Sylvio spins around at the sound of voices behind him. His weapons were sheathed as he examined the door for traps so he spreads his unarmed hands apart palms up and open. He begins backing up slowly towards the window. Being a thief from the streets, used to watching his back at all times, keeping an eye out for guards and security, and always on the lookout, Sylvio realizes something.
He whispers urgently to his new companions, “Sylvio did-a not see-a nor hear-a any guards when-a we entered this place. So where-a did so many-a come from?”
He then speaks out towards the guards. “Ah, gentlemen-a, this is-a not what it appears to be-a. We were-a sent from-a the city guard to-a investigate the boy’s body and assist-a in finding the responsible parties. Sylvio and-a his friends were-a just attacked by-a some undead-a things and-a poor Bertha was killed-a.”
He then motions towards the others to chime in and help backup what happened. At the same time he continues to slowly edge towards the window, ready to spring out the window if they refuse to listen... Sylvio smells a setup.
Gabriel also raises his empty hands, his face a look of genuine shock at the events unfolding before and around him.
"Oh Lathander, help me (guidance)! My good men, you must believe that we have witnessed some foul business dealt by evil far beyond our ken. We tried in vain to save poor Bertha, and as the city's assigned investigators here we pledge to avenge her passing. You must fetch the city guard this instant, for we must make to the docks and have no time to lose!"
Hoping against all hope that the truth will cut through...
Amadi swings around as the guards burst into the room. At the shout of the accusation of murder he drops his hammer into the loop on his belt and slings his shield onto his back. He then raises his hands. As he does this he speaks.
"Call for the City Watch if you must, but we are innocent of this woman's death. In fact I demand you call for the City Watch we must speak to Captain Ironwood."
Notes: Now, this is a situation where the pbp format fails to translate what would happen in a live game. Here's the situation, magic is a real thing and a real danger in the Realms. In Waterdeep especially. Well treined guards would understand that the casting of a spell demands specific gestures and words, but if not spellcasters themselves they would not be able to identify which spell is being cast. Meaning? When Gabriel start casting guidance the guards see a member of a group of strangers that is mostly battle ready and close to a clearly recently dead body react to the guards finding them by starting to use magic.
In a live game the guards would attack the moment Gabriel started the somatic components of Guidance, but as to not invalidate the roleplay that both Gruba and Paladin made we will consider the following - the guards retreat at the first sign of a spell being cast and the characters continue to speak in hopes of being heard. If they will be or not will be decided by dice.
@Gruba and @Paladin roll me a Performance check with disadvantage (to determinate if you speak loud and clear enough for the soldiers to hear). Because the guards are in alert, donning mail (noisy armor in DnD, since it gives stealth advantage) and running in a group, the DC is hard to beat (20) and both of you have disadvantage. @If Gruba alone succeeds his Persuasion check will be considered. @If Paladin alone suceeds nothing changes in the situation. @If both Gruba and Paladin make the check then Gruba can roll Gabriel's Persuasion check will gain advantage (Grube can then roll the check one more time and the higher value will be considered).
“Wait!”Sweeps lowers his maul and raises one hand in a gesture to stop the guards, but moves to stand between the guards and his companions “they speak the truth. We did nothing to the woman. Call the City Watch if you like and we will make our report. But do not delay us, other lives are at stake!”
Persuasion 4 .
He whispers to his companions “Be ready to flee, a fight will only make things worse. There is no guarantee they call the watch. Noble families are rumored to take matters in their own hands in these situations.”
Sunny seeing weapons raised and adrenaline high in the guards, stands to her fully height, shell tall on her shoulders and extremely serious though still no weapons drawn attempts to help convince the guards. "If this is not done peacefully, we will defend ourselves and you don't want that fight. There is a reason we were called to investigate this and we're due to report in to the Captain. We told him we were headed here, would you like to explain to him why we're late?"
“Caster!” The guard shouts before retreating, as Gabriel start the somatic components of the guidance spell. Well trained, the men behind him fall back in orderly and fast manner, disappearing of your sights long before the aasimar finishes speaking. Amadi is the next to try his hand at persuading the guards, but his voiced is drowned by the sound of hurried steps and chain mail.
A moment of silence came and went fast, as ever single one of you gather that reinforcements arrived. For the sound of it the number of men at arms had at least doubled and more likely than not other detachments were surrounding other exiting points in the vila. That was the home of a noble house and one specialized in military affairs. Few places in the whole city would be so well guarded. Luckily for the group Sylvio’s words were clear enough for the guards to attempt a solution faster than combat.
“This is your first and last warning!” The familiar voice of the guard echoes through the air. “We are in formation and ready to strike so if any of you try anything funny you are all dead.” The man starts and you hear even more footsteps. “Drop your weapons and exit one at time with your hands on your heads. Outside of the room you lay down on the floor, stomach to the ground. Those demands are not up to negotiation and you have five seconds to comply.”
As the man finishes his speech the flames consuming Jacob’s body reach the curtains and with an unnatural speed start to devour it. The heat ins sensible, extreme and suddenly the glass of the windows explode. A myriad of shards of glass flies in your direction.
Notes
@Everyone, make a Dexterity save throw. DC 16. @Everyone, if one of you do not exit the room in the following round the guards will open hostilities. @Everyone, you have time for performing one single action before the time limit stipulated for the guard is up. Trying to negotiate with the guards is likely to start hostilities.
Sunny calls for Chewy and they both leap out of the window heading in the direction of the coast and Field Ward.(Hoping the fire will be enough incentive for the dog to follow in addition to his training)
"I am coming out. I profess my innocence in this manner." Amadi shouts as he places his hands on his head and exits the room to face the guards. As he does he exits the room and moves enough to get away from the flames and he lays on the ground.
"The room is on fire, you need to call for any fire brigade that is available."
Sylvio doesn’t like the idea of surrendering to paid guards who might be too bloodthirsty for vengeance to see reason... and nobles who treated everyone as things to be tossed away and forgotten on a whim. He turns to jump through the window when the glass shatters behind him, he reacts 22 Dex Save on instinct to avoid the glass before diving out the window.
As he does, he shouts back “So sorry, but-a we must go save-a the other children-a!”
Gabriel joins Amadi in raising his arms and surrendering "I meant no offence, I was merely imploring the Morninglord to allow me to state our truth clearly. We have vital information about the deaths of poor Jacob and two other blessed children, and we must act fast to stop a fourth attack"
He is pliant throughout, getting on the floor if instructed, allowing himself to be shackled if necesarry.
Sweeps reacts to the shattering glass. He pauses only slightly, head turning between Sylvio and Sunny as they head out the window and Amadi and Gabriel as they surrender to the guards. He wants to help Gabriel and Amadi, but he has no trust in the guards. He knows he can do more good finding the killers and preventing the murder of other children, and he turns and leaps out the window after the others. Hoping against all odds they can avoid any other guards and make for the Field Ward.
Sylvio is the first to react to sharpnels. Fast like the wind, the elf avoid any and all glass, a luck that he shared onlywith Chewy and Amadi. Brightflame, sure of his innocence, comply with the words of the guards, leaving the burning room with his hands on his head. As he passes through the door frame he finds two groups of soldiers, each one in an end of the hallway. Each side with three crossbowman and twice their number in infantrymen. Some of the guards carried maces, other swords and shields. From the direction of the stairs the blacksmith could hear the familiar sound of steel. More men were coming, covered in chainmail. In a fast estimative the fighter deduce that over twenty men surround the area.
As Amadi lay in the floor, Sunny is the first to decide for another approach. The fact that it all could be a trap made to use the group as escapegoats, the fact that Shar seemed to influence this events and that from the goddess of darkness nothing even remotely close to justice can ever be expected, trigger her survival instincts. Calling her beast companion, the tortle jumps the window. Chewy, as the good boy he is, follow her humanoid friend without question.
For his part the rogue decides it safer to escape, for this number of guards at ready could only mean a trap. Could only mean that those guards were surround them, dispose of them. And so, he took, jumps the window. Gabriel put his hands o his head and follows Amadi’s example, leaving Sweeps literally divided between two sides of his party.
As the aasimar gets on the floor the genasi decide to leave it, for he had no trust in the guards. It is only by reaching the ground that Sweeps, Sylvio and Sunny, understand how high the window was - circa twenty feet.
“Quiet, caster.” Says a man waves his hand and two soldiers, each one holding two amanacles, approach. The first one, a redhaired boy no older five and ten, close the irons first on Amadi’s wrists and then in his ancles. Another boy, this with a dirt blonde hair and a skin tanned by the coastal sun, put Gabriel’s hands and ankles in chains. “If you speak without being asked to, we will consider that you are trying to use magic and our answer will be strong.” The boys then returned to the formation while the rest of the soldiers wait looking t the door. One second, then another and a third one before deciding the others were not surrendering. “Put men in front of the window and throw the bombs.”
Notes
I intended to give this during your next rest (long or short) because you already had good moments of interpretation. From Sweeps balancing the ruse mouth of Sweeps with not overstepping with authorities, Sunny demonstrating empathy with death of Jacob and moving to protect the weaker (Bertha), Gabriel demonstrating righteous fury, Sylvio holding to his suspects eve when by metagame the whole group knew that his suspects didn't have bade, Amadi having brilliant ideas (first thinking in Shar, then in closing the gate on the dungeon). But now you went further beyond, you truly were faithful to your characters personalities, even if this divides the party, showing that good players can follow "what my character would do" while contributing to the game so...
@Everyone, you have a 1 point of DM Inspiration. From this post forward you can spend this point at moment to make a roll, be it attack or skill check, with advantage. @Everyone can make a Perception Check. @Gruba, @Jyne and @Gunner, you take 7 piercing damage from the glass shards. @Althax, @Jynne and @Gunner, you take 8 fall damage.
The drop out the window was much further than Sweeps expected. He hits the ground hard, feet first followed by butt and back. He picks himself up off of the ground gingerly, between the fall, shattered glass, and the specters, he is weak and unsteady.
He takes a quick glance around to gain his bearings and look for any sign of guards or other threats Perception 14
Placing his hand on the ground, he mutters to himself and a swirl of dust and shadow surrounds Sweeps, Sunny, and Sylvio. (Everyone has +10 to Stealth checks for next hour)
“Follow me, let’s make for the Field Ward before we are pursued. I know a shortcut”
City Secrets:
You know the secret patterns and flow to cities and can find passages through the urban sprawl that others would miss. When you are not in combat, you (and companions you lead) can travel between any two locations in the city twice as fast as your speed would normally allow.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Gabriel allows himself to be shackled without comment, although the actions of children so young, as if they were adults, shocks him. His mind already racing with possible explanations, he heeds the warning about his casting and makes no such gesture, although his mind wanders to the rare occasions when his weaker spells have manifested themselves without his verbal or somatic actions; he wonders if this is a skill he should develop, should he live to get the practice...
Perception (Passive 13) 16
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Sylvio spins around at the sound of voices behind him. His weapons were sheathed as he examined the door for traps so he spreads his unarmed hands apart palms up and open. He begins backing up slowly towards the window. Being a thief from the streets, used to watching his back at all times, keeping an eye out for guards and security, and always on the lookout, Sylvio realizes something.
He whispers urgently to his new companions, “Sylvio did-a not see-a nor hear-a any guards when-a we entered this place. So where-a did so many-a come from?”
He then speaks out towards the guards. “Ah, gentlemen-a, this is-a not what it appears to be-a. We were-a sent from-a the city guard to-a investigate the boy’s body and assist-a in finding the responsible parties. Sylvio and-a his friends were-a just attacked by-a some undead-a things and-a poor Bertha was killed-a.”
He then motions towards the others to chime in and help backup what happened. At the same time he continues to slowly edge towards the window, ready to spring out the window if they refuse to listen... Sylvio smells a setup.
Noob
Gabriel also raises his empty hands, his face a look of genuine shock at the events unfolding before and around him.
"Oh Lathander, help me (guidance)! My good men, you must believe that we have witnessed some foul business dealt by evil far beyond our ken. We tried in vain to save poor Bertha, and as the city's assigned investigators here we pledge to avenge her passing. You must fetch the city guard this instant, for we must make to the docks and have no time to lose!"
Hoping against all hope that the truth will cut through...
Persuasion 22 plus 2 for guidance.
Amadi swings around as the guards burst into the room. At the shout of the accusation of murder he drops his hammer into the loop on his belt and slings his shield onto his back. He then raises his hands. As he does this he speaks.
"Call for the City Watch if you must, but we are innocent of this woman's death. In fact I demand you call for the City Watch we must speak to Captain Ironwood."
Notes: Now, this is a situation where the pbp format fails to translate what would happen in a live game. Here's the situation, magic is a real thing and a real danger in the Realms. In Waterdeep especially. Well treined guards would understand that the casting of a spell demands specific gestures and words, but if not spellcasters themselves they would not be able to identify which spell is being cast. Meaning? When Gabriel start casting guidance the guards see a member of a group of strangers that is mostly battle ready and close to a clearly recently dead body react to the guards finding them by starting to use magic.
In a live game the guards would attack the moment Gabriel started the somatic components of Guidance, but as to not invalidate the roleplay that both Gruba and Paladin made we will consider the following - the guards retreat at the first sign of a spell being cast and the characters continue to speak in hopes of being heard. If they will be or not will be decided by dice.
@Gruba and @Paladin roll me a Performance check with disadvantage (to determinate if you speak loud and clear enough for the soldiers to hear). Because the guards are in alert, donning mail (noisy armor in DnD, since it gives stealth advantage) and running in a group, the DC is hard to beat (20) and both of you have disadvantage.
@If Gruba alone succeeds his Persuasion check will be considered.
@If Paladin alone suceeds nothing changes in the situation.
@If both Gruba and Paladin make the check then Gruba can roll Gabriel's Persuasion check will gain advantage (Grube can then roll the check one more time and the higher value will be considered).
Let's find what happen: Roll the dice.
Gabriel performance (disadv) 15
Ah nuts. I always thought the somatic component of Guidance was a prayer, but will learn from this lesson!
Performance2
“Wait!” Sweeps lowers his maul and raises one hand in a gesture to stop the guards, but moves to stand between the guards and his companions “they speak the truth. We did nothing to the woman. Call the City Watch if you like and we will make our report. But do not delay us, other lives are at stake!”
Persuasion 4 .
He whispers to his companions “Be ready to flee, a fight will only make things worse. There is no guarantee they call the watch. Noble families are rumored to take matters in their own hands in these situations.”
Sunny seeing weapons raised and adrenaline high in the guards, stands to her fully height, shell tall on her shoulders and extremely serious though still no weapons drawn attempts to help convince the guards. "If this is not done peacefully, we will defend ourselves and you don't want that fight. There is a reason we were called to investigate this and we're due to report in to the Captain. We told him we were headed here, would you like to explain to him why we're late?"
persuasion 4
“You see-a? We are-a all in agreement-a? There is no-a blood on-a the floors or even on-a our weapons! We fought-a undead not-a this woman-a!”
25 persuasion attempt
Noob
“Caster!” The guard shouts before retreating, as Gabriel start the somatic components of the guidance spell. Well trained, the men behind him fall back in orderly and fast manner, disappearing of your sights long before the aasimar finishes speaking. Amadi is the next to try his hand at persuading the guards, but his voiced is drowned by the sound of hurried steps and chain mail.
A moment of silence came and went fast, as ever single one of you gather that reinforcements arrived. For the sound of it the number of men at arms had at least doubled and more likely than not other detachments were surrounding other exiting points in the vila. That was the home of a noble house and one specialized in military affairs. Few places in the whole city would be so well guarded. Luckily for the group Sylvio’s words were clear enough for the guards to attempt a solution faster than combat.
“This is your first and last warning!” The familiar voice of the guard echoes through the air. “We are in formation and ready to strike so if any of you try anything funny you are all dead.” The man starts and you hear even more footsteps. “Drop your weapons and exit one at time with your hands on your heads. Outside of the room you lay down on the floor, stomach to the ground. Those demands are not up to negotiation and you have five seconds to comply.”
As the man finishes his speech the flames consuming Jacob’s body reach the curtains and with an unnatural speed start to devour it. The heat ins sensible, extreme and suddenly the glass of the windows explode. A myriad of shards of glass flies in your direction.
Notes
@Everyone, make a Dexterity save throw. DC 16.
@Everyone, if one of you do not exit the room in the following round the guards will open hostilities.
@Everyone, you have time for performing one single action before the time limit stipulated for the guard is up. Trying to negotiate with the guards is likely to start hostilities.
Sunny calls for Chewy and they both leap out of the window heading in the direction of the coast and Field Ward. (Hoping the fire will be enough incentive for the dog to follow in addition to his training)
dexterity save versus DC 16 5
Amadi Dex Save 16
"I am coming out. I profess my innocence in this manner." Amadi shouts as he places his hands on his head and exits the room to face the guards. As he does he exits the room and moves enough to get away from the flames and he lays on the ground.
"The room is on fire, you need to call for any fire brigade that is available."
Sylvio doesn’t like the idea of surrendering to paid guards who might be too bloodthirsty for vengeance to see reason... and nobles who treated everyone as things to be tossed away and forgotten on a whim. He turns to jump through the window when the glass shatters behind him, he reacts 22 Dex Save on instinct to avoid the glass before diving out the window.
As he does, he shouts back “So sorry, but-a we must go save-a the other children-a!”
Noob
Gabriel joins Amadi in raising his arms and surrendering "I meant no offence, I was merely imploring the Morninglord to allow me to state our truth clearly. We have vital information about the deaths of poor Jacob and two other blessed children, and we must act fast to stop a fourth attack"
He is pliant throughout, getting on the floor if instructed, allowing himself to be shackled if necesarry.
Sweeps Dex Save 13
Sweeps reacts to the shattering glass. He pauses only slightly, head turning between Sylvio and Sunny as they head out the window and Amadi and Gabriel as they surrender to the guards. He wants to help Gabriel and Amadi, but he has no trust in the guards. He knows he can do more good finding the killers and preventing the murder of other children, and he turns and leaps out the window after the others. Hoping against all odds they can avoid any other guards and make for the Field Ward.
Sylvio is the first to react to sharpnels. Fast like the wind, the elf avoid any and all glass, a luck that he shared onlywith Chewy and Amadi. Brightflame, sure of his innocence, comply with the words of the guards, leaving the burning room with his hands on his head. As he passes through the door frame he finds two groups of soldiers, each one in an end of the hallway. Each side with three crossbowman and twice their number in infantrymen. Some of the guards carried maces, other swords and shields. From the direction of the stairs the blacksmith could hear the familiar sound of steel. More men were coming, covered in chainmail. In a fast estimative the fighter deduce that over twenty men surround the area.
As Amadi lay in the floor, Sunny is the first to decide for another approach. The fact that it all could be a trap made to use the group as escapegoats, the fact that Shar seemed to influence this events and that from the goddess of darkness nothing even remotely close to justice can ever be expected, trigger her survival instincts. Calling her beast companion, the tortle jumps the window. Chewy, as the good boy he is, follow her humanoid friend without question.
For his part the rogue decides it safer to escape, for this number of guards at ready could only mean a trap. Could only mean that those guards were surround them, dispose of them. And so, he took, jumps the window. Gabriel put his hands o his head and follows Amadi’s example, leaving Sweeps literally divided between two sides of his party.
As the aasimar gets on the floor the genasi decide to leave it, for he had no trust in the guards. It is only by reaching the ground that Sweeps, Sylvio and Sunny, understand how high the window was - circa twenty feet.
“Quiet, caster.” Says a man waves his hand and two soldiers, each one holding two amanacles, approach. The first one, a redhaired boy no older five and ten, close the irons first on Amadi’s wrists and then in his ancles. Another boy, this with a dirt blonde hair and a skin tanned by the coastal sun, put Gabriel’s hands and ankles in chains. “If you speak without being asked to, we will consider that you are trying to use magic and our answer will be strong.” The boys then returned to the formation while the rest of the soldiers wait looking t the door. One second, then another and a third one before deciding the others were not surrendering. “Put men in front of the window and throw the bombs.”
Notes
I intended to give this during your next rest (long or short) because you already had good moments of interpretation. From Sweeps balancing the ruse mouth of Sweeps with not overstepping with authorities, Sunny demonstrating empathy with death of Jacob and moving to protect the weaker (Bertha), Gabriel demonstrating righteous fury, Sylvio holding to his suspects eve when by metagame the whole group knew that his suspects didn't have bade, Amadi having brilliant ideas (first thinking in Shar, then in closing the gate on the dungeon). But now you went further beyond, you truly were faithful to your characters personalities, even if this divides the party, showing that good players can follow "what my character would do" while contributing to the game so...
@Everyone, you have a 1 point of DM Inspiration. From this post forward you can spend this point at moment to make a roll, be it attack or skill check, with advantage.
@Everyone can make a Perception Check.
@Gruba, @Jyne and @Gunner, you take 7 piercing damage from the glass shards.
@Althax, @Jynne and @Gunner, you take 8 fall damage.
Amadi Perception 8
As Amadi steps out of the room and does as instructed he gets an opportunity to see what the guards intentions are at this very moment.
Insight 26
The drop out the window was much further than Sweeps expected. He hits the ground hard, feet first followed by butt and back. He picks himself up off of the ground gingerly, between the fall, shattered glass, and the specters, he is weak and unsteady.
He takes a quick glance around to gain his bearings and look for any sign of guards or other threats Perception 14
Placing his hand on the ground, he mutters to himself and a swirl of dust and shadow surrounds Sweeps, Sunny, and Sylvio. (Everyone has +10 to Stealth checks for next hour)
“Follow me, let’s make for the Field Ward before we are pursued. I know a shortcut”
City Secrets:
You know the secret patterns and flow to cities and can find passages through the urban sprawl that others would miss. When you are not in combat, you (and companions you lead) can travel between any two locations in the city twice as fast as your speed would normally allow.
Gabriel allows himself to be shackled without comment, although the actions of children so young, as if they were adults, shocks him. His mind already racing with possible explanations, he heeds the warning about his casting and makes no such gesture, although his mind wanders to the rare occasions when his weaker spells have manifested themselves without his verbal or somatic actions; he wonders if this is a skill he should develop, should he live to get the practice...
Perception (Passive 13) 16