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21:20, 28th March 2024 (GMT+0)

The Gatehouse.

Posted by The DealerFor group 0
Izzick
player, 500 posts
Wed 30 Oct 2019
at 20:18
  • msg #103

Re: The Gatehouse

With an eruption of magical flame forming into a serpent in his hands, Izzick unleashed a snake of fire, which swerved and slithered, striking against the gargoyles coming for the backline - after all, the last thing he needed was them diving for him. He'd had enough rips, tears, bites, scratches, arrows, digestive fluids and everything else that he knew it was a lot better to strike first and keep your head on for later.

Casting Fire Snake to strike the 3 airborne ones if they're within range of each other / the spell (a 60 ft shapeable line within 60 ft)

Reflex D21 for half damage
16:17, Today: Izzick rolled 42 using 12d6+1.  Fire damage.

Selvin Larst
player, 1011 posts
My friend surrounds me
A strange companion
Fri 1 Nov 2019
at 15:35
  • msg #104

Re: The Gatehouse

Selvin glared at the gargoyles that were incoming. He wanted to help his friends out, but he had to trust that they could handle the ones moving to attack them. He had his own problems to deal with. He waited until the second one closed with him and then he unleashed another flurry of attacks, starting on the sluggish one until it dropped before moving to the second, fresh one, electricity arcing around his claws, teeth and fists.
The Dealer
GM, 1748 posts
Sat 2 Nov 2019
at 05:44
  • msg #105

Re: The Gatehouse

In reply to Selvin Larst (msg # 104):

As a gout of coily, serpenty fire rushes from Izzick's outstretched hands to smack at two of the incoming gargoyles, Selvin/Zac charge in to the sluggish one as the third one dropping from the sky descends on them.

Laoris giggles for what feels like the eight hundredth seventy sixth time today.  They're pretty! she exclaims.

Chandanar rolls his eyes and Zuni sends arrows flying in to one of them.

Between the arrows and snake, one of the gargoyles drops to the ground like a sack of wet cement.  The other manages to push through...and then Chandanar whacks him with his mace.  It's a solid hit and sends the gargoyle crashing across the ground.

Chandanar seems more surprised than anyone.  As the gargoyle lays still, he turns towards the lot of you in back, smirks, breathes on his mace and polishes it with his hand, saying It's aaaalllllll in the wrist.

Meanwhile, Selvin/Zac have managed to turn the two gargoyles on them in to a half a gargoyle.  They took a few scratches on the way 16 HP damage Selvin, but the gargoyle who's still on his feet is wobbling at best.  He shakes his head and drops his sword, holding all four hands up in the air.

He makes a gutteral sound.

Laoris sighs, disappointed.  He wants to give up.  She looks at all of you and shrugs.  What?  I speak gargoyle.

Chandanar rubs his eyes.  Of course you do.

One gargoyle left and he wants to surrender.  Let me know if there are questions.
Izzick
player, 501 posts
Sat 2 Nov 2019
at 16:40
  • msg #106

Re: The Gatehouse

Izzick held his hands at the ready, fingers twitching a bit as the guard gives up and asks Laoris, "Does he speak anything else? Common? Orc? I even know a bit of fiendish Abyssal." Languages weren't his strongest suite but he still hoped the Gargoyle might be able to communicate with more than just the cultist among them. Unless Selvin, Chandanar, or Zuni knew Gargoyle as well. "Let's hope he knows more than the pro- entertainer from before."
The Dealer
GM, 1749 posts
Mon 4 Nov 2019
at 05:55
  • msg #107

Re: The Gatehouse

In reply to Izzick (msg # 106):

Chandanar leans towards Izzick and Zuni whispering I don't.  But I can magic up a thingie to tell if she's lying about what it says.  Want me to?
Selvin Larst
player, 1012 posts
My friend surrounds me
A strange companion
Wed 6 Nov 2019
at 06:05
  • msg #108

Re: The Gatehouse

Selvin and Zac grunted in simultaneous pain as the gargoyles struck back and wounded them. He frowned and hesitated as the gargoyle threw down its sword. He glared at it with narrowed eyes. "Yeah? I bet he does, once his side ain't winnin'."

He sighed, shook his head and shrugged. "Whatever. Tell him he's got a ten second headstart." Not that Selvin really had any intention of chasing the gargoyle...
The Dealer
GM, 1750 posts
Fri 8 Nov 2019
at 03:35
  • msg #109

Re: The Gatehouse

In reply to Selvin Larst (msg # 108):

Laoris listens to the gargoyle grunt something else.  Her eyebrows raise.  She grunts something back, and the two exchange grunts for a few moments.  Okay...so. She says to you all after a minute.  I'm gonna tell you guys this.  What he just told me. And then I guess we're gonna have a moment.  But I think I should tell you.

She looks around at you all.  For the first time since you met her, she doesn't have that dumb smile on her face.  Instead, she looks peturbed.

So...apparently Sial came this way.  And he told them to expect us.  In fact he bribed their leader to attack us.  We just met this group before they could get in to position.  There's a big mess of them waiting for us inside.
Selvin Larst
player, 1014 posts
My friend surrounds me
A strange companion
Sat 9 Nov 2019
at 00:56
  • msg #110

Re: The Gatehouse

Selvin let out a long sigh. "Of...fuckin'...COURSE they did." He shook his head. Then he looked at Chandanar. "Nothin' is EVER smooth. Always gotta be like pushin' a big rock uphill."

He looked over at Laoris. "Can...they...tell us how long ago Sial came this way?"
The Dealer
GM, 1751 posts
Mon 11 Nov 2019
at 06:42
  • msg #111

Re: The Gatehouse

In reply to Selvin Larst (msg # 110):

Laoris grumble-growls something and the gargoyle grumble-growls back.  It's saying it wants a guarantee we'll let it go.  I'm giving him one.

Another exchange ensues.  Laoris scrunches up her brow and shakes her head.  She grumbles back and the gargoyle points up at the sky.  She looks at you all.

Uhm...he says two full moons ago.  So roughly a month I guess.
The Dealer
GM, 1752 posts
Fri 15 Nov 2019
at 05:22
  • msg #112

Re: The Gatehouse

In reply to The Dealer (msg # 111):

Chandanar blinks.  A month?

Laoris shrugs.  Like I said he said.  Two full moons have passed.  According to him.  She jerks a thumb at the gargoyle.   If that's true, it means those little moments that we've seen weren't hallucinations.  They were...I dunno.  Time...uhm...burps.

Chandanar blinks again.  Time Burps.

Laoris nods and shrugs.  Yeah.  Time Burps.  I mean. What else could ya call them?
Izzick
player, 502 posts
Sat 16 Nov 2019
at 13:30
  • msg #113

Re: The Gatehouse

"So the real question is then how is Sial avoiding them. Or is he just lucky?" He looked to the Gargoyle, not sure it could give them anymore information. Had one of them moved backwards or had they moved forwards. In which case..."We need to get through here or out of here as fast as possible then. There's 0 telling what the queen's been up to if we're two months ahead now."
The Dealer
GM, 1753 posts
Sun 17 Nov 2019
at 22:01
  • msg #114

Re: The Gatehouse

In reply to Izzick (msg # 113):

True.  But...I think maybe it could work to your advantage. Laoris glances around and shrugs.  We've gone back in time and now forward.  If we can figure out the mechanism, maybe you could arrive in a time period where you could halt the Queen from finding the skull.

That's...actually not a bad idea.  Considering the source. The ever tactful Chandanar says, scratching his chin.  But I still think we need to find this sword.  Even if we could stop the events from happening, we still wouldn't want to leave that skull sitting around.

The gargoyle takes this chance to jump and leap in to the air, flying off as fast as it can.

Can't blame him for that.  Your healer sighs and nods at the broken open entry doors to the keep.  Shall we go get ambushed?
Selvin Larst
player, 1016 posts
My friend surrounds me
A strange companion
Fri 22 Nov 2019
at 19:48
  • msg #115

Re: The Gatehouse

Selvin didn't even want to think about the queen and the state of the city. He watched and listened silently, head slowly moving back and forth between each speaker when they piped up. But mostly his eyes focused more on the gargoyle than anyone else. Or at least, kept coming back to it.

His face scrunched up in a confused and/or aggravated frown. "We lost a month. We keep getting smacked by..." He glared at Laoris. "I'm not callin' 'em that. Time bubbles. Or time jumps." He waved a dismissive hand as if to say 'whatever' about the name. "An' so in there, they're super-prepared for us so we have a huge fight on our hands unless we sneak in somehow? Did I get all that right?"

He jerked his chin at the gargoyle. "Ask 'im if there's another way or a place we could use magic t'get in to an' get around the horde or whatever." But the gargoyle had taken off. He let out a long sigh. "Perfect."

He started to walk around to see if he could find a way in (or a place to dimension door to) that might allow them to bypass the gargoyles waiting for them.
Izzick
player, 503 posts
Sun 24 Nov 2019
at 02:47
  • msg #116

Re: The Gatehouse

"Sounds about right," Izzick said. He knew that both of them could go invisible, the tactic had worked for them before. But every casting of that was also one less spell for later and it left Zuni vulnerable. "Maybe we should just listen at the door and try to get an idea of what we're up against beyond?" A solution simple and easy to overlook, but their best bet without stronger divination magics than he thought Selvin or himself to have.
The Dealer
GM, 1754 posts
Mon 25 Nov 2019
at 03:39
  • msg #117

Re: The Gatehouse

In reply to Izzick (msg # 116):

Laoris pulls out her map...

Which thanks to my spanky new computer I can actually upload!  We're driving now people!

See Game Map for Group 1


We're here, Laoris says, pointing at one area Area 4 on the map

From what the gargoyle was talking about, the ambush is probably here Areas 6 and 9, which appear to be open courtyards past the entry hall

Then maybe we blip over here... Chandanar points at one area to the north Area 10, Or maybe here...  He points to an area to the south.  Area 12

But isn't this area... your healer points again to the northern Area 10 section.  the direction that guy implied the treasure chamber was?  It doesn't look like there'd be a treasure chamber that way.

Laoris shrugs.  You have a point.  But are you really here for treasure?

Just thinking about where this sword might be kept...

Let me know if there are questions on the map.  Thanks
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:56, Mon 25 Nov 2019.
Izzick
player, 504 posts
Tue 26 Nov 2019
at 19:21
  • msg #118

Re: The Gatehouse

"Blip?" Izzick questioned, seeing mostly walls. Certainly if they entered through the southern most room they'd have the best chance to handle an ambush in Area 6 - but Area 9 was pretty much unavoidable - there didn't even seem to be other ways in. At least they knew when it would hit, but was that truly the only advantage they had? "I wish we had an inkling of what was waiting," he said, not sure how else to prepare.
Selvin Larst
player, 1019 posts
My friend surrounds me
A strange companion
Wed 27 Nov 2019
at 02:57
  • msg #119

Re: The Gatehouse

Selvin looked over the map intently for a long moment. He seemed to focus in on a few things. Finally, he shook his head. He pointed to the tenth room. "Personally? I'd say we avoid the courtyard as much as we can, make them come to us if needs be. We can get in to supposedly the treasure room here..." He pointed to the door to Room 10 on the outside. "An' then later we can come in back where we are now an' access most o'the rest. I'd prefer t'make 'em come t'us in through a smaller door if we gotta face 'em anyway, yah?"
The Dealer
GM, 1757 posts
Fri 29 Nov 2019
at 04:03
  • msg #120

Re: The Gatehouse

In reply to Selvin Larst (msg # 119):

Room 10 then? And I'm assuming via Dimension Door?
Selvin Larst
player, 1023 posts
My friend surrounds me
A strange companion
Fri 29 Nov 2019
at 06:44
  • msg #121

Re: The Gatehouse

Selvin frowned and then looked a little sheepish. He realized suddenly that there was more to the map and unfolded it a bit more, seeing what had been hidden from him previously. "Ah." He cleared his throat. "Nevermind."

He shook his head. "Well, unless you all have teleporation capabilities, I don't see any way t'really get past the ambush. I mean, I s'pose I could make myself an' like 2 others invisible if we wanna try an' sneak past. I don't know if they have good senses of smell or anything."

He shrugged. "Otherwise, I guess we search all the rooms we can get to without goin' to 6 or 9 first, startin' with Room 5."
The Dealer
GM, 1761 posts
Sat 30 Nov 2019
at 04:08
  • msg #122

Re: The Gatehouse

In reply to Selvin Larst (msg # 121):

Before we do, Chandanar says, pointing at the map.  What about these two stairs here and here?

He is pointing at S3 and S4

They look like they would go upstairs.  Probably to... he turns and points behind and above, specifically to the interior gate houses upper floor, which you passed under to get here.

Maybe if we go upstairs, we can find a way to bypass the ambush?  Or at least maybe...I dunno...come up behind 'em or something?

That's not a bad idea.  But full disclosure?  I don't have a map of the upper levels.  All I could find is this floor here.




Past the fallen doors is what appears to be an old entry hall Area 5.  Even today, you can tell a fierce battle was once fought here.  There are large gouges and cracks in the stone that don't appear to be just the result of time.  And oddly, you detect the odor of something having burnt here recently. Though there's no indication that is the case.

There is an old door to your immediate right.  It would lead to what must have been a guards quarters as well as the two stairwells your cognizant cleric pointed at earlier.

There is of course the door to the west, which if Laoris is correct, will lead to an ambush...
Izzick
player, 505 posts
Sat 30 Nov 2019
at 15:31
  • msg #123

Re: The Gatehouse

"No way to go through walls here. So shall we try the stairs?" Izzick asked, looking at Selvin. It was now or never and they didn't have the best options for getting to the ambush from another direction. Not that their idea of upstairs was much better either. They at least had a shot to ambush the ambushers...if time stayed stable enough.
Selvin Larst
player, 1024 posts
My friend surrounds me
A strange companion
Mon 2 Dec 2019
at 19:54
  • msg #124

Re: The Gatehouse

Selvin listened to Chandanar and then looked at Izzick and nodded but also shrugged. "Stairs, sure, sounds like the best way t'go. Let's try it!" He grinned. "Worst that happens is we get ambushed, right?" He let out a chuckle and lead the way.
The Dealer
GM, 1762 posts
Tue 3 Dec 2019
at 04:01
  • msg #125

Re: The Gatehouse

In reply to Selvin Larst (msg # 124):

The passage to the east does seem to have once been guard quarters.  Time hasn't left much beyond stone walls, crumbling debris of furniture, and the odd skull.

You scout each staircase.  The northern one has a cold breeze blowing down it from above.  Like someone left a door open in the midst of a bad winter's day.

The southern stairs are fairly dusty and cob webby.  Nothing has passed this way in a while.

The question now is which stair do you want to take.
Selvin Larst
player, 1025 posts
My friend surrounds me
A strange companion
Tue 3 Dec 2019
at 17:53
  • msg #126

Re: The Gatehouse

Selvin looked just a little up each stairway. He felt the cold on the one, noted the webs on the other. He frowned slightly and then shook his head. "I suppose...I would vote the dusty cobwebbed way as it seems like no one's been that way, so we're less likely t'run in to anyone or get ambushed that way." He shrugged. "Theoretically."
The Dealer
GM, 1763 posts
Wed 4 Dec 2019
at 00:29
  • msg #127

Re: The Gatehouse

Theoretically, yes.

Let's move threads, shall we?
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