Ok good, balconies first. Kreg, do you think you could climb up and drop a rope?
"Little gnome climb up to balcony, and Thunder Rolling stay here and guard. If it looks like all can get in through balcony, then we can go there. Else, Thunder Rolling will lead the way through front gates."
Curse this language! Trying to make battle plans in the common tongue is like trying to herd a dozen cable bugs into a jar with one finger!
Kreg bows to Thunder and throws his rope up to the balcony.
Climb:
Climbing up to the edge of the balcony, Kregimie quietly scales the wall and peeks over the edge. The smells of fresh-tilled earth and in-season fruit fill the balcony orchard. A footpath leads among a half-dozen slender trees bearing pale, luminous apples. Small shrubs and other leafy plants occupy the spaces between, but it appears to be empty otherwise.
You can barely make out in the gloom a set of doors at the far end of the balcony, about 70 feet away.
Kreg scans the orchard for anything or anyone who may be lurking.
Not seeing anything, Kregimie climbs onto the balcony and motions for everyone else to approach.
As they reach the rope at the palace wall, however, the gnome is suddenly slammed to the ground by what appears at first glance to be a massive vine that then wraps around him. Looking back, what seems to be a huge mound of vegetation, which must have blended into the orchard, has a hold of him.
Thunder Rolling grabbed the rope and hauled himself up as quickly as he was able, ready to help his gnome friend.
I don't think I can fail with a +12 climb check. Accelerated climbing to get to the balcony in one round.
"Aaaaaaaaaagggggghhh!"
At Kreg's scream; Koremar's pulse quickened and he waited as patiently as only an elf could...or dwarf too I reckon... for the others to ascend the rope. When his turn came he scrambled up as fast as he could.
Climb -
Kregimie: 22
Koremar: 19
Thunder: 19
Abigail: 12
Mound of vegetation: 13
As the rest of the group scales the rope to the balcony, Kregimie struggles to break free of the vine's iron grip. Unable to get free, he hears his ribs creak as the vine slowly constricts, crushing the gnome.
Thunder lets out a roar of anger and slashes his axe down on the vines, wherever he can see a good aiming point. The adamantine blade slashes through air and vine with equal ease.
attack, PA
damage
backswing
damage
Koremar was right beside the mwangi warrior and drew his black blade as he stepped up to slash at the vines.
Kregimie: 22
Koremar: 19
Thunder: 19
Abigail: 12
Mound of vegetation: 13
As Kregimie wiggles free, Koremar, Thunder and Sacha press the attack. Koremar's blade seems to glance off a woody protrusion and Sacha can't get a grip, but Thunder's first swing sends a spray of greenery flying across the balcony.
As Abigail reaches the balcony, she sees the thing lash out with two vines, hitting Kregimie and Sacha. The vine wraps around the gnome again, but Sacha's able to barely escape its grasp.
Victim determination:
Swing:
Victim determination:
Swing:
Grab 1:
Grab 2:
Again the mighty Mwangi fighter slashed out at the vines, ripping great tears in the foliage as his axe swung back and forth, like he was harvesting wheat...or heads.
attack, PA
damage
backswing
damage
Desperate to get his friend out of the vine's grasp and not willing to risk missing it again; Koremar called upon his arcane talents. He raised his hand, uttered a quick sharp word and four magical bolts flew unerringly into the plant.
Kregimie: 22
Koremar: 19
Thunder: 19
Abigail: 12
Mound of vegetation: 13
With Kregimie unable to escape, his companions quickly leap into the fray to try to stop it from ripping the poor gnome in two.
Koremar's missiles slam into the mound, rocking it back for a second as chunks of plant matter go flying.
Thunder's blow seems to only shave off a few useless twigs, but Abigail's arrow and Sacha's claw hit home.
As the creature tries to squeeze Kregimie again, it suddenly loses its grip, freeing the gnome, who drops back to the balcony floor. Its second vine lashes out at Thunder, opening up a gash, though it fails to find a purchase to hold on to the big Mwangi.
Victim determination:
Attack:
Grab:
Thunder Rolling blinked through the line of blood dripping from the gash on his shaven head. He did not give the wound a second thought, but continued to hack away at the mound of foliage.
attack, PA
damage
backswing
damage
FYI, I accidentally rolled a d12 for my back swing attack roll last time :(
Kreg decides to dish out some hurt to this over-sized weed. He takes a step back in order to get in range of his reach weapon and stabs at the arborous aberration.
Koremar slashed Mai'Tahl at the plant.
Attack -
Damage -
Crit Confirm -
Crit Damage -
The three blows from Koremar, Kregimie and Thunder savage the shambling mound, leaving it in green tatters on the rampart.
All falls quiet, and a quick look around the balcony reveals a set of double doors leading north and a single door leading northeast.
With a sigh of relief, Koremar retrieves the highly useful wand and sets about healing his comrades.
Looks like we found a way in.
Much to Kreg's delight, Koremar takes out his healing wand and points it at him.
Feeling much better, Kreg looks at both sets of doors. "So, the double doors for double the danger, or the single door for more sneaky-ness?"
The single door preferably. Let's try to avoid as many enemies as possible. I dont kow how much we can afford to delay our confrontation with the Queen.
Kreg quietly approaches the the single door, walking slowly and inspecting the environment as he does so.
When he makes it to the door, he inspects it.
You don't find any traps on the balcony or door.
It opens into a passage that leads five feet northeast before turning east. Two separate doors open to the north before it opens into a larger chamber ahead.
Koremar will allow Thunder Rolling to follow Kreg into the castle. He kept Mai'Tahl in hand and prayed that they could avoid too much conflict.
The big mwangi followed Kreg into the hallway, axe held at the ready. He crept as quietly as he could, not wanting to give away their presence before they were in position to strike.
Kreg listens for any sounds coming from ahead.
Kregimie, you actually hear what sounds like violin orchestral music, though it doesn't sound like it's coming from the room immediately in front of you.
Cautiously advancing, you find several paintings decorate a long, wide darkened corridor, each containing luminous, moving images within gilded frames. Their light dimly illuminates a half-dozen rigid figures, suspended from the ceiling by root-like vines.
To the northeast, you can see movement in a large chamber about 40-50 feet away: It actually looks like dancing!
Hmmm...what in the Hells?! Kreg thinks to himself. He then slowly withdraws a few steps to meet his friends. He quietly whispers to them what he saw then adds "I'm sure that we'd likely end up on the hanging from the ceiling side of things instead of chummy dancing with new friends if we just waltzed in there. Hey, that was punny!"
Koremar smiled at Kreg's humor in light of the situation.
I dont doubt that. We could try one of the doors to the north.
Kreg nods at Koremar and then moves quietly to the double doors and inspects it.
You don't find any traps on the door, Kregimie.
Kreg slowly opens one of the double doors a few inches and then peers inside.
This long, flowing chamber appears to be a kitchen. A fireplace dominates the southern portion of the room, facing a moon-shaped well and gnome-sized open barrels.
A pair of satyrs is hard at work, though they don't seem to have noticed you.
Kreg takes a step back and whispers what he observed into Koremar's ear, then shrugs as if to say "Which way should we go?"