”listen little man! There is only one way you survive the next ten minutes- and that is if you let us pass on peace right NOW. Otherwise I’ll break your body, and send your soul to hell as painfully as possible.”
Hilda sees no guards trying to surprise you, every guard is currently focused on the Grand Entry.
"I am not frightened by you, hiding in there. We hold the high ground. Now surrender. Reinforcements from Varyston will be here in moments."
No they won't. Maybe he isn't as brave as he is trying to seem. But he doesn't seem to mind if the Warden bites it.
Tawg is more focused on the discussion of carrying multiple longbows and pulls his around into his hands, notching an arrow and giving it a couple pulls. When Blackerly mentions the reinforcements, Tawg hops to the center of the hallway and gets into a "ready to run" position. "That means we're going soon, right?" He looks up to Grumblejack. "Are you ready to get out of here? I hear there are big cages waiting for us."
The news that the reinforcements arriving soon made Araton grimace, the chorus of whispers in his ears rising up higher now as he shook his head. Could they be? It was some distance? Magic? Possibly. The possibilities were assuredly endless and they had already spent quite some time here. It was a risk that they couldn't afford.
"Prepare to rally outwards. We'll need protection from the arrows so we can slay Blackerly and the men before us." Araton murmured to those closest to the door. "I will keep him distracted until we are ready." Turning towards Blackerly, Araton would laugh loudly and eagerly as he shook his head.
"You lie terribly Blackerly! I hear the nervousness in your voice! If you had such backup coming, you wouldn't even offer us the chance to surrender. Don't think I don't see your supposed altruism as the sham it is!" Araton shouts back, lying with confidence.
Ceres smiles, her grin dripping with cruelty. They may very well die yet, but Blackerly would join them in a unmarked grave if she had anything to say of it.
"Well then, we'll wait for the reinforcements and explain your crimes. You can join us on the pyre, criminal."
Grengar hurries back to the armory, leaving the keg & supplies here by the door and grabbing all the remaining bows plus matching quivers and bringing them down to everyone.
"Take two- even if you don't THINK you're going to fire it, they might save our skin."
Gildevar hisses a warning to his companions through clenched teeth. "He's lying. Look at the way his hand is trembling, and how his neck muscles are taut and about to snap - this is not a man in a position of power and superiority."
When Gildevar mentions the signs apparent upon Blackerly's face, the noble scowls for just a moment. The voices rise in irritation at his momentary lapse in focus, his uncle's louder than any other before he shakes his head again and lets out a breath. The unholy priest was right, the sergeant was out of his element. Help was not arriving soon and that meant that they would held the reins.
"Blackerly! We know they'll take time! We know you're lying! This is us being courteous! This is us allowing you to choose to spare your life. Men and women of Brandenscar, you have a choice. Do not be fools!" Araton shouts again, his voice far more confident than it was moments before.
Tawg pipes up in a somewhat cheery tone. "When I was in the pits, Semat promised I would get fed after winning a fight. When they didn't bring my food, I ate his lungs." His eyes narrow to slits and his voice flattens. "Fat man will be a tasty meal."
Blackerly looks angry that you called his bluff. "It doesn't matter! They're on their way and you have no way out. You'll never get past my archers. And you'll not break down these doors." He motions the men beside him. It seems they will return to the safety of the gatehouse.
Seeing the environment near the window is safe, Hilda removes the blockade on the inside.
"If it ain't the local guards, it's the reinforcements he wants to hide behind. Seriously, how much is this guy paying these men that they're so willing to bleed and die for him?! Oh right, he's skimming them, and putting the change into his own pockets." Gildevar means it: he's truly at a loss how this Blackerly fellow manages to make others follow him, and not just follow, but march right into the grave for him! The man's a bloody coward, and the list of deplorable traits doesn't stop there.
As negotiations breakdown and Blackerly signals his men to follow him back into the safety of the guardhouse, Araton's irritation at the man could be heard as he growled and repositioned the dagger.
"Fine then. I hope your men are all paying attention." With a strength that appeared unnatural to the lithe build he had, he would take the dagger and jam it up under the warden's jaw and into his brain. The death was violent and swift.
The body was disdainfully tossed by the door as Araton made his way back inside, looking towards the others. "I guess we're killing them all."
As the now definitely dead Warden slumps to the ground, Blackerly grins. "Hold fast men. Or they will do the same to all of us. There can be no bargaining with such murderous scum." Some of the guards seem horrified at what has happened. Blackerly and his men finish retreating back into the Gatehouse and close the large doors.
"Grumblejack want to crush him. Why waste time talking?"
As soon as Grengar returns and distributes the bows, he nods to Grumblejack, "Yes, now is the time to crush him."
Araton, along with the other bowyers, begin to make their movements back through the darkened part of the prison and towards the window that they had created in the back. The goal was to sneakily attack the guards on the left wall from an angle they were likely not expecting and then return to reinforce the two giants as they made their way across the courtyard.
Araton would quietly nod for the others to follow him, moving as stealthily as possible. He approached that dark section of the prison, keeping an eye out for any lights. Stepping over the window's ledge, he would move to the wall and ready to take a shot at the guard he could see the most clearly. When the others are ready (or if they are spotted), he would give the signal and take his shot.
Not use to the construction of these bow, the arrow clearly misses and hits the wall below the guard.
The goblin keeps close behind Araton, with a similar feeling of anticipation he felt in the fighting pits. He follows in Araton's footsteps, trying to keep as quiet as possible.
Once Araton's arrow flies, Tawg follows suit, hoping to pierce a guard in the eye.
Ceres, not having any means to see in the darkness and not familiar with weapons of war, hangs back in the main hall, keeping watch in case any guards try to come through the front door or the kitchen.
Ceres doesn't hear or see anyone approaching.
Hilda joins the others outside, bow in hand.
There she draws her bow, a bigger one than the one she had used to hunt rabbits in the graveyard, and waits for the signal. Once that comes she let's the arrow fly towards the guards.
You approach the corner of the prison unseen and fire on the guards above. All of your arrows miss. The guards were so focused that they didn't hear you sneak up and aren't sure where exactly you are yet in the dark as their lanterns are focused on the main door.
As the guards appear to be more confused than anything Hilda knocks another arrow. Hopefully her aim is better this time.
The first guard is hit rather seriously, an arrows sticks out of his side as he turns his lantern to look for where the arrows are coming from. "There! Trying to flank us. Shoot them!"
Araton curses as he lifts up his bow again, taking aim at the man who had an arrow protruding from his side. After his shot, he would move back around the corner if he could.
Seeing his new friends taking another shot, he tries again before retreating back towards the window.
Araton shoots, wounding the guard again but Tawg misses. As you retreat the other two guards follow along the wall and shoot at you before you make it all the way to the window.
You make it back inside before they can get another shot off at you and quickly return to the others.
Once Araton is back with the others, he would clasp his hands together and begin to whisper in a dark tongue. The language of hell rolled off of his tongue as he made his prayer.
"<Dark Prince, grant us succor in righting this perverted order. Let the strong be strong. Let the weak be shepherded into their place. Give us strength so we may avenge ourselves.>"
A feeling of power would sink into the hearts of his allies, a wave of confidence that may not have been there a moment before. Picking up his longbow, Araton nodded to the others.
"Let us begin."
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Araton blesses the party, ready to assault the Gatehouse and gain freedom again.
The profane energy from Araton's spell doesn't affect you, instead being absorbed into you somehow. Afterwards you feel your own magical abilities and gifts return to life.
As the group of villains reassembles in the main hall, Ceres lifts a table to provide cover to the group, and nodding indicates her readiness. Excitement washes over the witch, her hair twitching with nervous energy. They would be free or be dead, and either way, she wouldn't be a prisoner any more.
Tawg feels a strange energy course through him. He flinches, like an abused dog being shown affection, before embracing the new power and regaining his composure. He nocks an arrow and grins, eyes wide with excitement.
This would be his greatest victory yet.
As Araton's blessing washes over the party, a thwang of static noise rocks Gildevar's ears for a brief second. He pulls what must be a funny face and brings a hand to his right ear to give it a good rub.
It will take longer than this brief moment for Gildevar to come to realize that his ears can now pick up more than they could ever before, but already he's starting to hear the faintest of whispers when looking at the people around him.
Bracing yourselves for a final charge to freedom, you all hoist several tables together and push open the main doors. The guards see this and shout, instantly loosing arrows that embed in the makeshift shield.
Slowly you move across the courtyard, the guards on the western wall not firing as they are still watching in case you came back to flank them.
You make it to the door with minor wounds and attempt to ram the door.
Grumblejack helps carry one of the large tables above his head and shuffles across the courtyard. "Grumblejack coming to crush you!" He says to any guards that can hear him.
He helps to slam the table, and his shoulder into the large doors.
Grengar swings his axe as more arrows rain down on you. You are too close to the wall for them to have a chance.
With 2 powerful hits Grengar breaks the door and you push it open. Surprised faces can be seen on the guards and one very angry Sergeant. There are arrow slits in both side walls.
Grengar rages and swings at the closest guard.
Grumblejack swings his greatclub at the closest guard. "Smash!"
Araton moves in, longsword drawn and shield on his side. The symbols of Talingarde are smeared with the blood of guards. The nobleman moves up to the guard on the left hand side, striking against the guard ahead of him.
The weapon bangs off of the guard's shield as Araton turns and lets out a roar to his comrades. "Mind the arrow slits! Obscure them if you can!"
Seeing the guards and the sergeant a grin appears on Hilda's face. "Lovely place you have here." She then turns to the guard next to Blackerly. "Kill the sergeant, would you?"
Dropping her table, Ceres walks through the doors, hair twitching, face placid. The guard nearest to her draws Ceres' ire; her hair snakes forward towards the man, wrapping itself around his throat, arms, legs. The hair twists, the guard screams.
Tawg takes an arrow deep into his shoulder, but breaks it off, knowing it will just get in the way.
As the giant destroys the door, the splintering wood triggers Tawg's deep entrenched bloodlust and his eyes go black. He rushes forward between Grengar's legs and attempts to pull the guard's guts out with his teeth.
Stuck in the back with no clear line of sight, Gildevar weaves a blessing of guidance by reciting infernal hymns and bestows it upon Grengar.
The guard next to Blackerly looks at him and puts his hand on his sword. "What're you looking at me for! Get them!"
Araton moves up to the first guard but his sword glances off the man's chain shirt.
A guard barely seen in the left side room moves up and fires through the slit at Hilda but his ally makes the shot dufficult.
Grengar rages and slices through Guard 1's armour like butter, the man drops instantly, allowing Tawg to go straight for the hound and bite its neck.
Grumblejack smashes Guard 2 with a good blow from his greatclub.
The guards finally respond. Guard 3 rushes forward to attack Tawg and leaves the goblin barely standing.
Guard 2 steps up to grumblejack and swings, hitting him. Grumblejack barely stands.
Gildevar aids Grengar with magic as the hound yelps and withdraws to the corner, whimpering.
Ceres moves forward and her hair lashes out at Guard 2 and whips him into death as he crumples to the floor.
A guard barely seen in the right side room moves up and fires through the slit at Ceres but with almost a perfectly open shot, misses.
Blackerly stays in the center of the room and puts a signal horn to his lips and blows on it. The sound rings in your ears as it fills the room. "To me! All guards to me! Stop the criminals from escaping!" One guard and Blackerly stands between you and the door to freedom on the other side of this room. How long would it take the guards on the walls and roof to get here and surround you?
"You are no fun!" She starts moving towards Blackerly, drawing her greatsword as she does. She moves past the guard that she tried to enchant before, wholly ignoring him.
When close enough to the sergeant she attacks him with the large blade.
Stepping forward, Ceres' hair whips around her as if caught in a gale of wind, though if one looks closely, her hair moves in different directions. One long braid snakes out at the guard next to Tawg, seeking to wrap the man in Ceres' murderous embrace.
"Tawg, you're hurt! Use me as cover!"
The man in front of Araton is crushed by his comrades' superior strength and brutality, clearing the way for him to march into the room with a determined step. A hateful, disdainful look remains in his eyes as he sees Hilda move quickly towards the sergeant with that massive blade in hand. All of this could've been avoided and he could've stayed a living man. Instead, this is what it would need to be.
Picking up the pace, he maneuvers around Blackerly and nearly flanks him with Hilda. He aims for the man's exposed side with his longsword, hoping to spill the bastard's blood for all his men to see.
Tawg falls to a knee, catching himself by slamming his fists into the floor. He leaves the longbow behind as he comes back at the guard with two powerful swings before taking a step back.