"The guards at the bottom of the stairs, what are their names? Are there more prisoners and where do we find them? Where is the sergeant's office?" Vank conitues.
"Gerard and Orson," the rapid reply to the first part of your question. The shaken man continues: "You're the only ones here besides the ogre." Thinking for a second the guard explains: "The sergeant's room is downstair, first door on your left. That is his office, his private quarters are just behind his office."
"Hmm, I think Blackerly deserves some payback, don't you all? Maybe we can show him the error of his ways."
She snaps back over to the guard. "Do you have a map, dearie? Or where are the supplies?"
Vank listens to his unseen voices again then nods and turns back to his fellow escapees "I say one of you opens the door ask in this man's voice for Gerard and Orson come give a hand. When they come through the door we kill them. Then we sneak pasr the sargeants office kill the sleeping guards before they can wake and cause a problem. Then pay the sargeant a visit without his support. That should leave two pairs of guards for us the to find and the warden. Maybe then go for the warden the guards shouldn't be a problem even if they got together. Yes a map would be good, he can draw it on the floor."
Looking confused as Nadine requests a map, he is relived as he can answer the second question. "The supplies are in the room right by the sergeant's office," he relies.
At Vank suggestion he nods. "I can try, but I need my hands free to do so."
"Good plan, Vank. With these two out of commission, that leaves 9 guards, the Sergeant, and the Warden to take care of. Once the two downstairs are removed, that gives us enough uniforms to conceivably impersonate a whole squad. If we can catch them with their pants down, all the better."
To the captive guard: "So, meat, any weaknesses of your fellows? Do they like the pipe, the bottle, have a weak bladder and need frequent latrine visits? Think carefully, and answer me truthfully now."
intimidate (if needed)
"IF, you need your hands free, you only get one. But know this, one false move, you die."
Is there some type of gate at the far end of the bridge out of the prison yard? What do we need to open the gate at to leave? And what are these keys for?
Nadine whispers to Vank, "Just make him do the calling. We can promise to not kill him in return. I think he'll do about anything for us right now."
Vank nods to Nadine "Good plan." He them releases the guards hands and points at the floor "Draw"
Arming himself with the shield and club, Robert feels safer already.
Of course, actually using the club in combat would prove difficult, seeing as how he'd never actually used weapons in such manner before.
"I am ready when you are. My skills lie in the verbal and subtle, and less in the martial. I will be glad to provide assistance to you more strong fellows, though."
Looking between the lot of you the barrage of questions bewilders the guard and he momentary seems to forget his terror. Finally deciding to start somewhere he looks to Robert: "Some of us like a drink or two, but the sergeant has closed down the card game while you're here." As Thomas frees one of his hand the gurad begins to make a map out of the straw in your cell. "Here," he points: "Is the double gate that leads to the bridge, it can be opened from this side, heavy but possible. Points to the far end of the brigde, "There is a portcullis here, it is raised from the guard house," he explains. "The keys are for our footlockers, they're in the barracks, there," he finishes.
You are doing fine lad. Stanislav encourages. Now how would go about getting that portcullis up?
Nadine stands away from the men as they finish questioning the guard. She watches the continued interrogation while absentmindedly chewing on her fingernails. She looks toward the door. "Thomas, maybe you should take a peek outside to see if he's telling the truth. Stairwell and all."
"Keep him quiet." Thomas said, indicating the guard. The young rogue silently approached the indicated door and put his ear to it, listening for signs of anyone on the other side.
Not hearing anything, he cracked the door to peek through the crack.
"We should begin our preparations for the escape. These men are forfeit, so let us proceed, shall we?"
Nadine tosses the veil to Stanislav. She gestures to the bag of clothes. "You are free to change as well." She takes the spell components and tucks them into her belt.
The fighter removes the potion of Cure Light Wounds from the veil and ties it to his belt. Better to have this ready in case one of us needs it. he explains.
To the guard "Here are how things are going to work. I'm about to release you fir a little. We all are going over to the door out. You will call out for the other two to come up without warning them what is about to happen. In fact you will not cry out a warning to anyone. Alright?"
Assuming he gets some sort of confirmation Vank releases him and picks him up by his collar and walks him over to the door out never letting go.
As Thomas peaks out he sees a small room with a staircase leading down, no one is up here and nothing besides an old wooden chair is out here. He silently moves out in the room and approaches the other door, where he was taken to his strange meeting. He hears nothing from behind the door and tentatively opens it. The room is as he remembers, nothing of interest and empty.
After Thomas returns, Vank drags the guard to the door.
Thomas positions himself in a location allowing him to strike with both daggers when he launches his surprise attack.
Vank points at Stanislav and says quietly "You should wait in the room on the side of of stairs to trap them when they get here." Vank then stands beside the door holding the guard out infront of the door in his left hand and the club ready in his right, once the guard calls to the other guards he'll pull the guard back behind him.
Robert takes up a hiding place where he can potentially flank with Thomas. Club and shield ready, he nods to his fellow inmates to signal his preparation.
"Now remember, dearie. You double-cross us and Vank here will simply tear your throat out. And I'm still looking for parts for my Robbie. Those cheekbones are very nice." Nadine smiles at the guard.
Nadine takes position in one of the cells to the side of the door where she can see the guards enter and target them with her spells.
Stanislav nods at Vank and moves into the small room, closing the door all but a quarter of an inch. He waits in the dark room allowing his vision to adjust to the darkness until he can see like it was under torchlight. Sword and shield ready, he waits.
Vank loosen the chains and the guard get to his feet clearly scared about what is going to happen. He slowly walks towards the door where your careful set up ambush awaits. In a shaky voice he calls out: "Oih Gerard, Orson get your buts up here. Now!" A few tense moments passes before the reply is heard, a deep bass asks: "What's the problem Soren?" Bewildered your prisoner looks to you for answers.
Tell them one of the prisoners is dead. Stanislav whispers through the crack in the door.
Your puppet looks towards the room where Stanislav is hiding, shakes his head and gathers what remaining composure he has left. "One of the bloody prisoners is dead!" he answers.
You hear some mumbling from the bottom of the stairs and soon the sound of people climbing the stairs can be heard. "What happened?" the largest of the two asks as they reach the top of the stairs and looks at Soren. "I... I don't know," Soren stammers, his conscience finally getting to him.
From her spot in the cell, Nadine tries to catch Soren's eye. She points toward the cell where they had been held before.
Vank pulls Soren away the door way and releases him, gripping the club with two hands he waits for the new guards to come through the door.
Soren doesn't manage to catch Nadine's eyes and intention before Vank pulls him back into the room. The guards on the top of the stairs looks puzzled at each other and then reaches for horns and clubs, they don't seem to notice Stanislav in his hiding spot.
Initiative order:
Nadine 21
Vank 20
Thomas 19
Robert 14
Stanislav 12
Guards 3
Thomas moves out of his position and strikes at the nearest guard with both daggers.
Nadine targets the guard in the back, hoping he black his friend and adds to the confusion. "Ebete!" she says with a flick of her hand.
"Slay your ally, dog."
Robert (standing just to the side of the door on the "prison" side) casts murderous command on the front guard (DC 16 will or attack ally).
Stanislav pushes through the partially open door and advances on the closest guard, sword in both hands, with the intension to cut him down.
to confirm the possible crit:
Vank comes rushing out and swings his club at the first guard.
Nadine's infernal power lashes forth and dazes the guard furthest away. Charging from the portal Vank reach the closest guard, but fails to connect his club to the man's skull. Thomas advances on the closest guard striking with both daggers, only one connects though. Panic fills the guard's eyes as he is unable to deny Roberts command. However he never follows through on it as Stanislav's attack cuts his throat open and he sinks to the floor. Soren tries to sneak past the combat and manages to leave the cell room and reach the landing.
Initiative order:
Nadine 21
Vank 20
Thomas 19
Robert 14
Stanislav 12
Guards 3
Round 2 begin
With one of his fellow guardsmen dead the other closes in on Soren with murder in his eyes. The share force of the impulse makes him sloppy and he misses.
"Not so fast, beautiful." Nadine gestures to Soren. "Oh it is nice when they do the work for us." She smiles at Robert.