Leaving the keep, Sydiri lags behind and eventually stops, saying, “I just can’t leave her. You all are a big enough group to handle whatever is going on in the village. I’ll keep watch here at the keep.” Alara sighs, but nods her acceptance, and follows the party through the gatehouse, along with Torem and Kaelen. As you arrive at the top of the bridge once more, Helena immediately notices Sabastian flying her way.

(Everyone can roll Perception, if you think your character would want to study the road and/or village.)

As they walk, Essie keeps an eye out again. Not because she's suspicious, but because she's still insanely curious about everything around here.

Essie's Perception: 13

Daerthe moves to be ahead of the townguards but still keeps her eyes down and out of the view of the sunlight as much as she can. Her eyes scan out from under the hood but for the most part it looks as if she is staring at her own feet.

Perception: 17

Ryndar falls in step with the guards, keeping a close eye out as they walk. 

Perception: 10

"Trouble." Helena says as she shades her eyes and looks towards the road. "My familiar is heading back, which maens someone is coming towards the village. I suggest we hurry..." After taking a look she suits words to actions and hussles towards the drawbridge towers.

Perception: 13

Sphyboe takes into account whatever information the new woman has to offer with earnest attention. She says the drawbridge had to be repaired, so that must be in a mint condition to support their cumulative weights as well as her own. 

"Well, then I'm inclined to accompany you all till the party cross the bridge."

She joins the party while trying to search for any clue to discover a hidden passage somewhere around if there's one. The possibility of getting ambushed by the Zhentarim agents is something that she should be concerned about, an attack from a hidden place could be a cherry topping.

Wisdom: Perception 16

Helena and Essie notice it first: the drawbridge is being lowered. How can that be?! Just as she is taking this in, Helena gets a telepathic message from Sabastian, her owl familiar, who has come into range: Horses and riders coming quickly on the road.

Sphyboe sees that she misunderstood a little: it is the bridge between the keep and the village that has been repaired. It has an odd collection of planks of wood and ladders on top of some kind of fiber. She would almost suspect that it was some kind of webbing, if that weren’t such a crazy idea. At the end of the bridge, they will enter the south side of the wooden palisade that surrounds the town. If she wanted to exit the town in an unexpected fashion, she could try slipping off the bridge where it meets the palisade. She would probably end up in the moat. On the west side of the village is the drawbridge with the watchtowers where the party suspects Kella to be hiding.

At the moment, it sounds like Helena is leading the way followed by Essie and probably Bramble. Daerthe is next, followed by Ryndar and the townsguard. Sphyboe is looking for possible ambush points, so she might be before or after the guards.

(What would you all like to do?)

Sphyboe follows the line of sight of the two women leading the party. She finds the drawbridge at the west side being lowered by someone who might want to use it to the advantage of any outsiders for granting easy access to the village. A quick glance at the moat followed by eager observation of the drawbridge works as an inspiration for her next move. She starts to murmur some unintelligible words of foreign origin with dramatic rise and fall of her voice at the same time drawing invisible marks using her fingers. Using the drawbridge as her target, she hurls a mote of fire after casting fire bolt.

To Hit: 18     Fire Damage: 7 (gamelog)

The fire might destroy a certain part or the entire structure of the drawbridge, or do nothing but to set it on fire, at least causing complications for the invading party to enter the village.

Daerthe readies her bow, moving to crouch and fall back towards the group as she moves to knock an arrow into place. It was hard to tell if she was getting into a better position or using the others as meat shields.

Bramble will yell, “To the drawbridge!” and when feasible, dash with as many turns as needed to reach it. He will not wait for others to follow. As he approaches within sight of the lowering/lowered drawbridge, he will be determining whether wildshape or finding cover and magic stone is more appropriate.

"Horses coming up the road." Helena calls over her shoulder. She continues towards the drawbridge at a run. She has her owl swoop in to see just how, and who, is helping to lower the bridge.

Ryndar nods as he picks up his pace towards the drawbridge. He draws his longbow, preparing for impending conflict.

Essie instantly starts running alongside Helena toward the drawbridge. She's not sure what she's running toward, but she's definitely not going to be left behind, no sir. She starts putting a distance between herself and Helena as she goes, too, not wanting to clump them all together as they run toward the drawbridge. Her shield is slid off her back, too, at the ready for a more defensive stance.

Quote from InkedBee >>

Sphyboe ... starts to murmur some unintelligible words of foreign origin with dramatic rise and fall of her voice at the same time drawing invisible marks using her fingers. Using the drawbridge as her target, she hurls a mote of fire after casting fire bolt.

To Hit: 18     Fire Damage: 7 (gamelog)

(Clever idea! Unfortunately you all are about 220 feet away from the drawbridge. Your character would probably recognize that it is too far for Fire Bolt. Would you like to dash instead? Or do you think she would try Fire Bolt anyway?)

Quote from Karmoli >>

Quote from InkedBee >>

Sphyboe ... starts to murmur some unintelligible words of foreign origin with dramatic rise and fall of her voice at the same time drawing invisible marks using her fingers. Using the drawbridge as her target, she hurls a mote of fire after casting fire bolt.

To Hit: 18     Fire Damage: 7 (gamelog)

(Clever idea! Unfortunately you all are about 220 feet away from the drawbridge. Your character would probably recognize that it is too far for Fire Bolt. Would you like to dash instead? Or do you think she would try Fire Bolt anyway?)

 (Will you let her take Dash action first to cover the 20 feet then hurl the mote? I didn't count the distance approximately but guessed it, I should be careful next time.)

Quote from InkedBee >>

Quote from Karmoli >>

Quote from InkedBee >>

Sphyboe ... starts to murmur some unintelligible words of foreign origin with dramatic rise and fall of her voice at the same time drawing invisible marks using her fingers. Using the drawbridge as her target, she hurls a mote of fire after casting fire bolt.

To Hit: 18     Fire Damage: 7 (gamelog)

(Clever idea! Unfortunately you all are about 220 feet away from the drawbridge. Your character would probably recognize that it is too far for Fire Bolt. Would you like to dash instead? Or do you think she would try Fire Bolt anyway?)

 (Will you let her take Dash action first to cover the 20 feet then hurl the mote? I didn't count the distance approximately but guessed it, I should be careful next time.)

(Fire Bolt only has a range of 120 feet, so you have to get 100 feet closer. And by then, you may not be able to see the drawbridge. We'll just dash for now. I'll try to be more clear about how close you are.)

Helena and Essie lead the charge, dashing into the village. Sabastian veers in midflight to speed toward the watchtowers, but can’t yet make out who is in them. Bramble, Ryndar, and Sphyboe are right behind Helena and Essie. Daerthe allows the guards to run past her and follows behind. The group is about 160 feet from the drawbridge as it lowers further, about ⅔ of the way down.

(Would you all cut left in front of the windmill and west of the field that is closest to the watchtowers or go straight north and along the east side of that field? The first option is shorter, but you won’t have a good view of the inside of the watchtower or the drawbridge until you are right on it. The second option is further to get to the watchtowers or drawbridge, but you would have a clearer view sooner while keeping some distance.)

Bramble will take the longer way, not only for the surer footing (path vs. grass) but also because it's familiar, reduce the variables and surprises.

Essie will also take the longer way. She's not particularly stealthy enough to try and sneak around past the windmill, and she'd like to meet the newcomers approaching head-on. She slows down a bit as she rounds the corner, too, not wanting to appear like they're running straight at whoever's on the other side to attack.

Ryndar will also take the longer way, looking for a good vantage point on the bridge <150 ft from the crossing.