"I'm with you all, of course, but allow me to cover the retreat! They'll have a tough time getting through my shie-"
Right at that point, a bolt hits Tess, who hadn't actually put up her shield. "AUGH! Depths be dam-... that one doesn't count!"
She'll then move to the edge of the ramp and put up her shield.
"I'm with you all, of course, but allow me to cover the retreat! They'll have a tough time getting through my shie-"
Right at that point, a bolt hits Tess, who hadn't actually put up her shield. "AUGH! Depths be dam-... that one doesn't count!"
She'll then move to the edge of the ramp and put up her shield.
We gotta do something more than this. I can keep pulling the bolts out on that one opposite of the one at the top of the ramp. Kib can you get up to the other one and dismantle it?
Grunyar copies his previous maneuvers looking for additional ways to subterfuge the crossbows
Grunyar looks at this from a different angle, his eyes darting around to look at the mechanism and the room. It seems, based upon what he knows of how this may work...at least theoretically...that there would be a control panel somewhere. A control panel that could activate or deactivate it, one would assume.
Kib and Banterknell attack the crossbow, but miss. Grunyar tries to seize a bolt again, but can't seem to manipulate his magical hand past the mechanism.
Ny educated guess is that these crossbows are connected to some sort of control panel. If we can disable it the bolts should stop firing. Everyone look around there should be something that controls these or perhaps a lever to a secret control room
Grunyar takes cover but peers around looking for anything that might be an entrance or a control switch or panel
As Kib bobs and weaves to avoid the crossbows form getting a bead on him, he still finds time to look at Grunyar incredulously. "What do you think I've been trying to do!? It's not like I can reach them up there!"
Marius will look for some kind of control panel, seeking around the room for something which looks like it.
Marius will continue looking further up the ramp if he doesn't spot anything immediately near him, Any idea what it may look like, this control panel, or lever?
Marius sees it! On the wall just under the stairs, there's a control panel, cleverly concealed but apparent when he points it out! It must work this thing.
Meanwhile, the two crossbows whirr as they reload and re-target. Then, click - they fire!
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Grunyar sees the bolt coming for him and yells Arghhh! Not the beard!. The dwarf convulses in such a way that he protects his marvelous beard and as a result takes a crossbow bolt in the back Ummm! Awe! It is a good deep burn it is. Reminds me of granny’s fire water soup! The dwarfs eyes glaze over with the pain but he is determined not to let a tear escape his eyes. He prepares to cast his mage hand spell to try and manipulate the control panel. Just prior to casting it a muffled voice can be heard from him saying Get back in there! Grunyar points a finger in vain to his eye as the tears of pain come trickling down.
Kib will also help. Presuming Marius points out the panel, and presuming Grunyar forces it open, Kib runs over to it and starts trying to wreck it (but you know, carefully).
Kib's goal is just to shut these things down.
Grunyar works at the panel with his spell, but Kib can immediately see that he's ham-fisting it. There's a better chance he will break it than turn it off at this point!
Kib rushes over and quickly finds the pattern. Though elegant, it's not terribly complex. A few quick switches...and the crossbows click off and stop their movement tracking entirely!
Kib is breathing heavily and turns to look at the group with wide eyes. He immediately breaks out laughing. Laughing so hard he can barely breath. That.... that one doesn't count! He roars with laughter. NO! NOT MY BEARD! Kib has his scaly hand on the wall as he doubles over, the other arm clutching his ribs as he starts to cry because he's laughing so hard.
BK, who is messing around upstairs calls down, "Aren't you guys coming? It's dangerous down there! What's so funny?"
BK could never resist a good joke and comes pelting down the stairs to see for himself what is so funny.
Tess turns to Grunyar. "I can never tell with him, is he making fun of us?" She then shrugs. "Well, not that it really matters. Is your beard okay?"
She calls up to BK and starts heading up the stairs. "Don't mind Kib, seems like he enjoys seeing us suffer," she says with a chuckle. "Now, let's see what other fun mysteries this place holds."
Grunyar faces Tess Thankfully the beard is fine but can you pull this out He turns to show her the bolt in his back. As far as BK goes I don’t know yet it takes a long time for a dwarf to make an assessment of someone especially the fey gnome folk. I will say that he is thus far proved useful so I will let him have his humor if he prefers
Kib finally wipes the tears from his eyes as the mirth runs its course. He scurries over to Grunyar to begin pulling on the bolt.
No no, friends. The humor isn't in the pain. No, not at all. The humor is in the timing. And the perceived values of a thing that are distinct from my perceived values.
to pull the bolt out without causing serious damage
For example, I once knew this crafty type Kobold that always talked about he was so much better at traps than anyone else. He was ranting about his expertise to a group of us when he accidently electrocuted himself. We never let him live it down, called him "shocker lizard" after that.
Bolt free, Kib looks around, chuckling at the story, looking to see if anyone else is laughing at his obviously hilarious story....
Sorry Tess… and Kib I wasn’t thinking straight with that crossbow bolt in my back. What do you think will I survive the night . Or is this ol’ dwarf doomed?
Nah! You'll be fine. I'm sure Marius can fix you right up. I've seen worse wounds from bigger weapons. Kib goes back to inspecting the control mechanism. Why, I remember this one time when my cousin, dingus that she is, was going to try and steal a great big sword from a giant. The story rambles on and takes many tangents.
BK loves stories and he especially loves rambling stories. In fact, he helps the rambling along by asking rambling questions in the beginning, middle, and end of the story. There is a good chance that the story never ends.
Marius checks the Dwarf, looking for additional injury, Can we take a few minutes and let me tend to this?
Kib rips out the bolt, leaving a large, leaking open wound. Marius looks to heal it, but fumbles with his bandages. As soon as he binds it, blood starts leaking out around the bindings!
BK goes to the second level. Could you open up the second floor on roll20?
Much of this level seems to be a room that wraps around the tower. There's another ramp on the south wall that looks to ascend up further. Just to the south of Banterknell is a large table surrounded by a few stools.
Tess will follow BK's lead.
BK finds the table and stools irresistible and hops onto one, picking up and examining the items on the table, totally fearless.
Marius will stick with the bard, looking over the artifacts they are uncovering as they go forward. Marius, unlike BK, will be careful not to touch anything as there may be residual magical energies left in the things.
Banterknell looks through the table, not trying very hard to be quiet. Within a few moments, you can hear the odd sound of smacking feet on the stone as a figure approaches from the northwest. A stocky, fish-faced humanoid comes swiftly from the recesses of this area, and levels a massive glaive at BK.
If all threats are neutralized now Grunyar will also go up to the second level.
Bk looks up with surprise, though why he would be surprised is beyond me, his lips making a small Oh.
"Um, do you speak Sylvan?", he responds in that language. The guy does look kinda fey. "Or common?", switching to the other language since almost everyone knows it.
BK makes ready to duck under the table if fish-guy starts swinging his sharp stick.
Tess recognizes the language and immediately jumps in to respond.
She quickly turns to the others, "He wants to know who we are, he doesn't seem happy we're here."
She'll translate any Aquan for the party going forward.
Kib whispers his response to Tessa, Really? We only broke into his house and started walking all over his table. Why would he be offended?
Kib takes cover behind the table and Marius.
When no attack is forthcoming, BK rises from his hiding place ande takes a bow..
"The name is Banterknell, performer extraordinaire."
With that he does a cartwheel which takes him to a safe place behind a fighter.
"I also sing and dance."
The creature doesn't raise the glaive back up, instead keeping it leveled and shaking it in anger.
He doesn't look very friendly,Marius says, What if we told him we're coming in peace to examine some artifacts, its the truth.. he says, letting Tessamine translate.
Tess raises her empty hands to show she means no harm. "He wants us to leave, and I think we should oblige him for now. Maybe he'll be more willing to talk and open this place up if we can manage a more friendly disposition."
She takes a step back, and first relays what the others have said.
Then she tries to at least plant a seed for future communication.
"I'll tell my friends we should leave, and I want to offer you my sincerest apologies... But I do want to ask if we could perhaps talk again later. We're new settlers, we don't aim to make anyone's life miserable. We just want to protect ourselves, know who we're sharing the island with, and discover what we can about this island."
Grunyar spoke quietly I don’t actually know what we are doing here other then trying to gain information and knowledge about what happened here to the previous settlers. Perhaps Tess you could see if we could get an audience with whoever is in charge here and we can have an intelligent conversation instead of waving sharp pointy things at each other?
BK is not worried. He is hiding behind Marius, though he does look longingly at the table full of interesting items.
Stingy thing.
Kib is already on the way to the bottom floor.
Marius will slowly back away, trying to be non-threatening, which isn't too challenging for the priest of Shelyn.
BK waves at the fellow cheerfully, giving the doodads one last lingering glance, before literally hopping down the stairs.
Kib waits at the bottom of the stairs and watches to see if the strange creature follows. He is standing near one of the doors and looks ready to open it if they're not followed.
The odd creature snarls, its Glaive not raising.
Tess explain that our people were attacked on the beach and we found evidence that pointed to this tower on the bodies of one of the attackers. We are looking for answers and are peaceful folk but we will defend ourselves. Please let us speak with someone in charge here.
Tess is about ready to retreat, but Grunyar's steadfastness stops her in her tracks. She remembers the attack, and she nods to him. She stares the creature down and speaks to it.
Kib is also half listening to the conversation upstairs, more to have warning if it starts moving his direction than anything else. As he's listening, Kib checks for traps and locks on the door.
Banterknell waits in the safety of the stair well, not knowing whether the fun is to be upstairs or downstairs at this point.
Well what do we want to do? I think we have unanswered questions in this place that needs answers. I could attempt some non harmful magic and we can just go past this creature. What does everyone else think?
Grunyar looks around and sees that only he and Tess remain in the room. What happened to the others is there a party they all went to and didn’t invite the dwarf cause he’d drink them all under the table. Surely they are not afraid of fish face here and his sharp pointy stick. Tess I leave the question to you then shall I try my enchantment magic on this creature and we just move past him or should we flee like the others seem to have done?
YOU KNOW WE CAN HEAR YOU, RIGHT?! Kib shouts from down stairs.
BK, who is stuck in the middle, shrugs.
"No matter to me. I just joined and don't really know what is going on. But if we need to take this guy out to find out what is going on around here, then we should do it. Then again we can always return if we need to, right?"
Kibs looks at the door to the west and doesn't find it trapped...or locked apparently.
The fishman shakes his glaive again, roars, and shouts.
He charges forward to attack.