Dominique had spent much of the year working with his small council of delegates from the state religions to lay the physical, spiritual, and legal groundwork for the new nation. From arranging national holidays to designing the sewer systems, the Inquisitor found little time for himself and quickly grew restless without danger and the open road ahead of him. The hunter was becoming a manager and although he was appreciative of the role, his soul was slow to be tamed. The reports of unexplored ruins and Dark Pipers were a welcome chance at adventure after so long sitting in councils and signing documents and High Priest was quick to commission a full set of plate armor and shield to replace his tattered leather armor--which had grown inexplicably snug around the waist.

Now decked in heavy plate armor preparing to storm the tower with his companions, Dominique quietly watches Elena directing her troops. He had had little chance to observe their training or her leadership, aside from the occasional parade he had coaxed her into, over the last year as he was buried in his own responsibilities, and now he begins to inwardly dwell on whether fieldwork and warfare are becoming unfamiliar to him. As preparations for their assault are nearly complete and the party makes ready to approach, and with Elena's permission, Dominique leads the party and a host of the soldiers in a prayer to the goodly gods for wisdom and insight in the coming encounter followed by a sharing of wine from a kilderkin blessed by the Inquisitor. Finally, as the party moves in to assault the tower, he follows along, offering brief prayers to Abadar and laying blessings on everyone.

Casting Tears to Wine and dolling out as much as possible to the party and soldiers. +2 enhancement bonus on all Intelligence– and Wisdom-based skill checks for 40 minutes.
Also casting Resistance on everyone(except Kael(?) who has a cloak.)

---

Spoiler text: (Highlight or hover over the text to view)
SPELLS PREPARED
Level |  #  |  DC  |  Spells
  0   |  4  |  15  |  Detect Magic, Guidance, Resistance, Light
  1   | 5+1 |  16  |  Longstrider, Barbed Chains, Bless, Weapons Against Evil,
                      Command, Protection From Evil
  2   | 3+1 |  17  |  Locate Object, Tears to Wine, Burst of Radiance,
                      Mortal Terror

---

As soon as the door bursts in out comes the waiting bandits from inside sallying forth hoping to catch the heroes by surprise. A fiendish looking redcap leading a pair of gnome swordsmen charge forward to attack the group while they are still trying to drop the battering ram.



The two gnomes stab at Elena and Borric but both seasoned fighters are able to get out of the way. The redcap, however, is a much deadlier foe. With a mighty swing it cleaves into Elena nearly cutting the paladin in half. Only the battering ram saves Borric from a similar fate as he hauls up the tree trunk and it intercepts the scythe.

Redcap moves up and cleaves. Hits Elena on AC 26 for 21 pts of damage. Misses the cleave on Borric only hitting a 12.

Elena gasped with pain as the redcap's blade found a weak point in her armor, but it was pain that she could take.  Dropping the battering ram, she drew her glaive and took a step back.  "Archers!"  She yelled to the massed troops behind her, without taking her eyes off of the murderous fairy to her front.  "If you have a clear shot at the gnomes, take it!  Leave the redcap to us." 

Elena raised her weapon towards the scraggly fae.  Her voice took on a deep, resonant quality as she intoned, "Redcap of the Dark Pipers!  For your wanton murder of innocents and your destruction of lives and beauty, you will die today!  In Shelyn's name, I smite you!"

With that, she brought her glaive down in a devastating swing, repaying the creature's brutality with violence of her own.

FREE: Drop ram, 5-ft step back.
SWIFT: Activate Smite evil against Redcap.  +3 attack, +4 damage, +3 deflection, ignores DR of evil creatures.
MOVE: Draw Glaive
STANDARD: Power attack vs redcap.  Hits AC 24 for 20 damage.

PASSIVE EFFECTS: Protection from evil, 9 rounds.  +2 deflection and +2 resistance vs evil, immune to mind-control effects.  Doesn't stack with smite deflection or cloak of resistance.
Tears to wine (40 mins) +2 to int and wis skills.

This message was last edited by the player at 22:58, Fri 29 Oct 2021.

Kael swears and casts a spell he prepared for the attack before drawing his weapon and stepping in between Elena and the vicious looking fey.

I don't see the bad guys on the map, but I'm casting Glitterdust to cover the fey and the gnomes if possible. The fey is the priority though, as is avoiding friendly fire.

Them draw weapon and move to where Elana just was, I guess?

I'm assuming here that Kael already cast his Shield and Mirror Image spells before we got in this mess, like he planned to. If this is not the case, I'll have to change my action.

Dominique stumbles back as the enemies unexpectedly pour out through the shattered doorway. It seems this redcap would be a very formidable foe, but with Abadar's aid the scales will always be in their favor. Thrusting his masterfully crafted steel shield coated in white enamel and decorated with golden filigree and the golden key of Abadar into the air to be visible, the Inquisitor speaks out in a booming voice, "Prostrate yourself before the power of the God of Judges and Judge of Gods!"

Free: 5' step away
Swift: Intimidate Redcap w/ Omen Trait: 22
Standard: Cast Command(Fall) on Redcap DC: Will DC 16
20:11, Today: Dominique Telvari rolled 22 using 1d20+19 with rolls of 3.  Demoralize Redcap.
(Included +4 for being bigger because redcaps are small, right?)
Also, Dom's AC is 22--forgot to update for the new equipment.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:43, Mon 01 Nov 2021.

Borric dropped the battering ram as he took a step to the right of the redcap. He drew his sword, "We have you surrounded. This will be your end." With a thrust of his sword, he knew that he found a weak stop in the redcap's armor. His sword was coated in blood as he prepared to strike again.

---

20:00, Today: Secret Roll: Borric d'Tor rolled 29,5 using 1d20+9,1d8+3 with rolls of 20,2.  ATK/DAM.
20:00, Today: Secret Roll: Borric d'Tor rolled 23 using 1d20+9 with rolls of 14.  Crit Confirmation.

Free: 5' step to try to block path of the other creature :)

This message was last edited by the player at 21:55, Mon 01 Nov 2021.

As enemies spill out, Cara tries to scoot left, with an eye to getting inside, behind folks...

Of course, that plan may be complicated by her loosing her crossbow at one of the swordsmen, and her "EEEP!" exclamation as the redcap nearly sawed poor Elena in twain...

Free: 5' step left toward the door
Standard: Fire Crossbow at nearest unobstructed gnome swordsman

14:42, Today: Caramip Scheppen rolled 19 using 1d20+5 with rolls of 14.  Fire lcxb @ gnome swordsman.
14:42, Today: Caramip Scheppen rolled 3 using 1d6 with rolls of 3.  if hit damage.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:43, Mon 01 Nov 2021.

Elena deals a savage strike to the redcap. Borric likewise using his cold iron sword (wink) sinks its blade into the redcap.

Dominique finds the redcap is not intimidated by the imposing priest of Abadar but the creature is smacked by the force of his words and collapses to the ground.

Then Kael's glitterdust bomb goes off catching all three Pipers full blast. While the redcap and one of the gnomes avoids being blinded, the second one is blinded by the light and begins swinging his sword wildly in front of him.

Cara's shot is ruined by the wild ebb and flow of melee. (-4 for shooting into melee).

Vyntis stands back and assesses the situation, waiting to deploy his magic at an opportune time.

---

The redcap stands up, cursing at the party in his sylvan tongue.
Borric and Elena get AoO on the redcap

It swings into Borric with its blade but Borric steps back and ducks down as the blade cuts right over his head.

Round 2

Kael quickly casts another spell, and lightning seems to dance on his blade as he steps closer to the fey to deliver his strike.

Shocking Grasp, 5' step to L14 (don't want to give him cover against Elena, until now I did not even know this is possible), then Spellcombat & Spellstrike.

12:36, Today: Kael Valleni rolled 22,9 using 1d20+8,1d8+1 with rolls of 14,8.  Spellcombat 1 (Attack, Damage).
12:36, Today: Kael Valleni rolled 12,8 using 1d20+8,1d8+1 with rolls of 4,7.  Spellcombat 2 (Attack, Damage).
12:37, Today: Kael Valleni rolled 18 using 4d6 with rolls of 4,5,3,6.  Shocking Grasp.

Looks like first strike hits and delivers Shocking Grasp damage. I did not count +3 to attack from the spell as I'm not sure it qualifies. From the image he has some metal armor on him, and that scythe does have a lot of metal on it as well.

The downed redcap was just able to scramble to it's feet while avoiding Elena's blade, but it didn't stay safe for long.  As Kael delivered his shocking strike, Elena followed it up with a vicious thrust from her glaive.  The blood flowing from Elena's wound was already slowing, and her skin began to stitch itself shut with a faint blue glow.

REACTION: AoO vs Redcap.  Misses with a 15.
STANDARD: Attack Redcap.  Hits AC 22 for 20 damage.
SWIFT: Lay on Hands towards self, heals 10 damage.

Cara doesn't like shooting into the mess of a melee, but likes being stabbed less.  She'll continue to crib towards the door and seek to get behind folks, while still staying out of the way...

Free: scoot 5'
Move: reload
Standard: shoot dem!
16:56, Today: Caramip Scheppen rolled 10 using 1d20+1 with rolls of 9.  Crossbow (+5 attack, -4 for melee fire).

Borric narrowed his eyes as the Redcap shifted its position to match his own. He brought down his blade. "I've got his focus. Go get them."

---

AoO
rolled 17,6 using 1d20+9,1d8+3 with rolls of 8,3.  ATK/DAM

-----------------------

Attack Redcap, whiffssss
rolled 10,5 using 1d20+9,1d8+3 with rolls of 1,2.  ATK/DAM

Kael, Borric and Elena hack and shock the redcap with ruthless efficiency and the evil fey is laid low. Seeing the red cap put down so quickly causes the two gnome bandits to throw down their weapons in surrender. Well the non-blind one does at least. The blind one keeps swinging his sword around ineffectually.

Round 3

The surrendering gnome could live for now.  After the crimes he committed and his attempts to resist arrest, the tiny bandit would almost certainly hang back in Rivermarch, but he would at least be entitled to a fair trail first.

The blind gnome would not be so lucky.  Ineffectually swinging a sword around was still fighting, and Elena wasn't in the mood to talk the gnome down.  She lunged forwards, bringing her glaive down in a sweeping overhead strike against the blinded bandit.

FULL: Charge to K15, power attack blind gnome.  Hits AC 21 for 15 damage.

EDIT: I'm not sure if this is allowed, since I didn't think of it until well after I posted, but can I add this action to my turn?
SWIFT: Lay on hands to self.  Heals 7 HP.

Passive Effects: tears to wine (40 mins), protection from evil (7 rds)
This message was last edited by the player at 20:58, Tue 09 Nov 2021.

Borric shouted, "We got two of them. Keep watch. I'm sure that there are more inside." He was a step behind Elena as she charged the remaining Gnome. His sword slipped under his guard and slashed deeply.

---

Hits AC 29, Damage 16 CRIT
rolled 29,8 using 1d20+9,1d8+3 with rolls of 20,5.  ATK/DAM.
rolled 18 using 1d20+9 with rolls of 9.  Crit Confirmation.

With the murderous fey down, Kael circles around the blindly flailing gnome to stab at his back.

Swift actin - Spell Dance for extra speed. Circling around the gnome to avoid AoOs (or would blindness prevent that?) to K18 to set up flanking with Elena. Hit for 7 damage?

19:09, Today: Kael Valleni rolled 19,7 using 1d20+12,1d8+1 with rolls of 7,6.  Flank (Attack, Damage).

edit: That's one very dead gnome.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:15, Tue 09 Nov 2021.

Dominique continues to hold back, seeing that the others have the situation well in hand. Abadar's power is not to be used in vain and he would only get in the way in a melee.

The surrendering bandit is subdued and tied up and passed on back to their perimeter army.

The other gnome is quickly cut down by the party that easily maneuvers around the blinded gnome.

There is a circular staircase leading up to the next level. Judging by the overall nature of the tower it is likely just the two levels so what remains of the Dark Pipers is likely just above them.

As they start considering their next move one of the runners from the army comes rushing in.

"Trolls! Troll sighting! Along the southern perimeter. Three of them. What are you orders?"

He's a young lad just recently come over from a farm in Rostland. With the help of the Swordlords the bards sang far and wide about around the region about the rise of Rivermarch and hundreds of kids barely into their teens had poured in to seek fame and fortune. Sure their core army was comprised of adults and a few seasoned veterans but almost half were inexperienced farmers just like this lad and they had been put to work as couriers and diggers and cooks and any number of other jobs that kept an army marching but kept them off the front lines.

"Seriously?"  Elena exclaimed in frustration. "Trolls show up the second we take the door?  What are the odds?!"

Actually...what were the odds?  The army had the Dark Pipers surrounded all day, and eighteen seconds after the party begins it's assault, three trolls show up?  This felt like some kind of fey trickery.  It could be an illusion, a charmed messenger, any number of things.

It could also be a troll attack.

After a second's thought, Elena turned back to the messenger.  "Tell Akiros to hold fast.  Even trolls aren't stupid enough to pick a fight outnumbered 200 to 1.  I mean, I hope they aren't that dumb.  If they do engage, the front line is to stay on defense while the archers bring them down.  Understand?  Good."

She turned back to the stairs.  According to their info, there would be a satyr and two spriggans waiting for them up there, plus maybe a few more gnomes.  It had taken the party mere seconds to wipe out half the Dark Pipers, with any luck they could smash the leadership and still have time left on Elena's protection spell to handle the trolls, if indeed there were any trolls to handle.

Starting up the spiral staircase, she added. "We'll be there in just a minute."

OOC: Elena will stop if someone tells her to, otherwise she's heading up the stairs.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:02, Thu 11 Nov 2021.

Borric did turn back. He was about to call on his companions to fight the trolls, but Elena's comments about the suspicious timing made him reconsider. "The general is right. Have the armies use fire. Torches and fire arrows with their attacks. We'll be done here as fast as possible."

Borric stood up in the front to lead the charge into the Dark Piper's encampment. "Let's do this."

Feel free to add comments. I'm ok with several people advising another course of action :)

"You think someone in there is trying to be clever? Could just be, but let me go up first. You are wounded while my protection spells are still intact." Kael offers to Elena, ready to climb the stairs first if she agrees.

Elena is at half health, right? Though her remaining hit points are close to Kael's full health, he does still have an active Mirror Image with... bah, I never rolled to see how many images he has:
14:52, Today: Kael Valleni rolled 4 using 1d4+1 with rolls of 3.  Mirror Image.

Elena moved aside as Kael and Borric stepped up to lead the charge.  Her wounds were almost completely healed, but she didn't feel the need to be a glory hog.  Besides, Kael's magical defenses were impressive.

"I think...I think our men can hold the line for thirty seconds, whether the trolls are real or not.  And if there are trolls, then I don't want the Pipers at our back while we deal with them." 

OOC: Elena is back up to 37 HP, actually.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:18, Thu 11 Nov 2021.

Dominique considers the merits of splitting up to handle both threats or leaving the Dark Pipers stuck in their tower for merely a few more minutes while they handle the other threat, but doesn't feel strongly enough to speak up when the others seem set on pushing into the tower. Instead he nods in agreement and lines up behind the others with a nod and agreement, "Let's press on. Quickly."

Dom still has a channel and Spontaneous Cures if we need them.

The party surges up the spiral stone staircase towards the second level and discover three problems.

The first is that the top of the stairs has been barricaded with barrels, chests, and tables. The second is that the rest of the Dark Pipers, including their leader, have set up holes in the barricade so they can presumably fire magic and bolts through. The third is that both the barricade and the top of the stairs appears to be covered in some kind of greasey substance that makes it hard to maintain footing on top of the stairs and a tumble there will result in a long and painful fall down the rest of the stairs.


The leader of the Dark Pipers is the Satyr holding a staff in one hand and a pan flute in the other. Next to him are two more gnomes, a man and a woman, both of which appear to have the appearance of spellcasters. Given their intelligence it is likely a druid and a sorcerer at his side.

Still as they party approaches the Satyr calls out to them with his deep voice, a baritone that even in conversation has a melodic tone to it. The satyr seems to have the natural ability to turn any conversation into a song.

"Hold intruders and let us parlay. If you are here I assume Goraidh and the others are dead. So be it. We can battle here to the bitter end and bath these old stones with our blood but I have a proposal for a less ruthless resolution, one in which we can both leave with something. Us with our lives can leave your land and you can get information about the one that is coming to overthrow your kingdom."

"You're the only threat to these lands. You're bluffing." Borric shouted over the barricade. He drew his sword and looked for a path to the Satyr.