Alesia leans into Vakiel's embrace. There is nothing sexual or even romantic in the embrace, just one being providing healing comfort for another. They spend a few moments like that until Old Kellar harumphs and Augustin has finished greeting his kin. Now everyone is ready to decide how to proceed.
Either split the already split party, or everyone escorts the escapees to the wagon near Old Kellar's house and hand them over to Santo and Sturven.
Rodrick (tall, gangly, teenage male human) - kitchen staff.
Vance (balding middle aged human male) - cook.
Tammy (tall, athletic, young adult human female) - cook's assistant.
Tory (skinny, possibly malnourished, young adult human male) - scullery hand.
All show some signs of physical abuse.
They all look confused with the talk about a secret door. Looks like no one knew anything about it. Perhaps just how the Baron wanted it. :)
A pleasure to make your acquaintances, RL says with a shallow bow.
RL will wait for Esa to return to run the plan past her
Esa comes back through the window. A little tired, she perches on RL's shoulder and asks him. "What's your plan?"
I have one more question for lith. 'how fast can the draw bridge be lowered?'
RL will talk Esa through the basic plan, go up, run interference, workers assemble the rest at north tower and we try to find the damn secret door which no one knows about.
The plan depending on the answers above would be RL goes as a spider up a level and scopes it out and either takes out the guard or starts to open the drawbridge, once either happens Lith and the kitchen staff come up the stairs and out through the drawbridge to warn the rest of the staff and Lith to open the triple barred door in the north tower, RL and Esa play defence keeping the guards contained until the staff can get clear, Esa can hopefully escape out a window and RL plan on shape changing into a fish and going out through the well if nothing else presents itself.
RL outlines his plan (recapping what was said):
RL to head up the stairs in shifted form and observe. He is expecting to see one guard according to Leth's information, backed up by the domestic staff.
Overcome the guard. Quietly.
Lower the drawbridge. It has a hand crank. There's no real way that Leth knows of to jam it open.
Leth has suggested the drawbridge could be lowered very slowly, it would take some time maybe 20 minutes to do it in a way that would not make much noise.
Sneak to the staff bunkroom (13) through the door to the north of the room. Wake the dozen staff, get them ready to move. Quietly.
Short move across to the north tower, find the secret door, head into the tunnel, unbar the outer door that leads outside.
Run like buggery with all 18 staff. Quietly.
If the alarm is raised:
Send the staff on ahead to find the secret door and run out.
Esa can just fly away.
RL can change into a fish and jump into the well. Perhaps the other way around.
I have one more question for lith. 'how fast can the draw bridge be lowered?'
RL will talk Esa through the basic plan, go up, run interference, workers assemble the rest at north tower and we try to find the damn secret door which no one knows about.
"It's Leth. And it can be lowered in about a minute, but you will wake everyone doing it," answers the burly guard. "Including the devils in the desecrated chapel."
Esa understands. "It's painstaking, but the quiet option might be better. If we can't find the way to the secret tunnel, it would allow us to get everyone out quickly and quietly. Otherwise, I can hide in Leth's clothing and he and I can search one way, you can search the other?"
Esa understands. "It's painstaking, but the quiet option might be better. If we can't find the way to the secret tunnel, it would allow us to get everyone out quickly and quietly. Otherwise, I can hide in Leth's clothing and he and I can search one way, you can search the other?"
RL responds to Esa 'yup, totally agree quiet is quicker but just wanted to know how long we would have to be stuck in one place if it all goes badly. ok, lets do this before we run out of night. Can you please follow silently up the stairs and from cover use whatever damage spells you have left in case I miss? then signal Leth to come up and start winding the drawbridge down slowly.
RL will wild shape into a spider and climb the stairs along the ceiling until he can get a view into the floor above. Perception check 15
RL goes up the stairs which lead to a landing and a door. As a spider he crawls under the door and hears soft conversation, then a door closing quietly. Then he is in the room and up the other side of the door and running along the walls.
This is the foyer area where any defence would be made from anyone breaching the drawbridge. The drawbridge is in the up position, and there are loopholes in the drawbridge so archers can still fire out even when the drawbridge is closed. These gaps makes the room drafty and cold. There is a spoked handwheel with a handle near the bridge, which RL assumes is the hand crank that Leth mentioned.
There is an Iron Circle guard, young, only a wisp of facial hair. He is looking out the window, waving at another guard who is scurrying away along the battlements to the gatehouse tower. RL's impression is that it was these two who were talking softly. The young guard sighs and continues watching, even after the other guard has disappeared into the other tower. He seems to be looking out into the rain, bored.
RL goes up the stairs which lead to a landing and a door. As a spider he crawls under the door and hears soft conversation, then a door closing quietly. Then he is in the room and up the other side of the door and running along the walls.
This is the foyer area where any defence would be made from anyone breaching the drawbridge. The drawbridge is in the up position, and there are loopholes in the drawbridge so archers can still fire out even when the drawbridge is closed. These gaps makes the room drafty and cold. There is a spoked handwheel with a handle near the bridge, which RL assumes is the hand crank that Leth mentioned.
There is an Iron Circle guard, young, only a wisp of facial hair. He is looking out the window, waving at another guard who is scurrying away along the battlements to the gatehouse tower. RL's impression is that it was these two who were talking softly. The young guard sighs and continues watching, even after the other guard has disappeared into the other tower. He seems to be looking out into the rain, bored.
RL really wants to bite this guard but sneaks up, drops his wild shape and casts ultraviolet pulse at the guard. It's somatic component only so should be silent. Attack: 23 Damage: 19
RL hurls a ball of glowing violet energy towards the back of the unsuspecting guard. The ball bursts into a pulse of invisible radiation on impact, killing the guard instantly as his skin blackens and bubbles. RL catches him and lowers him silently to the ground.
He goes to the door to the stairwell and opens it, wincing as it creaks. Nothing appears to have taken notice. He goes partway down the stairs and lets Esa know it is clear and to come up with the civilians.
Esa and the domestic staff come up the stairs.
RL tells Esa they can get out this door - he points to the thick door leading to the battlements. It will make little noise, but if another guard comes out of the gatehouse tower, they will be seen for sure. There are stairs that lead to the courtyard. There appears to be no one in it at the moment.
Esa nods, and tells the staff to act as natural as possible. Once the door is opened, quietly walk down the stairs and wait at the edge of the courtyard.
When they are at the courtyard, Esa will peek out to see if there are any visible guards around.
X = where RL, Esa, and the house staff are now. The door near the X is where they will exit, along the battlements to the stairs leading down into the courtyard. If anyone comes out of that gatehouse tower while you are on the battlements, the alarm will be raised. If anyone - those devils in particular - come out of the chapel while you are in the courtyard, the alarm will be raised. You need to get to the north side, first going in the door to the staff bunkroom, getting them ready, then a short hop to the north tower to find the secret door. And them home free! Maybe.
RL will ask Leth to help him take the guards body downstairs so it's not in view. Quickly loot the body.
'everyone go silently, that's the most important thing at the moment. RL will cast guidance on each person as a moral boost if nothing else to help with their stealth. Esa first, then leth and the staff. RL will go last.
RL opens one of his oil flasks and tips a generous amount over the door hinges before opening the door
Esa will go out first. She will take cover between the edge of the building in front and the shrub, watching in the direction of the chapel. As soon as the last staffer is out, she will hitch a ride on them across the courtyard.
Vakiel will put Alesia down ensuring she is steady on her feet, a little embarrassed for showing anything other than his general brooding demeanour, and ask “Why were you targeted so?”
“Old Keller, can you lead these folks back to your place? We have others waiting near there with horse and cart to get you all back to safety in Albridge. Let Stavros know Vakiel sent you along as there is still work to be done at the keep, but you must go. Stay out of sight, mind any patrols you may come across and be wary of the woods.”
(pending anything Augustin may want to say to his family)
Augustin pulls his family in and gives them a big awkward robot hug. He stresses that they must stay safe and questions if there is anything that they need to know about what's going on in the castle. He urges them to get to safety and to stay quiet. Now is isn't the time for family reunions with danger all around us. He will return for them.
A pleasure to make your acquaintances, RL says with a shallow bow.
RL will wait for Esa to return to run the plan past her
Alesia leans into Vakiel's embrace. There is nothing sexual or even romantic in the embrace, just one being providing healing comfort for another. They spend a few moments like that until Old Kellar harumphs and Augustin has finished greeting his kin. Now everyone is ready to decide how to proceed.
Either split the already split party, or everyone escorts the escapees to the wagon near Old Kellar's house and hand them over to Santo and Sturven.
Esa comes back through the window. A little tired, she perches on RL's shoulder and asks him. "What's your plan?"
I have one more question for lith. 'how fast can the draw bridge be lowered?'
RL will talk Esa through the basic plan, go up, run interference, workers assemble the rest at north tower and we try to find the damn secret door which no one knows about.
RL outlines his plan (recapping what was said):
If the alarm is raised:
"It's Leth. And it can be lowered in about a minute, but you will wake everyone doing it," answers the burly guard. "Including the devils in the desecrated chapel."
Esa understands. "It's painstaking, but the quiet option might be better. If we can't find the way to the secret tunnel, it would allow us to get everyone out quickly and quietly. Otherwise, I can hide in Leth's clothing and he and I can search one way, you can search the other?"
RL responds to Esa 'yup, totally agree quiet is quicker but just wanted to know how long we would have to be stuck in one place if it all goes badly. ok, lets do this before we run out of night. Can you please follow silently up the stairs and from cover use whatever damage spells you have left in case I miss? then signal Leth to come up and start winding the drawbridge down slowly.
RL will wild shape into a spider and climb the stairs along the ceiling until he can get a view into the floor above. Perception check 15
RL goes up the stairs which lead to a landing and a door. As a spider he crawls under the door and hears soft conversation, then a door closing quietly. Then he is in the room and up the other side of the door and running along the walls.
This is the foyer area where any defence would be made from anyone breaching the drawbridge. The drawbridge is in the up position, and there are loopholes in the drawbridge so archers can still fire out even when the drawbridge is closed. These gaps makes the room drafty and cold. There is a spoked handwheel with a handle near the bridge, which RL assumes is the hand crank that Leth mentioned.
There is an Iron Circle guard, young, only a wisp of facial hair. He is looking out the window, waving at another guard who is scurrying away along the battlements to the gatehouse tower. RL's impression is that it was these two who were talking softly. The young guard sighs and continues watching, even after the other guard has disappeared into the other tower. He seems to be looking out into the rain, bored.
RL really wants to bite this guard but sneaks up, drops his wild shape and casts ultraviolet pulse at the guard. It's somatic component only so should be silent. Attack: 23 Damage: 19
He will try to catch the guard as he falls
RL hurls a ball of glowing violet energy towards the back of the unsuspecting guard. The ball bursts into a pulse of invisible radiation on impact, killing the guard instantly as his skin blackens and bubbles. RL catches him and lowers him silently to the ground.
He goes to the door to the stairwell and opens it, wincing as it creaks. Nothing appears to have taken notice. He goes partway down the stairs and lets Esa know it is clear and to come up with the civilians.
Esa and the domestic staff come up the stairs.
RL tells Esa they can get out this door - he points to the thick door leading to the battlements. It will make little noise, but if another guard comes out of the gatehouse tower, they will be seen for sure. There are stairs that lead to the courtyard. There appears to be no one in it at the moment.
Esa nods, and tells the staff to act as natural as possible. Once the door is opened, quietly walk down the stairs and wait at the edge of the courtyard.
When they are at the courtyard, Esa will peek out to see if there are any visible guards around.
X = where RL, Esa, and the house staff are now. The door near the X is where they will exit, along the battlements to the stairs leading down into the courtyard. If anyone comes out of that gatehouse tower while you are on the battlements, the alarm will be raised. If anyone - those devils in particular - come out of the chapel while you are in the courtyard, the alarm will be raised. You need to get to the north side, first going in the door to the staff bunkroom, getting them ready, then a short hop to the north tower to find the secret door. And them home free! Maybe.
Is there anything RL or Esa want to do before heading out along the battlements?
RL will ask Leth to help him take the guards body downstairs so it's not in view. Quickly loot the body.
'everyone go silently, that's the most important thing at the moment. RL will cast guidance on each person as a moral boost if nothing else to help with their stealth. Esa first, then leth and the staff. RL will go last.
RL opens one of his oil flasks and tips a generous amount over the door hinges before opening the door
Esa will go out first. She will take cover between the edge of the building in front and the shrub, watching in the direction of the chapel. As soon as the last staffer is out, she will hitch a ride on them across the courtyard.
RL's stealth role for his turn. 7 plus guidance 2
Meanwhile, out in the woods….
Vakiel will put Alesia down ensuring she is steady on her feet, a little embarrassed for showing anything other than his general brooding demeanour, and ask “Why were you targeted so?”
“Old Keller, can you lead these folks back to your place? We have others waiting near there with horse and cart to get you all back to safety in Albridge. Let Stavros know Vakiel sent you along as there is still work to be done at the keep, but you must go. Stay out of sight, mind any patrols you may come across and be wary of the woods.”
(pending anything Augustin may want to say to his family)
Augustin pulls his family in and gives them a big awkward robot hug. He stresses that they must stay safe and questions if there is anything that they need to know about what's going on in the castle. He urges them to get to safety and to stay quiet. Now is isn't the time for family reunions with danger all around us. He will return for them.
Just some random d20 rolls
2
17