Way of the Wicked: Knot of Thorns [IC]

[Blackhawk101]

“I am fine with flinging death from the back row, but our gal Kel seems like a “in your face” kickin’ and killin’ machine. What she goin’ to do from the back? Having no armor, I mean.” asks Leonidas, all innocent.

[Ahus]

"Well, <Expletive Deleted>. It was worth a shot." Ved says as the disintegrating cheek gore slides off of the string, into his hands. "i guess we will have to continue to share." He says to Bile immediately before he hurls the wad of former guard into the cell block.

"Yes, we should definitely get moving. I apologize for the delay."

[lostsole31]

Annoyed at Leonidas trying to offer her up as a walking blood sacrifice, dressed up as a compliment, Kel says, "Oh, I dunno, wait for the metal to stop the works and if there is room, come around the side to skirmish. Or, if we're being flanked, drop back and protect you high-value-shooters."

[oyzar]

"We need to get out of here. The guards will obviously try to stop us. If we can figure out how and where they'll try to stop us, we'll be better able to deal with it. I can get Asmodeus' blessing which would be good to use before battle, but it doesn't last too long, so we should use it when battle is imminent. Let's move." Bile says as he follows Zepsus into the next room, ready to head down the stairs.

[GM_Dave]

"Kel stay close, i can benefit greatly from coordinating with you against a common enemy; you could say that I have not been fighting with even half of my potential," Zepsus muses. He will keep his voice low, and begin to open the door in the next room.

[BuckGodot]

Donovan will move up to the door as well, sword and shield at the ready.

[lostsole31]

Because I didn't say too much about the room you are in right now (#17), this is a small guard room and the landing for the stairs from the first floor. It is lit by a sconce holding a torch. There are two doors – one leading to the cellblock (room 18+) and the other connecting to the interrogation room (room 20.) Otherwise, this chamber is plain with little furnishings save for a small table and two chairs.

The fireplace here is a relic of the old castle great hall. It is almost comically large and has a chimney from which wafts warmth and food-related smells.

The key to all the cells and manacles hangs on a peg by the door.

---

Looking into Room #20, this is an interrogation room. The room is currently plain and featureless save for a single stout wooden table and four chairs. Amadeus, once he gets a look, recognizes this as the room where he had his sit-down with the mysterious Tiadora, but he didn't have time to really look over the room or anything.

[oyzar]

"No surprise that there aren't any guards here. They'll probably be waiting somewhere downstairs. Hopefully they won't have an insurmountable defense." He starts moving towards the stairs. "Donovan and Zepsus, you want to take the lead? I'm fine going first too, we're the only three with armor.

[lostsole31]

An internal discussion is made regarding marching order, with Donovan and Bile taking the lead. I assume that shields are at the ready, and that the front line has bladed weapons in hand, with everyone else having a longbow (if they have one) or melee weapon, as appropriate. Torches on sconces light the way down to a lower level, with no more stairs above or below, to denote that the structure you are in only has two levels (at least, linked by these stairs).

There is nothing of interest in this 40' x 20' chamber beyond the stairs you just came down and a door 20' away, just offset from facing the stairs.

The party moves to the door in formation. What now?

[BuckGodot]

Looking around for the veil, Donovan says "We can use the window to conduct reconnoiting...Reconnanoiter... Rec... Get a look into the next room." He pauses before continuing... "Of course... That may give away our position..."

[oyzar]

Bile does not in fact have his blade in hand, instead he has his dagger sheated at his belt. Given his quick reflexes and fighting style he can access either that or the bow as necessary.

He responds to Donovan: "Do we know how the window operates? Can it be used multiple times?"

Bile will study the door, trying to determine if it's trapped or locked and whether it's possible to peer through a crack or keyhole.

Spoiler

Show

"perception" - (1d20+7)[13]

[lostsole31]

There is no keyhole to look through, and Bile doesn't hear anything.

Spoiler: Ved

Show

You have the feeling that once the window is set in place, that's it. It is fixed and can't be "pulled out" for use elsewhere. It's a one-off.

[Ahus]

"Given how the rest of the items that we have pulled from this veil have behaved, I believe that once we place the Window it is likely immovable. " Ved says to Donovan and Bile.

[bcool999]

”Best not to waste it then,” Amadeus adds to the window discussion, “This seems to be the only way out, best expect a fight on the other side of that door.”

Amadeus likewise keeps his sword sheathed but his shield at the ready.

[oyzar]

"I don't hear anything, so it could be empty. Or they're just exceptionally silent. Unless any of you hear something? That's why I don't think we should use up any buffs right now." Bile says, then decides to listen closely one more time. If he doesn't hear anything now and no one else has any more suggestions, he'll open the door.

Spoiler

Show

"perception" - (1d20+7)[25]

[GM_Dave]

"This side room may have useful supplies, but look quickly. Our captors are suring their defenses as we speak, so no long searches. The window is only good for one use, either placed in a wall or, if misused, a windoe frame will be of almost no structural strength for anything; but I wonder about placing it in a floor... chances are the magic wont allow it to be used like that, though. We were given a window, and a rope for a reason, but unless we find a way to cross the bridge into the prison undetected, or we find a boat, I'm not sure what our best plan is to escape," Zepsus thinks out loud, as he moves to begin searching the interogation room for any items.

[lostsole31]

Zepsus, Interrogation Room had nothing in it of note beyond what was in description. And the group has since gone downstairs.

---

Bile is extremely confident that he could hear a hummingbird's wings on the other side, if ...

Two arrows speed in to the one that opened the door. The first smacks very hard against the chain shirt, almost having penetrated. The second arrow hits Bile in his left hand for 4.

Begin Round One ...

R1T24: Zepsus is possessed of inspired reflexes. ~80' away from him (with one party in the way to break any run) he can see one prison guard. He saw two arrows, so assumes there is another that he can't see because of his position relative to the door and a vast hall beyond. He still has an ingrown nail that gives him a little pain and throws off his attacks. What does he do?

[GM_Dave]

Zepsus reacts with natural speed, stepping around to the side of the door way, breaking line of sight to the archer. He puts his back to the wall, looking only at the archer as he keeps his eyes on the area in front of the door. He holds his sword out of the way so the tip doesn't get in the way of the party, again summoning an energy from deep within the inner ocean inside of his body; a green, alien power of hell. The green aura forms as a plasma around huse longsword. He then motions for the others to get away from the ranged attacker.
"Watch out, there will be more than one!"

Spoiler: Actions

Show

Move: move to the square to the left of the doorway
Standard: Enhance weapon with an arcane point

[lostsole31]

R1T24: Zepsus reacts with natural speed, stepping around to the side of the door way, breaking line of sight to the archer. He puts his back to the wall as he keeps his eyes on the area in front of the door. He holds his sword out of the way so the tip doesn't get in the way of the party, again summoning an energy from deep within the inner ocean inside of his body; a green, alien power of hell. The green aura forms as a plasma around his longsword. He then motions for the others to get away from the ranged attacker. "Watch out, there will be more than one!"

R1T21: Ved, what do you do? You see the two archers down at the far end of a vast hall.

[Ahus]

Ved draws back his readied bow and loses an arrow at the guard on the left.
And wordlessly knocks another arrow.

Spoiler: mechanics

Show

Ranged Attack : (1d20+3)[16]
Damage :(1d8)[4]

[lostsole31]

R1T21: Ved draws back his readied bow and looses an arrow at the guard on the left, before wordlessly knocking another arrow. The arrow he fired clipped off of the guard's chain shirt.

R1T20: Donovan, what do you do? You are 80' down a long hallway at the end of which are two prison guard archers.

[BuckGodot]

Donovan will move to the left out of the los of the archers and say, "Right! Who has a bow? Up here and take them down!"

[lostsole31]

R1T20: Donovan moves to the left out of the LOS of the archers and say, "Right! Who has a bow? Up here and take them down!"

R1T19: Leonidas, what do you do?

[Blackhawk101]

“We ha’ neither the time nor the ammunition to get in a shootin’ contest! Got to rush ‘em and get in their faces! Who’s not in armor we can get to them quick and then the heavies can close. Who’s with me?”
Leonidas will get ready to run.

Spoiler

Show

Delay action until one other person has the metaphorical balls to try this risky gambit.

[Blackhawk101]

“We ha’ neither the time nor the ammunition to get in a shootin’ contest! Got to rush ‘em and get in their faces! Who’s not in armor we can get to them quick and then the heavies can close. Who’s with me?”
Leonidas will get ready to run.

Spoiler

Show

Delay action until one other person has the metaphorical balls to try this risky gambit. Will prepare dodging panache.

[lostsole31]

R1T19: “We ha’ neither the time nor the ammunition to get in a shootin’ contest! Got to rush ‘em and get in their faces! Who’s not in armor we can get to them quick and then the heavies can close. Who’s---?”

Spoiler: Leonidas

Show

Sorry, charlie, but you don't spend a full round's worth of vocals ... and then delay. You're done. Delaying your turn also means delaying your full barrage of speech, too. Otherwise, you're double-dipping.

R1T12: Kel is out the door into the hall. "--with me?"

So, the answer to who has the metaphorical balls is answered by someone who only has, in fact, metaphorical balls.

R1T10-7: Two arrows are fired at Kel, but she is moving very erratically and they don't come close.

R1T6: Bile, what do you do?

[oyzar]

"We only have three bows and it'll take less than ten seconds to close with them. Being cowards and hiding here will only see us suffer more damage and deplete our healing. If we'll rush them, it'll be be way better for us." Bile says as he moves out the door after Kel. As he moves he pulls out his bow, notch and arrow and let it fly. With a flash the arrow seem to disappear mid air only for it to reappear right before one of the guards.

Spoiler

Show

Move 30 feet, mostly north but 5feet to the west to not block the path.
Standard: [roll="dimensional strike vs ff]1d20+4[/rolle] body of the night should give an extra +4
"damage" - (1d8)[6] "body of night" - (1d6)[2]

[lostsole31]

R1T6: "We only have three bows and it'll take less than ten seconds to close with them. Being cowards and hiding here will only see us suffer more damage and deplete our healing. If we'll rush them, it'll be be way better for us," Bile says as he moves out the door after Kel. As he moves he pulls out his bow, notches an arrow and lets it fly. With a flash the arrow seem to disappear mid air only for it to reappear right before one of the guards, hitting him in the chest for 6. Realizing that he relaxed back when he put on his armor, he controls his breathing in case an occasion for stealth may present itself.

R1T5: Amadeus, what do you do?

Grumblejack on deck, Zepsus in the hole ...

[bcool999]

Amadeus puts his shield first as he moves into the hallway. His gaze grows harsher as he sees the two archers waiting at the end of the hall as he makes ready to defend against their salvo.

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Swift action: Black Seraphs Glare stance
Move action move 30ft into the hallway
Standard Action: Total Defence.

[lostsole31]

R1T5: Amadeus puts his shield first as he moves into the hallway. His gaze grows harsher as he sees the two archers waiting at the end of the hall as he makes ready to defend against their salvo.

R1T4: Grumblejack trundles past Leonidas and Ved to move right up to the doorway.

End Round One, Begin Round 2 ...

R2T24: Zepsus, what do you do?

Ved on deck, Leonidas in the hole ....