"Be there a connection 'tween the eye drawings and the little eyeball monster that attack us, do you think?" Dok asks after the fight.
When we reach the door and Jixel reports, he says: "I'm not a good at doin' da sneakin'"
"Ah, Dok has eyed a connection," Jixel said with a grin.
Ash's plan sounded alright, try and avoid the slits if possible and try the door. "With luck they don't bother locking up, down here. Yes I can sneak, but picking locks is not in this rat's bag of tricks. Another option perhaps, is that I try and go around the corner and create some commotion. Draw them out and away? Then, while they are busy, you lot can hop through the door?"
Either way, it looked like the ratfolk was going to be putting a fair amount of furry arse on the line. She was fine with that, but it didn't mean she wasn't somewhat anxious.
"It seems unlikely that irregular troops would willingly leave a hardened position simply to investigate a noise," Zander spoke up. "The distraction would need to happen outside their field of vision through the arrow-slit, if we are likely to see any probability of effectiveness. If the occupants of the defensive position across the pool have visual coverage of the position we are attempting to draw out - which would be the logical way to set up the positions - and if they also have some method of communication between the two positions, it is further unlikely that a distraction will work. We may wish to simply get as many of us stealthily past the positions as possible and rush the door before they are prepared for an assault from that direction."
Zander's tone was that of one reading out of a textbook, rather than someone speaking from experience. But then, he was a Warforged, and they sometimes sounded like that - though, on second thought, those who had dealt with Warforged before likely couldn't remember every hearing one use so many big words.
"Well, that's assuming they are irregular troops, and not just a pack of Daask thieves, thugs, and addicts," Ash grinned. Realising the expression might be taken ill on him, he quickly licked his teeth and hid them again. "But I take your point. Let's get as many past the arrow slits as quietly as possible. ...Would you happen to have any skill at finding booby traps?"
D'oh
"Less in finding," Zander said, "though I am working to improve that particular skillset. Once they are found, however, I do have some facility at safely removing them."
The warforged indicated a leather pouch rolled up and strapped horizontally to his waist at belt level. It looked rather like a tool pouch, when one looked at it carefully.
Ash, I'll hang back, there's no way I can sneak by someone watching, but I'll come up quick if needed, just hollar! Illendur tries to stay VERY still to as not alert the guards...
Ash chuckled. "Unless the good Doctor is with us, it looks like you and I will be scouting ahead again, Jixel. I'm not sure how much value I'll be to you, since I need the light, though."
Once they were all ready, Ash took a good look around for traps...
...before giving Jixel a thumbs-up. Safe to progress.
"Ok, I'll go and look at the slits, and if nothing bad happens, the door too. Maybe keep your light covered for a little while? Will take it slow and steady."
Jixel opened the top of her backpack then.
"Looky looky only," she muttered as Peekee popped her head out of the bag. The chicken looked to the ratfolk and blinked, before turning to lay a beady eye on the assortment of the new friends, clucking gently.
"That's Ash. No, he's not looking at you like dinner. Trust me. These are good people. Right, eyes open, let's go."
With the strange poultry acting as an assistant, Jixel quietly asked her for one last favor, and then headed off...
As Jixel crept carefully up to the arrowslit she listened hard and heard... snoring. Slowly maneuvering to peer through the slit she saw a mostly bare room with a door and another arrowslit on the far wall, and a goblin asleep on the floor near the hole she was peeking through. Goblins, it seemed, did not make for good sentries when left unattended.
The fact that no one raised an alarm or shot her in the back suggested that the other arrowslit might be similarly staffed.
Jixel backed out of eye, ear and arrow-shot for a moment, and whispered via her strange spell, a message back to the team.
"Goblins inside, they having a nap. If you're quiet, you might make it. First though, I go to door..."
As promised, she crept forwards to the landing and doorway, keeping an eye out for traps or other features of grave concern. It had been a long day though, and peak performance was highly unlikely.
The door was unlocked, the gangsters probably relying on their sentries and the outpost's remote location to keep it secure. As far as Jixel could tell, the door was free of traps, as well.
The ratfolk lass and her backpack-mounted chicken lookout might have been tired, and quite peckish, but they weren't stupid.
"Door unlocked..." was the message she conveyed back to the others. Jixel remembered the warehouse though, and how there had been a wire attached to an alarm.
"There could be one of those ring-a-ding-lingers though. Shall I open it, close it quickly, and run away? See what comes spilling out? Or just sneak in and check the area is clear for you?"
Either way her neck was kind of on the line, and both chickens and rats weren't a pretty sight without their heads attached.
"If no one's watching, wait a moment and we'll come up and help you check for traps and bells," Ash suggested, whispering back.
He glanced at the others to confirm that they'd come too, then snuck after Jixel.
Damn. I hope "average" Stealth isn't enough to wake the goblins, LOL.
Illendur nods his confirmation, I'll give you a moment, before I come crashing up behind you all, best be ready...
The half-elf waits, calmly counting to sixty before starting his way up the hallway - letting the others do whatever it was they were doing ahead.
His advance all but garauntees the goblins will awaken, so hopefully everyone is done up there.
With the stealthier members of the group pointing out potential pitfalls and everyone moving in a line, the entire group snuck past the arrowslits without waking the goblins.
After a few more seconds of inspection, Ash and Jixel were both pretty sure the door was free of traps.
Dok tries not to trip over his coat as we quietly approach the door and arrow slits.
"No ring a ding? Well in we go then. Ready?"
Jixel placed a clawed hand on the latch, then whispered something quickly about beaks and feathers, before opening the door just enough to have a peek inside.
Jixel slinked forward through the door, finding herself in a short corridor that immediately doglegged to the right. There was another arrowslit at the end of the hallway, though if her sense of direction was any good it ended at the same room where she had surmised there was a sleeping goblin.
The door at the end of the hall was unlocked and un-trapped, and as soon as she went through she saw cast-off clothing and broken gear littering the room to her left and a long hallway extending to her right.
Illendur walks forward very carefully, Should we quiet the goblins?
The half-elf looks uncomfortable trying to stay quiet in his armor and stays at the rear of the group trying to watch Jixel work her way forward.
Ash immediately opened his mouth and raised his sword, then paused, and closed it again, lowering his sword as well as he considered.
Looking a bit shame-faced, he whispered back, "It seems tactically sound, but... I... I think we should leave them be, all the same. Unless one of you possesses magic to see to it that they sleep through any alarm? It seems... cruel to do away with them while they're unable to defend themselves." He didn't meet anyone's eyes as he said it, studying the apparently fascinating floor. Was he actually turning red under the collar? His body language seemed actually guilty.
Then he turned away, back towards Jixel, to see what she was up to.
Got any rope? We could tie them up? Or knock them out. Illendur attempts to quiet Ash's qualms about killing the goblins.
Quickly, he'll draw out his rope, cutting two sections off it and attempting to tie up the goblins in each area.
Ash's mouth worked silently - he was stunned. After a few moments he moved to help Illendur, but his guilty appearance only intensified.
"We need to make sure they don't raise the alarm, first," he cautioned the elf, not meeting his eyes. "Perhaps a good knock on the head? Then the rope, as you say, to keep them out of the way."
Jixel winced as the goblin guard was dealt with. Hopefully, given the little thing had been sleeping, it wouldn't feel any pain. Not until it woke up...
She looked at the pile of trash for a moment, trying to shake off a rodent's natural desire to poke around, and instead moved her attention up the hallway.
"I'll keep looking..."
Jixel snuck along the hallway, slinking down a set of stairs and around a right hand turn and then tunnel that must have extended underneath the sewer channel.
At the end of the tunnel was a room with six tattered, straw-stuffed mattresses and the personal effects of several people who weren't present. The hideout so far had been eerily quiet, surrounded by so much stone and so deep underneath the city. That's why it was so evident that there was something going on beyond the thin wooden door in the southeast corner.
"Need you folks to help me look for alarm ring-dingers again. Maybe there is good stuff, behind this door. Bad stuff too..."
What the heck, I can try? Illendur slowly creeps forward attempting not to trip over his own feet or armor.... Looking around for anything which may look out of place or awkward.
Ilendur did not spot any traps or warning devices on the door.
The half-elf nods at Jixel, It seems really clear, I'm not an expert, but I've got good eyes for things which are out of place. After you?
He motions with his left hand, keeping his sword in his main hand should things immediately require stabbing.
"Dis place seem to be pretty fancy for a bandit hideout." Dok observes.
"Dey did a lot of work to build it."
"Surely they couldn't have built it under the very noses of the people who live here," Ash mused quietly, glancing about for any mechanisms that might suggest a trap. "Perhaps it is an older structure, dating from long ago? It seems to me that such rough types would find it easier to inhabit a warren they'd found than build one themselves."
Everyone who stopped to listen could hear activity on the other side of the door- things being moved around and people talking.
"Ash is likely correct," Zander said, his voice low. "This structure likely dates from the War of the Mark, roughly 1,500 years ago." He nodded towards the door. "It would be prudent for us to focus on dealing with whatever is beyond that door, however."
Ash held up two fingers to the others, and whispered as quietly as possible, "Let's rush in, all together. Stop them from fleeing - block any way out - and maybe get some answers." He raised his thick shifter brows questioningly.
He prepared to kick in the door once they were ready, hefting his heavy Thrane-marked sword.
Illednur draws his short sword, spinning both swords to loosen his wrists while shrugging his shoulders. He takes a spot next to Ash, ready to move the moment the door opens. He nods, Ready. and grins at the others, prepared for anything...
Dok draws his sword, keeping the pointy end towards the direction of the enemy.
Jixel moved to the back of the group when it became clear that a pile-on was going to be their way to deal with the next room's contents.
"Okay then, Ash, my time at front has come to an end."
Hopefully her companions wouldn't mind, and she hoped to be able to assist any "negotiations" from the rear. Then, she reached out a claw to Illendur.
"Bright eyes and careful pecks, friend."
Zander simply lifted his halberd and nodded, ready to rush the room. His glowing blue eyes flared brightly for a moment, as the targeting crystal in his armor shifted to active combat mode, and began tracking the environment.
Renaer nodded and drew his Tarkanan surplus rapier, flourishing it with what looked like a practiced hand. "If you don't mind, I'd love to get in on this, too." He positioned himself to rush the door with everyone else. Once everyone was ready, Ash kicked in the door.
This was another sleeping area with six tattered, straw-stuffed mattresses and the personal effects of several people who weren't present. Unlike the room they were in, though, there were two people inside. One was a grey skinned, bald dwarf who was frantically stuffing bedding into the gap under the northeast door. The other was a large grey orc, watching the dwarf try to stop up the door- those who had been at the Yawning Portal earlier remembered him from their argument at the well.
Both dwarf and orc spun around at the door splintering behind them, clearly surprised by the group.
Illendur lets Ash kick in the door, then rushes the two in the room, closing to threaten both, Don't even think about it... he growls at the two men, pointing a blade at each of them.
Ash rushed in and positioned himself in front of the unattended door, prepared to cut down the orc with his geometric-etched blade if he so much as looked like he was about to call for help.
(+2 for being 2-handed?)
"Shhh, now. What's not going to work, chaps?" he inquired, leveling his blade at the orc's throat.