Stanislav's eyes widen in amazement as the set of picks appear from under the veil. Hope?
"Ah yes, quite a clever transmutation spell. It allows the cloth to store real items. It appears to have 2 daggers, a bullseye lantern, 50 feet of rope, a sack of clothes and spell components, those thieves tools, a potion of Cure Light Wounds, 100 gold, and that odd window." She squints as if she can see more. "Very interesting! The window will make a hole in a wall. Don't pull that one now or you'll just ruin it."
Her eyes light up and she suddenly gushes with joy. "Oh! And a holy symbol of Asmodeus! He didn't forget about me! It must have been one of his emissaries who gave you this!"
Two thumps are heard from the door as one of the quards yell: "Keep quite, don't make me come in there and make you."
Perfect. Now to get out of here. Thomas thinks as he grins wickedly. Working his hands slightly awkwardly, the murderer tried to free himself.
The lock proved a little more difficult than he thought. Cocking an ear at the lock so he can hear the tumblers, Thomas attempted again.
Vank blinks and when he opens them again his movements seem different, slower and more careful and when he opens his mouth the voice is also difference. He says something in Goblin and Thomas feels magic flow over him.
"Now we're talking. Take your time, let's move nice and easy for the moment. No sense spoiling our good fortune this quickly."
In giant: "Yes, Large One. If and when we effect an escape, we will certainly assist in your freedom."
"Quietly, you fool! If they hear us, they'll come running," Nadine hisses in a low voice.
After seeing no guards coming, Thomas tried the manacles a third time.
"Breath. Relax. Take your time and just ease them down..."
Gritting his teeth, trying to keep from screaming at the man giving him advise, Thomas closes his eyes and tries again.
Hearing the distinctive 'click' that indicated the lock was sprung, the rogue proceeded to the restraint on his feet.
Shaking his head, he tried again.
And again.
Freedom at last! Thomas screamed in his mind, quietly, he made his way to the woman.
Whispering: "Well done, Thomas. Very well done. Keep it up."
Thomas tinkers and tinkers with the lock, but somehow it seems to elude him. The sound of metal against metal grow louder and louder as he keeps trying. Suddenly it seems to pierce the wooden door and the guards reacts. One of them slams the door open. "What was that sound!" he yells and walks into the room and over to the cell. His watchful eyes sweep the prisoners looking for clues but finds none as Thomas masterfully places the thieves' tools out of sight behind his hands. "What sound?" Thomas answers innocently but not convincingly. The guard walks to the cell door preparing to enter.
"Many apologies, oh mighty guardsman. I was merely extremely uncomfortable, and had moved sufficiently to cause my manacles to rub against one another. Like this, sir" Robert moves his wrist against the wall, attempting to elicit a clinking, clanging sound.
"I assure, I shall remain quiet and suffer this indignity in silence going forward. "
bluff, diplomacy (if needed).
The guard seems to buy your story. "Well then I hope you're more comfortable Sir. Let me help you." And with that he hits your shin with a club. "Now, not another sound from anyone of you or next time won't be so easy!" he yells before leaving you.
Robert takes the blow in silence, with a grimace.
He also memorizes the guard's face for the future. "He will suffer before he dies. I must learn his family name, so I can destroy them as well," he imagines all sorts of horrible occurrences that will befall Sir D-Bag Guard and his family.
After a diplomatic distraction from one of the other prisoners, Thomas methodically unlocked the others.
"Good work, gentlemen, especially you Robert. Very quick thinking." As Thomas unlocks her shackles, she rubs her wrist. "Much better. Now, what is our plan? We can't just go barging out there," she whispers.
"Let's see what else the Lord of Contracts has sent." She tears the patch of the sack away from the veil.
"My thanks, Thomas. You have earned my gratitude this day."
Robert rubs his sore wrists and shin as wel.
"So, what do we do now? How shal we effect our escape?"
"She said there were daggers in there earlier. We could sneak up on the guards and kill them. Then we have their uniforms, weapons and keys. Free Grumblejack and you lot can pretend to be escorting him and me somewhere. Anyone that eoesn't like the story dies. Better yet, free Grumblejack then kill every guard in this place freeing any remaining prisoners at the same time."
Nadine hands the veil to Vank for him to retrieve the two daggers. She looks over to the ogre. She speaks softly. "He will be a help, but probably also draw a lot of attention. If things go badly, we might have to leave him and make our escape. But I like it."
"Thomas, unlock the cell and then Grumblejack. Vank, make sure he understands we're not going to smash up everything just yet. We need to figure out how many guards are outside. Either we take them by surprise out there or we somehow lure them in here. But we have to do it quietly and fast. We can't risk anyone raising an alarm. Commander, do you know anything about the guards here?"
"Good plan. Let's try to take them out one-by-one. No sense allowing them the advantage of numbers any longer. As for the ogre, I think he will prove quite useful, especially if we can arm him properly."
"I have a thought on that. Once I unlock the cell, give me the two daggers and get back to where you were. Let me get into a shadowy position, then get one of their attention. When he comes over, I'll take care of him quickly and quietly."
He then proceeds to attempt to unlock the door.
"Indeed. I would be most interested in showing my tormentor the error of his ways. Perhaps we unlock Ser Ogre as well, for extra assistance?"
"Not yet. Let me kill one guard and take his place. Then I'll unlock the Ogre and let him make some noise. When the others come to assist me, we subdue them, alive or not I don't care."
"I think you should have someone else with you. What if more than one come this time? Anyone else good at hiding and killing fast? Maybe you, Hobgoblin. I can also enchant someone, but it will only last a moment."
"There are two guards here, yes? Or simply the one? I would think we stand our best chance if we have the numerical advantage. I can assist in slaying them, with only my hands, if need be. Or our esteemed former Watch Commander, who I am sure knows the business of knives? So, how do we get them in here?"
When the woman mentioned the possibility of more than one guard, Thomas thought for a moment. "You have a point. Okay I'll unlock the Ogre's cage, can one of you let him know not to breakout until the most opportune moment."
"I'll try. No guarantees, though."
Giant, in a stage whisper: "Psst. Ser Ogre. We have begun our exit. Our locksmith will be by shortly to unlock your door. If you wait until we spring our ambush, our success is much more likely."
diplomacy, if necessary
Once freed Stanislav stretches his muscles and rubs blood back into his legs. He says quietly Nicely done Thomas. And that was a masterful bluff Robert. While I would love to acquire better arms and armor, we do not have to encounter those guards at all. If I heard correctly, we do have that window. Should we risk the chance of a full alarm being raised?
"I would relish the ease of escape were that to work, but we hardly have the means to truly be free. A couple of knives and some lockpicks will not carry us very far. Putting a sword in your hands, and steel across both your and Thomas's backs, gives us a much increased chance for success. Besides, what else is in that veil?"
"Firstly Grumblejack might not fit through te window. Not to mention leaving by the window requires the other side of this wall to be out side and even then we will need to get off this island. And I want to do some killing."
Nadine looks at Vank with some disdain. "A bit bloodthirsty, but accurate. The window should probably be used as a last resort. Perhaps to open a door quickly or once we do know the layout of the place. It could also be used to put a hole in the floor, I wager."
Stanislav only nods, expecting that it would come down to this. He looks closely at the now discarded chains. Are any free from the wall such that they might be useful as an improvised weapon?
Thomas isn't kept in a cell by an old door with an antique lock and soon after he begins it opens. Seeing that they are now all free Grumblejack pays more attention to Roberts words and silently nods, agreeing to the suggestion.
Armed with a dagger and with a length of chain wrapped around his waste like a belt, Stanislav takes a position recommended by Thomas and waits for the door to open.
Unlocking the Ogre's cell, it occurred to Thomas that they need to know more about the guards. Seeing Stanislav standing next to him, the rogue silently signaled to stay while he went and scouted ahead. Getting the other dagger, he moved to the guardroom door as quietly as possible.
Putting his ear to the door Thomas hears nothing. Either the wood is muting the watchers or perhaps they left? Everyone is waiting for him, Stanislav where he left him and the others in their cell. Even Grumblejack seems to understand and wait just inside his now open cell eargerly.
Hmmmm...I don't think they left. Thomas thought. He tried again.
Trying again Thomas puts his ear to the door and this time the wood aids his hearing.
“That Blackerly is a damned thief! That game was rigged last night!”
“If it’s rigged, why do you keep going back to the gatehouse then?”
“The beer’s passable.”
A laugh is heard. “Drinkin’ on duty! Damn, this place has gone to hell. Captain Callidan would have never tolerated that crap. That’s for sure!”
“Captain Callidan … he left, what? Two years ago?”
“Almost three and since then the place has been straight down the s&#!ter. That old wizard never leaves his tower. He stays up there reading his books and petting his owl!”
“Petting his owl? Is that what they call it these days?”
The guards enjoy a bit of a laugh.
It is better to try on well planned escape than several hasty.
"Well? What's the story?"
Coming back to the others, "Well, apparently the guards have some sort of game at the gatehouse, they don't like the warden, AND the warden is a wizard." as soon as Thomas said 'wizard' his eyes seem to gleam with hatred. "He's mine."
"How many are in there? We could surprise them in there or as they come out of leave their room if there isn't many of them."
"Ours. Vengeance is all well and good, and I'm all too happy to have you stick the warden, but by yourself seems like suicide. How many in this room, and can we ambush them easily?"
Disguise to appear still locked in my chains
Bluff check when the guard appears to have a grand mal seizure, which may or may not slip his wrists out of the manacles.
"Ready all?"
When everyone is in position, and Robert begins his act, Nadine calmly begins to sing. Her eyes unfocus and and an odd half-smile appears on her lips.
Hush, little baby, don't say a word.
Mama's gonna buy you a mockingbird
And if that mockingbird won't sing,
Mama's gonna buy you a diamond ring
And if that diamond ring turns brass,
Mama's gonna buy you a looking glass
As Robert begins his play, the guard slams the door open walks a couple of steps into the room. "I told you to shut your gap and leave the chains!" he yells. Seeing the seizure he smiles, "You can stop your act..." And then it dawns on him some of the prisoners are missing.
Initiative:
Thomas 25
Robert 14
Stanislav 11
Nadine 11
Guard 7
Vank 6
Stanislav detaches himself from the shadows, 5' steps closer to the guard in the doorway and attacks him if he can reach him. If not he will attack the guard that entered.