"Jill won't be mad when she hears this. Take me to her." tries 'old Jacob'.
There is a moment of silence then the same voice speaks up "Wait there, I am going to tell her you have some important information she should know"
You hear the soft noise of cloths or maybe rope, then a wooden clack. Followed by some floor walking upstairs.
Perception
Kythel relays what he hears through the MindLink.
In lieu of any better plan besides simply trying to squeak through the front door, Marigold also avails herself of the wand of Invisibility and does her best to creep forward after JJ and Kythel.
Once inside she's quick to duck out of the way of the door and casts her eyes upward, looking for the place that the old trap door used to be...
"Well, if we've got a Wand of Invisibility... and we've got a Telepathic Bond among us all, eh, Meerthan?, the only thing I'd worry about in my approach is my noise. And it sounds like Kythel has a spell to cast a Silence. So, what's the plan? We approach the door, all together, invisible, and someone silenced? If I understand it correctly, there's a circle about the Silenced, so we need to understand if we're gonna let JJ try and talk his way in, or if we need to smash the door down, while things are quieted down. If it's a thieves' den, then we'll want Maxim sniffing out any and all walls and doors for snares and alarm wires."
...
As noted previously Maxim foregoes the Strider's aid of Invisibility or Telepathic Bond. Instead he uses his Wand of Displacement on himself
"Them Strider's ain't echoin' in my head. No how. No way."
He checks his new revolver loaded with pitted bullets containing venom from Giant Wasps, before eyeing the scene before them;
;
He points toward the portal, making a walking upward motion with his fingers, then moves forward into the building using his own stealth and guile;
:
Profiting your invisibility you give a look behind the new added walls through one arrow slit, and you can see the trapdoor up. It is currently open as likely one of the thieves went to deliver the message.
Maxim rushes through the shadows as JJ closes the entry doors and jumps below a small table in the reception, hoping no one has seen him.
Apparently all of the watchers are inside the reception, either invisible, disguised or hiding.
About a half minute later Maxim's displacement comes to an end but you do not hear the man descending back to the reception yet.
Suddenly another voice talks from the other arrow slit wall "Ei! Old Jacob, I am Tonny, remember me? How is Aunt Annie doing? I heard the militia guards made a raid by the Slippery Eel just past week" a female voice nearby exclaims "No no! I heard she ripped off a Taskerhill landlord with two thousand jester coins"
"No way! Those are bad asses. More probably they took her coins then called the guards" exclaims a third voice from the opposite wall. Then the woman voice says again "You have no idea Makinavaja. Bigmouth! You do not know the Taskerhills or Aunt Annie. Tell him Old Jacob! Tell this idiot!"
"Well I would know Dolores if I had not to stay on guard in this 5 by 5 stinking hole the f*&*ing whole day no one ever attacking the base and boring myself to the bones for just a couple of f&%@ing miserable silvers. Smartass noble-lover!" the other man replies and you start to hear the other ones responding almost ensemble in a chattering. At least you distinguish 5 different voices.
"Annie been keepin things close to her chest." sighs JJ.
"And by things, I'm not meaning me." he adds with an exaggerated sigh.
Any of you able to drop a fireball or similar through one of those arrow slits? he thinks.
"Busy night lads?" he asks, conversationally.
[Maybe? Over here, on this side, I can still see the trapdoor that goes upstairs! I think the person at the door went up that way, so they definitely know it's there. But at least they don't know that *we* know...]
Kythel grimaces, My spells are ill suited for this particular situation. I wish that I had chosen that spell to obscure vision with mist now...it is one I generally pray for.
[Oh! I think I know the one you're talking about! It's been a long time since I've used it but I think I can still do it if we need it.]
I'm assuming (and hoping) that Juraan still has the following kit
(from my own Hero Lab's POR file):
• +1 Amulet of Natural Armour
• Lesser Bracers of Archery (currently wearing)
• Clock of Resistance +1
• Efficient Quiver - containing Long Thorn and 60 arrows
• Hlanamm's Spear (+1 returning short spear from the Kuo-Toa backsmith long ago)
• Long Thorn (+1 bow with a situational bonus of +1 v. wyrms/worms)
• Necklace of Fireballs III: still has 1 fireball 5d6 and 2 fireball 3d6 beads
• Ring of Protection +2
• Ring of the Ram (18 charges left)
• Scroll of Silent Image
• Scroll of Wall of Fire
• Skewer (+1 Rapier)
• +1 Bracers of armour - in his handy haversack
• Wand of Colour Spray (44 charges left) - in his handy haversack
• Wand of Cure Light Wounds (3 charges left) - in his handy haversack
• Wand of Cure Light Wounds (10 charges left) - in his handy haversack
• Ioun Torch - in his belt pouch
• Weapon Blanch (silver) - in his belt pouch
Before getting within earshot of the reception area with the others, Juraan makes use of his Wand of Mage Armour to compensate for his lack of armour.
Communicating telepathically with the others, he says: "You'll see, this telepathy lark isn't so bad once you get used to it. I hope I can burn a few of these goons for what they've done to Fario! Shensen's been in quite a state over this."
Kikinnin does his level best to sneak up to the Brass Trumpet's front doors, given the connection mentally among his companions, his bror being the exception, while also taking full advantage of invisibility, for all the noise he makes. He does hold up outside the doors, letting the conversation take its course, though he's itching to hear the first signs of battle, to make his move into the Trumpet.
"Busy night lads?" he asks, conversationally.
"Yes, Flinch and Xendro just caught up one of those half-elves lurking at House Rhiavadi" then another voice adds "Jil is interrogating the poor fellow just right now. Knowing her, he is not going to pass the night"
The person who went upstairs has not returned yet, a minute of conversation has at least past and your invisibility is quickly ticking away.
"Think you could get me a hot drink?" asks JJ, stomping his feet.
"I'm not getting any younger and the night isn't getting any warmer." he asks, lounging against one of the new walls, not directly in front of an arrow slit, but at least making sure half the archers in the room won't have a shot at him.
And unless one of you do something quick, we are in trouble. Kikinn? Think you could barge down a wall, or charge down the door at the end?
Using his telepathic link for the others in the reception room:
[color=blue]"I could try to force the door open with the Ring of the Ram I have, then we can then rush before they're prepared."[/color]
[color=blue]"If everyone likes that, you can all rush in on my mark."[/color]
[color=blue]"You're also quite the convincing old fart, JJ!"[/color]
That sounds like a good idea. I'll act surprised, startled, scared etc.
[color=blue]That sounds good, JJ. Does everyone else want to rush in on my mark?[/color]
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Kikinnin grows impatient with those sitting in the interior of the Brass Trumpet.
"I thought the whole point of looking like you do is to convince those skulkers to let you in, no breaking down doors. And here, all I hear is you want to smash things down like a bull in a glassblower's shop. Maxim showed you how it gets done. Check for traps, pop the door, and keep moving forward. Or just ask them to let you in. Unless you no longer understand how they work their passwords."
Kikinnin holds out a little hope that they'll succeed with JJ's new face, but with the boy asking for bashing, he doesn't hold much. He's only glad he can't be seen easily, and that they still have the means of talking with their minds...
We are through the first door and might be through the second before they can act.. thinks JJ.
They are getting Jill as well, which may also be buying the elf some time. I'd prefer not to face her with protected archers on each of my sides though.
[color=blue]A good point, that...[/color]
[If I can get a clear shot at some of them I might be able to put them down for a bit or at least slow them down. But the rest of you would have to hustle and uh...try not to be seen or look threatening.]
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From under his table (and oblivious to the telechatter) Maxim grows increasingly impatient...
Sack this. Me gettin' cramp under a poorly made lump o' furniture whist Surabar exercises his talents o' mummery ain't part o' the plan...
He mutters words of an incantation... "Klop-klop"
:
Juraan looks through the arrow slit and sees Makinavaja at the other side, a random Last Laugh thug.
All of a sudden the door opens magically and bolts the size of an arm come flying across the doorstep!
Surprised, Old Jacob's JJ is skewered by all the bolts except for one that results deflected by his armor.
"No Old Jacob!!! Why did you open the trapped door?!"
"Ei! You saw that? How the heck that bolt was deflected like that by his shirt!?"
"I heard someone muttering something before the door opened!"
Those looking through the arrow slits see the thugs picking up their shortbows and readying arrows.
Juraan, groaning inwardly, as he does, chides Maxim with the telpathic link:
Ikke det bedste tidspunkt at overgå mig utålmodighed, Maxim!
He then calls out telepathically to Kikkinin
Kikkinin, this a good time for you to come in.
We do have an open door now!
And we needn't worry about subtlety, apparently.
Wanting to make sure at lease one side of goons can't see, Juraan casts
a spell inside the arrow slit room closest to him:
ცეცხლის კედელი
but I'm trying to keep half the reception room goons out of the fight for now..
The wall of fire will, of course, be pointed inward to the goons.
Hoping that it will appear right on the goons for more damage.
And it will be an acid damage version.
Kythel will utilize the last few moments of his invisibility to move through the open doorway.
Had Maxim agreed to allow the Strider's telepathic scrutiny link into his head he'd have been aware of the Professor's chiding...
As JJ takes the brunt of the trap, the gun-mage winces inwardly
Ach. Reckon I'll owe Surabar a snifter fir that one...
He draws his new revolver and waits for the next move.
JJ looks astonished as the door flies, not into pieces, but open. And then even more astonished as the crossbow bolts stab into him.
"I didn't do nuthin" he gasps in pain. Then, as if realising that he is about to be stuck with more than crossbow bolts, heads through the doorway.
All of a sudden Kythel and JJ dart through the newly open doors while Maxim draws revolver and Juraan brings into life a wall of acid, popping up in the room.
Shouts of terrible pain are heard from the eastern side as the thugs there burn in acid. The others seem too surprised to respond yet.
At the next room Kythel and JJ find out five battery crossbows with fishing strings attached to the now opened door. Both to the east and southwest a large mold stinking curtain conceals the way forward.
Gahh, I bet there are just more traps beyond here. There must be another way in. We should have scouted the outside first! thinks JJ as he puts his back to the wall, trying to acertain if the crossbows were reloading or not.
JJ finds out the fish strings attached to the door triggered the crossbows and need to be reloaded manually. He figures out he could pick one of them and use it as a heavy crossbow, or... throw it through a curtain if he wishes.
JJ tosses the close-by crossbow to the southwest
"Blasted thing. Wasn't me that opened the door, so why hit me eh?"
"Klop-klop"
"Oof-oof-ouch-ouch"
Kikinnin hears Juraan beckon them all forward, immediately after what sounds like several bolts loosed. Doesn't take too much math to decide forward's the way to go.
The Invisible Anvil trudges through murder alley to enter the second room, the room filled with heavy crossbows. Between the smaller and the larger curtain, the transparent beard makes his way to the opposite side of the room, expecting guests any moment from the other side of the curtain.
"Alright, I'm in. In the corner, next to the big bolt of fabric. I suggest you all do the same. Juraan or JJ, you'll need to move the curtains aside to help us pass through unseen."
Juraan dashes through the now-open doorway and positions himself by the angled doorway.
He motions to Maxim to follow and then says to Marigold, who he can't see, by telepathic link:
C'mon Marigold, we have a party to attend!
Holding Hlanamm's Spear he pulls aside the curtain nearest
and peeks in without actually standing in front of that door way.
Kythel will use the Rod to cast a Reach Cure Serious Wounds on JJ.
Pistol drawn, Maxim rises from his cover and moves into the adjoining chamber.
As he moves the gun-mage hugs the wall and shadows, mindful of keeping a low profile...
:
JJ takes one of the heavy crossbows, pulling it until it breaks out its attachment, and throws it through the curtain. The molded clothing swings with the hit, as the weapon disappears underneath. It seems to hit with something wooden in the floor.
Kikinnin opens the entrance door and goes in like a town swat until he reaches JJ.
Juraan follows in, pulling up the curtain to reveal the room is full of wooden spikes!
Still invisible, Kythel uses his spell without problems and most of JJ's wounds disappear.
Maxim rolls bellow the table and makes a quick turn through the door to stand up unseen at the other room.
Marigold, invisible and unable to reach the trapdoor without breaking through the partition wall, probably follows the other into the crossbows room.
"" you hear from the other room.
Also, you hear shouts of pain as some of the thugs burn in Juraan's acid wall, followed of the noise of another trapdoor in the reception room opening "S+@@! Climb up! Quickly! I am burning! Move your big ass from the stairs!"
Juraan casts a spell: "უხილავი მსახური"
He has the unseen servant placed in front of the curtains on the wall opposite, and commands it to hold the curtain open so he can see inside.
He then holds on to Hlanamm's spear, reader to either throw it at something or cast a spell...
He'll then quickly relay what he sees to the other by the telepathic link.
With the group all now in close proximity and the time for fighting has arrived, Kythel prays to Pharasma for an edge in battle.
Maxim moves deeper into the crossbow chamber , then pauses in readiness as Juraan's ghostly servant pulls back the remaining curtain...
As he walks past JJ he mutters to the young warrior;
"Reason you got plugged Surabar, was you was in the way... next time knock an' step aside..."
In postion he levels his new revolver loaded with poisoned bullets and flashes a hard smile;
Last laugh's gonna be on them when we start to tear it up...
:
:
JJ stands ready, not too sure where everyone else is, and not wanting to bash into them. As soon as an enemy appears though, hes ready to sew some discord!
AC = 31
HP = 160/160
Weapon Equipped = Eldgammel
Condition(s) = Blessing of Fervor, Invisible
Kikinnin waits to infiltrate the room(s) beyond the larger curtain, expecting to move through when a visible companion takes the initiative.
"Someone pull the curtain aside. Marigold, where are the stairs to the second floor? If there are low-level mooks waiting here, I'll want to get upstairs as soon as we can."
Kikinnin keeps thinking the words, instead of uttering them aloud, hoping to keep his invisibility up for as long as it's useful.
As Juraan completes his spell, the eastern curtain moves up. Despite the darkness of the room, it is clear this used to be the inn's common room. The room still contains some wooden chairs and tables, but the fireplace that once stood against the south wall has been dismantled and removed from the premises. Four timber pillars support the ceiling, and curtained alcoves line the north wall.
Kythel raises a prayer to Pharasma and all of you feel a sudden surge of fervor.
Maxim spots a thief lurking next to the curtain entrance and bangs at him with his new weapon, opening a wound on his right shoulder.
Two thieves try to hide in the shadows just after the curtain, prepared to ambush the first one in, while two more lurk below the staircase. The dwarven darkvision pierce the darkness, spotting them clear as the day, while the experienced eyes of the others see them too.
JJ, realizing the game is up steps up with unnatural swiftness to the first thug hiding in the corner, and whacks him with Alakast.
Don't let them surround me.
AC = 31
HP = 160/160
Weapon Equipped = Eldgammel
Condition(s) = Blessing of Fervor
Kikinnin can't argue with their layout. It felt like it was meant to frustrate those less nimble on their feet. Given Kythel's gift of speed, the black beard takes advantage of his invisibility to post himself close to the stairs, and slip from unseen in order to introduce Eldgammel and the furthest Laugher. "Nothing exceptionally personal here, lass. Your organization is up to no good, and if you know what's good for you, you'll drop your blade, and tell us where you're hiding Fario."
"Now, trust me when I tell you- that could have hit harder, had I marked you. If you choose war, I'll turn up the forge heat."
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The woman shouts in pain when JJ breaks her left arm with his staff.
Kikinnin pops up visible while he cuts deep on the surprised farthest woman in the room.
Spitting blood the woman answers back "You make a terrible mistake. Velior is going to take a dreadful avenge for assaulting the Last Laugh's base!"
She drops her shortbow and draws a wicked falchion she tries to smack on Kikinnin's face while her companion to the left does the same.
But Kikinnin blocks one with the shield and the other with his axe in a deed of combat prowess.
The other two thugs go for JJ swinging their falchions "You are a traitor Old Jacob!"
But they only find JJ's elven chain, whose reinforced magics deflect both attacks.
The woman then moves back through the many chairs in the room "He broke my arm!"
The other thugs continue to shout in pain as the wall of acid burns their skin. It is difficult to know what is going on as they all shout at the same time, but it seems they are trying to save themselves by climbing up.
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JJ lashes out at the woman in front of him.
"It is you who are the real traitor!"
extra attack from blessing of fervor.
+2 to hit and damage from FE
If the first attack drops her, JJ will move further into the room
'Old Jacob' shows that even an old codger can pack a whalop with his stick when angered.