Shards of the Titanswar

Game Master EldonG

Antonio tenses when he heard the door slam. He enters the farmhouse behind Cauis and Reiko.
"Altogether now. There's someone in here! We should take them alive and able to talk if possible!"
He yanks the string back on his crossbow with a *sssssnikt*.

Anybody looking into the house sees a front room with a small table, four chairs around it, shelves on the walls holding household items...a door over to the left, and a doorway leading into a back room. The sound definitely came from beyond that open doorway.

"Quick! Through there!" Said Antonio, pointing to the doorway to the back room.
He will lead the way (in a defensive stance) if Cauis or Reiko (already in front of him) don't.

Reiko takes a stealthy and defensive posture behind Antonio and motions to him to start moving forward.

Antonio and Reiko quickly make it through the front room, to the doorway...and find themselves looking into a kitchen...with a fireplace, counters, and a back door. Pots, pans, dishes, and the like line the walls.

Surely, if anyone went out the back, Doran would have seen it happening...

Perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11

Doran, can you break through that door? We need to get in there.

Reiko points with his katana at the trap door, staying quiet as to not alert anyone hiding inside of their presence.

Aya unless I read the feed wrong i think Cauis already made light work of that door. but if you need me to go wrecking down doors just say the word.

Antonion nods at Reiko, crosses to the back door and opens it. He waives everyone who was out back inside.
When everyone is set, he flings open the trapdoor.

Stairs lead down into a dark storm cellar...you hear another door closing, below...not as loud, this time...and a grinding noise, of stone against stone.

That was the front door that Cauis broke down. We are at the back door.

Or more precisely, at the trap door just inside the back door...looking down into a cellar.

Aya moves into the doorway and looks into the cellar.
Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (12) + 5 = 17

Cauis descends the stairs rapidly, javelin in one hand. "Stop! You can't escape, you might as well talk to us!" he bellows as he goes to whomever is likely escaping even now.

Down the stairs, and across the cellar (15' x 15') is a wall with a door in it...on the far left. That door is closed, and there seems to be nobody in this cellar, though there are barrels and bins, and some shelves of assorted things.

There is a door on the cellar wall across from me. About 15 ft. away.

Misdirection! There is a door down here, but check up there to make sure! Cauis listens at the door.

1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14 Perception

There is silence behind the door by the time Cauis arrives at it...but...it seems that the grinding came from that direction.

Either a trap was set or something was moved to block the way. Cauis wrinkles his nose, saying through the door. Look, I know we broke in here, but if you're somehow just mixed up in all this business, and innocent of harm, we will truly be willing to listen and help you."

1d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 22 Diplomacy

Reiko sidles into the basement, moving up to the door beside Caius.
Indeed, we are only here to help end the evil that has been running rampant. If you are innocent, you have nothing to fear.

He speaks while he searches the door for anything out of the ordinary, like traps or a secret latch.
Perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 2 = 18

The door seems ordinary, and there is nothing but silence, now.

Aya climbs downstairs and 'searches' the cellar.
Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (9) + 5 = 14

The cellar search yields nothing more interesting than some fresh vegetables and a cask of very average beer. No magical auras are apparent.

Antonio listens for a minute, then shakes his head.
"They aren't going to open up."
He points at Cauis.
"Cauis, help the door open, if you please."

Cauis tries the door handle. If that doesn't work, he puts his shoulder to it.
1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15 Strength Check

The door opens easily, exposing a storage room. There's some unused chairs, some crates of various things...

Perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (7) + 2 = 9
Antonio cautiously enters, looking around.
Defensive stance, AC21

I am sorry to have to do this, but I will be pulling out of this game. I'm starting a new semester at school and I'm taking 20 credit hours, and I fear with too many games I'll be too distracted to focus on school. I'm sorry to do this so suddenly and leave a gap, but my schooling is more important. I wish all of you the best of luck!

Aya moves into the storage room.
perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6

Take 20 for a total of 21 on perception.

Well, unless I'm not seeing something, this is a dead end. Give me a few minutes and I'll find out where they went.

Reiko sheathes his katana and starts searching the walls and floor. After a minute or so he sees he scratches on the floor and points.
Hey, those aren't right. I bet my boots a door rubs on the floor there.

Doran attempts to burst through the back door as no one seems to be exiting from this route. 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8 scoffing a bit doran will move into the door already opened by cauis and the others, making double time as he rushes to help them in their search. preception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6

Perception 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14 Upstairs now? Cauis grumbles, searching the floor for the scrapes Reiko mention, trying to suss out what they mean.

"Hm. Must be a concealed door there."
Antonio starts looking for the trigger to open it.
Perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10

Doran rushes into the room with the wounded man barreling towards him not taking the time to notice he's hostile or not. He will attempt to pin him to the ground yelling for the others as he does so. I FOUND A STRAGGLER BACK HERE! STOP THERE BEFORE I HAVE TO HURT YA! itimidate: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (8) + 10 = 18 CMB grapple: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 18

I'll help Antonio here! Caius, go help Doran! It could be a trap, and they ambush us from this door when we go upstairs!

Aya heads upstairs.

Cauis moves rapidly up the stairs, looking for Doran to aid in his subdual attempt.

The man with the limp looks to have fallen on hard times, he has gone a couple days unshaven and his clothes have seen better days. When the Half-orc bursts into the room and grabs him he offers no resistance, not that he has much choice. "Woah, I mean you no harm! I'm Jun Korter. I saw you pass earlier on the street as I was assisting a triage center. I....had a feeling I should follow you so I did. With my leg the way it is I suppose I am like a bull dancing on glass." Jun gives a smile at that, hoping to ease the tension.

You notice he heavily favors one leg over the other as well as having serious burns on his hands which has never fully healed.

Does Aya recognize Jun from the village?

Jun isn't from around this village. He has recently arrived here

We are looking for a group of cultists who sacrificed most of a farm family near here in a summoning ritual.

Liandoli sighs...I forgot about the ritual rehearsal...can anyone...use this?

She holds out the wand of CLW.

Bugger all! I hope this distraction doesn't mean the villain gets away! Cauis stomps back downstairs to examine the scraped floor.

"I can help you! I may not look like much, but my injuries have given me insight on helping others. And, I used to be a city guard so I have experience in bringing people to justice. My instincts are telling me I should be helping you, so I hope you will."

When Caius comes back down, Reiko will ask
What was that up there? Did you find someone? Antonio is still looking for the door.

Antonio is just about to give up, down on his knees, when levering himself up against the wall, the stone under his hand slides in slightly, the grinding starts up again, and a section of the wall slides away...revealing a passage...

Everybody hears it, even if they don't see it.

Antonio steps back to the stairway and shouts; "Found a secret passage!".
Then he kindles a torch, nods at Reiko, and proceeds carefully through the secret door and down the passage.
Perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10