Roshan half raises an eyebrow, shrugs, turns to Samirah and signs:
Then begins to check his equipment briefly before smiling at Miril with a small nod.
Roshan again smiles, but then points at Chancre and then, with that same left hand makes sneaking motions with two fingers exactly simulating the two fingers of his right hand directly before them.
Samirah smiles and nods. "A man doesn't live to be his age without knowing a thing or two."
Roshan half raises an eyebrow, shrugs, turns to Samirah and signs
She chuckles at this. "Of course. Protection, and distracting the enemies from our friends who will be enjoying the show we put on up close."
She signs at the same time:
"We'll try not to hit you with any flaming debris. Good luck out there."
Roshan signs somewhat more urgently than normal, "The mythical power granted from the dragon's passing will possibly last long enough to get myself through the 3 armies.
Unless we do find an escape tunnel or a secret entrance which we currently have no knowledge of. I likely have no way of getting the rest of you past those armies and alert sentries to the Citadel itself without a major distraction from our armies."He sighs, "I can scout first , but unless we find the ancient Dwarven door that opens under the moons light when the thrush knocks thrice, I think it would be best for us to try to silently scale the wall and take out the watch towers that house the enemy siege engines and their crew of tieflings and demons to give our armies relief from the heavy weapons fire which will rain down on them from above if we do not.
How will the siege engine towers be taken care of? Should we" he indicates Miril and himself, perhaps go for the Wizard's Perch if not help you all with the watch towers first?"
Roshan seems ready to go, but appears adamant in getting his point across and question answered before he does. There is some uncharacteristic excessive energy in the motions of his signing.
Samirah pays much closer attention to Roshan's signing. "It seems most useful for you and Miril to handle the watch towers first. I do not know what might be in the Wizard's Perch, but it seems like a good idea that we all breach it at once rather than hope you two, or three," she gestures to Chancre, "do not run into something that you need help with." She tilts her head and looks to Konstantin. "Do you agree? It sounds as though the scouts handling the watch towers would be our way in."
"Agreed, and Venobya can help us stay in contact."
Samirah looks around at the group, then nods once. "Very well." Without further ado, and without waiting for the scouts to move first, Samirah takes off toward the closest tower.
She's not attempting to hide or sneak, and in fact appears to be strutting, if it's possible to strut while running.
Without further ado, and without waiting for the scouts to move first, Samirah takes off toward the closest tower.
Roshan starts, glances at Kon, then shoots a meaningful glance at Irabeth before taking off for the tower as well. He darts ahead and quickly fades into the shadows making for the base of the tower where he has natural cover from the watchers above.
"That's as good a start signal as we are likely to have." With a few shouted commands, the Knights mount up and the recently feed army prepares to follow on foot. Samirah's running strut has a good head start which keeps her well in the lead (although Roshan does outpace her before he disappears into the shadows near the base of the shield wall. About halfway across the distance Samirah needs to traverse, you see the demon on the tower move closer top the edge, a bead of light zipping down, exploding into a massive fireball around Samirah. Slightly toasty, Samirah makes it to the base of her selected tower and begins to climb. Struttingly.
About 15 feet above you, you see what looks like it was an arrow slit, but the decay and destruction of the shield wall had widened it to the point Samirah thinks she could squeeze through.
Samirah, preferring stairs and fighting to climbing out in the open, does attempt to squeeze through the widened arrow slit in the wall. She's as prepared as she can be to go in swinging if there's someone waiting for her on the other side.
As Konstantin watches the demon attempt to incinerate Samirah, the massive silver man's gaze somehow grows icier. He mutters a few words and makes some gestures -- an odd parody of what the demon had just done -- and a ball of razor sharp ice explodes on the ramparts, shredding and freezing demon flesh.
Spider silk covered, Samirah can dash up the stairs. It takes a few rounds because of the constant turns and the increase in elevation, but she gets up as Konstain's barrage announces the start of combat on the ground.
Roshan does actually get to the top of the tower a bit before Samirah (not that anyone sees him) but only a little. The top of the tower is a 30-ft radius circle with a raised section in the center with the siege machinery on top (Samirah's stairs actual come up under this raised section). There is also a raised parapet on which the demon stalks - looking for the dark form that he could have sworn he saw climbing.
..___
./...\
|.+++.D
|.+++.|
|.+++.|
.\.S./
..-R-
***Not to scale. The tiefling are on the raised area with the siege engine (the pluses) Samirah is 5-ft lower. Roshan is on the same height as the demon and the tieflings, but on the outer ring. The demon *does* see Samirah.
You don't see Roshan, but you do see Samirah slip into the interior of the tower through what looks like an impossibly thin crack. A short while later the demon on the far tower looks to be lobbing a fireball at something on the tower which Samirah targeted.
Samirah doesn't bother to be quiet as she flails about and makes a lot of "pffft" noises in an attempt to brush and blow the webs off her face before moving up the stairs.
And once she reaches the top, she is perfectly happy to be seen, as usual. "Hello, ჩემო ძვირფასო!" She cries, waving her scimitar in greeting. She darts over to the demon to menace his feet from below.
Second hit
Chancre ticks off the siege towers on his hands. "That's a lot of towers," he says, before heading toward the tower whose demon is targeting Samirah's tower.
Roshan
magic: +2/+2
masterwork: +1
Pt.Blank:+1/+1
Deadly Aim:-2/+4
Roshan smiles as Samirah pops into view, the strands of silver spider silk that evaded her attempts to disperse them sparkling against her golden features. As she charges the demon, several cold iron blades wing past her to bury themselves within him (or bounce off his armored hide). One cold iron chakram in particular slices open the hellish monstrosities neck, spraying darkly purple ichor over the fortified walls.
It may only be a single hit of each of Roshan and Samirah that hits but they are solid blows. Gouting spurts of boiling blood burst forth from the demon's skin, coating Samirah in fire-hot blod.
With the injuries, the goat-like demon breathes out heavily - the air around the creature grows thick with burning smoke and a debilitating odor.
*no, yes, yes
Although Samirah parries both a burning blow from the brimorak's sword and his hoof... however, his first blow truly utilizes the height advantage to power through Samirah's defenses.
Roshan
magic: +2/+2
masterwork: +1
Pt.Blank:+1/+1
Deadly Aim:-2/+4
Roshan moves towards the goat demon, throwing but a single chakram along the way. The circular blade strikes deep, however, making the one attack count.
Samirah grins as she wipes away drops of the abnormally hot blood that managed to hit her face. She attacks again, seeking to keep the demon occupied while Roshan slices and dices it from a safe distance. She looks back once to wink at him.
Second Hit
The poisonous reek of the creature's smokey exhalations almost overpower Samirah - until she taps that inner core of power - the shard necklace burns with a pure white light and she is able to ignore the poison with ease.
Roshan's chakram and the first of Samirah's blows land rending cuts to the legs of the goat-beast, but he fights on with a dogged lust of fire and steel.
Samirah easily turns away the fire-engulfed blade, even as she ignores the boiling gouts of blood from the demon's wounds - the fire of its blood no match for Samirah's own - but she doesn't see the hoof that comes up to slam into her temple, burning.
Roshan
magic: +2/+2
masterwork: +1
Pt.Blank:+1/+1
Deadly Aim:-2/+4
Roshan's chakram flies true, thunking meatily into the fiendish goatman. The monk continues moving swiftly along the wall to threaten the brimorak and possibly relieve Samirah of some of it's fury, but just before he steps within range, the golden glow of Radiance lances out, slicing open the creatures belly.
Samirah shakes her head, looking dazed for just a moment before continuing her attack. It doesn't seem to occur to her that she should stop and move up to the same level as her foe.
Second hit
Chancre casts a Spiritual Weapon with the demon as its intended target.
BAD GUYS
**Human fighters lack ranged attack
GOOD GUYS
(+1 Nurah, +1 magic weapons, +2 Anevia, +4 SMITE, +1 Kon)
*Rescued army lacks ranged attack
--> Rescued Army turtles up and weathers the ranged attacks from the demons and the tieflings. The paladins smite the hell out of the dretch army dealing 13 points of damage (dretch army has 9 and is utterly defeated)
BAD GUYS
GOOD GUYS
(+1 Nurah, +1 magic weapons, +1 Kon)
(+2 Anevia, +1 masterwork weapons, +1 Kon)
--> Cultist army deals 6 points of damage to the freed army. Tieflings wiff. Paladins deal 6 points of damage to the tieflings but the hounded freed army only manages a rally.
BAD GUYS
GOOD GUYS
(+1 Nurah, +1 magic weapons, +1 Kon)
(+2 Anevia, +1 masterwork weapons, +1 Kon)
--> Cultish army wiffs. Tieflings deal 4 points to Freed (up to 10 dmg). Freed army shaky - holds due to bravery. Paladins deal 5 and Freed deal 4 to the tieflings (total damage is 15). Tieflings out of the count.
BAD GUYS
GOOD GUYS
(+1 Nurah, +1 magic weapons, -1 lay on hands on Freed, +1 Kon)
(+2 Anevia, +1 masterwork weapons, +1 Kon)
--> Freed army defends against cultists. Paladins heal Freed army 3 points (down to 7) and deal 15 points of damage to the cultists. Freed army is too busy defending to attack.
MORALE FOR CULTISTS
And they break.
At the far tower, the surprisingly quickly moving Chancre engages the fireball-throwing demon from the ground. Up go force rapiers to strike and harry the creature and in return he throws fireballs at Chancre - who proves unexpectedly nimble. As the massive five army battle draws to an end, you think he was victorious - sooty and burt but victorious.
On the nearer tower, you see the dark robed figure of Roshan throwing weapons at the demon, who is slashing and kicking at something unseen at his hooves. There is a flare of brilliant light from the roof of the tower, the flash of a scimitar and eventually the demon falls dead from the parapet.
On the ground, Irabeth directs the first volley of arrows at the wretched dretch army. The tiefling siege engines, the demon's spells, and the bows of the enemy aim not for the well-armored and trained paladins, but instead the freed army - still weak from their caputure. Although your new men are beset from a horde of foes, they don't flee, instead trusting in the shields you provided for them. The divinely touched arrows of the paladins do want was needed, striking down every single demon on the field, leaving the bodies to start to decay into the muck of evil.
As the two armies engage in melee, the demonic-worshiping berserkers of rip into their recent prisoners, creating great casualties. Although the paladins manage to take down one of the siege engines on a tower, the battle seems poised to go either way.
Until Irabeth (and one of those well placed iceballs from Konstantin) rally your forces. Although the final siege engine takes a total on your freed allies, they surge forward - helping the paladins take out the final tower and the remainder of the tieflings.
Leaving just the remainder of the demonic cultist on the field. They fight viciously, but are no match for the ordered precision of the Kenabres knights and flee the field - leaving Citadel Drezen in the hands of the Fifth Crusade!
Chancre moves about, assisting with the wounded. Helping them into Channel range of the Clerics, and laying on hands / healing as needed until he is pretty well out of healing.
"Put some alcohol on that, you'll feel better," is a common refrain.
"Shall we go stand on the parapet and look heroic?" Samirah quips with a broad smile. She makes her way up the stairs to look out as the victory plays out below them.
Anyone looking up at the parapet would see Samirah waving cheerfully, and possibly also dragging Roshan out into the light so she can wave his arm around for him.
The golden blur of Radiance lances around the field regardless of distance until the fighting is done, then Roshan humors his fiery young companion (at least for now) and waves to those below. He almost manages a smile.
In addition to Chance's aid, the cache of half supplies that the group rescued from the old Sarenrae temple becomes crucial in saving many of the fighters who would have died waiting for personal aid.
During the large battle, Konstantin caught sight of Pan darting amid the more heavily armored fighters to drag those to injured to move. At one point he sees her bypass a woman who hear just fallen to drag someone further out without a pause. And then doesn't go back out, even when one of the paladins points to the fallen woman.
You see the paladin in charge of the medical unit in a heated discussion with, actually more at, Pan. One thing in particular stands out, "You didn't even check to see if she was alive!"
One the armies are settled in a defensive position around the citadel, you are approached by a confident group of your allies. Irabeth, Anevia, Aravashnial, Sosiel, Aron, Nurah, and Pan.
"I'm confident that my men will be able to hold what we have fought for," a pause then Irabeth finishes with a shrug, "unless a balor or commando group of maralith teleport in. But it doesn't look like those in charge of Drezen had been eager top inform their superiors that the were failing."
Samirah looks spunky and full of energy, even with a roughly hoof-shaped bruise on the side of her face that's only obvious because she's tied her hair back with a ribbon.
"I have the same confidence, Irabeth. And I think it wise to assume there will always be some demon that will teleport in and cause problems, as that has been the case the entire time I have been back on this Plane." She pauses, looking out into the distance before returning her gaze to their allies. "So, next steps... sealing the World Wound?" She grins.
Irabeth shakes her head, points to Drezen Citadel, "Clear the stronghold of the worst of the worst here and find the Sword of Valor." Almost under her breath, "And some of us will be praying to the goddess that the demons haven't corrupted it."
Anyone looking up at the parapet would see Samirah waving cheerfully, and possibly also dragging Roshan out into the light so she can wave his arm around for him.
Konstantin waves back, sternly.
"Eradicate the leadership," Konstantin says, nodding. "This is our next step."
"Oh, well, yes. First the citadel, then the Wound. Of course." She nods. "What happens if the Sword has become corrupted? Can we simply not bless it back to... normal?"
Konstantin waves back, sternly.
"Oh, well, yes. First the citadel, then the Wound. Of course." She nods. "What happens if the Sword has become corrupted? Can we simply not bless it back to... normal?"
Aravashnial starts to pull out something (you think maybe chalk) ready to start an instructive dissertation on magical items, but Sosiel speaks first. "Sadly, it doesn't work that way." He shakes his head, "While it might be possible to minimize what they do... it is so much easier to corrupt than purify."
Aron, on the far side of the group, scuffs the ground with a nervous foot, "We should just get going."
Pan, not quite meeting the other's eyes, shakes her head.
This time with actual annoyance creeping into the tone, "No, what?"
Pan swallows, "She was dead."
A pause, "You can't know that. You didn't get within twenty feet of her and that is something that you need to actually know not just think."
"She was dead."
The man talking to Pan closes his eyes, looking ... frustrated.
Samirah looks as though she's about to respond, but stops herself and nods instead. "Well, then I hope the same as Irabeth, that we do not find it corrupted."
At Aron's comment, she points a finger at the fidgety young man. "I am in full agreement. Going now means giving them less time to regroup."
Konstantin nods in agreement, gazing at the citadel appraisingly. "I have plenty of magic left. I am ready."
Konstantin pauses, his tone softening. "Our emotions are at a breaking point, but never let us lose sight of what we have done today. And it was all of us, acting as one heart, one hand, one sword, one spell. We have won the day because of every one of us. And we will continue to do so, as long as we remain united."
Chancre shrugs.
"I can hunt. What are we looking for?"
Aron, on the far side of the group, scuffs the ground with a nervous foot, "We should just get going."
Roshan levels a steady gaze at Aron before catching Miril's eye. He raises an eyebrow.
Aron, on the far side of the group, scuffs the ground with a nervous foot, "We should just get going."Roshan levels a steady gaze at Aron before catching Miril's eye. He raises an eyebrow.
"I'm ready," reports Míril. "Shall we scout ahead like normal?"
"I'm ready," reports Míril. "Shall we scout ahead like normal?"Aron, on the far side of the group, scuffs the ground with a nervous foot, "We should just get going."Roshan levels a steady gaze at Aron before catching Miril's eye. He raises an eyebrow.
"Good idea. Take Venobya, if you will." Konstantin nods to the gyrfalcon, who regards Miril imperiously.
Míril nods to Konstantin in agreement. Realizing her slim shoulders won't make quite the perch Konstantin's broad shoulders do, she offers her arm to the gyrfalcon.
"Come along if you're coming," she says to the raptor.
Aron, on the far side of the group, scuffs the ground with a nervous foot, "We should just get going."
Whenever he gets the chance, Roshan scrawls a note, then approaches Aron.
"Something seems to be bothering you. Anything you want to get off your chest? I am a good listener." Unlike when he is signing, his face is nearly expressionless.
Venobya flaps her wings once to move the short distance from Konstantin's shoulder to Míril's arm. As her talons wrap almost painfully around her arm, she notices that the shoulder of the tunic Konstantin wears is a mess of rended fabric.
The scouts find two ground level entrances, the main door and a small area on the west side of the citadel where the wall has been damaged enough to allow a human to squeeze through. Additionally, the wizard's perch remains standing onthe Northwest side of the citadel. Venobya takes to the air once she is certain neither Míril and Roshan no longer require her supervision.
"The small area on the west side would likely be the most prudent entrance. No need to climb, and not the front door."
The group slips in through the western breech in the walls of the citadel - and are greeted by an empty stone room, a bit of sickly chartreuse moss growing near where water is able to trickle in and the exit secured by a locked iron door.
A locked iron door which Miril is able to open in mere seconds.
which leads to an obvious choke point in the dwarven-built citadel, multiple iron door radiating out. The first to your left proves to lead to a small room, no windows and no broken wall, but otherwise similar to your entrance.
The next door leads to a hallway, multiple doors (most of which prove to be more small rooms), all in pitch blackness. Not a single light source illuminates the well constructed interior.
More twisting boltholes and chokepoints - all entrances and exists secured by iron doors that swing closed behind your passage and automatically relock.
At the left side end of the first hallway, you find a room that must have served as a guard point, although it has been cleared of movable furniture, benches are still carved into the walls - and it has another door leading along the exterior wall of the citadel to a pair of rooms - one bare and one filled with a small armory which has a door on the far side leading deeper into the citadel.
Although there are numerous standard weapons in the vault, there are a few items of higher value that stick out to you (espcially as some are magical in Konstantin and Aravashnial's sight - with Aravashnial able to assess quickly in his academic manner): an adamantine battleaxe (engraved with dwarven runes), 50 +1 arrows, an arrow of human slaying, +2 breastplate, +1 keen longsword, mw composite longbow (Str +2), mw flail, mithral heavy shield, and +2 elven chain.
Perception DC 30
Konstantin looks over the finds and appears to make note of a few environmental details, but apparently nothing important enough to bring up.
Samirah moves her eyes over the items in the vault, pausing only to touch a few of them briefly before moving on.
In the hallway, Míril cocks her head. "I feel a slight breeze. Probably ventilated from outside," she says.
At the first choke-point, Roshan's ears twitch and Radiance appears in his hand. He closes his fists and his forearms cross, tapping together. He touches his right ear and points to the door to the right taking up a defensive stance facing in that direction before returning fully upright and pointing again in that direction.
In the empty room, Roshan kneels and touches some scratches that appear to have left behind gold residue.