Chapter 02 - Into the Keep

[Asta]

"Doesn't seem to be anything here. Let's move on." Spira said, gesturing to the next door. "This place is built like a maze..."

[Mysticsage]

" I mean most keeps are to keep the bad guys out," Riven said with a grunt as he kept his out for attack. Drifting to the back of the group letting some of the others take the lead for a moment he walked back to Alak.

"I think in my stupor I forgot to properly introduce myself, "My name is Riven, I'm glad you agreed to tag along for this."

[pringerbeam]

     "Well met. I'm glad I ran across someone in my search of the citadel as well.  It will make my quest here much easier."  Replied Alak to Riven.  "Any proper keep should confound those unfamiliar with their layout and as you've noted it seems my forebears kept this in mind. I just wish I had enough of a rank that I had the opportunity to search the order's archives back in Varisia for a map of this place before I left but I am only an Armiger and while one of the older knights was able to tell me some things about the keep I've found they could have been... more specific."  He continues as you all make your way into the next room.

     In the next room you find several benches lined up in rows before an overturned lectern. Old bookshelves line the walls but the books that were once there appear to have been haphazardly cast about the place, damaged to the point of unbinding by the looks of it as loose paper is strewn throughout the room. The north end of the room are several doors. Notably, one of the ones leading directly north is slightly ajar and allows a thin beam of the evening sun to peak through. Judging by the light, it looks that you've been exploring the citadel for about a little more than an hour and have a few hours to go still until dusk.

Belsarus is no longer Immune to Treat Wounds

[Asta]

"Yes, specifics would be useful..." Spira mused, more to herself than anyone else. She took a look around the room before approaching the cracked door to peek through.

Seeking anything of interest:
Perception at +3

After looking around, Spira will peek through the cracked door.

[pringerbeam]

     Searching the room, you're able to find an old ornate hardwood case dashed open upon the stone floor under one of the benches. Several cloth insignia of the Order of the Nail scattered next to it.  Approximately half of them are on a red cloth, the others on white. Seeing your discovery, Alak walks over to inspect them. "Training insignia..." He says with a frown. "They're... well not particularly valuable but not something that deserves to have been carelessly discarded like this. We use them during training to denote which side of a conflict you play. They're more ceremoniously important than anything. It's the first chance an aspirant gets to wear the heraldry of the order. If it's alright, I'd like to take these back to citadel Vraid. They might not find a use there but it's better than leaving them here to be eaten by the moths."

You find 7 cloth Insignia of the Order of the Nail.

     As you approach the door you hear shouting in a mix of common and goblin occasionally punctuated by loud reptilian hisses and growls. One voice yells in common: "Speak common you little shits! I have a hostage here!" With replies in common of "We get you small one!" and "You no hurt Helba!" As well as chittering in goblin such as "I'm so hungry, we should eat the small one." and "Meat! Meat!"

     Getting to the cracked door you're able to see a large courtyard hemmed in by the tall battlements. The courtyard is mostly bare earth and the occasional weed except for a dark pool of water to the west. The north wall of the courtyard appears to have had a major collapse and rubble is piled up to the base of a set of stairs, cut off partway down by the collapse and leaving a good ten foot gap between the start of the intact stairs and the ground level. Off to your right is some large reptile, like a crocodile but with a strange draconic head and brightly colored. It appears to not have taken any notice of you peeking through the door, its attention aimed to the battlements above where the yelling is coming from and it tries to occasionally claw at the stonemason walls with a growl.

[Throndir]

Melody held her breath. They were here to help out the clan of goblins, and possibly get them out of some sort of trouble. It sounded like there was already some sort of trouble brewing.

Her eyes looked towards her other companions.

[Mysticsage]

"Everyone be careful, I can take some hits but a few more and I'm going down to we need to play this carefully," Riven lets out a growl as he hears the yelling.

"If We can ambush them we should, Bel can you draw out threats with something at range? We can use the door as a choke point,"

will rage again gaining 4 temp hp and the other usual stuff.

[pringerbeam]

Everyone roll initiative (Perception).

Those that choose to try and surprise the creature may roll Stealth

[Oath]

initiative (stealth)

Rolled 1d20+8 : 9 + 8, total 17

[Mysticsage]

Initiative (stealth)

Rolled 1d20+4 : 20 + 4, total 24

[Throndir]

Initiative (perception)

Rolled 1d20+7 : 9 + 7, total 16

[Asta]

Initiative, stealth:

Rolled 1d20+6 : 19 + 6, total 25

[pringerbeam]

     Alak kicks the lefthand door open and bolts through the doorway with surprising speed to circle around the creature, swinging his sword at the beast, landing a blow that only just barely drew blood. In response the creature turns to have him and opens its jaws wide to let loose a roar. Alak staggers in response and pulls an arm up to his face as he turns a sickly green. "Ugh, its breath reeks!" He yells, trying to hold in his bile.

Alak Strides, Strides, and Strikes.

Alak deals 5 points of damage.

Alak becomes sickened 1

Spira to take turn

Encounter Info

Spoiler

Roll20 Link

Initiative Order: Alak, Spira, Riven, Belsarus, Creature, Melody, Vondur

Log
Alak attacks Creature, deals damage

[close]

[Asta]

Spira moved through the door, pulling her small crossbow from its holster and loaded a bolt. "How unpleasant" she remarked, surprised by the size of the reptilian creature and unable to fire.

Stride, Interact(Draw weapon), Interact(Load weapon)

[Mysticsage]

Riven seeing the opening rushes forward while Alak had the thing distracted, he moves to grab the lizard's tail and bite into the side of the beast. "You wanna try eating someone! Let's see how you like it!"

Stride stride flanking attack

Attack raging wolf jaw

Rolled 1d20+7 : 20 + 7, total 27

Damage

Rolled 1d10+6 : 6 + 6, total 12