In my personal inventory I have 1 alch fire and 1 sunrod. More for the party is a good idea. Maybe some tindertwigs? Vial of Acid? I am ok with you (Ea, since it was your idea) spending the surplus gold on various party goods.
I believe I have sufficient food and water.
With that money, we could buy an healer's kit, 2 flasks of Alchemist's fire, 5 sunrods, and maybe a flask of acid- if we manage to find this kind of thing in the Hellknights armory. But I guess these mighty warriors are ready to face nearly any opportunity. What do you think of it?
the voice stays level, as if Sister Zalinsel was planning to get ingredients for a cake
I'm good....got a waterskin and 5 days food...
The armoury / provisions store is well stocked...it would seem that the Hellknights are well prepared for travelling beyond the walls of Fort Inevitable.
Leaving Fort Inevitable through the North Gate, the Hellknights on guard acknowledge your passing...clearly they have been made aware of your eclectic party and the job that you have been contracted to do.
The road takes you past the vineyard just outside the city gates and, running along the border of the Echo Wood, northwards for about three miles before you come to a clearly signposted train heading north east into the forest. Stepping into the woods, the temperature drops significantly with heaps of snow drifting against the trees and icicles hang from the branches...the sun glistens on the snow and it is as much as you can do to follow the path whilst avoiding snow blindness.
The path, even with the snowdrifts, is easy to follow and it isn't more than three hours before you arrive at the edge of what is known as the Spire Glen. The glen is almost perfectly circular and is centered on the green structure standing 500 yards from you; as if some unseen hand had long ago drawn a border around the old tower.
The structure itself is a ruined keep guarding a broken central tower, all made of smooth, green glass. It's obvious that a grand battle took place here many years ago, and the clearing around the ruin lies barren, with sickly weeds struggling to rise from the blasted earth. Despite the damage, however, the glass of the keep itself seems to have avoided the ravages of time, with those pieces that survived the initial cataclysm unmarred by pitting or cracking, clean of moss and other clinging debris.
At the top of a steep dirt path winding up through the rubble, a doorway opens onto darkness, its entrance seeming to steal lights into its inky depths.
Gray nodded to the Hellknights as they left the north gate. He wondered how many other hired groups had come out of these gates never to return. Ha! That was the way of things. It was often left to Grayface to deal with.
Damn this cold, he thought to himself. He wondered how the thieves dealt with this cold without having a proper roof and hearth. Maybe he was assuming too much.
Gray hated thieves, and though he knew little of his new quarries, he knew that their existence was bringing him out into the cold. He would make them pay for that. Already he was fantasizing about the feel of his steel parting the flesh of his enemies. It was a warm thought. Warm thoughts helped when it was so damn cold.
The long walk to this spire was uneventful, which he supposed was a good thing. Didn't the commander warn us of dangers in the woods? It was not wise to discount words of caution. Gray made it a point to stay vigilant and keep an eye out for trouble.
When they arrived at the spire proper there was a steep hill path that lead to an open doorway. "Well there's a door. Do we go in? Should we have a look around the surface perimeter? The gods know there's trouble in that door, but I don't want trouble coming from behind us once we've gone in."
Grayface hoists his shield and will take the lead either in a search or into the doorway.
"I doubt we'll find another way in that generations of curious adventurers have missed, but feel free to take a look around."
"I was suggesting a look around to find bandits or other dangers, not so much to find another way in. But your sentiment is correct. We wouldn't likely find anything that hasn't already been found by many before."
Let me see if there are any surprises at the door...
Rallos approaches the door carefully..checking for traps/alarms.
Meanwhile, Ea looks at the ground for any sign of recent activity and tracks
Emerald will assist Ea, while Rallos checks for traps.
Scouting around the ruins reveals that, as suspected, the ruins of the Emerald Spire are indeed inhabited. There are fresh prints in the snow leading to and from the dirt path to the northern edges of the Spire Glen. Examining the prints further, they are humanoid...but small and barefoot, as if they came from a child. There are a number of accompanying animal prints as well...probably from a dog, or several dogs...
Other than the main dirt path up to the ruined tower, it appears that there is actually a second entrance that would take you in through the northern wall of the ruin. The slope up to the entrance is steep and, littered with debris, treacherous.
Examining the lower slope of the dirt path, Rallos can find no evidence of any traps.
"It sure is chilly out here," says Yasmin. As she accompanies the rest of the group around the perimeter, she keeps an eye out for magical auras.
"Why don't we take the easier entrance? I'm not sure I could climb up those rocks that easily."
"I say we take the more treacherous route, through the north entrance over there. Yasmin fear not, we'll get you up there. We can use a rope if we need to.
I would assume it is the less used of the two entrances, thus making it the better chance to catch any hostiles unaware. Does anyone disagree?" Without waiting for an answer the impetuous warrior began walking through the snow to the north side of the tower.
"Fine by me."
Yasmin shrugs. "I guess I'm better off following the muscle." She follows Grayface.
Gray stows his shield and attempts the climb the broken side of the tower up where the north entrance is. After the climb is completed, he looks for a suitable place to tie a rope to, so that his companions can make the climb with ease.
I agree with Gray...the entrance we have to climb to is the better choice.....I shall scale it and let a rope down for the rest of you....
Then once up there, check for traps....
Emerald will wait for the rope, though with Quartz' aid she's quite adept at climbing.
[ooc]Evidently not adept enough, though should pass with the rope.
As Gray and Rallos make their way carefully up the slope, all is quiet...the chill air around the ruins blowing a gentle wind until...
"Hey...Longshankses...up here"
Two arrows whistle through the air from the darkened doorway...
One arrow embeds itself into the snow at Rallos' feet whilst the second clatters against Gray's armour...a small trickle of blood showing where the arrow has scratched the fighter.
Grayface doesn't make any headway on his first climb attempt.
Of course, there were guards. It's the only entrance, and being on higher ground, they spotted us a long way ago. What did they expect? Now we'll either have to wait until they get rid of whatever attacked them and throw us the rope so we can climb, or try to climb by ourselves.
Rallos closes on the right hand goblin(the on directly in front of him) and draws his rapier...trying to run the beast through.
To the depths of the abyss with you, wretched cur...
Moving into the ruin, Rallos lands a fierce blow on the closest goblin who spits and howls in pain...before slashing at his attacker.
"Stabby Man came up our slope...
now Stabby Man he has no hope...
Stuck up here all on his own...
We'll chew the flesh down to the bone"
The second goblin moves past the trespasser into his lair and attempts a second shot at Grayface...
As Rallos' eyes adjust to the pitch darkness...he sees a mounted goblin ride from the tower down the dirt path that he has previously investigated...and a third goblin within this room charge him...teeth exposed in a manic grin
Rallos calls out a warning about the extra goblins as he takes his AoO.
It seems our companions are in trouble. Let's do our best to join them and help them!
Sister Zalinsen positions herself at the base of the wall, ready to help either Emarald or Yasmine by giving them a starting push
Assuming Goblin 2 is within 25 feet...
"That's enough singing from you, snotling." Yasmin calls upon magics to subdue the archer.
She then tries to advance up the hill, but will avoid any AOO's if the goblin seems unfazed.
Was my climb attempt (the one that failed!) an action that happened prior to combat? I might argue that it should be prior to combat, since my post(the original post where I "took a 10") came before any notion of combat was up. If GM Zed sees that differently, that is of course fine, but I want to know so that I can act accordingly.
Since the goblins have acted thrice, and Rallos has also acted twice, that means that:
-Emerald still has 2 rounds of actions
-Yasmin has 1 round of actions
-Ea has 1 round of actions
-Grayface has 1 or 2 rounds of actions, depending on whether or not my climb counted as before the combat started or not.
The warrior heeds Rallos' warning and reiterates to the three gals with him on the ground level, "Trouble's coming from over there, we need to get up this bank and help Rallos!
Emerald makes an attempt to climb up to aid her new companions. , but can't manage to find a decent grip
If I've got another round as per Gray's post above, I'll try again.
-Posted with Wayfinder
Rallos tries to finish off the first goblin he stabbed.
-Posted with Wayfinder
--------------------------------
Grayface's Round 2 Action:
The warrior draws his sword and brings it down upon the goblin standing at the edge of the crest.
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*edit, just noticed I went out of turn. It is the goblins' turn first. If its OK I'll keep this action unless something changes. I will move myself back to the top of the ledge instead of my position post-5' step.
-apologies
Ea tries to climb too, with a grim determination.
If someone dies up there, my services will be needed
But apparently, grim determination isn't enough.
Attempting to sneak past Rallos, one of the Goblins gets a blade slashed against the back of his legs before, standing at the crest of the slope he becomes transfixed by something...
"Ooooo, Pretty Lights..."
While it gazes into the middle distance, Grayface swings his sword...and lops it's head clean off...
Meanwhile, Rallos' second stab at the goblin is precise...and fatal...the green terror has a surprised look on it's face as the rogue's blade impales it.
"You killed Stinky Ears...you're not nice...I'm going to stick you...", the last remaining goblin in the entrance hall to the ruin stabs at Rallos.
Meanwhile, outside the ruin...a mounted goblin, perched on top a hairless dog like creature, appears at the bottom of the dirt path...and fires an arrow at those remaining at the foot of the slope.
"Hey Hey!!!! Over here Longshanks..."
Seeing the remaining members struggling with the climb, Yasmin snatches the rope from Rallos and lowers it. "Grab on to this rope!" She'll also secure the other end if there is time.
Emerald isn't a sprinter, she'd likely not catch the goblin rider.
So she draws and fires a bullet from her sling at the despicable creature.
Rallos stabs the last nearby gobbo.
If that manages to finish him off(not likely), Rallos will move toweard the two on the left of the map...
I'll never be able to climb that wall quickly enough.
Seeing a sling passing overhead to the goblin, Ea loudly say
Then she crouches, and rises her shield, to expose herself less
Pharasma, whatever happens, I'm ready.
Securing one end of the rope, Yasmin hurls the other end down towards her companions...the mounted goblin shouts something in disappointment as it sees it's potential quarry gain an escape route.
Rallos strikes out at the remaining goblin within the entrance lobby, a cruel blow, yet not enough to kill it...
Yelping in pain, the goblin strikes at Rallos...a low blow that rakes across the rogue's ankles...
Snickering, it then moves backwards...away from Rallos' blade
Having had success with it's first arrow, the mounted goblin (ducking at the precise moment to avoid the flung stone), fires another arrow towards Ea.
The arrow falls well short of Ea and Emerald...it kicks up a little flurry of snow as it lands...
Sister Zalinsel's voice is cold and emotionless, her eyes coldly fixing the mounted goblin
Climb now, Emerald. I'll go after you.You're lighter,you dont wear an armor and should be up that wall more easily than me.
She tries to keep the goblin's attention on her, shouting over her shield
By Pharasma, can't you do better than this shot? Your dog could shoot that bow better than you, Goblin!
Emerald briefly considers arguing the point, but it would serve little purpose. So she starts to climb
The warrior sees the little goblin withdrawing into the darkness, "Oh no you don't, you filthy little..."
Rallos moves to try and finish off the last goblin....
And Rallos curses a blue streak in Infernal about the goblin's ancestry and various dalliances his relatives had with livestock....
Grayface moves to pursue the withdrawing goblin but loses sight of it immediately. He moves into the darkness and sees Rallos taking a swing-- Gray then arms his shield, moves adjacent to Rallos, and swings hard in the direction he just saw Rallos attack.
Fortunately for the goblin, the attack was aimed poorly.