As he takes off after the rest, Willin looks around to see if there's any fire nearby, preferably that would be roughly behind the group from the point of view of the keep defenders. [Within 60' of somewhere along the path they're running. If he finds some:] With a gesture, he causes the flame to leap, take on a greenish hue, and form the shape of a giant exclamation point. [casting Control Flames to "cause simple shapes…to appear within the flames" and "change its color"]That should get their attention…
As you all dash up the hill towards the gate, a green, bright light shines behind you. As you look behind you, a prominent, green, arcane symbol rises, wreathed in flames from one of the houses.
Both the men at the ramparts and the attackers take cover. On the ramparts, only the Castellan stand unafraid. Between the attackers, a few of them stand still amid the chaos and brave the phenomenon; they all wear the same purple robes as the dragon rider you saw earlier.
In the stark illumination, you notice the Castellan staring at you as you sprint up the hill. For a short moment, he looks like he's about to give the order to shoot you all down, Then he halts himself, and you notice the men at the gates leaving it cracked open as you run towards it.
You slip into the keep through the slightly open gate, and a half-circle of men-at-arms meets you with spears pointing at you. You see the Castallan walking between his men and, in a loud, rasping voice, yells at you: "HALT! Name yourself; Friend or foe?"
Willin holds up his hands. "Friend! Friend, definitely friend," he assures the Castellan. "Willin Fallkind. My travelling companion Tama here and I just arrived here, finding it somewhat more… on fire… than we were expecting, it must be said. I think you probably know the others better than we, since I believe they are residents of your fair city?"
The last to make it through the gate before it is closed, Tru gasps for breath. The halfling holds up a finger, then bends over, hands on her knees as she recovers from the mad dash up the hill. After a moment, still bent over, she tilts her head to look up at the soldiers "I'm Tru, just Tru. An' I'm yer friend"
When she gets to the gate Tama stops and turns to face the attackers preparing to defend those still approaching. Once everyone arrives she slips in the gates behind them, "I understand your concerns but we're here to help."
Bob, gets up through the gate and waits inside the door, counting as everyone goes past to make sure everyone gets in. He turns to the Castellan, huge grin on his face, “I’m bob, a baker, but also an ex protector for this town, we are definitely friend and here to help”
Araroris reaches the gate just behind Tama, but waits for the others and slips in just before her. When she sees the guards in formation, her eyes narrow very slightly. Something's wrong with this situation.
"Friend. I'm Sergeant Rothenel, sir." She pastes a polite smile on her face, tapping her wrists together in a salute.
The Castallan looks at you ass as you pour in through the gates.
As he sees Bob, he smiles broadly. "You're the baker, right? Bob, right? I'm happy you made it safely here."
He turns towards Tama: "And in the company of a soldier? I don't recognize you." And more broadly to the group, he says "You're not from around here, are you? Tell me about the situation in the city, so I can better prepare our defences."
He then turns to the men at arms and orders them to close the gate. You all hear a loud, mechanical click and a heavy thump behind you as the gate is closed shut and locked.
He then starts walking away, and gestures that you all follow him while you talk.
Stashing her bow Tama joins the Castallan, "As my fellow traveler said I am Tama. You have raiding parties throughout your town starting to merge and converge on this keep. Obviously the dragon poses a threat, although at the moment it seems that beast is just causing fear and motivating the people to this central location. Given the accounts of the few survivors it's the same dragon that destroyed my home town. I am concerned that up until now everything has been done to coral people making them an easier target, but it is the safest place in town to hold up. Do you know if everyone from town has made it? What additional defenses does this keep have?"
The sound of the gate thumping into place makes Tru jump. She follows the others, looking around a little nervously. Sure that she knows more than one of the men-at-arms, but hoping they don’t recognise her.
As the Castellan walks toward the keep's central tower, he responds to Tama: "Many have made it to safety here in the last few hours. They are in the underground storage rooms."
He thinks for a moment and looks concerned. "But it's not the ones here that I'm concerned about. It's the people that are not here that I'm concerned about. Many made it here, but many are still not here." He looks to the sky and then corrects himself: "With that dragon around, I'm concerned about everyone, everywhere. And I'm concerned about the amassing number of enemies out there," pointing back towards the gate.
He then stops, turns around, and looks at Bob: "You know how to handle a sword, right? And you know the town. Perhaps you and your friends here can help me look for survivors throughout the city?" He throws up his hands in acknowledgment, which makes his armor rattle and his beard ruffle. "It looks like the temple out in the eastern part of the town is still standing. If people couldn't make it here, they may have sheltered there."
He then looks to each of you in turn: "I know this is dangerous, and I wouldn't be asking you if I had other choices, but you can fend for yourself, and with the amassing enemies, I'm bound to defend the keep. Will you help me?"
---
Bob, Tru, and Araroris, you know the temple of Chauntea well. It's a large building in the SouthEast corner of the town. It's a single, large hall with a heavy door and a small stone wall surrounding it. The priest there is Eadyan Falconmoon, a level-headed half-elf. You have all been at his sermon at some point or another.
Bob nods and replies smiling,” I may be able to handle a sword but I’m even better with this,” he lifts his hammer, almost showing it off, “ and I’ll be more than willing to help look for people, so long as you’re well protected here. I offer my hammer and service” he thuds the head of the hammer on the floor as a sign of respect.
Bob then turns to the others, “as much as I’m confident with my ability, I also know when it’s a fools end to go at it alone, I mad a promise to protect people(he clutches his pendant around his neck) but none of you are obligated to follow.” He grins widely, ” but company would be more than pleasant.”
Tama walks alongside the Castellen and slightly behind him listening before responding. "This is by no means a condition, I will help save all that I can. When we have done that will there be a push to get these invaders out? If so I would like to join that effort as well. Night was falling as Willin and I arrived in town and it's only gotten later. Perhaps we could make use of the night and sneak to this temple."
Nodding to Bob and lifting her bow in salute, "You have my bow."
"I'm not a fighter, but I'm not too shabby with my bow either." She grins at Bob "Besides, we gotta get you back safe. I don't think I can live without your cinnamon rolls"
"I would prefer to avoid a fight, if at all possible," Willin shudders at the memory, "but I believe that helping you is what I am here to do, so I will do what I can." At Tru's mention of food, Willin looks thoughtful for a moment, then says to the Castellan, "Actually, that is an interesting point. How well supplied and provisioned is this fort? If the enemy intends to make this attack into a siege, how long could we hold out?"
Tru runs towards the keep as fast as her little legs will take her
((25ft movement))
As he takes off after the rest, Willin looks around to see if there's any fire nearby, preferably that would be roughly behind the group from the point of view of the keep defenders. [Within 60' of somewhere along the path they're running. If he finds some:] With a gesture, he causes the flame to leap, take on a greenish hue, and form the shape of a giant exclamation point. [casting Control Flames to "cause simple shapes…to appear within the flames" and "change its color"] That should get their attention…
As you all dash up the hill towards the gate, a green, bright light shines behind you. As you look behind you, a prominent, green, arcane symbol rises, wreathed in flames from one of the houses.
Both the men at the ramparts and the attackers take cover. On the ramparts, only the Castellan stand unafraid. Between the attackers, a few of them stand still amid the chaos and brave the phenomenon; they all wear the same purple robes as the dragon rider you saw earlier.
In the stark illumination, you notice the Castellan staring at you as you sprint up the hill. For a short moment, he looks like he's about to give the order to shoot you all down, Then he halts himself, and you notice the men at the gates leaving it cracked open as you run towards it.
You slip into the keep through the slightly open gate, and a half-circle of men-at-arms meets you with spears pointing at you. You see the Castallan walking between his men and, in a loud, rasping voice, yells at you: "HALT! Name yourself; Friend or foe?"
Willin holds up his hands. "Friend! Friend, definitely friend," he assures the Castellan. "Willin Fallkind. My travelling companion Tama here and I just arrived here, finding it somewhat more… on fire… than we were expecting, it must be said. I think you probably know the others better than we, since I believe they are residents of your fair city?"
The last to make it through the gate before it is closed, Tru gasps for breath. The halfling holds up a finger, then bends over, hands on her knees as she recovers from the mad dash up the hill.
After a moment, still bent over, she tilts her head to look up at the soldiers "I'm Tru, just Tru. An' I'm yer friend"
When she gets to the gate Tama stops and turns to face the attackers preparing to defend those still approaching. Once everyone arrives she slips in the gates behind them, "I understand your concerns but we're here to help."
Bob, gets up through the gate and waits inside the door, counting as everyone goes past to make sure everyone gets in. He turns to the Castellan, huge grin on his face, “I’m bob, a baker, but also an ex protector for this town, we are definitely friend and here to help”
Araroris reaches the gate just behind Tama, but waits for the others and slips in just before her. When she sees the guards in formation, her eyes narrow very slightly. Something's wrong with this situation.
"Friend. I'm Sergeant Rothenel, sir." She pastes a polite smile on her face, tapping her wrists together in a salute.
Maxim 6: If violence wasn't your last resort, you failed to resort to enough of it.
The Castallan looks at you ass as you pour in through the gates.
As he sees Bob, he smiles broadly. "You're the baker, right? Bob, right? I'm happy you made it safely here."
He turns towards Tama: "And in the company of a soldier? I don't recognize you." And more broadly to the group, he says "You're not from around here, are you? Tell me about the situation in the city, so I can better prepare our defences."
He then turns to the men at arms and orders them to close the gate. You all hear a loud, mechanical click and a heavy thump behind you as the gate is closed shut and locked.
He then starts walking away, and gestures that you all follow him while you talk.
Stashing her bow Tama joins the Castallan, "As my fellow traveler said I am Tama. You have raiding parties throughout your town starting to merge and converge on this keep. Obviously the dragon poses a threat, although at the moment it seems that beast is just causing fear and motivating the people to this central location. Given the accounts of the few survivors it's the same dragon that destroyed my home town. I am concerned that up until now everything has been done to coral people making them an easier target, but it is the safest place in town to hold up. Do you know if everyone from town has made it? What additional defenses does this keep have?"
As the Castellan greets him, Bob smiles and meets him with a hand shake. He then follows on with the others, listening to the conversations.
The sound of the gate thumping into place makes Tru jump. She follows the others, looking around a little nervously. Sure that she knows more than one of the men-at-arms, but hoping they don’t recognise her.
As the Castellan walks toward the keep's central tower, he responds to Tama: "Many have made it to safety here in the last few hours. They are in the underground storage rooms."
He thinks for a moment and looks concerned. "But it's not the ones here that I'm concerned about. It's the people that are not here that I'm concerned about. Many made it here, but many are still not here." He looks to the sky and then corrects himself: "With that dragon around, I'm concerned about everyone, everywhere. And I'm concerned about the amassing number of enemies out there," pointing back towards the gate.
He then stops, turns around, and looks at Bob: "You know how to handle a sword, right? And you know the town. Perhaps you and your friends here can help me look for survivors throughout the city?" He throws up his hands in acknowledgment, which makes his armor rattle and his beard ruffle. "It looks like the temple out in the eastern part of the town is still standing. If people couldn't make it here, they may have sheltered there."
He then looks to each of you in turn: "I know this is dangerous, and I wouldn't be asking you if I had other choices, but you can fend for yourself, and with the amassing enemies, I'm bound to defend the keep. Will you help me?"
---
Bob, Tru, and Araroris, you know the temple of Chauntea well. It's a large building in the SouthEast corner of the town. It's a single, large hall with a heavy door and a small stone wall surrounding it. The priest there is Eadyan Falconmoon, a level-headed half-elf. You have all been at his sermon at some point or another.
Bob nods and replies smiling,” I may be able to handle a sword but I’m even better with this,” he lifts his hammer, almost showing it off, “ and I’ll be more than willing to help look for people, so long as you’re well protected here. I offer my hammer and service” he thuds the head of the hammer on the floor as a sign of respect.
Bob then turns to the others, “as much as I’m confident with my ability, I also know when it’s a fools end to go at it alone, I mad a promise to protect people(he clutches his pendant around his neck) but none of you are obligated to follow.” He grins widely, ” but company would be more than pleasant.”
Tama walks alongside the Castellen and slightly behind him listening before responding. "This is by no means a condition, I will help save all that I can. When we have done that will there be a push to get these invaders out? If so I would like to join that effort as well. Night was falling as Willin and I arrived in town and it's only gotten later. Perhaps we could make use of the night and sneak to this temple."
Nodding to Bob and lifting her bow in salute, "You have my bow."
"I'm not a fighter, but I'm not too shabby with my bow either." She grins at Bob "Besides, we gotta get you back safe. I don't think I can live without your cinnamon rolls"
Tama arches and eyebrow and turns to Tru, "Did you say cinnamon rolls? Now I'm definitely going to help everyone."
"I would prefer to avoid a fight, if at all possible," Willin shudders at the memory, "but I believe that helping you is what I am here to do, so I will do what I can." At Tru's mention of food, Willin looks thoughtful for a moment, then says to the Castellan, "Actually, that is an interesting point. How well supplied and provisioned is this fort? If the enemy intends to make this attack into a siege, how long could we hold out?"
Araroris shrugs. "Sure, we can help, though I'd prefer not to go out the main gate. Do you happen to know of a secret passage out of this place?"
Maxim 6: If violence wasn't your last resort, you failed to resort to enough of it.
Tru looks sideways at the Castellan “There’s always the sewer….the grate is on that side of the keep. Easier to crawl down them than up”