3.3.B Those Outside
The Frostyear Guardians, Book I:
The Heroes of Adrest
9 Ches, 1491. Evening
Continued from 3.3 The Underbarrel Farm
Rini, Aspen sees Saleek and Varian head into the room in the back of the brewery and looses sight of the pair.
While Randal continues to drink and socialize with the Blacksash men guarding the building, time passes. Aspen can inform Rini that while Saleek and Varian went into the small hidden room they did not come out. DM WHISPER TO KENRIS: Kenris you also notice that the foul stench from earlier has not followed you down the hill. The hill leaning down from the tree was a gradual slope, downward so that you have reached the bottom of it before you got within 100 ft of the brewery building. You are staying out of sight, on the flat land between the 3 buildings of the farm.
While Kenris and Rini wait outside the brewery, Aspen continues to watch what is happening inside. Randal is blending in well with the Blacksashes and appears to be in no danger. Saleek and Varian entered a hidden room in the back of the building sometime ago and have yet to emerge.
Kenris and Rini, as you are waiting you hear a noise to the south by the large farm house. Give me a perception check. LISTENING:
Kenris rolls [[1d20 + Perception (Wis)]]=2-1 perception.
Rini rolls [[1d20 + Perception (Wis)]]=20+0 perception. Kenris, you think you hear voices from the farm house, but you can't really make them out clearly.
(Sorry for the delay!) Rini you manage to pick almost the whole conversation: "...you told us to be on the lookout for anything... exotic... and she is definately that. She'll take some training for be sure. If you take your men around to the regular spot, we can bring out the latest merchandise... I will just go below and bring them out to you."
You hear footsteps approaching the brewery building.
Any thing you guys were thinking of doing?
Kenris and Rini remain in thier hiding space, as a large half orc man walks past and enters the brewery. You both can hear him bark orders: "Quit loafing around, we got a sale in the works and you know how these red wizards get if you keep 'em waiting! Get below! You can take the new guy with you, let him see how things are really done around here."
Randal in maintaining his cover, would follow the group of Blacksashes wherever they were going.
Randal heads below with the Blacksashes, his story is continued in 3.3.C Randal and the Blacksashes
KENRIS: "*whispering* so mages are involved" HISTORY
Kenris rolls [[1d20+History (Int)]]=19-1=18 Kenris, the term "red wizard" would instantly bring to mind the Red Wizards of Thay, a notorious evil group throughout the forgotten realms. They are involved in human experimentation, slavery, corruption, and assassinations to name a few. Their home base is far to the east, but are said to have agents everywhere.
Rini would tell you the way to the room and you did see the Blacksashes in the building start to move away from the entrance.
(Since Rini is away for the moment he will follow you whatever you choose to do. And you can ask for his owl to check ahead)
Kenris you are also able to spot a large, heavy set man in red clothing leaving the farm house and heading back north. He does not notice you.
Give me an insight roll, actually. Kenris rolls [[1d20+Insight (Wis)]]=19-1=18 From the way he is walking he appears to be heading briskly north, not towards you but past your general direction. You also get the sense he is the sort to normally have people to do things for him and is more than a little put out to have to walk this far by himself; you feel like wherever he is headed he probably has people there.
Kenris probably heard about evil wizards and started **really** paying attention.
You extend your paladin senses focusing on the man. You get the feeling that he probably isn't a great human being, but he's not something especially unique (he's not celestial, fiend, or undead). KENRIS: "Rini i feel no direct evil coming of this person what do you want to do??" Rini would say he's concerned about Saleek, Randal, and Varian. But also the Red Wizards are never good to have in the area.
(According to what he said, Rini should be back tomorrow to play.) Rini you and Kenris are still outside the brewery building. It has been about an hour since Saleek and Varian went below. A half orc entered the brewery and told the Blacksashes there to go below; Randal followed them. Shortly after a man dressed in red heading north past you two.
Rini: he walked past the brewery and headed north.
Aspen would be able to tell you there is now a single Blacksash visible in the brewery. RINI: "Kenris, the man in red does concern me, however our friends have been in that building for a while now and I am beginning to worry. There's only one guard left. I could hit him with a sleep spell then you could gag and tie him up."
Rini will begin moving towards the entrance of the brewery urging Kenris to move forward with him. Rini you can make out one humanoid figure sitting on a barrel just inside the building. RINI: Before coming within eye sight of the figure, Rini will dismiss his owl familiar, tuck his spell book under his blue cloak.
"Uh...excuse me sir. I seem to be lost. Could you point me in the direction of the closest town?" Rini approaches the building, trying to get within 60ft of the guard. DM rolls [[1d20+4]]=17+4=21 BLACKSASH C: The human man looks up at Rini enters, a long bladed knife across his lap.
(suspicious) "You're a long way from town friend...", RINI: "Oh... well that is unfortunate. How far off am I?" Can I look around to double check he is alone? KENRIS: As soon as it is clear that rini has delt with the guard I want to walk to him. But if it seems to turn hostile I'll want to rush the whole thing. So basicly I want to move to create a distance of about 40 feet between rini and myself Sure, give me a perception roll Rini. And a flat stealth roll Kenris (he's distracted and that cancels out your chain mail disadvantage) Rini rolls [[1d20+Perception (Wis)]]=5+0=5 As near as you can tell Rini it is you and the human man. Kenris rolls stealth [[1d20 + Stealth (Dex)]]=11+0=11 The man looks up, gazing out the door behind you Rini. His hand tightens on his knife but he doesn't move yet. RINI: *Speaking with a loud voice,* "So where is that town again?" BACKSLASH C: (confident) "How about you go for your knife, stranger and we settle this proper-like. *With that the man stands up off his barrel* Rini rolls initiative [[1d20 + Initiative]]=1+1=2 Kenris rolls initiative [[1d20 + Initiative]]=18+0=17 Blacksash C rolls [[1d20+2]]=8+2=10 So Kenris you see the unmistakably hostile gesture before the man can finish drawing his blade. Upon seen that a fight is inevitable Kenris charges the man. Give me your attack roll then. Kenris tries to hit the enemy in front of him [[1d20 +5]]=6+5=11 The rattling of your chainmail and the distance you had to cover gave the man just enough time to roll off the barrel your hammer connects with it in a solid wooden thunk. The man will come up in a fighting stance and attempt to stab at the charging paladin. Blacksash C attacks [[1d20+4]]=16+4=20 and [[1d20+4]]=4+4=8 Blacksash C rolls [[1d6+2]]=1+2=3 BLACKSASH C: Stabs at Kenris with his short sword, managing to just barely pierce the armor for 3 points of damage. He then kicks at the armored paladin and backs up another 10 paces. RINI: Rini pulls out a pinch of sand from his components pouch and blows it our towards the guard as he speaks his incantation casting sleep. sleep spell affects [[5d8]]=4+5+5+7+8=29 hit points The man blinks once or twice and slumps against a barrel out of the fight. RINI: "I apologize Kenris, I should have done that earlier. It will not last long however. Let's tie him up before he wakes. KENRIS: "No worries rini I forgot that you had skills of your own. We need to talk about this magic and where it comes from on a later date. Into the brewery?? I could do with a fine ale" Rini, thanks to Aspen's earlier surveillance, knows exactly where they keep both the ale and the hidden room in the back of the brewery. RINI: "Yes. A discussion for a less pressing time. We should hog tie him and gag him so that he cannot warn others. Help me drag him behind some of these barrels." You both have enough rope to easily bind and stash the unconscious man behind some barrels well before he wakes up. You are now alone in the brewery as far as you can tell. RINI: "That way to the hidden room where the rest of our party went down into." Rini heads to the hidden room hoping to find his companions alive and well The room is a small 10x10 space, a single wooden is in the center. Against the back wall, a staircase descends into the darkness below. RINI: Rini casts dancing lights and sends them down the staircase to light the way.
"Mind taking the lead?" You can see a spiraling staircase below the floor. It is made out of something like a white marble, but is cut into perfectly smooth blocks in a way that screams that it was built long, long ago. The staircase spirals far into the darkness below, beyond the range of your lights. LISTENING:
Rini rolls perception [[1d20 + Perception (Wis)]]=2+0=2
Kenris rolls perception [[1d20 + Perception (Wis)]]=19-1=18 Rini you are too focused with questions of who built a staircase like this (and presumably some sort of structure attached to it). Kenris on the other hand, you hear the sounds of some sort of struggle far below you. It sounds quite distant. RINI: Rini bends down to inspect the staircase a bit closer, to see if there's anything he can determine about the origins of this staircase. Sure, give me a history check.
Rini rolls [[1d20+History (Int)]]=17+6=23 DM WHISPERED TO RINI: Rini, being a student of history, you would know that millennia ago, there was a not particularly well known sub-group within the Netherese empire known as the Ilyrinar that reportedly drew magic directly from the planes themselves. They were known to build massive cities by growing them right out of living rock. This seemly marble-like stone makes you think of that sort of construction.
The Netherese empire fell a millennia and a half ago. There are some fragments that suggest that the Ilyrinar escaped into the planes themselves, much like Thultanthar who fled the fall by traveling into the Shadowfel.
These were the kind of magocracy who would summon demons to light lamps, and you know that **if** any of their magics were still in the area they are extremely powerful and extremely dangerous. RINI: "Fascinating... this construction must have been created over a millennia ago. Back from the Netherese empire by some very powerful magic users. We should tread carefully. I would hate to stumble into any dangerous left by them."
"Kenris, do you hear something?" KENRIS: "Wel I am picking up something sounds like some touseling. Not the pleasant kind I suspect. But it sounds like the sound has to travel far" RINI: "Well, although the history of these stairs is enthralling, I suppose we should investigate. It would be our companions."
Is the stairwell open in the centre? Just wondering if I could send my owl familiar down to see what's happening. As long as she's within 100' I could see through her eyes. Yes it is open in the center. It would be the equivalent of a tower with the stairs spiraling around the outer edge, except that it goes down rather than up.
Flying downward, the owl can make out that this staircase spirals approximately 100 feet down into the ground. The base is a circular room with a single open door in the north. Light can be seen through the northern door, about 100 more feet beyond. Have Aspen give me a perception roll please. Rini rolls for Aspen's perception check: [[2d20k1+3]]=14,16+3=19 Thought it is fairly far off, Aspen can make out the feathered form of your companion Saleek pressed against one of many circular stone pillars that resemble stalagmites and stalactites fused together. Ahead of him are a pair of men fight an extremely large wolf. RINI: "We must hurry! I see Saleek fighting a very large wolf!" KENRIS: "A large wolf you say, well let get to it then." Unfortunately even at a full sprint it would take you several turns to make it that far.
Okay, Kenris takes off at a full sprint down the spiral staircase. How about you Rini?
Kenris and Rini Rejoin the Party in 3.4 The Blacksash Hideout
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