Terminax heads decisively towards the area with the smoking chimney, holding up 3 fingers  of the spectral hand he casts, using it to also point towards the direction he is heading in.

Lucien casts message to Terminax. "I am going to descend the tower. There are lights below."

Before he does descend, Lucien searches the body of the fallen guard looking for an emblem or some other identifier which signifies the man's allegiance. He is unwilling to spend too long searching however and quickly abandons the effort to descend the stairs of the tower as quietly as he can.

Lucien Nailo rolled 5 using 1d20+3. Investigation.
Lucien Nailo rolled 27 using 1d20+7. Stealth.

Rissa stuck near the half elf, moving towards the doorway and Lucien if she could..

Lathan remains stationed atop the keep, his bow at the ready, scanning the courtyard for any threats.

Seeing that the gate guard went down without his aid, Three Elks returned to pull the ladder up onto the roof.  He laid it down length-wise along the wall.  His party now had the advantage of high ground and he didn't want to lose it.  He also retrieved his hammer and slid it though a loop on his backpack.  Eventually, he made his way over towards Terminax to explain his plan.  "If we plug up the smokestacks we may be able to smoke them out and pick them off from above." he whispered.

Terminax nods, pointing at himself, then holding up 2 fingers, and then pointing at the tower and holding up three more fingers as he makes his way there. When Three Elks catches up to him, Terminax nods saying, "Good plan, but I'll wait by the door. I might be able to knock all three of them down with a spell I've got prepared, and then hit them with some fire to boot. The tallest one wears leather armor and has a longsword. A smaller one wears no armor and has a shortsword. The third wears an eyepatch over his right eye and is armored in chain mail and carries a flail. So... nothing too tough, though the guy with the flail may be a problem."

[
If 3 elks agrees I'll head down to the door. If he objects, more planning and I'll check up on the dudes.

Private to GM: 23:16, Today: Secret Roll: Terminax rolled 16 using 1d20+5. Athletics climb down.

I will cast Feather Fall if that's not enough to get me down safely.]

“My only concern is that you will be the easiest target. They may fall you before we fall them. It is not my place to tell another how to fight.  I’ll do my best to watch your back.” He looked to Rissa to see if she were ready for such a plan as well. He moved to the chimneys.  He withdrew the javelins and the war hammer before setting his backpack over the chimney vent.  He then moved to get in a good position to throw at any one coming through the doors.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:08, Sat 01 June 2019.

"I will cover him with curse magic and divine light, he will not fall."

Rissa sounded sure of herself, taking up a position on the wall where she had clear line of sight, but was sheltered from any return fire those within and below might try and launch.

Terminax climbs down the building and positions himself outside the door while Three Elks blocks the chimney.


Meanwhile, Lucien descends the stone spiral staircase in the watchtower. There are two lit oil lanterns set into brackets beside the staircase. After descending 30 feet to the ground level, he finds a mostly empty room with four window slits, each with a crossbow and a case of 20 bolts sitting in it. There is a metal rod running up to the ceiling, underneath where the lever on top of the tower was. The other end of the rod disappears into the south wall.

The staircase continues to descend below into darkness. There are also two closed doors leading out of the room at the base of the watchtower, one to the south and one to the west.

Lathan positions himself on the roof so that he can provide cover fire for Terminax.

Where did Lucien wander off to? he thinks as he waits for Three Elks to smoke out whoever is inside.

In reply to Three Elks (msg # 34):

The dragonborn grunts, "It'll take more than these three knuckleheads to bring me down. If you're lucky you might get a piece of one of 'em before I finish them off." he says with a wink.

Terminax positions himself so that as they run past him, he will be angled to knock them over the edge into the courtyard below.

OOC: I am under the impression there is a bit of a drop from the door they would likely try to escape out of, so my plan is to use thunderwave to push them over that edge. If this is not actually feasible, can I get an idea of that combat area?

Despite being able to see in the dark, Lucien isn't foolish enough to continue descending into the unknown without his companions. Concerned that his bow won't be much good at close quarters in the keep, he draws his rapier. He remembers the position of the smoking chimney from outside and moves quietly to the southern door and listens to try and determine what is on the other side.

Lucien Nailo rolled 16 using 1d20+6. Perception to listen at the southern door.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:24, Fri 31 May 2019.

Lucien can hear a few men talking on the other side of the door, though he can't make out what they are saying. After listening for a while, it sounds like they are getting irritated and one of them yells out, "Heydrus! Come here now!" This is followed by the sound of chairs moving and footsteps...


Three men emerge from the room and into the courtyard where Terminax and the others are waiting. The first through the door is tall and muscular and wears leather armor, with a longsword on his hip. The second is shorter and thinner and wears no armor but carries a shortsword. The third is about the same height as the second but heavier. He wears chain mail and carries a shield and flail. He has an eyepatch over his right eye.

You will get a surprise round. Roll initiative and post your actions for that round.

As soon as the third man steps out of the doorway and into the courtyard, Three elks, from atop the roof of the large squat structure blanketed in cool night air, cocks his arm back and lets loose javelin which flies through the air like a moon beam.  He aimed for the taller man in leather armor.

He wished the tower sentry that had already fallen had been willing to talk, then maybe this bloodshed would not have been necessary.  Still, he was no stranger to raids.  During tough times in the frozen north his tribe would raid villages along the coast for needed supplies. The tough take what the weak cannot hold onto.  Such is the way of nature and man.


10:03, Today: Three Elks rolled 5 using 1d6+3.
10:03, Today: Three Elks rolled 19 using 1d20+6.  ranged surprise or hidden advantage?(2nd)
10:02, Today: Three Elks rolled 10 using 1d20+6.  ranged attack. (first roll)
10:02, Today: Three Elks rolled 19 using 1d20+1.  initiative.

Unlike his companions, Lucien is not prepared. When he hears the chairs scrape and footsteps through the room, he braces himself, but it isn't until he hears the first sounds of combat in the courtyard that he can take action.

Action: Hold action until he hears fighting. Then open the door and move in from the rear.
Lucien Nailo rolled 15 using 1d20+3. Initiative.

As soon as his companions spring the attack, Lathan fires an arrow at the first man through the door.

Initiative 15. Attack hits AC 23 for 12 piercing damage (or 18 if he is already injured).

14:43, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 6 using 1d8.  Colossus Slayer.
14:43, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 4 using 1d6.  Hunter's Mark.
14:42, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 8 using 1d8+2.  Damage.
14:42, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 23 using 1d20+4.  Attack (advantage).
14:41, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 5 using 1d20+4.  Attack.
14:41, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 15 using 2d20+2, dropping the lowest dice only.  Initiative (advantage).

Terminax spoke a word, and the air in front of him cracked as a thunderous wave of sound rolled into the trio as they emerged from the door.

00:50, Today: Terminax rolled 13 using 2d8.  Thunderwave DC 12 Con check if be knocked back.

00:53, Today: Terminax rolled 6 using 1d20.  Initiative

Rissa's battlemagic had improved little, as another blast of darkness went skittering past the men to no effect.


07:27, Today: Rissa Twiceborn rolled 13 using 1d20+2.  Initiative.

07:28, Today: Rissa Twiceborn rolled 11 using 1d20+5.  Eldritch Blast.

Three Elks is the first to strike, throwing his javelin at the first man through the door. The javelin hits him in his side. Lathan fires an arrow at the same man, nearly taking him down. An eldritch blast from Rissa finishes him off. With a thunderous boom, Terminax knocks the remaining two men backward, the one in chain mail stumbling back through the door.

Meanwhile, Lucien opens the door to find himself in a hazy dining hall, 50 feet by 50 feet. A fireplace is situated on the eastern wall and an open door is to his right on the western wall. A closed door is situated on the southern wall. He hears a loud boom from outside the western door and sees a one-eyed man in chain mail stumble inside.

Next round.

Thug 1 (leather): dying
Thug 2 (unarmored): injured (-13 hp)
Thug 3 (chain): injured (-13 hp)

Another skittering spell, though this one at least singed the skin of the man it struck.

20:28, Today: Rissa Twiceborn rolled 15 using 1d20+5.  Eldritch Blast.
20:28, Today: Rissa Twiceborn rolled 2 using 1d10.  Damage.

Terminax, being careful about the line of sight for the archers, moves so that he can catch both brigands within a cone of fire that he exhales at the pierced and battered pair.

ooc: Well that's some rare luck with the dice! I don't suppose they are prone? Would it matter, there is no AOO, right?

00:46, Today: Terminax rolled 12 using 2d6.  DC 11 Dex for half fire 15ft.

Seeing the distance between himself and what appears to be several more guards fighting his companions, Lucien sheaths his rapier and unslings his bow again. Knocking an arrow he takes aim and lets fly at the man in chain mail.

Attack hits AC 10 for 7 damage.
Lucien Nailo rolled 10,7 using 1d20+5,1d8+3. Attack and damage.

Seeing the first man fall, Lathan switches his focus to the next and fires another arrow directly at his chest.

Attack Thug 2. Hits AC 18 for 17 piercing damage.

18:19, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 2 using 1d6.  Hunter's Mark.
18:19, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 5 using 1d8.  Colossus Slayer.
18:19, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 10 using 1d8+2.  Damage.
18:18, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 18 using 1d20+4.  Attack.

Three Elks drew another javelin and let loose at the smaller man.  He scowled as the javelin stuck into the earth next to the man.  He blamed the shadows and his desire not to accidently strike Terminax.

18:18, Today: Three Elks rolled 4 using 1d20+2.  perception.
18:19, Today: Three Elks rolled 9 using 1d20+6.  ranged attack.

Three Elks hurls another javelin but misses this time. The unarmored man rushes at Terminax and attacks him with his shortsword; he is unable to penetrate the dragonborn's armor. Another well-aimed arrow from Lathan strikes the man, hitting him in the back. Rissa's eldritch blast grazes the man, then Terminax drops him with an exhalation of flame.

Those in the courtyard area detect movement coming from within several different rooms on the western side of the keep and hear dogs barking in the ramshackle building on the northern wall of the keep.

Meanwhile, inside the banquet hall, Lucien fires an arrow at the man in chain armor but misses. The man moves toward Lucien and swings his flail at the elf, who barely evades it. A young, filthy-looking teenage boy emerges from the southern door. He wears leather armor and carries a shield and rapier.

Next round.

Thug 1: dying
Thug 2: dying
Thug 3 (chain): injured (-13 hp)
Teen: uninjured
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:03, Sat 08 June 2019.