Hoping Bjelich is alright, Danna and Striker continue to circumnavigate the wall with short spear in hand. She hears the drunken voice from above and marvels that the man can shoot so accurately while obviously impaired. This is a dangerous foe to be sure.
She continues to move cautiously, on the look out from danger both above and below.
Grigor had moments earlier dismounted within the inner keep while Danna and Striker continued to circle around the outside.
Taking the full brunt of the blast of flame, Durin ignores the pain and strides forward before bringing his hammer down upon one of the half-orcs...
Bjelich loses sight of the Staglord.
Grigor draws his longsword and moves very little, as he needs to, to peer around (at, not entering) the area from . He is . He also keeps an eye on the stairway up to the east. I wonder where the rest of my party is... he thinks. I hear some worrying sounds that could be Bjelich.
Kyras continues to race around the building hopeful there is another way inside, or up.
As Grigor moves cautiously forward and peers into the room, making sure he scans each corner, he sees that thick layers of animal hides insulate this room’s walls. In one corner rests a ragged bed draped with threadbare silks and thick furs. On the floor, three stout chests serve as furniture, cluttered with empty liquor bottles. A few more bottles lie scattered about the floor, leaving the room reeking of stale alcohol. The room appears unoccupied.
I believe all the bandits colour sprayed were coup d'état -ed
Leary of more bandits lurking in the bailey, Bjelich returns the tangle foot bag to his free hand as he surveys the area for signs of life.
Noticing Nakpik he calls out in Draconic, Nakpik, make your way inside, we could use your help in here.
Satisfied no threats are here, the cleric turns his attention to where the rest of the party has disappeared to. With little to go on, Bjelich heads south as fast as he can.
Grigor has line of sight to Bjelich, so he makes himself visible as Bjelich moves in, motioning for him to continue forward .
Danna continues her way around the interior wall until she reaches the what appears to be a door and reaches toward it to open it. Striker stands behind her.
As Danna rounds the corner she spots the well armed man further ahead of her near the palisade wall to the east.
---> UPDATED MAP <--- (shows both up and down views for your consideration)
Danna, upon sighting the man to the east, continues her movement forward calling out to her comrades at the same time, There's one along the east wall!
Current Status and Effects
Danna:
AC: 15 HP: 23/23
Striker:
AC: 16 HP: 1/19
Grigor, hearing Danna to his south, is struck by the realization that the wall to his south must actually be a door. He moves to AS10, heaves the door out enough for him to pass through while stating It's Grigor, and moves through to AU11.
Kyras rushes, along with the others, toward the well armed man...
As the party rapidly closes the distance with the well armed man, he bares his teeth in a smile before bellowing out in a loud voice, The fish are in the barrel! before raising his shield and sword.
In response to the signal, the Stag Lord appears at the rail of the second floor platform. After quickly scanning his targets he focuses his gaze upon Grigor and lets fly two arrows at him...
...both arrows strike true, but it is the first shot, finding a chink in Grigor's armor, that does the most damage!
As Bjelich rounds the corner and south, he observes Grigor slipping through the door and out of sight. Unable to see the combat unfolding on the other side, and therefore oblivious to the carnage being unleashed, the cleric continues his long journey to reunite with his comrades.
Danna alarmed by the wounds Grigor has just received. She looks quickly around her and takes in Striker near death and blood dripping all over Kyras. Unsure of the health of the cleric after his last injury and where the Kobolds may be she decides they have had enough, for now.
Get back! Get through the door and get out! We need to regroup!
She uses one of the last of her spells hoping to aid in their retreat and begins to conjure...
Kyras withdraws a wand with his free hand and activates with a single word of power. A pit suddenly opens under the feet of Akiros.
Akiros leaps back safely from the pit...
The yawning extra dimensional hole summoned under Akiros feet reaches under the adjacent wall as well. As Akiros leaps to safety, the structure groans audibly and sags slightly as some support is undermined. From within the storeroom, the sound of crates and supplies falling into the pit can be heard.
About to charge towards the swordsman, knocking him aside or down or back, Grigor visibly startles as he sees the pit form. Kyras blocking our way to the archer..? Left with nothing much to do , and with his companions not following the suggested alternative that Danna has made, Grigor, in bafflement, sheathes his sword and unslings his crossbow from his back . Forcing archery duel after *leaving cover*... Fleeing *back out of sight* against a sneaky rogue... Calling a retreat and then *stopping in full view of a powerful archer to cast a spell*... His eyes are wide, his mind reels, but he's not retreating while his companions are still in harm's way.
Sorry, he does also back to .
Akiros smiles another wolfish grin as he retreats around the corner and out of view...
Meanwhile, up on the platform above, the Staglord continues to let fly at Grigor before noticing Danna attempting to cast a spell. Switching targets, he sends his second arrow at her instead. Spell casting are we? We'll see about that...
...and once more an arrow finds its deadly mark in Grigor's flesh! At this range, the arrow appears to just sprout his neck, causing an immediate eruption of blood! His crossbow slips from his grasp as he teeters momentarily before crashing to the ground! He clutches weakly at the arrow shaft protruding just above his collarbone before the world grows dark...
Danna is much luckier, as the second arrow imbeds itself violently into the palisade wall well above her head. The solid sound it makes as it buries itself in the log indicating the deadliness and power of the errant strike.
The Staglord curses before stepping back and out of view.
--->MAP (Start of round 16)<---
Bjelich shifts the tangle foot bag to his shield hand and steps out
Seeing for himself the grim circumstance his friends face, and with no sign of their attacker, Bjelich calls out indignantly, Hey bonehead! Remember me?
Danna whatever you are doing hurry up and finish! Then get back inside!
Danna, frustrated that she can't see the Stag Lord anymore, nonetheless releases her spell in the spot he was last seen. A stirge appears in the air and immediately looks for a target. She then retreats back to Grigor and quickly casts virtue on him in an attempt to temporarily staunch the blood and get him out. She calls to Kyras, Help me get him out of here!
Kyras will fall back and aid Danna in pulling Grigor under cover.
Bjelich we need to get out of here. NOW!!!
Bjelich moves out and readies a spell, Danna summons her stirge and stabilizes Grigor before Kyras moves back to get ready to drag the fallen cavalier into cover...
Up above you hear the Staglord curse loudly and the sound of steel being drawn. He doesn't appear on the rail. Akiros remains out of sight.
Confident the Staglord is otherwise preoccupied, Bjelich moves to pick up Grigor's sword with his free hand . Then turning to Kyras and Danna says, In here! Using is shoulder and back, the cleric pushes the door open further and steps inside.
Bjelich snatches up Grigor's sword and leads the retreat inside...
Bjelich looks to the gate, trying to spot Nakpik, but cannot see him anymore.
Just as a note, Bjelich has picked up Grigor's crossbow, not his longsword; his longsword was sheathed in round 15 and his crossbow brought to hand. But thanks, we may yet need it. :)
Danna, surmising that it will be quicker for Grigor to walk than to drag him out of the fort, reaches into her belt pouch for a healing potion and pours it down Grigor's throat. Try to get to your horse. She advises the woozy Grigor.
Kyras will grab Grigor and proceed to drag him through the door regardless of his status and drag him quickly through the door way to the north. At that point he will release him. Get up man! I think it is time for a strategic retreat!
With help from Kyras, Grigor and starts moving, saying in confusion Why do I need to get to Gladius? Is he in trouble? He and, when he gets there, grabs his crossbow back from Bjelich if he can. He begins to work out more about the situation as he moves, whispering intensely to Kyras and Bjelich If we're not leaving the fort entirely, we need people taking cover from this archer on the second floor, spotting, keeping him pinned. He looks to see what missile weapons Bjelich and Danna have; in particular, anything with reasonable range?
Being cautious to keep his voice low, Where are we going to retreat to?! Bjelich holds his arms out in exasperation. The cleric points to the hall past Gladius, Kyras, our only way out of here is that way - right out into the open. Bjelich pauses to try and hear what is going on above them
And even if we do make it to the gate, there is a wagon and horses blocking our way. Are we just going to leave them? We'll be running on foot with no cover. He points to the arrows holes in his chest, No thanks! And what about Mikmek? Then how do you propose we get back in? Bjelich shakes his head, No, I think our best chance is to hold out here. Force them to come to us where we can use our numbers to our advantage.
And if they decide to take our wagon and horses and go?...
More curses fill the air, coming from above... while at the same time Akiros appears from the north and rushes up behind Gladius. Going somewhere?
--->MAP (Start of round 18)<---
Nope, I'm quite happy where I am, thank you... Bjelich moves back 5ft, grasps the holy symbol with his free hand and speaking the ancient language of Erastil summons forth a wave of healing energy.
Bjelich, perhaps a bit too confidently given the party's current predicament, turns and casually responds to Akiros before shifting and calling upon the divine favour of his patron god. As he does, Akiros sees Bjelich truly for the first time. His face contorts angrily before yelling in a primal rage, Sent to take me back eh?! I'd rather die out here in shame then go back!
Bjelich in turn notices that Akiros carries a heavy steel shield with a faded heraldic coat-of-arms of an Erastil worshipping paladin order based in Taldor. A battered holy symbol of Old Deadeye hangs around his neck as well, and an exquisite longbow hangs upon his back...
Grigor and Kyras feel the wave of positive energy wash over them.
Danna sighs as she hears Akiros, realizing they are not about to make their escape without dealing with him. Hoping to keep the stag lord distracted she begins casting again...
Danna
HP 27/27
AC 15
Striker
HP 1/19
AC 16
Grigor Round 18
Grigor groans as he again drops his crossbow and attempts to fast mount Gladius.
Grigor Round 18 Continued
Having leapt expeditiously onto his mount, Grigor next commands Gladius to attack the bandit , draws his longsword , and attacks Akiros as well, fighting defensively .
Gladius attack:
Grigor attack:
Noticing that, as usual, a member of his party is eliminating mobility of his mount, he barks Bjelich, outtathawway! while he attacks.