[3 more bugbears suddenly seem to be dead with arrows protruding from their corpses. There is some noise and a brief shout which us swiftly silenced. Thanks to a magical mask and perhaps the incredibly stealthyness of the individuals involved nobody is quite sure how this happened, saving any hypothetical narrator the difficulty of describing it. Jex's absence would somehow possibly explain the situation however.]
As the cogs of the elevator begin to turn, seemingly by themselves, Jex becomes concerned about the attention being drawn to the area. 5 bugbears are not looking intently into the ravine and it is only a matter of time before Vark comes into view. Whilst they are looking down, they are not looking at him however, which gives him the perfect opportunity to release an arrow across the ravine. The unsuspecting bugbear slump to the ground, the arrow embedded perfectly in its neck. Barely taking time to breathe, he nocks another arrow and releases down the ravine at the next bugbear along, taking it squarely in the neck again. Moving along silently, he lines up a shoot on the next enemy across the ravine Taking his time, he brings his bow back up, waiting for the perfect moment and releases. It moves at the last second though, just as he releases it turns, and an arrow strikes the building behind him, exactly where it had been a second before. Sending a second arrow straight behind the first he hits it square in the abdomen. It lets out a howl of pain from the well placed shot, but the tough creature is still standing. Jex ducks out of sight behind a barrel, but the bugbear is running for a warning bell. Knowing he doesn't have much time, Jex stands up, breathes deeply, he watches as the bugbear drops behind some cover making the shot difficult, but not too difficult for Jex, this time he makes the shot count, taking it in the back of the head in the narrow slice of flesh he can see. Threat averted, Jex once again looks down the ravine to the final two threats.
Val follows behind Jex quietly as she comes over to the device used to raise and lower the platform. She puts a little dirt onto her sweaty palms to dry them out and then immediately puts all her strength into raising the platform as quickly as she can while Jex turns his attention to the bugbear guards. She grunts with the effort as her tensing core muscles scream in agony against the exertion, sweat rapidly forming on her brow as she bites back the pain.
Jex aims another shot at the neck of a bugbear across the ravine, his strike is true and deadly, taking the unaware beast out before it is even aware it is in danger. The second one proves a little more difficult however, whether it is the arrogance creeping in after 5 near perfect kills, or the fatigue in his arm of drawing the bow string so many times in quick succession, or just an unlucky gust of wind, his arrow is off the mark, making nothing but a small scratch, which only serves to alert the bugbear to his presence. Even as he tries to hide again, the beast spots him and lets out a roar as it charges forwards. Slightly concerned that he will become outmatched is he allows himself to get caught in a straight fight, Jex darts across the open ground before him, finding some cover next to a building. The magic of the mask takes effect, and Jex hears the bugbear grind to a halt in its charge, confused and looking around. Using his ears more than his eyes, Jex concentrates on the pattern of shifting feat to inform him where to face as he steps out from around the corner, arrow loose and this time finding its mark in the bugbears eye.
Moments later Jex reappears next to Dorno and Val.
"I fear our time here without searches going out are over. Things will only get more difficult from here. Do we press forwards with the plan or fall back to defend ourselves?"
As the platform rises, Vark looks anxiously up at the top of the ravine, fearing the wrath of the goblinoids above. He begins to chant in primordial, summoning a cloud of mist around himself, hoping to gain some cover. As he finally reaches the top the chanting stops and the sorcerer comes running out of the mist with a grin. "Dorno! Jex! Guys you won't believe it there are these w-wizards or cultists or... I don't know, they're down there, in the tunnels. There's some s-strange rock or or tablet or s-something, and they're doing a ritual or... I never thought I'd make it out alive!" he says this in a hushed but excited tone. Finally as he stops to take a breath and look around, he turns back to Jex. "Uhm s-so... what's going on? What's the plan?"
"Well," Jex begins with a grin. "Things just got rather complicated. We should probably move. This, " He gestures back at the slumped over bodies. "Won't go unnoticed for long. We were going to find some weapons from the armoury and free the prisoners. Now I'm not so sure though. Maybe if we push the bodies into the ravine..."
Bründir heads to the hearth and pulls out a few lumps of burned wood and doodles what he can on a table, "So we've gotta get to th' miners, right? How do ye think is fastest? Can't go straight through; that'd be suicide."
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Characters:
Grishkar Darkmoor, Necromancer of Nerull the Despiser Kelvin Rabbitfoot, Diviner, con artist, always hunting for a good sale Bründir Halfshield, Valor Bard, three-time Sheercleft Drinking Competition Champion, Hometown hero
Vark assists the others in rolling the bugbear bodies off the cliff, sending the corpses plummeting into the ravine. Once the task at hand is done, he turns to his two visible friends. "Uhm d-do we know where the prisoners are being held? And..." he looks around, a look of concern on his face. "Where is everyone else? Hurrig and Brundir and V-val and Thurston?"
"We find weapons for dwarf friends. Friends keep promises. Dorno hide bad goblins now."
With that, the gentle giant hurries to the nearest corpse, rolling it off the edge and away into the dark. He beckons to his allies to follow, the magic that warps his surroundings to hide them moving with him.
"Don't worry little magic-man," he reassures Vark, patting him on the head. "Prisoners are over there."
He points across the ravine.
"Big-lady is invisibubble. Nice, new wizard-friend did it." Dorno perks up especially at talk of new friends, his ears twitching happily.
"You meet him soon. He make pretty colours," the Firbolg adds, beaming.
Jex nods seeing the bodies fall into the ravine. "We don't have long before they spot the other three." He leads the way to where he thinks the armoury is.
Dorno and Valaith heft the crates taken from the smeltery and, along with Jex and Vark, carefully pick their way north between the crucibles and forges of Sheercleft's craftsmen. It's not long before they come upon the road leading from the north bridge, and across the road the great, domed temple of Moradin can be seen. Its doors are bent inwards and hung askew, marred with filth and goblin graffiti. To the west sits the warlord's command tent. The barracks is beyond these buildings.
Thurston, strangely quiet and circunspect, nods at Bründir and tries to follow him towards the ravine as quiet as possible and trying to avoid the clear areas of light.
"Thor, cover me with your clouds. It will be time for your thunder and lighting to bring justice to this evil creatures, but now we need to be quiet as owls fliying in the night..." he prays to his God.
As Jex leads teh group further along the ravine he sees the first real problem. Two goblins guard the bridge, but with a clear view of the open ground they must now cross. He gestures a hush back towards his companions followed by a bow drawing action. He repeats again. 'Hush, shoot'. Hoping at least one person will follow his lead he draws an arrow hoping to silently take out the goblin guards.
Hurrig walks over to the window where he can see the southern bridge, "Well that's one way ta get across ta tha prisnors, there are only a few guards there too." Hurrig points and turns to the small group left behind in Quenlans Arms. "We may be able to take back the town if we can free the prisoners and take control of the lifts for the mines... Any word from those blasted elves? Its just like elves to expect help from everyone when they are in need but slow to offer aid to others."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Mavi Göz Mal - Half Orc Monk Level 1 Not Another Lost Mine of Phandelver
Drita - Aasimar Hexblade Warlock Lvl 3 Tomb of Annhilation
Bründir, Hurrig, Seid and Thurston all make their way north between the buildings, towards the bridge closest to the prisoners. They are just in time to meet up with Dorno, Jex, Valaith and Vark, who was presumed missing.
Two goblin guards are stood keeping watch in front of the bridge, chattering away to each other in their own incomprehensible language. Jex shoots an arrows at one, in an attempt to eliminate them quickly, but it catches in the little monster's shield. It lets out a yelp and glances about fearfully.
Clearly he could use some quiet assistance in handling these guards...
Thurston takes the bow that he acquired from their fallen enemies and notches an arrow on it with care.
” This thing is going to break” saya the Northman in low voice to Gründir “I don’t know how you can fire this things... the war bows of my people, that’s a good, strong weapon... but this...”
Indeed the bow seems somehow small on his hands. He look at the guard hoping his friend end him but seeing that he is not, he aim at it, pulling the string too fast and too strong. The bowstring snaps and it breaks. The arrow falls to the ground despite the two tries of Thurston at grabbing it.
“By Thor’s beard! To Hel with you...” he kicks the arrow.
"Heh, may be best fer ye t'stick with jav'lins an' such then." Bründir levels his crossbow quickly and launches a bolt which plants itself in a goblin's shoulder. The little cretin reels at this as its arm begins to sag.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Characters:
Grishkar Darkmoor, Necromancer of Nerull the Despiser Kelvin Rabbitfoot, Diviner, con artist, always hunting for a good sale Bründir Halfshield, Valor Bard, three-time Sheercleft Drinking Competition Champion, Hometown hero
Dorno grasps a stone from the ground and muttering a few sylvan words hurls it at the goblin to support his friends. It hits the guard solidly in the eye, sending it tumbling backwards into the ravine with a yelp.
Seid launches a firebolt at the remaining goblin, but it sails far overhead.
Hurrig Pulls out his Crossbow and attempts to take out the last goblin on this side of the bridge. As he is lines up his shot, Hurrig sneezes and looses the bolt. "Ah shit..." Hurrig mutters as he watches the bolt sail over the head of the goblin.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Mavi Göz Mal - Half Orc Monk Level 1 Not Another Lost Mine of Phandelver
Drita - Aasimar Hexblade Warlock Lvl 3 Tomb of Annhilation
As the group tries and struggles to eliminate the goblins ahead, Vark mutters a spell and a gust of wind and cloud surge forward and knock the lookout out into the void of the ravine.
Bree thing a brief sigh of relief after the mass fumbling of taking out two goblins is finally cleared up, Jex quickly realises the two at the other side of the bridge are beginning to take notice. This time he makes no mistake, planting an arrow firmly in the eye of the more curious of the two.
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[3 more bugbears suddenly seem to be dead with arrows protruding from their corpses. There is some noise and a brief shout which us swiftly silenced. Thanks to a magical mask and perhaps the incredibly stealthyness of the individuals involved nobody is quite sure how this happened, saving any hypothetical narrator the difficulty of describing it. Jex's absence would somehow possibly explain the situation however.]
As the cogs of the elevator begin to turn, seemingly by themselves, Jex becomes concerned about the attention being drawn to the area. 5 bugbears are not looking intently into the ravine and it is only a matter of time before Vark comes into view. Whilst they are looking down, they are not looking at him however, which gives him the perfect opportunity to release an arrow across the ravine. The unsuspecting bugbear slump to the ground, the arrow embedded perfectly in its neck. Barely taking time to breathe, he nocks another arrow and releases down the ravine at the next bugbear along, taking it squarely in the neck again. Moving along silently, he lines up a shoot on the next enemy across the ravine Taking his time, he brings his bow back up, waiting for the perfect moment and releases. It moves at the last second though, just as he releases it turns, and an arrow strikes the building behind him, exactly where it had been a second before. Sending a second arrow straight behind the first he hits it square in the abdomen. It lets out a howl of pain from the well placed shot, but the tough creature is still standing. Jex ducks out of sight behind a barrel, but the bugbear is running for a warning bell. Knowing he doesn't have much time, Jex stands up, breathes deeply, he watches as the bugbear drops behind some cover making the shot difficult, but not too difficult for Jex, this time he makes the shot count, taking it in the back of the head in the narrow slice of flesh he can see. Threat averted, Jex once again looks down the ravine to the final two threats.
Val follows behind Jex quietly as she comes over to the device used to raise and lower the platform. She puts a little dirt onto her sweaty palms to dry them out and then immediately puts all her strength into raising the platform as quickly as she can while Jex turns his attention to the bugbear guards. She grunts with the effort as her tensing core muscles scream in agony against the exertion, sweat rapidly forming on her brow as she bites back the pain.
Valaith "Rimehand" Kalukavi - Chronicles of Arden
Jex aims another shot at the neck of a bugbear across the ravine, his strike is true and deadly, taking the unaware beast out before it is even aware it is in danger. The second one proves a little more difficult however, whether it is the arrogance creeping in after 5 near perfect kills, or the fatigue in his arm of drawing the bow string so many times in quick succession, or just an unlucky gust of wind, his arrow is off the mark, making nothing but a small scratch, which only serves to alert the bugbear to his presence. Even as he tries to hide again, the beast spots him and lets out a roar as it charges forwards. Slightly concerned that he will become outmatched is he allows himself to get caught in a straight fight, Jex darts across the open ground before him, finding some cover next to a building. The magic of the mask takes effect, and Jex hears the bugbear grind to a halt in its charge, confused and looking around. Using his ears more than his eyes, Jex concentrates on the pattern of shifting feat to inform him where to face as he steps out from around the corner, arrow loose and this time finding its mark in the bugbears eye.
Moments later Jex reappears next to Dorno and Val.
"I fear our time here without searches going out are over. Things will only get more difficult from here. Do we press forwards with the plan or fall back to defend ourselves?"
As the platform rises, Vark looks anxiously up at the top of the ravine, fearing the wrath of the goblinoids above. He begins to chant in primordial, summoning a cloud of mist around himself, hoping to gain some cover. As he finally reaches the top the chanting stops and the sorcerer comes running out of the mist with a grin. "Dorno! Jex! Guys you won't believe it there are these w-wizards or cultists or... I don't know, they're down there, in the tunnels. There's some s-strange rock or or tablet or s-something, and they're doing a ritual or... I never thought I'd make it out alive!" he says this in a hushed but excited tone. Finally as he stops to take a breath and look around, he turns back to Jex. "Uhm s-so... what's going on? What's the plan?"
Chronicles of Arden: Sheercleft - Vark Galestone | Half-Orc | Storm Sorcerer
Chronicles of Arden: Hunters - Caio Cypherien | Shadar-Kai | Inquisitor Ranger
"Well," Jex begins with a grin. "Things just got rather complicated. We should probably move. This, " He gestures back at the slumped over bodies. "Won't go unnoticed for long. We were going to find some weapons from the armoury and free the prisoners. Now I'm not so sure though. Maybe if we push the bodies into the ravine..."
Bründir heads to the hearth and pulls out a few lumps of burned wood and doodles what he can on a table, "So we've gotta get to th' miners, right? How do ye think is fastest? Can't go straight through; that'd be suicide."
Characters:
Grishkar Darkmoor, Necromancer of Nerull the Despiser
Kelvin Rabbitfoot, Diviner, con artist, always hunting for a good sale
Bründir Halfshield, Valor Bard, three-time Sheercleft Drinking Competition Champion, Hometown hero
Vark assists the others in rolling the bugbear bodies off the cliff, sending the corpses plummeting into the ravine. Once the task at hand is done, he turns to his two visible friends. "Uhm d-do we know where the prisoners are being held? And..." he looks around, a look of concern on his face. "Where is everyone else? Hurrig and Brundir and V-val and Thurston?"
Chronicles of Arden: Sheercleft - Vark Galestone | Half-Orc | Storm Sorcerer
Chronicles of Arden: Hunters - Caio Cypherien | Shadar-Kai | Inquisitor Ranger
Dorno nods to Jex emphatically.
"We find weapons for dwarf friends. Friends keep promises. Dorno hide bad goblins now."
With that, the gentle giant hurries to the nearest corpse, rolling it off the edge and away into the dark. He beckons to his allies to follow, the magic that warps his surroundings to hide them moving with him.
"Don't worry little magic-man," he reassures Vark, patting him on the head. "Prisoners are over there."
He points across the ravine.
"Big-lady is invisibubble. Nice, new wizard-friend did it." Dorno perks up especially at talk of new friends, his ears twitching happily.
"You meet him soon. He make pretty colours," the Firbolg adds, beaming.
The Chronicles of Arden: Sheercleft - DM for Aiden, Bründir, Jex, Thurston, Valaith and Vark
The Chronicles of Arden: Hunters - DM for Alaris, Astrid, Caio and Shiva
"For now we need to get those weapons."
Jex nods seeing the bodies fall into the ravine. "We don't have long before they spot the other three." He leads the way to where he thinks the armoury is.
Dorno and Valaith heft the crates taken from the smeltery and, along with Jex and Vark, carefully pick their way north between the crucibles and forges of Sheercleft's craftsmen. It's not long before they come upon the road leading from the north bridge, and across the road the great, domed temple of Moradin can be seen. Its doors are bent inwards and hung askew, marred with filth and goblin graffiti. To the west sits the warlord's command tent. The barracks is beyond these buildings.
Stealth checks from this group please.
The Chronicles of Arden: Sheercleft - DM for Aiden, Bründir, Jex, Thurston, Valaith and Vark
The Chronicles of Arden: Hunters - DM for Alaris, Astrid, Caio and Shiva
Thurston, strangely quiet and circunspect, nods at Bründir and tries to follow him towards the ravine as quiet as possible and trying to avoid the clear areas of light.
"Thor, cover me with your clouds. It will be time for your thunder and lighting to bring justice to this evil creatures, but now we need to be quiet as owls fliying in the night..." he prays to his God.
PbP Character: A few ;)
As Jex leads teh group further along the ravine he sees the first real problem. Two goblins guard the bridge, but with a clear view of the open ground they must now cross. He gestures a hush back towards his companions followed by a bow drawing action. He repeats again. 'Hush, shoot'. Hoping at least one person will follow his lead he draws an arrow hoping to silently take out the goblin guards.
Hurrig walks over to the window where he can see the southern bridge, "Well that's one way ta get across ta tha prisnors, there are only a few guards there too." Hurrig points and turns to the small group left behind in Quenlans Arms. "We may be able to take back the town if we can free the prisoners and take control of the lifts for the mines... Any word from those blasted elves? Its just like elves to expect help from everyone when they are in need but slow to offer aid to others."
Mavi Göz Mal - Half Orc Monk Level 1 Not Another Lost Mine of Phandelver
Drita - Aasimar Hexblade Warlock Lvl 3 Tomb of Annhilation
Iznik Sylnithas - Half Drow Blood Hunter Level 2 Precipice of Voids
Bründir, Hurrig, Seid and Thurston all make their way north between the buildings, towards the bridge closest to the prisoners. They are just in time to meet up with Dorno, Jex, Valaith and Vark, who was presumed missing.
Two goblin guards are stood keeping watch in front of the bridge, chattering away to each other in their own incomprehensible language. Jex shoots an arrows at one, in an attempt to eliminate them quickly, but it catches in the little monster's shield. It lets out a yelp and glances about fearfully.
Clearly he could use some quiet assistance in handling these guards...
The Chronicles of Arden: Sheercleft - DM for Aiden, Bründir, Jex, Thurston, Valaith and Vark
The Chronicles of Arden: Hunters - DM for Alaris, Astrid, Caio and Shiva
Thurston takes the bow that he acquired from their fallen enemies and notches an arrow on it with care.
” This thing is going to break” saya the Northman in low voice to Gründir “I don’t know how you can fire this things... the war bows of my people, that’s a good, strong weapon... but this...”
Indeed the bow seems somehow small on his hands. He look at the guard hoping his friend end him but seeing that he is not, he aim at it, pulling the string too fast and too strong. The bowstring snaps and it breaks. The arrow falls to the ground despite the two tries of Thurston at grabbing it.
“By Thor’s beard! To Hel with you...” he kicks the arrow.
PbP Character: A few ;)
"Heh, may be best fer ye t'stick with jav'lins an' such then." Bründir levels his crossbow quickly and launches a bolt which plants itself in a goblin's shoulder. The little cretin reels at this as its arm begins to sag.
Characters:
Grishkar Darkmoor, Necromancer of Nerull the Despiser
Kelvin Rabbitfoot, Diviner, con artist, always hunting for a good sale
Bründir Halfshield, Valor Bard, three-time Sheercleft Drinking Competition Champion, Hometown hero
Dorno grasps a stone from the ground and muttering a few sylvan words hurls it at the goblin to support his friends. It hits the guard solidly in the eye, sending it tumbling backwards into the ravine with a yelp.
Seid launches a firebolt at the remaining goblin, but it sails far overhead.
The Chronicles of Arden: Sheercleft - DM for Aiden, Bründir, Jex, Thurston, Valaith and Vark
The Chronicles of Arden: Hunters - DM for Alaris, Astrid, Caio and Shiva
Hurrig Pulls out his Crossbow and attempts to take out the last goblin on this side of the bridge. As he is lines up his shot, Hurrig sneezes and looses the bolt. "Ah shit..." Hurrig mutters as he watches the bolt sail over the head of the goblin.
Mavi Göz Mal - Half Orc Monk Level 1 Not Another Lost Mine of Phandelver
Drita - Aasimar Hexblade Warlock Lvl 3 Tomb of Annhilation
Iznik Sylnithas - Half Drow Blood Hunter Level 2 Precipice of Voids
As the group tries and struggles to eliminate the goblins ahead, Vark mutters a spell and a gust of wind and cloud surge forward and knock the lookout out into the void of the ravine.
Chronicles of Arden: Sheercleft - Vark Galestone | Half-Orc | Storm Sorcerer
Chronicles of Arden: Hunters - Caio Cypherien | Shadar-Kai | Inquisitor Ranger
Bree thing a brief sigh of relief after the mass fumbling of taking out two goblins is finally cleared up, Jex quickly realises the two at the other side of the bridge are beginning to take notice. This time he makes no mistake, planting an arrow firmly in the eye of the more curious of the two.