A huge hill giant stronghold made of hardened clay and stone stands on rolling hills. A dirt path leads to a set of double doors. A watchtower stands on the room with the doors. You five have found a hidden cave near the stronghold where you are keeping your mounts you used to get here and the supplies you can't carry.
The Half-Elf sat towards the entrance of the cave they had made camp in. It was more ore less well hidden, but Zuril didn't like to leave things to chance. His red Drow eyes scanned the the entrance and his minutely pointed ears were trained for audio red flags. He sat cross legged, one hand idly griping three sling stones, the other on his knee as he held sentry. I knew there was a low chance of any intruders, but you never know. He didn't mind the company he held in this expedition and deep down, wouldn't mind talking with one or two of them about now. Duty came first. They hadn't talked much for the first leg of the journey and figured this would be the best time. He could't help but glance back at them as they settled the mounts and prepped their gear. They seemed, formidable, and Zuril hoped they would prove to be in the coming days.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Drow enthusiast Lover of lore and magic. -The White Crow-
Afamrail finished tethering his horse in the back of the cave, made sure it had some fodder and then adjusted his own gear. He patted the horse once when he was done, wondering what would happen to it if they were gone too long. He couldn't worry about that now. Finding out what these giants were up to was far more important. Important enough to even travel with a half-Drow. That was taking some getting used to. Zuril seemed capable enough but Afamrail still didn't know what to make of him. He walked to the entrance to the cave and crouched down beside Zuril.
"Do you see anything?"
Leaning slightly out of the cave, Afamrail could just make out the hill giant stronghold through a gap in the brush covering the hill. He scanned the area for the signs of any other entrances, higher windows, faint paths, any other ways in, something other than having to walk up to the double doors and knock.
Looking out, you see two other possible entrances, the is another set of doors on the side of the stronghold, and there is a window that overlooks there approach from the watchtower, with a hill giant sleeping inside.
Raine elects to stay near the back of the cave for now. She's tempted to start a conversation with her companions, but everyone had been oddly quiet on the journey here, and she doesn't want to seem like the odd one out. Instead, she focuses on ensuring her horse is properly tethered and will be comfortable while they're gone, then checking that all of her equipment is in place. Once she deems everything satisfactory, she closes her eyes and clutches her amulet, muttering a quick prayer to Selûne.
Afamrail tells Zuril what he has seen about the other doors and the sleeping sentry in the tower. He realizes that Zuril has placed himself on sentry duty at the mouth of the cave. Perhaps it's time to give him the benefit of the doubt. We will have to trust each other to get through what lies head. He extends his arm to clasp Zuril's forearm.
"I know we learned of each other when the king sent us here, but, we never formally greeted each other. I am Afamrail."
He looks back up at the stronghold.
"This makes little sense. Occasionally one of these beasts wanders into our valley, but usually a swat on the ass and a rabbit are enough to lure them back out. For them to be staging organized raids is something new."
He turns so his back is to the cave mouth so his voice will carry inside but will be muffled outside.
"I think we will need as much intelligence as possible before we attempt to get inside the stronghold," he pauses. "If they're suddenly smart enough to organize, they must have a leader. And that scares me. In my experience that means ambush."
He walks back towards the trio still in the rear of the cave.
"I suggest waiting for night fall and I can then sneak around the perimeter of the keep and report back what I see. At the very least I should be able to see if there is any ambush or traps."
Afamrail suddenly realizes he sounds like he's trying to take charge of the group. His impetuousness has caused problems before. Something the leaders of the Silver Guardians are always reminding him of. Patience. He takes a deep breath.
Zuril accepts the arm clasp and listens to in info relayed by his companion.
"Yes, a good scouting sounds in order. I am decent at getting around without being seen, are there others that are the same and do any of you have magic to make one invisible?" Zuril asked the group.
((Could we get a description post so I know who I'm working with. :D. Also, I'll post more tomorrow.)) Sorry I got mixed up there, disregard D:
"I'm not the greatest at going unseen. It would probably be best for me to stay behind."
Raine thinks for a moment about what spells she can cast to help them.
"I can't turn you fully invisible, but I can assist you to be a bit stealthier."
(Raine can cast Guidance, which allows you to add a d4 to any ability check, presumably your stealth check in this case. Also, what do you mean by description post?)
A tall, looming figure of around 8 feet dismounts and tethers a rather exhausted looking horse. Straightening himself and taking out a large, ornate greataxe and a bundle of javelins, the Goliath says to the group in a deep, rumbling voice:
”It is a pleasure to greet such a group of adventurers who share a similar goal. My name is Tanalukti, or Tana for short. I follow to the ancestors who I gain my strength from, and they have sent me here. I can also turn to them for guidance in our course of action.”
”I am not one for stealth. I take it upon myself to have great durability and mettle, and I seek to protect and guard those who are more fragile than I am. I also speak Giant, so it may be wise for me to approach first. However, it may be important to gather as much information as possible so we can make a well-executed plan.”
(Apologies for the delay in posting, had something that came up. I should be good now, though!
A grin and wince appear on Zurils face as Tanalukti's voice, even a whisper, rumbled his chest a bit and gave him mild goosebumps.
"Right." Zuril says, composing himself and then facing Afamrail "Ready when you are. You seem to be right to lead on this one, seeing as sometimes I can't hear you approach." Zuril says with an honest shrug, hinting that Afamrail had advantage when Zuril was peering out of the cave earlier.
The truth was, despite the hate in the history of their heritage, Zuril trusted The Elf. Trusted him enough to join this mission, and enough to let him choose what was the next best move.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Drow enthusiast Lover of lore and magic. -The White Crow-
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Afamrail tries not to rub his shoulder where Risha tapped him. His lean, agile body is not built for the punishment Tana and Risha have faced and more than likely delivered. He looks around the cave at his companions. When they were in front of the king, accepting this mission, it was easy to not think of them as people as long as he didn't look at them. He had kept quiet the whole ride here to avoid engaging with them and learning about them. The last words of the High Warden of the Silver Guardians still rang in his ears. He was to accept the mission from the king but to never forget he was here on behalf of Ilo Thalas, his home. He knew what that meant. But he needed to trust this group if they were going to survive what was to come.
He tied back his long black hair with it's silvery threads running through it. The last light coming into the cave caught the silver flecks in his green eyes, and showed a slight shimmer on his skin - very faint, but almost as if his skin was made up of small smooth, silvery scales. But a shift in the light and they were gone.
"Well met to you all. It seems settled then. Zuril and I will head out in the dark, watch for ambushes, examine the stronghold more closely, looking for any ways in, any signs of guards, and report back here as soon as is possible."
He thinks carefully about what Raine and Risha have offered. He does not know much their kind of power but he thinks he understands their spells.
"I fear the shimmer of Shield of Faith might reveal our position and I suspect that Sanctuary may not last long enough to be of benefit but Guidance would be welcome. It would set us off on the right foot."
He faces Tana, and draws himself up to his full height. While tall for an elf, his 6' were still dwarfed by the towering goliath.
Speaking in the Giant language, "I am glad of your skills but pray that we will not need them."
Afamrail nods to Zuril and moves to the front of the cave. "Ready when you are."
(OOC: Afamrail will cast disguise self on himself - changing everything about his appearance to jet black, including his skin and clothes; and assuming Guidance is cast, I'll add the extra to a Stealth check 25 and head out.)
Risha's smile fades as she realizes she may not be as helpful as she thought. She ponders for a moment before closing her eyes and saying a quiet prayer (casting Aid at level two on Afamrail, Tana, and herself)
"I think this should help if you get into any trouble."
A big smile appears on her face, showing off her tusks. She came here to have a greater purpose and she vowed to help anyway she could. She knows she isn't the smartest, but she hopes to make a difference nonetheless.
If Zuril is in agreement, Afamrail and Zuril will head off the main path leading up to the stronghold and start to circle the whole building making note of any ledges, windows, and other doorways. Afamrail would get as close to the side doors he saw initially to listen for anything inside.
Before they leave, Raine casts Guidance on both Afamrail and Zuril. Placing a hand on their shoulder, she speaks a quick prayer and allows the divine energy to flow through her fingers.
A huge hill giant stronghold made of hardened clay and stone stands on rolling hills. A dirt path leads to a set of double doors. A watchtower stands on the room with the doors. You five have found a hidden cave near the stronghold where you are keeping your mounts you used to get here and the supplies you can't carry.
The Half-Elf sat towards the entrance of the cave they had made camp in. It was more ore less well hidden, but Zuril didn't like to leave things to chance. His red Drow eyes scanned the the entrance and his minutely pointed ears were trained for audio red flags. He sat cross legged, one hand idly griping three sling stones, the other on his knee as he held sentry. I knew there was a low chance of any intruders, but you never know. He didn't mind the company he held in this expedition and deep down, wouldn't mind talking with one or two of them about now. Duty came first. They hadn't talked much for the first leg of the journey and figured this would be the best time. He could't help but glance back at them as they settled the mounts and prepped their gear. They seemed, formidable, and Zuril hoped they would prove to be in the coming days.
Drow enthusiast
Lover of lore and magic.
-The White Crow-
Afamrail finished tethering his horse in the back of the cave, made sure it had some fodder and then adjusted his own gear. He patted the horse once when he was done, wondering what would happen to it if they were gone too long. He couldn't worry about that now. Finding out what these giants were up to was far more important. Important enough to even travel with a half-Drow. That was taking some getting used to. Zuril seemed capable enough but Afamrail still didn't know what to make of him. He walked to the entrance to the cave and crouched down beside Zuril.
"Do you see anything?"
Leaning slightly out of the cave, Afamrail could just make out the hill giant stronghold through a gap in the brush covering the hill. He scanned the area for the signs of any other entrances, higher windows, faint paths, any other ways in, something other than having to walk up to the double doors and knock.
(OOC Perception Check: 28 )
Looking out, you see two other possible entrances, the is another set of doors on the side of the stronghold, and there is a window that overlooks there approach from the watchtower, with a hill giant sleeping inside.
Raine elects to stay near the back of the cave for now. She's tempted to start a conversation with her companions, but everyone had been oddly quiet on the journey here, and she doesn't want to seem like the odd one out. Instead, she focuses on ensuring her horse is properly tethered and will be comfortable while they're gone, then checking that all of her equipment is in place. Once she deems everything satisfactory, she closes her eyes and clutches her amulet, muttering a quick prayer to Selûne.
Iris - Tiefling Cleric | Cassandra - Elf Warlock | Solace - Tiefling Monk | Tempest - Hexblood Monk | Lex - Fire Genasi Barbarian
Lilyn - Triton Ranger | Candor - Changeling Bard | Echo - Changeling Warlock/Bard | Rowan - Fairy Wizard
Afamrail tells Zuril what he has seen about the other doors and the sleeping sentry in the tower. He realizes that Zuril has placed himself on sentry duty at the mouth of the cave. Perhaps it's time to give him the benefit of the doubt. We will have to trust each other to get through what lies head. He extends his arm to clasp Zuril's forearm.
"I know we learned of each other when the king sent us here, but, we never formally greeted each other. I am Afamrail."
He looks back up at the stronghold.
"This makes little sense. Occasionally one of these beasts wanders into our valley, but usually a swat on the ass and a rabbit are enough to lure them back out. For them to be staging organized raids is something new."
He turns so his back is to the cave mouth so his voice will carry inside but will be muffled outside.
"I think we will need as much intelligence as possible before we attempt to get inside the stronghold," he pauses. "If they're suddenly smart enough to organize, they must have a leader. And that scares me. In my experience that means ambush."
He walks back towards the trio still in the rear of the cave.
"I suggest waiting for night fall and I can then sneak around the perimeter of the keep and report back what I see. At the very least I should be able to see if there is any ambush or traps."
Afamrail suddenly realizes he sounds like he's trying to take charge of the group. His impetuousness has caused problems before. Something the leaders of the Silver Guardians are always reminding him of. Patience. He takes a deep breath.
"What are your thoughts?"
Risha turns from her horse she was brushing and addresses Afamrail.
"I think that would be wise. I'm not the stealthiest with my armor and it would be nice to know what we're walking into."
She pats him on the back a bit rougher than she intended.
"Sorry! I'm not used to you elves."
Her broad shoulders straighten as she apologizes.
"If we decide on that plan, I will grant you magical protection before you leave."
Raine jumps slightly, startled by the sudden influx of voices interrupting the meditation she had slipped into.
"That sounds good to me. Oh, uh, I can help! With the magic, that is. Only if it's okay with you."
She glances back and forth between Risha and Afamrail.
Iris - Tiefling Cleric | Cassandra - Elf Warlock | Solace - Tiefling Monk | Tempest - Hexblood Monk | Lex - Fire Genasi Barbarian
Lilyn - Triton Ranger | Candor - Changeling Bard | Echo - Changeling Warlock/Bard | Rowan - Fairy Wizard
Zuril accepts the arm clasp and listens to in info relayed by his companion.
"Yes, a good scouting sounds in order. I am decent at getting around without being seen, are there others that are the same and do any of you have magic to make one invisible?" Zuril asked the group.
((Could we get a description post so I know who I'm working with. :D. Also, I'll post more tomorrow.))Sorry I got mixed up there, disregard D:
Drow enthusiast
Lover of lore and magic.
-The White Crow-
"I'm not the greatest at going unseen. It would probably be best for me to stay behind."
Raine thinks for a moment about what spells she can cast to help them.
"I can't turn you fully invisible, but I can assist you to be a bit stealthier."
(Raine can cast Guidance, which allows you to add a d4 to any ability check, presumably your stealth check in this case. Also, what do you mean by description post?)
Iris - Tiefling Cleric | Cassandra - Elf Warlock | Solace - Tiefling Monk | Tempest - Hexblood Monk | Lex - Fire Genasi Barbarian
Lilyn - Triton Ranger | Candor - Changeling Bard | Echo - Changeling Warlock/Bard | Rowan - Fairy Wizard
A tall, looming figure of around 8 feet dismounts and tethers a rather exhausted looking horse. Straightening himself and taking out a large, ornate greataxe and a bundle of javelins, the Goliath says to the group in a deep, rumbling voice:
”It is a pleasure to greet such a group of adventurers who share a similar goal. My name is Tanalukti, or Tana for short. I follow to the ancestors who I gain my strength from, and they have sent me here. I can also turn to them for guidance in our course of action.”
”I am not one for stealth. I take it upon myself to have great durability and mettle, and I seek to protect and guard those who are more fragile than I am. I also speak Giant, so it may be wise for me to approach first. However, it may be important to gather as much information as possible so we can make a well-executed plan.”
(Apologies for the delay in posting, had something that came up. I should be good now, though!
A grin and wince appear on Zurils face as Tanalukti's voice, even a whisper, rumbled his chest a bit and gave him mild goosebumps.
"Right." Zuril says, composing himself and then facing Afamrail "Ready when you are. You seem to be right to lead on this one, seeing as sometimes I can't hear you approach." Zuril says with an honest shrug, hinting that Afamrail had advantage when Zuril was peering out of the cave earlier.
The truth was, despite the hate in the history of their heritage, Zuril trusted The Elf. Trusted him enough to join this mission, and enough to let him choose what was the next best move.
Drow enthusiast
Lover of lore and magic.
-The White Crow-
Risha looks between Tana and Afamrail.
"I can cast Shield of Faith on one of you and Sanctuary on one or both of you. It is up to you both though."
Afamrail tries not to rub his shoulder where Risha tapped him. His lean, agile body is not built for the punishment Tana and Risha have faced and more than likely delivered. He looks around the cave at his companions. When they were in front of the king, accepting this mission, it was easy to not think of them as people as long as he didn't look at them. He had kept quiet the whole ride here to avoid engaging with them and learning about them. The last words of the High Warden of the Silver Guardians still rang in his ears. He was to accept the mission from the king but to never forget he was here on behalf of Ilo Thalas, his home. He knew what that meant. But he needed to trust this group if they were going to survive what was to come.
He tied back his long black hair with it's silvery threads running through it. The last light coming into the cave caught the silver flecks in his green eyes, and showed a slight shimmer on his skin - very faint, but almost as if his skin was made up of small smooth, silvery scales. But a shift in the light and they were gone.
"Well met to you all. It seems settled then. Zuril and I will head out in the dark, watch for ambushes, examine the stronghold more closely, looking for any ways in, any signs of guards, and report back here as soon as is possible."
He thinks carefully about what Raine and Risha have offered. He does not know much their kind of power but he thinks he understands their spells.
"I fear the shimmer of Shield of Faith might reveal our position and I suspect that Sanctuary may not last long enough to be of benefit but Guidance would be welcome. It would set us off on the right foot."
He faces Tana, and draws himself up to his full height. While tall for an elf, his 6' were still dwarfed by the towering goliath.
Speaking in the Giant language, "I am glad of your skills but pray that we will not need them."
Afamrail nods to Zuril and moves to the front of the cave. "Ready when you are."
(OOC: Afamrail will cast disguise self on himself - changing everything about his appearance to jet black, including his skin and clothes; and assuming Guidance is cast, I'll add the extra to a Stealth check 25 and head out.)
What entrance are you going to?
Risha's smile fades as she realizes she may not be as helpful as she thought. She ponders for a moment before closing her eyes and saying a quiet prayer (casting Aid at level two on Afamrail, Tana, and herself)
"I think this should help if you get into any trouble."
A big smile appears on her face, showing off her tusks. She came here to have a greater purpose and she vowed to help anyway she could. She knows she isn't the smartest, but she hopes to make a difference nonetheless.
If Zuril is in agreement, Afamrail and Zuril will head off the main path leading up to the stronghold and start to circle the whole building making note of any ledges, windows, and other doorways. Afamrail would get as close to the side doors he saw initially to listen for anything inside.
The stronghold doesn’t have may windows or ledges that something could go through, but on the back of the stronghold is another pair of doors.
Before they leave, Raine casts Guidance on both Afamrail and Zuril. Placing a hand on their shoulder, she speaks a quick prayer and allows the divine energy to flow through her fingers.
Iris - Tiefling Cleric | Cassandra - Elf Warlock | Solace - Tiefling Monk | Tempest - Hexblood Monk | Lex - Fire Genasi Barbarian
Lilyn - Triton Ranger | Candor - Changeling Bard | Echo - Changeling Warlock/Bard | Rowan - Fairy Wizard
As stated before, doors on the side, back and front. Whoever is listening for things on the side door must make a perception check.