Druug watches Iz stomp away, then looks back at Torem, his eyes narrowing. He looks over to the Zhentarim and then back again at Torem, then shrugs. If Torem isn't willing to fight for his own town, then he has no intention of doing so either. Though a fight might have been fun, he thinks. He walks over to stand with Iz and Thalia, waiting for the others.
The Zhentarim thugs relax and release their grip on their weapons. Xolkin watches you intently before nodding and turning away.
Torem holds his hands out in helplessness. "I will not hesitate to give my life for the people of Nightstone, but I will not sacrifice their only chance of survival for dirt and ashes. If-" He is cut off by a low, throbbing bellow: the call of an orc hunting horn.
Xolkin curses and Torem swallows in fear. "The Ear Seekers." He whispers.
Iz recognizes that call and the name of the Orcish warband and her eyes go wide. She tries to herd Torem and the other guards to stop standing around and be useful.
"Too much going on here, even for my tastes. Let's let the Orcs and Zhents figure this out for themselves. Meantime we have townsfolk to save, though where they will live once we rescue them will most certainly be a matter of contention. Let's move people, go go!"
"Yes, please—Torem, if you would? It's not going to get any easier to protect your townspeople if we're fighting through an orc raiding party to do it!" Thalia quickens her pace in what she hopes is the direction of the exit.
"But the others-" Torem stutters. " They're still in the keep! "
Xolkin begins issuing orders to his companions. "Get the drawbridge raised! Take up positions along the palisades and fill the first orc you see full of arrows!" He yells. The Zhentarim mercenaries scurry to comply.
As you make your way to the gate, several orcs appear in the distance, charging down the path towards the open gate. They are still about 120 feet distant. Two Zhentarim mercenaries disappear into the towers to the right and left of the gate, presumably to operate the mechanisms which would raise the drawbridge.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
"Well, it appears we will just deal with the orcs here!" Frixori steps to the edge of the bridge near the side raises her crossbow and fires at one of the charging orcs.
The crossbow bolt thuds into one of the orcs' chests, causing it to fall behind it's three companions. Far down the path Frix can make out the outlines of an approaching horde.
Torem begins to run for the gate, but the Zhentarim in the towers have already begin to grind the pulley mechanism, and the wooden drawbridge is slowly raised. The orcs yell in outrage at this latest development and begin to surround the town, searching for an alternative route of entry. A couple of Zhentarim positioned on the roof of the temple let loose a rain of crossbow bolts into the orc horde, causing mass chaos.
Rat joins in with his shortbow from the roof of a nearby building, ducking down and changing his position after every shot (in essence trying to maximize sneak attack opportunities).
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Thalia glances wildly around for anything resembling a safe route out of here; this has gone far past being any of her business at this point. "Oh, gods, this can't seriously be happening," she mumbles, "this is not at all what I was told about this assignment... should've sent Altair instead of me, he's the one studying combat spells, I thought Mr. Zaratan said he'd divined... ugh!" The wizard hurries after Torem and tries to pull him away. "I'm sorry, but I don't think we can go back there! Even with the keep damaged, they're better protected there than they are out here with us! We need you to show us the way out of here, please!" She continues glancing around, ready to fire off a spell if she absolutely has to but really hoping they'll be able to move before it comes to that.
Initiative, if needed: 21
(OOC: There were supposed to be a few others who were coming with Torem and our group to the caves, right? Are they with us, or are they also back in the keep?)
((I'm a bit confused. I thought we were all inside the keep and the Zhents raised the drawbridge before we could exit? Did I misunderstand? Are we inside or outside?))
(OOC: We went out into the town to meet the Zhents. The drawbridge he's referring to allows entrance to the town unless I'm misunderstanding which is totally possible as well. Reading comprehension for the win!)
(OOC: We are outside, near the inn talking with the Zhents. Torem lead us back across from the keep at post 254. The keep is part of the town, just across the broken bridge. From the front of the keep to where the Zhents stopped and talked with Mae is a couple hundred feet.)
"We aren't going anywhere! This is the only way in or out of the town!" Frixori yells back to Iz.
"Torem, are you sure there is no other way out of here?!" The tiefling shouts as she makes her way up one of the towers to join in the other Zhents. She lets loose a few bolts of her own to stir up the pot.
(OOC: We went out into the town to meet the Zhents. The drawbridge he's referring to allows entrance to the town unless I'm misunderstanding which is totally possible as well. Reading comprehension for the win!)
Druug watches Iz stomp away, then looks back at Torem, his eyes narrowing. He looks over to the Zhentarim and then back again at Torem, then shrugs. If Torem isn't willing to fight for his own town, then he has no intention of doing so either. Though a fight might have been fun, he thinks. He walks over to stand with Iz and Thalia, waiting for the others.
The Zhentarim thugs relax and release their grip on their weapons. Xolkin watches you intently before nodding and turning away.
Torem holds his hands out in helplessness. "I will not hesitate to give my life for the people of Nightstone, but I will not sacrifice their only chance of survival for dirt and ashes. If-" He is cut off by a low, throbbing bellow: the call of an orc hunting horn.
Xolkin curses and Torem swallows in fear. "The Ear Seekers." He whispers.
Flayr Flameseeker | Genasi/Fire | Wizard/School of Evocation | Level 2 | Custom Campaign: Cold Cash
Iz recognizes that call and the name of the Orcish warband and her eyes go wide. She tries to herd Torem and the other guards to stop standing around and be useful.
"Too much going on here, even for my tastes. Let's let the Orcs and Zhents figure this out for themselves. Meantime we have townsfolk to save, though where they will live once we rescue them will most certainly be a matter of contention. Let's move people, go go!"
~♡~
Rat makes his way up to the roof of the nearest tallest building as quickly as possible and once up there lets everyone know what he can see.
(DM: Can we tell how close the horn is? Percption Unable to parse dice roll.)
Frixori watches the exchange between Torem and Xolkin with interest. "Sounds like someone else may want the town, hmm?"
Sheshka's eyes narrow at the sound of the horns. "What is with this freaking town? Why does everyone want a piece of it?!" She growls.
Druug pulls hammer, hefts his shield, and starts moving. "Let's go, before they catch us flat-footed," he growls.
"Yes, please—Torem, if you would? It's not going to get any easier to protect your townspeople if we're fighting through an orc raiding party to do it!" Thalia quickens her pace in what she hopes is the direction of the exit.
"But the others-" Torem stutters. " They're still in the keep! "
Xolkin begins issuing orders to his companions. "Get the drawbridge raised! Take up positions along the palisades and fill the first orc you see full of arrows!" He yells. The Zhentarim mercenaries scurry to comply.
As you make your way to the gate, several orcs appear in the distance, charging down the path towards the open gate. They are still about 120 feet distant. Two Zhentarim mercenaries disappear into the towers to the right and left of the gate, presumably to operate the mechanisms which would raise the drawbridge.
Flayr Flameseeker | Genasi/Fire | Wizard/School of Evocation | Level 2 | Custom Campaign: Cold Cash
"Lead them to the caves, I'll get your friends and catch up!"
Iz shouts to Torem, already running toward the keep.
~♡~
"Well, it appears we will just deal with the orcs here!" Frixori steps to the edge of the bridge near the side raises her crossbow and fires at one of the charging orcs.
Initiative 5
Attack: 7 Damage: 11
The crossbow bolt thuds into one of the orcs' chests, causing it to fall behind it's three companions. Far down the path Frix can make out the outlines of an approaching horde.
Torem begins to run for the gate, but the Zhentarim in the towers have already begin to grind the pulley mechanism, and the wooden drawbridge is slowly raised. The orcs yell in outrage at this latest development and begin to surround the town, searching for an alternative route of entry. A couple of Zhentarim positioned on the roof of the temple let loose a rain of crossbow bolts into the orc horde, causing mass chaos.
Flayr Flameseeker | Genasi/Fire | Wizard/School of Evocation | Level 2 | Custom Campaign: Cold Cash
Rat joins in with his shortbow from the roof of a nearby building, ducking down and changing his position after every shot (in essence trying to maximize sneak attack opportunities).
Thalia glances wildly around for anything resembling a safe route out of here; this has gone far past being any of her business at this point. "Oh, gods, this can't seriously be happening," she mumbles, "this is not at all what I was told about this assignment... should've sent Altair instead of me, he's the one studying combat spells, I thought Mr. Zaratan said he'd divined... ugh!" The wizard hurries after Torem and tries to pull him away. "I'm sorry, but I don't think we can go back there! Even with the keep damaged, they're better protected there than they are out here with us! We need you to show us the way out of here, please!" She continues glancing around, ready to fire off a spell if she absolutely has to but really hoping they'll be able to move before it comes to that.
Initiative, if needed: 21
(OOC: There were supposed to be a few others who were coming with Torem and our group to the caves, right? Are they with us, or are they also back in the keep?)
Iz continues to run for the keep, shouting, "Orcish Raiders! We need to go NOW!"
~♡~
((I'm a bit confused. I thought we were all inside the keep and the Zhents raised the drawbridge before we could exit? Did I misunderstand? Are we inside or outside?))
(OOC: We went out into the town to meet the Zhents. The drawbridge he's referring to allows entrance to the town unless I'm misunderstanding which is totally possible as well. Reading comprehension for the win!)
~♡~
(OOC: We are outside, near the inn talking with the Zhents. Torem lead us back across from the keep at post 254. The keep is part of the town, just across the broken bridge. From the front of the keep to where the Zhents stopped and talked with Mae is a couple hundred feet.)
"We aren't going anywhere! This is the only way in or out of the town!" Frixori yells back to Iz.
"Torem, are you sure there is no other way out of here?!" The tiefling shouts as she makes her way up one of the towers to join in the other Zhents. She lets loose a few bolts of her own to stir up the pot.
Attack: 18 Damage: Unable to parse dice roll.
Attack: 12 Damage: 5
(You got it.)
Flayr Flameseeker | Genasi/Fire | Wizard/School of Evocation | Level 2 | Custom Campaign: Cold Cash