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Post by Pr0l0t0r on May 12, 2020 9:19:18 GMT -8
Ironwood "Iro" of the Cragpine Vale -- Kagonesti Lorekeeper (Circle of the Land [Mountain] - Druid) 2 AC: 13 | HP: 13/13 | Passive Perception: 13 | Conditions: Inspiration | Spell Slots: Level 1 (0/3) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Kagonesti bows to Lord Nighthill with his lone hand over his face. I bring greetings from the the Cragpine Vale, Lord of Greenest. We are few in number and so I am all that has been sent; we remember the ancient pacts 'tween humans and elf against the dragons. Zivilyn showed me the ruin that they would once again bring to Krynn but I was too late to stop it here. Still, together we can push back this darkness and spare further innocent slaughter.
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Post by Daos on May 12, 2020 13:55:21 GMT -8
"Many have built small shelters into their basements, in case of raids," Nighthill answers. "Hopefully that will save many of them. These raiders, as I said, seem more interested in loot than people. There is also the temple to Habbakuk. It is the tallest and strongest building in the town, aside from this keep."
"Ser Frume, you say?" Nighthill asks. "I know him. He is a fellow Knight of the Rose. He is a good man. It speaks well of you if he chose you to be his squire."
Nighthill nods. "Ah, so she has a name. Yes, I suspected she was the ringleader. I saw her with my spyglass shortly after you arrived, a large spawn at her side, and a score of well-armed soldiers protecting her." He shakes his head. "Back in my day, the Knights of Takhisis at least had some semblance of honor among them. Now they are apparently nothing more than thieves and raiders."
Nighthill frowns. "I pray you are wrong, and the gods have not forsaken us just yet. Perhaps it was no coincidence that your group just happened to show up when they did."
As the group speaks, Caelin looks out in the general direction Nighthill had just been looking. Without the use of a spyglass, it's difficult to say for sure what he may have been looking at. The only thing of note in that particular direction--to the southeast--is the aforementioned temple. As far as Nighthill's motives, he appears genuine in his concern for the town and its people. If he is hiding some secret agenda, he is hiding it very well.
After Conard, Caelin, Zakkoth, Iro and Garald have agreed to help, Brina steps forward, too. She had previously been hiding herself in the back of the group, and even now looks rather nervous. "I, uh, I don't know how much I can do, but I'll do whatever I can to help," she offers.
The old knight frowns a bit, but eventually nods. "Of course, I understand. If it's coin you require, I can arrange to pay you when this is all said and done. I have a small amount I've saved up for retirement. Will two hundred and fifty steel be enough to satisfy your needs?" he asks, a bit of coolness in his voice.
To the others, he offers his gratitude for stepping up. "I, and the people of Greenest appreciate it," he says.
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Post by HorizonsDream on May 12, 2020 14:32:08 GMT -8
"Much like the rest, I will do what I can to help," Eliana says to Lord Nighthill with a bow of her head. The idea of going back out there is a little on the terrifying side, but she wants to help.
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Post by PallentisLunam on May 13, 2020 1:18:02 GMT -8
"What would you have us do, Lord?" Conard asks, rising and casting his frostiest glare towards Caelin and Perceval.
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Post by Yuki.N> on May 13, 2020 7:34:06 GMT -8
Perceval Lenos, Paladin of the LegionAC: 17 | HP: 18/18 | Hit Dice: 1/2 | Lay on Hands: 9/10 | Passive Perception: 15 Spell Slots: 2/2 Conditions: None.Perceval nods, seemingly satisfied with the offer and pointedly ignoring the antagonism from Conard. "Sounds reasonable. A promise was all that I required, the details of remuneration we can discuss afterwards. What we have need of now though is equipment; some of us have lost our gear in the fires tonight."
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Post by Daos on May 13, 2020 15:17:19 GMT -8
Nighthill gestures to the dwarf. "Escobert here can take you to the armory. And he can fill you in on the details. May the gods watch over you." He then turns back to the horizon.
"This way," Escobert says. He leads the party back into the keep, and takes them to a small armory. It looks like it has mostly been picked clean, so the pickings are slim. There are three long swords, four short swords, two spears, a medium shield, two suits of leather armor, half a dozen daggers, and a single light crossbow with a score of bolts to go with it.
As the party looks through the equipment, Escobert says, "As it stands now, we're acting defensively. I'd love for us to go on the offensive, but we're basically fumbling in the dark. We need more information. We don't know how many the invaders are, and we can only make guesses at what they want. For now, our biggest concern is the temple. The raiders have it surrounded and seem to be trying to break in. We need to somehow get to those people inside and bring them to the keep before the raiders break in...or just burn the place to the ground. Unfortunately, by the time we'll be able to raise a proper war party to go after them, it will likely be too late. Hence, you all. Think you're up to it?" he asks.
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Post by Zero Prime on May 13, 2020 16:57:50 GMT -8
Caelin Valaerys, pariah of TarkhisisHP: 18 of 18 | AC: 15 | Perception: 15 | Insight: 17 | Inspiration: 0 Conditions: None.Caelin deftly drew several daggers, testing them for weight and balance before choosing three and securing them on his person. He thought of the situation, the raiders, the cultists, the last refuge of the villagers. Somehow they would need to break through a ring of armed raiders, human, dragonwrought and, likely, Baaz, then secure those inside and lead them back to the keep, while avoiding patrols who would be on alert for an armed force. Caelin looked to Escobert, his brow furrowed, "Did we pass the kitchens on the way here? A crust of bread would help settle my stomach before going back out there," he hoped he could find lard and soot there, black his blades and his face. "I am sure your cousin, the Lady Lilly, recognized the safety of the church and made her way there in the chaos."
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Post by PallentisLunam on May 13, 2020 18:30:54 GMT -8
Conard Marpique, 2nd lvl Ranger AC: 17 | HP's: 18 of 18 | Passive Perception: 10 | Natural Explorer: Grasslands | Favored Enemy: Dragons | Position of Privilege Conditions: None.
Conard picks up a spear, sighting down the shaft to ensure it will fly true. "We will take the fight to the pillagers," he says twirling the weapon in his fingers before tapping the butt of the spear on the floor in a perfunctory manner. Turning to Escobert, Conard begins formulating a strategy for the counter stroke. "Tell me more about this secret way out of the keep, and everything you know about the layout of the temple to Habbukuk: windows, doorways, grounds, the priests' quarters, anything that might give us an edge in getting the people of Greenest to safety."
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Post by HorizonsDream on May 13, 2020 19:34:48 GMT -8
Eliana doesn't need anything from the armory, so she simply waits for the others as she listens to Escobert. "Well, if this place has a secret exit, maybe the church does too?" she asks.
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Post by Daos on May 13, 2020 21:20:20 GMT -8
"Did you not get any of the food we put out for everyone in the basement?" Escobert asks. "Well, I'll see about sending someone to fetch something for you, if that's the case."
"Niece," the dwarf corrects. "And I pray you are right."
"There's a tunnel that runs from the cellar to the bank of the stream south of here," Escobert explains. "The tunnel is sealed with a locked ironbound door on the keep's side, and covered with a locked iron grate on the other end, to disguise it as a sewer outlet. It was originally built in case of a siege, to collect water...but it can work just as well as a sally port. I've got the keys here," he offers them to whoever takes them. "But I should warn you, the keep has never been besieged before, so the tunnel has never been used. Might be pretty nasty in there, so be on guard."
He continues, "As for the temple, it's a large building made of fieldstone with a peaked slate roof and square in shape. The altar occupies the middle of the temple, with other worship areas arranged around it. The main entrance are the front gates. There's also a smaller back entrance, used by the priests. There are a few stained glass windows, but I assume the folks inside have already boarded them up; otherwise, the invaders would have broken in through them easily by now."
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Post by HorizonsDream on May 13, 2020 21:25:07 GMT -8
"It sounds like getting into the church is going to be tricky," Eliana says with a small sigh. There is a lot of unknowns that makes Eliana nervous. If there aren't too many people attacking the church, then they could take them out and then save the people. Either way, they are not going to know anything until they get there.
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Post by PallentisLunam on May 13, 2020 23:17:48 GMT -8
Conard Marpique, 2nd lvl RangerAC: 17 | HP's: 18 of 18 | Passive Perception: 10 | Natural Explorer: Grasslands | Favored Enemy: Dragons | Position of Privilege Conditions: None. Conard shrugs out of his traveling pack and places it in an unobtrusive corner of the armory. Pulling the coil of rope from its loop, he wraps it around himself while asking, "How many men can you spare to await our return? We may well be pursued and it would be a great help to have even a few on stand-by to unlock the gate and direct civilians deeper into the keep, or even to come forth and drive the foe back long enough to retreat." At Caelin's odd request for food, Conard flips open the top flap of his pack and digs out a small, cloth-wrapped bundle and brusquely tosses it at rogue. "Here. Eat that, and stop causing trouble." Then the young squire steps over to Escobert and takes the keys to the hidden exit. "If your niece lives, we will do everything we can to bring her here safely," he says in a quiet solemn tone. {OoC} I mean rogue in the sense of "scoundrel" not the class. Also, passing Caelin 1 trail ration.
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Post by Zero Prime on May 14, 2020 2:39:28 GMT -8
Caelin Valaerys, pariah of TarkhisisHP: 18 of 18 | AC: 15 | Perception: 15 | Insight: 17 | Inspiration: 0 Conditions: None.Caelin's eyes shot venom at the young man at the insult, hurt at the words, a feeling of betrayal. "I am sorry I have been nothing but a hinderence to this endeavor, and apologize for any trouble I may have caused," he hissed. He then turned to Escobert, "Allow me to speak plainly then, I require lard & soot so we can conceal ourselves without fear that our arms and armor will reflect the fires and draw attention from raiders or dragons. I will need strips of cloth and flasks of water with which to soak them, so we may wrap our faces in the evet the temple is alight while we try to save those within." He turned to Conard, "Gleaming armor may work well in epic tales and ballads, but in this situation it will get you killed, I apologize for considering your well being, Ser Knight."
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Post by PallentisLunam on May 14, 2020 5:17:34 GMT -8
Conard Marpique, 2nd lvl Ranger AC: 17 | HP's: 18 of 18 | Passive Perception: 10 | Natural Explorer: Grasslands | Favored Enemy: Dragons | Position of Privilege Conditions: None.
Conard grits his teeth and and returns Caelin's glare. "If you meant one thing why did you say another?" he demands. "We are out numbered, I agree, but not overmatched. I refuse to slink and skulk about in the shadows. I will comport myself with the honor and dignity due my lord and my oaths," Conard continues putting a pointed emphasis on the words "my lord" to indicate his disapproval for how Caelin behaved in Lord Nighthill's presence. "So, I will not be blacking my blade nor my armor! You have proved yourself capable in a fight, yet more than willing to engage in honorless deceptions, like that trick at the gates. This enemy can be overcome with strong sword-arms and sound tactics, neither of which are provided by your loose tongue and thin skin."
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Post by Zero Prime on May 14, 2020 6:09:07 GMT -8
Caelin Valaerys, pariah of TarkhisisHP: 18 of 18 | AC: 15 | Perception: 15 | Insight: 17 | Inspiration: 0 Conditions: None."Because I wished to avoid this senseless argument." Caelin snapped back, "You'll, of course, forgive me if I am confused. If it is your duty to serve your Lord, but you allow your honor to restrict your ability to fulfill that duty, why would any Lord value honor over duty?!? I mean to save those villagers trapped by an ever tightening ring of raiders and cultists. And I will not let idealistic notions of honor risk those lives. Should you wish to defy your duty and risk the very lives you've sworn to protect then, by all means, do so. I will use every tool at my disposal to dispense my duty and save their lives. Even if my betters see such actions as ignoble,because it is the RIGHT thing to do."
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