Keep on the Shadowfell IC

[Phantom Genius]

Drang moves to block the exit, in case he tries to make a run for it.

[TurboGhast]

"I'm not scared that the cult will harm me, I'm scared that your train of thought will. Just ignore whatever gave you the idea there's a spy and I'll feel fine."

Spoiler: For those who made the previous insight check

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The rehearsed tone remains present throughout both sentences.

[Phantom Genius]

"The idea? Friend, we have a letter from the villain himself! Show him!"

OOC: I assume Brina has it. Drang would have brought it if she didn't.

[Ridai]

Brina nods to the action of showing evidence. Then when for a short moment nothing happens, Brina looks over at Drang, then the others, then Drang again before pointing at herself with a quizzical look. Quickly fumbling through her pack, producing the letter follows.

"Okay so if you look heeere," Brina points a long, elfy finger to the "To:" "it says it's adressed to the big bad 'bold who we took the scroll from, and if you look heeere," the finger moves down, overshoots a bit, quickly corrects to the "From:" "it says it is from the big bad cultist, with signature and all, and if you look heeere," moving up again. "it says there is a spy in Winterhaven." And her finger moves back and forth to further underline.

"So, you know, you prepared your lines really well and recited them really nicely (I like your enunciation, by the way), you can just talk to us. You'll feel much better if you talk about things that trouble you. Unless they are gross, I guess, because most people don't like gross. I can handle those though!"

[Dimers]

"Another way of saying that is, you'll feel much worse if you don't talk," Gagan adds with a level gaze.

[TurboGhast]

Ninaran's eyes widen when Brina reveals the scroll. "Uh... I don't think I know you well enough to be able to work through my nervous feelings with you. I'll talk them out with someone else, just leave me alone to repair my hunting equipment now."

Spoiler: For those who made the previous insight check

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These lines are as improvised as they appear.

[Phantom Genius]

Ninaran's eyes widen when Brina reveals the scroll. "Uh... I don't think I know you well enough to be able to work through my nervous feelings with you. I'll talk them out with someone else, just leave me alone to repair my hunting equipment now."

"Tell us the truth, curse ye!"

Intimidate
(1d20+3)[23]

[TurboGhast]

Ninaran starts inching towards the nearest window as she replies.

"I- I told you everything I'm willing to say."

Turning to the smith, she continues "Could you kick them out so I can get back to discussing equipment repair with you?"

[Dimers]

Gagan shakes his head at the woman. "Don't try it. I can breathe lightning faster than you can flee. I'm arresting you on suspicion of collusion with Winterhaven's enemies, and Lord Padraig will give you a fair trial. You're coming with me. Now."

Spoiler: If she challenges my right to make the arrest

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"Right now all you need to know is there are five heavily armed people here willing to spill your blood. Don't like 'might makes right'? You can take it up with Padraig when we get there."

[Phantom Genius]

Somebody block the window. I have the door.

[TurboGhast]

"Fine. I'll go along with this... but that note could be referring to anybody."

Spoiler: OOC

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Where are you going next, and is there anything want to do before you get there? Feel free to put more than one location, because some actions could be worth truncating into a description.

[Phantom Genius]

"You'll come with us to see Padraig?"
-Drang the untrusting

[Phantom Genius]

"You'll come with us to see Padraig?"
-Drang the untrusting

Because we should be going straight away...

[TurboGhast]

Since the guards to Padraig's manor know that you have business with him, they let you in. Ninaran shows no signs of resisting during the trip. His stonework manor stands out against the wood and thatch the rest of the village is made of. He meets you out front after seeing your arrival through a window. You're able to explain the events that happened since the last time you've met without interruption.

"Good job on defeating Irontooth. I'll send a guard to get the stuff you weren't able to carry out of the lair. In addition, I know for a fact the armor you found doesn't belong to a villager of Winterhaven, so it's yours to keep. Please wait for a moment while I get the reward I promised."

After leaving and returning a short while later, he gives you all 100 gp (16gp per person, 4gp remainder), and continues speaking.

"I've seen the change in the populace you've noticed myself, too, which makes me think there's something to your theory. I'd be willing to cover the cost to your rooms during your investigation, and perhaps more if your hunch is correct.

As for the wildest part of that theory... you may be acting a bit rash, but I suppose there's little reason to prevent someone from willingly jailing themselves. The idea that there's a spy in Winterhaven concerns me, since they could be leaking information about our defenses or perhaps even your own capabilities, but one person can only do so much. I'll leave the choice of whether you help me on my investigation of your allegations up to you."

[Ridai]

So far, Brina just tried to go with what the group wanted, but she is feeling woefully out of her depth in regards to interrogating people and whatnot.

"Hey, so, uh, question? Can't we just... go wipe out the cult? Like, right now? If that's gone, the spy doesn't matter anymore, right? Once we kick down the door, they know we're coming anyway if they didn't before, so..." She glances about at the others, face scrunched into a questioning look, as a hand sneaks in a tuber snack.

[Phantom Genius]

I am fine with that if Padraig gives it his blessing. (I'm also fine with keeping the armor! )

[TurboGhast]

"I'll leave you free to barge into the keep, then. There's no reason for me to prohibit it."

Spoiler: OOC

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In addition to whether you have any final preparations to make, I'd also like to know how you go the keep in terms of on-road or off-road, walk or run, and any other ways a march could be unusual that aren't immediately coming to mind.

[Dimers]

"Hey, so, uh, question? Can't we just... go wipe out the cult? Like, right now? If that's gone, the spy doesn't matter anymore, right? Once we kick down the door, they know we're coming anyway if they didn't before, so..."

Sounding more than a little paternalistic, Gagan responds with his point of view. "The spy ceases mattering to us, certainly, but the gods of justice would be displeased to see such a betrayal ignored. And a traitor to the town may not restrict their vile activities to one cult. No, it's clearly best that we do our part in ending the threat a spy represents to others." He clears his throat. "Arrchm. Regardless, let's make hay while the sun shines. On to the Keep!"

[Phantom Genius]

"Ninaran knows something, but she won't talk."

[Ridai]

Brina shrinks down a bit, properly chided. "Oh, uhm, alright, let's sleu-" And then Gagan wants to go to the keep, making the elf glance about in confusion. "Wait, didn't you just say-"

Brina is so confused right now, and whether she should stay or go.

[TurboGhast]

The road leading north out of Winterhaven isn't as well kept as the one you took to the reach the town, but it's still maintained enough to make travel fairly easy. The split leading the keep itself provides no such luxuries, as grass, ferns, and even a few small trees cover the road. Despite this, you're able to advance without serious difficultly.

At that road's end, it widens into a clearing filled with shattered stone blocks. Scorched timers line the clearing's edge, while its center is devoid of any evidence of plant life, as if they were too afraid to intrude.

Yet other forms of life seem to be present. You can see a path cleared through the rubble, and a pile of stone and timber next to it which looks more deliberate than the similar piles strewn throughout the clearing. The path leads to a stone staircase that descends into inky-black darkness despite the sun shining down you.

[Ridai]

"I... I guess here we are," Brina says, nervous-snacking on moss she collected on the way. "Time to storm the castle?" She looks to the sturdier members of the party. A beat passes, realization soon following. "The keep. The keep!" As the elf tries to shrink into the floor, which successfully distracts her from the prospect of heading into a cultist base right about now. No way but forward, as she followed Melhved and Sarathi down the stairs.

[TurboGhast]

The stairway down consists of finely crafted stone, perhaps the work of dwarves. With every step, the breeze becomes colder, eventually becoming bone-chilling. The darkest part of the staircase isn't quite as dark as it seems from the outside, since flickering torchlight can be seen from below.

At the bottom of the staircase, you find a room filled with enough torches to fill it with bright light, held up by four pilliars. A bored looking goblin notices your entry and perks up a bit.

"Come at me, you weaklings!"

He yells something over his shoulder and pulls a spear, clearly intending to fight.

Spoiler: For those who know Goblin

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"I've found some marks. Perhaps more than I'd hope, but we might be able to see a win for just ourselves anyway."

Spoiler: For those who make a DC 15 Perception check

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You can barely smell unwashed dead bodies.

Spoiler: For those who make a DC 20 Perception check

Show

You can barely hear chittering squeaks.

Spoiler: Game Action - Starting Battle

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A battle has begun! Link to the initiative rolls.

The squiggly line on the east / right side of the map represents a curtain. It blocks lines of sight and effect and moving through it costs an extra square of movement for medium creatures. By making a DC 15 Strength check, you can pull it down.

I had to edit the image to hide stuff because I couldn't find a clean map of the dungeon itself online.

Johuan will take a turn, then the goblins will take their turns.

Reactions:

Spoiler: If a goblin is missed with a melee attack...

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they shift one square away from the attacker.

Spoiler: If anybody enters the four spaces at the center of the first room...

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a pit trap is triggered. Because this causes changes to the battle map, I don't think I can set things up in a way that lets the person who triggered the reaction resolve it.

[Dimers]

Johuan points silently at the obnoxious goblin, affixing the creature with a steely stare. Then, blade at the ready, he rushes forward, drawing in a deep breath for a primal bellow at the end of his charge. But as the floor gives way beneath his feet, he falls into a filthy pit instead and that breath bursts out of his lungs. Momentarily stunned, the elf simply picks himself up off the floor, trying to get his bearings.

[TurboGhast]

A swarm of rats hiding within the pit tries to take bites out of Johuan, but he barely manages to evade them. The parts of it unable to join the attack are ravenously glaring in every direction not blocked by a wall.

Seeing this, the goblin Johuan attempted to charge says "Have fun with those pests!"

As a follow up, he tries to throw a javelin down the trap, but it merely clinks against the floor. He falls back to alert the rest of the goblins in the area to your intrusion. Two of them walk into sight to fire crossbows at Sarathi, one of which finds a gap in his armor.

Spoiler: Game Actions

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R's turn
Standard: Frantically bites at Johuan.

Attack Roll:(1d20+6)[18] (base) vs AC. Miss.
Hit: (1d6+3)[5] damage, and ongoing 3 damage (Save ends; Skill cure: Heal DC 12 minor action)

W1's turn
Standard: Throw a javelin at Johuan.

Attack Roll:(1d20+4)[11] (+6 base, -2 cover) vs AC. Miss.
Hit: (1d6+2)[4] damage.

Move: Walk six spaces south.

S1's turn
Move: Walk a space east, a space southeast, and two spaces northeast.
Standard: Shoot Sarathi with a crossbow.

Attack Roll:(1d20+9)[23] (base) vs AC. Hit.
Hit: (1d8+4)[10] damage.

S2's turn
Move: Walk two spaces northeast and one space southeast.
Standard: Shoot Sarathi with a crossbow.

Attack Roll:(1d20+9)[16] (base) vs AC. Miss.
Hit: (1d8+4)[12] damage.

W2's turn
Move: Walk one space west.
Minor: Open the door.

The rat swarm's aura lets it make free a basic attack against any enemy that starts its turn inside the aura. These attacks will be prerolled to speed the game up a bit.

Spoiler: Swarm Attack targeting Johuan

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Attack Roll:(1d20+6)[22] (base) vs AC. Hit.
Hit: (1d6+3)[6] damage, and ongoing 3 damage (Save ends; Skill cure: Heal DC 12 minor action)

Everyone will take their turn, then the enemies will take their turns.

Reactions:

Spoiler: If a goblin is missed with a melee attack...

Show

they shift one square away from the attacker.

[Ridai]

Brina, Elven Druid
HP 31/31, HS 8/8 (7), AP 1 | AC 18, F 13, R 17, W 17
Wild Shaped? no, Conditions -

Brina jumps a bit when she watches Johuan suddenly fall into the floor. "Are you alright?!" is asked, most likely answered with some measure of groaning... and the sound of many rats. Clenching her teeth at the situation, remembering her own spindly arms, and watching Sarathi growl from a crossbow bolt, it appears she will need to deal with the bigger threat first and Johuan can get out or at least survive for a short moment.

Bounding along the edge of the pit, Brina practically skids and slams into the corner wall, the impact making one of her arms whip past the corner, a foul green mass rapidly extracting itself from beneath the skin and flying at the goblins, bursting in the air right in front of them. The shower of acidic ooze is soon answered from below as roots tear themselves up from the cracks of the floor and at the creatures.

Spoiler: Brina's Actions

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Move from the stairs to the western corner into the southern hallway. Hopefully this should provide cover against enemy ranged attacks.

Minor Sudden Slime at the three goblins, Area Burst 1
(1d20+6)[11] vs S1's Fort Miss
(1d20+6)[21] vs S2's Fort Hit
(1d20+6)[13] vs W1's Fort Hit
Hit: 4 acid damage and slowed until Brina's EoNT.

Standard Grasping Tide at the three goblins, Area Burst 1
(1d20+6)[9] vs S1's Fort Miss Rerolled with Elven Accuracy to 22. Hit.
(1d20+6)[20] vs S2's Fort Hit
(1d20+6)[21] vs W1's Fort Hit
Hit: (1d6+4)[10] damage. If the target was slowed by Sudden Slime, it is knocked prone because of World Serpent's Grasp. If the target leaves the attack's AoE before Brina's EoNT, a follow-up attack is made by Brina as an opportunity action.

Follow-up
(1d20+6)[20] vs S1's Ref Hit
(1d20+6)[17] vs S2's Ref Hit
(1d20+6)[25] vs W1's Ref Hit
Hit: Knocked prone

------------------------

Sarathi, Gnoll Battlerager
HP 29/39 (4 THP), HS 13/13 (9), AP 1 | AC 19, F 17, R 14, W 14
Conditions -

Grunting from the pain of the crossbow bolt sneaking its way past her armor, Sarathi does not waste time, charging into the fray as Brina showers the runts with her bizarre powers, practically slamming into the bunch of them.

Spoiler: Sarathi's Actions

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NOTE: I resolve Sarathi's weapon die as 1d7+1 instead of 1d8 because of the khopesh's Brutal 1, to avoid clunky extra rolls and such.

Move around the pit

Standard Ferocious Charge, using Crushing Strike as MBA substitute due to Hunting Wolf Style, charging S2 and engaging S1 and S2. S2 is marked.
(1d20+8)[12] vs S2's AC (add +2 from CA if prone) Miss, even with CA
Hit: (1d7+8)[9] damage, and Sarathi gains 8 THP. Trigger Iron Wolf Charge.
Miss: Sarathi gains 4 THP.

If Iron Wolf Charge is triggered
(1d6)[2] extra damage to S2, follow-up attack in close burst 2 (doesn't trigger on melee miss, because it is a close power, not melee). Marks S1, S2, W1.

(1d20+4)[6] vs S1's Will
(1d20+4)[13] vs S2's Will
(1d20+4)[6] vs W1's Will
Hit: Doesn't push. Target takes -2 to attacks until Sarathi's EoNT.

Off-turn immediate reaction If an adjacent enemy misses Sarathi or an adjacent ally with a melee attack, trigger Shield Riposte and is marked.
(1d20+7)[21] vs triggering enemy's Fort
Hit: (1d10+3)[12] damage. Can push target 1 square and shift 2 squares to a square adjacent to target (this will need to be determined if/when it happens).

[Ridai]

If S2 shifts due to having been missed by Sarathi: trigger Combat Challenge as an immediate interrupt due to having marked S2. Forsakes Shield Riposte this round due to having used up the immediate action for this round (as new ones are gained at the start of one's turn).
(1d20+7)[16] vs S2's AC Hit
Hit: (1d7+6)[12] damage

EDIT: Since S2 is prone, it cannot shift. According to the Rules Compendium, the only way a prone creature can move is by crawling, teleporting, or being pulled/pushed/slid. Shield Riposte is ready for use again.

[Phantom Genius]

Drang and Melhved both took a move and a move. (If Melhved could have moved and charged, she would have, but I'm not sure.)

[Dimers]

Hustling over to the pit's edge, Gagan says loudly, "Sit tight for a moment, Johuan, I'll have you right out." He focuses on the melee up ahead, and a bloom of flame sprouts around the enemies. Johuan snarls at being left in the filth for now, but makes the best of the situation, regaining his feet and trying to fend off the swarming rats.

Spoiler: mechanics

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Gagan:
Move action to walk down the stairs and to the west of the pit.
Standard action is ignition centered on W1. Damage is (d10+8)[16] fire. The first target hit but not killed will also eat a hellfire heart for +5 damage.
(d20+8)[16] to hit W1's Fortitude: hit
(d20+8)[12] to hit S1's Fortitude: miss
(d20+8)[13] to hit S2's Fortitude: miss
The power creates a zone. Any creature entering the zone or ending its turn there takes 4 fire.

Johuan will take a move action to stand from prone and a standard action for total defense, gaining +2 to all defenses until his next turn starts. End of turn, save versus ongoing damage: (d20+1)[18]



W1 is down, S1 and S2 are unharmed but standing in fire, and Johuan can re-use his oath of enmity if it'll help him out of this mess.

[TurboGhast]

The swarm of rats continue their attempts to take a bite out of Johuan, but his focus on evasion lets him keep a slightly wider berth.

The goblins within the flames Gagan created duck out of the way so they don't get burned. One gets tripped up the vines Brina created, and gets up slowly out of fear that he'll be tripped again. The other does so without incident until he realizes he remained too close to Sarathi to use his crossbow safely. He silently stings himself for the mistake while dropping his crossbow to pull a shortsword, but still manages to get a hit on Sarathi.

From the other side of the door to Sarathi's left comes a javelin thrown hard enough to make an impact. The goblin who threw it proceeds to slam the door shut and loudly retreat, drawing audible consternation from the other two goblins.

Spoiler: Game Actions

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R's turn
Standard: Frantically bites at Johuan.

Attack Roll: (1d20+6)[16] (base) vs AC. Miss.
Hit: (1d6+3)[7] damage, and 3 ongoing damage (Save ends; Skill cure: Heal DC 12 minor action)

S1's turn
Move: Shift to the northwest one space. Knocked prone by the effect of grasping tide as a result.
Standard: Get up from prone.

S2's turn
Move: Shift one space northeast.
Free: Drop crossbow.
Minor: Unsheathe shortsword.
Standard: Slash at Sarathi with a shortsword.

Attack Roll: (1d20+6)[22] (base) vs AC. Hit.
Hit: (1d6+2)[7] damage.

W2's turn
Standard: Throws a Javelin at Sarathi.

Attack Roll: (1d20+6)[23] (base) vs AC. Hit.
Hit: (1d6+2)[8] damage.

Minor: Closes the door.
Move: Walks two spaces east, two spaces north, and two more spaces east.

Spoiler: Prerolled Swarm Attack targeting Johuan

Show

Attack Roll: (1d20+6)[16] (base) vs AC. Miss.
Hit: (1d6+3)[4] damage, and 3 ongoing damage (Save ends; Skill cure: Heal DC 12 minor action)

Everyone will take their turn, then the remaining enemies will take their turns.

Reactions:

Spoiler: If a goblin is missed with a melee attack...

Show

they shift one square away from the attacker.