In the Wake of War - Game Thread

(From this foyer, or whatever, we’re in, do the doors pull open towards us or push open into the new rooms or hallways?  Just trying to think if we could barricade them…)

     “Blocking them could be wise, or taking them out first before the could be set upon us while we’re engaged with others…” Miesha says in a hushed voice to the others.  “No matter what, whoever is bringing up the rear needs to keep one eye behind us…”

     If nobody quickly has a way to actually bar the door, Miesha aims to go through towards the barking unless there is quick objection and another plan…

Jasper casually walks in behind the others while busy cleaning his sword and clothes with prestidigitation.  He catches half of what Crannoc had said about four legged creatures and asks hesitantly "are they...DOGS?"

Now paying far more attention as evident by stiffened feline ears and some of his hair standing up straight the tabaxi studies the room with increased focus.

"I could watch for arcane dangers, but it would take several minutes while you all bar some doors..."

Maggwyn looks around but all she sees is the bench as a possible barricade for the door to the right.  Sizing it up, she lifts an end to determine the weight of it - seeing if it would do the job.

If it appears to, she asks for Meisha to help her move it over to the door to barricade it and agrees to head to the middle door, if not, lets go through the right and take care of the beasts.

Aalsan - You find nothing of particular note, but upon a slightly closer inspection of the weapon rack above the far door it appears to have at one point held a crossbow.

(The doors all push into their respective rooms, but if something were secured between their handles they could still be blocked)

Maggwyn - Were the doors not push-doors, this bench would certainly work as a barricade. As it is, it could still be used to block the entrance if the door were opened.

"If these are the dogs you have in this land, they are indeed strange dogs," Kass huffs. "I do not think we will be able to block the doors, not without more furniture to implement as barricades. I suggest we press on."

((So like the half circle handles?  So we could stick like a plank of wood through it and at least make it difficult to open from the other side?))

     Miesha suggests they do what they can to make the doors they’re not using as difficult to open from the other side as possible, smashing the bench for lumber if needed or using whatever else is at hand.  “Even just piling things against the doors so they make noise when opened will help,” she suggests.  Besides that, she is in a hurry to continue on in their search…

"I do not wish to break the furniture and make that kind of noise.  Let's do as Kass suggests, lets press on.  Let us follow the bipeds, and keep an eye open behind us." Maggwyn motions towards the far, middle door.

If the group presses onward through the forward door, then Crannoc will be the last to go, bringing up the rear.

He ties together the oval handles on the doors to the left (the ones the four-leg footprints disappeared into and never came out of) using his rope, as tightly as he can.  As he does, he whispers in Sylvan:

Here, however, the magic comes from his aasimar father's divine soul.  The sycamore seedling remains at rest on his shoulder.  Rather than reaching out to Temuth, Crannoc uses the arcane magic within himself to create a Minor Illusion upon the side door to the right so that when someone or something opens the door from either side, they see what looks like unbroken wall blocking their way.  The illusion lasts a minute after casting without concentration.

He then proceeds with the others through the forward doors, the ones only the two-legs ended up going through.

Quote from MightyOwl >>

"If these are the dogs you have in this land, they are indeed strange dogs," Kass huffs. "I do not think we will be able to block the doors, not without more furniture to implement as barricades. I suggest we press on."

 "Not dogs then, excellent."  Jasper swallows hard and tries to shake off the nerves.  "Well, shall we carry on then?"  He flourishes his sword and then sharpens a claw against the tip.

(The door handles are half ovals, and could be blocked by placing something through both handles.)

(So, you've placed an illusion in front of the right door and now your continuing on. Are you going through the left or forward door?)

The six of you continue forward. Opening the central door and peering in, you see a large dining room with two opening on either side leading into different rooms. The dining room itself had been torn to pieces, from the tapestries on the walls to the food and dishes that were likely on the table at one time. There are a number of individuals speaking in the room to the left. Their tone is unclear, as the language they are speaking has such guttural and aggressive sounds as a default.

     "We seek the Lonsvells..." Miesha shouts out as she strides into the room, shield up, spear at the ready..  "It is a matter of urgent importance."  She expects violence but won’t initiate it.  She’s happy to step up and be the target…

(So she does move into melee range, if they are close enough, but not swinging yet…)

Maggwyn slips into the dining room, then hugs the wall towards the left opening.  Staying out of eyesight of the group in the left room, she watches as Miesha just marches on in. Not exactly sure what to say, but waits to see how the ones in the room react.

Jasper follows Maggwyn's lead along the wall but falls behind by 5-10ft as he studies any dining room table, chandeliers, balconies to access to a higher floor, etc. in this space in preparation for another fight.

Crannoc walks just behind Miesha's shoulder, seeing that the leader has chosen to eschew stealth.  Shield up but no other hostile movement yet (though ready for violence, sadly).

He is currently concentrating on Guidance.  He tries to get an idea of the general tenor of the creatures/humanoids' conversation and intentions, despite not understanding the language:

Insight + Guidance:  19 + 1 

Jasper and Maggwyn - Make Stealth checks.

Miesha and Crannoc- Stepping into the doorway of the left room, you see a living room with a doorway to your right. Directly in front of the doorway is a sofa with another robed individual sitting on it. This robed figure has more intricate designs woven into their clothes than the others have and has their face buried in their hands. Sitting on each arm of the sofa are two more robed individuals, though these two resemble the pair outside. Resting against the wall are two more hyena-creatures like those outside and pacing back and forth in the center of the room is another hyena-creature, but this one towers over the other two.

As it sees you it seizes a large glaive from where it was propped on the wall. The decadently robed creature says something in the language you don't understand, which causes the large creature to stop in its tracks. The robed creature then turns to you and tiredly speaks, "The Lonsvells are not here, human. It would be best if you left this place."

Crannoc - Before you entered the room the conversation seemed somewhat argumentative. Since you entered, the robed figures words to the large hyena-creature seemed scolding. The three creatures appear eager to attack you, and the two simply-robed individuals seem uneasy with the conflict between the two figures with more apparent authority.

Stealth: 11

     Miesha tries to peer beneath the hood to see what sort of creature she was talking to... Out of curiosity rather than it mattering at all.  "I'm afraid I am tasked with finding the Lonsvells at the bequest of the citizens of Aoswell.  This need not turn towards violence but it does need turn towards the Lonsvells being accounted for."

Maggwyn stealth 26

The robed figure who you can identify to be of elven descent, boasts quite a few scars across his face. "I am afraid that I can not help you, not now. Perhaps if you come back later I can speak with you separately about the Lonsvell's disappearance."