Sharing Seviari's unease, and knowing the reason they were called to Nightstone in the first place, Jorji moves ahead of the group just enough to try and get a better vantage point, drawing his bow as he does so, and scans for any signs of goblin activity in the area.
//Perception roll is 11, or, if it is alright, Survival with advantage to see signs of goblins: 21//
The bell keeps ringing, and you now clearly tell that it's coming from the wooden temple just inside the village.
As you approach the drawbridge, you notice that the area around here is covered in tracks, mostly shoes fitted for human-sized feet, and your best guess is that they were made by several dozen individuals. The oaken drawbridge is covered in muddy footprints, and the ground outside of the drawbridge is completely trampled. The tracks are haphazard, as if there had been a near stampede out of the village, and they lead off into the distance, to the north. This is hilly terrain, but you know this area fairly well and you are aware that past the hills to the north lies the Ardeep Forest.
Looking closer, you notice about a dozen sets of smaller footprints heading north towards the drawbridge. These are much fresher than the larger footprints, and are accompanied by two sets of unusually large wolf tracks. Knowing what you do about goblins, you are immediately convinced that a small group of them has stolen into the village with some pet worgs.
"Well, what'd ye expect, a welcomin' party?" Flint continues to approach the drawbridge. Glancing at the keep, does it look like a recent collapse or has it simply fallen in disrepair? Insight 15
"It looks like it might be a false beckon gents, I say we try to find a away in without alerting the invaders we've come to kick them out," Solace offers her tone jovial furrowing her eyebrows looking around them towards the north and the hills where the humanoids footprints head. Solace is hopeful that most of the villagers were able to flee!
//everyone has the rolls covered it seems//
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Sometimes a Nat 1 tells a better story than a Nat 20 ever could.
Jorji makes his way back to the group. "Goblins," he says, "in the village. At least a dozen, with two worgs." He looks towards the Ardeep Forest. "The townsfolk fled, but... not because of the goblins. Something else happened here."
Glancing at the keep, does it look like a recent collapse or has it simply fallen in disrepair? Insight 15
In the dusk of evening, the keep certainly doesn't look like a ruin. Your thoughts go to the Lady Velrosa, the High Steward; the Lords Alliance would not stand for one of its members ruling from a ruined keep. She certainly would have sent a message if this collapse had occurred more than a few days ago.
The bell keeps on ringing. The sound is annoyingly blissful.
"It seems like the noise is coming from the church, and if there are people in there we need to get them out. But I have a plan. Why don't we have one group storm into town and get the goblins to follow them out here, where we have an ambush waiting for them. A couple of us can hide in the watchtowers and attack them from above and take them by surprise. Or alternately, we can make a large distraction for any goblins and use that to sneak through town and check the church out"
"Have the gift of foresight Jorji," Solace asks giving the gnome a smile. "So any thoughts on what the something else with be," she asks before suggesting the party get off the road and hide to get an advantage on whatever their about to face while formulating their plan.
"'The simplest plan's the best plan' me Sargent always said. If some o' yous wanna slink ahead fer high ground I'll give ye time ta do it but if there's townsfolk in that church, that's where we gotta be. An' if there's goblins in that church, that's still where we gotta be. I'd say some o' yous make fer the towers, the rest of us make fer the gate."
suggesting the party get off the road and hide to get an advantage on whatever their about to face while formulating their plan.
Slealth 13
//well it was a good plan...//
Out here in the mile-wide clearing around the village, the only outcroppings are small rocks and young trees. Solace realizes that the only good hiding places are likely to be inside the village, as she creeps along the drawbridge and peeks in past the palisade. There don't seem to be any threats in her immediate field of vision. Hiding should be easy.
"Ok Flint, give me a second to get into position in the watchtower and I'll give you support from up there. But a fair warning, you'll have to draw the goblins out onto the drawbridge for me to do much. I suggest if we have any large, flashy spells, that would be helpful" Seviari begins to walk towards the watchtower, drawing his shortbow and getting ready for a fight.
// Are there stairs for these watchtowers, or is this something I'll need to climb?//
Seviari begins to walk towards the watchtower, drawing his shortbow and getting ready for a fight.
Seviari steps inside the tower's bottom level. Inside is a gate winch and a ladder. He climbs the ladder with ease, and lifts un unlocked trapdoor to reveal a deserted watchtower with a good view of the town. In the dusk he can make out the outlines of six other watchtowers in total, lining the palisade around the village.
The temple bell, next to him, won't stop its incessant ringing.
Solace will remain at the side of the palisade drawing her longsword and wait for Sevari to join her so she can back him up.
Solace follows Seviari in, watching his back as he climbs the tower. There's some movement in the town square, maybe 80 feet ahead. Hard to tell in the present darkness. There are also a few large rocks embedded in the ground, several yards apart from each other: one in the grass, a couple on the dirt path leading into the town center.
Jorji climbs the watchtower to the right of the drawbridge, passing a large rock in the ground, and finds a similar sight to Seviari's. A gate winch, a ladder, and an open trapdoor to a completely deserted watchtower.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
"Ok, once Jorji is in position, rush the town and draw them out here" Seviari nods at Solace behind him "They'll need you more down there sweet cheeks. I can handle myself up here, so lead the charge down below. If you need Jorji and I to rush down there just yell." He faces the town and nocks an arrow in his bow, not drawing it back yet, just getting it ready for a quick shot if needed. Seviari decides to see if he can make anything out from his new perspective, especially looking to see if he can see the bell or anything around it.
DM - Storm King's Thunder PbP | Yet Another Storm King's Thunder PbP
Current: Eogard Duramastar, Human Twilight Cleric/Star Druid | Eiren Lathrana, Shadar-Kai Eldritch Knight/Bladesinger | Arugula, Rabbitfolk Armorer
Survivor: CrispyDM's Saltmarsh as Syltra | SarcasticFury's Strahd as Hadrian Frozenspark | Forge of Fury as The DM
// What time of day is it? //
"Well, what'd ye expect, a welcomin' party?" Flint continues to approach the drawbridge. Glancing at the keep, does it look like a recent collapse or has it simply fallen in disrepair? Insight 15
"It looks like it might be a false beckon gents, I say we try to find a away in without alerting the invaders we've come to kick them out," Solace offers her tone jovial furrowing her eyebrows looking around them towards the north and the hills where the humanoids footprints head. Solace is hopeful that most of the villagers were able to flee!
//everyone has the rolls covered it seems//
Sometimes a Nat 1 tells a better story than a Nat 20 ever could.
Jorji makes his way back to the group. "Goblins," he says, "in the village. At least a dozen, with two worgs." He looks towards the Ardeep Forest. "The townsfolk fled, but... not because of the goblins. Something else happened here."
A record number of words from Jorji.
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Current: Eogard Duramastar, Human Twilight Cleric/Star Druid | Eiren Lathrana, Shadar-Kai Eldritch Knight/Bladesinger | Arugula, Rabbitfolk Armorer
Survivor: CrispyDM's Saltmarsh as Syltra | SarcasticFury's Strahd as Hadrian Frozenspark | Forge of Fury as The DM
"It seems like the noise is coming from the church, and if there are people in there we need to get them out. But I have a plan. Why don't we have one group storm into town and get the goblins to follow them out here, where we have an ambush waiting for them. A couple of us can hide in the watchtowers and attack them from above and take them by surprise. Or alternately, we can make a large distraction for any goblins and use that to sneak through town and check the church out"
"Have the gift of foresight Jorji," Solace asks giving the gnome a smile. "So any thoughts on what the something else with be," she asks before suggesting the party get off the road and hide to get an advantage on whatever their about to face while formulating their plan.
Slealth 13
//well it was a good plan...//
Sometimes a Nat 1 tells a better story than a Nat 20 ever could.
"There was also word of a dragon sighting," Jorji suggests, sickened by the words as they leave his mouth. "But I am not so sure..."
Investigation to see if Jorji has any clue as to what the villagers might have fled from. 3
//Well it was worth a shot.//
"'The simplest plan's the best plan' me Sargent always said. If some o' yous wanna slink ahead fer high ground I'll give ye time ta do it but if there's townsfolk in that church, that's where we gotta be. An' if there's goblins in that church, that's still where we gotta be. I'd say some o' yous make fer the towers, the rest of us make fer the gate."
DM - Storm King's Thunder PbP | Yet Another Storm King's Thunder PbP
Current: Eogard Duramastar, Human Twilight Cleric/Star Druid | Eiren Lathrana, Shadar-Kai Eldritch Knight/Bladesinger | Arugula, Rabbitfolk Armorer
Survivor: CrispyDM's Saltmarsh as Syltra | SarcasticFury's Strahd as Hadrian Frozenspark | Forge of Fury as The DM
DM - Storm King's Thunder PbP | Yet Another Storm King's Thunder PbP
Current: Eogard Duramastar, Human Twilight Cleric/Star Druid | Eiren Lathrana, Shadar-Kai Eldritch Knight/Bladesinger | Arugula, Rabbitfolk Armorer
Survivor: CrispyDM's Saltmarsh as Syltra | SarcasticFury's Strahd as Hadrian Frozenspark | Forge of Fury as The DM
"Ok Flint, give me a second to get into position in the watchtower and I'll give you support from up there. But a fair warning, you'll have to draw the goblins out onto the drawbridge for me to do much. I suggest if we have any large, flashy spells, that would be helpful" Seviari begins to walk towards the watchtower, drawing his shortbow and getting ready for a fight.
// Are there stairs for these watchtowers, or is this something I'll need to climb?//
Solace will remain at the side of the palisade drawing her longsword and wait for Sevari to join her so she can back him up.
Sometimes a Nat 1 tells a better story than a Nat 20 ever could.
"I'll go up the other watchtower," Jorji offers.
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Current: Eogard Duramastar, Human Twilight Cleric/Star Druid | Eiren Lathrana, Shadar-Kai Eldritch Knight/Bladesinger | Arugula, Rabbitfolk Armorer
Survivor: CrispyDM's Saltmarsh as Syltra | SarcasticFury's Strahd as Hadrian Frozenspark | Forge of Fury as The DM
DM - Storm King's Thunder PbP | Yet Another Storm King's Thunder PbP
Current: Eogard Duramastar, Human Twilight Cleric/Star Druid | Eiren Lathrana, Shadar-Kai Eldritch Knight/Bladesinger | Arugula, Rabbitfolk Armorer
Survivor: CrispyDM's Saltmarsh as Syltra | SarcasticFury's Strahd as Hadrian Frozenspark | Forge of Fury as The DM
DM - Storm King's Thunder PbP | Yet Another Storm King's Thunder PbP
Current: Eogard Duramastar, Human Twilight Cleric/Star Druid | Eiren Lathrana, Shadar-Kai Eldritch Knight/Bladesinger | Arugula, Rabbitfolk Armorer
Survivor: CrispyDM's Saltmarsh as Syltra | SarcasticFury's Strahd as Hadrian Frozenspark | Forge of Fury as The DM
"Ok, once Jorji is in position, rush the town and draw them out here" Seviari nods at Solace behind him "They'll need you more down there sweet cheeks. I can handle myself up here, so lead the charge down below. If you need Jorji and I to rush down there just yell." He faces the town and nocks an arrow in his bow, not drawing it back yet, just getting it ready for a quick shot if needed. Seviari decides to see if he can make anything out from his new perspective, especially looking to see if he can see the bell or anything around it.
Perception: 10
Seeing the others begin to reach their vantage points, Flint sets a brisk walking pace for the center of the gate.
DM - Storm King's Thunder PbP | Yet Another Storm King's Thunder PbP
Current: Eogard Duramastar, Human Twilight Cleric/Star Druid | Eiren Lathrana, Shadar-Kai Eldritch Knight/Bladesinger | Arugula, Rabbitfolk Armorer
Survivor: CrispyDM's Saltmarsh as Syltra | SarcasticFury's Strahd as Hadrian Frozenspark | Forge of Fury as The DM