DrK Way of Wicked Take 2 IC

[Gyrfalcon]

The dragon turns his head as he contemplates the question. "The walls are thick, and they barely heard the fighting. But how quickly can you break a veteran like him? I think we can better kill the messenger birds, slaughter the garrison and then make our way to the tower."

[Farmerbink]

Stvari spends only a few heartbeats pondering Dahaki/Anton's words before nodding resolutely. He turns back to the sleeping guardsman and spends another moment using the magical circlet to fashion the man's own likeness over his face. With a sudden slap, he wakes the stunned man, and gives him just long enough to find his bonds secure and his own face standing over him.

With a wicked smirk, Stvari loosens his razor-sharp chain and lets the man gain a moment of terrifying awareness before putting him out of his misery. "Shame we don't have time to do it all right," he mutters wryly to Anton. "But you've got the right of it. Let's move on."

As Oghash prepares to lead into the hallway, Stvari casts a simple curative spell on himself.

Spoiler: Stvari, post combat

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Stvari Inhibiraj
Male LE Dwarf Monk (MM)//Cleric, Level 3, Init 2, HP 17/25, Speed 30
AC 16, Touch 16, Flat-footed 14, CMD 22, Fort 6, Ref 6, Will 9, CMB +7, Base Attack Bonus 2
Unarmed Strike +6 (1d6+4, x2)
(trip friendly) Spiked chain +6 (+9 for trip attempt) (2d4+4, x2)
Flurry of Trip/dirty trick +7/+7 (-, )
(+2 Dex, +4 Natural)
Abilities Str 18, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 16, Wis 20, Cha 6
Condition Hardy, Stability, Dimdweller, Shadowhunter
Evasion, +2 saves vs fear
Ki pool: 1/1
Stunning fist: 3/3
Maneuver defense: gain AoOs for dirty trick and trip, even when usually not
Destructive Smite: 6/7
Touch of Darkness 7/7
Cleric spells (see sheet)

CLW: (1d8+3)[9] (added to net of +8 = 17 hp moving on.

[DarkOne-Rob]

Oghash ("Fiendclaw" in Orcish) Female Chaotic Evil Half-Orc Bloodrager/Oracle, Level 3, Init 3, HP 34+9/34+9, Speed 30 ft. (40 ft. base) AC 17, Touch 9, Flat-footed 16, CMD 18, Fort 12, Ref 6, Will 9, CMB +9, Base Attack Bonus 3 Reaver's Ax (+1 Greataxe, additional +1 vs Lawful) +9 (1d12+13, 20/x3) Chainmail +2, Heavy Steel Shield (+8 Armor, +1 Dex, -2 Misc) Abilities Str 23, Dex 12, Con 21, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 12 Condition Bloodrage (2/10 Rounds Used Today) Power Attack Ghoul Curse Benefit (cannibalized within 24 hours) (+1 Morale to all saves)

Apparently convinced the guard won't be sounding the alarm, Oghash looks back at the others. "Let's kill him - the dead are quieter. I'll take dead Captain's face. We go out there, kill him alone, or lock the door if he's not." she says as she concentrates and makes her appearance that of the recently dead captain.

Spoiler: OoC

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If the guard is on a solo watch, we murder him during the surprise round. If he's got buddies, we "check on them" and then return here to lock the door and head upstairs.

[Gyrfalcon]

While the dwarf sees to his own wounds, the summoner pulls forth two more scrolls and casts their contents on himself, healing the worst of the wounds they took. While the others prepare, he moves to the golem and casts Jolt on it, the most powerful of the cantrip's lightning sparks healing heal its wounds.

Spoiler: OOC

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Anton casts Infernal Healing on himself (+10 HP) and Lesser Rejuvenate Eidolon CL3 on Dahaki from scrolls.

Lesser Rejuvenate Eidolon - (1d10+3)[7]

Afterwards, he casts Jolt on the Flesh Golem every turn until we're ready. 1/3rd of the time, he deals 3 Electricity damage, which causes the Golem to heal 1 HP.

[DrK]

The guard is killed, various healing spells are cast upon the party as wounds knit together after the surprisingly tough fight from the old Captain who had proved tougher than potentially the Ninth knot had expected. It doesn't tale long for Oghash to study the old man's face before her form shimmers, the iron circlet upon her head flickering slightly as it effects the change. Once done Oghash approaches the door that the fleeing guard had been approaching.

Pushing open the door opens up into a vast vaulted passageway (8), some 20ft wide and 150ft from end to end its the main artery through which traffic flows. Huge buttresses stand every 20ft down the walls, each carved by long dead masons to represent soldiers standing to attention, although over the years they have become worn and many bear graffiti or names carved into their stone robes. Attached to each buttress are merrily burning lanterns to shed light the full length of the corridor and illuminate the height of the 30ft arch. To the left (8A) a stout pair of gates stands closed, but not barred and from the mud and cart grooves you know that this is the gates to the Aldencross Road. To the right (8B) is a thicker pair of gates, bound with iron an these ones also barred and you realise these are the gates to the bridge over the ravine (although the upper levels can also access the bridge ramparts). Various doors lead off the passageway, as from your interrogations you are aware that further down the corridor on your southern side (11-13) lie the kitchens, stores and mess hall whilst on the northern side (9, 14-17) lie the main barracks for the men and also the quarters for the initiates of the Temple and the Holy Father.

As the door opens Oghahs can see three tower servants in plain brown robes busy with mops and brooms cleaning the passage along with ~8 guards, 4 clustered at the end of each of the corridors by the double doors. The closest at the eastern door snap to attention from where they had been slouched against the wall, the eldest of them, a middle aged woman with a shock of red hair and vivid green eyes offering a salute. "All quiet here sir. Same as always,"

[DarkOne-Rob]

Oghash ("Fiendclaw" in Orcish) Female Chaotic Evil Half-Orc Bloodrager/Oracle, Level 3, Init 3, HP 34+9/34+9, Speed 30 ft. (40 ft. base) AC 17, Touch 9, Flat-footed 16, CMD 18, Fort 12, Ref 6, Will 9, CMB +9, Base Attack Bonus 3 Reaver's Ax (+1 Greataxe, additional +1 vs Lawful) +9 (1d12+13, 20/x3) Chainmail +2, Heavy Steel Shield (+8 Armor, +1 Dex, -2 Misc) Abilities Str 23, Dex 12, Con 21, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 12 Condition Bloodrage (2/10 Rounds Used Today) Power Attack Ghoul Curse Benefit (cannibalized within 24 hours) (+1 Morale to all saves)

Oghash, wearing the late-Captain's face, nods and walks slowly and calmly down the hallway to the far side, as if routinely meandering about. At the far end of the hall she nods at the guards there and turns back, walking steadily back to the door from which she entered the large hallway. As she approaches the gateway to the bridge she rumbles, "Let me past - I want a breath of fresher air." In her guise as the Captain she waits a moment as the guards open the gate and let her through.

Once outside she stops and stands there for several long moments, breathing in the night air and making an effort to calm herself after the brief battle. She squints into the darkness across the water once before shrugging and turning back inside. "Rest easy tonight and leave me to sleep," she orders, trying to sound tired and confident before she returns to the late-Captain's chambers and her allies, closing and locking the heavy wooden door behind her. Once inside she lets her disguise fall away again.

"They don't know we are here! The hall is too big to sneak past the eight guards, though." Oghash's stomach audibly "I'm hungry, but we should lock the door and kill those asleep upstairs. Let the golem kill down here when the alarm is sounded. To the stairs!" she says with enthusiasm, confident in her assessment and the tactics she's described.

Spoiler: OoC

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Lock the door, leave the golem to guard it, and start upstairs? I think we should first climb to the top of the tower and kill the raven-master, followed by entering the keep itself. Any arguments?

[Gyrfalcon]

Dahaki nods their head and makes for the upper floors. Silencing as many of the defenders as possible before being forced into open combat strikes them as the wisest course. "Once we are done with those above, we can perhaps use a Silence spell and strike the furthest targets. We want to preserve the element of surprise as long as we can."

[DrK]

Leaving the golem by the dead captain's chambers the party of evil creep back into the tower store room and slowly mount the spiral stairs upwards, pausing as they get eye level with the floor of the next chamber. Oghash's gleaming eyes piercing the darkness. This large circular chamber is the second level of the tower. This open room is where the banners and honors of the garrison are kept. Six large flags hang on the wall displaying the regimental banner, Lord Thomas Havelyn's house sigil of a rampant griffin atop the Mitran sun and other battle honours you assume must be from previous regiments.... A door leads from the tower back into the keep and the stairs keep spiralling upwards.

The next level is a key archer’s strongpoint. Arrow slits adorn its entire outer wall. Wooden racks contain the watchtower’s store of arrows. Four thousand normal arrows neatly sorted into a 200 quivers of 20 arrows each hang on these racks along with near enough two dozen longbows. Two sconces on the walls light the chamber and looking out from the window slits you can see the long stone bridge running between ramparts over the gorge to the gatehouse on the far side. Atop the gatehouse on the far side the shadows of a pair of catapults and ballista can be seen lit by lanterns carried by the men guarding that gate.

More stairs continue to spiral upwards, this time ending in a tiny chamber some 8ft square that has a stout door where someone has hung a sign that reds in crude writings "Rookery - Martin ony"

[DarkOne-Rob]

Oghash ("Fiendclaw" in Orcish) Female Chaotic Evil Half-Orc Bloodrager/Oracle, Level 3, Init 3, HP 34+9/17+9, Speed 30 ft. (40 ft. base) Reaver's Ax (+1 Greataxe, additional +1 vs Lawful) +10 (1d12+14, 20/x3) Claws +9 (1d6+9, 20/x2) Battleaxe +9 (1d8+9, 20/x3) Chainmail +2 (+8 Armor, +1 Dex, -2 Rage) Abilities Str 25, Dex 12, Con 21, Int 8, Wis 10, Cha 12 Condition Bloodrage (2/10 Rounds Used Today) Power Attack Ghoul Curse Benefit (cannibalized within 24 hours) (+1 Morale to all saves)

As she climbs the stairs, Oghash looks at the piles of arrows, the siege weapons, and other defensive structures with undisguised hatred. "We can't let these Mitrans use these against the Sakkarot's army. They all must die..." she says quietly to her companions.

At the top of the stairs the monstrous woman looks at the note and tries to read it. "Martin ony? Is that his name?" she asks in a whisper. "Bust in, kill him? Anything more?"

Spoiler: Loot

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Oghash took the Gauntlets of Ogre Strength +2 andSash of the War Champion. The stats are included above.

[Farmerbink]

Stvari only sniffs at the stockpile and Oghash's response. "Don't fret overmuch. When we let Sakkarot and his brutes in, they'll be plenty happy to put these to better use." He smiles grimly in the dark at the thought, prowling past the armory on near-silent feet.

Eying the door warily, the Dwarf nods at his bloodthirsty companion. Whispering through the magical conduit¹, he murmurs, "Let's see if I can sneak in. Hopefully he's asleep."

He hushes his allies with a gesture, and listens carefully at the door.

Spoiler: OOC, 1

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I'm assuming we're using Message, because it's insane to not be.

(1d20+11)[21] perception to see what's going on behind the door?
(1d20+10)[11] stealth to open it quietly, assuming he hears nothing immediately concerning.


Given the OOC suggestions, I'll go ahead and cast silence before attempting to open the door.

[Gyrfalcon]

Dahaki follows the dwarf through the door to provide support if needed.

Spoiler: OOC

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Stealth - (1d20+5)[25]