Droknin gives his signature Leonin smile, and winks. “That’s the spirit my friends.”

You see the small form of Droop approach the castle, stopping briefly at the open front doors, presumably to converse with the goblins standing watch there.  Then she disappears into the darkness within.

[It sounds like we have a plan!

* Which entrance do you plan to enter via?

* Garrin, when it isn't sneaking or invisible, what does the Spirit of Air and Darkness look and sound like?  What will you be asking it to do and say to create a distraction?  Feel free to narrate what it does/says and I will determine the response of the guards.]

((T'laren can gain access to the inside of the castle as long as he can get within 15ft of somewhere he can see into (eg, #5), by manifesting Neral't inside and swapping places with them. The 'can mentally command the echo to move up to 30 feet in any direction (no action required)' is somewhat more vague on if he could conjure it from farther out and send it in through a wall/gap, etc that would not otherwise fit T'laren. But it is destroyed if he ends his turn with it more than 30 ft away, so is tethered to it anyway.))

(I was thinking, can we just grant ourselves an audience with the King by trying to go straight into #8 using your plan above?)

((It didn't sound promising for being able to gain entrance via Echo Knight mobility, but 9 is a possibility, that would put us closer to 8 if that's our goal.))

(I think 9 is even better. Let’s wait for nschrock’s opinion.)

Quote from Bartjeebus >>

You see the small form of Droop approach the castle, stopping briefly at the open front doors, presumably to converse with the goblins standing watch there.  Then she disappears into the darkness within.

[It sounds like we have a plan!

* Which entrance do you plan to enter via?

* Garrin, when it isn't sneaking or invisible, what does the Spirit of Air and Darkness look and sound like?  What will you be asking it to do and say to create a distraction?  Feel free to narrate what it does/says and I will determine the response of the guards.]

 It looks like an imp, a tiny black devil with scrawny limbs, wings and a scorpion tail. It has beady black eyes and teeth like a cat. It sounds like a grouchy cat that can talk.

It also looks super aloof or even bedraggled, as Garrin is not easy to serve, and it's not really a devil. It's a fey spirit. 

I want it to try to look like Droop's captor. It will try to call out the goblins as his new property, before running away, leading them on a chase. 

I'm happy to follow the other opinions of where to enter. 

SoAaD: "Behold! I rule all goblin kind with an iron fist, as their souls belong to me! Any who refuse shall be feasted upon in hell! The worst hell! With no food, and sharp, pointy beds! Present yourselves for branding!" 

Quote from nschrock >>

SoAaD: "Behold! I rule all goblin kind with an iron fist, as their souls belong to me! Any who refuse shall be feasted upon in hell! The worst hell! With no food, and sharp, pointy beds! Present yourselves for branding!" 

 
LMAO

Hiding in the northern treeline, Garrin, Droknin, T'laren and Keashirryl watch as the Spirit of Air and Darkness hops about in the twilight just within sight of the front sentries.

"Behold! I rule all goblin kind with an iron fist, as their souls belong to me! Any who refuse shall be feasted upon in hell! The worst hell! With no food, and sharp, pointy beds! Present yourselves for branding!" 

It does an angry little dance.  Its claim staked, it turns tail and scampers back through the grass and toward the western treeline.

For a long while, there is no response from the castle.  Then, four hobgoblins emerge from the front entrance, fully equipped in chainmail with shields, spears and longswords.  A pair of goblins follow behind, pointing toward where they last saw the strange spirit.  The hobgoblins growl something at them and the goblins return inside, while the hobs fan out and begin walking towards the trees.

If the party is going to attempt entry by the hidden entrance at 9, then please make stealth checks.

Keashirryl:  1

Droknin Stealth: 10

T'laren: 18

(Super weird. I hovered over Keashirryl's roll and it says that the roll was 6d6 with a result of 22...)

Garrin stealth 6 

[Yeah... the forum dice roller is performing at its usual, peak level.  If anyone prefers to roll from the character sheets/game log and then just copy the results into their posts that is A-OK with me.]

The party scurries from the northern tree line down to the tarp covering the whole in the keep's wall.  Despite her best efforts, Keashirryl's scale mail jingles faintly as she hustles across the open ground.  Nevertheless, you do not hear any alarm raised, nor any other indication your presence has been detected.  From the nearby windows (4) you can hear the sound of squeaky voices chanting in the goblin tongue.

You quickly peel back the grey canvass tarp and slip inside the castle.

This tower has almost completely collapsed, although the ground floor still has a little open space. Rotting crates and ancient barrels show that provisions were once stored here. A heavy curtain blocks a crumbling area to the south, and an intact door leads east.

T'laren will slip to the curtain to the south, seeking to put an eye in a gap that gives him sight on what is beyond.

T'laren:

Peering through a gap in the curtain, you see a dark hallway intersection in a '+' shape.  Another curtain hangs to the south, across the intersection, and there are doors to the east and west at the ends of the intersecting hallway.  This area has no light and appears empty.

T'laren will shrug and report to the others. If there is a place to tie it off to either side, he would consider tying a trip line just to this side of the curtain so anyone running through to the room they are now would have to navigate it or trip over it.

Given a few minutes time, T'laren would have no difficulty tying a trip line.  What is he using?  Does he have wire or string, or is he going to use rope?

Garrin will check the door east from where we entered, listening for anyone on the other side and checking for signs of a lock.