Darsis frowns at the ring,
"Anyone know what this eagle with the scrolls means? It looks like some sort of emblem. I don't suppose its magical? What is the plan now? We have killed most of them, why don't we just finish the job? I would rather be the pursuer than the persued."
You've done well in killing that old pig, but now that you have, perhaps it's time to leave the pen...
"Yes," Lysander mutters aloud, then looks at the group as he puts the bow back over his shoulder. "That is, I think it prudent to leave at this point. With no commander, these fools will run about as though headless, and any pursuit will be less capable, and likely less quick as they mourn this loss."
"While I hope so, we don't know that we've killed most of them Darsis. There are probably soldiers in all the towers as well as the gate keep. If we can see which side of the island the beach is on, we can sneak to the wall there and try to use the window."
Mavro moves over and, wordlessly, opens up his palm in front of Darsis and gives his greatest approximation of a pleading face. It comes off looking fairly insolent.
If given the ring Mavro casts detect magic on it.
Afterwards, Mavro gathers up the scrolls, snatches a pillow case and, along with the three worthwhile books he found downstairs, placing them all inside. He grabs the chest and hoists it over to where the others are talking.
"I admit I'm unfamiliar with the more sedentary type, but I believe you call this "financing." We'll need a basis to start out with since we are now wanted men and woman... again. I may not be the strongest, but I'll lug these things around. Best to leave our more able fighters... able to fight.
Anyway. Our objective should be getting up to one of the towers. We can figure out what we're doing once we're there. Tactical hearsay is no tactics at all."
"Aye. We're in a tower. Lets keep going up."
The ring seems nonmagical. It appears that the only values of this ring is its construction, as well as the strong sentimental value it gave to the mage who possessed it.
Darsis surveys the area,
"See if you can find any sort of plans for this prison, I would expect the warden to have some sort of map. Such a thing could prove useful."
Mavro moves to the office and opens the door, searching the room for a time, looking for valuables.
In the warden's office is a beautiful oak desk and chairs. On top of the desk, a large map is folded neatly. Opening it up, it shows the surrounding moors and the group's destination: Old Moor Road.
The drawers of the desk are full of things such as ink and quills and paper and the like, but there is one drawer that is locked...
Mavro rolls out the map and studies it for awhile. He point to a long, sinuous road.
"There. That's our destination. Once we find a way out of here, we should have no problem finding a route that'll keep us away from enemy patrols or guardsmen should our exploits be discovered.
Alas, there's no map of our current location. There is a way onto the walls from here I think, however. The window should work for that, and it'll be better than trying to cross open ground flanked by guard towers."
"I agree with Mavro. Lets get over the walls and be gone from this wretched place. We've had our revenge on the Sergeant and the Warden, and a few innocents besides."
Darsis scowls, but nods,
"Very well, then I suggest those of us skilled with bows cover the others while they descend first."
Lysander nods and draws his bow, testing the string once more, frowning at the quickness with which he dispatched the wizard. A waste of resources--the blade would have done fine. Use your head, boy, or you'll die here just like the pigs you've slaughtered already.
"Perhaps someone to watch the stairs would also be wise," the soulknife says, nodding at the entrance. "But I'm skilled with a bow--I can cover the climbers."
The ring does not open the lock. It doesn't seem like that well-made of a lock, though- average, at best.
The Staircase ends on this current level, though there are indentations on the sides of the walls where it went up before, and a hatch in the roof. Perhaps some ropework could get you up there. Or you could leave via window. The battlements seem to be on the level of the second story. One window shows the 80 foot drop from the window to jagged rocks and murky waters down below. Fast currents look to sweep up anyone able to survive these perilous heights.
"Something tells me we're going to have to kill our way around to the gate keep, this side obviously isn't going to work. Maybe if we dress up as guards again, we can walk over there on the battlements without ALL the other guards noticing."
Darsis puts a hand to his ear,
"What's that we should clearly kill them all? I agree. Lets just kill them all and stroll out care free. I would rather break someone else's neck than my own."
"Whatever, lets just keep moving." Katrin dresses as much as possible like a guard, to fool anyone observing from far away. Then she goes down to the second story window and exits onto the west side battlements after everyone else has gathered.
Lysander keeps his bow out as they walk, an arrow on the string but not pulled back. Even if you're seen, just say you heard someone yelling--or let the other guards say the alarm was raised.
Mavro clambers out the window after his blood god's avatar, keeping hands on the chests of loot at all times.
"HEY! HEY, EXCUSE ME!" One of the other guards is running over to talk, though it's clear they can't see the group yet. "What are you doing out here, guards?!"
If he gets any closer, it's quite probable he'll recognize you're not actually guards. However, he's not that close to the group, having to yell quite loud to talk to them.
Mavro doesn't even address the man, turning his head it shant be seen by the interloper.
"The rest of you are, or at least may, pass for human, but he cannot see me lest we raise the alarm."
Lysander takes a breath and smooths his tabard. You're really trying to talk your way out? Let's hope this works, boy.
Raising a hand, Lysander inflects his voice to a lower pitch, and gives it a slight nasal whine. "We're out guarding the walls to get a better view--I heard a shout that there's trouble. You know what's going on?"
Sense Motive
Yeah, he doesn't believe you at all.
"GUARDS! SUSPICIOUS PEOPLE, COMING OUT OF THE TOWER!"
Lysander:
Mavro:
Katrin:
Gunter:
Taemon'dow:
Darsis:
Guard:
Aspros:
Group A:
Taemon'dow
Gunter
Guard
Group B:
Katrin
Mavro
Aspros
Lysander
Darsis
You should have just killed him, the voice hisses in Lysander's head.
"I know," he thinks.
A vicious smile appears upon Darsis's lips as he says,
"Now can we kill them all?"
"I would say that that's our current position, yes."
"Everyone has to die sometime. Guess their time is today."
The guard carefully lines up a shot to return at Taemon'dow, hoping to return the blow.
And he fails quite poorly at that. Clearly luck is not on his side today.
Meanwhile, it seems his scream has not been heard... yet. Then again, the guards may simply just be readying themsleves to attack.
Lysander swiftly nocks an arrow and returns fire.
Katrin also pulls out her bow, and sends a shaft sailing over towards the alert guard. "Hope he dies quick!" she says to no one in particular. Her arrow goes sailing harmlessly over the guard's head. She grumbles under her breath before reaching for another shaft.
Mavro folds his arms across his chest, standing unmoving in his position.
"I think it more likely we'll all die of boredom before somebody actually hits somebody."
He turns again and regards the approach on the battlements facing the gate.
"However, we must still make sure we're not surprised by any actual assault."
Darsis pulls his bow and nocks an arrow, but fairs as badly as Katrin and Lysander narrowing his eyes in irritation and readying for another shot.
There seems to be some yelling or screaming in the prison, though from what is unknown. Most likely it's related to the groups exploits or the massive number of corpses they've left behind on their escape. Either way, nobody else seems to be attacking... for now.
Taemon'dow quickly lines up another shot, planning to stick another arrow in the guard, right next to the first one.
Taemon'dow, still the only successful one to hit anyone in this combat, manages to hit the guard. Deciding this is not his time, he runs away from the group, though he doesn't quite get very far.
Katrin lines up her shot and fires another arrow at the retreating guard.
As the guard disappears from his vision around the tower, Lysander moves in the direction the group had been heading. Step slowly, sift through your allies, pay attention to the sound of your boots on the ground...
He pauses outside of the next tower.
Darsis moves back to where he can get a decent shot at the guard and fires again, cursing at his poor marksmanship.
The guard falls to the ground, clearly dead.
Across the prison, signal horns are blowing in deliberate rythyms, a pattern clear but unknown. But there doesn't seem like there's much response. Many of the guards are already slain, so who will respond to this call? If the group moves quickly, perhaps they won't have to deal with any more guards at all.
Seeing the guard fall, Katrin continues around the top of the wall towards the gate keep. When she reaches the first guard tower she will pause to wait for the others.
As the guard falls Taemon'dow stows his bow and then draws his sword and shield. He then rushes after Katrin to investigate the guardhouse. As he moves, he strains his ears, trying to locate precisely where the signal horn is sounding from.
Darsis follows on trying to place the horn.
The horn is coming from the keep, not from the gatehouse. In fact, there are very few noises at all coming from the gatehouse...
It's a simple task to enter the towers from the battlements. In fact, one has to go through them to go through, doors being on both sides. Inside the towers are rickety old staircases leading down to the bottom and up to the peak of the towers.
Taemon'dow looks about the gatehouse to see if there are any foes about. Seeing none, he turns to his comrades.
"So, out through the gatehouse and continue killing them all, or should we try and find a suitable place to scale down the wall from up here?"
Mavro does his best to keep up with the group, lugging his chest of loot with him. At the sound of the horn he turns and listens closely.
"Blast, did we leave one of the bastards alive? Pah, no matter. We must keep moving if we ever hope to see the light of day again."