"Freedom is a fickle mistress, and will often depart on the slightest whim," the bearded man replies as he tries the reinforced door, only to find the thing locked.  "Fortunately, there are ways to entice her back."

The man produces a soft leather wallet, and begins to extract a number of picks, pries, chisels, and a small hammer.  He sets to work on the door, and begins to curse quietly.  Within half a minute, however, the sound of tumblers reluctantly moving with an audible *click* is discernable.  "She will not always come willingly, however."


OOC:  You have 5 rounds (@6 seconds each) to do what you want.  Let me know if you have anything in mind.

Kev, what does Tot see out the windows?  Are the windows large enough for a man (or half-orc) to fit through?

Tot will go back to the main room and search the weapons chest in M4 while he waits for the lock to be picked.

Not much is visible out of the windows--they are unglazed but barred.  The smell of smoke from the outside is strong, and Totmacher gets the sense that people are engaged in a high level of activity outside, but none of it seems focused on the gaol.  The windows are too small to allow egress for someone of Totmacher's size, even if the bars were to be removed.

Tot can spend approximately half a minute searching the weapon's chest.  Please make a Search check for me, and I will post additional info.

Cheers,
Kev

OOC - Looks like Tot gouges out his own eyeballs with the corner of the chest...

01:20, Today: Totmacher of the Wilds rolled 1 using 1d20. Search.

Totmacher manages to rummage through the weapon chest, finding several long and short swords, two or three light maces, and a number of daggers.  All are serviceable, but none look particularly fine.  The half-orc's own weaponry are somewhat better maintained and of better quality--particularly the dweomered great axe he had obtained.

Tot spends a half minute or so going through the weapon chest.  As the black-bearded prisoner grunts with satisfaction, having at last managed to coax the rear door's lock into turning, the half-orc hears the front doors being rattled as someone tries them.

OOC:  What's next?

Totmacher will call to the bearded prisoner"

"Totmacher suggests we make haste..." gesturing towards the double doors, "Freedom may be having second thoughts..."

With Great Axe in hand, Tot will close the single door behind himself and prompt the bearded prisoner out the door--

"No further prompting is necessary," says the black-bearded prisoner.  Opening the heavy, iron-bound door, the man quickly exits the gaol.  Outside, the Southern Paldorian night has fallen, and numerous small knots of people are moving about.  Not much attention is paid to Totmacher and his fellow prisoner.

The black-bearded man turns to the half-orc.  "I wish to leave this town.  I will not remain here, and there seems to be much confusion to aid any escape.  I thank you for your assistance.  I do not wish to leave you "in extremis", as these Paldorians say.  Do you have plans?"



OOC:  What's next?  Updated town map on the website.
This message was last updated by the player at 09:48, Thu 24 Feb 2005.

Totmacher nods in agreement.  "Agreed--Totmacher must seek his team.  Your presence will certainly be welcome if you so choose, although under the current circumstances you would be better served taking care of you own neck."

Totmacher will then blend in with the crowd and run south, then east circumnavigating 25a following the ?hedge.  He will try to get a view into the manor through what appears to be entrance to the left of the number 13.

The man nods.  "This is a dangerous place for me.  I wish you good fortune, but I will depart."  The man begins to leave, but stops suddenly.  "Wait!  If you wish to remain here, I can aid you....I..."  The black-bearded prisoner rummages in the satchel that he had retrieved from the gaol, drawing forth what seemed a sort of twig wrapped in colored yarn.  The man mutters something, stares at the twig, and then curses once.  He mutters again, and some of the yarn twists and moves under its own accord, apparently.

The black-bearded man looks at the half-orc, and chuckles.  "Now, you look like a large, tired, human peasant or caravan handler.  This will only last some half-hour, friend, and your voice will betray you.  Have a care, if you wish to stay in this foul town.  But to try to move about undisguised...foolishness.  The watchmen will attempt to seek us out.  Find your friends and flee this place--I will do so now, and take to the hills outside of town."  The man pauses again, and bows slightly.  "I am called Mahatmer.  I thank you for your actions, and my release," the man says formally, and then begins to move away.

Totmacher can move with some degree of freedom, as his appearance is seemingly altered.  Several watchmen are attempting to surround the gaol--one yells out, "Oi, drover!  Ye seen a big half-breed, orc-blooded?  Eh?"  Totmacher just shakes his head mutely, and continues on his way.

The disguised half-orc makes his way to the line of watchmen are keeping surveillance on the manor.  Seeing Totmacher moving towards the manor, one of the watchmen calls out, "Oi!  Move away, mate...stand clear o' th' manor, right?"

OOC:  Approaching the manor inconspicuously will be difficult.  Getting a "view" into the manor is gonna be challenging.  What do you want to do?

Ok--Tot will try to make his way towards the north west corner where there are not many guards-does there appear to be a gap in the guards to compensate for the ones that are looking for Tot?  Are the walls scaleable?  How many entrances are visible from that side of the manor?

Does any area seem vulnerable?  Which way are the guards facing?  Does the fire have anyone's attention?

OOC:  The area to the northwest of the manor does, as you note, appears to have fewer guards.  This may represent the gap in the guards due to deployment of personnel to search for Tot, but you have no way of knowing this for sure.

There are no entrances to the manor on this side, and the entrances to the garrisons are flanked by small watch towers (a west-facing entrance for the west garrison, and a north-facing entrance for the east garrison).  The garrison's wooden pallisade walls appear scaleable, as does the manor's stone walls, but the DC for both is a 25.  The possibility of jumping up to one of the manor's ground floor windows, then breaking through the mullioned panes exists, but you would obviously draw immediate attention to yourself.  The acacia trees that are on fire in the town square are being allowed to burn, although several citizens and one or two watchmen are keeping an eye on the trees to make certain the fires don't jump to some other flammable item.

Totmacher makes his way away from the guard who had warned him away from the manor, looking for an avenue of approach to the manor with a little less town watch activity.  Near the northwest corner of the manor, the barbarian notes that there appears to be greater spacing between the watchmen guarding the manor.  All of the watchmen that Tot had seen appear to be watching the manor.

The barbarian considers means of entering the manor, and concludes that simply walking into a door is not an option.  As the big man begins to assess the walls for climbing and windows for effecting an entrance, a window on the second floor opens, and a voice calls out, "We have Barbaras under assault!  Send up reinforcements, but continue to watch the manor!"

The guard nearest Tot hears this and dashes off to the nearby garrison gate.

OOC:  You are, for now, unobserved by guards.  You may either try to climb walls or enter one of the windows.  The Climb DC for the walls is a 25, and the Jump DC to reach high enough to grab a window ledge is 20.  Your check modifiers are +7 for climbing, and +11 for jumping (you get a +4 bonus for your 40' movement).  Pulling yourself up and onto the window ledge, assuming a successful jump, is a Climb check with a DC of 15.  Let me know what you want to do, and make the appropriate rolls on the Dice Roller.

As Totmacher considers this, a fiery explosion blasts some of the glass from a second story window.

Tot will try the Jump/Climb check to get into the window--does the window with the blast seem more accessible?  Or is the heat too intense.  If the heat is too much or there is too much fire, Tot will try another window.

OOC:  Tot can't make the leap to the upper windows--they're simply too high.  He is constrained to going for one of the first story windows (which are still about 10' from the ground--on an upward sloping approach).  Go ahead and roll your Jump and Climb checks like I detailed a couple of posts ago.  And if you do it soon (while I'm still screwing around at work), I can move you along.

Looks like it won't be good enough...going for the first floor window...

22:37, Today: Totmacher of the Wilds rolled 14 using 1d20+7. Climb.
22:37, Today: Totmacher of the Wilds rolled 28 using 1d20+11. Jump.

Totmacher leaps for the first floor window, easily gaining a grip on its ledge.  The half-orc's attempt to lever himself up and onto the ledge, however, is unsuccessful.  The barbarian relaxes a bit, still suspended from the ledge, and prepares to try again.

OOC:  Hey Scott, your Jump attempt allowed Tot to leap and grab the window, your Climb attempt means that Tot failed to bodily gain the ledge, but he is still hanging from the ledge nonetheless.  You can try again next round.  And please roll an initiative for me so I can place you within the broader initiative context.  Thanks.

Ok...

23:09, Today: Totmacher of the Wilds rolled 19 using 1d20. Initiative.

Then I made an error when I put in my modifier and had to re-roll for Climb (which did not help me):

23:09, Today: Totmacher of the Wilds rolled 11 using 1d20+7. Climb.

Totmacher once again attempts to heave himself up onto the window's ledge, but again is unsuccessful.

OOC:  You'll have to wait until this round plays itself out to try again.  I'll keep you posted.

--K

(19)
Totmacher manages to gain the window ledge and, remarkably, finds the casement unlatched.  Perhaps some servant had opened the window during the warm, late spring day and had forgotten to close it.  Opening the window, the half-orc finds himself looking into what appears to be an audience room of sorts--complete with a richly bedecked official-looking chair and some statue of a kneeling woman.  The room smells like civilization.

OOC:  Tot has a standard or move action still to go.  Tot's position is indicated on the website in the first floor burgomaster manor map.

Tot will move to the the south east door in search of a stairway going up...

What does Tot hear about?

Totmacher finds a staircase leading downward, its stone steps descending into a damp-smelling depth.  Upon further search, the half-orc finds a wooden stairway that ascends to an upper floor.  Taking the steps two at a time, the barbarian hears the sounds of the manor doors opening, and hurried voices and running feet from below.

Upon reaching the second floor, Totmacher steps through an open door and into a tastefully furnished and appointed study.  A portion of the room's wall has swung inward, apparently leading to another chamber.  Totmacher can see the figure of the halfling Caylin beyond, and the little archer turns to the barbarian, no recognition on his face.  The halfling's bow comes up, training an arrow on Totmacher.  "Who're ye, then?  Speak quick, man...I've nae patience fer a slow reply."

Totmacher recalls his appearance--

"Totmacher of the Wilds, deliverance!"

"Friend-Caylin, where does death await?"

Thread closed.  Go ahead and post in the "Crashing the Party" thread.