The Crucible of Freya (Inactive)

Game Master Grimmy

Sam talks to Lannet.
"Good to see you survived. You were hung up like a game those half orc boys play, except there were no goodies gonna come out of your carcass. Let me know when you are good to go. And no running off, you always get in trouble when I am not around to watch you."

After seeing the commotion, Sam moves out to help the bandits make it across to their position.

Damien frowns at Janna, "Lot more than just numbers to a soldier ma'am, it home..."

The veteran trails off as he spots the rebellious lovers making their escape, "Well I'll be...Jerrid, help Sam bring the pair of 'em back here. Take a wide route back, through the trees. Rather not give away our location."

"Sam, wait! Take this"

Straining to lift his head up from the rucksack he's using as a pillow, Lannet unclasps his cloak of elvenkind, and struggles to take it off, but he is too weak and only gets it off one shoulder before slumping down again with a shiver onto the damp golden leaves lining the ground.

Herl sees the halfling in his piteous state.

"I'll start a fire. Don't worry, the glammer hiding us is strong. The fire will not be detectable from outside the campsite."

As Sam draws close to Firean and Cullen in the clearing midway between the eastern wall of the keep and the treeline, Firean begins speaking to him.

"It was a slaughter up there. The ogre was killing all my men. Cullen, Barrelli and I were the only ones left. We got separated and hid. I think Barrelli cast a spell and bewitched the ogre. When I hired her as a cook I never guessed she was a witch! It doesn't make sense... When I heard the orcs entering the watchtower just now I took a chance and came out of hiding and found Cullen. We have to get to the treeline fast, they will probably be on the walls soon with archers."

Kevezyat sees the sorry state of the reprobate hafling and goes to pick him up .

Carrying him back to where Herl was working on the fire, she gently murmurs a prayer to Freya, a soft glow encompassing her hand.

Laying on the the halfling's brow, she says "Rest, Lannet, let Freya's blessing cure your hurts and ease your bones."

Lay on Hands, Fatigue mercy: 1d6 ⇒ 1

Oh well, she tried :)

Janna sat by the fire, and it didn't take long for her to start to doze off.

her head started bobbing up and down as she tried her best to stay alert.

eventually she started to sway left and right and eventually she simply fell over onto the ground sound asleep.

Leoven is worried by all the event and findings of the day, he tries to think hard about the best possible ways to go but all the rational thoughts soon becomes just amalgam of random images as the young cleric of Thyr enters in a deep slumber.

Sam takes Knotty to Leo. "Can you look Knotty over. Maybe help keep him good and safe? You asked abut it, it is a good idea."

Sam will sleep next to Knotty after asking him if he needs to rest.

I guess Leoven had the time to study Knotty. By touching him Leoven gain information as if rolled the appropriate knowledge check for a total of 22

I feel like we skipped a step here. Are we going to move our chat with Firean and Cullen to the morning for simplicity then? I'd be fine with letting them rest before asking for any more details than they gave already.

Jerrid stops his pen as the people descend. Then smirks at the suggestion he would need advice to come back with Sam. He leaves with a, "fine."

When they return following a circuitous route, Jerrid promptly helps the dog and its owners settle. "But where is your cook now?"

The secretive gnome scratches at his face with a broken nail. "I'd like to kill that ogre. He deserves to die or worse."

The rogue waits that evening to see if anyone remembers anything else of the events he missed. But what with tiredness and a certain failure in not getting to Vortigern, meeting that demonic ogre and fighting to survive so many times in the last few days, several pairs of gritty eyes showed battle fatigue. Even the holy warrior of Freya showed signs that her magic did little good.

We are a sorry lot. That Vortigern has to pay and pay big so that we can get those Golden Palms. Ignore the threat from the Diviner and his letter. Find that slave network, find it and burn it. Burn it away. i hate manacles.

Even as Sam and the bandits reach the treeline and get out of view, the macabre sight of skeletal sentries start lining the curtain wall of the keep, and a few orcs present themselves atop the watchtower.

Hearing about the hidden camp Firean scowls at Sam. "Your friends and their attack on those cultists got all of my men killed. My whole way of life is over. I have no love for your group in my heart and don't wish to see any of them. Farewell."

She and Cullen and the dog dart off into the woods.

I feel like we skipped a step here. Are we going to move our chat with Firean and Cullen to the morning for simplicity then? I'd be fine with letting them rest before asking for any more details than they gave already.

You would have to go after them, these folks are not coming back to Herl's camp.

I guess Leoven had the time to study Knotty. By touching him Leoven gain information as if rolled the appropriate knowledge check for a total of 22

This creature is a twisted tree. It is like a treant sapling that got corrupted from birth to be evil.

Damien shrugs as he sees the would be bandit leader and her squeeze make a hasty retreat away from the camp, "Bandits of any disposition are all the same. Fold at the first strong wind, aye deputy? Good riddance, maybe they had some sense scared into 'em."

Sitting down by the fire, Damien shrugs out of his chain. Sighing at all the newly torn rents, he begins oiling and repairing it while he waits for Sam and Jerrid to return.

Provided you're not going after the pair of them?

Here is the full stat block of Knotty for Leo's knowledge results and so Sam can run him in combat.

Sam will try to catch Firean before she goes. Once again, he feels sorry for the bandit.
"You actually did a good thing. We can attest that you were instrumental and bringing the cult to an end. This may be a chance to do something new. Anyway, if you stick with me, you might see some real treasure that will set you up fine for life."

Bluff: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21

Sam returns after a brief attempt to mollify Firean.

Vhillish nods sagely as he passes his former CO a cup of finest java;

"Indeed sah! Short sharp shock whot! Just the thing the criminal and malingerer needs to remind them that its not all coin and cognac eh!"

The deputy casts a jaundiced eye toward Lannet, emphasising perhaps that the halfling too has had an epiphany of sorts...

When Sam skips off to parley with the former bandit, Vhillish sips his own cuppa with a blustering scowl;

"Shall Master Dawnbringer seek to redeem and reward all ne'er-do-wells we encounter whot?"

Damien nods his approval as the java's warmth spreads throughout his weary body. He shakes his head after the naive halfling, "Aye. I'd say there's more than just the bandits due for a sharp lesson, just hoping it doesn't come our expense..."

Provided Firean and Cullen do not return, I think we're ready to move on to the morning. Damien will wake everyone an hour before dawn provided we don't encounter any surprises.

Cullen Sense Motive: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19
Firean Sense Motive: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 2 = 16

The bandits look at Sam distrustfully but his words convince them to stay. They join the party at the camp.

Should be able to get things going tomorrow.

Damien's eyebrows raise in genuine surprise as the bandit couple change course and begin following Sam and Jerrid back to the camp, "Might be hope for the pair of 'em after all."

Once they're all back with the confines of Herl's spell, he sets aside his mail and turns to regard Firean from his spot by the fire, "So, you two live to shirk responsibility another day. Should have used that little window trick while the big brute was still knocking on the door. Might have been more than just you two standing here...", the half-elf frowns and spits into the fire, "Well anyway, there any more of your men still inside? Don't suppose any of you had something to do with the ogre's apparent change of heart?"

"Good, well done Sam. We can get some payback tomorrow against that ogre and the others too. Barelli, how is she doing?

Jerrid times his words to concentrate the pair on himself and not the casual insults of Damien. He pulls out Medus at the same time.

"After all, it was inevitable that the cultists and you would come to blows. We fought and killed a massive demonic ogre inside their part of the fort. It would have made mincemeat of your men one day."

Firean reaches for her weapon, trembling with rage. Her eyes stay locked on Damien, her jaw clenched, but as Jerrid speaks she takes her hand off her weapon and finally relaxes.

"The last I knew that half-orc Barelli was still inside. Once I spied her enchanting the ogre, I didn't wait to find out if she was a friend or a foe. I think she went to the roof with the ogre at some point. There was a lot of confusion. That ogre was a savage warrior, big for his kind and skilled in battle. We were dropping like flies before the cook somehow took control of the beast."

By the following dawn the curtain walls are reinforced with marginally more skeleton sentries, who have been equipped with bows, but otherwise the view of the keep from the camp looks the same. Herl had led a team to retrieve the mule and tents from the wood north of the keep and the night had passed without any excursions from the keep coming to rout the party out.

The veteran watches Firean's hand as it moves to her weapon and then back with a flat expression, "Strong enough to enchant that bloody ogre? Considering what happened to that orc priest, I'd wager she's not out enemy. Her actual agenda I'm not so sure about."

Draining the last of his java, Damien climbs to his feet, "Regardless, you've the brains to rest with us tonight I take it? Good, we'll figure out a plan in the morning..."

-----------------------

Damien makes sure the group is awake roughly an hour before dawn. With Herl's spell still hiding their presence, he gathers all parties around the cookfire to plan strategy.

Firstly he looks at Firean, Cullen and Herl, "So now we've come to it. I our group is committed here, what about each of you? You all know what we're dealing with now, cultists, demons and undead. All things any decent person never wants to escape those walls. Now you get to decide if you'll help put and end to the blasted lot of 'em or be on you're way and cross your fingers that the rest of us are equal to the task?"

How widely spaced are the skeletons at this point DMG? Can any be seen on Firean's former tower?

I'm working on adding the tokens right now. On the tower looks like orcs, 2-4. On the southern curtain wall, four skeleton archers spaced 25-30 feet apart. Another skeley archer on an intact portion of the crumbled eastern curtain wall. Scouting reveals more skeley archers and orcs on the donjon roof.

Sam intervenes before Firean can go after Damien.
"Damien often speaks without thinking and does not think anyone outside his former unit is any good. He speaks poorly of those he travels with often--your group is not the only one to be insulted. You could consider it suspicious if you were spared his disdain."

Sam looks serious as he looks Firean squarely in the eyes, standing on his toes to get some more height and speaking will all sincerity. "We will consecrate the dead that fought bravely, honor their acts, and continue to avenge their deaths. I respect those that share the field of battle with me, and consider myself privileged to have fought with you. Unfortunately every battle is chaotic, and no plan lasts through the first minutes."

After sharing some of their provisions with Firean and Cullen, same moves of to them taking his letter with him. Sam invites Firean and Cullen to a council of war to explain the situation as he sees it, and shows the letter to Firean. He introduces Knotty to her to confirm his tale and lend credibility to the missive. "We have been chosen by an obviously powerful and benevolent sponsor to help stop the cult of Orcus--this treeling is proof of the author's power. The cult is interested in staffs of power. Firean, it appears your group was in the way, and would have been overwhelmed if you allowed the cultists to fight on their own terms. We can take the initiative and finish off the forces of evil, but it appears they have animated skeletons that can fire missile weapons. Firean and Cullen, any of your suggestions to defeat these forces on ground you know better than we do would be appreciated."

Sam now holds out his hand to Firean, "Will you continue what you started? I believe we are all here for a reason at his time. You do not want to see a world where Orcus calls the shots. Most importantly, I want to see if we can locate any survivors of your group and save them from being turned into undead walkers."

Anyone need healing?

Leoven says nothing when the other start making battle plans, he have nothing smart to add. The young priest just make silent prays to Thyr.

Did we lose your post about the chimney DMG? Or is it no longer accurate? If it is, I think I have a plan. Though it'll help to know if everyone's in or not?

As firstly Firean shifts her hand to pommel, Vhillish scowls and raises his own crossbow into a readied position.

The wee veteran's eyes clearly say Don't. You'll be dead before your blade clears scabbard.

However when Sam utters his flippant dismissal of his former officer, the Serjeant-Depute slowly turns incandescent and his 'taches twitch in rage;

"Master Dawnbringer sah! I must protest whot! Disparaging remarks on both the Lieutenant's character and our former unit will not be tolerated sah!"

The gnome scowls and eyes the bandits with clear disdain;

"These scoundrels and rogues have no sense of camaraderie... and I for one have little faith in their courage and countenance whot! Survivors are oft found to be cowards in my experience..."

Vhillish brazenly stands before the two would be henchfolk and jabs a quarrel in their direction;

"Master Dawnbringer has also proven himself naive and overly trusting... I am not. Prove him right and all will be well... Prove him wrong and it'll be field justice for the pair of you... I will be watching... and you'll get no clemency from me should you falter... Savvy you bounders?"

Intimidate: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24

Damien reaches out and puts a hand gently on the Deputy's arm, his eyes staying on Firean, "Easy now Lieutenant. No one's about to do anything so stupid as to make you use that. No harm in calling a soldier's attitude caustic, most of us are.", he smirks, "Can't all share your sunny disposition."

The chimney is the little purple donut on the map it goes down to D7.

Janna takes some time to enjoy a breakfast as she listens to the advice of the soldiers.

Se pours herself a mug of coffee and then a second one, taking both she sits beside Damien offering the extra mug to him.

so, what's the plan? I think we need to clear the central courtyard as well as Firean's tower first. I am sure that if I can set myself up on that roof I can provide some support from up there.

she sips her hot breakfast beverage, of course as I said before, I trust your tactical expertise. My goal is to get at those staff's, there is one staff in particular that I am interested in finding.

"Orcs prefer dark places deep beneath the earth. If they are posted as sentries on roofs it is only out of necessity, to warn their masters within of our arrival. If we can catch them by surprise in this light we may have an advantage."

When the last watch ends and Damien roughly starts waking the others, the sharp eyes of the gnome spring open, that first noise is all it takes.

No manacles, huh, must be safe for now, no whips cracking.

He rises and readies spells and equipment until he gets a chance to quietly ask Cullen or Firean if Barelli may be alive inside somewhere - again.

***

Then the planning starts and Jerrid takes the chance to watch for signs of action along the walls. He murmurs as much to himself, "that is many archers. Many ways to slice this pie. Wonder what ol' hammerhead is going to come up with? And how it will fall apart."

she sips her hot breakfast beverage, of course as I said before, I trust your tactical expertise. My goal is to get at those staff's, there is one staff in particular that I am interested in finding.

Jerrid purses his lips at the sorcerer, "have you anything you know that will help us find the staff? Its description is...? And I wonder what use a Crucible of Freya can be to a necromancer or devil worshipper like Vortigern? How does that fit together?"

Firean twists Cullen's ear as the man cowers under Vhillish's chastising words. "Think you idiot, you were the groundskeeper, what do you know about the lay of the land that can help our friend Samduc plan an attack?"

Cullen winces, before exclaiming with a sigh, "There is always the well beneath the watch tower, where we drew our water. It was fed by an underground spring. Might run under the donjon as well."

Damien takes Janna's offered cup with a gruff nod. Sipping it slowly, the former Lieutenant stares into the small fire before him, pondering the assault to come. Cullen's words break his train of though however, he snaps at the would be bandit, "The tower has it's own well? Mitra, you could have bloody well mentioned that before!...twit."

With a dismissive snort, he turns his attention to the others, "Timeliness aside, I think the boy just gave us our answer. Setting foot in that courtyard is suicide with the bone bags lining the walls. Jerrid, you saw a pool of water below the donjon, no? The two have got to link up. With that trick window we don't even have to make the full climb. Leo, Thyr have any tricks that can help us make the swim? Once we know the way, we should be able to hold our breath but we need time for someone to scout out the tunnels down there, too easy to get lost or stuck going in blind."

Grabbing a small stick, Damien begins tracing a rough outline of the keep while he talks, "We'll approach the tower from the south, same as before. Probably best to have Sam move in first, squeeze in between the bars and set up a rope without raising the alarm.", he looks up at Herl, Firean and Cullen, "To do that, he'll need a distraction. That's where you three come in. Calm your tits, no real engaging anyone this time, just come up from the west here.", he points with the stick, "And start harassing the archers on that side, pick a couple off if you can, but just draw their attention west. You'll be dodging a couple arrows but that should be the worst of it. Cultists start chucking proper magic you haul ass back to the tree line. With luck, you'll pull the archers from the south wall, won't notice us till Sam's in place at least."

Vhillish nods approvingly at Damien's words;

"The olde feint sah! Just the ticket... Boners and Hellions look the other way whilst we reccie the tower! Whot-whot..."

Leo, Thyr have any tricks that can help us make the swim? [/b]

Uhm, oh...I don't know..not for today at least

You prepare spells at dawn right Leo? Which is in about half an hour game time. So you should be able to prepare anything you want for this assault. Or am I missing something?

Vhillish claps the arm of the thin priest with a ruddy faced smile;

"Soon be dawn Master Leoven. Best get to praying sah... we'll be needing all the assistance the gods can throw us dealing with what's facing us whot!?"

Herl nods solemly at Damien's proposal.

"My arrows will not be the most effective against these skeletal archers, especially fortified as they are behind crenellation walls. But if it is only to turn the attention of the enemy to the west momentarily that you require, I suppose it will do. Myself I had thought it prudent to pick off a couple of orc sentries completely unnoticed, if there are assassins among you fit for the task. But there are many ways to skin a cat, I suppose."

Sitting at the edge of the firelight, one can almost miss the fact that Kevezyat was there, so silent and dark her countenance.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16

She looks over at Cullen, "Do what you can , Cullen. Any effort will be appreciated."

"Herl, as well, your effort will be a great boon, if this subterfuge is to be effective. " she says, her voice calm and even.

Looking to her comrades, "Remember, Jerrid and I hail from the dark lands below, 'going in blind' won't be an issue for us. "

Sam reviews the layout of the area in his mind.
"I would think there is a huge blind spot from the east in the dawn. The sentries on the top of the tower can't even see to the base of the east wall. I think any distraction can be provided by missile fire, and in the early dawn, it will be difficult to pinpoint where any fire is coming from."

He asks Herl: "Can you fire smoking arrows to provide a distraction. I know Leo can provide some attacking eagles attacking from the west. As long as the fire targets the western part of the donjon, it will probably keep the main sentry force in place there. I would not split our force while infiltrating the keep, when the defenses get organized, Herl, Firean and Cullen may have trouble joining back up."

"So, with the objective of getting to the east wall, we can make a decent distraction to the west without committing forces. The standard burning campfire and what appears to be a hostile camp should do it. It should be discovered at first light."

Sam nods to Firean, Cullen and Herl: "I would rather keep you with us. It would probably be safer. I do not see you easily rejoining us after the excitement starts."

Janna was rather silent for the most part as the plans are discussed.

she tried to think back to the way things were, before the academy, when she lived on the streets. how did she survive?

She was usually alone back then, she had nothing nor anyone to looks out for, let alone look out for her. She tried to be a team player at the Academy, but usually just boys that would hope to score a date with her was all she usually found.

finally she asks, where do I fit in in this plan?

inside the keep...

The cultist traces his finger over the engraving in the amulet sized seal at the center of the great portal in the floor of the chamber.

"The mage must have made a key for this... but it could be anywhere. Even the ogre couldn't budge this portal. How else can I enter?"

He does not pray to his dark god for guidance. The consequences of failure are too terrifying. He must not show any doubt in his mission.

Sense Motive: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (18) - 1 = 17

Damien watches Cullen for a long moment before responding to Sam, "You're right, it would be dangerous to try rejoining us, which is why they aren't. I doubt Herl is any more interested in entering the keep than he was last time and...we've asked enough of Firean already."

He turns to the former bandit leader with a surprisingly sincere expression, "Distract them and the pair of you are cut loose. Go live your lives. I'd advise against any more banditry though, or there's not force in all the planes that'll stop the Deputy from hauling the both of you before a magistrate."

Turning back to the others, he shakes his head, "Campfire won't do it at any rate, if they had any intention of leaving those walls, they'd have search parties of for us already. They're dug in now, best we can hope is to get 'em looking in the wrong direction."

So the climb to Cullen's trick window is 20-25ft, yes DMG?

The veteran turns to their employer, "For this part, you part is to help cover the others climb once we're spotted. Those mage missiles of yours can tear up a skeleton easily. After that, just haul ass inside."

Forgot to mention, love the ominous goings on inside. Making me seriously nervous.