or he's wearing me... or whatever is happening. You can give it back later."
”Oh hey, no problem,” says the woman. ”Look, I’ll just get your story checked out and I’m sure we’ll get this sorted. Hey, Kimo?” You hear a shouted response from somewhere within the building. ”Could you go downstairs and let someone know that the entertainers are here, they forgot the password, and someone who knows that they’re expected needs to come up and let them in? Thanks!”
Mel turns back to the woman with a smile, "Oh... Thanks. I feel like such a dunce. You'd think at least one of us could remember what we do when we're drunk. And it didn't seem like a hard password to remember."
When the helmet settles on Alaric, he gets used to it for a moment, then hands his cloak of resistance to Mel. "No discussions. It's useless to me as long as I'm wearing him... or he's wearing me... or whatever is happening. You can give it back later."
The look she gives the angel suggests that she may think that the outsider is messing with Alaric's brain... but doesn't argue with him lurking there.
"By Shelyn's Shapely Shanks! Don't make poor Kimo suffer for our scattered brains. I'm sure the boss will remember the password. She's the clever one. Right boss? The password?"
Will Save:
Not a problem.
Rhost trudges heavily up the steps. "What she said," he says, voice cracking, gesturing toward Melinda.
"Come on boss, you can do it," says Kalimac encouragingly to Mel. "Think. We were sitting there in the pub and we were told the password. And the password was...." Kalimac makes gestures to indicate she should be finishing his sentence.
Bluff:
Diplomacy: