Way of the Wicked: Knot of Thorns [IC]

[lostsole31]

R7T22: Bile stands up and totters over to Grumblejack. "Damn, these guards are well trained. Do you have any more healing, Grumblejack? I got one more channel, but I rather want to save it for when I can affect enemies as well. If they hadn't been drained from it, more of us would have gone down."

Grumblejack nods his head in reply to Bile.

R7T14: Ved, nocks an arrow, and cautiously goes through the open door (because there is nowhere to stand otherwise). Doing so, he notices the chests on the floor around the beds. "Keys!" he shouts. Looking into the room more carefully, he quickly counts the chests, then assesses the dead guards, you can immediately see him evaluating the situation. "There is at least one more guard somewhere, assigned to this barracks. Bile, you said you have one more channeling. I can probably get Donovan back on his feet then I'm tapped for healing. Does anyone else have any healing abilities?"

Spoiler: OOC

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That's all he had time to say/ do.

R7T9: Zepsus is quickly doing exactly what Ved suggests. Zep takes out the key he had and goes into the guardroom to a chest.

R7T8.5: Grumblejack presses his clammy finger against Bile's forehead, giving him 10 healing. "No more for you," he says. "Only enough for Kel, Zep, and self."

R7T8: Leonidas, what do you do?

Kel on deck, Amadeus in the hole ...

[bcool999]

Amadeus works to clear the battlefield.

Spoiler: Ooc

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Coup de grace on fallen enemies.

[Blackhawk101]

“If’n we can find enough armor for those of us not a freakin’ giant (no offense Grumble), mayhap we can fool the next bunch o’ guards we meet. Least win us a moment’s hesitation.”
He begins to help a guard out of his armor. He will acquire the guard’s sword and bow as well.

[bcool999]

Amadeus laughs aloud at Leonidas' joke. Then, realizing he really believes what he said shakes his head and says, "First of all, there aren't so many guards here that they wouldn't miss an unfamiliar face due to some armor. Secondly, we look like filthy beasts so the smell alone will probably give us away. That isn't even mentioning the tieflings we have with us, the blue skinned one, the giant, and the lovely lady."

Grunting as he continues to struggle with obtaining some lightly used armor, Amadeus continues speaking, "I say the plan hasn't changed much despite how much we have botched it. We go hard and fast through the guards on our way out. I say we stop exploring these side rooms and just head to the doors that look the most like an exit. Though if we see Blackerly on the way out I vote we stop to collect his head on the way."

[lostsole31]

“If’n we can find enough armor for those of us not a freakin’ giant (no offense Grumble), mayhap we can fool the next bunch o’ guards we meet. Least win us a moment’s hesitation.”
He begins to help a guard out of his armor. He will acquire the guard’s sword and bow as well.

Are you saying he's loading up with an extra sword and bow?

Oh, and there's not a damn thing you can do outside of attacking Kel, knocking her unconscious, and putting armor on her.... to put armor on her.

EDIT: And both of the NPCs are of a mind to leave, not loot. Even the armor, shields, and weapons are marked with the brand of Branderscar, so you would have to get rid of them at some point.

[oyzar]

"Thanks." Bile says with a smile up at Grumblejack as most of his wounds starts to close up.

"I do indeed have another burst of channeling, but no other healing. I could bless us before combat or suck the life out of someone with negative energy, though it's hard to know when it'll be more effective than simply attacking. Here's the symbol. I'll need it back to work my magic or channeling though." Bile says as he hands the unholy symbol over to Ved so he can heal Donovan.

After having done so he goes to examine one of the locks. "I dont think we should tarry to open all the chests, but maybe we'll have time for a few while getting armor for the rest of you." He goes over to a chest to try his key, then study the lock to figure out if it's as simple as the ones in the prison and if he isn't successful he'll finally try his tools.

While working he says. "I do have another trick to my sleeve though. I can magically disguise as one of the guards. It's easy to explain the blood by saying it's from fighting the prisoners. Though I'm not sure how to best use that. Perhaps we could use it to scout or set up an ambush? A lot of the problems with the fight right now came from us all being forced to funnel through the doorway" He looks to the others for suggestions.

Spoiler

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[dice="disable device to unlock chest"]1d20+8[/roll]

[Blackhawk101]

Are you saying he's loading up with an extra sword and bow?

nope. Just making sure I didn’t drop one or the other which I realized I would have had to do to cast.

[Ahus]

"I agree we shouldn't linger in this forsaken place any longer than necessary. That said, anyone left behind here will likely be on our heels while and raising the alarm whereverwe go. Also, if we dont clear each room on the pathe to our escape, it only adds to the odds that more guards will come out from behind while we are engaged in the front." Ved accepts the symbol from Bile. As he moves to Donovan, his pallor becomes more evident.
"Grumblejack, help me with Donovan." Ved says waving the big guy over, preparing to evaluate Donovan.

Spoiler: Mechanics

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Cast Guidance
Request aid another for a heal to determine if there is any point in casting CLW
Heal : (1d20+6)[21] + aid

[lostsole31]

Ved determines that Donovan is alive, stable, and comatose.

[lostsole31]

It takes Zepsus all 12 chests to search through before finding the chest that matches his key.

Spoiler: Zepsus

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Inside, there is a small bottle with a hand written note: "In case of trouble - Love, Mom!" You don't know what the fluid is, but it is a tiny vial, not something you would put alcohol into.

Meanwhile, Bile has trouble getting into the chests. He finally does get into one just through pure grit and determination, of course.

Spoiler: Bile

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You find a musical instrument - a lute - of extremely fine make. Hard to realize that there was likely an artist worthy of such an instrument among the dead. The lute at this time is unappraised.

[Ahus]

"Well, here goes nothing... Ved says kneeling beside Donovan's comatose body.[SPOILER=Infernal]"Dark Prince, you servant is in desperate need of your power, lend me your aid that he may smite the bitch queen's followers and avenge your fallen followers."
After the healing light passes into Donovan's body, Ved calls out to Bile, "Bile, I'm tapped on almost anything that I could use this for, catch." Ved tosses the symbol back to Bile.

Spoiler: Mechanics

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Cast Cure Light Wounds on Donovan for (1d8+1)[8]

[lostsole31]

As blood trickles down from Ved's nose, a sort of spiritual exhaustion setting in, Donovan's eyes open. He is still wounded in a bad way, but he is alive, awake, and not disabled.

What now?

[GM_Dave]

Zepsus will take the vial, holding it in his palm with a look of dissapointment. Then he take shis other hand and holds it over the vial. He makes the proper incantations to cast detect magic on the vial, and after, he will take a few seconds to check if there are any other magic items in the room, including the lute that was just found.

[lostsole31]

Zepsus does indeed see the signs of magic. Unfortunately, his intuitive magic means that he never learned to understand how to read the auras of the various schools of magic. So while it is magic, he has no sense of what it might be. The lute is not magical, but does look expensive.

[BuckGodot]

"Ugh... I feel like I got hit with a troll... I need to stop doing that... Thank you to... Whoever helped me."

[GM_Dave]

Zepsus keeps hold of the vial, and heads to where his sword is. He places the vial on the table in order to free up his hand in order to sling his bow across his shoulder. He will take his sword in his right hand, and will take the vial in his left, turning towards grumblejack, "Hey, big guy; anything you can do about this pain in my head? Im sick from all this blood. Ive lost a lot..."

[lostsole31]

Grumblejack presses his rough-skinned, clammy finger against Zepsus' forehead, providing 11 healing, almost completely healing him.

Meanwhile, it is assumed Ved has been going through chests with the keys he was given and have since been taken off the other dead here. He finds the following:
1) Hidden under peasant garb are two decks of cards (one regular, one marked) and a bag of 12 gp worth of mixed coinage.
2) Empty; it belonged to a newly hired guard who hadn't stocked his chest yet.
3) A change of peasant clothes
4) A silver holy symbol of Mitra (25 gp value) and a Mitran holy book (value 5 gp)
5) A traveller's outfit, a finely made pipe (5 gp value) with a good supply (1 lb.) of high quality shag tobacco (2 gp value).
6) A map of the nearby town of Varyston, including the Old Moor Road.
7) A small bag of doggy treats.
8) A surprisingly well-written love letter ending in a proposal of marriage to someone named "Michelle" and a sapphire ring (yet to be appraised).
9) A small coin pouch with 3 gp in miscellaneous coinage.

There is one chest remaining but you are out of keys. Bile, do you try to get into it?

What does everyone else do? With Ved going through the chests, matching keys to locks, and then looking at what is what, you spend a minimum of five minutes in the barracks.

Ved, what do you do with the above. Be specific.

What does everyone else do? Take a breather (don't do any side exploring or anything that splits the party or wonks the clock, please)?

[Ahus]

Ved, hastily changes into the travelers outfit, and combines the coinage and ring into single bag. Handing the Coins off to Amadeus, he tosses the bag or treats to Bile. He stuff the cards into another pouch, which he pockets along with the pipe and tobacco.
Ved then unrolls the map on one of the Mess tables, trying to discern where they are and where they are headed.

[lostsole31]

Ved changes into traveler's clothing.

Pouch with 15gp (mixed coinage) and a TBA sapphire ring is in Amadeus' "custody" (noted in treasure, not character sheet).

Bile now has a pouch of ..... doggy treats. That will go on his personal sheet, not group treasure.

Ved takes the pouch with pipe, tobacco, and cards.

The map of Varyston is just that, so useless to get to/from that place, and only useful for that place and its immediate surroundings.

[lostsole31]

Bile will have time to Take 20 on the final chest with all of Ved's key-to-chest matching and divvying up what he finds. Bile finds a pouch with 5 gold coins. What does he do with that?

Meanwhile, our villains regroup in the Mess Hall and go where next?

[BuckGodot]

Donovan will grab clothes from the veil and change into them before rearming.

[oyzar]

Bile goes to grab his dagger, bow and some arrows back after completing the chest. He goes to grab a sword, but things better of it. "If I'm going to use this sword effectively I would need about an hour. But it'll just be a hindrance to me now. Could you please carry a second sheet with it for me Amadeus? Anyone have any ideas how to proceed? We don't even know which way leads out."

[GM_Dave]

"The other doors were locked, but the large double doors likely lead to some sort of yard, if I had to guess. Perhaps it would be best to find alternate ways to an exit, Bile could pick the locks in our way; there might be something they dont want prisoners accessing. Either way, whoever has the veil with the window should consider using it in case ee need to escape a tight quartered fight in the future."

[Ahus]

Ved goes back and grabs the Mitran holy symbol and Book, he ties off the symbol to his belt but seems unsure of how to transport the book he flips it ungracefully onto the table next to the map.
"Well, based on the body count to chest ratio, there is at least one more Guard assigned to this barracks, plus the Warden and, that bastard Blackerly. This map is useless for now." Ved says rolling up the map and tucking it into his belt. Pointing to the door to the South of the mess hall he continues, "That is likely a kitchen, that alone missing guard might be hiding in there, or maybe a delivery door, or maybe not...
Speaking of the future, has anyone come across Blackerly's branding iron? I've got an idea that should prove helpful in the long run.

[lostsole31]

Change clothes.

Done.

He goes to grab a sword, but things better of it.

Longsword removed from sheet. Note that you are right at the maximum for light load now.

"The other doors were locked, but the large double doors likely lead to some sort of yard, if I had to guess. Perhaps it would be best to find alternate ways to an exit, Bile could pick the locks in our way; there might be something they dont want prisoners accessing. Either way, whoever has the veil with the window should consider using it in case ee need to escape a tight quartered fight in the future."

Kel, who has been holding onto the veil .... mainly to keep it away from the not-so-forward-thinking Donovan ... answers, "Understand. Got it."

Ved goes back and grabs the Mitran holy symbol and Book, he ties off the symbol to his belt but seems unsure of how to transport the book he flips it ungracefully onto the table next to the map.

These items will be noted in the treasury.

[BuckGodot]

"The kitchen seems the best route. I think you're right. There may be an escape route through a servants door. Plus... Food!" says Donovan as puts the armor back on and finds the sword and shield.

[Blackhawk101]

“Ha Ha! Now you are makin’ sense. All this escaping and fightin’ got me a powerful hunger!” states the bloody pirate.

[BuckGodot]

Donovan snorts in derision... A word he, himself, does not know...

"Well we would have been long gone from here by now if the fool hadn't decided to shout out that he was casting a spell. I don't know how we're going to manage working together with such ineptitudeness... incompetude...ness... Stupidity!"

[GM_Dave]

" Whoever has good ears should keep one to the door as we are picking locks. The guards,." Zepsus indicates the deceased nearby, " "were waiting for us; staying quiet. We do not need a repeat of what happened when I opened the last door, so from now on let's be sure to listen, or peek. Someone should be watching our back as well." Zep instructs, as he makes his way to the kitchen door, and waits for the others to get ready. He will try to keep his mind centered on their task, visualizing their escape.

[Ahus]

"Two of these were upstairs and ran from us so, I would assume that they informed their compatriots as to our escape. That said, I definately concur on the sentiment of having someone watch our collective back whilst we continue to make our escape. I have been trying to do so, and simultaneously contribute to the frontal assault. " Ved says, slightly disheartened that Zepsus hadn't noticed. He continues "Grumblejack, are you able to carry one of these tables as a makeshift shield or mobile covering? "