Grey Knights IC

[Toliudar]

Mercy

As they ride cautiously forward, Mercy raises a couple magical protections...just in case.

Spoiler

Show

She's casting Entropic Shield, Fly and Freedom of Movement on herself, just in case.

[GimliFett]

Prowl

Prowl narrows his eyes further as he realizes something was truly amiss amongst the guards. The lizardfolk whispers to the ruby. "Fir, relay to Firefly. They sseem transsparent. Either illuzhon or worsse. Either way I need ta get closser for better detailss." He cautiously makes his way nearer the guards as he switches the blunt arrow out for a regular arrow.

Spoiler

Show

Have they spoken at all? Are they making any noise or speech or sound?
Hide: (1d20+21)[41]
Move Silently: (1d20+17)[22]
Quick Reconnoiter: Listen/Spot as Free Action.
Listen: (1d20+13)[18]; +2 if human.
Spot: (1d20+13)[20]; +2 if human.

[Greyen]

@Prowl

Spoiler

Show

The guards fail to notice you presence as you approach to within. As you listen you can hear their armor clanking faintly but their footsteps do not make a sound.

[wadledo]

Smokey

"Mercy, do you want this back?" Smokey offers her her ring back, being that she can use it better than he can.

The raptorian also commands the bird to perch on the top of the tower, attempting to loosen some stones and possibly send them down among the armored forces.

[Greyen]

The large hawk flies around for a moment more before landing on one of the last pieces of free standing wall, next to which a guard leans. The hawk picks at the wall a moment before a small fist sized piece of stonework falls down. It passes through the leaning guard harmlessly.

The guardsman hops up from the wall and looks up at the hawk. He then leans down to pick pu a rock and goes through the motion of picking up a rock. He is able to pick up a very solid rock and throw it at the hawk. Get outta here ya pest he yells as he misses the hawk.

Spoiler

Show

To Hit (1d20+7)[10]
Damage (1d4)[2]

[wadledo]

Smokey

Back to me now.
Smokey recalls the hawk, having to fly back to him by flying in a circle away from the group first.

Spoiler

Show

I.e. going the opposite direction and then circling back around.

[The_Snark]

Miss Murder

"Four shouldn't give us too much trouble," Miss Murder says evenly. Fortifications wouldn't be much of a barrier against the sort of magic Mercy and Smokey had. "We'll have to pass by in any case." Still, she waits as Firefly communicates with their scouts; as long as it didn't cause too much delay, a bit more information was always welcome.

[qube]

Fir

before Prowl starts comming further, the rock whispers "be carefull. if you're attacked, retreat immediately. No need to be hero: most die young"

Firefly

"Wait up people. Prowl says that the guards are translucent. He can see partly through them. Now either they are fake illusions or ... something worse ... I don't recall anything of a wizard here, but the fort, together with its defenders, was destroyed in a explosion, so its possible that those who died still feel the need to defend it somehow."

clumesly firefly gets of his horse... feels good to be back on the ground again, and he starts to tie the horse to a tree. "If we continue, I'dd rather encounter them the first time on foot. this horse of mine is a variable factor I wish to elliminate from the equasion"

((ooc: so that playing goes faster: if Prowl says something to Fir, Firefly will say it to yo guys, so you don't need to wait for my post everytime ...
who-ever invented time-zones: grrrr))

[Toliudar]

Mercy

Mercy takes back her ring from Smokey and slips it on.

Agreed. Illusions, ghosts. Remnants of the war? Regardless, unlikely to be friendly. Safer to take them out from a great distance and be done with them.

[MrScary]

"In concur." War Machine says simply. "This time, range is preferable to intimate."

[GimliFett]

Prowl

"Fir, relay to Firefly. Armor makesss ssound, but no footfallsss. Advize? Never dealt with ghosstsss before," Prowl queries.

Spoiler

Show

Is Fir relaying the info about the tower gates' destruction back to me? If so, I'll adjust my post to reflect. Whose side were these guards ON? If ours, maybe we can convince them we're on a mission, which isn't false... Ever bluff a ghost before?

[Toliudar]

Mercy

After Firefly relays Prowls comments, Mercy purses her lips.

Well, given the guard's reaction to the hawk, we can assume they're not some kind of programmed blind of an illusion, and probably not an illusion at all. If their armour clinks, either the armour isn't insubstantial, or perhaps its an affectation. Since the guard was able to manipulate an actual rock, suggests ghosts.

Spoiler

Show

Greyen, okay if Mercy knows that ghosts rejuvenate after you destroy them unless certain conditions are met? It has occurred to me that, even if we do shmuck these guys, there's a good chance that one or more of them will reform in time to be a pain for the troops coming behind us. But if Mercy doesn't know any of that, she can merrily magic missile them all to heck and assume that the job is done.

[qube]

Fir whispers

"Firefly hasn't encountered ghosts yet either. Most likely these guys died here some when the gate was destroyed and are now stuck between here and the afterlife. Perhaps Smokey or Mercy knows more."

Firefly

Smokeys a cleric right? doens't he know more about the walkind dead? I never encountered undead, so I don't know much about them. ... if we attack them, I suggest first ranged attack, since we currently have no idea of their power. if it doesn't succeed, or we get cornered, we can go into mellee and see what works then ... as the dromite double checks if the horse it bound tightly to the tree

((OOC, for reverse communications: Fir gives the impotant headlines to Prowl ... only those since he doesn't want to make much noise ...))

[The_Snark]

Miss Murder

"Ask Prowl if he can tell whether their armor bears any insignia," Miss Murder directs Firefly. "If they're still trying to perform their duties, they may let supposed allies pass through."

[qube]

Fir

"what can you tell from their armor and insignia?"

Firefly

"I'm guessing we should go there to take a look ... We need to be carefull either way. If they act hostile, we'll attack either way. If they don't we'll probably won't attack ... all we need to know is how they act.

I suggest we first let ourselves be seen from affar, then close in calmly. If they act hostile while we're far, we still can missle'm down. If they start acting hostile if we approuch we can still either retreat or fight our way through.

If they let us pass, we can just return for the horses ... unless someone wants to take my horse with them off course."

hmmm ... battle with the incorporeal might be a tadd difficult.

[Greyen]

On their chests is a whitish tabard with a Yellow Shield with 3 black lines crossing it diagonally. Those who make a Knowledge history or Knowedge Nobility DC 15 will identify that as a lesser noble house known for valor and fidelity that has fallen, the Baronny of Shinrove. They were the local lords until Carcienne swept through here originally.

[qube]

I'm guessing Prowl says it to Fir, Fir says it to firefly. who notifies the party. (anyone with knowledge(nobility), go right ahead ...). If anyone is successfull, Firefly will notify Fir, who will notify Prowl

[Greyen]

The five of you ride or walk into visible distance of the ruined gateway. (Read description above for deatial or refer to the map.) As you come around the bend in the road it rises before you at about 600 feet away. The tiny figures of the ghostly guardsmen are barely visible at this distance. They see the group of you and stiffen into a more watchful stance, not hostile just alert. They watch as you approach.

Prowl you can see that they solidify slightly as the others come into view.

[MrScary]

Leading the group, War Machine sees the men stiffen.

"Hail, Defenders of the pass. We travelers hope this day finds you well, and seek safe passage through your lands."

Diplomacy - (1d20)[18]

[Greyen]

One of the guardsmen calls back "Come forward to be examined. There is a war on you know."

[Greyen]

One of the guardsmen calls back "Come forward to be examined. There is a war on you know."

[Toliudar]

Mercy

Mercy speaks softly to her companions first.

Can we hold position here a moment?

She reins in, then raises her voice to carry the distance to the guardsmen.

Hail. We are pleased to inform you that the war is over. This is all now sovereign land of the Carcienne!

[Greyen]

The four of them look at each other confused for a moment before on eof them calls down "What!? We were given orders to guard this place only yesterday!"

As he says yesterday an image of the gatehouses in their original very defensible condition wavers across everyone's view before fading once again. The gatehouses haven't been in that shape for a long time, their fallen stones are grown over with ivy and moss.

[qube]

Firefly

Not being the best diplomat, firefly chooses his words carefully, as he doesn't like to lie ...

"But yesterday, we delivered the final blow to the enemy army! Has the news not reached you yet? The war is over. We won"

Bishop to E4 ... check ... lets see how you react to that.

((note: since firefly doesn't know on who's side the guards are, but 'we won' is correct, since we means a group the person speaking is member of ... ))

[Greyen]

The guardsmen gather together and begin discussing something. They are somewhat excited in their conversation. After a moment one of them steps away from the group and calls to the Greys "How do we know you ain't trying to trick us? Its our duty to guard this pass from invaders. Until you come forward and prove that you are truthful and carry some authoriy we cannot let you pass."

[qube]

Firefly

hmmm ... trying to defend by luring out my king?

They'll most likely identify us as Grey's as they know of the grey knights, thanks to our bracelets ... quite troublesome ... if they do they'll probably attack us, no mather what we

"We are part of a mercenary group. Now that our contract is over, we have no longer allience to any of the war parties."

Firefly takes a piece of cloth and blows his nose ... nostels ... well you get the idea. as he's done he finishes he wispers (while the cloth is still in front of his mouth)

"They might attack if they recognize us as Grey ... our bracelets... either we go up to them and take the chance, front liners first ... or missle them down from a distance to be sure"

Fir @prowl

"Firefly thinks there will be: these guys most likely will see us as enemies when they identify us as Greys... Prepare yourself ... "

[MrScary]

"Invaders? You haven't been tipping a few tankards, have you good sir?" he bellows out with jestful laughter. "A small group such as this is no invading force! Surely you are pulling my beard!"

War Machine says waving his arm to the three group members behind him, nudging his horse forward about ten feet before stopping it.

"If you believe that *five of us could, or even would, invade your lands, then you must think us gods!" he laughs heartily.

"No, good sirs, my friend does speak the truth. We are mercenaries, and our contract has ended for the war has ended. The last surrender came just before sundown yesterday."

He shrugs his broad plated shoulders. "I have no other proof to offer you, save for what your own eyes and hearts tell you. Ask yourselves if we would be traveling about like this with such a small group if the war were not over? Do you not recall the days when venturing forth with anything less than twenty strong swords at your back would be certain death? I certainly do." he shakes his head ruefully. Those were dangerous times indeed. he recalls. A lot of good men fell prey to ambushes.

"But there is peace now, my friends, I swear to you by all the gods there is peace." he intones, lifting his plated right hand toward the sky. "I for one plan to retire near Crosstown. This hammer has grown heavy, and it's wielder weary. It would feel good to pound metal as a smith than to pound flesh as a fighter."

"With the war over and your land safe from invasion, you've no need to guard this sturdy gate. You and it have done your task. Your lord would understand this, would he not? Would he not wish more than anything for his people to return to farming and family raising, instead of fighting and dying?"

[Greyen]

The guards seem to confer and waver between them selves. After a moment one of them looks to you and says thank you as they all fade away.

After another minute or so as you stand there the final remnants of the tower seems to crumble too. The one standing rusting iron Gate hits the earth with a thump, raising a cloud of dust. The stones settle and the pass stands open again.

[Toliudar]

Mercy

After a moment of silence, Mercy rides forward to War Machine, and clanks him stoutly on the shoulder in praise.

That was...fantastic work. If you're not careful, we're going to have start calling you Peace Machine.

Grinning, she turns back to Firefly.

Prowl and Fir might want to take a closer look before we ride further forward, but I'd say we're about ready to move on.

[qube]

Firefly

with a smile the thinks 'knight to F6. check mate'. He manifests a small wooden king figure, and then throws it behind his back, where it dissolves into nothingness...

Firefly relais the message as he goes to get his horse back.

(If nothing else happens, he walks with his horse back to the party, and mounts it (this time clumsly, but solo), and then is ready to go ...)