Oriace kneels briefly beside the fallen, murmuring a low, mournful note—a whisper for their spirits to pass in peace. Rising, he nods at Mana’s urgency and catches the bardic inspiration with a faint glimmer behind his eyes.
With a soft flick on his hand drum, he returns the gift, voice barely above breath:
“Let the spirits guide your steps. The quiet will shield us.”
He gestures to the western door, voice low but steady:
“That way. I would think that stairs should be just beyond, the sounds seem to come from further up in this direction. We move fast—before anyone hears we’re here.”
Sorry, I'm on vacation and while I will try to check-in at least daily, I cannot promise that I will always be able to do so. From September 1, I should be back to normal.
You open the door, and it's not a staircase. It's the great hall. You notice the following:
Lying about the room are the bodies of eight guards wearing bloody and tattered House Gralhund livery over their chain shirts, as well as two corpses in black leather armour. All are humans. Two thugs also in black leather armour, holding bloody maces stand over them.
The sound of fighting can be heard more clearly, coming from the top of a wide staircase in the northwest corner.
Two iron chandeliers hang from the dark mahogany ceiling above a long dining table carved from red larchwood. Chairs surround the table, with a particularly tall and elaborate chair at each end.
Lining the wood-paneled walls are tapestries and locked wooden cabinets that contain fine dishes, silverware, and candlesticks.
A fireplace with a black marble mantelpiece has a framed family portrait mounted above it. (The portrait depicts Lord and Lady Gralhund, their three young children, and a dog.)
As you notice this, the thugs also notice you. They heft their weapons ready to attack. You all notice this and have time to react first (I rolled init on the encounter tracker. They got a 2, lowest party member had a 6 so you are all up in any order you like)
(Assuming the thugs are not immediately upon us and hoping they are within 10’ of each other)
Mana hopes to end the hostilities before they start. He targets a Sleep between the thugs, but at least catching the one furthest away, on the assumption that the nearer one won’t turn his back to wake the other.
DC 14 WIS or Incapacitated immediately, then another save at the end of their turns, else Unconscious for 1 minute.
Sleep:
Each creature of your choice in a 5-foot-radius Sphere centered on a point within range must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or have the Incapacitated condition until the end of its next turn, at which point it must repeat the save. If the target fails the second save, the target has the Unconscious condition for the duration. The spell ends on a target if it takes damage or someone within 5 feet of it takes an action to shake it out of the spell’s effect.
Mana whispers in lament. “These two never stood a chance.”
He moves to the western door and before he opens it, gives a Bardic Inspiration to Oriace.
In hushed tone, he warns, “We must be quick, the stairs are near and the nimblewright must be stopped.”
Mana - Verdan Bard - Dragon Heist
”I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.” - Douglas Adams
”I’ve suffered a great many catastrophes in my life. Most of them never happened.” - Mark Twain
”I am not young enough to know everything.” - Oscar Wilde
Oriace kneels briefly beside the fallen, murmuring a low, mournful note—a whisper for their spirits to pass in peace. Rising, he nods at Mana’s urgency and catches the bardic inspiration with a faint glimmer behind his eyes.
With a soft flick on his hand drum, he returns the gift, voice barely above breath:
“Let the spirits guide your steps. The quiet will shield us.”
He gestures to the western door, voice low but steady:
“That way. I would think that stairs should be just beyond, the sounds seem to come from further up in this direction. We move fast—before anyone hears we’re here.”
Rapier in hand, he opens the western door.
Sorry, I'm on vacation and while I will try to check-in at least daily, I cannot promise that I will always be able to do so. From September 1, I should be back to normal.
|| Oriace - Halfling Bard - Dragon Heist || Valerian - Elf Rogue - Wildnis || Rowan - Halfling Giant - Runewarren || Khazela - Spiritfarer Dervish - Tribute || Arista - Frost Sorcerer - Old Keep || Marasatra - Blood Mage - Avernus ||
You open the door, and it's not a staircase. It's the great hall. You notice the following:
Lying about the room are the bodies of eight guards wearing bloody and tattered House Gralhund livery over their chain shirts, as well as two corpses in black leather armour. All are humans. Two thugs also in black leather armour, holding bloody maces stand over them.
The sound of fighting can be heard more clearly, coming from the top of a wide staircase in the northwest corner.
Two iron chandeliers hang from the dark mahogany ceiling above a long dining table carved from red larchwood. Chairs surround the table, with a particularly tall and elaborate chair at each end.
Lining the wood-paneled walls are tapestries and locked wooden cabinets that contain fine dishes, silverware, and candlesticks.
A fireplace with a black marble mantelpiece has a framed family portrait mounted above it. (The portrait depicts Lord and Lady Gralhund, their three young children, and a dog.)
As you notice this, the thugs also notice you. They heft their weapons ready to attack. You all notice this and have time to react first (I rolled init on the encounter tracker. They got a 2, lowest party member had a 6 so you are all up in any order you like)
After joining more my signature got out of hand so I am now a proud member of the extended signature club!! :)
“Damn!” Mana squeaks.
(Assuming the thugs are not immediately upon us and hoping they are within 10’ of each other)
Mana hopes to end the hostilities before they start. He targets a Sleep between the thugs, but at least catching the one furthest away, on the assumption that the nearer one won’t turn his back to wake the other.
DC 14 WIS or Incapacitated immediately, then another save at the end of their turns, else Unconscious for 1 minute.
Sleep:
Each creature of your choice in a 5-foot-radius Sphere centered on a point within range must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or have the Incapacitated condition until the end of its next turn, at which point it must repeat the save. If the target fails the second save, the target has the Unconscious condition for the duration. The spell ends on a target if it takes damage or someone within 5 feet of it takes an action to shake it out of the spell’s effect.
Mana - Verdan Bard - Dragon Heist
”I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by.” - Douglas Adams
”I’ve suffered a great many catastrophes in my life. Most of them never happened.” - Mark Twain
”I am not young enough to know everything.” - Oscar Wilde
If both thugs are incapacitated, Wagner will approach them, and ready an action to attack if either wakes up.
If one is still up, Wagner stabs at them with a defensive flourish. [[AC 16, 17 piercing; Wagners AC goes up to 22]]
Coriana - Company of the Grey Chain
Wagner - Dragon Heist: Bards.
DM - The Old Keep