[D&D 4E] Threats to the Nentir Vale (IC)

[Irish Musician]

Thornin Anvilshield, Sergent of the Lost Clan

Thornin shook is head no, Wish we could just be crackin' skulls rather than talkin', he thought. Catching a slightly disapproving eye from the young soldier, Thorning walked right up to him, having to look straight up at him when he finished moving, and poking a finger into the man's chest he spoke, "Donna be lookin' at me tha way son, I've been seein' more horror than you be imaginin'. I be an old, grizzled soul, lad, and once you be seein' the awful things that I have, ye'll be grumpy too." Slinging his shield over his back, Thornin grunts he is ready tot he others and walks outside after Sen, rolling his eyes at how childlike she is, yet finding some comfort in it that he would never admit to another living soul.

He walked outside to the horse trough and dunked his head in, waking himself up and shaking all the water out of his hair and beard, he stood at the ready, waiting impatiently for the others as if he had been waiting for them for hours to start walking.

[18th Avenger]

Lann gave the soldier an apologetic look. They were used to the prickly dwarf and his rather aggressive routines and spent a great deal of the time making sure everyone was aware that Thornin was far from the most comradely of the bunch. Usually, it was them trying to prise the dwarf's meaty fingers from the throat of some poor unfortunate.

"Yes, we are quite prepared. Thank you for your patience, sir Anlow. Lead on, if it please you." He gave a salute to go with his bright smile.

[Hircine]

Nodding slightly, Anlow ushers the party out of the Nentir Inn back onto the main thoroughfare. Heading across the Five-Arch Bridge you are stopped by the rather unpleasant Sergeant Thurmina, who orders each of you to hand over a copper piece for the privilege to use the bridge. Not content to stand by Anlow boldly steps up to confront one of his superiors.

"Now see here, Sergeant! These good people and myself are assisting Captain Faringray on some important business. It would behoove you to overlook the toll, just this once."

For a moment it looks like the spiteful woman will bite off poor Anlow's head but at the mention of Faringray she goes pale, quickly retreating to the nearby toll house. Once you are out of earshot Anlow pulls you aside for a word.

"I've heard from some friends who work the bridge that Thurmina's been taking bribes to look the other way when illegal cargo's being moved. Faringray caught wind a while back and has been keeping a closer eye on the bridge, just waiting for her to slip up."

Making it into the bustling city center maneuvering through large crowds of people becomes problematic. Walking alongside Anlow he tries to make more small talk. "I hope the Captain didn't rub your group the wrong way. He may appear extremely rigid and suspicious of strangers, however his current position puts a great deal of responsibility on his shoulders. The safety of Fallcrest's entire population rests in his hands alone. How he is not more revered by the citizenry for the zeal and dedication he approaches his job with is beyond me!" Listening to the man speak it's obvious he holds Faringray in high regard.

Finally the prospective guardsman halts on the outskirts of a modest looking two-story home. "Well here we are, Vizani Blackwater's. Good luck on your errand, I've got to report back to the Captain", he exclaims with a brief wave as he hurries off.

[Rjanag]

Sen, Siren Ranger

When the party is stopped at the bridge, Sen--not familiar with the laws of the town--reaches for her javelins. Fortunately, Anlow resolves the situation before she does anything foolish.

When they reach the house, she hangs behind the others in the group, waiting for one of them to approach.

[18th Avenger]

Anlow left them in front of a tidy-looking two story house on the nicer and more-populated side of Nentir Vale. He handled himself well back there, saving each of them a copper. Which was good because the big northerner did not even have a last gold coin.

Lann looked at his group. Arakai looked vaguely bored, Jessica looked vaguely busy in the solf-possessed way little girls had, Sen was bringing up their rear and Thornin looked churlish. He smiled at all them. Exactly as they are everyday.

Given the strange mechanisms that guide parties like his, leadership had more or less fallen into his shoulders. The big man stepped forward and knocked upon the thick oak door, idly noting the well-kept flowerbeds under the window.

"Mistress Blackwater!" He called up into the house. "Mistress Blackwater, could you spare us a moment of your time?"

[Hircine]

A few minutes pass before the clanking of armored feet can be heard approaching. The door opens slightly with a bald, well built man clad in fallcrest guard apparel filling the doorway. Scowling irritably, he wrinkles his nose as if some foul odor is assaulting his nostrils. Angrily scrutinizing each of your faces it's apparent that he doesn't care for the group's presence.

"I'm sorry but Ms. Blackwater is currently under house arrest for an undisclosed period of time. She hasn't been authorized to have visitors, so I must kindly ask you and your group to immediately vacate the premises.", His words are professional but carry a tone of hostility behind them.

[Rjanag]

Sen, Siren Ranger

Sen leers at the guard petulantly, arms akimbo. Suddenly her eyes widen as she remembers Faringray's letter, and she grabs Lann's arm, hopping up and down urgently.

[18th Avenger]

Lann didn't hear the guard clanking up to them until he was arrogantly demanding their attention. He was just about to whip up another explanation when the guard bluntly told them to get lost.

Just as thinks might have turned ugly, he felt a tugging at his arm. Sen was adamantly reminding him of the Captain's letter.

"I know, Sen, I know," said Lann as he shook her off. "I got us covered." He reached into his belt and pulled out Faringray's authorization letter.

"We're on the Captain's business," he explained as he handed the guard the letter. "It's about the you-know-whats and what's been happening, see. And we need to ask her a few more questions."

[Irish Musician]

Thornin Anvilshield, Fighter of the Lost Clan

"Look son, we be needin' to talk to this woman, so be movin' aside and let us in, or the Capt'n will be hearin' about it!" In his usual charismatic fashion, Thornin stares down the already annoyed man looking him straight in the eye, much like he would an angry bear.

[Hircine]

Growling savagely, the guardsman pulls the door open wide enough to snatch the parchment from Lann's fingertips. Slowly reading over the captain's missive, causes the man's eyes to widen in consternation. Gripping the vellum tightly the guard starts shaking in an uncontrollable fashion, as veins bulge in his neck and he starts turning a bright shade of purple. You fear he's had some sort of anxiety attack or mental breakdown when all of a sudden he returns to normal. After regaining control of his faculties he calmly crumples up the note and tosses it to the ground in disdain.

"I don't give a damn what Faringray says, no one is getting in to speak with Blackwater! Now I'm going to ask you and your associates one more time to move along. And should you make the unwise decision to disturb this house again, I'll make sure that you spend a few nights in the dungeons.", he hisses, slamming the door in your faces.

Perception DC 13

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Getting a better look at the guardsman when he moves to snatch the correspondence from Lann, it's quite noticeable that his uniform is rather undersized for his large frame.

Perception DC 18

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As the door is being shut several red splotches can be seen on the wood in the entryway. While only managing to get a quick glimpse, there is a strong possibility that it was blood.

Insight DC 15

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Having interacted with more than a handful of Fallcrest guards this man's lack of respect for Faringray was disturbing. Every guard you'd come into contact with at this point either respected the guard captain or feared him. None were brazen enough to disregard a direct order from the man.

OOC: Lann

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You get a +1 to the Insight check.

[18th Avenger]

The guard's hostility was completely unexpected. As was his reaction to the paper that Lann had produced. He chalked up the man's initiative and tiredness; maybe the guard had been at it for quite some time. The big northerner reminded himself to inform the good captain if they would meet once again.

But something clicked a tumbler in his usually-dense skull. The uniforms of the other guards of the town were immaculately fitted. No way should the guard's uniform have looked too shoddy.

It was then he took aim under the door's knob and landed a solid kick at it. The door wouldn't budge and Lann fought back a sudden stab of pain. Whoever had it made must have had a lot of money to afford such a solid door

"Thornin, Arakai; get that door open!" He snapped at them as he hopped on one foot. "Jessica, Sen; get ready! I got a bad feeling..."

[Hircine]

The rather uncouth behavior of Faringray's lackey sets off the usually calm and composed northerner. Without thinking Lann raises his boot in an attempt to break the door down. His armored foot connects with a mighty *THUD* sending splinters and wood fragments flying in every direction. However despite his best effort he was not only unsuccessful, but his extremity was now throbbing in pain.

On the other side of the door the guard's voice can be heard shouting, "What the hell is going on out there!?"

[18th Avenger]

The group knew that Lann was usually possessed of a mild and pleasant temperament. And as he possessed such a mild temper, it was perfectly reasonable for the big northerner in the kilt to meet the guard with this splendid rejoinder.

"SHUTCHER CAKEHOLE, YE PHONY, AND COME OUT 'ERE AN' FACE ME, MAN TE MAN!"

It was also one of the few times the group had heard Lann lapse back to the accent of his home region. And that only happened when he was upset. The big man threw in more insults, mostly towards the guard, his ill-fitting unifrom and the chastity of relevant members of his family. Lann kept the whole exchange fresh and spirited, including threats involving the creative placement of body parts as interior decoration into the repetoire.

Rolling to Intimidate

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(1d20+7)[13]

[Rjanag]

Sen, Siren Ranger

Sen has little understanding of what's going on between the men, and no concept of whether the guard's behavior is normal or not. But Lann's outburst is the only excuse she needs; she has learned by now to trust the instincts of her companions and to stick the pointy ends of her javelins in whichever direction they ask her to.

She shakes her head at the big northerner's weak attempt at smashing down the door. He never had been quite as strong as he looked, and always seemed to discount Sen just because she was smaller than the men, even though she had just as much strength as any of them. When Lann gets busy cursing at the guard, she nudges him out of the way and squares up against the door herself, then takes a few steps back and charges into it with her shoulder.

Disappointingly, though, she isn't able to make it budge any more than Lann was, and she steps back having accomplished nothing more than giving herself a throbbing shoulder. The northerner's anger is starting to rub off on her now, though, and she draws two javelins, looking over the face of the house for a window where she might be able to climb in.

[Irish Musician]

Thornin Anvilshield, Fighter of the Lost Clan

Slamming the door in the face of a dwarf is something you do not want to do, especially one that is overly grumpy and angry all the time. Before Lann had even said anything, Thornin was already pulling his axe out, and slung his shield over his arm. Seeing Lann try and kick the door open amused Thornin a bit, and he even cracked a half smile. After seeing Sen try as well, Thornin stepped up to the plate. He raised his axe high and aimed for the door knob to just try and knock it out of the door.

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MBA against the door knob (1d20+8)[3](11)
Damage - (1d10+4)[8](12)
If he is able to knock the door loose, I'd like Thornin to be able to just push with his shield and open the door, ready for combat.

[Hircine]

The guard doesn't even bother responding to Lann's impassioned words, instead he seems to be conversing with some other party inside.

Outside the house Sen pushes Lann out the way, squares her shoulders with the intended target, and charges full speed hitting the door with a *thwack*. She reels back gripping her shoulder in pain wondering just how strong that wood really is.

Panicked by another assault on the door the guard yells hurried instructions, "Would you all hurry up! If you haven't heard we have a situation down here!

[Hircine]

Thornin steps forward, his axe already drawn and poised to strike. With a heavy handed swing he misses the knob by a wide margin but instead cleaves a large chunk out of the wood.

[onlie2005]

Jessica stays at her position and moves back. Immediately alarm bells rang in her head as she saw the guard's reaction. Pulling out her wand and staying back, she readies herself to cast a spell.

[Rjanag]

Sen, Siren Ranger

Spotting a window near the front door, Sen raises one of her javelins to smash it in. She remembers the others having chided her in the past for breaking things she wasn't supposed to, but given the beating they were putting on the door she assumes she is free to break anything she wants right now.

She first peers into the window to see if anyone is lying in wait. Once satisfied that the coast is clear, she smashes the window in with the butt of her spear and pushes the shards of glass aside.

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Perception check: (1d20+4)[13]

If she doesn't see anyone standing by the window looking like they're readying to pounce, then she'll try to smash the window in.
Strength check: (1d20+4)[18]

If there are curtains so she can't see in, she'll smash it anyway (and look in after breaking it and pushing the curtains aside).

[18th Avenger]

Lann gingerly put weight on his kicking leg again as he looked around. The street was only just beginning to busy up, but the people around were looking at them askance, as if they were bandits or rabble-rousers. His open face frowned. Can't have that...

He watched his party slowly begin to fall into place. Jessica and Arakai took positions to brace themselves for any incoming unpleasantness. Sen and Thornin's first few cracks at the door proved futile, but he knew the surly dwarf wouldn't stop trying. The slender ranger, on the other hand, he noticed she began looking for alternative ways. And succeed. The nearby window gave under the blow of her spear butt.

This action earned her a fierce nod. Lann returned to shouting more insults into the guards inside, intent on distracting them from their actions.

Rolling To Keep The "Guards" Distracted (Bluff)

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(1d20+2)[6]

[Irish Musician]

Thornin Anvilshield, Fighter of the Lost Clan

Thornin smiles as his axe knocks a hole in the door. He pulls the axe out of the door and raises it up again, smashing steel against wood, hoping to smash through the door and teach this "guard" a lesson.

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MBA (1d20+8)[12](20)
Damage (1d10+4)[7](11)

[Hircine]

Finding the door to be an impenetrable obstacle Sen moves toward the window, a softer target. Using the butt of her javelin she breaks the glass pane and then pushes the fragments. Forcefully pulling the drapes down the horrific sight before the ranger is rather shocking.

Sen:

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Chairs, tables, and shelves have all been pulled and flipped, strewn chaotically about the place, most of the furniture has been damaged in a search for something or someone. A patterned dark red carpet is soaked with blood and dragged haphazardly across the floor. Three prone forms stripped down to their skivvies have been haphazardly piled onto the rug, signs of trauma evident on their bodies.

While Sen is securing an alternative entrance and Thornin continues hacking away at the door, Lann is busying himself by shouting even more vulgar insults towards the individuals inside, hoping to distract them from their intended purpose.

Hearing the window break the guard in the living shouts out more frantic orders. "Abort! Abort the mission! We'll find the halfling after we've dealt with these interlopers! Now get down here and help me out!

[18th Avenger]

Lann's ears perked at the guard's pronouncements. In a blink, his hand wrapped around the hilt of the greatsword strapped to his back and pulled it free. He gripped the hilt of the weapon two-handed as he kept his eyes on the door.

"Thornin, get to that door's blind spot! We're about to have company!"

With Jessica at his back and Arakai at his side, Lann braced to meet the charge from within the house.

[Rjanag]

Sen, Siren Ranger

Sen hadn't been planning on going into the house so soon--she had hoped one of the men would go in first. But hearing that the guard is still alone downstairs, she realizes she has no time to spare. When she notices Lann bracing himself to receive a charge, she shakes her head "no" at him, and points in the window. Without waiting for his response, she bounds through it.

---

* post roll count doesn't match database

[Irish Musician]

Thornin Anvilshield, Fighter of the Lost Clan

Hearing Lann giving commands, as well as the enemy guard throwing out his own, Thornin smiles a great, big smile, takes a few steps back, and charges the door, axe and shield in hand, ready to take out these annoying obstacles. Finally.....a fight!

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Actions
Charge the door, (1d20+9)[20](29)
Damage - (1d10+4)[5](9) 19

Initiative roll, if needed, (1d20)[6]

[Hircine]

With one final charge by Thornin the door finally falls, landing with a *thud*. Spinning on his heels the guardsman faces the dwarf, a look of grim determination gracing his countenance as he reaches for the sword on his hip. Moments later two sets of footsteps can be heard coming down the stairs, a man and a woman also wearing guard apparel glare angrily at the party. These new arrivals are followed by four thickly tattooed humans in red robes brandishing daggers.

The leader levels his sword at the party, "Let us dispense with these vile beings so we may finish our holy work."

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COMBAT! (OOC)
Encounter Map
Initiative Order: HR1, HM, ER4, Sen, HR2, Salim, ER3, Samel, Lann, Thornin, ER2, ER1

Please remember to edit your stats on the battle map to reflect stat changes, health, power point usage, etc. Also make sure to look at the terrain notes for the map as well.

[18th Avenger]

Lann cursed as Sen and Thornin burst in.

"We were s'posed to draw them out!" With his sword point leading, Lann advanced into the house, teeth grit in determination.

[Hircine]

Looking Sen up and down the woman closes the distance, believing the ranger will be easy prey. Clenching her mace tightly she tries to deliver a sidearm blow right into Sen's abdomen.

The swing is telegraphed allowing Sen to raise her javelin and block the incoming attack, much to the woman's chagrin.

"You heathens will regret getting involved in our business!", the leader snarls as he stomps across the room. Leaving the woman in the capable hands of his subordinate allows him to focus his wrath on the dwarf. Feinting left the warrior attempts to bring his sword down into Thornin's shoulder blade.

The attempted deception elicits a hearty chuckle from the veteran warrior as he parries the rather heavy handed blow with ease.

Seeking to take advantage of the already engaged Siren, the robed figure glides silently across the room, dagger poised to strike. Upon reaching Sen's position the ritualist's curved blade is thrust towards the ranger's lower back.

It seemed the ranger had eyes in the back of her head as she deftly sidestepped the incoming dagger.

Enemy Actions:

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HR1
Move: Move to J9
Standard: Attack Sen with Mace
Attack Roll: (1d20+7)[12]
Damage: (1d8+1)[9]
Effect: Shift to K8

HM
Move: Move to G9
Standard: Attack Thornin with Longsword
Attack Roll: (1d20+10)[13]
Damage: (1d10+3)[9]
Effect: Thornin is Marked

ER4
Move: Move to H9
Standard: Attack Sen with Sacrificial Dagger
Attack Roll: (1d20+6)[8]
Damage: [4]

Your move Sen!
Encounter Map
Initiative Order: HR1, HM, ER4, Sen, HR2, Salim, ER3, Samel, Lann, Thornin, ER2, ER1

[Rjanag]

Sen, Siren Ranger

Sen effortlessly knocks the woman's mace aside and weaves around the robed one's dagger. Clumsy humans, she can't help thinking. Hunting and combat always brought out the bloodlust her mother had taught her, and she felt the thrill of adrenaline coursing through her.

She shoots the woman with the mace an angry glare--the sort of look her companions never saw the otherwise cheerful siren make in normal circumstances--as if to say that she will not stop until the woman is dead. Then she thrusts a javelin at the woman. No more than an instant after the attack, she whirls around and plunges her other javelin into the robed man's chest. After the robed man crumbles to the floor, she steps back away from the woman with the mace.

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Minor: Hunter's Quarry on Human Ruffian 1 (the lady)
Standard: Twin strike vs. Human Ruffian 1 & Evil Ritualist 4
Attack (1d20+7)[12](19) vs. AC (HR1), (1d20+7)[12](19) vs. AC (ER4)
Damage (2d6)[2] to HR1 on hit, (1d6)[1] to ER4 on hit
Move: If she hits and kills ER4, she will shift back to H9.

[Hircine]

Seeing Sen's javelin coming the woman gracefully tilts her head to avoid the incoming attack. She manages to avoid a mortal wound but suffers a long cut along her right cheek. Noticing blood dripping down the side of her face she glares back at the Siren, unbridled hatred in her eyes.

The robed man is caught completely flatfooted when Sen wheels around and drives a spear into his chest. He gurgles incomprehensibly for a moment before succumbing to blood loss.

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Unfazed by the loss of one of his comrades the imposter guardsman charges towards Thornin with a howl of challenge and his mace held high. Again the stalwart dwarf fends off the clumsy assault waged against him.


Salim, you're not exactly sure what's going on but it's certain that battle has been joined. What will you do?
Encounter Map
Initiative Order: HR1, HM, Sen, HR2, Salim, ER3, Samel, Lann, Thornin, ER2, ER1

Enemy Actions:

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HR2
Move: Shift to J3
Standard: Charge Thornin
Attack Roll: (1d20+8)[12]
Damage: (1d8+1)[6]
Effect: Shift 1 square