Muchorak nods at Marak's comment and moves to Romon, "Can you climb the wall and brace your rope and hook for the others?"
Romon sizes up the wall. He glances over at Kallie then shrugs nonchalantly, "I can climb it. But it would be a lot easier if we tossed the hook and set it first."
Romon looks over the wall and picks his route. He sheds his pack and pulls out his rope and grapple. "Somebody carry the pack up after me." He positions Muchorak and Inikai or Marak to hoist him up before beginning the climb. From their shoulder height he's starting almost halfway up the wall. "Muchorak, you're next right."
(If applicable) He drive a dagger into a likely spot on the wall at about waist height.
Placing the shank of the grapple between his teeth, he reaches up, finds his finger holds, and begins the climb. At the top he hesitates before reaching over the wall, briefly imagining a lucky guard slicing his fingers off. He quells a shudder then places his fingertips on top of the palisade and chins himself up for a peek over the wall.
Muchorak hoists Romon up then begins his own ascent. He will come up next to Romon as he peers over the wall, and wait on his go ahead before climbing over.
Flowing to Gnome form, Ali waits her turn then scampers up the wall, using the rope to aid herself.
Romon climbs swiftly the Stockades crude walls no match for his skill in scaling such surfaces..he fixes the rope and the rest of you swarm up and over onto roof of the nearest building which also serves as a parapet to man the walls from...open watch towers stand to east and west (at C13 and C15)though both at first glance appear to be unmanned A weed filled courtyard(C16) is the only other real feature you can see for now
Above the stockade to the north East a single gull flaps awkwardly...
As he crosses over the top with Muchorak, Romon exults silently "Stupid marks, these goblins." He waves the others up and helps them over the wall. As they clear the wall he points them toward the nearer (east) tower. After everyone has cleared the wall he recovers the grapple, coils the line, and stows both in his pack.
Muchorak keeps watch as Romon assists the others onto the roof, once all are there he speaks softly, "To the east tower? or do we wish to enter the courtyard below?"
"Be careful!" Kallie had whispered to Romon before he made his way up the wall. She nervously looked at the others and found an excuse to let someone else go before her when she could, but when her time to go up came and with fewer of her friends on the ground with her, she hurried to make her way up with them.
When she caught her breath after such strenuous activity, she looked about the courtyard with a hint of relief. She had expected to see human skeletons near spits in the courtyard.
Kallie pointed at the tower when Muchorak put his question forth. "W-we'll be exposed and vulnerable in the courtyard, perhaps. Getting inside and keeping ourselves hidden may be the best option for now." She had steadied her voice, but her fingers still shook.
Romon grins and winks at Kallie as he helps her over the edge as if to say, "Isn't this fun?"
WHen Muchorak asks, Romon replies, "Yes, the tower. Let's get out of sight." Romon glides over to the tower in question. When he reaches it holds up a hand for everyone to wait a moment while he listens for signs of life inside.
When he hears nothing, he'll try the door and look inside.
Remaining in Gnome form, Ali looks about, testing the air with her senses she also tries to determine what may be wrong with the strangely moving gull and then follows the others.
Inikai is relieved for a moment that they have not drawn arrow fire while standing atop the wall. But the feeling of vulnerability is nearly overwhelming.
"Let's get inside where we are not as exposed."
Ali
The rest of you make it to the base of east tower with no incident an open stairway runs up to the platform
Everyone except the suddenly deaf Romon
...But the feeling of vulnerability is nearly overwhelming.
"Let's get inside where we are not as exposed."
Romon mentally registers Inikai as a man of some sense, but makes no outward sign.
Everyone except the suddenly deaf Romon
** spoiler omitted **
Weapons drawn Muchorak will motion up the stairs to Romon, if Romon proceeds up the stairs he will follow stealthly.
If there's noone inside, Romon accepts Muchorak's silent invitation and steps onto the stairs (Or inside) moving quicklt and quietly.
Aki pulls on Big Bears arm saying with some confusion and concern "Something not right with bird. It leg be tied down so it no can fly away. And it look like someone try to throw stones at it. Why they do that? It be nasty goblins maybe? They look like they be outside this big house maybe?"
Muchorak looks at Wolfspirit, "Most likely it is the Goblins, but we must deal with this first Wolfspirit." His face saddens knowing this is important to her, "We will deal with it before we leave this place I assure you."
Quickly and quietly Romon and Muchorak ascend the stairs..bursting in through the trapdoor and catching the two goblins in the tower totally by surprise.
Actions for the surprise round please gentlemen.
Dragonshit, guards! Cursing himself for not having his sword in hand, Romon moves forward to engage the lefthand goblin, drawing his shortsword on the way.
Muchorak will attack the closest Goblin with his drawn weapons, hoping to only have to make a five foot step and getting both swings on the creature...
If Muchorak eliminates one of the creatures; in common, "Silence or your fate will be the same."
Muchorak cuts down one of the goblins...these ones are slightly larger than average..and the second,being unarmed, surrenders immediately.
It would appear that the goblins were playing cards
Ali, still in Gnome form, looks and sniffs around the tower.
When Inikai hears the sounds of combat from above he stops himelf from speaking. Instead he looks around to see if the noise attracted any notice.
Romon looks at the repulsive little creature. Until his last caper in Magnimar he had always prided himself pulling off jobs without bloodshed. In and out, quick and silent, no one the wiser. Smooth and professional. A guard might get knocked out, but in a day or two he'd be no worse for wear.
This was different. There might be dozens of goblins in the stockade. If they left this bit of offal behind and it got loose, it would bite hard. One shout of alarm and they would all be dead.
Unconsciously, his hand drifts to his dagger hilt. He remains silent. He hopes someone else will say the obvious.
Muchorak moves to the goblin, looks to Romon, "can you bind him?" Then back to the goblin, "How many are there here?"
The goblin quails under the steely gaze of the Shoanti Ranger...
"Lots oh yes lots ...Chief Ripnugget mighty chieftain...lots of warriors ...you best run away now Shoanti Man or you be food for next feast..or worse chief give you to the white woman...she bad medicine..very bad"
romon
Romon looks at the sling Marak offers, and around the room. He would hate to cut his own line for binding goblin. A waste of fine rope. While considering what to do he watches the goblin closely.
When it answers Muchorak, the thief's eyes narrow. "He's not telling the truth. Not all of it." With a mixture of guilt and relief, he slides his dagger from its sheath. Maybe the goblin will give me an excuse ...
Inikai looks around nervously and wishes that he could understand the savage creature's language. He wonders if it is stalling them here so that his fellows can sneak up on them en mass.
Muchorak places his blades in a scissor formation around the goblins neck, "My friend here see's lies in you, speak the truth and tell me of this white woman!"
Muchorak places his blades in a scissor formation around the goblins neck, "My friend here see's lies in you, speak the truth and tell me of this white woman!"
The goblin is suitably cowed yet remains strangely confident in someway.
"White woman lives down below...strong she is in the love of the mother...soon all round here belong her..humans gone, elves gone, gwarachi gone..only goblins will rule here chief says"
for those who speak goblin
Closing the blades to knick the creatures neck, "Then what of the white woman, if all humans be gone then so shall she."
Ali, still in Gnome form, growls at the yucky goblin. She doesn not understand his words, but she can easily feel the animosity between her kind and goblin kind.
"...she be one with the mother...she be changed..the mother gives her great power...when human town dead then white woman will be human no more"
Muchorak looks to the others, "Does any of this make sense to any of you?"
|
Marak thinks aloud in a monotone, as if reading from a text to a group of students, "Goblins revere Lamashtu, the Mother of Monsters, as their own mother, and I imagine that this pale woman is a fellow servant of Lamashtu, perhaps blessed with her power, as a priest of some sort.
It is also possible, that, like the unfortunates whose bones we found below the town, her body may have been warped by Lamashtu's blessings, so that she is becoming increasingly inhuman in appearance."
"I think his mistress means to use the people of Sandpoint as a sacrifice to Lamashtu. In return she probably expects to be transformed into something inhuman. Tsuto's letter referred to partial changes that she has undergone already." Inikai looks to Marak who he expects would know more of these things.
Growing bored with all the talk of things of which she understands but little, Ali begins to search (1d20+6=23) (+2) around the room and looks out the window, trying to see the seagull again and determine what the nasty yucky Goblins are doing to her poor animal sister/brother. Her patience on waiting to rescue the bird Ali unconsciously begins to steadily growl under her breath.
Shalelu nods grimly at Inakai's words.."It would appear so..in which case it is imperative that we deal with this threat quickly..."her gaze follows Ali's..
"We can make a start by dealing with whatever is outside the walls after we neutralise the guards in the other tower"
Romon stares blankly as his companions discuss Lamashtu and transforming white women and letters. He sidles over to Kallie as the discussion progresses and whispers, "What are they talking about?"
Shalelu's suggestion to take out the other guard tower gets Romon's attention. It sounds like a good way to get moving again, look less ignorant, and dodge personal responsibility regarding the goblin captive.
"Good idea, Shalelu. We should keep moving. Why don't you, me and Ali go over and take care of that?"
Muchoraks' attention turns back to the goblin resting between his blades, his thoughts flash to his homeland...in situations as this the answer was simple; slay the beast. However he didn't know these new civilized lands that well. "What shall we do with this one?"
Muchoraks' attention turns back to the goblin resting between his blades, his thoughts flash to his homeland...in situations as this the answer was simple; slay the beast. However he didn't know these new civilized lands that well. "What shall we do with this one?"
Inikai does not see Marak's gesture and says to Muchorak in Shoanti: "Aren't we going to kill the goblins or did you promise them their lives?"
Muchorak nods at Inikai's words, "Thoe mae breen."
And Muchorak scissor's his swords to remove the goblins head.
You step away as the blood fountains from the stump of the goblins neck..everyone bar Marek escapes being spattered with the foul green blood.Kallie gives Muchorak a look of horror at the casual way he ended the goblins life
"Yes lets move on." Muchoraks' expression clear that he didn't enjoy the previous task.