Fear and Loathing in the Greenbelt (IC Thread III)

[Chained Birds]

Maple

"I could always just walk into the keep solo and see what's up. Although Doggy Alistar would also be helpful, seeing as he is our Warden and everything. Anyways, I'd rather we talk things out with these guys first, rather than shoot them without giving them a chance.
Remember, like when we first started our quest?"

Maple has yet to draw her weapon.

[SamBurke]

Fermor lays a hand on her, and imbues the girl with as much power as he can. "If ye be going, dun take tha magicks, lassie."

Spoiler

Show

You have +5 to a single Charisma check, chosen in the next hour.

[Sithis]

Alistar

"I tend to agree, Maple. Let's at least give 'em a chance to talk things out first. Who knows, maybe they'll be semi reasonable."

"But if you hear me howl, the rest of you better come runnin'."

Spoiler

Show

Would I be correct in assuming my Hunter's Howl would be audible from a fair way away?

[stack]

"Talk first, but we all stay together."

[Chained Birds]

Maple

"I can not agree with that Onearm Johan. It is bad enough that two of us are going in to talk things through. If everyone goes in, it'll appear we are only truly there to fight."

Maple stretches her hand up to Johan's shoulder.

"Trust in us. If things go wrong, we know you guys will be right outside for us."

She then signals to Alistar.

"Let's head in."

[Steckie]

Roqoan

"Sure, leave the only experienced diplomat outside...." Roqoan mumbles to himself, but he doesn't stop Maple and Alistar.
If these are the evil fae, even he would most likely not be able to make a deal with them. There's probably going to be fighting and he doesn't want to be the one trapped inside when it starts.

[stack]

Johan pushes her hand aside. "We are outnumbered against a foe we cannot see. We stay together. And Roquan is our diplomat."

[Morbis Meh]

Brin is slowly losing her patience, they've stood around long enough while whatever is out there watched. She now understood why there was such a high rate of alcoholism among adventurers. "No splitting, always a bad idea, you forget you are dealing with creatures of old magicks, they could simply silence you and the rest of would have no idea you're being butchered. So lets either move on or leave I am tired of standing around while you have these meaningless arguements."

[Lost Demiurge]

And so, the group proceeds through the archway. It's certainly wide enough for everyone to move through with ease.

Up until the point that Maple's foot hits a rope, concealed among some weeds.

GCHAK-CHUNKCHUNKCHUNK...

As the rusty portcullis, suspended high above the arch, crashes to spear itself into the ground below!

REFLEX DC 20

Spoiler

Show

Fail, and take (6d6)[25] damage. Succeed and take none

[Sithis]

Alistar

Alistar manages to hear the portcullis dropping and throws himself forward, out of the way.

As he recovers he pulls out both his swords, watching the way forward. "Everybody okay?"

Spoiler

Show

PERCEPTION. ALL THE PERCEPTION
(1d20+16)[22]

[Morbis Meh]

Brin also spots the portcullis but is a little too slow and has the rusty metal pierce her flesh, hitting a majory artery in her back.

[Chained Birds]

Maple

Maple removes a large piece of metal sticking through her body.

"It would have been better if only Doggy Alistar and I walked through first. Either way, the damage I have received is minor at best."

Maple proceeds to heal her wound before it become too noticeable.

Spoiler

Show

Lay on Hands: (7/8)
- (3d6+2)[14]

[Steckie]

Roqoan

Roqoan has Always been bad at looking at his environment. That's why he's a crappy explorer.
And what makes him more of a crappy explorer is the fact that he didn't hear the giant portcullis crash down on him. Or that he isn't fast enough to duck out of the way.

He's lying on the ground face down. He must have missed the last 5 seconds because he doesn't remember falling. His chin and wrists are a bit sore, but he seems to be fine.
But when he tries to stand up, there's some sort of tug on his leg and he falls on his chin again. He looks at his leg and notices one of the spikes of the portcullis sticking through his thigh!
That's when the pain starts kicking in.

Alistar is asking if everybody's alright.
Roqoan wants to ask him for help, but that's about the time he spots Brin and the blood flowing out of her back. But she ducks away from the gate and out of his sight. And with his leg stuck under the portcullis he can't turn to keep her in his sight.
"Not alright, Alistar. I'm stuck. Can't see Brin, is she alright? There was blood on her! Is she alright?"

Spoiler

Show

HP: 3/28

[SamBurke]

Fermor grunts as the portcullis stabs through his armor. He grunts, but manages to stab his axe into the ground. "Glory... Glory.. Glory..." He mutters, half crazed and thrashing wildly to get the steel out of his back. Still, the muttering is enough to activate his holy symbol, and the axe novas with a moment of golden healing.

Spoiler

Show

(3d6)[10] healing for everyone.

[stack]

Johan too gets hit by the peculiarly deep portcullis.

[Sithis]

Alistar

Alistar glances back when Roquan speaks to him, and his eyes widen. "Oh, hell's bells." He quickly shethes his swords again before turning back to help.

"Everybody's gonna be okay Roquan. I need you all to stay calm here. Now, I'm gonna try to lift this thing up so that you guys can get out from under it."

"Not gonna lie, this is probably gonna hurt."

Spoiler

Show

Strength check to try to lift the portcullis so that everybody can get un-pinned by it. This is probably going to fail miserably.

Strength: (1d20+5)[21]

[Lost Demiurge]

Alistar lifts the portcullis up a few feet... Enough for the pinned people to get loose.

Fermor's healing closes the wounds a bit, but people seem to still be hurting.

And from somewhere within the empty courtyard, there's laughter on the wind...

Now that you're in the courtyard, a graceful tower rises in the center of it, now overgrown with bushes, undergrowth, and several sizeable trees. Like the outer walls, the tower is draped in vines and creepers, and several small plants have taken up residence on ledges and in cracks along its sides.

There are four smaller round watchtowers along the walls, with mostly intact doors still upon them. The central tower has no doors, archways to the north and south open and showing darkness within. The central tower looks to be two stories high.

Huh, the southern wall has a large gap in it where part of the wall has collapsed.

[stack]

"Well, I'm sure they can hear us. Roquan, Maple, start talking."

[Steckie]

Roqoan

"As if that's going to help us, they've dropped a portcullis on us and laughed about it....
But very well, i'll do my best.
Fermor, a bit more healing would be nice if you can. My leg is killing me."

Roqoan steps forward limping. He doesn't feel like he's walking slower than before but it still hurts like hell. He casts a comprehend languages spell on himself, in case they answer in a language he doesn't speak.
"Hello there inhabitants of this castle.
My name is Roqoan. Me and my friends here are about half the ruling council of the Greenbelt Commonwealth. We're here to speak to you and discuss friendship between both our group and perhaps even an Alliance in the future.
Could you perhaps send one or a few people outside that have the authority to negotiate something like that. It'd be nice to talk to somebody face to face.

If you don't wish to discuss something like that, we'd still like to talk and meet the neighbours.
We're also very interested in the history of this castle as well, if you know anything about that."

Spoiler

Show

Diplomacy: (1d20+12)[26]
HP: 13/28

[SamBurke]

Spoiler

Show

Do you want us to Aid Another, Steckie?

Fermor nods, and channels another burst quickly. "Do ye think tha' tha fey had somethin' ta do with tha gate?"

Spoiler

Show

(3d6)[7]

[Chained Birds]

Maple

"We can't assume anything, as the gate could have been their trap for some time, and we were the only creatures dumb enough to miss the obvious signs. Which explains the laughter.
While I don't agree with their humor, I do understand their dark comedy somewhat."

Maple will add to Roquan's address.

"Nice trap. We could be able to work things out with you guys creating similar defenses for us or something. There is no reason for today to end foully."

Spoiler

Show

Aid Another (Diplomacy): (1d20+11)[15]

[Lost Demiurge]

There is no reply.

[Chained Birds]

Maple

She steps up behind Roquan to whisper something to him,

"Should I try advancing to trigger any other traps? I doubt we'll actually find them without walking straight into them, and I have the highest survival with Fermor backing me up here."

[Morbis Meh]

Brin shrugs "Go for it Maple, these things aren't here to talk so lead the way... we just need some way to detect them since they will be invisible."

[Chained Birds]

Maple

Maple will use her detection first, then walk forward if nothing is detected.

[Lost Demiurge]

Maple walks forward. She doesn't seem to encounter any traps in her area.

The central tower remains, as do the four guard towers on the wall, each between a compass point. (NW, SW, NE, SE...)

Which direction would Maple like to saunter towards?

[stack]

"I'm beginning to wonder if we should just return once we are better equipped to deal with invisible foes."

[Chained Birds]

Maple

"We are kind of closed off due to that trap from earlier. There is also no telling if they will attack us while trying to lift the thing, or when someone tries going through it while we are lifting it up... Might be best to deal with things now and we may find a better exit."

Maple ventures to the Middle Tower.

[Lost Demiurge]

And so Maple walks alone into the central tower of the keep.

MAPLE

Spoiler

Show

This wide chamber has an impressive vaulted ceiling. Though obscured in places by earth and undergrowth, the hall's floor is crafted of smooth stone tiles in multicolored pastel hues. The walls of the chamber are decorated with faded frescoes of sylvan life, showing scenes of beautiful elves engaged in hunting, feasting, dancing, singing, and a bewildering variety of other idyllic pursuits. To the west, a graceful, filigreed stone staircase, garlanded with flowering vines, climbs to the level above.

The courtyard remains still and quiet, though somewhere on the other side of the tower, a rock skitters against the cobbles.

[Chained Birds]

Maple

Spoiler

Show

Maple Advances further.