After ducking back into the kitchen and describing the scene outside, Felrin considers the others' suggestions. "I don't think shooting them is our best option," Felrin offers, "and since some of us will kick up quite a racket crossing that gravel path, we should probably play it as carefully as we can and watch for gaps in their routine, as you suggest, Hecate. We should make directly for the warden's tower as soon as we think the coast is clear, and not try to clear the walls. If we go for the guards on the walls, any fighting will be heard for a long ways."
His eyes flick to the door to the dining hall, and he adds, "Let's just hope that any guard change coming up was supposed to happen with those guards we caught sleeping just now. I'd hate to have a fresh batch of guards come knocking while we're studying the ones on the wall."
With that, he cracks open the door again and peers out, reporting the guards' timing and movements to Hecate, who seems not only to be skilled at such analysis, but to positively relish it.
Hecate takes a sack with 3 trail rations and affixes it to her belt like the others.
Tkaara takes a sack with 2 trail rations and affixes it to her belt like the others.
Watching the guards for 10 minutes, the first thing you realize is that it is not a group of four guards but 2 sets of 2 guards, they had just met briefly in passing on the wall. One group heads north and one group heads south. After another 5 minutes the guards are out of sight. One being around the south side of the building and one being around the north side of the building. This will give some freedom of movement on the current side of the building.
Prison Map from Blackerly's Office
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Current Location: Branderscar Prison: Kitchen, Date: Oathday, Erastus 25th,(Summer) 4714 Time: 3:30 am (Day:One)
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Hearing that the guards have moved, Tkaara speaks up.
Lets wait for the next time they pass here. Then we follow them around to the Warden's tower. Once they have moved on, we go in the door at the bottom of the Warden's tower.
The other option is that we could go in the door on one of the guard towers and lie in wait for the guards to arrive.
I think that we are going to have to deal with these guards either way. The question is whether we do it before or after we deal with the Warden's tower.
"I think taking care of the wizard in charge should take precedence," Erevan offers with a shrug. "After that we can deal with whatever guards stand between us and our freedom."
Felrin grew more and more impatient as the more time went on watching the guards, he kept relaying their positioning to Hecate who had unfolded the map and was using the quill that Etna had retrieved earlier and she was frantically making notes on the edges of the map and doing calculations and predictions. Felrin grew even more antsy when she started asking about the clouds, how often they passed over, how long did the darkness usually last and on and on, it seemed like this was going to take forever as Hecate was trying to formulate a strategy. This was not like magic with its absolute mathematics and it bothered her to no end that this would be a best guess scenario. She dealt in absolutes but there was just no absolutes here to be had.
The doctor had been extremely quiet over the last several minutes, the rest did not know why. Inward the good doctor was at battle, battle with the beast, and the beast was winning at this moment. The pull of the full moon trying to draw the creature out, to get it to come to the surface if even for a moment. The doctors brow was tight and wrinkled in concentration. He often twitched or jerked his head to the side trying to get it under control. The doctor sniffed at the air, smelled the morning dew that had began to settle on the grass, smelled the moisture in the air and beyond all the urge to run, the urge to be free and the beast within wanted to go and to go now.
While the calculations were being made Erevan calmly moved around and gathered him up a sack and some rations as well. While moving around he watched each of his comrades intently for any signs that he might find useful. If not now then in the future. He watched the young girl do her probability equations, watched the doctor struggle with his inner demons and watch Grumblejack just looking lost as the creature had never really been part of anything or a group especially with one that consisted of what he liked to refer to as 'lil uns. Finishing with his supplies he was also ready to move out of this building just like the others. Setting in one spot for too long could be detrimental to their escape, they needed to hurry.
Etna and Tkaara kept watch on the grand hall and on the front door in case any guards came in from shift or came in the door for any reason. They took turns watching the door while the other worked with Hecate on a plan. Every few minutes switching out so the other could have a say, and like the barristers that they were, they argued in legal terms on what would happen to them if they did not escape and who should get what if one of them should perish. Really the entire conversation was for naught since neither had a pot to piss in right now but still it made the surroundings a little more normal if that word could even be used in such a place as this.
After about another ten minutes Hecate finally announced her findings, if they left right now then they could sneak along the back of the building and over to the warden's tower without much of a chance of the guards seeing them. She announced that the ghost sound would not have near enough range to reach more than 25 feet away from the group and that would only attract attention to them. Instead she told them once we get to the edge of this building against the wall and across from the warden's tower door then the one with the green cloak would cross and open it and the others would run through as fast as they could, it was only ten feet and doubted the guards would see them.
Thus as soon as her words were spoken she swallowed any fear and headed out the door ushering everyone to come on for this had to be done now. The group slowly and quietly moved behind the building, the early morning predawn air was kind of chilly and a lot of moisture and humidity hung in the air. The grass was wet with it and so were the forsaken's feet. As they moved around the building a large cloud blotted out the moon and seemed to just hang there. The others had to lead Hecate after that point for she no longer could see anything in the pitch black.
In fact the cloud hung there in place until the last of them were just about in the tower's door before beginning to break up which left behind a almost jack-o-lantern type grin across the moons face as the cloud departed. Once inside the tower the group closed the door behind them.
The room they had entered was at least guard free for the moment. It was a really large tower, the floor here were inlaid brick and blocks rather than the solid dirty floor of the prison itself. The room itself was brightly lit and the group momentarily took in the sights around them.
This entire floor of the rather immense tower was dedicated to the history of Castle Branding and the subsequent history that led the castle to become Branderscar Prison. It consists of a series of mostly uninteresting plaques, paintings and portraits that tell of nobles and deeds hardly anyone remembers anymore. There are a number of banners and flags scattered around the room.
One of the wall hangings is an old brocade tapestry that depicts Castle Branding being turned into a prison with the motto “His Judgment Cometh and that Right Soon”. Upon seeing the tapestry the good doctor immediately eyes it and tells everyone else that the tapestry is worth 150 gp. It is however very heavy (50 lbs.)and awkward (-2 to any Acrobatics, Climb, Jump, or Swim skill checks while carried).
There is a spiral stairway leading up to the second level. This room is lit by four long sconces holding torches.
[spoiler=Active Effects and Spells]
Prison Map from Blackerly's Office
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Current Location: Branderscar Prison: Kitchen, Date: Oathday, Erastus 25th,(Summer) 4714 Time: 3:50 am (Day:One)
Having temporarily banished the animalistic urges welling up within him, Ottakar looks warily about his surrounding, nostrils flaring. He has never had occasion to do battle with a mage before, or much in the way of battle at all, despite training in the basics of the matter. Magic, he had always been told, added an element of extreme unpredictability, however, and the Doctor hated when things weren't predictable.
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After hustling behind the others, even the short distance leaving her slightly out of breath, the pale haired barrister blinks as her eyes quickly adjust to the brighter ground level of the tower. Glancing at the tapestries and other historical memorabilia, she shakes her head.
Quietly: Lets keep moving. Time is not our friend.
With that, she nods to Grumblejack.
Lets watch the stairs. Anyone comes down and it is smash time.
With that she moves over next to the stairs and watches carefully up, expecting some guard or other person to come down at any point.
Grumblejack sits the chest down and removes his club from the top of it and then moves over to the spiral staircase next to his pretty lady.
"Smash Em, that be no problem. Grumblejack smash anything for Tkaara."
Felrin is glad to be moving again, ghosting through the shadows after restlessly reporting the guards' movements to Hecate. I've watched and waited for years now, I think I may be done with that for a time...
When they reach the warden's tower, Felrin's shoulders relax, releasing a tension he did not know he held. After a quick glance around the ground level, he nods to Tkaara and says, "Agreed, we should keep moving."
He looks at Erevan and tips his head, as if to ask, Coming?, then moves to the base of the spiral stairs. He then proceeds up the stairs as quietly as he can.
Hecate pulls a face: stealth is absolutely not her strong point. Just moving the ten feet to the tower without stumbling took all her concentration.
Keeping her voice to a whisper, she murmurs to Felrin and Erevan "Good luck; if you find trouble I'll be right behind you." With agonising slowness, she positions herself at the bottom of the stairs, ready to run up if needed.
In the light of the torches, she looks again at the map, ignoring her calculations for the moment - she is interested in what it shows of the tower. "Looks like the floor above is open plan like this one, with the living quarters on the top floor. Hope that helps some."
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Tkaara waits with Grumblejack until the stealth crew have moved upstairs. Then she carefully follows up the stairs right behind the ogre.
Soon my friend. Soon we will be free of this accursed place. And all those who have abused you shall have received their just punishment. Today you get to be the judge, jury and executioner.
"...and that is why I think Felrin would be the one to get an harsher punishment. Not that an harsh death sentence is very different from a normal one..." Etna was saying to Tkaara, before the others called her to discuss their next move. She nods at Hecate's suggestion not to use a magic to attract attention, and follows the others silently. Holding her breath, she shivers when her bare foot touch the soft grass of the courtyard, the sound of the waves crashing covering her footsteps.
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Etna blinks twice upon entering the room, a little dazzled from the illumination. The ifrit glances briefly at the tapestry, and then chuckles lightly. "So this place was called Castle Branding? My, what an appropriate name." she says, unconsciously touching the runic F on her forearm. Looking at the brand, she loses herself in thoughts for a moment.
We'll surely get out of here, but then what? My revenge is as sure as the setting of the sun every dusk, but the methods I'll have to use to achieve it still eludes me...Maybe this common friend of ours could prove useful, or maybe it will just make things worse, for all we know: either way, we amply passed the point of no return. There's no way but forward.
"I'm behind you." she whispers, snapping out of her musings.
Felrin quietly sneaks up to the next level of the tower as he comes to the next level and exits the staircase to look around, this level seems to be a vast library. A rather large collection of books and scrolls across a wide range of subjects. There appears to be a section marked for scholarly use. The most common items in the library are the “penny dreadfuls”. These poorly printed compilations of lurid tales range across the whole gamut of adventure genres. However, the one genre over-represented is bawdy tales featuring amply endowed young maidens in grave peril.
The scholarly section would need a closer look to determine information on them.
The spiral staircase continues upward or downward from this area.
Prison Map from Blackerly's Office
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Current Location: Branderscar Prison: Kitchen, Date: Oathday, Erastus 25th,(Summer) 4714 Time: 3:51 am (Day:One)
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Seeing the second floor essentially empty, except for books, Tkaara moves over near the staircase to the next level before quietly speaking to the others.
Quietly:
The map appears correct so far. Thus, there should be two chambers on the next level. An office and living quarters perhaps. We need to be extra vigilant in moving up.
She will wait for the stealth crew to proceed first before following with her bodyguard.
A puzzled grin crosses Felrin's face as he realizes what Etna was saying as he started up the stairs. Of course, I'm the one to get the harsher punishment. At least she sounds like she's saying that's what the Mitrans would give me, not what thinks I should get. Well, perhaps my harsher punishment lies at the top of this next flight of stairs, where the wizard lies, petting his owl.
Not wanting to get too far ahead, he waits until his companions are assembled on the library floor and Erevan is close behind him. With a wink to Etna and a finger drawn across his own throat, as if to indicate what he's been thinking, he moves quietly up the stairs.
Ottakar moves silently behind Felrin and Erevan, quarterstaff gripped tightly in his hands, his gait predatory as he stalks the (hopefully) unsuspecting warden.
Hecate looks around the library floor once it's obvious that the level is clear. "Books," she breathes, clearly fascinated. Shaking her head, she concentrates on what's at hand.
"Um, I'll wait for you guys here - you'll need stealth for the next bit; not really my thing." she whispers.
Looking again at Blackerly's map, she reports her findings: "When you go up, you'll be in a hall with two doors: one facing north, one south. The south-facing door is his bedroom. Looks like his bed is about where that torch is." She points to the torch on the right-hand side.
Etna briefly glances at the bookcases, not stopping to check the titles or contents of the books. Instead, she keeps to the matter at hand, nodding gravely at Felrin's gesture.
Tkaara and her sidekick Grumblejack make their way up to the second level after Felrin gives the all clear. The again both take up positions by the spiral staircase as if they were expected someone to come charging forth from it at any moment.
Hecate and Etns join the others in the library while Erevan, Felrin and the doctor creep up the staircase toward the next level. Upon reaching the next landing they survey their surroundings...
The spiral staircase up ends here at this stone landing. The stairway once continued up to the roof of this tower but now the roof is completely closed off having been walled up by brickwork. This chamber is lit by a single torch on a sconce. To the north is a door bearing a plaque that reads “Office”. The southern door has a similar plaque that reads “Private: Keep Out!”. It is otherwise empty save for the two doors.
Prison Map from Blackerly's Office
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Current Location: Branderscar Prison: Kitchen, Date: Oathday, Erastus 25th,(Summer) 4714 Time: 3:52 am (Day:One)
Felrin looks at Erevan, then silently tips his head toward the southern door. He waits a few moments for any others coming up the stairs to arrive, then moves over to door and listens for any activity beyond it. Once he's satisfied he hasn't been heard, he carefully turns the doorknob, testing if it's locked.
Working as stealthily as possible, Felrin draws out his lockpicks and sets to work on the door, quietly calling on Asmodeus to assist in this crucial moment of their escape.
Strapping the spear to the back of his guard's uniform, Erevan pulls out the bow and keeps an arrow ready, his eyes towards the door Felrin indicated. While the tiefling is working on the lock, the golden-eyed man makes no sound, content to simply watch for any trouble and ready to aim his weapon at whoever awaits them beyond either of the two doors.
Felrin moves toward the southern door and checks to see if it is locked, it seems to be unlocked as he slowly turns the handle. Looking over his shoulder he waits for the others to come up the stairs and give him the go ahead before opening it.
Erevan likewise readied his bow in case anything came running out of either door as he waited for the others to come up.
As the two men sat there waiting the others slowly made their way up onto this floor of the tower.
Motioning to everyone to get into place and to get ready before he opened the door Felrin readied himself for the worst.
Prison Map from Blackerly's Office
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Current Location: Branderscar Prison: Landing, Date: Oathday, Erastus 25th,(Summer) 4714 Time: 3:53 am (Day:One)
Hecate positions herself behind Felrin, ready to provide arcane support as required.
Seeing Erevan draw a bow, the Doctor moves to the door beside Felrin, ready to charge through and apply blunt force trauma to any foe.
Etna moves on the opposite side of the door, ready to fight.
Taking a step to better position himself and keep the southern room in his line of sight, Erevan readies his bow and waits for the door to open.
Felrin looks around and his companions, then gives one quick nod. He then turns back to the door, quietly turns the doorknob and opens the door.
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Knowing that her health is not great right now, Tkaara heads up behind Grumblejack and then points for him to follow the other men into the room believed to be the Wardens.
Be careful big man. The Warden is likely in there. He needs some serious bashing.
Sorry, RL is hitting me hard. The next two weeks my posting is likely to be inconsistent and some days I may be unable to post. Please run Tkaara as she has been if I do not post for a day and her post is necessary.
As Felrin tries to open the door quietly as possible the door creaks loudly upon opening......
As you peer inside you see a lavishly appointed bedchamber. There is a over sized couch against one wall. A large oaken wardrobe. A very nice oriental rug across the floor and a full length mirror on a stand, the chamber continues around to the north where your sight is limited at the moment.
Having heard your entrance Warden Mathias Richter who was busy looking into the full length mirror prior to hearing the door open now turns in your direction, a look of utter shock across his aged face.
Picture of Mathias Richter, Warden of Branderscar Prison
Prison Map from Blackerly's Office
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Current Location: Branderscar Prison: Warden’s Private Chambers, Date: Oathday, Erastus 25th,(Summer) 4714 Time: 3:54 am (Day:One)
Moving almost unconsciously, Etna darts off into the room as soon as the doors creaks open, slinging a green orb of acid at the elderly wizard.
As soon as she enters the room, Etna holds off the spell for a second, trying to find the right moment to disrupt the wizard's spellcasting.
Etna moves into the room to prepare to disrupt any casting that the Warden may do. It doesn't take long before the incantation from the warden starts as he pulls from his pouch a bit of tallow, brimstone and powdered iron and squishes the mixture together in his hands and begins to say loud archaic words. "Let my enemies burn!" he says as he finishes the incantation. Etna throws a orb of acid at the warden trying to disrupt it. The orb of acid hitting the warden squarely in the chest. This causes the warden to stumble and the ingredients fall from his palm as the spell is ruined.
After the spell is disrupted, the warden moves off to the north out of sight while cursing his misfortune all the while.
Picture of Mathias Richter, Warden of Branderscar Prison
Prison Map from Blackerly's Office
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Current Location: Branderscar Prison: Warden’s Private Chambers, Date: Oathday, Erastus 25th,(Summer) 4714 Time: 3:54 am (Day:One)
Felrin darts through the door, saying "Nice shot!" to Etna as he rushes across the room in pursuit of the warden.
Etna smiles briefly at Felrin's compliment. After everyone has moved deeper into the room, she walks over the soft carpet and readies another ball of acid.
Bow in hand and ready to fire, Erevan quickly follows the rest of the Forsaken into the room, his eyes scanning it for the magic user in charge of the prison.
Hecate winces as the door creaks open - and then jumps, startled, as Etna bursts into action, her streaming red hair almost resembling a streak of flame.
Following behind, Hecate moves cautiously into the room, wary of the warden.
Grumblejack smiles a toothy smile, picks up his club and moves into the room trying to get as close to the warden as possible to smash. "Grumblejack want to play with lil' un. Come out, come out wherever you are." he says in a mocking tone as he enters the room.
The Doctor snarls at the sight of his prey and hurries after him, staff firmly gripped in both hands.
Grumblejack rushes into the room, coming to the end of the wall and looking after the warden, the quarters are to tight for the big ogre to maneuver well, Grumblejack begins climbing over the bed while spitting obscenities at the warden.
Following behind, Hecate moves cautiously into the room, wary of the warden.
The Doctor snarls at the sight of his prey and hurries after him, staff firmly gripped in both hands. As he turns to the warden who is between the wall and the footlocker of the oversizaed bed, the good doctor introduces himself face to face with his prey.
Bow in hand and ready to fire, Erevan quickly follows the rest of the Forsaken into the room, his eyes scanning it for the magic user in charge of the prison.
Tkaara follows closely behind, watching the stair warily to make sure that no guards come racing up.
Felrin darts through the door as he rushes across the room in pursuit of the warden.
After everyone has moved deeper into the room, Etna walks over the soft carpet and readies another ball of acid.
The warden is in utter shock with all the forsaken baring down on him, his mind having to make snap decisions when he has not been caught at his best. Quickly calculating as the forsaken rush him he steps back away from the doctor and uses him and Felrin as cover from the acid orb etna is readying to throw. He pulls a scroll from his belt and begins reading it quickly.
Etna hurls the acid orb at the scroll reading caster but this time it is off the mark due to the cover provided by her comrades and the orb barely misses as it flies harmlessly past.
The warden finishes the incantation from the scroll as he looks in the direction of Felrin as he says "Sleep now, my attackers."
Felrin and Erevan immediately fall to the floor, dropping anything that they were holding. Grumblejack and the doctor still stand.
Picture of Mathias Richter, Warden of Branderscar Prison
Prison Map from Blackerly's Office
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Current Location: Branderscar Prison: Warden’s Private Chambers, Date: Oathday, Erastus 25th,(Summer) 4714 Time: 3:54 am (Day:One)
Hecate can hear the warden's chanting, and guesses from Etna's expression that the Ifrit hasn't succeeded in disrupting the spell this time; her guess is confirmed when Felrin and Erevan fall over.
Walking across to the dark-haired man, she bends down over his prone form and slaps him across the face "Time to open those golden eyes of yours, Mystery Man!"
Grinning impishly at him she vanishes out of his reach, reappearing adjacent to Felrin, ready to do the same for to him.
Move to J11 (move action)
Wake Erevan (standard action)
Shift to J10 (swift action, 5 uses remaining)
The warden speaks some arcane words as the orb of acid barely misses him and pulls forth an eyelash encased in gum arabic from his pouch, waves his hands in front og him and says "Good day"
* Poof he vanishes
"He's disappeared!" Felrin calls over his shoulder, "Shut the door!" Turning back to where the warden stood a moment before, he says, "Erevan, can you come stand here at the foot of the bed and block the way through? And keep an eye on that bed, if you see something moving on it, shoot it."
With a quick glance at the ogre, he gestures to the area beyond the bed and says, "Come help us find the warden, I think he's invisible somewhere over there. Spread your arms out wide and walk around, we'll bump into him."
"Doctor, shall we see if we can flush him out and put him down?"
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Tkaara hears that the Warden has disappeared and immediately closes the door, barring or locking it if possible. She will then call to the others.
We should put something before the door so that he cannot open it.
Grumblejack, swing that big chain, see if you can catch a warden. Doctor, you might want to help me watch the door in case the old geezer is sneakier than we think.
I assume from the pictures that there are no windows or other visible means of egress in the rom?
Tkaara will ready an action to strike should she see anything moving near the door and will keep her back to the door.
"Invisible?! Don't let him get to a window! " Hecate considers matters. "Um, do you want me to summon a fiend-hound? It could sniff him out for you."
Hecate waits for an answer before proceeding; depending on the reply, she will either lose herself in calling across the planes, or dart back towards the door and back up Tkaara.
Either cast Summon Monster I (full round action)
OR
Move to D11, secure door