Totmacher calls out to the assumed ranked guard:

"Totmacher senses that you are fearful--what stories do you have to tell about the fires?  What do you know?"

The guard at the desk, still scratching at the parchments scattered in front of him with a bedraggled-looking quill pen, barely glances up at Totmacher.  "Can't say we be frightened, half-breed--jes tired o' th' shite...yer shite, 'specially.  Ye talk t' me if'n yer cleared o' th' murder o' one o' ours...til then, we'll give ye some'at fer supper, an' thank ye t' leave us be."

As the man completes his statement in a flat, bored voice, the two guards sent for the evening meal return.  Clearly, they have news...

The two guards have not returned with food, but with news, it seems.

"There be a fire in th' square, Cap'n!"

"An' th' trees are burnin' like Ahriman's hells!"

Another guard bursts into the gaol, exclaiming hurriedly, "Perysinos says that an assassin is in the burgomaster's manor!  We need reinforcements!"

The guard at the desk blinks, then nods decisively.  "You.  Stay here an' watch th' prisoners.  Th' rest o' you--yer wi' me."  With that, the guards grab weapons and depart the gaol, leaving a single guard in the cell area.

Times a waistin!

Totmacher will silently count to 100.  While counting, he will look over the single guard for weapons and size him up.

Totmacher will then call out to the guard, "Do you hear that?  More death, more dispair--Totmacher's tongue speaks the truth."

Then he will take 20 to bend bars.

Seeing the big half-orc beginning an alarming series of deep-breathing exercises and eyeing the bars of his cell with a rolling, crazy-eyed intensity, the black-bearded prisoner speaks up softly--pitching his voice so that the sole remaining guard cannot hear.

"Await my distraction; free yourself, then free me."

Suddenly giving out a great, whooping series of sounds--describable only as a hybrid between a horrible cough and a wracking moan, the black-bearded man falls to the floor of his cell, writhing and thrashing around violently.  Foam appears to be gathering at the man's mouth, and flecks of the stuff are being spewed forth like tiny missiles.

"What th' ?!?  Holy shit!  What th' fuck's wrong...Ahriman damn ye, man...behave!"  The guard springs to his feet in alarm.  The black-bearded prisoner shows no signs of hearing the guard's commands, continuing the violent, spastic activity on the floor of his cell.  The guard seizes a quarterstaff and approaches the cell, trying to poke the black-bearded man through the bars...his attention entirely on the spectacle before him.

That sounds like Tot's queue--

Tot will take 20 and bend the bars unless the guard is close enough for Tot to grab him through the bars...then we can discuss the alternative.

OOC:  Scott, Scott, Scott.  You *still* can't take 20 on an action with consequences.  I've played out a round-by-round series of strength checks and opposed spot checks.  You and the guard were pretty evenly matched.  In-game description of events to follow.

Watching the truly alarming display of spastic theatrics that the black-bearded prisoner was performing, the big half-orc nevertheless turned his attention to the iron bars of his cell.  Trying not to attract the notice of the guard, who, though preoccupied with trying to poke the black-bearded prisoner with a quarterstaff through the bars, was still very much in view.

Totmacher takes a wide stance, gripping the bars and attempting to prize them apart--shoulders straining and mouth turned down into a silent snarl.  The bars refuse to move.  Again the half-orc tries to coerce the bars into moving, and again he fails.  Another try.  Another.  Sweat runs down the barbarians's face and arms.  Another attempt.  A cry from the guard.  "Hey!  Fucker!  Stop that, or I'll do for ya, I will!"

Ignoring the outcry, the half-orc continues his assault on the iron bars.  With a rending shriek, the bars slowly are displaced from their vertical alignment, warping their shape under the tremendous strength of the barbarian.  Judging that enough space was available between the bars to allow his huge frame to pass, Totmacher just manages to squeeze out of the gaol cell.

Only to be met with a speeding arrow, taking the barbarian high in the shoulder.  The big man grunts, and turns his attention to the room around him.  The one guard is near the worktable, clutching a short bow and looking rather panicked.

OOC:  Tot takes 4 hp of damage, bringing him down from 30 to 26 hp remaining.  The guard saw Tot attempting to bend the bars; he then moved over to get his bow.  On the subsequent round, Tot managed to bend the bars (a full round action), and take a 5 ft. move through them.  The guard successfully fired an arrow.  NOW, you both need to roll initiative for the next round.  Please do so.

Cheers,
K

OOC:  Modified Gaol map up on the website.  By the way, if you can reply quickly to this thread, it'll make it easier for me to deal with the other thread.  Thanks.

Cheers,
Kev
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:20, Wed 02 Feb 2005.

22:55, Today: Totmacher of the Wilds rolled 17 using 1d20+3. Initiative.

Totmacher will call out to the guard:  "Are you ready to be baptized in the blood of Totmacher?"

Totmacher will then attempt to grapple the guard.


Base attack binus (+3) + Strength modifier (+5) + Special size modifier (0)

23:10, Today: Totmacher of the Wilds rolled 24 using 1d20+8. Grapple Check.

(20)
The guard drops his short bow and seizes his long sword, lying scabbarded on the nearby work table.  Drawing the blade with a steely whisper, the guard swings wildly at the oncoming barbarian.  Clearly, the man is nervous and the oblique, downward sword cut is far from its mark.

(16)
As the half-orc continues his approach, intending to grapple the guard, the guard replies with a horizontal cut in an attempt to fend off Totmacher (IGA:  attack of opportunity from beginning the grapple).  Moving with a quickness surprising in such a big man, the barbarian ducks the sword swing, and the blade whistles harmlessly over his head.  Reaching out with his hands, the half-orc seizes the hapless guard.

OOC:  Scott, please make an opposed grapple check for me (d20+8 for Tot), and I'll make one for the guard.

OOC:  Actually, it doesn't matter if you make the check or not--there is no way you can lose the opposed grapple.  I'm taking the liberty of rolling damage for you, and moving us along.

Cheers,
Kev
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:48, Thu 03 Feb 2005.

(16--same round)
Totmacher seizes the guard, bringing his forearm and elbow around to smash the man's face.  A groan escapes the guard, and his eyes roll up in his head--but he remains conscious.

Next round:
(20)
With a tremendous effort, the guard manages to break the half-orc's grip.  Nose and mouth streaming blood, the guard yelps and breaks into a run.  Without a weapon, the barbarian has no recourse to an attack of opportunity.  The guard slips through the half-open gaol door and into the night.

Seeing the guard flee, the black-bearded prisoner calls out.
"The keys to the cells are on a nail to the right of the inner door!  Quickly!"

OOC:  Tot does not receive an attack of opportunity.  Updated gaol map on teh site.  What do you want to do?
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:17, Thu 03 Feb 2005.

Totmacher will toss the bearded prisoner the keys then search for his belongings.

If he does not locate his belongings he will try to arm himself with what he can.

Can the doors be barred from the inside?

Upon his arrival at the gaol, Totmacher's belongings had been unceremoniously dumped in a pile near the work table.  All of the half-orc's items appear to be present and accounted for.  The main doors to the gaol do have brackets for a bar, and a heavy oaken beam leans against the wall just inside of the doors.
This message was last edited by the GM at 04:24, Fri 04 Feb 2005.

Seizing the keys that the barbarian has thrown him, the black-bearded prisoner chuckles as he unlocks the cell door and swings it wide.  "Many thanks."

The man makes a beeline for the weapon cabinet in the room, lifting down a falchion and short composite bow when he gets there, and slings a quiver full of arrows onto his shoulder.  Moving purposefully, he then retrieves a worn leather satchel from out of the weapon chest in the room.  Slinging the satchel over his shoulder, the black-bearded man turns to face the half-orc.   "What will you do now then, eh?"

Totmacher nods and smirks in approval of his new friend--

"Totmacher senses that this place will be swarming with guards soon--and disguise for Totmacher will be difficult."  "Are you good with that bow, friend?"

"Bar the single door and check the windows on that side for guards and activity."  Tot, arming back up with his gear, will bar the double doors and check the windows on that side.

Kev--do the stairs go up and/or down?

The black-bearded man shakes his head.  "I am...competent...with this bow and my blade.  I cannot hold off an assault, however.  There is a postern door to the rear of the gaol, if the guards were to be believed.  To flee would be our best hope--even though you are noticeable, there is much confusion now, I believe.  And I have means to disguise myself."

OOC:  Stairs go up.  What do you want to do?  The single door is an interior door, and has no bar on this side.
This message was last edited by the player at 09:18, Tue 08 Feb 2005.

What does Tot see at the windows?

Night has come to Borderton--the last rays of the setting sun had vanished from the sky some time ago.  However, the lurid light of two burning trees provides light to the town square in the distance, and light from other municipal lanterns and hand-held lanterns provides little islands of illumination.  Totmacher has no difficulty in discerning most of the immediate activity.  The barbarian sees the large edifice that is the combined municipal manor and garrison--which appears to be surrounded by guardsmen armed with bows and spaced some twenty feet apart from one another.  A small cluster of men is in the process of lighting and distributing lanterns.

Totmacher also sees the guard whose face he had smashed stumble up to this group, and clutch one of the men's arms while gesticulating back towards the gaol.

Tot will bar the double doors and update his bearded companion on the situation--

"Totmacher recommends that we make our way through the inside door and move in the opposite direction of our slightly disturbed guard."

Totmacher will then bust through the inside door--

Totmacher drops the heavy, oaken beam into the iron brackets that flank the gaol's double doors--effectively barring them from outside entry.  Then, the half-orc crashes through the inner door to the gaol, arriving in a 20'x10' room that seems to be some sort of an adjunct chamber to the main gaol bloc.  A large, iron-bound door appears to lead to the outside.

More later...updated map on the website.

--K

The smaller anteroom is stacked with barrels, crates, and wooden containers of various sorts.  Several coils of rope lie about the room, and a number of tools (simple hammers, crowbars, spikes, etc.) hang on the walls.  A few piles of rags or sackcloth are nested on the floor along with several stacked planks, and a broken table leans vertically against the wall near the outer door.  It appears to Totmacher to be an ordinary storage/lumber room.  The outer door is closed, but leads to the Borderton night.

OOC:  Slightly revised Gaol map up on the website.

Totmacher will smash one of the barrels with his great axe to reveal the contents.

OOC - Totmacher wants to see if there are any flammables in the barrel--

Let me know if there is a distinguishing odor.

There are windows in the room, can Totmacher see any activity outside so that he can plan his movement once he leaves?

Totmacher will then turn to the bearded one and gestures towards the door.

"Freedom does not like to be kept waiting, bearded one."

Totmacher brings his great axe down on one of the nearby barrels...hard.  The barrel leaps at the blow, its staves splitting and splintering, its top shattered, and its upper hoop coming askew.  Apparently, however, nothing is in the barrel.

OOC:  Breaking stuff requires a to hit roll and damage assessment.  Items have hit points and hardness ratings--see pp 165-167 in PHB 3.5 (this barrel had 10 hp and a 5 hardness...2 more point of damage and you would have destroyed the barrel completely).