Dorn pulls back another arrow, taking better aim this time and fires!
Skyreaver refuses to relent and continues his assault upon the enemy.
The dwarf's arrow thunks firmly into the half-orc's chest.
Skyreaver flies over the parapets and tears into the half-orc on his section of the wall with beak and talon.
Alicia gets to work on the locked door.
Responding to Marikel, Vhailor responds "Ish? - never been shot with an arrow before... it's an... 'interesting' feeling..." before coming off pause and making for the stairs. Carbonel remains behind on the ground floor, padding over to the side of the building to wait.
"I'll look at it in a minute," Marikel promises, drawing his sword and readying his shield.
He steps up next to Alicia.
"Is it open?"
Marikel hovers impatiently over Alicia's shoulder.
Directing a snarl at the dwarf who just pierced him with an arrow, the archer on the uphill wall steps up onto the parapet and leaps down into the Lower Quarter.
The archer engaged with Skyreaver jinks back against the downhill parapet and withdraws inside the tower. A moment later, another arrow misses the roc.
Dorn grumbles at the vanishing half-orc and sheathes his bow before picking up his shield and hammer. He then calls Skyreaver back to him.
The dwarf calls off his bird and begins to retrieve his gear.
Alicia violently shakes her head back and forth in response to Marikel's question, and tries again.
Marikel places a hand awkwardly on Alicia's shoulder.
"Stop. Take a breath. Let Iomedae guide you."
Vhailor steps away from the ladder, but keeps quiet as Marikel and Alicia work on the lock...
Inside the tower, everyone waits for Alicia to pick the lock.
Outside, Dorn re-equips himself and...
After grabbing his gear, Dorn looks to the tower and then to his bird. Scratching his chin, "Alright, Reaver, you're gonna have to stay here. It'll be way too crowded for you in there." Clearing his throat, "Iawn, Reaver, arhoswch. Arhooswch. Arhoooswch."
[dice=Handle Animal: "Push" to Stay vs. DC 25]1d20+5+4[/dice]
Dorn tries to communicate to Skyreaver that the roc should stay where it is.
Reaver looks back quizzically but obeys.
Once again the lock Alicia is finessing refuses to cooperate.
Cursing profusely under her breath, Ali tries again.
Rejecting Marikel's advice for her own profane mantra, Alicia tries again.
Once it appears that Skyreaver understands, he moves into the tower with the others.
The dwarf enters the tower and sees only the gnome's cat, blinking at him calmly from against the wall. A ladder leads through a trapdoor to a second floor.
Finally, Alicia manages to finesse the latch open, leaving the door unlocked.
Ali stows her lockpicks, retrieves her weapons, and kicks the door open before diving to one side.
Alicia stuffs her lockpicks back into her pack and opens the door while simultaneously stepping behind its cover....
Marikel bursts outside, weapon at the ready, and looks around.
Vhailor continues his past due pregnant pause and waits for those more martial of bent to surge forth first.
Vhailor waits inside while Marikel moves purposefully toward the walk atop the wall.
Marikel alerts the others.
"Clear. But there's blood. Alicia."
Marikel moves to the other side of the wall, avoiding the trail, and peers over.
Dorn follows after the healer, curious about the blood. "What do ya see, lad? Here's hoping that blood belongs to the bad guys and not one of our own."
Dorn follows the priest and also sees the half-orc who leapt from the top of the wall, lying, apparently dead, at its foot. On the Inner Quarter side of the wall, Skyreaver squawks hopefully as the roc sees the dwarf emerge onto the wall.
Alicia retrieves her discarded weapon and follows after the others onto the battlements.
Content to leave the battlements to the others for now, Vhailor crosses to the East wall to peer out at the surrounds.
"Hmm. I'm not sure why he's down there. Maybe we can ask him later."
Marikel gestures at the fallen half-orc and prays to Iomedae to stabilise him.
"We need to ensure these gates are open for the retreating troops."
Marikel peers along the length of the wall, then turns and heads back inside.
Giving a slight chuckle, "I can tell ya why he's down there. He's down there, lad, because I shot him with me bow! It was great!" he says, obviously excited about it.
Marikel says a perfunctory prayer for the half-orc, then moves back toward the tower. There had been a mechanism to control the portcullis downstairs.
Looking around, the dwarf scratches his bearded chin in curiosity. "Why are we up here again?" Shrugging, he returns back downstairs and outside to where his avian ally resides.
"Because you didn't tell us you'd shot the only enemy out here," Marikel growls.
"Vhailor?" Marikel seems surprised. "Can you raise the gates?"
The gnome follows the dwarf down the ladder. The mechanism which controls the portcullis is uncomplicated: a wheel turns in one direction to lower the portcullis and the other to raise it, with a stop to slide into the wheel and lock it in place in either position.
There is, as of yet, no sign of the Patrol members who were assigned to the Inner Gate.
Alicia scowls and glances around. "Katrezra is around here somewhere," she says, advancing down the battlement.
Vhailor jumps at the opporchancity to do something useful, and hurries over to the portcullis mechanism. He heaves away huffing and puffing.
Seeing the portcullis closed, Dorn is just about to go open until he sees a small blur zoom right by him as if he's standing still. "What the blazes?!" Seeing that it was his gnome ally, Dorn can't help but chuckle. "If the rest of the town matches your zest, me friend, these blasted half-orcs are never gonna know what hit 'em!" he says, punching his hand in excitement.