Lord Myrren finishes securing his greave, grabbing a vambrace from the table while an attendant moves on to strap on the cuisses. He regards Hadrian coolly, eyes hardened but not angry.

"I'm well aware of the stakes, young man,"  he replies evenly. "But there are innocent people here relying on me to keep them alive. My servants can hold weapons. My walls are solid. Risking a charge into the streets would be throwing their lives away."

He tightens the vambrace straps to his forearm slowly, thoughtfully. 

"Swift action may be brave, but bravery alone doesn’t win battles. Sometimes holding your ground is the hardest and wisest choice."

OoC: Persuasion if you intend to try and change his mind.

Aimon shrank back a little to hear the Lord so surprised at him being out among the fighting. The remark stoked shame rather than anger, as Aimon recognised that it cut close to the truth. But when Hadrian came to his defence, Aimon's spirits were bolstered; at least one person thought of him as brave.

He stands taller as he looks to Lord Myrren.

"There is a blue drake bearing down on your gate. We saw it on our way here and I heard it again just now. There are more like it and they'll all be on your doorstep if the rest of the town falls, and then it won't be long until the gate comes down."

Aimon's voice is quiet and unsure at first, but as he continues his confidence grows and he becomes more assertive.

"When the gate comes down," he makes it obvious there is no 'if' about the gate coming down, "there's a half dragon waiting behind that drake. Your armed servants won't stand against them. We've seen it cut down trained fighters."

There's no more hesitation in Aimon. He has swept himself up in his own speech.

"But we could, with your help. Together we can turn the tables on the half-dragon and make it regret coming to your door. Then we can see about saving what's left of our home."

Persuasion: 26 again! Rolled with advantage assuming help from Hadrian, but it looks like the 20 was the first roll if advantage isn't applicable.

Hadrian, nods along to what the sorcerer is saying. Offering his own thoughts to help persuade the retired knight. "They're unorganized throughout the rest of the town...But here, they're organizing. Aimon is right, it won't be long until you have a much larger force at your gate."

"We don't necessarily have to fight them head on. They're here for you, and whatever treasure you have in your home." He pauses thoughtfully for a moment. "So deprive them of both. Waste their efforts...Burn your house and everything in it to the ground."

"Then escape with us over the walls. We'll help you get your people to the keep safely."

The footman standing behind you and the attendant helping to armor the aged knight both grow still and quiet as the two young men make their arguments. From the looks on their faces...You can tell they've likely pleaded similar cases to Lord Myrren. The half-elf stands still for a moment, clutching the second vambrace in his hand. His eyes drift from Aimon to Hadrian, and then slowly around the room as his jaw tightens. 

"You would have me burn my own home," he says at last, voice quiet. Not incredulous, just weighing the words. "Everything I have spent a lifetime acquiring. Torch it all like kindling and flee over my own walls like a cornered rat?"

He exhales through his nose. A long breath. He looks to the man standing behind you. "It seems you are no longer alone in your thinking William." With a wave of his hand, he dismisses the footman. "Go. Spread the word and then the oil. These gentlemen are right."

He finishes buckling the vambrace, holding out his arms as the attendant puts on one of the final pieces: a breastplate emblazoned with the crest of Elturgard - a circular disc, with a stylized sunburst along the upper left edge. The sun, and the blazing light of the Companion. "You said you've seen this half-dragon fight, and his force outside. Do you truly think we could take them head-on Aimon, or should we do as your companion says, and attempt to flee over the wall unnoticed?"

Xari raises his eyes for the first time.  He knows he is far from being the most persuasive one in the room, so he keeps his tone quiet.

"That blue half-dragon bastard is something else, m'lord.  But not invincible, or he would not be hanging back in the trees with over half his raiders while the drake and a few others assault the gate.  I say mount a surprise sortie against group at the gate, between us and your archers."

The big man draws the Greatsword, +1 that Governor Nighthill had lent him.

"When the half-dragon sees his forward strike team lost, he will have to make a choice.  Advance to face us all directly while under fire from your archers, or retreat to gather a stronger force.  We battle him all together if he advances, or depart if he retreats."

He takes a deep breath before plowing on.  "A greater danger may yet remain unseen.  All these blue-scaled kobolds, blue-scaled drakes, blue half-dragon...  there is something bigger behind it, and I think it may be a blue dragon, known to leverage humanoid vassals more than most dragons.  If so, with respect m'lord, we don't want to be here when a dragon shows up.  At least in the Keep, we may be able to take cover behind the thicker walls."

With the Lord convinced, Aimon lets out a sigh of relief, and with it comes some of his confidence. He dips his head to the Lord and takes a step back. He does not have a mind for battle strategies. He is almost ready to agree to fleeing, a product of his waivering bravery, when Xarian speaks up.

"Y-yes, what Xarian says is true. We have dealt with their raiders and drakes easy enough, but the half-dragon is formidable. If we run, he will find someone else to..." he cannot bring himself to say the word.

The old knight raises an eyebrow, appraising the mountain that finally decided to speak. He picks up a helm from the table, fitting it over his head. "You seem confident."

"But your first instinct was to avoid the fight. Any reason why?" His fingers move carefully to adjust the strap underneath his chin, his head tilting slightly towards Hadrian to glance at him. After he finishes with the helm, he grabs the greatsword on the table, drawing it from its sheath. 

He rests the great blade on his shoulder, nodding along to the rest of Xari's report. "I'm not sure the keep would even offer much safety against a dragon. But you're right. It's better than here."

"I've got four bows. Two are harassing those miscreants south gate, while the other two are moving between the other three sides to make sure no one comes over the walls as you had." 

He closes his eyes, and begins reciting names of other servants and townsfolk hiding in his manor. "Maeryn and Pellis aren't fit to hold weapons. Tommel Braye, Elva and Joren Fen, Kelna Reed, and Ren Calden are currently sheltered in my cellar." The knight claps the attendant on the shoulder. "I'll leave Brenwick here and William to look after them while we handle the assault. And I'll have Farlan and Sara stop moving between rooms and focus on the south gate with Gareth and Adem."

"How did you figure we surprise them anyway, just throw open the gate?"

OoC: I'm tracking a million NPCs at this point. Dark green are people in his manor that can't fight. A total of 7. Lord Myrren and his people who can fight are dark blue. That's four archers. Plus an additional two that can use spears but he plans on leaving to guard the cellar. He intends to join you at the gate assault.

Hadrian doesn't answer right away. His eyes stay fixed on the floor for a moment, thinking. The rage he'd felt earlier as the half-dragon toyed with Kite before killing him was easily remembered. "Believe me, I want to charge out and drive a blade through that half-dragon's heart. But..." He lets out a long exhale. "That's not an easy fight waiting for us out there, and I'm not sure it's one we need to take right now."

"I'm just not keen on spending lives when there's other options."

Xari tilts his head, thinking.  "M'lord.  First instinct was not to fight cause your archers might pepper us with arrows same as for the raiders, for all we knew.  And we didn't know at that time if there were other raiders there were patrolling around the walls.  But now, we've taken out that patrol."

The big man shifts his stance, eyes seeming to look in the middle distance.

"Just a lowborn urchin turned guardsman from Amphail, I am.  Don't expect anyone to listen to me.  But not for nothing, we take all these civilians and make for the Keep, we can make it, but NOT with the half-dragon and his forces in pursuit, catching us all in the out open with defenseless folks to protect.  We NEED to make the half-dragon and his men back in the trees either engage or retreat before our own retreat to the keep."

He turns to Hadrian, almost calling his friend "M'lord" too before stopping himself.

"Not about revenge.  Best case, we slay the raiders at the gate and the half-dragon retreats and gathers a greater force to burn this place.  Gives us time to make our own escape.  If we just flee with the civilians, the half-dragon can run us all down.  At the gate, we have a focus point and elevated archers on our side.  I say you and I hop back over the wall where we came in, put on robes from the two cultists in the patrol we just fought.  Run up to the gate from the east along the south wall like we are allies, then attack with our shape-changing friend around my arm.  Lord Myrren and his men throw open the gate for a sortie at the same moment.  Aimon stays with the archers at range.  Try to end it quickly with the drake and the others at the gate.  Encourage the half-dragon to retreat.  And if he doesn't, well it's the best chance we may get against him."

"We could probably get everyone over the north or east wall before they noticed..." Hadrian rubs the back of his head. He hears the strategy. He sees the vision. Still there was an ill feeling in his gut.

But he had spent most of his life learning etiquette, fencing, and metalwork -- not tactics. He trusted Xarian to know better than him about things like this. "...Alright. Let's do it." He turns to Lord Myrren again. "Your other two men, Brenwick and William. They should probably just join you outside at the gate. If we don't show a big enough force to scare them off, we'll need them for the fight anyway."

He turns, glancing down at the goblin hovering around his legs. "And Rox." The nobleman sighs, unsure of what to do with the goblin for this fight. "I really wish you spoke Common."

Persuasion: 21 if needed.

The retired knight seems almost amused when Xarian downplays himself. "I was born the son of an unsuccessful vintner in Scornubel. And I wouldn't have all of this if I'd only listened to people born high on the ladder." As Hadrian seems to come on board with the plan, he nods. "I suppose you're right. Old habit." He slaps the young attendant on the back. "Brenwick. Go grab a spear. And one for William too, then meet me downstairs. We'll go out the backdoor and loop around the house. Loop in the other four as well."

Lord Myrren tilts his head slightly as Hadrian addresses the goblin. Then looks down to Rox himself and says something in the harsh language used by goblinoids. Your little companion seems taken aback for a moment, before carefully answering in kind. They have a brief exchange - you're certain you hear their names said in introduction - that ends with the half-elf chuckling at something Rox says. "I'll tell your little friend what you want him to do, then I'll head outside and wait for your signal."

OoC: If there's something specific you want to tell Rox in this moment, go for it. Then we'll get everyone in position and start the madness.

Hadrian's eyes go wide as the half-elven knight starts yammering away in Goblin. A bit shocked, he looks between Rox and Lord Myrren as they have a short conversation, his mouth hanging open slightly. "You speak Goblin?" He ask incredulously. Realizing there wasn't time to get to the bottom of that entire mystery, he waves his own question away with his hand and instead just rolls with it. "If you can give him one of your bows and a quiver...Tell him to hide up here with your archers. And to move around between attacks, make himself unseen so they don't know where the next arrow is coming from." He pauses for a thoughtful moment. "And then tell him when this is all over, I'll do what I can to make sure he gets back home. Wherever that is."

Snevelyn slithers down from her perch on Aimon's arm and across the floor over to Xarian in preparation for their attack. "Don't throw me at the drake."

"And come sssomeone drip one of those potionsss onto my tongue?"

As Xari allows Snevelyn to switch arms from Aimon to himself, he reaches into his pocket and positions the potion of healing so that the Wild Shaped druid can partake of it as he pours (9 hp healing).  "Savvy, miss serpentine.  I take the drake, you take whoever is unlucky enough to be next to it."

He looks evenly at Lord Myrren as he comments on his parents' humble background, a half smile, half grimace on his angular face.

"Good to know your roots, m'lord.  I love my own mother well, though truly, most give failed vintners far more respect than her.  I was born in a brothel.  Though right this moment, like Hadrian, I find myself curious to hear what Rox has to say.  More incentive to all survive this..."

He turns to address everyone, particularly Hadrian.

"Back across the eastern wall, you and I, garb ourselves in the dead cultists' robes, then turn the southeast corner to approach the gate, heading west along the southern wall.  Hopefully neither the raiders at the gate nor the half-dragon are wise to our intentions until we are upon the foes at the gate.  The sortie from the gate and for the archers (and Aimon) to open up at that moment.  A code phrase to yell when we attack?  Red star?  Remember all:  watch the half-dragon and his men in the trees.  If they advance, we fight.  If they retreat, so do we with the civilians, making for the keep."

For the actual execution of the plan:  Xarian's Deception:  10

Environment: 

• Lighting: Presume the entire area is brightly lit by either the inferno of the town, or torches around the manor.
• Cover: 5 in front of the wall (highlighted in blue), counts as 3/4 cover from those on the 2nd floor of the manor. This will not be true for this in front of the gate once it starts, because the gate will be opened. The two large trees grant 1/2 cover from those on the 2nd floor of the manor. They don't grant cover from those on the ground.
• Wall: If at any point you decide to try and go over the wall with no help/rope, it'll count as difficult terrain and take a DC 8 Athletics check to get over.
• 2nd Floor: Creature on the 2nd floor of the manor are denoted by a white border. Currently I have them all placed in the four windows that are present on the south wall. The 2nd floor is 12 feet off the ground. There is a staircase directly east of Sara.

OoC: Any final adjustments or questions now is the time. Otherwise when you're ready, make those initiative rolls! (and Deception from Hadrian | Stealth from Evelyn)

Snevelyn laps at the potion with her forked tongue, she turns her head to look up at Xarian. "Thanksss." Once he re-dons the robes, she retreats up his sleeve to hide there until it's time for the fight.

[Stealth]: 20
[Initiative]: 10

Aimon initiative: 14

Hadrian raises an eyebrow, but doesn't comment on Xarian's choice of signal phrase. He pulls his own cultist robes back on, fitting the mask on his face. "Well. Good luck everyone."

[Later]

After they've both scaled the eastern wall and make their final approach on the group of raiders at the gate. For at least the dozenth time this evening, it occurs to him that this was not the 'adventure' he'd set out for when he first left home. "I was always a dreamer you know."  He looks left, surveying the inferno that has become the town of Greenest. "But this...This is just a nightmare." He says quietly to the big man walking in front of him. His gaze rises up to the sky, and he makes a silent prayer to Aziele's star that he wouldn't be calling her down to bargain for someone's life in the next few moments.

Deception: 21
Initiative: 20

Xari nods sadly at his friend's soulful observation.  "Hold your dreams close, Had.  A nightmare this may be, but none of us waking up anytime soon."

(Hoping it is safe to assume Xari has been casting and concentrating on Blade Ward just before every battle when he knows it's coming.)

-----   -----

Xarian's Initiative:  23 (Assuming Xari acts first?)

As the big man ambles up to the raiders at the gate in his stolen cultist robes, he shrugs at his targets to be, almost as if exasperated.

"Oh for the sake of the RED STAR shining above.  You jokers want these gates open so badly?  All you need is to ask nicely.  Watch and learn..."

Movement:  Xarian steps SW - W - W, just 5' south of the drake and 5' southwest of Raider B.
Free Action:  As Xarian moves west past Cultist C and Raider B, he casually tosses Snevelyn at the former (Cultist C).  "Hope you enjoy!"
Action:  Xarian casts Green Flame Blade, bringing his already drawn Greatsword, +1 down in a diagonal overhand upon Raider B's collar.
Green Flame Blade with Greatsword, +1 to hit Raider B:  24
Green Flame Blade with Greatsword, +1 damage to Raider B:  14 (slashing)
Green Flame Blade Secondary Damage:  on a hit, green flames leap 5' to damage Cultist C:  4 (fire)
Greatsword, +1 Graze Weapon Mastery:  on a miss, Raider B still takes damage:  4 (slashing)
Bonus Action:  Second Wind - Xarian heals 3 hp

The big man signals for Hadrian to leave Cultist C for Snevelyn and loop south around to the other raiders or drake.

Xarian is concentrating on Blade Ward:  round 2 of 10.  He has reactions and may use them.

The four-legged blue drake rams itself against the gate once more, doing little more than sending a few splinters flying as Hadrian, Xarian, and Snevelyn approach. Both groups of raiders, those at the gate, and those lurking behind the trees don't even seem to notice your approach.

Within the manor: Farlan, Gareth, Adem, and Sara take up positions next to the south-facing windows on the second floor, holding arrows lightly on their bowstrings.

"Red star!"

The signal call rises above the chatter of the raiders and snarling of the blue drake. From behind the gate, you hear the barricade quickly being shoved to the side, and then the doors are thrown open to reveal Lord Myrren, Brenwick, and the footman William. Immediately two arrows fly past their shoulders. Sara's strikes one of the robed cultists (a) in the chest, knocking them backwards. They stumble, but don't yet fall. Farlan's shot goes wider, soaring over the heads of the entire group.

Sara Ranged attack: 17 to hit, 5 piercing damage -> Cultist (a)
Farlan Ranged attack: 5 to hit -> Cultist (a)

OoC: It begins! Xarian, Hadrian, and Aimon! Also Lord Myrren - if no one wants to take him, I'll take control