Red Hand of Doom, 3.Pathfinder (IC)

[Calinero]

Rori raises an eyebrow appreciatively at Zax and grins.

"Nothin' wrong with a bit o' artwork," she says, kicking off her boots. Her monk's outfit was light, and worked for swimming, but she takes off her pouch and removes a small hedgehog from her pocket. Placing him inside the boot, she says sternly "Stay!"

Turning to the others, she stretches out her arms. "I'm a fair swimmer, let's see what these skeletons have got."

[Starbuck_II]

With Zax and Rori both jumping in the water, they easily remove the armor, the heavy coin pouch, and strange metal tube. The armor and tube will need identifying to see if magical. But the armor appears to be mithral breastplate at first feel by the texture and hardness. Looking inside the coin pouch appears to be 250 silver pieces and 500 copper pieces.

[Weikel]

After getting out of the water with the items, Zax shakes out his long black hair and then wrings as much water from it as he can. Laying the items out in front of him, he explains to the others, "Let me figure out if this stuff is magic real quick, then we can be on our way. I don't wanna miss out on being able to use either of these things if they happen to be useful in the rest of our journey. Plus I'd like to dry a little in the sun before I put my clothes back on." Zax begins to examine the items, saying an arcane word and waving his arms in the items direction.

Spoiler: OOC

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Detect Magic on items.
Knowledge(Arcana) checks, if necessary:
Armor:(1d20+12)[21]
Tube:(1d20+12)[26]

Spellcraft to Identify, if necessary:
Armor:(1d20+12)[17]
Tube:(1d20+12)[25]

[Athaleon]

Theron waded back out of the water. The skeletons in the water gave him the creeps, all the more so because he didn't spot them until he was almost right on top of them. He took his mind off such thoughts by inspecting the tube they had found.

Spoiler

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Knowledge (Engineering): (1d20+5)[17]

[stack]

Severan looks down. "Not a waste then. Any enchantments?"

[razorback]

Kasmel, after healing, stands back and checks his bow string, a bit of apprehension on his face, as the others check the equipment.
"This may not be the best spot to do that. Why don't we find some solid ground first?"
With that, he starts moving as soon as everyone else does.

[Starbuck_II]

Zax attempts to identify the two items before him.
Zax-- The tube appears:

Spoiler

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Magical rod. It appears to be a metamagic rod, but you can't figure out what spell it grants.
OCC: Did you know metamagic rods are all caster 17? How is anyone supposed to figure out what they are at low levels? Figured you should at least know what it is, if not what exactly.

Zax-- The armor appears:

Spoiler

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Mithral breastplate. Resists rusts. Appears be +0 nonmagical armor. But you figured out it is the cursed armor Bloodstained: it starts at +0, but when slaying a humanoid, monstrous humanoid, or magical beast, it gains for one hour a +1 enhancement to AC. Each additional slaying increases the bonus by +1 (max +3 enhancement armor bonus) and extends duration 10 minutes. When total duration is over it starts over.

Theron:

Spoiler

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It appears to be a sturdy rod. You are not sure what else it does.

Jorr asks if we can get going, the temperature is getting colder, and the swamp isn't getting less smelly.

[Weikel]

Zax begins putting his clothing back on, and donning his chain shirt, at the same time he explains what he knows about the items. After belting on his sword and stowing his daggers, Zax says to the others, "Any of you want this breastplate? Otherwise, Severan, mind putting it in that bag that you were able to shove all of the weapons from our last battle into? And if nobody else minds, I think I'm gonna try to see if I can figure out what this rod might be able to do to my spells next time we fight something. Using it might give me an idea, plus, I don't think it could have any negative effects."

Assuming no one has an issue with him taking it, Zax stows the rod in a pouch of his bag, then remounts his horse in front of Jorr.

Spoiler: Question

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Does Zax know if there might be more to the cursed breastplate? Does he think that what he figured out about it is all there is to it, or, knowing it is cursed, does he believe there might be a negative to it that he couldn't identify?

[stack]

Severan deposits the unclaimed items. "May turn out a profitable trip if nothing else. So, let us continue on then. Or guide is right."

[Athaleon]

Theron shrugged at the rod. He'd thought it might be some mechanical component, but Zax had revealed it as some mage's implement after all, after all. He waded back up to his horse and climbed on. "Saddle up, the sound of combat might have drawn someone else to this spot."

[Calinero]

Rori shakes herself off and puts back on her shoes--first removing Herman and putting him back in her pocket. [COLOR="#FFA500"Doesn't look like anything I'd be interested in,"[COLOR] she says with a nod towards the items they retrieved. "Like I always say, monks are too good at not-dying to be leaving around useful stuff." She chuckles. "But yes, let's get going. There's only so much daylight, after all."

[razorback]

Kasmel gives a Rori a smile as he moves back to his horse.
"Theron is right, we need to get moving. I'd hate to find out what is hunting that thing."

[Starbuck_II]

(as we continue up the bridge and beyond):
Looming out of the shadowy woods ahead is a haunting sight-a ruined keep. The old castle sits on a small rocky hillock, and you can catch glimpse of a broken tower between the trees. A moss-covered stone at the side of the road you're following marks a footpath that looks like it leads up to the keep.

Jorr points out, "It looks like there's some human-sized tracks and some wolf tracks along the trail. We may have lucked out. Could be the goblins. Now, we can either take this trail, about 7 minutes straight up, or if you think we should stay off it we can go up the hillside, but that'll take four times as long. *shrugs* I'm fine with whichever you wish. It just changes if we catch them before they catch us. Plus, if we take the longer route we might as well stop for a light snack as it will be supper time."

[stack]

Severan eyes up the approaches. "Anyone spot any guards? I can fly up the steep way easily enough, but that does little for the rest. We could try a two-pronged approach, but I fear splitting us in the face of a likely numerically superior force. Perhaps straight forward is best."

Spoiler: perception

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(1d20+14)[32]

[razorback]

As Severan ask, Kasmel shades his eyes from the blistering sun with his hand as he scans the area.

"Splitting the party is definitely not the way we should proceed, I would think." Turning in a circle while looking around, he considers.
"Perhaps the path less travelled, with a chance to eat, is the way to go. Although, humans and wolves... I wonder if the wolves are hunting the humans or, if goblins are involved, the humans are captives. I would hate to leave them to that kind of fate..." he trails off, mumbling to himself.

Spoiler

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Perception
(1d20+15)[32]

[Weikel]

"He didn't say human, Kasmel, he said human sized. Well anyway, whether it's goblins or not I think it might be a good idea to catch them before they get to the stronghold if at all. I'd rather fight the goblins in small groups if possible. If it is humans or some other friendly, it'd be best to catch them before they raise the alarm. If we can't catch them before they get to others, we might as well take the sneakier route." Zax eyes the tracks on the ground, trying to determine what left them if possible, then looking around the area.

Spoiler

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Perception: (1d20+3)[13]

[Athaleon]

"Four times as long, meaning half an hour? That's not bad at all. The trail will surely be watched, and what's the point of a hilltop fort if not to keep watch on the surrounding area?" Theron continued, "And we shouldn't split up, we're few enough as it is."

[R-Group]

As the band approaches the footpath, Viddor relishes the chance to take to his feet once more - practically leaping off his mount to the soft earth below. He quickly glances between their options, and waits to hear his companions' own considerations before speaking.

"Seems best ta me that we stay off the footpath. Not just 'cause it's what that keep's guards are liable to expect - it's also an easier spot for an ambush. An' that's somethin' I think we can all agree to avoid."

The Bard pauses for effect, his eyes twitching from one ally to the next. Should there be no response to the contrary, he draws his sword and begins to slink off into the woods cluttering the hillside.

Spoiler: Checkers

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Perception: (1d20+60)[75]
Stealth: (1d20+4)[15]

[stack]

"Let's take the long way then." Severan stays a few inches off the ground to avoid any twigs or other noise makers.

[Calinero]

Rori nods, stretching out her legs. "The long way is fine to me," she says, "But I say we hurry. The longer we dawdle, the more chance those goblins are going to waylay some traveler."

[Starbuck_II]

(I assume you guys chose the long way)
The old keep is in very poor repair. The gatehouse is partially collapsed, as is a section of the wall to the south. A small wooden building sits next to the remains of a long-abandoned garden in front of the structure. The walls surrounding the keep are about fifteen feet high, with a two-story tower looming in the southwest corner of the courtyard within. Large boulders lie strewn amid the ruins of the two watch towers, and a massive humanoid skeleton slumps amid the ruins of the northern one. This skeleton still wears tattered fragments of hide armor, and a large club lies next to one of it's bony arms.

Your arriving at roughly four pm. If you have a ration you should probably tick it off about now.

There is a thin plume of smoke rising from the southern section of the keep. Above, a sickly greenish-yellow light flickers inside the second floor of the ruined tower, and the faint sound of eerie moaning can be heard from within.

[stack]

"Smoke implies inhabitants. Should I go up and take a peak while you all move toward the gate?"

[Calinero]

Rori frowns, looking at both the eerie light and the smoke rising into the sky.

"Maybe it's best to wait," she says, "A flying person would be easy to spot if anyone is on watch. It will be nightfall before too long--shoudl we wait and go in under cover of darkness?"

[stack]

"I think goblins see better at night than most of us."

[razorback]

Kasmel sits cross-legged as he munches on the mostly tasteless rations, face vacant and gaze far off.
As is finishing up he hears the others speaking, bringing out of his distant thoughts. Rubbing his hands together, he takes a quick swig of water and swishes it around his mouth as he looks at the keep and its smoke.
"It is a good idea to gather more info, if possible, but you run the risk of being caught out there by yourself even if you can fly, Severan. Theron and I could move below you to give you cover if this comes up but we have then have cut our strength in half." he says atonally.

[Weikel]

"I definitely don't like the idea of splitting up. And Severan is right, I can't see in the dark, but I bet they could. If we are going to wait at all, it should be til morning, maybe watch and see how many goblins come and go. Although I honestly would prefer to not waste too much time here if possible. Do any of you think you could get close without being noticed? I'm not very good at stealth, I've always been much more straightforward in my approach to things. If one of you could get close enough to see if they have a guard posted without being seen, we would have a much better idea what we are up against."

[R-Group]

The half-orc blinks through the haze of twilight, allowing his powerful eyes to accustom themselves to the rapid dim. Able to see clear, he scrutinizes the deteriorated fort; seeking a suitable entrance.

"Aye lads, let's not wait too long right? If'n we aren't going to split, and we'd rather not wait, we should at least do something. I say we attack now while the element of surprise is ours, yeah? We rush in, bash some heads, and figure out what's next when it happens."

[stack]

Severan tries to spot any accessible gaps in the wall other than the main gate.

[Weikel]

"Leave it to Viddor to propose a plan I can get behind. Let's charge in, cause as much chaos and confusion as we can, and use it to take them out. If we do it right, they won't even know what's going on before we've caused enough damage to win the fight. Although, that does kind of depend on their numbers and how likely they think an attack. If it worked, they would be left completely helpless, but if we are too outnumbered and they are ready for it, we could be slaughtered. What other options do we have though? If we just sit here, they will eventually find us. If we are going to set off the alarm, why not on our terms by attacking?"

[Calinero]

Rori nods, starting to grin. "Charge in, and wreck as many hobgoblins as we can? Sounds like my kind of plan!"