"They will come at any time soon. Maybe tomorrow, but perhaps just in a few hours. You might have some time to prepare and rest if you accept to our deal..." posses the Almsman with a clear desire to reach to an agreement.
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When nobody in the group seems to disagree Terval returns to the priest.
"I think your people really need some help in this and we trust you to keep your end of the bargain."
He looks around the room at the assorted beggars, not seeing much support there. "Where do you expect them to attack? Through the main door or is there any other way? And tell me what defenses have you prepared so far?"
The Almsman nods, his mask not letting you know if he is smiling or having other reaction "Great. Look, they want their money. They are not going to storm the Sanctuary unless we really block their way somehow. What they will usually do is to just announce themselves and reclaim entrance inside. Then, they will talk with me as they always do. So... knowing this, it is really up to you on how do you want to setup things here and when do you want to attack. I trust your judgement on how to better defend the place and give them a lesson"
"If you need me or any of the beggars to perform some action or behave in a particular way, just let us know. Just remember we are no fighters, nor we are actors" the beggars around that can hear the conversation look scared when the Almsman says these words.
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"Ranged attacks are right up my alley," Brand says, then stands up a bit straighter as he adds "though I think our Dwarf friend would rather be in more direct contact. What say we hide him, and maybe Hrothman and Leena, amongst the beggars along the walkway up to the sanctuary? The money-focused thugs would walk right past them and they could come bash any that slip on the stairs while you and I hit those still standing." And then, Brand noticeably drops his posture and simply goes back to shuffling his cards as he adds, "I mean, if you guys want to do that. I'm good with whatever."
"Usually only a couple of them come to 'collect' their payments. But if they plan to assault the temple... maybe they come in higher numbers this time. How to know?" the Almsman looks around at the beggars "So... if I understand you want us to let them enter the sanctuary while you will hide among us. Then you plan to surprise them while they are talking with me."
"We can try to help you disguise as a beggar if you do not feel confident about hiding in such a small place"
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Brand takes his time to apply dirt and mud on himself. Realistically, his large coat is fairly worn, so it lends itself to this disguise fairly nicely.
Feeling that he's nicely smudged up enough, he takes a place deeper into the sanctuary so he'll have more space between himself and the thugs when they enter and can stay out of the way for the more melee-focused characters.
All the while, he's smiling slightly to himself, pleased that the party liked his idea.
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Strom puts the rags over his head, fortunatly one adapted to his dwarven size. He manages to hang it over his body however he has to lose his shield. The shield would've been an obvious giveaway. He places it to the wall close to him, hoping it will not get spotted. He moves forward, positioning himself close enough to the Almsman.
"Alright, I'm ready as I'll ever be."
You take some time to disguise yourselves as beggars with the help of the Almsman, then some of you try to rest while others keep watch. After a couple of hours the two beggars outside start to hit the door "It is them! They are coming!"
Setting yourselves into position, you start to hear laughter and footsteps approaching from the west. A voice calls out "Almsman! What say you? Are you resisting or giving us what we want? I hope you’re resisting!"
The doors of the sanctuary opens and you spot four men and a woman carrying a pair of portable rams. Setting foot into the stairs, they release the portable rams and bring their hands to a set of spiked chains.
Three of the thugs eye immediately at the half-orc trying to hide behind the beggars with his axe. They hit each other with the elbow to take attention while their leader talks out from the back "I am almost deceived to find the doors open, but I am not surprised you took the sage decision to collaborate. So... do you have the temple wares to offer? Or have you decided to let us in?"
"They hired a half-orc bodyguard Randalan!" the thugs points at Hrothman, who feeling himself discovered swings with his axe at the nearby thug, but only finding the cover of the wall corner. A chunk of stone jumps out.
A layer of greasy substance appears below the feet of the front thugs who start to slide before they dumbly fall to the ground over their asses.
Despite being flat-footed, the thug's prone position makes him a more difficult target, which helps Brand's card fail to land on target.
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A grease spell covers a solid surface with a layer of slippery grease. Any creature in the area when the spell is cast must make a successful Reflex save or fall. A creature can walk within or through the area of grease at half normal speed with a DC 10 Acrobatics check. Failure means it can’t move that round (and must then make a Reflex save or fall), while failure by 5 or more means it falls (see the Acrobatics skill for details). Creatures that do not move on their turn do not need to make this check and are not considered flat-footed.
Flatfooted and prone the thug is an easy target for Leena's katana. She sinks her blade deep into the man's chest who exhales a last breath.
Strom removes the concealment from his shield, readying it for the fight.
The thugs that spotted Hrothman and are still alive, get to react. The one in black clothing stands up, the wall cover protecting him from Hrothman's attacks of opportunity "You s~!&! You do not know with whom you are mingling!"
The one in the back swings his chains trying to attack the half-orc without hitting his thug companion in between.
But fails, hitting the wall cover.
Terval's magic missiles burst on Randalan's chest who frowns in pain.
Hrothman's braces around the wall corner to strike mightily at the standing up thug. Unable to reach for his chains the goon falls unconscious over the grease, his aorta cut and bleeding fast.
"You are going to regret this insolence!" Randalan retrieves some rose petals from a pouch and starts saying words of arcane power while he takes a step to the side looking for the wall protection.
Brand sends a flying card over the battlefield stabbing it in the neck of the blue clothed thug. Unable to breath, the goon just falls down unconscious when the card dealer administrates some extra frosting to his enemy.
Maneuvering around the grease Leena attempts to finish the fallen woman, but her blade only finds the stone wall corner.
Strom decides for a more direct approach, but when the dwarf sets foot in the grease he slides and falls back over his ass. The stout fighter quickly stands up, and fortunately, the woman is still flatfooted and thus unable to get an attack of opportunity on him.
The woman stands up, which gives Strom the opportunity for an attack, then tries to manage out of the grease.
But she slips again on the greasy stairs and falls back to her ass. A bit confused she stands up again, unable to do more for now.
Terval's force missile flies unerringly through the the Sanctum, all the beggars observing the magic force while shaking scared and hiding together behind the sarcophagi. At the edge of his line of sight the missile burst on Randalan's chest.
"Ouch!" the man's shout of pain ruins the spell he was weaving.
With an astonishing display of nimbleness, Hrothman jumps over the grease ducking his head to avoid any attack from the standing woman. Finishing his movement at the doors, he swings back at the thug, who dodges the blade skillfully.
Randalan steps back and draws his whip while he produces a pinch of wool from his pouch and points at Hrothman saying arcane words of power "This is your end! The Steel Wyverns will finish you!"
Strom connects on the woman with his axe when she tries to stand up the first time, opening a long gash on her arm.
Leena hits the wall with her katana, but she conjures a blob of acid that strikes the flat-footed woman, burning her neck.
Strom's flail passes just through the nearby air around the woman only scaring her a bit.
While Brand's ray hits the wall, his precise aim on shooting to melee warrants his card a direct hit on the woman's forefront. The magic in the card hits like a mace head and knocks her down to the greasy surface of the stairs.
Hrothman feels dazed by the spell and has difficulty deciding what to do.
Seeing that all of his thugs are defeated, Randalan casts expeditious retreat and attempts to flee running at a great speed through the walkway.
Hrothman recovers the sense of his muscles and feels he can act again.
4x leather armor
4x spiked chain
40 gp
With the last Steel Wyvern running through the tunnels, the beggars explode in shouts of victory and cheers, many of them jumping around you "We won! We won!"
The Almsman approaches you "Thanks a lot, you truly braved them. I doubt they dare approach the Sanctum in a looooong period of time"