Even from a distance the group can tell that something was wrong. As the sun was setting there was an ominous glow on the horizon and through the setting sun thick clouds of smoke could be seen. Rushing back they find that village of Ashford reeling from an attack. Several homes have been burnt, a few guards and farmers injured or dead. According to the survivors it had happened so quickly they had barely time to muster up a defense before the raiders had faded back into the trees.

"Orcs!" the mayor cried when he caught wind that the heroes were in town again.

"Orcs have come in from the Wealdath!"

When he was finally able to calm down he explained the situation further.

"Right as the sun was setting they came out, taking cover among the shifting shadows. It seems like they were primarily interested in food and supplies as we've gotten reports of the grain stores being ransacked as well as the general store. They took all sorts of tools and construction equipment. Why would orcs need nails and mortar? They've also kidnapped some of the townsfolk! We don't know who is missing yet but Lori from the mill swears she saw an orc with a woman thrown over its shoulders!"
This message was lightly edited by the GM at 17:37, Fri 26 Feb 2021.

Talia had rushed into town with her mace drawn. Seeing the devastation, she allowed the emotions to well up in her and leak from her eyes. Two pale lines drawn in her soot stained face. She saw and understood the situation faster than her heart could deal with it though, so she looked to the group and gave out commands, "Angel, Layssa, assist the mayor. Figure out the extent of the damage and who is missing. Orila, Yry, with me and lets see about these fires and the injured." Thus said, Talia tried to put her worry for her mother out of her mind and rushed to start assisting the village.

Even then, a small part in the back of her mind wondered at the details of the raid. Something felt off.

Alyssa hurried the last leg of their journey as fast as she was able. As she and the rest of the group heard the mayor's hurried recounting of the attack, she scanned the destruction to the village and... the halfling's heart caught in her chest. She should be out hunting down those whom did this, but her sadness rooted her to the spot.

Talia's call to assist the mayor was the right nudge that Alyssa needed. Turning to the mayor, "You say Lori may have seen who was taken? I can ask after that. See if she can remember who she saw or if there was anything else she recalls." Waiting just a moment to see if anyone else had anything better for her to do, Alyssa made her way to the mill to look for Lori.

The party sets about aiding the wounded and helping extinguish the last of the fires. Everything is in chaos and nobody has a clear picture of what is going on, especially as the night's dark deepens.

By morning the group is exhausted and worn from hours of helping with just snatches of sleep here or there but a full picture is formed. Three people appear to be missing, not accounting for the unfortunate townsfolk who were killed or buried under burning debris.

One person missing is Brecca, the daughter of the owner of the Reluctant Pig.

One is the young clerk, Tomas, of the Ashford General Store.

The last missing townsfolk is Pinna, the town hedge mage.

After a night of exhausting work and worrying, Yry does not take the news of Pinna being abducted very well. Although she could douse some of the smaller flames with her magic, Yry is darkened with soot and caked with dirt as she crouches down next to a wall and holds her head in her hands.

It wasn't good that anyone was taken, of course, but a childhood friend hits especially hard. "We've gotta go and do what we can," She finally says to anyone around, standing up on shaky legs.

Orila brushed aside some burning debris. She looked around and stretched her shoulders. "Yes. We do, but we need to find and rescue the town folk." The female goliath looked visibly upset. "I'm a warrior, not a cleanup crew. Let's go find these orcs."

"That's what I meant. We need to go save the others," Yry says, trying to focus her frayed concentration.

Talia rubbed at an itch on her face which smeared soot across her cheek then looked with ragged, red eyes at the group. Pursing her lips, she felt the dual tugs of sleep and panic. She wanted to help her friends, but she was exhausted. The short war was won by her concerns for her friends though and she nodded at Yry, "Aye, that's the case." She rolled her shoulders and felt soreness in her whole form. She looked at Orila then and grunted. "Yes, I am with you on that. I need to... vent."

Then she looked around, past the houses, and seemed confused, "So, which way? Alyssa, Orila, can you figure that out? Yry, Angel help get some supplies? Food, water, rope? I'll warn the mayor about the knights and what we encountered at the Inn."

Eventually, Talia would rally with the others intent on yet more adventure.

Alyssa settled herself on a very comfortable patch of grass with her companions after a night full of helping sooth the villagers that needed soothing and laboring with the villages that needed physical help. She would have sworn that her eyes never closed when Talia charged her with finding the orc trail.

With great effort the handling pulled herself back up to her full 2' 10" hight, and with a tired sort of grunt at Orila headed to the edge fo town. Despite the long night, and the Goliath's heavy foot falls, Alyssa was relativity confident she had found the orc's rail.

---

OOC:
12:13, Today: Alyssa Tealeaf rolled 15,7 using 1d20+3,1d20+3 with rolls of 12,4.  survival check, which way did they go.

Yry moves aside with Angel, "The store was raided and the villagers will need supplies as well. What do you think we should do?"

Coming across the raided village, Angel did what she could, having no problem letting those who actually knew the folk here take the lead. When it was time to gather some supplies for the journey, she accompanied Yry to [insert supply gathering place here... general store maybe?] and turned her attention to the sorceress when she spoke. "We could probably find water along the way, same with food but we probably don't want to take the time to search for it. I dunno... maybe a two or three days worth of food for all of us, an extra waterskin, and a couple coils of rope. Let's see what hasn't been burned or carried off and we'll make sure to leave some behind for the villagers." 

There isn't much to go around but the villagers are able to scrape together a couple day's provisions for the party as they prepare to head into Wealdath's End after the orcs.

Alyssa finds the trail, in fact it seems the orcs didn't bother to even try to cover their tracks. She identifies about two dozen orc boots as well as aa few large wolves that were accompanying them.

After several hours of tracking they hear a crashing in the woods up ahead. What sounds to be orc voices are arguing with one another. Creeping carefully through the underbrush they spy two large orc warriors, each seemingly paired with a large and vicious looking wolf, arguing with one another.

[Language unknown: "We whe entpe in thueresta butta rutom wit hoersi ast."]

[Language unknown: "P beek ine i ma moca lar. Ng elwent ce fitoro a noth e ri tinonstio ughwasman ilheas m chain."]

[Language unknown: "Eveiouhou PA com? K ntllpl tilo eeio waevwh mi ce me ingillcomare k ng t noce capobe shepreany!"]

[Language unknown: "Bemeth ei io, ul."]

[Language unknown: "Ursa? Rut lloupr ngera romtintio roio paen!"]

Their exchange seems to be getting quite heated.

Orila looked at the two orcs and the wolves that accompanied them with anger. She caught one of her companions' eyes. She shook her head and shrugged her shoulders. She didn't know what the words meant. She pulled out her maul and pointed it at the orcs from her position. Her finger made a cutting motion making her intention clear.

Angel pantomined touching her ear and then shook her head so the others would know she didn't understand what the orcs were saying either. She looked around questioning to see if any of her companions did know what the orcs were saying...

But when Orila drew her maul, the elf drew a dagger and nodded. She was ready...

Alyssa strained her ears trying to decipher the orcs conversation. From the looks of it, her companions didn't understand either but the halfling got the impression that these two were about to start swinging at each other.

With her bow readied in her left hand, Alyssa held her right hand back, palm out, wanting to wait and see if the orcs came to blows.

Yry adds her head shaking to the mix, not understanding the orcs and deferring to Alyssa-- waiting in the back of the group but making herself ready by taking off the crystal torc from around her neck and then locking it back into its ringed shape in her hands.

Talia adds the final shake, she too cannot understand orcish, and noted the readiness for combat. Taking a cue from the rest of the group, Talia readied her shield and mace but waited. As a quick thought she pointed at one of the ropes they'd managed to bring along then at the orcs. Taking one alive would be useful if they could speak the common tongue.

She waited to see what would happen though. One of them taking the other out would make their work easier.

Sure enough after a few more shouts between the two they start coming to blows. They are just using their fists but are slugging each other hard enough to bloody noses and split lips. As they wrestle and brawl the two wolves start barking and growling, agitated by the emotions present. They start circling one another, growling and snapping at one another.

It looks like the party could walk right on by without anyone being the wiser. Otherwise it seems possible but unlikely that the two orcs will go further and kill one another. It seems more of a power struggle between the two rather than a life or death battle as their knives and axes stay sheathed as they continue to slug it out.

Yry frowns, really unsure of what to do. She looks at the others with a helpless shrug as the orcs come to blows. It seemed bad to leave the pair at their back with the likelihood of one or both of them returning in the same direction. They could also be scouts or something.

In any case, Yry will follow the lead of one of the front-liners, it was they who would be pitting their bodies against the orcs' fury.

Orila tight smile broadened when she saw that the two orcs began fighting amongst themselves. She whispered to her companions. "We can take them. It looks like they are fighting each other right now. Dumb orcs." Orila said the last statement with a wide grin.

Talia's eyes forgot the orcs and rested on the large wolves that were their companions, "If it was just orcs, perhaps I'd agree. Those wolves look hungry. and far more watchful." She arches an eyebrow but tightens her grip on her weapon just the same. "I say wait until thy tire one another out and try to take them... less than completely dead. You know, to ask questions about the rest of them."

Sensing more than knowing the moment to attack was at hand, Talia sprang from the bushes and rushed the warriors. As she did, she felt the trance she had come to know and trust settle upon her awareness. Voices and knowledge flooded her awareness. Each was foreign to her, alien, but also known and familiar. In a collaborative zen, they guided her actions. Each step, the grip on her shield, the twist of her wrist as she swung the mace.

Even as she felt the blow connect, she saw a ghostly form move away from herself like she could have if she had chosen a different path. She saw it harass the target of her attack and she grinned wolfishly at the orc as she raised her shield.

---

Move: R7
Bonus: Rage
Action: Attack S7, reckless attack, Invoke Ancestral protectors.

Talia Alden rolled 8 using 1d6+6 with rolls of 2.  damage.
Talia Alden rolled 23 using 2d20+6, dropping the lowest dice only with rolls of 17,6.  reckless attack.

Yry isn't sure yet who to target, but she starts to channel frosty magic at Talia's target. The crystal ring in her hands hovers away from her hands, flecks of white ice magic pulling in towards its center before discharging as a thin sheen of frost on the orc.

_ _❆ Yry Sweetwater ❆ the sorcerer iii______ ___ _ __ _
 hp ██████████ hd ♡♡♡
 ac {15} [13 d. resilience + 2 dex] p.per {13} p.inv {10} p.ins {13}
 sorcery points ❆❆❆ spell slots ❆❆❆❆ ❆❆
 {action; frostbite on orc#2, con save DC 13 or take 1 cold damage and disadvantage on next weapon attack roll}
 {15:15, Today: Yry Sweetwater rolled 1 using 1d6 with rolls of 1.  frostbite con dc 13.}

Angel rolled her eyes at Talia's hesitation (post #21) and sided with Orila. (post #20) "Then let's take them!" She whispered, rising up and moving toward the orcs. Stealthily skirting the trees beside them, speaking arcane words as she went, Angel moved into throwing range and launched one of her daggers at the nearest orc (S-7)...

OOC: (Move) -- from M-11 to 0-9
     (Bonus) cast Hex on orc in S-7, targeting his Wisdom checks
     (Action) throw dagger at orc in S-7

16:24, Today: Angel rolled 15 using 1d20+7 with rolls of 8.  Stealth check.
16:23, Today: Angel rolled 13 using 1d20+5 with rolls of 8.  Thrown dagger attack (AC 16).
      (Uh Oh! It's the attack of the Crazy Eights!) Miss!

Talia strikes one of the orcs and an ancestral spirit rushed forward throwing off the orc's aim and concentration.

Yry blasts an orc with frosty magic but the hardy orc shrugs off the effect.

Angel tries chucking a dagger but her shot misses the mark.

Orila moves forward to engage the orcs and the wolves.

Alyssa fires off an arrow but misses as well.

---

The orcs quickly break apart, whistling at their wolves to engage the intruders. Trained as part of the pack the wolves circle around, nipping at the heels of the two warriors engaged on the front lines while both orcs seize upon the advantage to strike at their targets. Talia's ancestral spirit flashes up in front of one orc spoiling his strike on Orila while the other lands a savage blow to Talia but in her barbarian's rage she barely even notices it.

OOC: 5 damage to Talia becomes 2 after resistance


Round 2

Cursing her errant shot, Alyssa once again lined her bow up on the wolf closer to her. The halfing was rewarded with a solid thud as the arrow hit home on the beast as she moved to her left around the melee.

---

OOC:
Attack wolf S9, Hit AC26 for 7 damage
Move M12 to O16

13:15, Today: Alyssa Tealeaf rolled 26,7 using 1d20+7,1d6+3 with rolls of 19,4.  wolf S9 Ac 14.

Yry retrieves a diamond from her belt, holding it out in front of her. It hovers off of her hand and turns to point forward, spinning up with prismatic flashes of rainbow light. Draconic runes inscribe themselves as two-dimensional glowing lines in the air, circling around the spinning diamond. As she channels her icy magic into the set up she touches the dragon tear on her belt; cold wind whips around her, rustling the grass and bushes nearby, leaving a delicate lacework of frost.

A solid, ice white orb forms, then Yry rips it into two orbs. They both launch at an acute angle from each other, each one aimed for one of the dire wolves. She is not very practiced in targeting two things at once, however, and while one finds its mark, the other orb tears past the dire wolf and explodes against a tree, leaving a splash of ice frozen against the trunk.

_ _❆ Yry Sweetwater ❆ the sorcerer iii______ ___ _ __ _
 hp ██████████ hd ♡♡♡
 ac {15} [13 d. resilience + 2 dex] p.per {13} p.inv {10} p.ins {13}
 sorcery points ❆❆❆ spell slots ❆❆❆❆ ❆❆
 dragon tear ❆
 {action; chromatic orb, twinned, targeting dire wolf 1 and 2, 9 to hit wolf1, 18 to hit wolf2 for 10 cold damage}
 {14:45, Today: Yry Sweetwater rolled 9,21,18,10 using 1d20+5,4d8,1d20+5,4d8 with rolls of 4,7,6,6,2,13,1,2,5,2.  twin chromatic orb w/ dragon tear, one for each wolf.}

Orila found herself smiling as she engaged the orc. "You'll die here today." She didn't know if the orc understood her, but it was important to her to state her intention.

---

Action: rolled 26,12 using 1d20+6,2d6+4 with rolls of 20,6,2.  ATK/DAM
Reroll 2 b/c of Great Weapon Fighting
rolled 2 using 1d6 with rolls of 2.  Reroll

CRIT DAMAGE
rolled 3 using 2d6 with rolls of 1,2.  Crit damage
rolled 9 using 2d6 with rolls of 6,3.  Reroll

So that'll be 21 points of damage

OOC: Operating under the assumption that map as NOT been updated as that's what I can see...

Snarling in frustration at missing the orc (S-7) with her dagger, Angel pulled out her sling and launched a bullet at the same orc (S-7)...

OOC: Concentration -- Hex on orc in S-7
     Move -- none (still in 0-9)
     Bonus -- none
     Action -- sling ranged attack on orc in S-7
17:19, Today: Angel rolled 21 using 1d20+5 with rolls of 16.  Sling ranged attack (AC 16). (HIT!)
17:21, Today: Angel rolled 5 using 1d4+3 with rolls of 2.  Sling damage.
17:21, Today: Angel rolled 3 using 1d6 with rolls of 3.  Sneak Attack damage.
    (I think Talia is engaging this same orc, so SA should apply)
17:22, Today: Angel rolled 6 using 1d6 with rolls of 6.  Hex damage.
    (8 bludgeoning damage and 6 necrotic damage to S-7 orc, for 14 damage total)

Alyssa fires an arrow and hits one of the large wolves causing it to yelp in pain.

Yry creates two icy orbs of empowered frost and while one misses its mark the other smacks the wolf dead center of mass.

Orila unleashes a powerful attack that drops the orc in front of her to its knees but it howls in rage and steps back up, readying its falchion for a counterstrike.

Angel launches a stone at the orc and while it causes a deep bruise, thin tendrils of black rot spider out from it from her hex.

Talia shifts her attention from her current opponent to finish off the orc in front of Orila with a swift strike to its skull.

---

The other orc howls at the death of its companion and swings for Talia's neck but she ducks and rolls out of the way of the wild swing.

The wolves continue to harass and harry Orila and Talia with Talia taking a bite but again the raging warrior barely seems to register the wound.
OOC: 9 damage becomes 4 damage after resistance

Round 3



This message was last edited by the GM at 16:00, Fri 12 Mar 2021.

Alyssa nocked and loosed another arrow. This one also found its mark in the side of the nearer wolf.

---

OOC:
Attack wolf S9: hit AC 23 for 6 damage

11:03, Today: Alyssa Tealeaf rolled 23,4,2 using 1d20+7,1d6+3,1d8 with rolls of 16,1,2.  wolf S9 Ac 14.

Angel tried for another sling attack at the orc still standing...

OOC: concentration — Hex
      bonus — move Hex to orc still standing
      move — (none)
       action — sling attack on orc still standing
       10:14, Today: Angel rolled 7 using 1d20+5 with rolls of 2.  Sling ranged attack (AC 16).
        MISS!

Her eyes noted the trickle of blood leaking from her arm absently. A single voice of the chorus in her head quailed at the sight of even a little blood. The rest of the chorus quieted it, assured it the wound was minor. Her eyes focused on the orc she had attacked previously. The ghostly warrior's attention shifted in time.

---

Move: none
Bonus: none
Action: Attack orc

Talia Alden rolled 9 using 1d6+6 with rolls of 3.  damage.
Talia Alden rolled 23 using 2d20+6, dropping the lowest dice only with rolls of 6,17.  Reckless Attack.

Yry frowns at the missed orb, but doesn't let her magical assault slacken, channeling frost energy at one of the wolves, hoping to slow it down.

_ _❆ Yry Sweetwater ❆ the sorcerer iii______ ___ _ __ _
 hp ██████████ hd ♡♡♡
 ac {15} [13 d. resilience + 2 dex] p.per {13} p.inv {10} p.ins {13}
 sorcery points ❆❆❆ spell slots ❆❆❆❆ ❆❆
 dragon tear ❆
 {action; frostbite wolf at r9, con save dc 13 or take 1 cold and disadvantage on next attack}
 {23:39, Today: Yry Sweetwater rolled 1 using 1d6 with rolls of 1.  frostbite r9 wolf, con dc 13.}

"Dumb wolf. I've no quarrel with you Wolf." Orila slashed bit deeply into the wolf's side. She slashed with enough force to push the wolf away. She used that opportunity to circle the Orc. "But you took our people from the village. You'll die unless you tell us where they are. Where are the people!"

---

Attack Wolf (Q6)
rolled 21,12 using 1d20+6,2d6+4 with rolls of 15,2,6.  ATK/DAM
rolled 6 using 1d6 with rolls of 6.  Reroll 1 and 2
Hits AC 21 for 16 damage.
Use Superior Die to take Pushing Attack
rolled 1 using 1d8 with rolls of 1.  DAM, Superiority Die
rolled 8 using 1d8 with rolls of 8.  Reroll 1 and 2
8 Damage, and Wolf must roll STR DC 13 or be push 15 feet.

Orila will move around the orc to T8 and Flank with Talia :)
She'll accept the AoO from the wolf is it is still standing or within melee.

Alyssa sinks an arrow into one of the large wolves.

Angel causes misfortune to befoul the remaining orc. Her sling shot pings the orc but it wasn't a good hit, sliding off its armor.

Talia strikes at the remaining orc.

Yry throws more frost magic at the giant wolf but its fur protects it from her icy magic.

Orila slashes at the wolf sending it flying back.
OOC: Note, you reroll 1's and 2's ONLY for the weapon die. Additional damage sources like sneak attacks, superiority dice, smite etc. are not rerolled.

---

The one wolf doesn't look like it wants to tangle with Orila, instead charging in at Angel as the next closest target. It tears into Angel and threatens to drag her to the ground.
OOC: 13 damage and must make a DC 13 STR check or be knocked prone.

The orc in front of Talia nearly guts her but she throws herself out of the way of the swing once again.

The remaining wolf circles around to the rear of Talia, nipping and biting at her heels and setting the orc up for a flanking attack next turn.

Round 4

Angel screamed as the wolf torn into her, but managed nonetheless to hold concentration on her spell. She likewise managed to resist the wolf's attempt to drag her to the ground...

20:38, Today: Angel rolled 12 using 1d20+1 with rolls of 11.  Concentration check (DC 10). (Success!)
20:39, Today: Angel rolled 18 using 1d20-1 with rolls of 19.  Strength check (DC 13). (Success!)

Snarling in defiance against the vicious canine, Angel dropped her sling and mentally switched the focus of her spell onto the wolf that attacked her. Then she drew one of her daggers and stabbed at the wolf...

OOC: drop sling (free)
     switch Hex focus (bonus)
     draw dagger (object manipulation as part of Action)
     attack wolf (action)
20:40, Today: Angel rolled 7 using 1d20+5 with rolls of 2.  Dagger Attack (AC 14). (Miss!)

Talia sensed the flank as much as she saw the wolf circling her. Her mind was a sea of calm voices telling her what to do with centuries of experience to bolster her confidence. A strange sensation she was slowly coming to adapt to as well as value. Outwardly, Talia grinned like a madwoman at the orc. She heard her weapon hiss angrily at her side as it sensed what would happen. Such a maneuver was eminently pointless. Still, she moved without hesitation to try her newest trick.

Stepping to the side, she changed her grip on the mace to point its draconic head toward the wolf and watched as the nasty little dragon head opened its mouth and spewed flame.

---

Move: R9
Bonus: none
Action: use Breath Fire on Tiamat's Fury. 15' cone? Should be able to angle it to hit both wolves and avoid friends like this:
    *
  * *
* * *
      T
Talia Alden rolled 7 using 2d6 with rolls of 3,4.  fire damage.

The battle was fluid. Talia shifted her position unleash an attack of her own. This forced her to shift again which allowed her to strike from an advantageous position. The Earthbreaker smashed the orc with ferocity.

---

Move to T7 (Flank w/Talia)
Attack w/Advantage vs Orc
rolled 19 using 2d20+6, dropping the lowest dice only with rolls of 13,5.  ATK
rolled 13 using 2d6+4 with rolls of 6,3.  DAM

Alyssa rushed another shot off at the wolf already sprouting a pair of her arrows. Despite her haste, it joined the other arrows already impaled in its hide.

---

OOC:
Attack Wolf(S9), Hit AC 15 for 11 damage

17:45, Today: Alyssa Tealeaf rolled 15,6,5 using 1d20+7,1d6+3,1d8 with rolls of 8,3,5.  wolf S9 Ac 14.

Not liking the scream of pain from angel, Yry frowns and focuses her rime magic on the wolf attacking Angel. As she builds up the icy white motes she speaks in draconic syllables and then releases the stored magic, causing long slashes of frost to appear on the wolf.

_ _❆ Yry Sweetwater ❆ the sorcerer iii______ ___ _ __ _
 hp ██████████ hd ♡♡♡
 ac {15} [13 d. resilience + 2 dex] p.per {13} p.inv {10} p.ins {13}
 sorcery points ❆❆❆ spell slots ❆❆❆❆ ❆❆
 dragon tear ❆
 {action; frostbite on the wolf attacking Angel, con save dc 13 or take 4 cold and disadvantage on next attack}
 {03:07, Today: Yry Sweetwater rolled 4 using 1d6 with rolls of 4.  frostbite con dc 13, on wolf attacking angel.}

Angel focuses on the wolf but it jumps back as she attacks.

Talia shouts her command phrase and the head of the Fury shifts as the dragon motif comes alive, inhaling a deep breath before expelling a gout of flame that covers both wolves.

OOC: 2d6 fire = 9 damage

One of the wolves successfully dodges out of the way but the other is caught full in the blast.

Orila smashes Earthbreaker into the orc causing it to expel a grunt of pain.

Alyssa sinks another arrow into the wolf threatening Angel and this time her aim is true as the wolf slumps to the ground.

Yry shifts to the other wolf, clipping it with her frost magic.

---

The orc rears its head back and bellows in anger. Its muscles seem to bulge and it starts moving with increased speed. It launches not one but three attacks, hitting Talia twice and Orila once on the backswing.

OOC: Talia takes 13 and 9 damage (reduced to 10 total after resistance)
Orila takes 13 damage.

The frostbitten wolf crosses over to flank Talia but its impaired movements from being iced allows Talia to move her legs out of the way of a vicious bite.

Round 5

Emboldened by the first wolf's fall, Alyssa turned her attention to the remaining wolf. The halfling nocked, drew, and loosed her arrow but this time the arrow's point failed to stick, glancing off the wolf's frozen hide.

---

OOC:
Attack remaining wolf (Q10), miss

12:07, Today: Alyssa Tealeaf rolled 13,7,1 using 1d20+7,1d6+3,1d8 with rolls of 6,4,1.  wolf q10 Ac 14.

Flashing a grateful grin at her halfling savior, Angel mentally shifts her magic to the last remaining wolf even as she carefully moves to flank the creature with Talia. Once in position,  she attacks the canine with her dagger...

OOC: Bonus -- shift Hex to remaining wolf
     move -- from O-9 ---> O-10 ---> 0-11 ---> P-11 (15 ft. move)
     action -- dagger attack (with advantage for flanking)
19:38, Today: Angel rolled 22 using 2d20+5, dropping the lowest dice only with rolls of 17,9.  Dagger Attack (AC 14). HIT!
19:38, Today: Angel rolled 5 using 1d4+3 with rolls of 2.  Dagger damage.
19:38, Today: Angel rolled 3 using 1d6 with rolls of 3.  Sneak attack damage.
19:39, Today: Angel rolled 1 using 1d6 with rolls of 1.  Hex damage.
  (9 damage to wolf, 8 from dagger/1 from Hex)

Information flowed through her consciousness from the minds attached to it and she saw the wolf seeking, yet again, to flank her. She was aware of the blood flowing down her sides now and did not seek yet more to join it. Still, regardless of such concern, her guides sent her next strike with the mace in without concern for her own defenses. She felt their confidence that she would be protected. Once more shifting her grip on the mace, she held it firmly and sent it crashing into the wolf yet again.

---

Move: none
Bonus: none
Action: Attack wolf. Redirect to orc if the wolf dies before Talia's initiative.


12:17, Today: Talia Alden rolled 8 using 1d6+6 with rolls of 2.  damage.
12:17, Today: Talia Alden rolled 22 using 2d20+6, dropping the lowest dice only with rolls of 6,16.  Reckless Attack.

Yry remains focused, invoking draconic words. She knows this spell doesn't seem to physically hurt much, but Yry likes that it disrupts the attacks meant to hurt her friends.

_ _❆ Yry Sweetwater ❆ the sorcerer iii______ ___ _ __ _
 hp ██████████ hd ♡♡♡
 ac {15} [13 d. resilience + 2 dex] p.per {13} p.inv {10} p.ins {13}
 sorcery points ❆❆❆ spell slots ❆❆❆❆ ❆❆
 dragon tear ❆
 {action; frostbite on the wolf, con save dc 13 or take 1 cold and disadvantage on next attack}
 {05:13, Today: Yry Sweetwater rolled 1 using 1d6 with rolls of 1.  frostbite con dc 13.}

Orila took several quick breaths of air restoring her strength. She slammed the Earthbreaker and missed the orc. However the maul did not trigger its powerful effect when it hit the ground.

---

Bonus: Second Wind
rolled 13 using 1d10+3 with rolls of 10.  Second Wind

Action: Attack Orc Missed!
rolled 14,9 using 1d20+6,2d6+4 with rolls of 8,1,4.  ATK/DAM
rolled 9 using 1d20+6 with rolls of 3.  Advantage

Roll for potential trigger w/Earthbreaker. Not Triggered.
rolled 1 using 1d6 with rolls of 1
</orange>

Alyssa fires and misses the mark.

Angel circles around and slips a dagger between the wolf's ribcage and it drops.

Talia switches targets and smashes her magical morningstar into the orc.

Yry shifts targets to the remaining orc berserker but in its frenzy it shrugs off her frost magic.

Orila centers herself and finds herself refocused and ready for a slug fest. She swings the maul but misses, however her swing is at an angle so she avoids contacting the head with the ground.

The orc continues his frenzy. It connects its blade with Talia's neck in a grievous blow that nearly takes her head. Thankfully the angle was off and its deflects off the side of her jaw opening up a huge gash on the side of her mouth.

OOC: Crit! for 14 damage which becomes 7 after DR

The orc follows through with an attack on Orila piercing the goliath's thick skin and opening a serious wound nearly as bad as Talia's head wound. It is clear this last orc is not going down easy.
OOC: 12 damage

Round 6



This message was last edited by the GM at 16:29, Thu 25 Mar 2021.

Seeing the last wolf fall, Alyssa moved further to her left around the melee. Lining up her shot, the halfling loosed her arrow landing a solid hit.

---

OOC:
Move O16 to S16
attack orc (T7) hit AC 19 for 9 damage

11:50, Today: Alyssa Tealeaf rolled 19,7,2 using 1d20+7,1d6+3,1d8 with rolls of 12,4,2.  last orc standing ac 16.

Is Colossus Slayer damage typed? or just assumed to be the same as weapon type?

Angel swore in her native tongue at seeing the savage blows the orc dealt Talia and Orila. Maybe they had underestimated these foes. Quickly shaking the thought from her head -- there were much better times to engage in hindsight-thinking -- she mentally shifting her magic to the last remaining orc. Then Angel cautiously closed with the orc, hoping to flank it with one of her companions and bury her dagger in its back...

OOC: Bonus -- shifting Hex to last orc (Str checks affected, if needed)
     Move -- as needed to avoid AoO and flank orc
     Action -- "stabby stab stab stab"
     20:32, Today: Angel rolled 11 using 1d20+5 with rolls of 6.  Dagger Attack (AC 16).
      (Miss!)

Orila shouted a battlecry. The Earthbreaker smashed into the shoulder of the orc! However the backswing just missed the orc's head.

---

Move: Currently flanking
Attack Orc Hits AC 18, 13 Damage
rolled 8,13 using 1d20+6,2d6+4 with rolls of 2,5,4.  ATK/DAM
rolled 18 using 1d20+6 with rolls of 12.  Advantage

Second Wind Attack Orc Missed!
rolled 12,12 using 1d20+6,2d6+4 with rolls of 6,5,3.  ATK/DAM
rolled 10 using 1d20+6 with rolls of 4.  Advantage

rolled 1 using 1d6 with rolls of 1.  Earthbreaker missed roll

Another savage blow cause yet another waterfall of blood to flow down her side. Even if she had twisted to reduce the impact as the voices had instructed, the fatigue and damage were accruing. A pressure to end the fight was building. The pressure did not cause her to consider retreat or caution, however, only to add her own pressure to the orc. She felt her grip upon the mace slickened even as she swung once more at the brute.

---

Move: none
Bonus: none
Action: Attack, no reckless since flanking.

10:45, Today: Talia Alden rolled 10 using 1d6+6 with rolls of 4.  damage.
10:45, Today: Talia Alden rolled 22 using 2d20+6, dropping the lowest dice only with rolls of 11,16.  attack, flanking.

It seemed like just a matter of time before the warrior among her companions cut down the orc, but Yry doesn't want any of them to be hurt any further before the final blow is landed. To that end, she continues to channel ice magic to slow its limbs and numb its warrior instincts.

_ _❆ Yry Sweetwater ❆ the sorcerer iii______ ___ _ __ _
 hp ██████████ hd ♡♡♡
 ac {15} [13 d. resilience + 2 dex] p.per {13} p.inv {10} p.ins {13}
 sorcery points ❆❆❆ spell slots ❆❆❆❆ ❆❆
 dragon tear ❆
 {action; frostbite on the orc, con save dc 13 or take 4 cold and disadvantage on next attack}
 {03:18, Today: Yry Sweetwater rolled 4 using 1d6 with rolls of 4.  frostbite con dc 13.}

The party finds a suitable location in the woods and begins resting....

OOC: Short resting. Spend your Hit dice.




This message was last edited by the GM at 21:57, Mon 05 Apr 2021.

At the last frenzied flurry, Talia exhales deeply. As she does, the presence of the guiding voices fades from her awareness and the pain of her wounds intrudes rudely. Groaning audibly, she sinks a bit then collapses to her knees. "Ow! Tyr's teeth! Those things hit like a sack of rocks swung by giants." Exhaling in a blustery way, like she was trying to exude the pain from her form through her breath, she rolls her shoulders and slowly stands up. "We didn't happen to find a new priest recently, did we?" She then looks to Orila to see how the doughtier woman fared.

Orila smiled as she stood over the dead orc. Earthbreaker was over her shoulders. She laughed, "That was fun. He put up a good fight." Clearly the goliath enjoyed the challenge of this fight.

---

Not sure if I already received the HP from Second Wind during the combat.
But here it is again :)
15:24, Tue 23 Mar: Secret Roll: Orila rolled 13 using 1d10+3 with rolls of 10.  Second Wind.

Yry moves over just about in time to help Talia up-- not that Yry is much help, but she does what she can. "Yeah, they seemed dangerous. Fought right through my ice magic. Hopefully if they are this strong they aren't numerous, as well."

Alyssa walked over to her friend and looked her over. "No, no priest. But I can patch you up a little bit." The halfling reached out and touched Talia directing the healing energies around them into her.

Alyssa saw how little the spell had apparently and then added, "But we'll need to find a priest if you don't learn to step out of the way!"

---

OOC:
Cast cure wounds for 4

12:33, Today: Alyssa Tealeaf rolled 4 using 1d8+1 with rolls of 3.  cure wounds on Talia.

Talia nodded her thanks up to her friend as she felt the tension and fatigue easing. Heaving a solid breath, she grinned at Orila next, "Aye, a good challenge. I don't feel the need for such on a daily basis though..." Looking around at the group, she sucked her bottom lip for a second then nodded as if a decision had passed through her mind, "Lest take a short rest then push on. However, perhaps we can find other options for such confrontations in the future?" She chuckles then points at the bodies then the fire, "Lets search and dispose of the bodies then have a sit?"

A quick pat down of the orcs revealed nothing of interest but a bit of information. They weren't carrying typical traveling supplies and thus were likely not expecting to be out for longer than a few hours. The party was not just on the right trail, but likely fairly close to their destination.

"Agree. We can all take a short rest." Orila moved to drag the wolves to the side. "A short rest is welcome."

"A bit of a breather sounds good to me," Angel replied, limping over to sit on a nearby fallen log. She felt nearly halfway drained of vitality and could use a moment to refresh herself. The wolf who'd tried to trip her had shredded her pant leg from the knee down -- which wasn't really a problem, she could always fix that with a bit of magic... kinda -- but the flesh below that pant leg was a different matter. She gingerly peeled back a section of blood soaked cloth and grimaced when she saw the puncture wounds beneath. They were still seeping blood. "Wouldn't happen to have another one of those for me, would ya?" She asked when she saw Alyssa use a cure spell on Talia.

Alyssa looked at the elf and then her leg. "He did get you good there. I can stop the bleeding but how much more I can't say for sure. Here, hold still." The halfling then closed her eyes and channeled healing energies into her companion's injured leg.

---

OOC:
11:14, Today: Alyssa Tealeaf rolled 7 using 1d8+1 with rolls of 6.  cure wounds on angel.

Angel sighed in relief as the healing magic took hold, stopping the bleeding and stitching the flesh together again. "Ahhh... much better. Thank you," she said, standing again and testing out the leg. The magic didn't completely seal the wound, but it was enough so that the she-elf didn't feel the need to limp anymore. With a thought, she summoned her magic and 'fixed' her shredded pant leg -- the cloth seemingly flowing together so that it looked just as it had been before the wolf tried to use her as a chew toy. "There. Good as new."

"So," she continued, addressing all her companions, while they took a short breather. "Two orcs and two wolves certainly gave us a run for our money, and there's most assuredly more in this raiding party we're tracking, so what'd the plan for any future encounters?"

OOC: Alyssa's heal spell takes Angel from 11/24 to 18/24, and spending 1HD (1d8) during the short rest... 19:29, Today: Angel rolled 8 using 1d8+1 with rolls of 7.  Short Rest heal... which takes Angel all the way to full (24/24)

I'm assuming we can discuss this while walking, so ready to move on whenever everyone else is.  :)

"We can take them in a fight." Orila sounded confident. The goliath seemed ready for the challenge. She did stop and stared at Angel's wound on her leg. "That should give you an impressive scar. You can make the scars stand out if you put some pickled berries on the wound before it heals."


Orila should be at full health

"We should certainly scout them out first. If they have patrols or... scouts... or deserters out this far then we can probably whittle down their numbers if we are canny." Yry rests alongside her companions, leaning back in the grass and not quite dozing off, but coming close to it. After a while the sparkle in her dragon's tear comes back, ready to be used once again.

"You mean like this?" Angel replied to Orila, her smirking face suddenly bearing an ugly red scar running down and across one milky-white eye. "Or how about this one?" She added, her face now horribly burned on the left half. "Oh wait, I've got just the one!" Angel exclaimed, her face suddenly looking exactly like the goliath's. "Definitely the worse one of the bunch, right?" The goliath-faced she-elf quipped in characteristic mischievous fashion.

Assuming her normal elven features again, Angel turned an attentive ear to Yry. "Now that's a plan I can get behind," she said appreciatively. "So you're thinking we scout out what paths they take when they leave their camp and set up some ambushes?"
This message was last edited by the player at 14:34, Sat 10 Apr 2021.

OOC: Skipping ahead a little bit

After resting Alyssa was able to follow the trail of the orcs back...and around...and around again. It was clear they had been lost for awhile as the group followed the trail back to their original encounter three times before finally being led to their hideout.

The trees and tall grass end, and the forest opens to a large clearing dominated by a ruined stone keep. This is the once-proud stronghold of some ancient baron or count long since abandoned. A fortified wall surrounded this place long ago, but only the eastern and western sections remain intact. The entire upper level of the keep has collapsed. Two towers, one in the northwest, the other in the southeast, acted as lookouts once; now only the northwest tower remains intact. Time has ravaged this place. The underbrush is clear for sixty feet surrounding the ruin, with lit torches placed every forty to fifty feet. The walls of the keep are as bare as the ground, not overgrown with choking vines

Staying close to the tree line the party observes the stronghold secretly for quite some time and are able to put together a general overview of the inhabitants.

There are always 4 orcs in the watchtower keeping watch, one in each direction. They rotate every couple of hours, likely out of boredom. It seems likely there is at least a dozen orcs, maybe more, inside but at this distance it is difficult to get an accurate count.

The exterior can be described in three parts:

- While trees and underbrush have been cut down the grass leading up to the keep is very long, nearly three feet high in some places. Someone Alyssa sized could quite easily sneak through but taller folks would need to crawl which might lead to a trail being spotted by the sentries.

OOC: For Alyssa it would be a DC 11 Dex(Stealth) check. Everyone else would have the same roll but would roll at disadvantage for having to crawl.


The easiest way in would be from the north because the northern wall of the bailey has completely collapsed although the northwest watchtower is the one that is being used by sentries. There are smaller holes on the west and southern sides but the narrow gaps would be easy to trap as a precaution against intruders.

- The main gate is on the southern side and is made of thick oak reinforced with bands of iron.

- The bailey has been cleared of vines and there is even signs of rudimentary repairs that had been made. The guards in the watchtower never seem to look at the bailey even as sounds of combat echo up on occasion. It seems that these orcs are quite prone to quarrels with one another which might serve the group well as if combat breaks out there is a chance it does not alert the rest of the keep.

Talia had found a tree to rest against while they took a much-needed breather. Though her wounds had stopped bleeding by the time they were ready to go again, she was still not in top form. Pressing her lips together, she considered her status and nodded sharply. She'd make do, even if the orcs had proven far doughtier than she had expected. Standing and testing her legs, she gripped the handle of her mace firmly once then moved to follow.

Talia Alden rolled 13 using 2d12 with rolls of 4,9.  short rest.

Crouched with the others at the forest's edge, she felt the tightness in some of her muscles still. The position seemed easily defensible. Their previous encounter had taught them that facing a horde of orcs head on would be a disaster. She appreciated the lesson the two had provided. "How confident are we about being able to avoid traps?" That said, she eyed the strong door dubiously. "Perhaps, we could approach that way then enter through the ruined tower?"

"That's hard to say without seeing them. I'm good at spotting snares and deadfalls but anyone more cunning than a trapper could get the better of me." Alyssa turned to Angel, "I don't suppose you have any experience with traps, do you?"

Scratching behind her ear absently as she scanned the grass and the walls the halfling added, "I would imagine I could get to the base of the inner walls with a little care. Once there, I'm not sure what I could do on my own. The fallen tower would make sense as long as those orcs aren't watching from deeper in that we can't see."

---

OOC: Dungeon Master, just for clarification where are we on the map/ where did we approach it from?

OOC: It doesn't matter. As long as you stay behind the tree line (40' from the wall, off the map in this case) then you can approach from any direction given an hour or so to walk around.

After they had kept hidden in the trees and made their way completely around the ruined keep to survey the layout, Angel was considering their options when Alyssa asked her question. "Much better with other skills than simply spotting things, but I suppose I'm better than average at that too... but I've a another idea."

She stooped down and took a stick to draw a crude sketch of the keep. "The easiest way in is this north wall here, right? But the main obstacle there is this tower," she explained, tapping her dirt sketch where the tower was located. "The west and south have some smaller holes we could try, but those just scream ambush and trap. Plus the southern side is where the main door is, so much more likely running into more orcs there. It's always better to go with the devil you know..." she paused slightly to chuckle to herself at some private joke. "...than the one you don't, so I say this is our best option," she concluded, tapping the north wall. "We just need to eliminate this," she added, tapping the tower part of the sketch again. "And I think a great way of doing so is that magical fog you summoned back at the inn," she said to Yry. "Set it right on top of the tower and we rob them of the ability to see anything."

Finished with laying out her plan, Angel paused to hear the others thoughts on it...

After a few minutes discussion with the others, it was decided that Angel would try infiltrating the keep disguised as an orc and attempt to lure another orc back to her companions for questioning.

Once decided, Angel summoned her magic and assumed the exact likeness of one of the orcs they'd battled earlier, skirted the tree-line to approach from the south, and started walking toward the keep...

OOC: Approaching the keep from the south, heading toward the main door. Let me know what rolls I need to make, if any. 

Talia said a silent prayer to her ancestors as Angel made her way toward the keep. The tactic was dangerous but also could acquire valuable information for them on the disposition of troops within the fortress. She bit her lip nervously and watched the other woman stroll across the grass as apprehension built within her chest with each stride.

Luckily for Angel, they had a good look at two orcs that were not going to be coming back any time soon. While it would still be tricky she might be able to slip around relatively unnoticed if she did the standard "look busy, walk with intent" whenever anyone was around. As long as she could get an orcish grunt down she might be able to get through the whole complex without ever having to talk to anyone.

OOC: Give me a deception roll w/ advantage and we'll go from there. I will likely sumamrize her scouting if that's okay with you to keep the game moving. Going room by room would likely take awhile...

With confidence Angel strides right up to the main gate and gives it a good pounding. From inside are a few grunts and she hears the sound of a board being lifted and then the door squeaks open.

She finds herself looking at what was once a grand entrance hall to the castle but it is now breezy and moss-covered. The carpets have been shredded by animal claws and rotted by water. A large bonfire burns in the center of the chamber with smoke pouring out a small hole in the ceiling.

A hulking orc looks at Angel and then grunts again and turns back to the fire where another orc and two dire wolves are gnawing on hunks of venison.

From the entrance Angel spies 9 closed doors plus a hallway that hooks to the side however while the orcs could care less about her disguise, the two wolves will likely be a bit more troublesome. She can easily look like an orc and, with effort, kind of sort of manage to sound like an orc but smelling like an orc to get past not one but two large wolves standing in her path might be more difficult than she can manage.

From their position she guesses she could reach doors (A) and (B) without getting too close to the wolves but going past that would be difficult.

Of other interest is along the Southern wall right between doors (A) and (B) a treasure chest has been slid against the wall. It is surrounded by animal bones that have been gnawed completely clean by sharp fangs.

---

Before she can begin to act there is a commotion from ahead. Out of door (G) storms one orc followed by a second. While the first looks to be a formidable fighter, the second is clearly the chief.


OOC: They're speaking in Orcish but Angel can hear it and will probably explain all this anyway...

Orc: "I grow tired of this. Why do you let him speak to you like this? Why don't you keep the little whelp in the dungeons. I understand keeping him alive but letting him loose? What is wrong with you."

The chief responds and through the distance and armor Angel realizes that it is actually a female orc in charge of this warband, a rarity among orcish tribes.

Chief: "I do not know, Oregg. I cannot say. Do not press me overmuch. Here, I am feeling my way. We are on unfamiliar terrain, and the world is not much with us since our bargain with Saxton."

Oregg: "Your bargain."

Chief: "Aye, I admit it. But I think there is a path through this wood, and though I fumble like Grole with only one good hand, I think there is yet victory to be grasped. Indulge me in this. It is of little consequence in any event."

The first orc, Oregg, grumbles but seems to have calmed down. With another deep breath he nods and the two return back through the door although from the way the door opens Angel cannot see inside.

magically disguised as an orc

Angel discreetly watched the interaction between the large orc and the chieftainess, making it seem that in her orc guise she wasn’t really that interested, even while committing to memory as many details about the conversation as she could. Eyeing the wolves with care, already scheming a way to get past them, Angel continued on into the courtyard and tried the first door to the left (A), while keeping one eye on the orcs around the fire to see if her trying the door seemed to raise any suspicions...

Angel pokes her head into (A) which reveals it to be a guard post. Originally an integral part of any castle defense, now the room stands empty and unused. Arrow slits go along the wall however Angel hasn't seen any orcish archers yet which might explain why the room is empty.

(still disguised as an orc)

Holding the door open, Angel paused for a moment to pretend as if she were looking around for something and then slammed the door shut with a disgusted-sounded grunt-cry. "Baaahhh!!" Then she stomped over to the next door, in the process discreetly careful not to disturb the chest with those ominous bones scattered around it...

OOC: avoiding the chest as much as possible without looking like I'm avoiding it, and then trying door "B"

Opening up the next door definitely triggers a reaction.

"Gart, what are you..."

But it's too late. The door swings open revealing a chapel that is dominated by a statue of some god or champion with arms outstretched however it is clear that the orcs had some fun as huge chunks have been knocked out and raw meat has been tossed into the face obscuring who it was originally supposed to be.

Behind her the orcs are rushing towards her but in that split second Angel notices two things. The first is that the statue sits on top of what looks to be a trap door. The second is that the whole room feels...angry. It is not unheard of for desecrated shrines to produce curses or stir up angry spirits.

"Gart! Why you open up ghost room? What's wrong with you?"

The orcs push past Angel and slam the door shut. Almost immediately a tension she hadn't even realized was building up was released.

(disguised as an orc)

Angel still couldn't understand what the orcs were saying, but her sharp mind was quick enough to make a couple good guesses. She'd experienced how that room felt -- downright creepy! -- and guessed that's why the orcs were upset. They apparently had a healthy respect for the supernatural and were afraid she was going to let something out. She smiled inwardly at that guess; it was just the sort of thing she could use to her advantage. Second, that word "Gart" sounded like a name, and must be the name of the face she currently wore. Not much, but better than the nothing she'd started with. Now, if only they spoke the Common tongue and didn't think it odd "Gart" did too.

(in Common) "Bah! Me thought ghost was over there!" Angel replied in what she hoped was her best sounding Orc-speaking-Common voice, pointing to the door across the courtyard (door I) ... and secretly using the gesture as a distraction while she curled the fingers of her other hand into a strange gesture. "Why you change room?!" She accused the orc who'd rushed to shut the door, giving him a shove.

No sooner had she spoken, and before the other orc could shove her back, an ominous low moan sounded from behind the door that'd just been shut. It quickly rose in pitch and volume until it became the kind of piercing shriek she'd often heard associated with spirits the human's called banshees. "uuuhhhh...Uuuhhh...AAAHHHH!"

OOC: using Minor Illusion to create sound effect of the moaning-turned-shriek coming from the door, (since I don't think I can do something coming from inside the shut room with line of effect rules, etc.)... and that makes me think another Deception check is in order. </fingers crossed>

05:58, Today: Angel rolled 23 using 1d20+4 with rolls of 19.  Deception check.  Woohoo!

Angel notes with dismay that the magic of interpreting languages seems to have faded as while before she could hear and understand the orcs, now it is only grunts.


The orcs fall back near the fire while the wolves' ears perk up and they all start growling at the door. The good news is that the orcs seem to have completely forgotten about her "odd" behavior but the downside is that she is now being slowly boxed in by growling dire wolves. It seems like they are focused on the door right behind her but she will still need to slip past the somehow.

Angel's heart quickened on seeing the approaching wolves but only partly from anxiety, the greater portion was excitement on continuing the game she'd started with the ghostly scream. Putting on a good show, Angel threw up her hands in disgusted outrage -- using the gesture to disguise a particular hand gesture -- and started to stomp off toward the next door... (Door C)

... even as that same piercing banshee scream now came from the orc behind the nearest of the wolves. (orc nearest Door G)

OOC: DM, if possible I'll try riding that 23 Deception check as long as possible. If you need another check, please feel free to roll it. I'm gonna be occupied until later this afternoon.

Otherwise, Angel uses the distraction of the scream in an attempt to move past the wolf nearest her and on to open Door C.

Angel tries to slip to the side but she catches sight of the closest wolf starting to sniff the air and look in her direction. She gets the very distinct impression she should retreat back to camp before her disguise is discovered.

OOC: Okay... given the DM's info in the OOC thread, here's my round's worth of actions... let the die fall as they may.  </fingers crossed>

(still disguised as the orc named "Gart")

With a flick of her wrist Angel caused a huge block of stone to appear right in front of the wolf who was starting to sniff in her direction -- and more importantly between her and the beast. Then she ran for the door to which she'd been intending to check when halted by the wolf's sniff, praying to the one god she thought might listen. Oh Jack, please don't let it be locked!   

OOC: action -- Minor Illusion to create image of five-foot cube of stone.

(DC 12 to disbelieve; positioning block of stone that it blocks line of sight as much as possible between Angel and the wolf along Angel's intended path toward Door C. My intent is to distract the wolf enough that it has to spend its action to interaction with the stone block, while also blocking line of sight and thus preventing an Attack of Opportunity. )

     move -- run to Door C, (should be less than 30 ft.
     free object interaction -- open door (if not locked)
     bonus -- (if allowed) additional object interaction -- shut door once through it. 

Angel makes a mad dash through the next door. The wolf starts barking alerting the orcs who glance back to see a stone block appear in the middle of the room. Orcs aren't known to be particularly intelligent but they aren't brain dead either. Even as she rushes through the door she hears them shouting and alerting the rest of the castle.


Angel rushes into the room to find that it is a makeshift sparring chamber. Four orcs are already running her way, armed and ready for combat as they had heard the screams from earlier and with the alert from the guards outside they ready their weapons and advance on Angel...

I warned you <evil DM grin...

---

Back at camp...

Hours go by and Angel still hasn't reported back.

What is everyone doing and how long do you want to wait until you think something might have gone wrong?

Yry bites her bottom lip nervously, watching the stronghold. "This is bad. She is taking much too long. We have to go in to get her."

Talia crouched low and bit her lip as she slowly shook her head once. She shook it again more quickly then, "I don't know. Is it being a long time good or bad. Long because she is being thorough and hasn't been caught or long because..." Talia chided herself internally for not thinking to set up some type of understanding about this. "Best to assume she was intending a short trip?" Concern emanated from her eyes as she regarded her friends and wondered what to do.
This message was lightly edited by the player at 07:20, Sat 01 May 2021.

"I don't know. Angel seems to want to take risks." Orila smiled, "She's like me and lives for the challenges. But then...there's no real challenge for Orila by stay out here."

"North wall or just follow her from the south?"

Talia considered the situation briefly then pointed to the north tower. "Let's try a version of her plan. Yry can envelope it in mist, then we climb." She bit the inside of her cheek and grunted. Nodding briskly, she broke from their position and started moving toward the north tower. She looked back briefly and with a worried face to see the others following her lead. She could not tell if she found that more or less unnerving.

Yry nods to Talia and is quick to follow her friend. She keeps her eyes on the north tower, ready to bring the cold mist down upon it when she gets close enough.

120' range, 20' radius sphere of fog that goes around corners and counts as heavily obscured (effectively blind).
This message was lightly edited by the player at 08:27, Sat 01 May 2021.

The group makes its way up to the tower under the cover of Yry's fog but now they are presented with the daunting task of actually climbing.

Orila takes the lead, tying herself to Talia who is climbing up second. Orila makes it nearly to the top when she shifts her weight onto a stone that slips loose from its cracked mortar. Orila is 45' in the air and a fall from this height would be considerable!

Make a DC 15 Dex check to see if you can grab the wall. Otherwise if that fails Talia make a DC 15 STR check to brace. If THAT fails then you have to make a DC 20 Dex check to grab yourself.

If everyone fails then both of you fall!

AS the group scaled the wall, Talia grit her teeth. Being in the second position made sense. She was slowed and slightly encumbered by Alyssa's presence tied to her back. The weight of their gear was there as well. She felt each moment in the tips of her fingers and her toes. To say the least, as they neared the top of the tower, she was slightly regretting the decision. It occurred to her, this would be the worst time for a mistake. She watched in slow motion as Her friend set her foot and the wall crumbled. She saw it coming then. She looked over her shoulder, "Hold tightly, do. NOT. move." She grit her teeth, dug her fingers and toes in and grabbed the wall with every drop of strength she had left.

Talia Alden rolled 15 using 1d20+3 with rolls of 12.  STR check. I succeed if Orila fails, so we're safe! For now.

Orila was confident that she would be able to scale the wall. After the first twenty feet, she allowed a smile to creep to her face. Then she lost her grip, the wall broke off! She fell, unable to grab hold of the wall with the broken piece of stone in her hand. Until she felt the rope grow taut and hold her in place. Orila scrambled to grab hold of the wall again. "Thanks." She breathed heavily.

---

DOH! That's a dump stat :)
rolled 9 using 1d20-1 with rolls of 10.  DEX Save

Yry gasps softly when the stone slips out of place, her hands going to her mouth only for her to exhale in relief as they manage not to fall.

Avoiding catastrophe the two climbers are able to rescure themselves however the stone bounces off the wall before shattering on the ground below...

Stealth checks everyone. Let's see if anyone heard anything...

At the sound of the crash, Talia cursed quietly and pressed herself close to the surface of the tower. She hoped the obscuring cloud above would help their passing unnoticed. She held her breath and waited for a cry of alarm.

Talia Alden rolled 14 using 1d20+2 with rolls of 12.  stealth.

"FUCK!"

---

OOC: 21:29, Today: Alyssa Tealeaf rolled 6 using 1d20+05 with rolls of 1.  Stealth check.

Teach me to try posting from my phone...

Orila sucked air and found herself holding her breath as the rock clamored below. Her eyes went wide when she heard Alyssa. She narrowed her eyebrows as she stared at the halfling.

---

rolled 15 using 2d20-1, dropping the highest dice only with rolls of 17,16.  Stealth with Disadvantage

Yry finds a bush or a tall cropping of grass to hide in.

 {stealth 18}
 {01:32, Today: Yry Sweetwater rolled 18 using 1d20+2 with rolls of 16.  stealth.}

From the top of the tower comes a series of grunts.

[Language unknown: "Eve tic any witforherrut?"]

[Language unknown: "Ro, theillres wallwe. Ersho ulmi acive fofi ensslliv wa ine tiushe?]

[Language unknown: "Ca, derstrman amenteort?"]

[Language unknown: "Din onenc day ivelar-essver? El? Ing pa he be ndetic'whirea. Ulngee dayhatver ic st o se anysom'oerlin."?"]

There is a shifting sound as the orcs reposition up top.

Reflexively throwing a hand over her mouth, Alyssa whispered to Talia, "_Sorry!"

Trying to look past her friend towards the lip of the tower, Alyssa worked her bow free and nocked an arrow. Just incase.

---

OOC: Don't know if it's possible to shot the bow from Alyssa's current position. Practically I'd have to say no, but I wan't sure if mechanically it was still possible.

The party is pressed up against the base of the tower which is designed to protect its occupants from shots from below. In a proper setting if the castle was under siege anyone taking shelter where they are would be a sitting duck for one of the other towers but with only one tower occupied being where they are now represents a blind spot. The orcs up top probably can't see down unless they lean really far out and likewise the orcs are completely protected from any archers on the ground (unless they lean really far out) however it sounds like orcs are descending the tower quickly so they might be sending someone to investigate or gather reinforcements.

Assessing the situation to her eyes and to her ears, Talia grunted and ascended. She wanted them to get into the cloud obscuring the top if possible. Her fingers burned from griping the stone wall. Worst case, they would need to blitz the orcs up top and get over the lip. She caught Orila's eyes and pointed at the crown of the tower with her chin then started moving.

Talia Alden rolled 17 using 1d20+2 with rolls of 15.  stealth.
Talia Alden rolled 19 using 1d20+5 with rolls of 14.  climb.

Orila understood the gesture from Talia. They needed to scramble and get to the top. She pulled herself up using whatever handholds she could find.

---

07:35, Today: Orila rolled 11 using 1d20-1 with rolls of 12.  Stealth.
07:35, Today: Orila rolled 21 using 1d20+5 with rolls of 16.  Athletics.

The women pull themselves up to the top of the watchtower. Peering over the side they find it...empty. Where had the orcs gone? Why weren't there any sentries posted?

Orila helped Talia pull the others to the top. She hunched down. "Something must have made the guards move away. Let's find out what is happening below." She looked for an exit. "Want me to go first?"

As soon as Talia cleared the top of the tower Alyssa wiggled her way out from her harness. After quickly scanning the empty tower the halfling nodded to Orila's offer to lead the way down. "I hope it's not Angel! Yes, you lead and we'll follow," Alyssa turned and looked at the spiral stairs, "I'm not sure how much cover I can give you on the way down but I'll do what I can."

Talia grinned at Alyssa as  she turned to the edge to throw the rope down. Hopefully, they could get Yry up relatively quickly. "For now, keep a weather eye open... and the ears too. We found a neat way in, but we need to get down there quickly if we can. I hope Angel is alright for now." She'd had her differences with the strange woman, but she'd wish her no harm at this point. That wasn't her trusting Angel, yet, but she wanted to see her safe.

Yry makes liberal use of footholds and the rope as she climbs slowly and unsteadily up to join the others.

19:44, Today: Yry Sweetwater rolled 18 using 1d20+2 with rolls of 16.  stealth.
19:43, Today: Yry Sweetwater rolled 15 using 1d20-1 with rolls of 16.  athletics.

The party finds the watchtower empty and the only path forward is the spiral staircase down. Cautiously descending the party makes its way to the ground floor where the stairs lead to a hallway with two doors. One heading east and the other heading south.

Talia regards the doors quietly for a split second. The southern door sounded quiet to her ears, but the eastern door... that was concerning. Unless she missed her guess, they needed to go that way. At least, she couldn't fathom a reason for orcs to be speaking common unless one had put on airs. She glanced at the southern door and pursed her lips then looked at Yry and Alyssa, "Jam that if you can. We go that way. I think I hear common." She then caught Orila's eye and jerked her head at the door. "Me first. Follow. Swing first. Ask questions later." While she was sure that Angel was talking her way into or out of something, the rest of them lacked such skills and were unmistakable out of place. Talia simply had no tact for things like this. A companion was in danger, she was charging in.

She said a quick prayer to her ancestors and bulled her way through the door.

Alyssa looked at the door to the south then back to Talia with a shrug. Pulling an arrow out of her quiver the halfling attempted to "copper lock" the door by wedging the head of the arrow into the gap around the door. After looking at her handiwork Alyssa used two more arrows for good measure.

Once she was done she nocked the next arrow and leveled it on the eastern door.

Talia bursts into the room and takes in the sight before her. It appears this is a dining room of sorts as there is a long central stone dining table that runs the length of the room however the ornateness of the table contrasts with the crude cobbled together chairs and benches that flank it. Talia can see a large orc woman with a giant battleaxe strapped to her back. Next to her is a young human boy, probably around 12 or 13 years old.

Across from them at the table with her back to the dramatic entrance, appears to be Angel sitting calmly across from the giant orc. Stationed around the room are five other orcs who turn at the sudden commotion reaching for swords and axes that had been resting near them.

Orila hesitates a second, looking Angel. Her maul was raised poised for a strike. She lowered the maul to her chest, "What's going on here? Did you make this?" The goliath asked gesturing at Angel.

Talia charges through the door and freezes. Of all the shocking things she expected to see, this was not one of them and her brain lost a step as it tried to figure out what was going on and how she should react. Slowly, she sensed a lack of the danger she expected. She eyed the orc guards and the strange boy. then she looked directly at the mammoth orc. Pursing her lips, she lowered her shield a bit then looked at what appeared to be Angel, "So? We feared for your safety after so long. What is happening?"

Alyssa had readied herself to enter the room and give cover with her bow but she ran into Orila's hip as Talia and Orila pulled up short entering the room. Moving more slowly but with her bow in hand Alyssa moved into the room along the wall.

"Oi! What in the Nine Hells... Angel?"

---

OOC:
Move to AL44

With her back still toward the companions' grand entrance, the feminine elvish figure with the coppery-red hair laughed softly. "Hells' Angel... I'll have to remember that one," she mused to herself before rising and speaking first to the large orc woman.

"You see, Bloodchief, it is as I told you," she said, making a grand flourish toward the adventurers who's just burst into the room. "The dragonslayers have come."

Then she addressed her companions. "Mighty Ones, may I present Bonebreaker Dorokor, Bloodchief of the White Tusk, she who wields the fearful Wound," she said, making an equally grand flourish accompanied with a courtly curtsey toward the large orc woman.

"Come and join us," Angel continued, waving the companions toward the table. "Bloodchief Dorokor is no friend of the Blackstars and even less of the ones who lead them. She has heard of how you've already laid low the Lady Cass and being the wise leader she is believes we all might find common cause together. For is it not said that the enemy of my enemy is friend?"   

Talia relaxed some more, going as far as to stand up straight with her mace hanging at her side in a loose grip. She did not yet move toward the table. Still, politeness demanded that she incline her head to the orc chieftain. She was an impressive woman with a considerable name. "Sometimes..." She bit off the retort concerning enemies and then bit her cheek to keep her face from becoming too sour. She glanced sideways at Yry and Alyssa before shrugging to Orila.

She approached a chair to stand behind it and hung her shield on it. "Speak further then. I make no liking of this lot. Their actions recently have... disposed me to view them as little different from the Blackstars. Perhaps, they were slightly more honest about their intentions. But I dislike the Blackstars more... for now." Perhaps, she only disliked them more until they were free of this particular conundrum.

Orila didn't relax. But she saw the movement from Talia and it was nonaggressive. "Did your forces attack Ashford and their their people?" Orila was single-minded in many ways and this stoppage in action caused her to grasp for things that she understood.

Following Talia's lead, Alyssa lowered her bow but kept the arrow nocked. She moved to the end of the table and nodded at Orila's direct question of the chief.

The halfling then looked again on the human boy, "And what part do you play in all this, Little One?"

The orc chieftess, Dorokor, glares at Angel and barks out suprisingly fluent common although it is gutteral and full of anger.

"Do I have to repeat myself to everyone that barges in? Tell them the deal you made. It serves me little to continue speaking in your mewling language."

Next to her the boy looks at the adventurers and then at Dorokor with fear in his eyes. Even still, the orc chieftess positions herself as if ready to spring into action if anyone tries to move towards the boy.

"Of course, Bloodchief," Angel replied smoothly with a courtly nod for the orc leader. Remaining where she was Angel then faced her companions and spoke in a formal manner...

"Yes, the White Tusks were indeed the ones who raided Ashford," she began, answering Orila's question. "At least that's my reasonable conclusion since I know they currently hold Pinna captive. She is alive and well ...ish... last I saw her. I would assume the other two are likewise here as well, but I haven't seen them. Based on what Bonebreaker Dorokor has told me I would also assume they raided Ashford for supplies to fortify themselves after being betrayed by Lord Saxton, after he arranged for them to raid Spire Keep and murder the whole Spire family. You remember of course that we were told as much by the stories we heard ourselves in Spire Keep and from the wizard too. It seems that during the raid on Spire Keep Saxton sent the Blackstars against the White Tusks and the Bloodchief lost half her tribe in escaping the trap. However, Bonebreaker Dorokor is a crafty chieftess and managed to make off with a bit of insurance against further treachery."

At this Angel paused and gestured to the boy. "I believe this is last living member of the Spire family, and someone Saxton wishes dead if he is to consolidate seizing power. The Bloodchief is willing to surrender the boy to us and leave this land, returning to the mountains, but her losses at the hands of Saxton's men have put her in a precarious position. If she leaves now under the shadow of defeat no doubt her second will challenge her for leadership. He is a much less agreeable sort and would certainly be a much greater problem for the good folk of Ashford and the other villages in the area. Thus, I believe it's in our best interest to help the Bloodchief remain in power... and to do that she needs a victory she can point to to rally her tribe. She thinks an item of power would do, and so she is willing to trade the boy and whatever information she has on Saxton's plots for such."

Angel paused again and held out her hand, showing the others her palm and the just-recently scabbed over cut on it. "Bonebreaker Dorokor spared my life and I swore a blood oath to deliver that message and to help her as much as I can to leave these lands... and I believe it is in all our best interests to help her do so."

A war of emotions played quite visibly across Talia's face. As they suspected, the assault on their village had been perpetrated by these orcs. A not insignificant part of her wanted to see their blood feed the ground they had despoiled. Her eyes flicked to the boy though and her gut twisted. She cared nothing for who sat on the throne. In truth, outside tax collectors arriving occasionally, it hardly affected Ashford. However, that had changed recently and overthrowing the Blackstars and Saxton would definitely benefit them in the long run.

Talia looked distressed at the moral quandary she found herself in. She met the eyes of Alyssa, Yry, and Orila. She sighed heavily and sent a mixed look to Angel, part pity and part anger. She understood the pressure the woman must have been under and that Angel had little connection to Ashford. She understood all the moving parts of the deal; she still hated it.

She looked to the chief and her mouth twisted, "Raiders." She just about spat on the floor. "Bah. We help you, you slink away to raid again somewhere else on another day. To kidnap someone else's friend, to kill someone else's mother. No."

She looked around at the guards. She looked at the boy. "But there is more opportunity here than that, isn't there? Opportunity for stability and prosperity? Don't you want to be more than mountain-dwelling raiders, the slaughterers of innocents?" To Talia, if she could not bury steel in this wench's head, she would try her best to make sure these orcs never raided again.

As the boy was identified Alyssa did a double take, the last scion of the Spire family?

Looking to Angel, Talia, Bonebreaker, and then back to Angel, Alyssa said "What sort of victory does the Chief need? I hope Ashford wasn't part of the plan to secure her position! And what do you mean by 'item of power', Angel?"

"Might as well tell us everything. Don't leave anything out." Orila urged. She looked at the chief as if sizing him up for a potential fight.

Dorokor spat right back at Talia.

"This agreement with your Saxton was supposed to make us more than raiders. Look where that got us? No we are done with your deals. Perhaps if you were to bring me Saxton's head I would be more agreeable but for now we are far from home, low on supplies, and nobody wants anything to do with these blasted elf woods or human lands ever again.

But if you want to save your town of weaklings then you must give me an item of power. Something powerful and magical that I can use to cow my underlings and hold my position of power. As much as you might hate me, I am the reason this boy and your friends are alive and not on a roasting spit.

Or we can fight. That works too. Maybe the next humans to come this way will see the bigger picture."

She stands up and brings to bear her greataxe. The thing is massive and spikey and looks unnecessarily vicious.

Talia nodded and her eyes dipped to the surface of the table as they flicked back and forth. When they looked up again a few moments later, they were softer, "Aye, I can see your predicament. Can you see mine? You want our help, but if we go back and tell the people you just raided and plundered we are working with you... well, we might as well join your people then. We will be outcast; more, we will deserve it." She shook her head at the impossible crux. She turned deeply sympathetic eyes to Angel. She understood the pressure that the woman must have been under alone in the hands of powerful enemies. And that was the problem, the orcs were still, technically, their enemies.

Something dark sparked in her eyes as she turned her gaze from Talia back to the chieftainess, "I can say... we are more honorable people than Saxton or those blakguards he commands. If us coming in here against any reasonable odds to save our companion is not proof... what would be? Do you know of an artifact or relic that would suffice or anything will do? But that is a short term solution, yes?"

She gripped the handle of her mace tightly as several possibilities flowed through her mind. "I know it is not your home, but our home needs of strong hands and willing backs. Not just for our defenses but to work farms and businesses. It would be hard fought to make them trust you, but there is opportunity here."

She then tapped the table with the draconic head of her mace and looked at it, "The alternative is... perhaps easier in many ways, but harder in others. We could fight here and now. We would probably lose and die, but so would many of yours. We are not so weak as our friends. We slew ourselves a dragon after all. You would lose strength, almost certainly be challenged, and... then?" Talia looked at the orc warlord with a certain eagerness pained across her face. "Tempting as it would be for me to know you would fall for what you did... that does not save your people or mine. Not from Saxton, not from his mercenaries, and not from our rivals." She looked now at the young princeling and grinned. She shrugged and looked at her companions for them to express their thoughts.

Angel tensed at Talia's began speaking, she'd been afraid of this -- afraid her companions were so entrenched in ideals that they couldn't see the practicality of Dorokor's proposal. Would it let those who raided the innocents of Ashford get away with it, so to speak? Very possibly. But then on the other hand there was an argument to be made for karmic justice. How many humans had raided orc villages and gotten away with it too? Who really knew how the universe, gods, or whatever balanced things out in the end? Being who she was and knowing what she'd done in her long life gave her a unique perspective on such things -- when she chose to think about it that is. Right now her most immediate concern was surviving long enough to see tomorrow... and she was convinced that meant helping out the orcs in the short term. Please don't be stupid! She thought to herself, wishing her companions could hear her thoughts.

She relaxed just a little as Talia concluded with an implied offer, but had little hope that the woman's words would persuade the orc chieftess. She'd made a similar proposal before her companions arrived and to no avail.



"Something to solidify her position with her tribe. Something she can use to show she is worthy to lead the tribe and also rally her people under her rule... I believe she wishes a powerful magic item, much like the ones you all must have found in the dragon's hoarde once you slew the wyrm." Now having been present in Ashford to hear the companion's stories and also at the Klacken Exchange, Angel knew very well that all the companions carried such an item, but to the she-elf's credit it looks like she'd held that piece of information back from Dorokor.



Angel shot the goliath a wry crooked smile. "I've left nothing out of the message I promised to deliver, Mistress Orila. I..." She continued before being cut off by Dorokor's response to Talia. Angel tensed again and as Talia replied, the she-elf stepped in between the human warrioress and the orc chieftess. Why on Toril do I even care enough to keep putting myself in these situations?! She thought sourly to herself. "Ladies, please! If you're both intent on spilling each others' blood, then perhaps it can arranged that such be more productive than a general slaughter. Bloodchief, would a duel work to give you the victory that rallies your tribe and strengthens your position?"

Yry, her shoulders trembling in fear, puts her frozen dragon tear on the table, leaning in to somewhat draw attention from Dorokor and Talia to herself, away from each other. "This is a frozen dragon tear, would that do?"

It had become precious to her very quickly, but she was more worried about Pinna than anything, after seeing that Angel is okay, more or less.

Dorokor spits on the floor as Talia brings her weapon to bear. As Talia makes veiled threats she starts to show anger and her hand starts creeping closer to the back of the boy's head but then Yry presents her with the frozen tear. From the look of wonder that hit Dorokor it was clear that Yry had assessed things correctly.

Reverently, almost fearfully, Dorkor steps forward with her hand outstretched.

"Is it...is it safe to touch?"

"It's safe, go ahead," Yry says, leaving the tear on the table and backing a step away from it. She is glad the tension was cut so readily and Yry watches Dorokor.

Bonebreaker Dorokor carefully grabs the tear. She holds it up to the light, marveling at the way it catches and refracts it. With a mighty roar she turns around and holds it aloft, roaring at the orcs assembled who roar right back.

She starts talking to them, practically shouting at them and the orcs get more and more excited, thumping their chests and banging swords and axes on whatever is around them, even one another!

Such is the noise that more and more orcs start pouring in until there are a dozen all hooting as she continues to talk in orcish. There is one who seems less than pleased, a heavily scarred orc who spends most of his time glaring at the adventurers as opposed to enjoying the celebration but as Dorokor holds the Tear aloft again all the orcs, including the scarred one, bend the knee.

Dorokor starts barking out orders and the orcs start leaving in ones and twos, moving with purpose and swift speed. A few stayed behind and began packing up, wrapping up food and shoving the crude wooden plates and utensils into sacks without even bothering to empty them or clean them off in anyway first. Once everyone was busy Dorokor approached the party with the boy in tow.

"Yes, this will do. As you can see the tribe is mine and as promised here is the boy. The others are in the dungeons below..."

She grabs a ring of keys from her belt and hands them over to Angel.

"They are...mostly unharmed. We will leave as fast as possible. The stone house is yours, your people are yours. And this...this is yours now."

From her belt she pulls out a ram's horn ringed with brass.

"It is our horn of war. If you do decide to hunt down that dog Saxton blow this when the wind blows towards the mountains. If we hear it we will come to your aid. We owe that dog a brutal death and you seem the only ones of your kind willing to even talk ill of him."

She hands the horn over to Angel as well before nodding. She turns her head and catches sight of the two orcs slacking in their clean up duties and she storms across the room to deliver slaps to the back of their heads.

The orcs only take about ten minutes to pack up and leave and once they depart the whole keep becomes oddly silent.

Absolutely stunned, Talia moves over to Yry and places a comforting hand upon her friend's shoulder. She had been pondering a similar offer, giving her own mace, but Yry had beaten her to it. The result, Talia winced at yet another roar, was to their benefit, but the loss was probably still palpable.

When the chief approached and handed off the boy and many other items to Angel, Talia felt some of her old ire smolder for the elven woman. She smoothed her features though and smiled as the orcs packed and left.

Slowly, she knelt in front of the boy and studied his features. She had never seen his father or other family members before, so she could not ascertain any resemblance. Pondering, she asked, "Is there any way to prove your lineage, lad? A person who knows you who is a noble perhaps?" It was one thing to possess such a card, it was yet another to be able to play it effectively. Besides, were they to prove the boy's lineage, the most likely outcome was for the boy to end up right in the hands of the man who murdered his family.

In a battle of "we say" and "he said" Talia would not bet on them to win without proof.

Angel's eyes went wide when Yry first offered her Dragon's Tear to the orc chieftess. She'd been at the Exchange when the sorceress had received such a treasure and so she knew how much the sacrifice of it was costing the other woman. She wished she could say she'd have done the same -- or at least considered it -- but if she was honest with herself, she knew she wouldn't. In that respect Yry was a much better person than the she-elf knew herself to be.

Angel held her tongue and willed herself into the background when Dorokor showed interest in the prize, and even more so when Dorokor went on to rally her tribe -- the last place any elf wanted to be was in the midst of an orc tribe riled up on bravado and ethnic pride. She accepted the keys from the Bloodchief with the same courtly grace she'd shown during the whole affair... at least as far as her companions had seen. However, the shock on her face was plain to see when Dorokor also handed over an orcish warhorn. In all her memory, (and that was many years indeed!), she'd never known an orc tribe to make such a commitment... much less to an elf! She accepted the horn with another courtly bow. "If ever we are given the chance for Saxton's head, we will call so that the White Tusks may have their vengeance," she promised solemnly, slipping the horn's strap onto her shoulder.

She waited until the orcs had gone and then turned toward Yry. "That was a remarkable thing you did," she said sincerely. "All of us, the boy, and likely all of Ashford too owe you our lives. Thank you," she added, holding out her hand for the sorceress to grasp in the human manner.

Then she held out the keys for any of the other companions to take. "One of y'all better go free the hostages. I suspect Pinna doesn't want to see me anytime soon."

Alyssa stood there in shock as her friend selflessly handed over the Dragon's Tear. As Bloodchief and the orcs worked themselves up over the artifact the halfling found herself trying to make herself smaller. To disappear into the background, out of sight or mind of the small horde.

After the orcs left Alyssa walked over to Yry and gave her a hug, "Oh, Yry, thank you! You've saved us all, and Ashford as well. I'd say we'd make it up to you but I don't know how we ever could." Letting go of Yry, and straitening herself, Alyssa looked to the others, "Lets go and see to the others. Angel, did you happen to see the stairs to the dungeon?"

"I think it's thru there," Angel replied, pointing to the door on the other side of the table...

Orila was tense the entire time the group bartered back and forth with the orcs. She wasn't comfortable giving up her weapon. And she didn't expect anyone to offer anything of valuable either. She was ready to strike their leader down... but Yry stepped forward.

She remained silent throughout the entire exchange. Her gripped changed several times as she was uncertain of the outcome.

Yry takes the handshake, the pats, and the hug from her companions, kneeling down to accept and return the last to Alyssa. "No, no, I'm sure things would have worked out, really." Yry is shaken up, but not entirely out of sorts. She manages a smile, "Yes, I want to see Pinna."

With the orcs packing up and leaving, Talia relaxed some more and sent a sympathetic look to Yry. They would need to find some way to repay their friend. She looked at Angel and pursed her lips as she considered that woman's role in the situation as well. Still, since it seemed all well and done, there was nothing to do except make sure the old fortress was safe. Already, Talia was considering just how useful the place could be for them considering what was going to be happening next, or soon enough anyway.

"Come then, let's make sure there are no stragglers or other unwelcomed surprises." She moved out into the main room and then looked at Angel, "What do you know of the place so far?"

"You go ahead," Angel replied to Talia, handing over the keys to the dungeon to the other woman. "As I said, I doubt very much Pinna wants to see me any time soon. I'll stay here with the boy."

"I didn't have much of a chance to explore before the orcs and their blasted wolves saw through my disguise, but I'd avoid the room in the southwest corner. It has the look of a shrine, or once was maybe, but the orcs did something to upset whatever still lingers there. Whatever it is, it's very angry. The orcs said that room was haunted and they were afraid of going in there or even opening the door."

The boy squares up his shoulders and glares at Talia as if she had just slapped him.

"What? You are asking me to prove my lineage? What kind of backwaters peasant are you. I am Edmund Spire, heir to Spire Keep and the surrounding territories. You will address me as lord!"

His tirade is undercut by how his voice breaks and squeaks a couple times through it.

The map is listed, if you are going exploring please say who is going where and which room you are looking at.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:51, Thu 01 July 2021.

Talia's mood went from decidedly sour to black. Looking down at the boy who'd just gone from silent to spoiled in 6 seconds flat, she frowned darkly. Still, as the boy's voice broke, she felt some sympathy for him. How best to thread this needle then? Slowly, she knelt in front of the boy and smiled at him, "Oh, absolutely, Lord. We'll take you right to Lord Saxton. It is far beyond the station of a lowly peasant to sort out these messes..." She watched to see if the mention of Saxton made the boy rightly afraid.

She let the false facade drop. A far more practical tone undercut her voice now, "Lineage means nothing without proof and power. I could claim to be your long-lost sister. As long as I had the power, nothing to stop me. Without power, I'd need proof and those willing to back me. Right now, the power belongs to Lord Saxton. So, we need proof and we need allies." She looked around at her friends to see about their support then back at the boy. She didn't mention the part where they would need to undercut Saxton's power by probably killing more of his knights as well. They'd also need to hid the little princeling until such a time. Honestly, Talia cared little for who sat the throne as long as her kith and kin were safe and sound.

"So, who among the nobility knows you and might back you? Failing that, a servant whose reputation is worth a damn or a painting that bears your likeness?"

Truthfully, she wanted to go see about Pinna far more than to deal with this kid right now. She looked around at the doors in the main area and grunted. One thing at a time though.

The mention of Saxton sucks the wind out of Edmund's chest and he shuffles around a bit nervously as if there was an assassin on their way right now.

"I...I mean they should all support me. I'm the rightful ruler of this land. When my father was murdered I am the Baron."

He paused and some of the steel fell out of his spine.

"Do you really think they would support Lord Saxton over my claim? That's ridiculous, right? I'm the rightful ruler. My family has ruled Spire Keep for a hundred years!"

Talia smiled softly, "It is a sad fact of this world that people rarely do what is right instead of what is right for them." She pursed her lips as she considered that what was "right" was a hard thing to prove whatever the case might be. Talia did not believe in divine mandates or rights to rule or anything else for that matter. Those who could and wanted to did.

Angel had to put a hand over mouth and turn away briefly to stifle her laughter at the boy's initial outburst. It just struck her as too cute, like those moments when children try their very best to imitate the seriousness they see in grown-ups and it just comes across as so very comical.

She turned back just as Talia was meeting the boy's -- Edmund, she reminded herself -- tirade with the pseudo-threat of turning him over to Saxton. Her eyes widened in surprise at the ploy. It was something she herself would've done, and she wouldn't have thought Talia had it in her. The other woman climbed up a couple notches in Angel's estimation.

"I'm afraid that's not how things work in the real world," Angel added after Talia's response to Edmund's query about rightful support. "Whatever they might believe, or who they might support in fair fight, everyone thinks Saxton won. And to the victors go the spoils," she concluded, quoting an old human maxim. She knelt down then so to look Edmund face to face -- though if he was actually standing the she-elf probably wouldn't be that much taller than he was. "Right now, all you have is us, and while that may not seem like much, I tend to believe where there's a will, there's a way."

Angel certainly wasn't mother material -- maybe a passably borderline-terrible aunt -- but she did her best to offer some maternal comfort to Edmund right then. He was one who'd seen her while she'd interacted with Bonebreaker Dorokor, one of the only ones to have seen how she truly looked and to have heard her true name in... well, in a long, long time. It shouldn't have mattered, (certainly not to someone like her!), but Angel sincerely wanted Edmund to be comfortable around her... to maybe even like her.

"You should go and avenge your father." Orila said with a fire in her eyes. "That's a way for you to reclaim your birthright." She seemed adamant on her position. "Whatever supporters your father had should have thrown the murderer in the dungeon and held him there for you to pass judgement. But since that never happened, you must pass judgement by your sword or maul." She peered down at the young man, "Which do you prefer, a sword? An axe? How about a hammer?"

Alyssa paused momentarily to reach up and pat the youth on his shoulder before moving to the opposite door to find the rest of the villagers.

Edmund frowns and seems to be muttering to himself. The words are almost inaudible but it seems he is whispering "what would father do?"

After a second he looks up with steel in his eyes.

"You? Your friend said you killed a dragon and fought some of Saxton's men? Why don't you serve me then. Help me retake my lands."

He pointed at the faded tapestry that had once been a brilliant coat of arms.

"This castle used to be under the control of Baronet Loxis but when his family line ended my family was not in a position to assign a new custodian. But here? Now? I need help and if you have slain a dragon you are more capable than half the knights in the kingdom.

Pledge to serve and I will appoint you as custodians of the castle and raise your leader as a baronet to serve me. We will use this as our base to call my banners and strike back at Lord Saxton and reclaim my throne!"

The plan was forming even as he spoke and as it seemed to come together his voice rose back up to a roar. He punched his fist into his palm to emphasize the point of crushing Lord Saxton.

Angel crossed her arms and arched an eyebrow at the lad, it was an expression that bespoke skeptical disagreement. "That, would be about the quickest way you'd find your head on Saxton's pike," she said. "The minute he hears about you issuing a call for your banners, he'll know your still alive, and I dare say will spare no expense in trying to find you to complete the job the orcs didn't. Right now he thinks your dead and more importantly is not looking for you, and that, Edmund dear, is an advantage you should not lightly throw away." 

Talia felt a cool chill racing up her spine as the boy spoke. partly, she felt the thrill of acknowledgement and acclaim, the thrill of promotion. Mostly, it was the same chill that motivated Angel to speak. She looked up at the woman and nodded in agreement. She then looked to Edmund again, "But your idea isn't wrong. This might provide us a good place to work from, to grow our ability to press your claim, but not officially. Not yet. Should we succeed, then you can determine what rewards we might have earned. For now, let's move with caution and secrecy."

Again, she looked to her companions to see how they were taking this situation. This was the stuff of legends and heroes. She felt inadequate. Still, a legitimate route to take down Lord Saxton was welcomed for the security it might provide Ashford. The ability to be an influence upon the next ruler had its own appeals as well. She set a firm hand upon Edmund's shoulder, "Come, for now, we will take you to our home and we will see you well fed and warm for a night. The orc boss was not as terrible as I had imagined, yet I expect she was not the best host ever, either, eh?"

She glanced at the others again. A look that spoke of a discussion in their future. "But seriously, if Pinna ever finds out how long it took us to get her out of that dungeon, she'll turn us into newts or something."

Edmund shook off Talia's arm and looked her in the eye.

"We will not make it public yet. I can have you reach out to my most loyal lords first and secure an alliance first. Or perhaps we should send word to my uncle. On my mother's side. Count Zelphar Thann of Rivershire. While he was not particularly close to my father I am of his blood. His banners alone would be enough to give pause to Saxton."

He pointed at the faded tapestry above them.

"But that is a mission that should be entrusted to my knights and lords. I ask you again will one of you become the lord of this castle and the rest of you become my knights? I need loyal servants in this fight and if you are not up for such a noble cause then I...I...I'll find someone else."

Once again his noble speech gives way to childish demands as he crosses his arms and plants his feet.

Orila smiled as Edmund was making sense in her mind. This was a young man that wasn't afraid to take action. "I'm with you. You speak of taking vengeance and it seems that you've a mind on how to go about that." The goliath seemed ready to charge forth. "This place needs a lot of work. But it's a good place to start."

As the halfling opened the door she stopped and listened to Edmund's request. "Speaking for myself, my lord, I wouldn't know what to do as liege of a hole castle. I am one for the woods and sneaking through the underbrush... talk of knights and all brings to mind shiny, loud armor and the lot. Seems to be against my nature.


"Right. No one let on to Pinna! Lets see too the villagers-- your subjects, lord Edmund-- and then we can talk about our next move.

Talia stood after Edmund's speech and looked the small lord in the eye. She almost shook her head. She didn't want to be a lord or a knight. It seemed counter to her own family's background. Still, Edmund was, as Orila seemed to indicate, making sense. Vengeance and action were things she could understand. "If you need to call someone a Lord rather than a friend to trust them, I'll do that. But I hope you can trust us even if we are not beholden to you." The half-truth made Talia blush a bit and the fingers on her left hand fidgeted a bit. In truth, she felt no loyalty to Emdund or his family. She only cared about the ramifications for her own family and friends. Right now, their safety seemed in better hands with Edmund. She'd probably be among the first to overthrow him should he prove a tyrant. Still, for now this seemed the path, "And the others can be my bannermen, I suppose, each in their own way. Pinna, too." She looked around at the others with apologetic smiles. She doubted any of them wanted to be dressed up like peacocks and such. For now, that didn't seem in the cards, but it would likely happen down the line.

Of course, they could always disappear into the wilderness when all was said and done. Talia had always wanted to see her mother's homelands.

She held out a hand to Edmund then to seal the deal.

Angel snorted. "You can't give me what I already have," she answered cryptically. "Loyalty isn't won with titles and grants. Anyone who'd serve you for what you can give them is just a mercenary, and a mercenary's loyalty turns at the spin of a coin. Don't ever trust those whose hearts are for sale to the highest bidder. If you want people to follow you, then be a leader than inspires folk to follow you," she paused, making a show of looking Edmund up and down, appraising him. "And right now, to be quite honest, you're not very inspiring at all." 

She crossed her arms as she continued. "So here's a free piece of advice. Good and inspiring leaders actually listen to their advisors and don't reject wisdom just because it's not what they want to hear. So, you wanna play dress up," she added, waving one hand in a vague gesture to include their ruined surroundings, "Then by all means have fun. I've got better things to do than throw my life away on a boy's naïve fantasies," she paused for dramatic effect.

"But if you really wanna take down the people who murdered your family and see the axe take Saxton's head, then I'm happy to help for my own reasons," she said, her memory flashing back momentarily to Sir Arcturus bragging about breeding that noble girl. "But we best get one thing straight right now. I work with you, not for you."     

Alyssa had paused momentarily as Angel set young Edmund right about loyalty, Actually, some rather good points she's making...

Finally, the halfling pushed the door open and looked for the way to the dungeons and the captured villagers.

Edumnd seemed to be satisfied and then began looking around.

"If you are to be knighted I shall need a sword. Go fetch one and we will perform the ceremony here and now."

OOC: Please specify where you plan on wandering off to and who is going with you. Us the map for reference.

Talia raised yet another eyebrow at the boy and then spoke from her full height. She even stepped in closer so he had to look up, "I shan't "go and fetch" anything. I am not a dog, Majesty. Perhaps, this is good. You can learn some proper manners while we explore our new keep..." Talia actually blanched at that. She really didn't want to invest any resources into this place. What it would take in time, money, and effort to restore this dilapidated fortress to working condition was beyond her. As it was, it was fit only for raiders and bandits.

She supposed that descriptor more or less included their current status: rebel leaders. She sighed and looked around for a door likely to lead into the dungeon. She moved north and west toward the door closest to the tower they had entered from.

Moving to B. Was it set if we knew what door led to the dungeon? If we know, then that takes priority.

Angel threw her hands up in exasperation and turned away as she started ranting in her native tongue. [Language unknown: "U nti peonle noall! Teven. K. He! N nteten etro ive dayartearoul ritopolewa! Is iecess ughli llarla setha be a ckwaus! Es poarenli, diesss finititoom!"]

She spun back suddenly to point a finger at the boy and switched to the Common. "Sit!" She commanded, her voice echoing slightly with magical power. "And listen! Your obsession with this nobility nonsense is going to get you -- and us! -- all killed! Get this through your thick head! Right or wrong, at this moment you're nothing more than a fugitive! And if Saxton finds out your still alive, you're gonna be a fugitive with a price on his head! So if you have any desire to see tomorrow or even next week, much less have a chance to avenge your family, you better start thinking and acting like a fugitive! One day, one hour, at a time and one step in front of the hounds after you!" ... and Angel sounded like she spoke from experience.

OOC: Using Command on Edmund, Wisdom save DC 12

The party does not know which door leads to the dungeon nor was Dorokor in any mood to give them directions on her way out. The only stairs they have seen so far were back at the tower (A).

Opening up (B) reveals the kitchen area. Where once grand meals were once served to nobility and knights now there is only the stone counters and broken shelf spaces to indicate what the room was once used for. The room is now covered in dried animal blood and the half butchered remains of a deer carcass hangs from the ceiling on an improvised meat hook. The best cuts had already been removed and what remained was already starting to smell like rot.

There is no signs of a fire or any other food available. It is known that many orc tribes eat only raw meat and this seems to have been the case here.

The magical command compels Edmund to sit but does little to adjust his attitude. He sits ramrod straight and crosses his arms over his chest. He doesn't respond to Angel but just glares daggers at her while he sits in time out.

As the others searched back the way they came, Alyssa followed Angel's directions and entered room on the far side of the table.

---

OOC: going through unmarked door (the apparent other side of door "E")

Talia scowled at Angel then sighed and nodded at the angry elf-woman. Though it lacked tact, they were probably words that need to be spoken. Talia turned to the young royal and smiled at him, "A poignant lesson, Majesty. Different people require different tactics. Learning to read the room and adjust accordingly will make life a lot easier."

She looked back to Angel and considered what her words revealed. There was a lot of truth in them, perhaps more than Angel had intended?

She stood and followed the others to the kitchen and blanched. If they were to use this as a base of operations, then it would need a lot of work. Shaking her head, she returned to Edmund, "I don't think this will serve us well. For Now. It needs a lot of work and the outer walls have fallen into ruin. We'd not be able to defend it. I think it best to start by finishing our work here, then returning to Ashford for a hot meal and some thinking about our next move." She knelt again and spoke with confidence, "If I am to be your general, then you ought to listen to my advice. I have been battling monsters far longer than you. Monsters and men. And monstrous men. Keeping our heads down is our best plan. When the time is right, we can raise our banner over these walls if that is what you want to do."

Talia whistles to get Alyssa's attention then points with her chin at another door (E) she recalls Angel mentioning earlier. "Try that one."

As the others moved away to explore the keep, Angel hopped up on the table near Edmund, intending to keep a watch on the boy as he sat in her magically-imposed time out. As he glared at her, she glared right back for a few moments, and then suddenly stuck her tongue out at him. For someone who most folk would say was older than dirt, the she-elf could be decidedly childish at times.

Setting her hand down on the table brought a vivid stinging reminder of the cut she'd suffered from the orc chieftess, and she hissed a quick gasp of pain as she brought her hand up to look at the wound again. Pinna's hand's probably worse, she thought. But that line of thinking only reminded her that the others would soon find and free the hedge-wizardess, and most likely bring her back to the hall... and that was a reunion Angel did not look forward to one little bit!

Shaking out the sting a bit, she looked at Edmund again and regarded him carefully, thinking. "We're gonna have to find something else to call you besides Edmund," she finally announced. "Edmund is too likely to jog someone's memory and who knows how many people might have seen you or have knowledge of what you look like." She leaned her head slightly to one side, and a spark of mischief glinted in her eyes. "I mean we could call you Richard, or Dick for short, but you at least don't look like a Dick. How about Peter, son of John?" She asked, her lips curved in a smirk at her witty wordplay.

Edmund frowns and shakes head.

"I am already agreeing to your plan to lie low. There is no need to adopt a false name as well. I am sure Edmund is a very popular name. Why would anyone suspect me? But if you insist on such a ruse why not adopt a more inspiring one. How about calling me Blade. That is what the other boys nicknamed me because of my skill with the sword."

It did not take an expert to realize that he was, of course, lying about his nickname. Possibly even lying about playing with other children.

The side door revealed a series of barracks. It was likely that the nobles had their rooms in one of the towers while this space was for the knights and servants. Poking into the rooms most of them had four bed frames although one room was different. Its door was marked with the crest of an eagle and inside was a single room with such luxuries as a washbasin and a desk that, while old, was still in functional shape.

Edmund, poking along behind you, pointed at one of the rooms.

"That is where I stayed. They were surprisingly accommodating for barbaric beasts."

Talia moved among the rooms slowly taking a moment to look through each. It wasn't exactly and investigation, but she was trying to get a better mental picture of the place. She was certainly looking for stairs or some other way to find the taken members of their village. As she walked though, she replied to Edmund, "Edmund will be fine. It's a common enough name. But, Edmund, something that a life of adventure has taught me is to use my own mind rather than assume the prejudices of others. Orcs live the way they do because they know nothing better. They'd have been considerable allies if they had been willing."

She huffed a sigh at that missed opportunity, but others had just wanted to resolve the situation and she could not blame them. For now, finding Pinna and the others was her main objective. She'd continue to look through doors until she found them. IF they weren't in this series of rooms, she'd try the door across the hall next (E).

The door across the hall leads into what appears to have once been an armory. Twelve suits of plate armor line the walls although time has not been kind to most of them. It appears the orcs had little interest in these pitted and rusting suits, ravaged by time and the elements.

The twelfth suit, however is gleaming as if it had just come out of the smithy. Gleaming silver it is so polished one can see reflections of the room in it. On the chest is bright blue and white crest with a dragon in flight, presumably the coat of arms of either the noble family or even the knight himself.

Orila checked each suit of armor until she got to the final suit. "This one is special. It hasn't shown the wear and tear of the other suits. Can't imagine that the person that lived here have so many extra suits of armor to leave this one here - unclaimed." Orila turned to Edmund. "Anything wrong if we claim this suit?"

Edmund was following far behind the others. Exploring strange rooms in an abandoned castle wasn't exactly something he was keen on doing. To her question Edmund just shrugged.

"I didin't explore the castle. They kept me either in my room or in the training room with breaks for meals between."

Talia eyed the suit; it wasn't to her tastes. She tended to wear no armor to allow her freedom to move and avoid blows. She recognized its value, both protective and money-wise, though. "Aye, well, we should claim it for our cause." There was definite sarcasm dripping from her words but not overmuch. Then Talia frowned deeply. The door which led to where Pinna and the others were had been shown to her. Mentioned to her more than once. She found she could not recall for the life of her where it was. Sighing heavily, she set about finishing exploring the place. It needed to be done anyway.

"I guess what's next is to just go around the corner then? Do stay close, Majesty, so we can protect you. No telling what evil might yet lurk in this place. There's already a haunting spirit, yeah?"

D next.

As Alyssa made her way through the barracks she absently nodded at Edmund's comments. Moving thru the armory the handling gave a moment's thought to the distinctive sigil recalling stories from her youth and such.


"Yeah, that appears to be it... Pinna is not going to be happy with how long we've taken!"

Alyssa moved back out of the armory and around to the next door. Looking over her shoulder to see that her companions where with her, she opened the door.

---

OOC: 11:19, Today: Alyssa Tealeaf rolled 15 using 1d20 with rolls of 15.  history, sigil on armor.

Opening door "D"

Angel laughed, a pleasant sound but with a distinctive mocking edge to it. ”Anytime you want to truly earn that name, Sir Blade, you just let me know. I’ll even loan you a knife and let you strike first.”

Her spell-enforced timeout soon wore off the boy and as he quickly hopped up to follow the others in checking out the rest of the ruined keep, Angel reluctantly followed along behind everyone else. In fact, if the others were observant, they’d surely notice that the she-elf drug her feet in following them all. For unknownst to her companions Angel did not look forward to a reunion with Pinna — not one bit. Her eyes glanced toward Edmund and narrowed for a heartbeat. Would he back up whatever Pinna told the others about her? … And if he did, what would she do about it?

Orila stayed behind with Edmund. She began to switch her armor and put on the plate armor. "Edmund, give me a hand with this buckle. I'm not able to reach it."

---

Wear the Plate Armor

As soon as Orila puts her hands on the shiny armor every other suit starts to rattle and shift on its stand as if the room was stricken by an earthquake that didn't effect the party or anything else. Several suits start falling apart, rusting guantlets and helmets falling off their stands but four of the suits start walking forward, their empty helmets swiveling to lock onto the party...

Talia had just been twisting around to frown at Edmund as he tagged along when the room shook. She immediately took a more sturdy stance only to realize, it wasn't the room shaking but the various rusted armors. Frowning deeply, she sighed heavily and looked back to Edmund outside the room to make a staying motion with her hand. The last thing she needed was the boy underfoot during a real fight.

Then she turned to the suit of armor nearest her before noting Yry and Alyssa were behind her. "Yry, Alyssa, can you hit target from the other side of the door?" Pursing her lips she drew her mace quickly and looked toward Angel. She caught the woman's eyes and then flicked her own toward Alyssa behind her then toward the armor nearest her. She was well aware that Angel was not a frontline type, but based on her tricks with the knights Talia assumed she'd hold her own to give the ranged types a bit of breathing room.

She then focused on the fight and summoned up the inner reserves she drew on to fight. She felt the connection establish like a well-worn glove slipping onto a hand. A fuzzy, tenuous, but strengthening sensation that saw her shifting her stance, lowering her center of gravity, and drawing on reserves of strength. Knowledge flooded her core and her eyes started tracking movement she hadn't noticed before and judging combat potential in ways alien to her. Talia was doing her best to learn from the experience of her ancestors each time, but the knowledge of countless lives would always dwarf hers. She was its focus, its nadir, its lens into reality.

She flicked the mace out to strike at the nearest armor experimentally. Even as her weapon rang off the rusted breastplate, dealing no apparent damage, her mind was sieving information from the feel of the contact. She barely even noticed as a ghostly figure detached from her person to harass the armor.

Move: none
Bonus: rage
Action: Attack Talia Alden rolled 17 using 1d20+6 with rolls of 11.  attack.

"I can," Yry answers quickly and succinctly, already on her way out and making sure Edmund is safely with her. She angles herself so that she can see the same target that Talia squares off with and takes off her crystalline torc, channeling icy magic through it.

move: AW59 or somewhere near there where I can draw line of sight
action: frostbite (con dc 13) on Talia's target, fail takes 2 cold damage and disadvantage on next attack.

05:12, Today: Yry Sweetwater rolled 2 using 1d6 with rolls of 2.  frostbite on talia's target.
05:12, Today: Yry Sweetwater rolled 20 using 1d20+2 with rolls of 18.  initiative.

Trailing along behind the group, Angel had plenty of time to observe Edmund following the others. Gods Above! He reminds me of a little ni'coo! She thought to herself and then smiled slyly. I think I just found your new name... Nic!

Curiosity got the better of her when the others stepped into the old armory to investigate, and she followed her companions inside to have a look for herself. Most it of looked liked rusted junk, but that shiny suit over there looks promising...

And then Orila touched it and everything went to Hell...

[Language unknown: "Haan-rerewi!"] She swore in her native tongue, already formulating a plan of action in the face of this new threat. Her first instinct was to get out, slam the door, and run for it... but she knew it'd be like pulling teeth to get Talia and Orila to retreat. For women, those two seemed to love knocking heads as much as as any man she'd ever met. So she nixed that plan and had already settled on a new one when Talia turned and gave her a look...

She flashed the other woman a cheeky grin -- which said absolutely nothing on if Angel actually understood what Talia meant by that look... Honestly, we probably better have a chat on that kinda stuff some day! -- already reaching down to briefly touch something in one of the pouches at her waist. Quickly stepping into the space in front of Alyssa, she spoke and gestured toward the suit of armor at her right. Then thumbing the little fleece string she kept tied around one finger, she abruptly turned to face Alyssa, brought a finger to her lips... "Shhhh!" ... and winked knowingly at the halfling. Then with another arcane gesture, Angel promptly vanished from sight as a large block of obsidian suddenly appeared where she'd been standing!

OOC: Okay, hopefully I got all this right... (DM, please let me know if I need to edit anything)
Move -- step into space BA-58
Bonus -- cast Hex on Armor in BB-56, (Disadvantage to Strength checks)
Free -- speak to Alyssa
Action -- cast Minor Illusion (BA-58) -- 5' square block of obsidian (obscuring vision and creating a place for Angel to hide)
Object Interaction -- draw dagger (while hidden in the block of obsidian)
       

"YES!", and Alyssa moved just outside the armory door. Planting her feet, the halfling let loose a hurried shot at the nearest suit but the shot was well wide, ricocheting off the stone wall behind it.

---

OOC:
Move AX-58
Shortbow Attack BB-56, miss

16:54, Today: Alyssa Tealeaf rolled 9,8 using 1d20+7,1d6+3 with rolls of 2,5.  Short bow @armor BB-56.

"What's happening?!?" Orila had a pang of regret as she found herself surrounded by animated armor. But that was replace by her smile as she looked forward to the new challenge. "Arrgh!" She slammed her maul into the thigh of the suit of armor.

---

Attack BB60, Hits AC18 for 9 damage
rolled 18,10 using 1d20+5,2d6+3 with rolls of 13,5,2.  ATK/DAM
reroll 2 damage, results in 1 using 1d6 with rolls of 1.  Reroll 1 or 2

Use Trip Attack DC 13, Expend 1 Superiority Die
rolled 4 using 1d8 with rolls of 4.  Trip Attack Damage

Movement: None

Talia draws upon her strength and slams her mace into the central plate of the nearest set of moving armor denting it slightly. She catches a vision to her right and notices a ghostly ancestor, this one a rugged beared man wearing armor that look suspiciously like the ones they were fighting against.

Yry freezes up the armor but as it marches forward to attack it bursts through the ice with seemingly little impact.
Armor #3 passes its CON save

Angel steps back and throws up an illusion of a solid wall.
OOC: Just as a suggestion if you gave it disadvantage on CON saves that would synergize nicely with Yry's frostbite spell. Also how did you get a bonus action? Not arguing just trying to figure out cause and effect.
1 1st level slot left

Alyssa steps back and fires off her bow, missing the armor and clipping the wall.

Orila smashes the armor and kicks out her foot to trip the thing but without actual legs inside all she does is kick out the boot of the armor...which promptly lifts itself back up to rejoin the magical armor!
13 total damage but it passes the save to avoid tripping.
3 superiority dice left

Two suits of armor step forward to attack Orila, each one smashing down with both its fists. Orila is able to dodge or parry three of the blows but a fourth clips her hard in the shoulder.
10 damage.

One suit promptly walks around Angel's illusion without a pause although its clumsy attacks are easily evaded by the nimble elf. It seems that the illusion might have worked and yet the suit seemed to know exactly where she was anyway.

The last suit swings at Talia and while she counters one strike the other catches her in the stomach. For a normal person it would be a serious blow but the raging barbarian barely notices the strike.
After resistance 4 damage



Round 2

From out in the hallway Edmund shouts out, "Watch out! The armor is coming to life!"

“No shit, Shortstuff!” Angel sarcastically replied to the little princeling’s belated warning as she darted out of her illusionary block of obsidian, a dagger in each hand now, to attack the suit of armor she’d previously cursed…

OOC: Object Manipulation — draw second dagger, (now wielding a dagger in each hand)
         Concentration — Hex on Armor #1
         Move — step to AZ-58 (dart out of illusionary obsidian)
         Action — dagger attack vs. Armor #1
         Bonus — second dagger attack vs Armor #1

05:26, Today: Angel rolled 18 using 1d20+5 with rolls of 13.  Dagger #1 Attack (AC 18).  Hit!
05:27, Today: Angel rolled 8 using 1d20+5 with rolls of 3.  Dagger #2 attack (AC 18). Miss!
05:28, Today: Angel rolled 5 using 1d4+3 with rolls of 2.  Dagger #1 damage .
05:29, Today: Angel rolled 3 using 1d6 with rolls of 3.  Sneak attack damage (if applicable).
05:28, Today: Angel rolled 3 using 1d6 with rolls of 3.  Hex damage.
     (8 damage to Armor #1 [5 piercing, 3 necrotic], plus an additional 3 piercing if Sneak Attack applies)

Alyssa turned her head to the side and barked at Edmund, "Quiet! Stay back!" before drawing and loosing another arrow at the near suit of armor only to have it bounce off the breast plate. "DAMN!"

---

OOC:
09:50, Today: Alyssa Tealeaf rolled 13,4 using 1d20+7,1d6+3 with rolls of 6,1.  short bow, armor AZ57.

A distant part of her mind heard the late warning, but the part of her that would respond was deep under the tide of her trance. Still, deep within the vault of her mind, she rolled her eyes rather dramatically. The part of her far down below also did a double-take when it noted the appearance of the ancestor she had called. It did not look of her mother's people. The shock of the specter's appearance almost broke her concentration. Rattled at how close she had come to breaking her berserk trance, she focused on the information flowing over the surface or her mind. An ocean of sensation and observances which she could not have hoped to process without the assistance of her ancestors, she focused on the armor. With Yry, Alyssa, and Edmund safe, she could focus more. Abandoning her defense this time, she felt her arm guided as she stepped in to attack the armor with the hissing head of her mace. A crow erupted from her mind below the surface as her weapon dented the plate, but her visage remained calm except the snarl that erupted as a shock traveled up her arm from teh blow.


Move: none
Bonus: none
Action: Attack. Reckless Attack

09:03, Today: Talia Alden rolled 9 using 1d6+6 with rolls of 3.  damage.
09:03, Today: Talia Alden rolled 25 using 2d20+6, dropping the lowest dice only with rolls of 14,19.  attack.

Yry, seeing Orila getting overwhelmed, throws her icy magic at the same target that Orila attacks, hoping to build up enough ice to slow its attack. She is too engrossed in absorbing the details of the fight and incanting in draconic, controlling her icy magic, to react to Edmund.

action: frostbite Orila's target, con dc 13 or take 1 whole cold damage and, importantly, have disadvantage to attack

23:47, Today: Yry Sweetwater rolled 1 using 1d6 with rolls of 1.  frostbite on orila's target, con dc 13.

Angel stabs at a suit, her strikes aided by the supernatural curse placed upon it.

Alyssa fires a shot that bounces off the breast plate.

Talia hits a strike that would have likely cut deep or severed an arm but against an animated suit of armor it just clangs in and dents the shoulder pauldron to the point where the suit can no longer effectively lift its arm very well.

Yry freezes up a suit, this time the ice takes hold and interferes with its attack.

Orila follows it up with a savage swing that turns the convex breastplate into a giant concave dent.

Despite the damage inflicted the suits of armor show no signs of letting up. Angel dodges one punch only to get smacked by another.
Hits AC 19 for 7 damage.

Orila ducks a haymaker, parries a hook and the follow up overhead smash only to take a kick to the gut from the first set of armor flanking her. She would have taken a second strike if not for Yry's ice slowing the other suit down.
Hits AC 22 for 6 damage

Next to Talia the knight is looking over at her and shouting at her. Or at least its mouth is moving although no sound comes out. Even still she feels a sudden urge to lean left and then duck right and sure enough the armor's strikes glance to the side and then go high. The ghostly knight gives a slight nod of approval before striking ineffectually at the armor with his pale translucent sword.

Round 3

From the doorway Edmund continues to shout advice and encouragement.

"FIGHT HARDER! DON'T GET HIT! If you hit them enough maybe they'll stop moving!"

He is trying to present himself as a leader but the cracking of his voice and the wavering of his courage in the face of combat are not very encouraging.

A part of her deep beneath the surface of her trace sympathize with Edmund. It had to be difficult to have certain expectations thrust upon you. She was sure he felt the weight of his father's death upon his shoulders in many ways, not to mention the rest of his family. He must desperately want to do what he believed they expected of him. Again, the trace she depended upon for her skill threatened to break under her distraction, so she focused on the spectral warrior instead. She watched how he moved and swung his weapon and the alien information flowed through her brain. That was not the fighting style of her mother's people. That she knew; her mother had been teaching her. This, then, must be an ancestor from her unknown father's side. She wondered, briefly, who he was, then focused on the armor.

He resolve firmed; her trace stabilized. Gripping her mace, she once again attacked with no thought to defense. Something alive within in told her that overwhelming its defense first was the more potent strategy. Her mace blow was aimed for the same shoulder joint as before in an attempt to further cripple the arm.

---

Move: no
Bonus: no
Action: Attack Reckless attack. Hit for 9 again.

09:46, Today: Talia Alden rolled 9 using 1d6+6 with rolls of 3.  damage.
09:46, Today: Talia Alden rolled 20 using 1d20+6 with rolls of 14.  attack ADV.
09:46, Today: Talia Alden rolled 8 using 1d20+6 with rolls of 2.  attack.

Angel cried out in pain as the suit of armor’s backhand swing caught her across the face. That was gonna leave a nasty bruise! She spat out a mouthful of blood, managing to hold onto the magic of her hex through sheer force of will. Then snarling in fury, she lashed out at the offending suit of armor with her daggers, the twin blades a blur in her expert hands…

OOC: Concentration — Hex (DC 10 Con save to maintain after taking damage)
  21:07, Today: Angel rolled 14 using 1d20+1 with rolls of 13.  Con save vs. DC 10. Success!
         Move — (none)
         Action — Dagger attack #1
         Bonus — Dagger attack #2
  21:08, Today: Angel rolled 18 using 1d20+5 with rolls of 13.  Dagger Attack #1 vs. AC 18. Hit!
  21:09, Today: Angel rolled 6 using 1d4+3 with rolls of 3.  Dagger #1 damage .
  21:10, Today: Angel rolled 3 using 1d6 with rolls of 3.  Dagger #1 Hex damage.
  21:09, Today: Angel rolled 23 using 1d20+5 with rolls of 18.  Dagger Attack #2 vs. AC 18. Hit!
  21:10, Today: Angel rolled 7 using 1d4+3 with rolls of 4.  Dagger #2 damage. damage correction 4, no Dex bonus for offhand
  21:10, Today: Angel rolled 3 using 1d6 with rolls of 3.  Dagger #2 Hex damage.
    (16 damage to Armor #1 — 10 piercing, 6 necrotic)

"I can hit them harder if they group up," Yry calls into the room, not sure if anyone will be able to pull off such a feat but she is always amazed at what her friends are capable of. For her part, at the moment, she continues channeling icy magic, bolstered by the success in stymying attacks from the haunted armor.

action- frostbite on armor #4, con dc 13, 3 cold damage

05:06, Today: Yry Sweetwater rolled 3 using 1d6 with rolls of 3.  frostbite on orila's target, con dc 13.

Alyssa loosed another arrow but again it bounced harmlessly off the animated suit's breastplate. Turning her head towards Edmund she barked, "Will you keep quiet!"

Turning back to the room the halfling called to her companions, "I hope you're faring better than I am! This bow isn't the best for armored armor!"

---

OOC: 15:27, Today: Alyssa Tealeaf rolled 17,5 using 1d20+7,1d6+3 ((10,2)).

Talia continues to batter the armor in front of her down. It is still moving but seems to be barely hanging together.

Angel found that with her hex weakening the magic bonds the armor facing her was particularly potent to having holes poked into it. If it had been a real knight under the armor he likely would be collapsed in a pool of blood but how do you take down an actual flying suit? She worked on dismantling it, cutting straps and destroying joints where she could to try and make it fall apart or get it to lock up and while it was still punching furiously at her it now had a serious hitch in its step and its left shoulder was popping up and down barely holding together as it continued to try and catch her.

Yry continues blasting away with her freezing spells but the metal just conducted the temperature change too well.
the armor passes its con save.

tink as another arrow bounces off the armor. To her credit Alyssa had pointed out that armor like that was designed to help deflect arrows to let the knights wearing it cross the field and wade into battle. Still it was looking pretty rusty. All she needed was one or two good hits to really do some damage...

Orila's weapon meanwhile was doing quite well against the armor. Another solid hit caused the entire front of the armor suit in front of her crack and shatter opening up a gaping hole in the thing...although it was still magically compelled to keep attacking at her.


Still the armored suits came at them. While the last few seconds had gone in favor of the adventurers it seemed their luck had run out. The armored suits found their bearings and began pummeling the party.

Angel's armor briefly caught her arm keeping her from dodging and landed two solid punches straight to her chest and gut.
10 damage from 2 hits

Talia's spectral knight had set its sword down and instead was silently barking orders to her and by the gods was it working. She could still not hear anything but she felt a sudden tug in her soul to step back and then lift of up left leg jusut as a punch would have taken her jaw and leg sweep would have toppled her. It seemed the spectral knight was somehow very familiar with the fighting style of this particular suit of armor.

Orila gets trapped between two titans and they slam into her from either side briefly trapping her and letting them beat the crap out of her. Only her thick stony goliath hide allows her to keep conscious as when she finally pushes out from the trap she is nearly broken and bloody.
Orila takes 3 hits including a crit. Normally this would have resulted in 25 damage (she had 21 HP) but her Stone's Endurance ability lets her subtract 1d12 from damage taken (5) allowing her to survive with 1 HP left...


Round 4

From deep below the surface of her trance, Talia saw the armor battering her friends too solidly. Angel seemed on her last legs. Orila was barely standing. She noted that her armor and her own resistances seemed in good stead. Too, whatever luck or skill the spectral ancestor was imparting to her was a blessing. Still, tactics needed to adjust to the situation. Grunting, she leaned in to deliver a blow to her target quickly. Then, whether the armor was still or not, she stepped back into the open door. There, an instinct told her they could control the armor better and her friends could hide behind her. Standing there in the doorway, she felt the trance thin a moment, just long enough for her to bark a single word, "Retreat!" She motioned the powerful Goliath and the agile elf to retreat then banged her mace against her shield and bellowed wordless challenge to the armor.

---

Move: AY58
Bonus: none
Action: Reckless Attack. 7 more to the armor. Perhaps enough to take it down?

08:50, Today: Talia Alden rolled 7 using 1d6+6 with rolls of 1.  damage.
08:50, Today: Talia Alden rolled 20 using 2d20+6, dropping the lowest dice only with rolls of 5,14.  attack. reckless.

Angel wrenched her arm free of the blasted armor's grasp, shaking her head to clear the blurring of her vision and the ringing in her ears. She was just wondering how she was going to last through another round of vicious punches, when Talia called for a retreat. "Thank the gods!" Angel breathed, quickly moving away from the armor she'd been engaging and out of the door, hoping that Alyssa had a round or two in her to keep the armor from chasing them out into the hallway... thankfully, through it all, she still managed to hold onto the magic of her hex.

OOC: Concentration: Con save vs DC 10 to maintain concentration on Hex Success!
         Action: Disengage (no AoO)
         Move: AZ-58 to AW-59 (15 ft.)
         Bonus: (none)
         Object Interaction: (none)

Orila couldn't continue. She had taken the brunt of the fight against the animated armor. She felt responsible. But as her friends were able to escape out of the room, she sought a path for her own retreat. "Argh!" She pushed back her attackers with a wide swing of her maul before she disengaged.

---

Action: Disengage
Move: 4 spaces to AY58, EDIT 2 more spaces to AX57 (Risk the AoO)

This message was last edited by the player at 17:44, Fri 27 Aug 2021.

Alyssa stayed on the far side of the doorway as Angel came through. With her bow still readied against any pursuit the halflingwas not completely surprised when Talia or Orila stayed in the room to cover the retreat. See's the Goliath early on her feet Alyssa let go of the bow's string and placed it on her friend. With a brief prayer to the woods and the clean mountain air, Alyssa channeled those energies into Orila.

---

OOC:12:13, Today: Alyssa Tealeaf rolled 9 using 1d8+1 with rolls of 8.  cure wounds on Orila.

It's not much Orila, but its the best I could do.

Yry snaps more icy magic at one of the injured armors as she backs away to make more room for her companions.

action- frostbite dc 13 at armor #3 for 4 cold/disadvantage on attack
move - back 10'

22:57, Today: Yry Sweetwater rolled 4 using 1d6 with rolls of 4.  most damaged target, frostbite con dc 13.

Talia strikes down the armor in front of her, finally smashing it apart into unmoving pieces before withdrawing to guard the door.

Angel jukes left and then spins right to twirl around Talia and escape out to the main hall.

Orila stumbles out the door just barely making it past Alyssa and Talia. Alyssa immediately begins pouring healing magic into the goliath's battered body.

Once again the armor shrugs off the effects of Yry's frost magic.
Armor passes its CON save

The armor rushes in against Talia and unfortunately her defenses are shot between making room for Orila to block the door and she takes the brunt of the armor's offensive. Amazingly enough she still manages to use her mace and shield to deflect a few blows but she takes several strong hits. Only her barbarian rage is enough to keep her on her feet.

After her resistance, Talia takes 14 damage total from 4 successful attacks.




Round 5

From far behind the party in the hallway Edmund continues to offer helpful suggestions.

"You should probably retreat! They look really hard! Oh...oh wait..."

He seems to have realized that 'retreat' would mean the fight might be spilling over into the hallway bringing the enemy into much closer contact with him than he would have wanted and so he turns and begins fleeing down the hallway back towards the dining room.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:00, Sat 28 Aug 2021.

Yry calls out in draconic, a flurry of icy motes swirling around her and concentrating at her hands before she casts the magic forward. The racking and popping of water in the air turning to ice behind two of the armors heralds a burst of icy shards and super-chilled air that covers the back of the the animated armor in thick, sharp ice.

action- snilloc's snowball swarm behind armor 2 and 4, dex save dc 13 to take half of 14 cold damage.

16:42, Today: Yry Sweetwater rolled 14 using 3d6 with rolls of 4,6,4.  snowball swarm, dex save dc 13 @ 2 and 4.

Back out of immediate harm's way, Angel dropped her daggers and fumbled with her sling, knowing that the battle was far from done and Talia was the only thing standing between them and those blasted suits of armor. Timing her throw so she wouldn't hit her allies, she aimed for the suit that fought on Talia's right, the same one she'd been engaging before...

OOC: Concentration -- Hex on Armor #1
Free -- drop daggers
Object Interaction -- draw/load sling
Action -- sling attack vs Armor #1
20:25, Today: Angel rolled 7 using 1d20+5 with rolls of 2.  Sling Attack vs. AC 18. (Miss!)

... and missed badly. "Vith!" She swore in her native tongue.

The blows rained upon the surface of her calm like comets from the sky. each blow rattled her teeth and shook her heart. But the calm of the trance was deep upon her and she felt the pattern on her mace's grip through the palms of her hand. She felt the straps of her shield as it rattled against blows. She felt the bead of sweat drip between her breasts beneath her armor, an island of cool sensation in a sea of heated numb. Her eyes moved more by instinct than intent as she watched the enemies move. No allies in her field of vision to distract her but the knowledge they were behind her to bolster her, Talia swung her weapon. She knew to aim for the armor that looked the mot damaged. The one Orila had been hammering at. She felt the knowledge that to eliminate weakened enemies first was best.

---

Move: none
Bonus: none
Action: Attack. Reckless. A solid hit!

09:46, Today: Talia Alden rolled 12 using 1d6+6 with rolls of 6.  damage.
09:46, Today: Talia Alden rolled 25 using 2d20+6, dropping the lowest dice only with rolls of 2,19.  attack.

Orila immediately felt the healing from Alyssa's spell. "Thank you." She saw that Talia was standing in the gap protecting the others from the fight. "I need you to move." Orila told Alyssa. "If, I'm able to help Talia." Orila dio dn't raise her maul, but seem to be concentrating. Seconds later, three rays of fire burst from her circlet at each of the suits of armor.

---

Move to Alyssa's square if Alyssa moves :)
Standard: Use Circlet of Blasting.
rolled 15,17,10 using 1d20+5,1d20+5,1d20+5 with rolls of 10,12,5.  Scorching Ray
All missed :(

"Oh! Right, here." Alyssa took a step to the side allowing the Goliath to better support Talia. Thinking she saw an opportunity, the halfling loosed an arrow throw the doorway and solidly into one of the suits of armor.

---

OOC: Move over 5', AX?? to AX??+1

17:50, Today: Alyssa Tealeaf rolled 19,7 using 1d20+7,1d6+3 with rolls of 12,4.  shot bow, AZ?? (hexed?).

Snowballs hammer the two sets of armor. One of them is blasted apart while the other takes huge dings and dents from the hail being blasted at it.
Both armor fails their saves

Angel slings but the snowstorm blasts the pebbble off its mark.

Talia slams her sword into a gap formed from Orila's hammer and tries to use her sword to lever apart the armor and while she pops off its pauldron and the front half of its greave the armor lifts its arm up and dislodges her sword. It's barely holding together at this point.

Orila attempts to blast the remaining armor and while she does cause glowing spots to form the fiery magic right on the heals of Yry's freezing spells doesn't amplify the damage so much as it nullifies itself.

The two sets of armor raise their fists up to finish pummeling Talia into the ground when suddenly Alyssa puts an arrow through the latch holding the crippled armor together. Like a set of dominos the thing starts to collapse and fall apart, putting strain on other parts of it causing those pieces to fail and the whole thing tumbles to the ground in a pile of pieces.

As the remaining suit of armor punches and kicks at her Talia can sense the ghostly knight next to her shouting inaudible orders at her and once again despite her battle rage  and reckless attacking she finds herself out of instinct ducking and dodging around every attack thrown at her.

Round 6


This message was last edited by the GM at 19:23, Fri 03 Sept 2021.

Yry is glad to see the frosty magic tear the armor into armor pieces but doesn't fully let up, still channeling cold magic at the one armor that remains.

action: frostbite con save dc 13 or 4 cold damage and disadvantage on next attack.

23:29, Today: Yry Sweetwater rolled 4 using 1d6 with rolls of 4.  frostbite.

A certain level of panic subsided within Talia as two more suits of armor crumpled. It seemed more about dismantling the animated sets that destroying them. The artificial calm she felt beneath the surface of her trace allowed her to see more things. She was beginning to learn the lessons the trace brought with it. Even as she ducked and wove out of the way of blows, she learned. Against weak opponents, a tough hide made up for caution.

A faint smile tugged at the corner of her mouth as she gripped Dragon's Breath and swung it yet again at the remaining foe. She felt her weapon once again crunch into the armor and the smile grew into a satisfied grin.


Move: none
Bonus: none
Action: attack. Reckless. Hit, for 12b.

08:41, Today: Talia Alden rolled 26 using 1d20+6 with rolls of 20.  reckless ADV.
08:40, Today: Talia Alden rolled 11 using 1d20+6 with rolls of 5.  attack.
08:42, Today: Talia Alden rolled 12 using 1d6+6 with rolls of 6.  damage.

Angel cheered the destruction of two of the suits of armor, flashing Yry a wicked grin for the sorceress' icy magic and clapping Alyssa on the back for such a good shot. Then switching her focus to the remaining suit of armor, she moved her curse to it and slung another shot from her sling at it...

... and missed again, this time nearly smacking Talia in the back of the head. "Vith! Vith! Vithity Vith Vith!" She swore. Why is the Nine Hells did she even keep this useless weapon?! I'd give my right horn for a good bow! She thought, followed almost immediately by a silent prayer to Jack that her companions couldn't hear her thoughts.

OOC: Concentration -- Hex
     Bonus -- switching Hex to remaining suit of armor
     Action -- sling attack
09:17, Today: Angel rolled 6 using 1d20+5 with rolls of 1.  Sling Attack vs. AC 18. (Miss!)

Encouraged by her last shot, Alyssa shifted her position and loosed an arrow at the remaining armor only to see it harmlessly ricochet off and fly deeper into the room. "Damnit!"

---

OOC:12:55, Today: Alyssa Tealeaf rolled 14,4 using 1d20+7,1d6+3 with rolls of 7,1.  shortbow attack, remaining suit.

Talia smashes her way through the last of the armor causing it to crumple into a pile next to the others discarded pieces of rusty armor. The room falls still and the ghostly spirit knight gives her a nod of approval and then slowly vanishes away as her battle rage dies down.

From down the hallway Edmund cautiously steps closer.

"Hey, I think you won. Good job. Do you think they were protecting something?"
This message was last edited by the player at 20:07, Tue 07 Sept 2021.

Alyssa gave the Spire boy a cold look over her shoulder before turning back to the group.

"He's not wrong. Would someone go to the trouble of enchanting those suits for just the suit of plate? I don't remember anything in the room per say. Then again, I was looking for the stairs to find Pinna! Nobody tell her it's taken us this long to find her."

The halfling look past Talia and Orila into the room. "We probably should have another look though."

It was a long moment staring at the final suit crumpled upon the ground before Talia shook her head and looked toward Edmund. She smiled faintly at the kid and nodded to his words, "Aye, it would seem so. However, the armors did not animate until Orila touched the enchanted plate. Was the other armor enchanted or was it a function of the ensorcelled plate to animate in its defense those not meant for it?" She looked back to her companions with an arched eyebrow, "Do we wish to test it?" She chuckled and looked in to see how many other suits of armor remained intact to be animated.

Rolling her shoulders she nodded to Alyssa though with a slightly afraid look on her face, "She'll never forgive us! How hard can it be to find stairs? Where have we not looked?" A sudden thought caused Talia to freeze up, "Was it a lie?"

"That's right. Everything became alive when I touched that one suit." Orila wounded as she was enter the room again. She reached out to touch the armor again, "I suppose it is safe to touch again. Right?" Orila's finger stretched out. She found herself holding her breath. She grabbed the suit or armor.

"Oh thank you so much, your majesty!" Angel replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm as she dipped into a mocking curtsey. Her face, where she'd been struck, already bruising and swelling up. "Whatever would we have done without your constant advice... from behind... back out of harm's way... and not actually lending a hand. Pray tell, my liege, will you be leading your new followers and loyalists in such a fashion? I dare say that would truly be most inspiring."

As soon as Orila touches the armor there is the sound of clanking and clattering as another set of armor comes to life! It leans forward, lunging at Talia standing in the back. Just as everyone prepares for yet another ambush though the armor keeps falling over revealing a sheepish looking Edmund behind it. The young noble must have come inside to take a closer look and bumped a suit over.

With that out of the way Orila finally takes down the gleaming suit of plate mail. It shimmers and shines like it had just come out of the forges yesterday.

Edmund suddenly appears next to Orila and points at the coat of arms stamped on the chest plate.


"I thought I had recognized that somewhere. Lady Talia, that ghost that you summoned wore this same suit of armor when you summoned him. I guess his spirit must still haunt these halls. We sure are lucky he was on our side."

While Orila is taking down the rest of it he studies the pauldrons for a second.

"Judging from the marking he was either the captain of the guard or the baron himself. See these dots, those are used to signify rankings. This was the highest ranked soldier in the castle when it was made and judging by the quality I would wager was passed down from ruler to ruler. Resizing magical platemail isn't easy so they wouldn't do it for just anyone. You'll probably need to get it resized too. It doesn't seem to be ready for a Goliath."

Talia visibly jumps nearly out of her skin when the armor shudders to life. Her glare afterwards is withering. She then sighs and looks toward Angel, "DO recall that we were all young once. Give the kid a break." She then motions to Edmund to ask him of the armor except he was already talking. She snapped her mouth shut and listen with a deep frown as he spoke about the spirit that had aided her. She beamed at his contribution but her worry about the spirit continued.

Was it possible that a spirit of this place had come to her aid rather than an ancestor?

The speculations on rank and status made her distinctly uncomfortable, So she focused instead on current matters. "Then we'll need to store it and see about finding the prisoners."

Orila lifted the suit of armor, turned it and lifted it up to her chest. "This needs to get resized?" She seemed disappointed, "But it's better to keep it since the keep is ours." Still she tried on the helmet while the rest of the armor went into her pack.

Angel narrowed her eyes at Talia's rebuke but said nothing in reply -- though when the warrior woman's focus was on the boy the she-elf didn't hesitate to stick her tongue out at the other female. Angel had little desire to enter the old armory again, nothing in there really interested her, but she wanted to find Pinna even less... so anything that delayed that from happening was a win in her book.

Muttering to herself in what was probably her native tongue (Elvish if anyone speaks it), she crossed the threshold again and went about searching the room for anything else that the others might have missed...

OOC: Enter armory and search the room.

While Angel does turn up a variety of items they all end up being junk. Bits of armor rusted through, weapons with handles rotted through. It was clear this was an armory but besides the one gleaming suit everything else isn't even worth its weight in scrap.


On this floor still unexplored are two doors (C, D) as well as the "haunted" room that Angel had explored and quickly abandoned earlier.