Thomas appeared from nowhere and attacked the nearest guard.
Two shadow lashes out at the guard who just entered, one connects almost perfectly and the other misses by a mile. However the man is still standing as his chain shirt absorbed most of the blow.
Vank will charge the other guard. (standard action charge)
Seeing the trap sprung, Nadine rushes forward and makes a small gesture with her hand, beckoning the guards to her. "Vini jwenn mwen."
"Slay that man."
"And now ou pay the price of your assault on my person, Mitran lapdog!"
The third shadow misses his charge and now the guards can see the prisoners are free. Now that everything is out in the open, Thomas lashes out again but misses this time. Robert's forceful words slams against the guard's mental defences unable to penetrate them and he just stands ready to protect himself. His companion is enchanted by Nadine's smooth words and walks towards her.
Seeing an opportunity, Thomas thrust the dagger at the guard.
Stanislav, having missed his first attack allows the anger of his imprisonment to well up in him and extend into the thrust of his dagger. He will try to disarm the man of either the horn, if no horn, his longsword.
With a warrior's skill Stanislav manages to diarm the rear guard of his horn, the now unarmed man walks to Nadine. Surprisingly he walks among the wicked unharmed. The other guard screams: "Gerard, what are you doing, don't listen to her!" Panicked he flees, yelling: "The prisoners are escaping, they're escaping!" only to be stopped by Vank in the door.
Positions:
Guard front L1:15
Guard rear L1:11
Vank L1:17
Thomas L2:15
Stanislav L2:16
Robert and Nadine - No idea at all.
Round 1:
As the guard runs towards him Vank lines a punch to the head however being recently unpracticed at brawling he telegraphs his punch leaving his right side open to a counter attack (the guard gets an aoo if he is armed)
AC back to 12
Then speaking in giant
"Finally!" the ogre yells and moves in to join the fray.
The guard is confused as Vank blocks his path of escape. He swings his club in a wide arc but misses. Then Vank's blow connects almost perfectly.
And that concludes round one, round two go.
Robert moves out of the cell and whispers some dark, unspeakable words in infernal. His hand erupts in clinging inky blackness which seems to roll off and boil into the air.
Reaching out to touch the guard he whispers, "Feel the cold of the void, and freeze!"
touch, cold damage (+2 if flanking)
Thomas moves into position behind the guard standing in front of Vank and stabs foward.
Stanislav listens to see if he can perceive any movement from down the stairs as a result of the call for help. He then attacks the guard in front of him with the dagger.
The guard did not escape from his walk as unharmed as first thought, after a few steps it became clear that Stanislav's dagger had cut him deep. Thomas used the other guards confusion to step up behind him and plant the other dagger in his right kidney. The cold gathers and frosty mist begins to form as a bolt of cold leaves his hands, but Mitra is watching over the guards as the foul magic misses. The large ogre slams the door to his cage open and closes in on the fray. The blood on his dagger invigorates Stanislav and he firmly places it in the guard, who is caught between Vank and Thomas. The man silently falls to the floor dead.
[dice=Stanislav's AoO Damage]1d4+5
As Stanislav's dagger finds its mark he leaves the dagger in the body and grabs the man's long sword from its sheath.
Nadine backs away from the guard she enchanted to come closer. "Ebete!" she says, smiling as the others take down his companion.
Vank leaps over fallen guard runs at the other guard lashing out with a big swing.
Nadine's spell does its work and the poor guard is unable to act, his body not responding to his mind's commands. Vank's blow connects with the back of the poor man's head. It hurts in your hand but it was worth it the guard falls unconscious to the floor.
Thomas moved over to the dead guard and removed the dagger. "I'll take this."
Looking at the guards, the Rogue says, "Now let's see about using these uniforms as disguises."
Vank raises his fist and bends over guard to continue to pound him but stops and grunts over his shoulder in goblin.
Insteed he picks up the club and longsword and stands over the unconscious guard stoping the others getting to him. Testing them both he discards the longsword with a clatter the gets to work striping off the guard's armour and uniform. He throws the uniform to Thomas and put the chainshirt on.
Picking up the guard he carries into the cell and locks him into the shackles. Vank then lean against the wall waiting him to recover consciousness.
Already holding the long sword Stanislav takes the armor and weapons from the dead guard beside him. He begins putting on the armor, pauses just for a moment to listen and continues. A hand? He asks Thomas, knowing that slipping on the the chain shirt will go twice as fast with help. After the armor he shoulders the bow and quiver, throws the shield onto his back and belts the sword sheath onto his hip. Who needs this club? he asks quietly. And who should wear this uniform?
Assisting Stanislav with the armor, he thinks to himself. Why do they always wear metal armor? It makes too much noise. After helping with that, Thomas puts on the other uniform. Looking at the club, "I guess I could take it, just to keep up appearences."
Stanislav hangs the horn over Thomas' shoulder to complete the uniform effect. Nadine might want a club. he mentions.
Nadine laughs lightly as Vank bashes the back of the guard's head. She begins humming to herself as the others collect the weapons from the guards.
"A club, Commander? How brutish. No, but I would like to borrow that dagger for a moment. I suppose you would rather me not slit his throat." She indicates the unconscious, but still alive guard. She calmly takes the dagger from Stanlislav and walks over to the dead guard. She cuts a lock of hair from him, then slices off the man's ear. Finally, she cuts off the tip of the man's left index finger. She collects them all and, still humming, wraps them in a scrap of her torn dress. She returns the dagger.
"Commander, I'm going to change out of these horrible rags while you boys are getting prepared. Please see I'm not disturbed." Nadine rummages through the bag of clothes from the veil and pulls out a short peasant's dress. She makes a face of disgust, but then sighs, looking down at her own dirty and torn dress. "Asmodeus had better have more suitable clothing in mind for later."
The woman shoos Grumblejack out of his cell and tries to use a dark corner to change her clothes. Once she's done steps out, trying to use her hand to comb her tangled hair. "Well, no one will mistake me for even our old servants, but it's better than before."
Grumblejack is puzzled as Nadine forbids him to enter his cell, but he doesn't seem to mind, he has properly been there to long.
Someone help Vank with his armor. Stanislav says as he buckles on his swordbelt. Are we ready to move? he asks as he steps into the room 17 and begins to look around for anything useful to the group.
Seeing that no one plans to take the other longsword or longbow, the warrior will grab these as well. Finding the keys, he hands them to Thomas for safe keeping.
"Wait." Vank says. "This one isn't dead yet. He'll know about the layout of this place and what we face." He looks around a bit. "Is there any water or other liquids in there. I'm tired of waiting."
Looking at the uniform he was wearing, Thomas asked, "Anyone seen a cloak?" The rogue looked around the room for one.
Vank speaks again in goblin although no one can understand him he is clearly swearing at someone. stepping away from the wall his body goes limp for a moment then seems to move on its own. His voice changes as he incants the spell create water on tye unconscious guard's head.
With a shake of the head he regainscontrol of his body. He reaches out and lifts the guards face to look into the eyes and growls in common. "Discribe the full layout of this prison."
Not fully in control of his body after casting the spell his voice breaks giving the impresion boy playing being a man.
"Hmph. I didn't think a hobgoblin could make such a noise. Move over, young man. This may require a woman's touch. Hold him for me."
Once the guard is restrained, Nadine walks over and looks at the man. She holds the dismembered ear in the man's face, letting his friend's blood drop onto him. "I need more of these, dearie. But you have nice cheek bones, maybe I'll take those instead. That is, unless you give me a good reason not to. How many guards are there and what kind of security does Branderscar have? What's the quickest way out?"
Better tell her lad. Stanislov says with a look of concern on his face. She is not right in the head you know. You hear why she is in here. Stanislov shudders.
The securely chained guard wakes suddenly as the water cascades over him. He is scared and fights against his restraints. He come down and focuses as Vank speaks, when the hobgoblin is done he smile at the prisoner, his eyes filled with disdain. Everything changes as Nadine states her needs, looking at the dismembered parts he his eyes now filled with fear pupils almost fully dilated, his face grows pale. "Please, please don't hurt me," is his first words. "Keep her away from me," he pleads looking to the rest of you. "We're 11 here tonight plus the sergeant and the warden, that is all, a few dogs to. The only way is over the bridge." he stammers.
"How many at the Gatehouse? How many guarding the Warden?"
Keep calm lad. The lady here wants to leave. If she knows what she needs to leave she will not be here to hurt you. But she needs to know where each guard is stationed and if there is a way to signal for help.
Nadine slaps the man on the face lightly. "Good boy. Now answer Thomas' questions. And are there any others here? Other prisoners perhaps?" She begins tracing her finger on his face, smearing the blood into random, but arcane-looking symbols.
Stanislav stands over the prisoner waiting for a response, but growing impatient. Perhaps this one is too stupid to live. he offers as he loosens his sword in its sheath.
"No. He is mine. He is alive because of my mercy. I will kill him when the time comes." Vank growls.
His head snaps towards Thomas as he asks. "Two on the gatehouse, no one guards the warden, he keeps mostly to himself," the panicked man answers.
Stanislav's words does not seem to came him the least. "Two is guarding the downstairs, the sergeant is in his room and 3 more are sleeping in the barracks. Two roams the walls and a nother two man the guardhouse across the bridge. We all carry horns, but they're just to signal each other. Some one would have to fetch help," he replies concentrating answering.
If he wasn't scared before he certainly is now, Nadine's gentle gesture has brought pure terror forth in him. "The.. there is two servants, they're properly in the kitchen," he stammers.
"Please, please don't kill me," he pleads.
Gently pulling Nadine away, Thomas puts one of the dagger tips less than a half inch from the mans left eye, and says in a serious tone, "Is there anything else we should know about? Think carefully on your answer."
"He could tell what we are going to see when we go through that door and the quickest way to the barracks.
"I don't know. I'll tell you whatever you want to know." The guard responds to Thomas.
Inspired by Vank's suggestion the guard continues: "Just outside the door is the staircase and a torture room to your left. The fastest way to the barracks is down the stairs, first door on your right and then left. But there are guards at the bottom of the stairs and the sergeant is properly in his office." Every words flowing quickly from him. Perhaps he sees a hope of survival on the horizon.