Vinnick approaches, longsword still in his hand.
Tell me, how many of you are left on duty? Where is the Sargent at this time?
He tosses the key over"I don't know a dozen guys maybe, sergeants likely gone to get the boys playing cards at the gatehouse. Donnu how but he seems to know something was up and he told us to come check his office."
Sounds like he sacrificed you then. That is in keeping with what I know of this man. If you truly want to live you are going to have to be useful to us. You might even make some coin in the process. I have an idea where you lead some "captured" prisoners out that door. What do you say?
"But how would we hide our weapons and armor?" Cori asks. "If we walk out with them, they'll know it's a lie, whether or not the Big Guy stays out of sight."
"Let's see how loyal these guards are to their fellows, and use this one as a meat shield."
"Whatever you say but that wont get you very far"
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Slid says "We should scout first. We need to know if they heard the fight just now." As he talks, he walks into the sergeant's office to check the unopened chest. First, he checks for traps, then works it calmly.
He continues talking as he works. "I've thought of many deceptions we could try, but the sergeant knows our faces, since he branded us all, remember? We're not going through without a fight, it seems. Unless there's a way around it.", he says looking inquisitively at the surrendering guard.
Cloaks could hide our weapons for a short time and some of us could dress as guards. He gestures to indicate the uniforms. [/b]I only look to delay a general alarm. Even a few seconds while the other guards question what they see might be priceless.[/b]
Turning back to the prisoner he commands Sketch for us where we are, the location of guard posts the exits and where the sergeant is. now.
"So, we throw some guard cloaks on, let this guy walk near the front as a 'familiar face' and the rest of us walk in formation around Grumblejack like he's the prisoner. That could buy us a little time," Cori responds.
Slip finds no trap and gets to work on the chest but accidentally triggers something and a small dart is fired at him.
At fear slid fears poison but the dart actually starts to burn up and emanate fire instead.
Vinnick looks to the guard and speaks.
only 12 guards... Is that counting the ones playing cards? Of course, you realize that if you lie to us you will die, I promise you though, aid us, and you will yet set foot outside this prison again.
While the others talk to the guard, she hacks the necks of the bodies, and searches for valuable items.
She stands on the closest dead body, with her bloody scimitar in front of her, she speaks sternly, We need to get out of here. Speaking with soon to be corpse is just wasting precious time.
What did you find their Slid?
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As Slid works on the chest, he answers Stanislav with "A trapped chest, it seems. Stings with fire, you know? I'm trying to see the mechanism. Hopefully it discharged, but I wanna be sure and not get stung again. Anyway, I'm gonna keep trying, as usually when people put traps in their chests, there's usually something worth the effort inside."
He speaks like an expert, finally happy to work on something he's good at.
Arielle gets herself back up on her feet after she regains consciousness and tries to catch back up on what just happened.
"Can we just ask the fastest route out of here that is the least guarded?"
Arielle glances at Vinnick, the only other caster right now. "I'm just going to assume I owe you a thank you."
"As long as you're useful, you get to stay alive," Cori tells the remaining guard. "Anything you might want to tell us that would help get us out of here? Fair warning, though, if you walk us into a trap, you'll find yourself drowning in your own blood before one of your comrades lands a single blow or arrow on one of us."
The more of us standing the better the chances we make it out, besides, I was raised to act gentlemanly after all. It is hardly becoming to leave someone, much less a lady, to bleed out on the ground. I just hope you would do the same for me if able. He gives a small grin as he replies.
Only way out of here is past the two big doors that lead into the courtyard beyond that is the gatehouse (were blackerly and most of the remaining guards are) and then past that is the only bridge leading to and from the mainland at the end of which is another smaller gatehouse with a few more guards.
Door to your left leads to barracks and armory.
Slid tinkers with the chest for a while and gets it open and finds 2400 gold in 100 gold bags and a dozen flasks of whiskey.
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Slid exclaims as he gets the chest open "Heeeeey, look what I found!" Then, he makes sure there isn't a secret compartment underneath.
After coming out of the room with success all over his face, Slid tosses a whisky bottle to Grumblejack saying "Like this stuff big guy?" After thinking for a while, he says to all "It might be worthwhile to bring some of these bottles along. It could help setting up a trap to thin out their numbers."
Seeing Slid carrying plenty bags, Is that the gold bastard Blackerly made off his guards selling dirt cheap whiskey?
Pointing her scimitar at the guard, Perhaps the guard would like some of his gold back that Blackerly took from him, instead of being a corpse...
Arielle will reply back to Vinnick with a smile. "We still have to make our way out of this place. I may yet have a chance to repay you."
When Slid comes back with the gold and whiskey, Arielle remarks, "Now really isn't the time for a drink. We still need to get past the gatehouse to the bridge."
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Slid looks Arielle with a cross look and says "Not the time for us, but taking one bottle to the guards can be very useful if we can get them to drink."
He, himself had never liked the taste of alcohol. Besides, it affected his awareness and he learned a long time ago that alertness can be priceless.
"Well...it's decision time. We've gotta move. If we're not going to kill this one, I suggest Grum here carries him over one shoulder, and use him for a shield if any arrows come at him." She looks at Grumblejack. "You're the biggest target from an archer's perspective, after all. We'll see how much fraternity exists between these guards soon enough. If they kill him, his corpse'll still offer some cover, at any rate."
"How about we try putting on the dead guards cloaks? Sure we won't pass up close, but if we give them something else to look at other than us, maybe they won't notice until it is too late? For example, maybe we could be pretending to chase down Grumblejack and yell out to them to help us capture him? We might be able to take a couple out in surprise before they realize we aren't guards."
Good call Slid. I am with you on this. Glad you are giving up on slinking down the wall and rowing away. That leaves the front gate. And we no longer have the element of surprise. Cori has a good idea for Grumble. I say we heal him up as much as we can. No sense hording healing before a fight. We all need to be at full strength for our best chance. Does everyone agree?
So were going with the wounded ogre plan?The guards don't have cloaks but they have tabards I guess you could trow those on but it wont fool them for long the guards here all know each other and there are no women among the guard.
You open the large doors and look out into the courtyard, the way looks clear for now. You see the gatehouse ahead and you also see a wooden building in the corner you think it a stables at first but you hear the barking of dogs coming from inside.
Cori sheathes her sword and pulls out her bow, figuring that there may be archers to deal with.
The gatehouse door opens and Blackerly comes out flanked by 4 guards.
You spot several guards with crossbows getting in position up above as well.
"There no way out, surrender quietly and I'll grant you quick painless deaths and that's the best you can hope for at this point." says Blackerly
You notice however that men with Blackerly don't seem to steady on their feet.
Your options are fight / close the door and try to run.
"I don't know from magic," Cori says, "but I'd wager those bottles of whiskey would burn nicely, especially if I throw this, too." She taps a finger on the vial of alchemists' fire on her bandolier.
"Let's go ahead and rip the dog patches off of the cloak. Those guards look like they might be ready to flee if given a reason and big dog running towards them could me that reason. Plus we should go ahead and summon them before the guard loose their dogs on us, so they are here and ready."
We've come for you Blackerly. And we have the coin you've stolen from your men. Stanislav slaps a full purse at his side. He's been making money off you for years, giving you poor gear and worse rations and extra shifts while he grows fat and rich.
Map is still pinned at the top. Your at the double door that leads to the courtyard. Blackerly came out of the building directly across like 30 feet from you. He is behind the fountain his men takes position on both sides of it. Crossbowmen on the walls on each side. I'll update the map with positions shortly I was waiting to see if you decided to fight or flee.
IE: your in area 8, blakerly is at area 4 kennel is area 7.
"So, let's release the hounds. While Blackerly and the guards are firing their crossbows at them, we hurl the whisky and alchemist's fire and set them all on fire. While they're screaming and trying to put themselves out, we kill them. Sound good?" Cori asks.
vinnick smiles as he pulls off the patches. with pleasure madame.
[ooc]Map works fine for me. A little more intel please: how many crossbow men? And are the doors across from us closed? If so "how closed", if we can tell. I doubt they would lock themselves out but it might take a standard action to open them?[/b]
Aye, I am ready for action. Stanislav says. they may release their own hounds too though. He warns.
"Ready, then? Alright, release the hounds."
She pulls her alchemist's fire and waits until the hounds are clearly visible in the open stretch between the buildings.
She then says, "Get ready to lob 'em as soon as they fire at the hounds. Don't give them a chance to turn their bows on us without drawing back another bolt first."
And we will be harder for the crossbows to hit if we are engaged with the men on the ground.
Updated the map. The door in front of slid and behind blackerly are open.
Make any final prep you have and roll init.