The party begins their assault on the keep, with Lathan and Lucien firing arrows at the guard atop the tower. Lathan's arrow finds its mark, but Lucien's arrow flies over the guard's head. Terminax hurls a fire bolt at the guard, hitting him. The guard remains standing and reaches for the lever that triggers the bell.

Meanwhile, Rissa and Three Elks rush for the walls on the opposite side of the keep, but about halfway across the clearing, Three Elks falls into a well-concealed, ten-foot-deep pit trap, impaling himself on one of the sharpened wooden poles set inside. Rissa manages to sidestep the pit and avoid falling in.

Next round.

Lookout: injured (-8 hp)

Terminal ineptly throws another firebolt.

"Shit!"

Rissa hissed, barely hanging onto the ladder.  She lowered it into the pit, giving Three Elks a means to extract himself from the trap.  As she did, the orb about her neck began to glow with a divine light.

"Ar'Hannoran."
"Ar'Hannoran!"

The second voice, even at a whisper, was not what the half-elf had heard before.  It resonated with a confidence and arrogance that filled him with warmth and surety of purpose.  Indeed, no sooner had the spikes withdrawn from his pierced flesh, then the Tiefling's healing magic closed the bloody wounds.

Lathan fires another arrow, praying that he can take out the guard before he rings that bell.

Attack Guard. Hits AC 20 for 9 piercing damage.

09:48, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 5 using 1d6.  Hunter's Mark.
09:47, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 1 using 1d8.  Colossus Slayer.
09:47, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 3 using 1d8+1.  Damage.
09:38, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 20 using 1d20+4.  Attack.

Three Elks grunted as he lifted his leg off the spike that had penetrated his calf.  His eyes were wide, and his palms wet with shock. He heard the Tiefling chant in her strange double tongue and the wound healed.  He began to climb the ladder with a bit of a limp still aching from the fall.  "Your magic I presume.  I thank you," he said to Rissa, giving her an appreciative look.  "I feared the field would be trapped," he said with a shake of the head.  To survive the wilds of the north one had to trust one's instincts, he had started to go soft already.  He had only been travelling with the southerners for a short time, and he'd already begun to acting the fool.  Their rush, did not allow him to properly stalk their foe; but now the raid had begun, there was no more time he had to either continue or retreat.  He helped pull up the ladder and moved once more for the wall, but at half the speed and with keener attention to the ground in front of him.

Lathan's arrow finds its mark, dropping the lookout before he can grab the lever and sound the alarm.

On the other side of the keep, Three Elks climbs out of the pit, his leg wound now healed.

Everything is quiet in the clearing.

End combat.

Terminax will climb up to the dead lookout, search him and the area while sending his familiar to see where everyone is at, including the bandits, along with whatever else might be in the area.

Rissa moved up with the ladder when Three Elks was ready.

Lucien ties the remaining length of his rope to a grappling hook he pulls from his pack and then hands the implement over to Terminax. In a low whisper, the elf relays his plan. "I think you'll be able to give it a better throw than I can. See if you can catch it on the ramparts."

Terminax eyed it skeptically, and then, after summoning a floating hand, had attempted to arc the grappling hook onto the ramparts.

Three Elks set the ladder in place and began to climb.

Lathan carefully follows Lucien and Terminax into the clearing, putting away his bow and drawing one of his swords. "We should meet up with Rissa and Three Elks on the other side."

"Might be better to get your bow up by the lookout over there and setup an ambush by the gate. I can keep track of Rissa and Elks with my familiar, and if they run into trouble, you can pull the lever, and send them running to the gate like last time. Then, Lucien and I can hit them from behind. I can hit them with some fire, and then knock them back with a spell, while you pick them off, and Lucien will have a trick or two if I don't miss my guess." he whispers back.

Lucien nods in agreement. "We'll be of the most help from the top of the ramparts. Terminax, while you climb, I will check on them." With that said Lucien sends a mental command to his owl to fly to the far side of the keep and observe Rissa and Three Elks. While the bird flies, he steps into the shadow of the tower and lets his eyes roll back to see what his familiar sees.

Three Elks squatted once reaching the top of the ramparts, slowly retrieving his warhammer.  He looked around to make sure there were no threats, to make sure he and Rissa weren't spotted.  There was no alarms, and there was no silhouette of an enemy archer in the distance.  The others must have succeeded.  Three Elks didn't move until Rissa could reach the top as well.  While her magics failed her against the bugbears, he would be bad shape if not for her healing.  Three Elks saw value in her now.

Unaware of the thoughts circling his head, Rissa clambered up the ladder after Three Elks.

After scouting the situation with his familiar, Lucien has the owl grab the grappling hook and secure it, with the rope trailing below, to the battlements of the keep. He the ascends as silently as he can to the top of the wall. From the top, he spies Three Elks and Rissa in the distance as well as the guard near the gate.

Before doing anything else, he pulls a piece of wire from a pocket and casts message at Rissa. Rissa, this is Lucien. We've taken out the tower guard and climbed the wall on the far side. I only see one other guard down below by the gate. I am going to climb the rest of the way to the top of the tower, but then we should all try to take out the gate guard silently if we can."

Once Terminax and Lathan have climbed up behind him, he uses his familiar to move the grappling hook to the top of the tower and climbs the rope up to where the slain guard lies.

Three Elks dropped prone and crawled to the edge to peek into the court yard.  He was trying to spy guards, doors, shutters, threats and possible ways in.

Lucien climbs up to the watch platform, which is covered in bird droppings. The wood of the floor is rotted and does not appear to be wholly sound. The dead guard lies next to a metal lever. A descending spiral staircase illuminated with oil lamps is the only other feature of the watchtower.

Three Elks spots seven closed doors from the courtyard, as well as three chimneys. Smoke rises from the chimney on the eastern edge of the keep, but not from the two nearer the tower. One guard, wearing leather armor and a shield and with a short sword at his hip, stands near the gates on the western side of the keep.

Terminal sends the bat to scout through a window near the smoking chimney.

From his vantage point at the top of the top, Lucien feels confident in eliminating the guard. He once again casts message, this time to Lathan. "I am ready to deal with the next guard. Take the shot when you are prepared and I will follow." He then knocks another arrow to his bow and sights along the shaft at the guard by the gate, holding his shot until he sees Lathan let fly.

Three Elks set his hammer down and drew a javelin as he crept towards the edge of the wall towards the guard at the gate.  He hesitated, just long enough for the archers to make the first move.

Lathan nods and draws his bow while maneuvering to a good position to take a shot at the guard. He concentrates on the guard for a moment then raises his bow and takes aim before finally releasing the arrow.

Attack guard. Hits AC 15 for 12 piercing damage.

15:27, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 4 using 1d6.  Hunter's Mark.
15:27, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 8 using 1d8+1.  Damage.
15:26, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 15 using 2d20+4, dropping the lowest dice only.  Attack (advantage).

With the advantage of height, Lucien's shot this time is far more accurate than his last one. As soon as he hears the hiss of Lathan's arrow, he looses his own.

Shot at the guards hits AC 20 for 13 damage.

Lucien Nailo rolled 20 using 2d20+5, dropping the lowest dice only with rolls of 15,11. Longbow attack w/advantage.
Lucien Nailo rolled 7,6 using 1d8+3,2d6 with rolls of 4,5,1.  Damage.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:13, Sun 26 May 2019.

Rissa clambered up after Three Elks, pulling herself up onto the ramparts and taking her first look around.

Lathan and Lucien fire their arrows at the lone guard by the gate. Both arrows strike him, dropping him instantly.

The courtyard remains quiet.

Terminal continues searching with the bat.

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.

Unable to see what is going on in the building underneath him, but anticipating more thugs emerging from the other doors into the courtyard, Lathan readies another arrow and scans the courtyard for a new target.

Lathan will Ready an attack against the first enemy to enter the courtyard. Attack hits AC 9.

15:31, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 9 using 1d20+4.  Attack.

Rissa attempted to move to stand by Terminax.

As the man in chain mail advances, Lucien drops his longbow on the ground and draws his rapier again. Unfortunately, the man's flail cannot be effectively parried with the thin bladed weapon and Lucien is forced to turn his initial thrust into an awkward tumble past the man. The light footed elf manages to dance away towards the door and, hopefully, his allies.

As he backs up, he calls over his shoulder to those he presumes are outside. "I have discovered the identity of these brigands. They are the bandits who have been preying on the region. If I'm not mistaken, the one-eyed man is their leader, but we have to be careful. He has a cloak that lets him fly. He has used it to escape before."

Attack: Misses.
Bonus Action: Disengage.
Move: Head for the door.

Lucien Nailo rolled 6,10 using 1d20+5,1d8+3. Rapier attack w/damage.

"Well then its best you take the fight indoors," Three Elks said from the edge of the roof top, as he lowered the ladder in place for Rissa to use.  "Besides it sounds like others are coming," he said looking to the North at the sound of barking dogs. "I'll stay out here and do my best to distract them. one of you toss those javelins back up here."

The others were in too big of a rush to storm the place.  None of them had any idea just how many bandits inhabited the place.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:13, Sun 09 June 2019.

Six bandits emerge from the buildings, three from the door closest to the gate and three from a door of a building on the western wall, and all wearing leather armor and carrying scimitars. A large hound follows the second group.

Three Elks lowers the ladder into the courtyard for Rissa as Lathan fires an arrow at one of the bandits, missing.

Inside, Lucien disengages from the one-eyed man and makes it to the door leading to the courtyard. The one-eyed man curses and rushes through the door that leads to the tower. He shouts over his shoulder, "Heydrus, take care of him!" and then disappears through the door, shutting it behind him. The teen moves quickly toward Lucien and attacks, stabbing the elf with his rapier.

Terminax retreats toward the open doorway and Lucien.

Next round.

Thug 1: dying
Thug 2: dying
Thug 3 (chain): injured (-13 hp)
Teen: uninjured
Bandit 1: uninjured
Bandit 2: uninjured
Bandit 3: uninjured
Bandit 4: uninjured
Bandit 5: uninjured
Bandit 6: uninjured
Dog: uninjured
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:06, Fri 14 June 2019.

Even Lucien has a moment of indecision when the boy attacks him. He seems too young to be out here in the woods with bandits. He lets out a grunt of pain as the boy's sword pierces his side and responds with a counter thrust. As he does he hears the sounds of more approaching enemies outside and calls to his companions. "Their leader is in here. He just fled. There's only one other inside. Fall back through the door and we can funnel them through."

Action: Attack: hits AC 17 for 7 damage.
Lucien Nailo rolled 17,7 using 1d20+5,1d8+3. Attack roll w/ damage.

"Irkigaar."
"Irkigaar."

Rissa hissed with her strange double tongue, and a streak of blackness struck at the hound the bandits were dragging behind them.

---

Action:  Eldritch Blast

18:22, Yesterday: Rissa Twiceborn rolled 20 using 1d20+5.  Eldritch Blast.
21:09, Today: Rissa Twiceborn rolled 10 using 1d10+3.  Damage.

Three Elks wanted to take advantage of having the higher ground.  He attempted to throw another javelin, but it clumsily slipped from his fingers, bounced off the edge of the roof, and tumbled uselessly to the courtyard below.  "Frak," he cursed.

Natural 1O

Terminal sends a mental command to is familiar to fly above the tower and follow anyone that seems to be fleeing, as he Stowe his sword and hurls a bolt of fire. "Shit, I will try and get my bat to follow him. Should I chase after him or we holding this door?"


13:09, Today: Terminax rolled 6 using 1d10.  Firebolt dmg.
13:08, Today: Terminax rolled 23 using 1d20+4.  Firebolt.

Lathan fires another arrow at one of the approaching bandits. This time his aim is better.

Attack Bandit. Hits AC 22 for 11 piercing damage.

13:52, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 5 using 1d6.  Hunter's Mark.
13:52, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 6 using 1d8+2.  Damage.
13:52, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 22 using 1d20+4.  Attack.

The bandits rush Terminax, attacking him viciously. One of them slashes him with his scimitar, bypassing his armor and inflicting a moderate wound on the dragonborn. Three Elks fumbles his javelin and it falls harmlessly to the ground. Lathan fires an arrow at one of the bandits, dropping him in his tracks. Rissa's eldritch blast kills the dog. Terminax hits one of the bandits with a fire bolt.

Lucien stabs the teenage boy, nearly taking him down. The teen retaliates with a look of desperation on his face, stabbing Lucien again.

Next round.

Thug 1: dying
Thug 2: dying
Thug 3 (chain): injured (-13 hp)
Teen: badly injured (-7 hp)
Bandit 1: dying
Bandit 2: injured (-6 hp)
Bandit 3: uninjured
Bandit 4: uninjured
Bandit 5: uninjured
Bandit 6: uninjured
Dog: dead

Lucien grimaces as the boy's blade bites into his arm. As he counter-thrusts, he tries to discourage the boy from fighting. "Boy, I've been wielding a blade longer than you've been alive. Put the sword down and you can leave with your life. A life of banditry never ends happily."

Action: Attack hits AC 8 for 4 damage.
Lucien Nailo rolled 8,4 using 1d20+5,1d8+3. Rapier attack w/damage.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:19, Sun 16 June 2019.

"Irkigaar."
"Irkigaar."

Rissa sent another skittering bolt of arcane energy straight into the face of one of the uninjured bandits assailing Terminax.  Her orb glowed darkly with shadows as she spun her art, threatening to overwhelm the light.  Just when it seemed it would be lost, she grasped a strand of it and hurled it towards Lucien.

"Ar'Hannoran"
"Ar'Hannoran"

The bleeding at his arm quelled, and the wound began to mend itself as her strange double magic washed over him.  One after the other, it was easy to hear the differences in her strange double speak.  One was silky, smooth, and brimming with the promise of power.  The other was resolute, righteous, and ardent.

"His friends have more tricks than yours!"

She shouted at the boy, hoping the demonstration of bladecraft combined with healing Art would be enough to convince him to surrender.


Action:  Eldritch Blast
16:54, Today: Rissa Twiceborn rolled 20 using 1d20+5.  Eldritch Blast.
16:54, Today: Rissa Twiceborn rolled 12 using 1d10+3.  Damage.
Bonus:  Healing Light on Lucien
16:57, Today: Rissa Twiceborn rolled 3 using 1d6.  Healing Light.

Lathan focuses on another bandit and fires another arrow with deadly accuracy.

Attack (uninjured) Bandit. Hits AC 24 (critical) for 20 piercing damage.

19:58, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 4 using 1d6.  Hunter's Mark.
19:58, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 16 using 2d8+2.  Damage (critical).
19:57, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 24 using 1d20+4.  Attack.

Three Elks threw his last javelin down into the crowd, hoping to spear one of the bandits.  He was hoping to make up for the embarrassment of his last throw.  Still, the situation was looking rather dire for Terminax.  The Dragonborn was too rash.  Out of ranged weapons, Three Elks was going to have to get his hand dirty to save his new companion.  He hoped the battle inside was going better.

08:11, Today: Three Elks rolled 17 using 1d20+6.  ranged attack.
08:11, Today: Three Elks rolled 4 using 1d6+3.  damage.

11:30, Today: Terminax rolled 9 using 1d20+5.  Green flame blade.

Terminax strikes with his sword at his attacker, a word of power on his lips.

The bandits continue to attack Terminax at the doorway. Two of them slash him with their swords, leaving him in very bad shape. Three Elks hits one of the bandits with a javelin, badly injuring him. Lathan drops another bandit with a well-aimed arrow. Rissa heals Lucien partially while taking out a bandit with an eldritch blast. Terminax strikes at the closest bandit with his green flame blade but misses.

Lucien attacks the teenager again but misses. The teenager disengages from Lucien and begins to withdraw toward the southern door of the dining hall.

Next round.

Thug 1: dying
Thug 2: dying
Thug 3 (chain): injured (-13 hp) [not present]
Teen: badly injured (-7 hp)
Bandit 1: dying
Bandit 2: severely injured (-10 hp)
Bandit 3: dying
Bandit 4: dying
Bandit 5: uninjured
Bandit 6: uninjured
Dog: dead

Lathan takes aim at another bandit and fires an arrow down on him.

Attack hits AC 14 for 8 piercing damage. (I accidentally rolled 1d6+2 instead of 1d8+2 for damage. Oh well.)

16:36, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 2 using 1d6.  Hunter's Mark.
16:36, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 6 using 1d6+2.  Damage.
16:35, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 14 using 1d20+4.  Attack.

Three Elks climbed down the ladder, and ran screaming towards the nearest bandit swinging his maul wildly like a mad man.

Rage.
15:32, Today: Three Elks rolled 7 using 1d20+6.  melee attack. WTF?

For the briefest instant, as the young man flees through the far door, Lucien debates heading after the bandit's leader, but the sounds of continued battle outside draw him away. He decides to leave his longbow where it lies on the floor and instead hurries out the door to the courtyard to join the battle with his rapier. He sees Three Elks' blow go wide and takes advantage of the moment to dart in with his blade.

Action: Attack hits AC 12 for 15 damage.
Lucien Nailo rolled 12,7,8 using 1d20+5,1d8+3,2d6. Rapier attack w/damage and sneak attack.

Terminax is bleeding profusely, saying, "Could use some healing here!" he says as he 9nce again casts a thunderous wave at the foes arrayed in front of him.

Assuming I didn't need to cast featherfall, I have 1 last 1st level spell prepared.

"Ar'Hannoran"
"Ar'Hannoran"

Rissa reached deep into her orb, drawing heavily on the golden light as runes of power burst into light around Terminax.  He felt warmth suffuse his body as his wounds began to mend, too hot, a burning agony that cauterized wherever it touched.

"Irkigaar."
"Irkigaar."

Another bolt of shadow followed the healing Art, slamming into one of the bandits harrying the Dragonborn.


Action:  Eldritch Blast
21:55, Today: Rissa Twiceborn rolled 13 using 1d20+5.  Eldritch Blast.
21:56, Today: Rissa Twiceborn rolled 5 using 1d10+3.

Bonus:  Healing Light
21:53, Today: Rissa Twiceborn rolled 8 using 2d6.  Healing Light.

The remaining three bandits continue to attack Terminax (with little success) as Three Elks descends into the courtyard and enters the melee. Lathan fires another arrow, hitting another bandit. Lucien exits the building and takes down a bandit with a surprise attack. Rissa heals some of Terminax's injuries and takes out one of the remaining bandits with an eldritch blast. Terminax slashes the last bandit with his longsword, dropping him.

The dogs in the stables on the northern side of the courtyard continue to bark. There is no sign of the leader or the teenage boy.

End combat.

Thug 1: dying
Thug 2: dying
Thug 3 (chain): injured (-13 hp) [not present]
Teen: badly injured (-7 hp) [not present]
Bandit 1: dying
Bandit 2: dying
Bandit 3: dying
Bandit 4: dying
Bandit 5: dying
Bandit 6: dying
Dog: dead

Terminax goes to see through his familiar's senses, seeing of it was able to follow the leader.

As the last bandit falls, Lucien waves for the party to follow him. "Quickly, there is a staircase in the tower that leads lower down, their leader has fled that way." He then darts back inside the hall to where he dropped his longbow and retrieves the weapon. Checking that the others are following he heads for the door to the tower and the staircase.

Lathan stows his bow and quickly descends the ladder to join the others. He then draws both of his swords and follows Lucien toward the door to the tower.

"I have some healing Art left, should it be needed."

Rissa said, finally beginning to climb down the ladder.

Lucien leads the others to the tower. The room at the base of the tower is lit with lanterns. There is a closed door to the west and the stairs that led down from the top of the tower continue down below. There is no sign of anyone in the room.

Three Elks picked up his javelins then rushed to catch up to the others. "Watch for traps, cornered rats like to bite," he said awkwardly shuffling around and storing his weapons.  He elected to stick with the warhammer, for now.

Lucien pauses for a moment before proceeding. "I suppose there is no way to know whether he fled through that door or down the stairs. I think it's unlikely that he would go to the top of the tower, but his cloak is magical and would allow him to fly away. Should we divide ourselves? Unfortunately I think if we pick only one route and pick incorrectly, we risk losing him."

Having said that, the elf takes a brief moment to check through the eyes of his familiar. He passes the command for the owl to watch the top of the tower and after quickly looking for himself through it's eyes, he returns to his own body.

"We came here to claim this place and learn its secrets did we not?  What is one man?  We killed his crew.  He would be a fool to return.  Let us see what is below," said Three Elks.

Lucien snaps back to himself in time to hear Three Elks. "I've killed his crew once before. If he escapes it won't be the last we see of him, but perhaps you're right. I don't think he fled up the tower so let's see what lies below."

Cautiously, Lucien leads the way down the stairs to whatever lies below keeping an eye out for any hidden surprises.

Lucien Nailo rolled 17 using 1d20+6. Looking for traps.

Rissa followed ten paces behind Lucien, trusting the man's experience.

Three Elks cocked a brow, curious to hear the story of the previous run in with the bandit.  Talking rarely aided the hunt however.  For now he didn't ask, but he would be expecting to hear more from Lucien later.

The stairs lead downward and end in a dusty 20-foot-by-20-foot room. Footprints in the dust disappear through an ajar door leading out of the room to the south.

Lathan continues to follow Lucien and the others. He and his comrades did a good job handling the bandits; he suspects that whatever awaits them below the keep will be more difficult.

Staying on his toes, Lucien leads the way to the door that stands ajar and, after a quick peak through, proceeds. He does his best to keep a wary eye out for danger, but there is no time to search thoroughly.

The tunnel on the other side of the door leads west. About 30 feet down the hallway, a closed door is situated on the right. An open doorway is located to the left about 15 feet beyond that. The hallway continues westward into the darkness past the two doors.

Gesturing for his companions to follow, Lucien makes his way 15 feet down the hallway where he stops and examines the apparent wall on the left side of the corridor. He begins to probe the wall gently as though search for something...

Three Elks stepped five feet past Lucien his hammer in his hands as Lucien watched the wall.  Elks guarded his companion from any danger that may suddenly appear buying him the security to do whatever it was he was doing.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:48, Wed 26 June 2019.

"Shall I summon light?"

Rissa whispered as she followed.

"My eyes need it not, but other's may."

Lucien holds up a finger, indicating that Rissa should wait to produce a light for at least one more moment. He then pushes on the wall in an attempt to open the hidden door that he has found.

The wall pushes open, revealing a well-furnished 40-foot-by-50-foot room, decorated with wall hangings dedicated to Cyric. Two zombies stand guard at the door and immediately move to attack the party. In the middle of the room, four more zombies lurk near the one-eyed man, who appears to be fully healed now. "They're here!" he shouts, glancing over his shoulder at a door on the southern wall of the room, then turns to face the party as the zombies move to attack.

Begin combat. Roll initiative and post your actions for the first round.

One-eyed man: uninjured
Zombie 1: uninjured
Zombie 2: uninjured
Zombie 3: uninjured
Zombie 4: uninjured
Zombie 5: uninjured
Zombie 6: uninjured

Lucien, not at all comfortable being at the front in the face of such a large force of undead creatures, immediately rolls backwards into the hallway and draws his bow. He looses an arrow as he emerges from the roll and sinks the arrow into the flesh of one of the zombies. "I think light would be an excellent idea."

Bonus Action: Disengage.
Move: Retreat to the far wall.
Action: Longbow attack hits AC 20 for 4 damage.

Lucien Nailo rolled 20,4 using 1d20+5,1d8+3.  Longbow attack w/ damage.
Lucien Nailo rolled 13 using 1d20+3.  Initiative.
This message was last edited by the player at 02:00, Fri 28 June 2019.

"Annoran"
"Annoran"

Light exploded from the orb that Rissa carried, though even then it did not drown out the darkness.  It merely surrounded it, enveloping it as she held it high above her head.

Move: Withdraw
Action: Cast light.

Lathan springs into action, attacking one of the zombies near the door in an attempt to clear a path for the others to get to the one-eyed man.

Initiative 17. Attack 1 vs. Zombie hits AC 16 for 11 piercing damage. Attack 2 hits AC 11 for 5 piercing damage. (Or if they have acted first, AC 15 and AC 7.) (Also, the damage bonus against undead opponents is +4, not +2, which I forgot to add when I rolled.)

16:59, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 6 using 1d6.  Hunter's Mark.
16:58, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 3 using 1d6+2.  Damage.
16:58, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 3 using 1d6+2.  Damage.
16:57, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 11 using 2d20+4, dropping the lowest dice only with rolls of 3,7.  Attack (advantage).
16:57, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 16 using 2d20+4, dropping the lowest dice only with rolls of 12,11.  Attack (advantage).
16:56, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 17 using 2d20+2, dropping the lowest dice only.  Initiative.

Three Elks was intending to cast a spell to hit as many zombies as possible.  Which is why he was surprised to find himself raging through the door with a yell to hit the nearest zombie in the face with his maul instead.

Using last rage for the day.
20:30, Thu 27 June: Three Elks rolled 7 using 1d20+1.  initiative.
08:56, Today: Three Elks rolled 9 using 2d6+5.  maul damage.
08:55, Today: Three Elks rolled 17 using 1d20+6.  melee attack.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:00, Sun 30 June 2019.

Lathan moves quickly, stabbing one of the zombies by the door viciously twice. The one-eyed man maneuvers himself safely behind the advancing zombies, then casts hold person on Rissa, paralyzing her. Three Elks smashes his maul into one of the zombies. The zombie slams into Three Elks, who shrugs off most of the damage. Terminax slashes that zombie with his longsword, badly injuring it.

Two orcs wielding greataxes emerge from the door in the back of the room and move forward to assist the zombies protecting the one-eyed man.

Rissa successfully breaks free from the one-eyed man's enchantment.

Next round.

One-eyed man: uninjured
Zombie 1 (Lathan): badly injured (-16 hp)
Zombie 2 (Three Elks): badly injured (-20 hp)
Zombie 3: uninjured
Zombie 4: uninjured
Zombie 5: uninjured
Zombie 6: uninjured
Orc 1: uninjured
Orc 2: uninjured

From his more secure position, Lucien looses another arrow at one of the zombies.

Attack hits Zombie 3 AC 24 for 15 damage.

Lucien Nailo rolled 24,4,11 using 1d20+5,1d8+3,2d6. Longbow attack w/ damage & sneak attack.

Three Elks took another swing at the zombie, then gave the room a quick glance.  "Too many, funnel them into the hallway," he called back to his companions.  He then backpaddled his way back through the doorway and into the hall. Too many of his companions fought from a distance, which would leave him as one of the few front line fighters in a large room likely to be surrounded by multiple foes.  Despite his rage he had to fight smart.

16:30, Today: Three Elks rolled 10 using 2d6+5.  damage.
16:30, Today: Three Elks rolled 11 using 1d20+6.  melee attack.

Lathan continues to attack the zombie closest to him, stabbing at it twice.

Attack 1 vs. Zombie 1 hits AC 15 for 11 piercing damage. Attack 2 hits AC 8 for 10 piercing damage.

20:32, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 1 using 1d8.  Colossus Slayer.
20:31, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 4 using 1d6.  Hunter's Mark.
20:31, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 8 using 1d6+2.  Damage. [Should be +4]
20:31, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 4 using 1d6+2.  Damage. [Should be +4]
20:31, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 8 using 1d20+4.  Attack.
20:30, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 15 using 1d20+4.  Attack.

Rissa's orb of magic flared, shadow and light in equal measure, as the Necromancer's magic touched her.  She cast it aside with a dismissive wave of her hand, before once again summoning her own darkness to hurl at the man.

---

Casting Eldritch Blast
18:44, Today: Rissa Twiceborn rolled 17 using 1d20+5.  Eldritch Blast.
18:44, Today: Rissa Twiceborn rolled 10 using 1d10+3.  Damage.

Lathan takes down one of the zombies with two vicious stabs of his sword. Rissa sends an eldritch blast at the one-eyed man, striking him squarely in the chest. Lucien's arrow hits one of the zombies, leaving a bad wound. Three Elks slams his maul into his opponent but the zombie continues to stand and fight. One of the zombies smacks Lathan with its club-like fist. Terminax slashes a zombie with his longsword, taking it out.

The one-eyed man, standing behind the wall of zombies, casts a spell without any readily-apparent effects.

Two zombies emerge from a room down the hall to the west and make to attack those in the hallway.

Next round.

One-eyed man: injured (-10 hp)
Zombie 1: dead
Zombie 2 (Three Elks): critically injured (-30 hp)
Zombie 3: dead
Zombie 4 (Lathan): uninjured
Zombie 5: uninjured
Zombie 6: uninjured
Zombie 7: uninjured
Zombie 8: uninjured
Orc 1: uninjured
Orc 2: uninjured

Concerned by the number of zombies appearing, Lucien decides to try and take the pressure off of his compatriots by distracting the new arrivals. Turning away from the battle by the door for a moment, he waves his hands and conjures the image of the human soldier he had used earlier in the day. The image appears directly in front of the undead creatures in the hopes of distracting them for a few moments.

Cast Silent Image to make a soldier appear in front of the zombies.

Lathan smiles as two of the zombies drop, and barely seems to notice when he is struck by another one of them. He turns to focus on his attacker, stabbing it twice.

Attack Zombie 4. Attack 1 hits AC 14 for 11 piercing damage. Attack 2 hits AC 19 for 13 piercing damage.

15:14, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 6 using 1d8.  Colossus Slayer.
15:14, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 1 using 1d6.  Hunter's Mark.
15:14, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 7 using 1d6+4.  Damage.
15:13, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 10 using 1d6+4.  Damage.
15:13, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 19 using 1d20+4.  Attack.
15:13, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 14 using 1d20+4.  Attack.

"Menil Katharis"
"Menil Katharis"

Rissa hissed in that strange doublespeak of hers, each word bubbling with promise and power.  The shadows around the necromancer seemed to condense and thicken, whispers echoing her words in mocking laughter.  The glee in the second voice was palpable as she let out a silkily sibilant...

"Irkigaar."
"Irkigaar."

... and sent another buzzing orb of darkness hurtling at him.

---

Bonus:  Cast Hex
Attack:  Eldritch Blast
21:54, Today: Rissa Twiceborn rolled 18 using 1d20+5.  Eldritch Blast.
21:55, Today: Rissa Twiceborn rolled 15 using 1d10+1d6+3 ((9,3))  Force + Necrotic
This message was last edited by the player at 04:58, Fri 05 July 2019.

This fight seemed less coordinated than the one in the woods against the bugbears.  The group was split against superior numbers.  A proper plan could not be shared without the enemy hearing it.  Frankly, there was nothing to do but let loose the rage.  With renewed vigor Three Elks leapt back into the room with a roar attempting to slam his maul into the chest of one of the zombies.  He stayed close to the doorway and his companions to keep from being flanked on all sides.


07:38, Today: Three Elks rolled 12 using 2d6+5.
07:37, Today: Three Elks rolled 14 using 1d20+6.  melee attack.

Lathan stabs the nearest zombie twice; despite the severity of the wounds inflicted, it continues to fight. The one-eyed man casts a spell on Lathan, Terminax, and Three Elks, then moves to the side of the room, out of sight of Lucien and Rissa. Rissa targets a zombie with her eldritch blast and hex, nearly taking it down; Terminax finishes it off. Three Elks strikes down the zombie in front of him with his maul. Another zombie steps up to take the fallen one's place, slamming its forearm into Three Elks.

Lucien casts a silent image of a soldier in the hallway between himself and the approaching zombies, who shamble forward and begin attacking it.

Next round.

One-eyed man: injured (-10 hp)
Zombie 1: dead
Zombie 2: dead
Zombie 3: dead
Zombie 4 (Lathan): critically injured (-24 hp)
Zombie 5: dead
Zombie 6 (Three Elks): uninjured
Zombie 7 (hallway): uninjured
Zombie 8 (hallway): uninjured
Orc 1: uninjured
Orc 2: uninjured

Lathan, Terminax, and Three Elks have been effected by a bane spell and will need to subtract 1d4 from all attack rolls and saving throws.

Lathan continues to attack the zombie in front of him, hoping to take it down so he can get to the orcs and, eventually, the one-eyed spellcaster.

Attack Zombie 4. Attack 1 hits AC 10 for 15 piercing damage. Attack 2 hits AC 15 for 11 piercing damage.

21:09, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 8 using 1d8.  Colossus Slayer.
21:09, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 11 using 2d6+4.  Damage (w/Hunter's Mark).
21:08, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 7 using 2d6+4.  Damage (w/Hunter's Mark).
21:08, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 15 using 1d20+2.  Attack.
21:08, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 10 using 1d20+3.  Attack.
21:07, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 2 using 1d4.  Bane.
21:07, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 1 using 1d4.  Bane.

Having successfully distracted the reinforcing zombies in the hallway, at least for the time being, Lucien returns his focus to the battle raging in front of him. He draws and looses another arrow at a zombie in the melee in front of him.

Action: Attack against hits AC 16 for 11 damage.

Lucien Nailo rolled 16,6,5 using 1d20+5,1d8+3,2d6. Longbow attack w/ damage & sneak attack.

Rissa ripped the curse off the no unmoving flesh and hurled it towards another that still shambled, but the bolt of darkness that followed it skittered wide.


23:11, Today: Rissa Twiceborn rolled 7 using 1d20+5.  EB.

Lathan takes down another zombie with two more vicious stabs of his blade. Rissa's eldritch blast misses its target. Lucien's arrow hits one of the zombies, however, sinking deep into its undead flesh. Three Elks finishes it off. The orcs move in, swinging their axes at Lathan and Terminax, barely missing both of them. Terminax slashes one of the orcs with his longsword.

One of the zombies in the hallway appears to realize that the soldier is just an illusion; it proceeds to approach Lucien and Rissa, while the other one continues to attack the silent image.

The party sees the one-eyed man retreat back to the room that the orcs emerged from, shutting the door behind him.

Next round.

One-eyed man: injured (-10 hp)
Zombie 1: dead
Zombie 2: dead
Zombie 3: dead
Zombie 4: dead
Zombie 5: dead
Zombie 6: dead
Zombie 7 (hallway): uninjured
Zombie 8 (hallway): uninjured
Orc 1 (Terminax): injured (-8 hp)
Orc 2 (Lathan): uninjured

Three Elks was bolster when a few of the zombies dropped.  He continued to swing with mad passion at the remaining undead.  Something was wrong however.  His body twitch and cramped at the most inopportune time.  He also seemed to be having trouble gripping the maul.  Was it the blood?  Or did the Necromancer curse him with some sort of dark magic?  If Three Elk's mind were clear he may have been able to recognize the spell, but his blood was boiling with madness of rage.


06:39, Today: Three Elks rolled 15 using 2d6+5.  damage.
06:38, Today: Three Elks rolled 4 using 1d4.  bane.
06:38, Today: Three Elks rolled 15 using 1d20+6.  melee attack.

Somewhat distracted by the zombie that is now approaching on his flank, Lucien pivots to loose a poorly aimed arrow at the creature as it nears him. He notices the one-eyed man's retreat as he turns and curses softly to himself. "He can't run forever."

Action: Attack hits AC 9 for 10 damage + 10 more if Rissa is close enough to grant sneak attack.

Lucien Nailo rolled 9,10,10 using 1d20+5,1d8+3,2d6. Longbow attack w/ damage & sneak attack.

Rissa sent another blast of darkness skittering out into the nearest zombie, maintaining the curse magic that enhanced the vileness of her arts.

---

20:02, Today: Rissa Twiceborn rolled 11 using 1d20+5.  EB 1.
20:02, Today: Rissa Twiceborn rolled 6 using 1d10+3.  Damage.
20:02, Today: Rissa Twiceborn rolled 2 using 1d6.  Hex.

Lathan turns to attack one of the orcs but the one-eyed man's magic hinders him from hitting his opponent.

Attack Orc 2. Attack 1 hits AC 11. Attack 2 hits AC 8.

09:51, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 8 using 1d20+3.  Attack.
09:51, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 11 using 1d20.  Attack.
09:50, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 1 using 1d4.  Bane.
09:50, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 4 using 1d4.  Bane.

Lathan's attacks against the orc fail to hit. The orcs swing their axes at Lathan and Terminax, slashing both of them. Three Elks smashes one of the two orcs with his maul, dropping him. Terminax slashes the other one across its chest.

Meanwhile, in the hallway, Rissa's eldritch blast hits the approaching zombie, as does Lucien's arrow. The zombie continues to lumber forward, slamming into Rissa. The other zombie leaves the illusion and proceeds down the hall toward the party.

Next round.

Zombie 1: dead
Zombie 2: dead
Zombie 3: dead
Zombie 4: dead
Zombie 5: dead
Zombie 6: dead
Zombie 7 (Rissa): badly injured (-18 hp)
Zombie 8 (hallway): uninjured
Orc 1: dying
Orc 2 (Lathan): injured (-8 hp)

Lucien is unable to draw a bead on the zombie attacking Rissa, his next shot flies wide arcing down the hall and clattering away in the darkness.

Action: Attack misses.

Lucien Nailo rolled 6,11,7 using 1d20+5,1d8+3,2d6.  Longbow attack w/ damage & sneak attack.

Rissa screamed as the zombie's meaty hand slammed her to the ground, rising gingerly back to her feet with her eyes wide and full of fear.  She crossed her hands at the wrists in front of her, and warding magics leapt up to defend her, glyphs of shadow dancing in front.

Action:  Dodge Action
This message was last edited by the player at 00:17, Sun 14 July 2019.

Lathan grimaces from the pain of his wound, then stabs at the last orc twice.

Attack Orc 2. Attack 1 hits AC 11 (I'm assuming that's a miss). Attack 2 hit AC 18 for 12 piercing damage.

19:37, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 3 using 1d8.  Colossus Slayer.
19:36, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 9 using 2d6+2.  Damage (w/Hunter's Mark).
19:36, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 18 using 1d20+3.  Attack.
19:36, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 11 using 1d20+2.  Attack.
19:35, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 1 using 1d4.  Bane.
19:35, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 2 using 1d4.  Bane.

Lathan stabs the last orc, dropping him before he can do any further damage. Lucien fires an arrow at the zombie attacking Rissa but misses badly. Three Elks turns and rushes the zombie, slamming his maul into it and taking it out of the fight. The remaining zombie attacks Three Elks but fails to hit. Terminax moves to assist Three Elks, slashing the zombie across its chest with his longsword.

Next round.

Zombie 1: dead
Zombie 2: dead
Zombie 3: dead
Zombie 4: dead
Zombie 5: dead
Zombie 6: dead
Zombie 7: dead
Zombie 8 (Three Elks): injured (-10 hp)
Orc 1: dying
Orc 2: dying

Lucien fires another arrow at the final zombie.

Action: Attack hits AC 12 for 11 damage.

Lucien Nailo rolled 12,4,7 using 1d20+5,1d8+3,2d6. Longbow attack w/ damage & sneak attack.

"Thank you."

Rissa gasped in Three Elk's direction.

"Irkigaar."
"Irkigaar."

She followed, sending a blast of darkness hurtling after it.  Blinded as she was by the pain, it almost went wide.


18:52, Today: Rissa Twiceborn rolled 9 using 1d20+5 ((4)).
18:53, Today: Rissa Twiceborn rolled 11 using 1d10+3.  Damage.

As soon as the orc falls, Lathan turns and moves to attack the last zombie.

Attack Zombie 8. Attack 1 hits AC 11 for 16 piercing damage. Attack 2 misses.

21:05, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 7 using 1d8.  Colossus Slayer.
21:04, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 9 using 2d6+4.  Damage (w/Hunter's Mark).
21:04, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 4 using 1d20.  Attack.
21:04, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 11 using 1d20+1.  Attack.
21:04, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 4 using 1d4.  Bane.
21:04, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 3 using 1d4.  Bane.

Lathan drops the last zombie with a quick, vicious stab to its chest. Everything falls quiet, though the party gets the feeling that danger (and the one-eyed man) still lurk nearby.

End combat.

"We can't let him escape."

Rissa hissed, clutching her injured shoulder as she nodded in the direction the Necromancer had escaped.

"He's wounded."
This message was last edited by the player at 05:09, Wed 17 July 2019.

Gritting his teeth, Lucien responds. "So are some of us." He looks at the other companions. "I am ready to pursue him, but that might be unwise. We don't know what else might be waiting for us down here."

"If we give him time, he'll just summon more of these foul undead to help him," Lathan says. "I say we try to take him out while he's injured and on the run."

Hearing no objections from the rest of the party, Lathan moves to the door through which the one-eyed man fled. He waits for everyone to get into position, then tries to open the door.

Lucien takes the briefest moment to collect as many of his arrows as he can before knocking one and taking a position behind Lathan.

Lathan opens the door to a 50-foot-by-60-foot opulently decorated and comfortably furnished room. A four-poster bed, hung with silks and covered with fine silver fox and wolf pelts, draws the party's attention. However, the heroes quickly shift their focus to the two skeletons waiting on either side of the door and the one-eyed man rushing toward them, swinging his flail.

Begin combat.

One-eyed man: injured (-10 hp)
Skeleton 1: uninjured
Skeleton 2: uninjured

"This was already finished."

Rissa said, a touch of sadness to her voice as she once again began to gather the darkness from her orb.

"Irkigaar."
"Irkigaar."

It was not a good working though, the magic lightly skittering towards the man even as the weave fell apart.

---

22:00, Today: Rissa Twiceborn rolled 12 using 1d20+5.  EB.

Lathan strikes at the closest skeleton, hoping to clear a way for the others to get to the one-eyed man, but fumbles his swords and fails to hit his target.

Initiative 12. Attack Skeleton 1. Hits AC 2 and AC 8.

20:53, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 8 using 1d20+1.  Attack.
20:53, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 2 using 1d20+1.  Attack.
20:52, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 12 using 2d20+2, dropping the lowest dice only.  Initiative (advantage).
20:52, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 3 using 1d4.  Bane.
20:51, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 3 using 1d4.  Bane.

Three Elks's rage was lost when he and the others discussed whether to give chase or retreat.  When they caught up with their prey he whispered a spell as he stared at the one-eyed man.

Dissonant Whispers, Wis save DC 13, Today: Three Elks rolled 17 using 3d6.  psychic damage.

When he sees the one-eyed man charging, Lucien holds his shot until the man closes with Lathan at the front and then looses the arrow.

Attack hits AC 21 for 12 damage.

Lucien Nailo rolled 21,8,4 using 1d20+5,1d8+3,2d6. Longbow attack w/ damage & sneak attack.

The one-eyed man moves quickly, striking Lathan with his flail and leaving the elf barely standing from the wound. Lathan fails to mount an effective offense; likewise Terminax and Rissa. Lucien, however, strikes the man with a carefully-aimed arrow, and Three Elks wracks his mind with terrible pain. The man retreats to the back of the room while the skeletons attack Lathan and Terminax.

Next round.

One-eyed man: badly injured (-39 hp)
Skeleton 1 (Lathan): uninjured
Skeleton 2 (Terminax): uninjured

From his position at the back of the room, the one-eyed man makes for a harder target, but Lucien never the less attempts to thread an arrow through the melee in front of him to try and take him out of the fight for good.

Attack hits AC 12 for 7 damage.

Lucien Nailo rolled 12,7 using 1d20+5,1d8+3. Longbow attack w/ damage.

Again, Rissa missed.


17:34, Today: Rissa Twiceborn rolled 9 using 1d20+5.  EB.

Lathan winces from the pain, then takes a step back and casts a healing spell on his wound.

Cure Wounds on self for 7 hit points.

09:45, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 7 using 1d8+2.  Cure Wounds.

Three Elks saw Lathan take a hit and considered rushing over to aid is his fight with one of the skeletons, but he heeded the words of the group instead.  They had all agreed that if they did not end the threat of the one-eyed man, then they would be plagued with the undead.  So Three Elk kept his focus.  His spell had filled the man with pain and fear, the half-elf barbarian was going to take full advantage of that.  He let out a menacing roar and ran towards the necromancer, both hands gripping the maul with enough strength to turn his knuckles white.  He brought the hammer down in a powerful diagonal strike, that was sure to be felt even in armor.


09:32, Today: Three Elks rolled 10 using 2d6+3.  damage.
09:31, Today: Three Elks rolled 1 using 1d4.  bane curse. So Attack = 24
09:31, Today: Three Elks rolled 25 using 1d20+6.  melee attack.

Three Elks smashes his maul into the one-eyed man, dropping him. Lucien shoots an arrow at one of the skeletons, missing. Terminax swings his blade at the other one but misses, too. One of the skeletons strikes Lathan. Rissa's eldritch blast fails to hit its target.

Meanwhile, Lathan casts cure wounds on himself, partially healing his wounds.

Next round.

One-eyed man: dying
Skeleton 1 (Lathan): uninjured
Skeleton 2 (Terminax): uninjured

With the one-eyed man out of the fight, Lucien turns his attention to finishing off the skeletons. He fires another arrow at the undead creature engaged with Lathan.

Attack hits AC 14 for 22 damage.

Lucien Nailo rolled 14,11,11 using 1d20+5,1d8+3,2d6. Longbow attack w/ damage & sneak attack.

Rissa's magic struck true, for once, slamming into the undead harrying Lathan.  Then she moved closer to the Wood Elf, the orb glowing brightly with light.

17:56, Today: Rissa Twiceborn rolled 14 using 1d20+5.  EB.
17:56, Today: Rissa Twiceborn rolled 10 using 1d10+3.  Damage.

Lathan attacks the skeleton with two quick jabs of his sword.

Attack Skeleton. Hits AC 17 for 5 piercing damage and AC 20 for 10 piercing damage.

20:11, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 1 using 1d8.  Colossus Slayer.
20:10, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 9 using 1d6+4.  Damage.
20:10, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 5 using 1d6+4.  Damage.
20:10, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 20 using 1d20+1.  Attack.
20:10, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 17 using 1d20+3.  Attack.
20:10, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 3 using 1d4.  Bane.
20:10, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 1 using 1d4.  Bane.

Three Elks instincts were to slit the throat of the fallen man, should he have one last necromantic trick up his sleeve causing him to rise, but his friends still fought.  He spun on his heel and rushed to the nearest skeleton, and swiping with a huge sideways swing.  The maul smashed into the rib cage sending bits of splintered bone across the room to smack into the wall.

07:05, Today: Three Elks rolled 8 using 2d6+3.  damage.
07:04, Today: Three Elks rolled 4 using 1d4.  bane curse.
07:04, Today: Three Elks rolled 23 using 1d20+6.  melee attack.

Lathan takes out the skeleton attacking him. Three Elks smashes his maul into the other skeleton; an arrow from Lucien shatters it to pieces, ending the fight.

End combat.

"Ari'Judiantu"
"Ari'Judiantu"

Bright light spilled out from Rissa's orb and surrounded her hand.  She moved forward, clasping Lathan on the shoulder and sending the last of her magic surging through him.

"Was that Necromancer known to any of you?"

She asked, her voice back to its single tone.

---

Cure Wounds on Lathan.

19:37, Today: Rissa Twiceborn rolled 8 using 1d8+3.  Cure Wounds.

Three Elk moved back to the one-eyed man to make sure he was in fact dead.  With necromancers one could never be too sure.  "He may have more surprises down here.  I say we head back up, bar the doors to the lower levels, and wait until we are back to full strength.  Others may have been out of the hold at the time we attacked.  Secure our position, then explore."

As he stood back up he leaned heavily on his maul.  The exhaustion was obvious, despite his attempt to hide it.

Rissa nodded in agreement.

After the final skeleton was shattered by his arrow, Lucien stored his bow and went about retrieving the remainder of his arrows. He too made a detour to the body of the one-eyed man. As he bent over the corpse, he answered Rissa's question. "I did not know he was a necromancer, but I have faced him before. He led a group of bandits in waylaying a river barge between Thurmaster and Milborne. He managed to escape using a magic cloak. To my knowledge none of those with him at the time were undead servants however." He conducted a search of the body to see if the mage had any other magical implements.

Lucien Nailo rolled 10 using 1d20+3.  Investigation.

Straightening up, Lucien considers Three Elk's plan and then nods. "We do need time to recover. I think the hall where we first flushed out the one-eyed man would make as good a place as any to secure ourselves for the rest of the night. I have not been on the front lines of the fighting and can take the first watch."

Lathan cleans his swords while he listens to the others. "Thanks, Rissa.

"Aye, let's secure a position upstairs and rest there before we see what other kinds of abominations down here." He kicks one of the skeletons, then waits for everyone to gather themselves before leading the way back to the surface.

"Of course."

Rissa said, massaging her own bruised shoulder through the once pristine leather armor.  It now held a heavy dent over her left collarbone, the first blow it had likely ever received.

"I do not fancy more of that without time for my magic to return."

She raised her orb.  Only a tiny pin point of golden light remained within the swirl of shadow.

"Let's find a defensible position and rest."
This message was last edited by the player at 20:50, Sat 03 Aug 2019.

The one-eyed man wears chain mail armor and a black cape. He has a holy symbol of Cyric and a golden amulet around his neck, a ring on his right hand, and two potions in his belt pouch. His flail rests on the ground next to him.

Lucien extricates the cape from underneath the one-eyed man's crumpled form. He also takes the holy symbol, the amulet, the ring, and the two potions. He leaves both the flail and the armor. Moving back towards the entrance, he bends down and pulls a shield from the arm of one of the fallen orcs. He looks at Rissa. "When we've had a moment, I would like to study these items together. The mundane significance of some of them is obvious, but I would venture a guess that more than one might have a magical nature as well. I know that at the lease the cape does. I think it can safely wait until morning however." Thus encumbered by his evidence, Lucien leads the way out of the room and back to the tower staircase leading up.

Rissa nodded in the affirmative.

"You have skill with divining the meaning of such things?"

She gestured towards the ring first, then moved to join the others as they fortified an area and settled down for the evening.

Lucien blinked at Rissa, apparently nonplussed by the question. "Only, to the extent that I understand any magic. I was hoping that you would... have a natural sense of it. I suppose." He deposited the items of interest near where the others were bedding down and then went settled into a spot in the corner of the room from which he could see every entrance.

Three Elks secured his weapons and hefted up the body of the one-eyed man, throwing him over one shoulder.  We can strip him when we get him up to the courtyard. If he is indeed the one raising the dead I don't feel comfortable leaving the body just laying around down here.  We'll burn it.  I may have an iron wedge in my pack, to wedge shut the tower door we opened to get down here.  As I prepare the pyre, the rest of you can check the gates and secure a room to rest for the night.  He headed for the tower stair, prompting others to both lead and follow so he wouldn't be caught off guard weighed down by a body and with no weapons in hand.

The party heads back to the surface with the dead body in tow. Three Elks secures the door to ensure that no one is able to follow them. The dogs that had been barking earlier are quiet now.

A quick search of the keep reveals that most of it is in a state of disrepair. There are two guardrooms, one on either side of the gate; these would probably be the safest rooms to rest in. Curiously, the front gate is open.

There is a locked room next to one of the guardrooms.

There is no sign of anyone else in the keep; it appears the party has slain all of the bandits.

"Anyone handy with a set of lock picks?  Otherwise, I suggest we break that door down and barricade ourselves in here.  I don't fancy sleeping with an unexplored door at my back."

Rissa gestured with her orb.

"Any idea why the front gate would be open?" Lathan asks, eyeing the gate nervously. "We didn't come in that way."

Lucien considers the gate and Lathan's question. "The likeliest explanation is that the boy who we let live fled through the gate. Otherwise, someone else has been here."

Thinking about the two guard rooms, he makes a suggestion. "Rather than risking uncovering whatever is behind the door, let's just sleep in the other guardroom. We could spend hours fully exploring this place and there's bound to be more trouble."

Rissa shrugged, but didn't contest.

"Let's at least close the gate then."

Three Elks dropped the body in the middle of the courtyard and set about gathering enough wood to make a pyre, even disassembling the ladder that was made if necessary.  He left stripping the body of its possessions to the others, who seemed to think several of the items may possess magic. Three Elk's muscles ached with exhaustion, but there was still much to do before he could rest.

Lathan closes and locks the gate, then makes a quick check of the keep to ensure there are no more threats lurking nearby.

"I'll take first watch."

Rissa said, her pale eyes piercing the darkness with ease.

"Provided nothing attacks us within the next hour or so, I think that will be time enough for my strength to return."

The party rests in the guardroom without incident. The first light of the new day is starting to break when they emerge from the guardroom. The keep remains quiet and still.

Long rest.

As the rest of the party awoke, Rissa sat up straight from her bedroll, breathing hard.  She was staring at her hands, her eyes wide with a panicked expression in them, one that muted to confusion as she continued to inspect the runes and glyphs that were tattooed onto her flesh.  They looked the same as they always did, black ink on purple flesh, a state of affairs that seemed to perplex her as her breathing slowed.

"Does anyone feel.... different?"

She said at last, moving the undershirt she kept  on under her leather to inspect her collarbone and shoulder as best she could.

Terminax yawned and got up, which for a dragonborn sounds like a combination of a cat and a snake. He itches some patches of scales on his back, and stretches. "Bombor, come down. Come down." He reaches up to the ceiling, and sure enough his small bat flutters down and lands on his shoulder.

He begins to get his chainmail on, thus causing the bat to flap around until the Dragonborn stops moving and his familiar can safely land once more. "What do we have to eat? I am sick of rations..." He said to the others. He takes a seat and gestures, summoning his spellbook which flies over from his backpack which is still planted on the ground next to his bedroll.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:43, Thu 08 Aug 2019.

Lucien, who had taken the last two watches as usual, stood from his position by the door to the guardroom as the others began to stir. "I don't feel particularly different, no. Though the sense of satisfaction from having finally dealt with that bandit mage has started to settle in."

He shakes his head at Terminax. "Rations are all I have I'm afraid. A look around might reveal what stores the bandits had. Would we like to see what is behind the locked door in the other guard house?" The elf seems ready, even eager to be about the exploration of the fort. "Our other piece of business that should be dealt with after breakfast is to see about these possessions of the bandit mage. As I've mentioned, I'm quite certain that the cape is magical as I saw him use it on our first encounter, but I would like to know more about it as well as whether any of these other items are magical."
This message was last edited by the player at 13:14, Fri 09 Aug 2019.

Rissa was still inspecting the tattoos on her body and arms, a slight frown on her face.  She looked up when Lucien mentioned breakfast though, and stood up to start the process of strapping herself into her leathers.

"What did he do with the cape?  Give me the ring, I'll try communing with it and see if anything reveals itself.  Someone else do so with each of the other items while the others prepare our rations."

If no one objects, I'll spend an hour with the ring and see what happens.

Lucien tosses the ring to Rissa when she asks for it and his gaze lingers for a moment longer. "I don't think I've ever met a mage quite like you."


Shaking himself from his own thoughts, he answered the question. "It gave him the ability to fly which allowed him to escape his own failed ambush." With that, the elf swung the cape around his own shoulders. "I think I'll investigate the locked room in the other guardhouse. If I run into trouble I will be bringing straight back here." He makes a strained expression that approximates a smile before heading out into the courtyard.

Lucien will try to attune to the cape.

"Magic is rare among my tribe, so I will be of little help identifying the objects unless they already have stories or legends of their own.  I will check on the body to make sure it is now ash.  Then, I think I'll join Lucien, if you don't mind.  I was going to climb to the top of the tower to make sure the coast is still clear.  Three Elks has slept in his leather clothes and used his boar pelt as a blanket, so he was already to go. "I'll keep an eye out for food as well," he said giving a nod towards the dragon man.

In reply to Three Elks (msg # 174):

"Ah, very good!" Terminax replied. He keeps reading his spellbook, pausing to massage his bat's head and back as it sits on his head. Looking like the dragon man was wearing a very odd hat.

Lucien easily opens the door to the locked room, revealing a storeroom containing supplies of food, ropes, oil, firewood, and general equipment, including canvas, boots, crowbars, etc.

After sorting through the supplies and equipment, Lucien piles enough food for a hearty breakfast onto his old cloak and lugs it back to the other guardhouse and the rest of the party. "I suppose that we can get a fire going and then cook ourselves a meal if everyone is amenable." He is still wearing the one-eyed man's cloak.

In reply to Lucien Nailo (msg # 177):

Terminax nods. "I can provide the fire at the very least." He gestures and makes flames run over his hand.

"This is potent magic."

Rissa said at last, after they had cleaned up the camp and made ready.

"Whoever wears this ring will find obstacles melting away before their path, as well as their form rendered immune to hostile magics which seek to bind or restrain."

She slipped it onto her already heavily ringed fingers.

"The next time we rest, we can discuss who should be its keeper.  For now though, the magic is in tune with me, and it won't work for another."

The store room was a lucky find.  Three Elk nodded to Lucien then motioned that he was going to quickly go to the top of the tower and look over the area for signs of trouble.

Three Elks doesn't see anything from the top of the tower. Everything around the keep is quiet and still in the early morning light.

Lucien raises an eyebrow at Terminax. "Well I don't think that we should just light the fire here on the floor, there was a fireplace in the banquet hall. Why don't we move over there and have breakfast. If someone doesn't mind, there is plenty of firewood in the storeroom in the other guardhouse."

When he steps outside he also whistles sharply and moments later his owl swoops down from the sky. "Keep an eye out for trouble approaching the keep and let me know if you see anything?" Why those words, the creature lets out a soft hoot and takes flight again to slowly circle the fortress.

Lucien then makes his way over to the banquet hall where he sets about preparing the fire for Terminax to light.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:23, Sun 11 Aug 2019.

Lathan helps gather some of the food supplies from the storeroom then follows Lucien back to the banquet hall.

"Breakfast, fresh food, will be nice," he says to Lucien and the others. "But let's not tarry too long. We don't know what awaits us down below or if there might be reinforcements coming today."

"Downward then?"

Rissa asked, as they set about preparing the meal.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:36, Mon 12 Aug 2019.

He heads over to the firepit, still making sure his bat is comfortable on his head. "I dont have to worry about that owl, do I? Bombor does not feel safe around it..."
He asked, keeping an eye on the animal. Once he gets close to the firepit, he gestures and flames shoot from his hand to start the blaze.

As he sets about making breakfast, Lucien raises an eyebrow at Lathan. "I certainly agree, but I wouldn't expect you to be so eager. We barely made it after that raid last night. Taking a little time to recuperate shouldn't cause too many problems. I don't expect any surviving bandits will be too eager to continue fighting once they learn that their leader, the powerful necromancer, isn't around anymore." He makes a gesture with the jet black cloak that is now draped around his shoulders.

As he finishes creating a makeshift spit and begins begins to cook a line of sausages, Lucien gives Rissa a curious glance as well. "As I see it, we should take a full accounting of what's above ground before we move below. There might be clues up here as to what they were doing. This isn't exactly the most convenient base of operations to raid barges on the river so, I suspect that there's more to it."

Leaning back, Lucien's face actually seems close to a smile with the edges of his mouth turning up slightly. "Honestly, with the amount of time you spend in that book of yours, I'd expect you to tell me. My understanding is that familiars aren't really living creatures so they don't need to eat." The smile wanes back to the elf's normal reserved expression. "I had never considered giving them a name. Or did... Bombor tell you their name?"

In reply to Lucien Nailo (msg # 186):

"Not living creatures!? How rude! Don't listen, Bombor!" Terminax possessively clutches his bat, covering his large ears. Bombor proceeds to gaze at Lucien with a very un-animal like pleading look. The Dragonborn strokes his familair, and snorts at Lucien. "I named Bombor after a dwarf merchant I saved from some goblins. He was so grateful he gave me the find familiar scroll free of charge! Besides, he looks like a Bombor. Don't you my little batty watty ishka booboo?" The bat tries to escape the grip of the dragonborn, but to no avail. Eventually it just gives up while more gibberish comes out of the maw of the huge reptile man.

Upon returning, Three Elk lifted the One-eyed man's flail.  "If his clothes and jewelry are magic, surely his weapon must be," he said giving it a few test swings. Do you suppose magic is forged in fire?  Forever bonded to steel and wood?  Or is it more like water, flowing from the magician into an empty vessel?  If so, could it be poured from one vessel into another like ail from one mug into another? He walked over to his backpack laying on the floor, and tapped the flail to his axe as if in a toast. There was no effect, and he shrugged.  He joined the others eating breakfast.

"We should make sure the upper levels are safe before proceeding down below," he said offering his opinion, having missed Lucian's (and luckily Terminax's baby-talk) only a moment ago.

"Aye, let's clear the upper level and make sure everything is secure up here," Lathan says. "Then we can see what other kinds of foulness lies below."

He watches Three Elks and shakes his head. "If the flail is magical, I don't want anything to do with it."

Lucien's expression is briefly puzzled after Terminax's response, his implied question having gone unanswered. "They must have more individuality then. My familiar has never expressed any desire for a name. All I have gleaned of their nature is that they come here from another plane." The elf seems thoroughly distracted from the discussion of searching the keep now that the discussion has turned to magic.

"Clearing topside then, and then downward."

Rissa surrendered the point amicably enough.

In reply to Lucien Nailo (msg # 190):

"You should give them a name! Even if they are spirits from another dimension-they take the shape your mind gives them! Even their personality is based on you!" Terminax replies as he pets the bat. If what he says is true, the bat seems like it has the personality trait of being annoyed at its baby-like treatment. Granted its more like grudging acceptance of its irritating fate.

Noting the bat's reaction, Lucien shrugs. "We will... discuss the possibilities." He removes the cooked sausages and distributes them among the group before taking one for himself. Once the meal is finished, Lucien stands and makes final preparations to begin the day's work. "Alright, let's not delay any longer."

The party begins to check through the remainder of the surface level of the keep. As they approach the half-collapsed wooden stables, the three large hounds inside beginning barking furiously. The dogs are each chained to the north wall and appear mangy and neglected.

A look of empathy came over Three Elk's features as he looked at the dogs.  "Any scraps left from breakfast?" he asked Lucien.

Rissa checked the supplies they had looted, looking for dried meat to feed to the hounds.

As Rissa looks over the leftovers the group had with them, Lucien nods to Three Elks. "There is more in the guardhouse if we don't have any left. I suspect they kept the dogs hungry to make them aggressive. We should be careful." He waits to see how much of breakfast is left before heading to the guardhouse to get enough food to satisfy the dogs.

"There are the dead, but man flesh warps the minds of hounds," he nodded.  Like Rissa he dug though his backpack for some of his own rations to feed to the beasts.  It was a sacrifice he felt he had to make.  "We'll keep them chained until I have some time to work with them.  Some dried meat and fresh water right now, will hopefully help calm them."

The dogs snap up the food given to them, tearing at it furiously. If anyone gets within reach of one of the dogs, is snaps at him, too.

Lucien keeps one eye on the dogs. "I wonder if it might not just be better to let them go. We certainly don't need to resort to feeding them the bandits, there is plenty in the guardhouse that we won't be able to take with us. Either way, there are a couple of places above ground left. We can check them while you work with the dogs if you want."

Terminax shakes his head. "Clearly they tortured these animals to make them so vicious. I wish I could kill those bandits all over again..." He grumbled.

He looked over at Lucien after he spoke. "Maybe we could get some druids here to help them? If we let them go, they will become a pack of predators..."

"I agree with Lucien," Lathan says. "It would probably be best to let them go. We're in the middle of the Thornwood, so I doubt they'll be much of a threat to any of the settlements in Haranshire. At least they would have a chance to survive; if we leave them here, they'll surely die.

"Let's keep moving."

"I'm not going to give up on them yet, but we do have other priorities.  Let us continue searching the keep.  If we continue to stay here I'll work with the dogs.  If not, we'll let 'em go," the half-elf barbarian said.

Wit the matter agreed upon, Lucien led the way towards the as yet unexplored above ground portions of the keep. He was intent on checking everything before descending again into the one-eyed man's lair.

To the west of the stables is the old armory, which has long been looted. Only a handful of rotted wooden staves and some half-smashed furniture litter the room. There is an iron-barred cage in the northeast corner. Filthy, soiled, bloody straw litters the floor of the cage, and there are manacles bolted to the walls inside it. The cage is unlocked and unoccupied.

"Leave them then, let's be on."

Rissa had largely avoided participating in the conversation, and instead had been staring at her hands and arms.  She had been doing that ever since they had awoken, sometimes shifting around in her leathers to get a better look at the skin beneath.

Lucien eyes the cage impassively, though something flits past behind his eyes. "A prisoner? Might have been the source of the zombies. I hope it wasn't the missing apprentice girl." He moves on quickly from the armory.

Terminax sends forth Bombor to scout ahead, using the bat's ears and Sonar to check for any nasty surprises that might still be in store for the group. Of course, the familiar is just observing and not getting close to said dangers.

Three Elks was reluctant to leave the dogs, but knew there was more to the fort.  He also felt the cage and shattered remains of the armory may have revealed some clues as to what the bandits were doing here.  Still he said nothing.  For now he was content to follow Lucien's lead.

At the southern end of the keep, across from the stables, the party finds a long, dark room with no windows. It is littered with firewood and general debris.

"Yeah, I hope they're not kidnapping locals and turning them into zombies, Lathan says as they leave the room with the cage.

When they find the room with the firewood, he shrugs and says, "Let's keep moving."

Lucien nods. "Agreed."

Rissa gave the room a cursory search, then moved on.

16:47, Today: Rissa Twiceborn rolled 2 using 1d20.  Investigation. - [roll=1566863233.39628.308822]

"Rissa can your magics create light?" he asked also wanting to get a better look at the room.  The group seemed content to make sure there were no more bandits hiding in ambush, before briskly moving on.  He continued to follow and watch how the others handled the situation.

"Your skin, is something wrong?" he asked the Tiefling having noticed her unease.  "Did you touch some itch weed?"

"Hannoran"
"Hannoran"

Rissa intoned in that strange double speak, the second voice firmer and more resolute than the first.  The orb which she bore flared brightly, light casting out in all directions.  Though the shadows within it were not dimmed by the magic which she wove.

"I do not know."

She answered, her voice quiet and contemplative.

"And to explain it in full is a long story.  Something for a campfire, perhaps.  Let us just say that the orb which I wield is merely a siphon for what is within me.  When I awoke this morning, the fire that burns me felt like it was... spreading?  No, that isn't right.  I am used to the sensation of it here."

She touched her chest.

"But this feels different.  It doesn't hurt, for one."

She said esoterically.

"But it still feels like power.... just... in my blood rather than my chest?"

She seemed to consider her words.

"The wards which contain it aren't reacting though, I keep checking, and this is something new."

She looked up at Three Elks.

"Sorry, I've likely given you more questions than answers.  I will try and explain in full when we settle down this evening, if you would hear the tale."
This message was lightly edited by the player at 04:04, Tue 27 Aug 2019.

When Rissa illuminates the room, a trapdoor in the ground is clearly visible at the far end.

In reply to Dungeon Master (msg # 216):

Terminax moves forward cautiously. He makes sure Bombor is safely away, in case a trap springs and hurts his master. His shield and sword at the ready, he slowly moves forward, letting someone else look for traps while he prepares for ambush as he inches closer to the trap door.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:16, Wed 28 Aug 2019.

"Hmm." Lathan draws his swords and moves carefully toward the trapdoor. "Be ready for anything," he says as he waits for someone with a free hand to open it.

Lucien is halfway out the door before he realizes that the others have found something. He turns around and takes in the discovery. As the group gathers around the trap door, he recognizes their reluctance to try and open it. "I will make an attempt to open it at a distance. Everyone keep clear." He speaks an incantation and claps his hands. A moment later the handle of the trap door begins to rattle as though something is pulling it.

Lucien casts Mage Hand and tries to use it to open the trap door."

Lucien's mage hand opens the trapdoor, revealing steps leading down to the dungeon below the keep. The stairway is dark and quiet.

Rissa let out a whistle of appreciation.

"That's a fine piece of art there Lucien.  Shall we?"

She didn't lead the way, but she made sure whoever did had her light at their back.

Once the mage hand appears to have opened the trapdoor, Lucien leads the way into the dark. As he passes Rissa he simply grins. "I have more than a few tricks." From his place in the lead, Lucien does his best to proceed quietly.

The steps descend about 20 feet, ending in a 30-foot-by-40-foot room with a hallway leading out to the north. Clear footprints in the dust lead down the hallway.

There is a closed door on the right-hand side of the hallway about 40 feet away, and another one about 35 feet beyond that. There is a closed door on the left-hand side of the hallway about 80 feet down the hallway, which then turns to the east (right).

Everything is unlit, apart from the illumination provided by Rissa.

Three Elks felt reluctant to go down the trap door.  It was not fear, it was simply the knowledge that there were still unexplored areas up above.  He would hate to be trapped below by an enemy in hiding.  It was not his place to lead this group, not yet anyway, not until he understood the dynamics. It was easy to step off the path of glory.

Seeing that the area under the trap door is at least as extensive as the area under the tower where they had fought the one-eyed man, Lucien turns back to the others. "I would not have expected so much underground in this place. I think we should finish our survey of the surface and upper floors before exploring further here."

Terminax puts away his sword, gestures, and summons an oiled torch from nowhere. He moves his other hand and generates a flame to light it up. Then he proceeds to summon his own mage hand and have it carry the torch down the stairs to light up what is at the bottom.

"Does everyone know this magic?"

Rissa murmured, as she watched the spectral hand carry the torch down the stairs.  She shook her head, looking to the group.

"Let's finish up here and then go down?  There are still rooms that I'd rather not leave at our back."

It was definitely a question and not an order.

Lathan nods. "Agreed. Let's move something heavy onto the trap door until we're ready to descend. Then we can finish exploring the top level without worrying about someone coming up through here."

The party closes the trapdoor and covers it with wood, then proceeds to continue exploring the keep.

To the south of the dining hall, the party finds six small rooms that appear to be living quarters. Each chamber is dirty and unkempt, with soiled sheets and blankets on crude beds, and dirty clothes strewn about.

The only other places on the upper level left to explore will require going through the door that Lucien jammed shut, next to the tower/dungeon stairwell.

Lucien leads the way back to the door that he had forced closed the previous evening. It takes him a moment as he tries to work the jam free and open the door.

Lucien opens the door to the tower. Everything is still and quiet on the other side. There is a door to the left that leads into a dirty and disheveled kitchen with a large hearth. A smithy chamber is attached to the kitchen, with an old anvil and braziers sitting long-unused in the very dust and cobwebbed room. There is nothing of interest in either the kitchen or the smithy.

The party has now explored the entire main level of the keep and is aware of two entrances to the underground level, one in the watchtower and one in the lumber-room.

In the kitchen, after having given the smithy a cursory examination, Lucien turns to the rest of the party. "My choice would be to start with the entrance there in the tower. We may find that they are linked."

"Seems likely," Lathan says. "Do we have any more business up here or are we ready to descend?"

"It seems that what ever danger remains now lies beneath our feet," Three Elks saids, stating the obvious.  With shield in one hand and the one-eyed cleric's flail in the other he seemed resigned to journey below.  He would experiment first hand with the weapon to see if it too held magics if not he would discard it and go back to his trusty axe.

As they walked towards the tower he turned to look over his shoulder at Riss. He hoped he too would be struck with a certain degree of self-discovery like Rissa recently seemed to be; even though such discovery seemed to make her uncomfortable in her own skin.

Unless someone else insists on taking the lead, Lathan draws a sword and proceeds down the stairs to the dungeon below.

Terminax once again summons the floating torch, lighting Lathan's way. Terminax himself follows the elf as well.

Rissa stuck close behind the big dragonborn, her orb still glowing brightly.

Lathan leads the party down the stairs to the dungeons, where everything looks just as it did when they left, though darker, as the candles in the rooms where they fought the one-eyed man have all burnt out.

A long hallway runs westward past the (no longer) hidden rooms. On the right-hand side, about 20 feet down the hall, is a closed door. Another 15 feet or so past that is an open door on the left. And another 15 feet beyond the open door is another closed door on the right. The tunnel then turns south after an additional 10 feet.

Before the group proceeds to the unexplored portions of the passage, Lucien moves to the formerly hidden door. "We weren't in a good position to explore these rooms last night. I'd like to look through them once more before we move on." He enters and begins to search through the rooms.

Lucien Nailo rolled 8 using 1d20+3. Investigation.

Three Elks nodded to Lucien as he quietly passed him and moved just a little further down the hall to the closed door.  There his brushed his hair back behind an ear which was only slightly more pointed than a humans.  He lightly pressed that ear up against the door, making sure not to use too much force should the door not be fully latched.  He listened for movement. As a bard his ears were trained to pick up the slightest difference in sounds.

07:39, Today: Three Elks rolled 22 using 1d20+2.  perception.

The party searches the rooms where they fought the one-eyed man the previous day. The first room is adorned with morbid wall hangings dedicated to Cyric. Two elegant wooden chairs and a delicate rosewood table with a leather surface stand by the east wall, and a table bearing decanters and bottles of liqueurs stands beside a comfortable armchair to the west.

The second room features a four-poster bed, hung with silks and covered with fine silver fox and wolf pelts. Underneath the bed is a locked coffer.

Three Elks hears nothing on the other side of the closed door in the hallway.

Lathan stands guard while Lucien and the others search the rooms.

Rissa took one of the silver fox pelts, wrapping it into her backpack.

"Can anyone get that open?"

Lucien takes a look at the coffer. "I'll see what I can do if I have to, but let's try the keys first. Any chance someone could check to see if there is anything magical protecting it?" Before he tries the three keys on the coffer, he thoroughly checks it for anything dangerous.

Lucien Nailo rolled 21 using 1d20+3. Check for traps.

Terminax stayed close to Lucian...but not too close. If a trap went off, he was not confident of ability to avoid such danger. "If you need any mundane tools let me know! Conjuration's gift and all that..." he pointed out.

Lathan shakes his head in the negative. "Be careful, Lucien," he says, then turns back to continue keeping watch at the door.

Lucien does not detect any traps on the coffer. The small silver key fits into the keyhole and opens the chest. When the chest opens, a burst of cold energy fills the room, hitting Lucien and Rissa, though they both manage to avoid the brunt of the blast.

Inside the coffer, Lucien finds 665 gold pieces, 150 platinum pieces, and a platinum bracelet set with chrysoberyls, two emeralds, and a sapphire. Also, wrapped in a piece of silk is a gilded key with an ivory handle. Finally, he finds two silvered flasks, each containing a viscous liquid smelling faintly of fish. Each of the flasks bears the same design as the magical ring worn by the goblin shaman Burukkleyet that was responsible for the spreading of the New Mire.

Rissa coughed and sputtered, her teeth chattering as the icy blast sunk deep into her veins.

"B-b-y t-the lakes of S-stygia!"

She cursed between the shuddering convulsions, grasping her orb and clutching it tight to her chest.

"Ari'Judiantu"
"Ari'Judiantu"

There was no shudder to that powerful voice, and the healing light that poured out of the orb to wash over her flesh left her calm and sedate.

"A devious trap, but quite the prize within."

She said, peering at Lucien's bounty.

"Do you need my art, Lucien?"

Lucien lets out a hacking cough from the place on the floor where he had rolled to avoid the brunt of the trap. "That makes for a rather potent lesson that mundane traps are not the only kind. Next time, I will be more cautious." He gets tentatively back to his feet and rubs his hands together vigorously to mitigate the residual effects of the frost. "I think a bit of magic succor would be welcome, yes. Thank you Rissa."

Returning to the coffer, Lucien investigates the findings. "This is not a small treasure trove." He removes the coin and the bracelet first remarking on the latter and distributing the former. "This my be yet another magical treasure if anyone would care to investigate." He seems too cautious given the recent blow to try himself.

It is the two flasks that Lucien focuses on after pocketing the key. "Lathan, do you recall the ring worn by the goblin in the New Mire? These would appear to be the same symbols. That seems too strange to be a coincidence. If I remember correctly, the goblin also bore tattoos of these symbols. I don't know what these flasks are, but something tells me that they hold clues."

"Ari'Judiantu"
"Ari'Judiantu"

Rissa reached out with her hand and touched Lucien, extending the healing light of her orb that had engulfed her a moment before.  Then she paused, staring at her fingers for a long while with a puzzled expression upon her features.

"Strange.  I think... I don't know, but once we divide this treasure I am ready to go on.  If we are to rest here for a moment though, I would be happy to investigate both for any trace of magic."
This message was last edited by the player at 04:10, Thu 12 Sept 2019.

"You're right," Lathan says. "I have no clue how everything is related, though.

"If everyone is in decent shape to continue, let's finish clearing out this level."

If no one else makes a claim for them, Lucien also pockets the flasks. He fully intends to investigate them more thoroughly when there is time. The bracelet however he gives to Rissa. "I think you should hold on to this for now. If there is time, you can study it." Having thus distributed everything, he stands back up and heads back out into the hallway.

Seeing Three Elks listening at the closed door on the right, Lucien waves to attract the man's attention and then gestures at the door with a questioning expression on his face as if to ask whether there is something to be concerned about. Having so recently learned his lesson, he does not approach the door, but instead casts the spell that makes the spectral hand appear once more. He waits for an answer from Three Elks before trying the door.

Rissa nodded, and drew the bracelet through her belt so it wouldn't make any noise as she followed.

Three Elks shook his head and pointed to his ear.  He hefted his shield and new flail, just in case.

Terminax shrugged at the distribution of the items. Trusting his friends to remember his share when they actually got to a place where one could spend such wealth. It was not going to do anyone much good now.

"So...what is the plan now? Have we fully searched this place? Is our purpose here done? Or should we move on?"

"Continue as we were, clear every room and then move downward."

Rissa answered.

Lucien's spectral hand attempts to open the door.

The door is unlocked and leads to a crypt. Skeletons are strewn around the large room as if bodies had been thrown around like rag dolls. Their armor and weapons are all long rusted and useless. The original stone tombs of the earliest Parlfrays are still intact, and the stonework is very fine, though old and beginning to crumble.

There are no other exits from the crypt.
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:37, Tue 24 Sept 2019.

"This does not bode well.  I know of no culture that does not peacefully lay their dead to rest.  This was a massacre or one of the one-eyed man's damned experiments.  I dare not risk that fate to rob a few graves," the barbarian said with a shake of his head as he stared at the long dead fallen bones.  He moved to back up out of the room without touching anything.

"What of the oldest Parflfrays' tomb?"

Rissa asked, gesturing towards it.

"Surely there must be something of great value there."

Lucien, intrigued more by any potential clues to the greater mystery surrounding the Palfreys than the promise of treasure, enters the room and approaches the stone sarcophaguses. He does not touch anything, his most recent interaction with a sealed box still fresh in his mind, but he walks around the stone entity carefully looking for markings. "I do not suggest that we rob these graves, but it seems likely that the skeletons are the one-eyed man's work. We came here partially hoping to learn more about the Palfreys' history. This is the best clue we have yet seen. We should be prepared for some kind of sorcery however."

"We're not looting," Lathan says. "And I'm not staying here any longer than necessary. Let's seal up this crypt and continue investigating the rest of the dungeon."

Lucien is able to locate the tomb of Lothar Parlfray. Like all of the others, it is still intact.

There is nothing else of interest in the dark crypt.

Curious, but unwilling to disturb the tomb any further, Lucien joins the others outside. "I think there may be more to be learned in that room, but we can continue with a search and return when there is time." He shuts the door behind himself and searches for a way to lock the door.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:53, Tue 24 Sept 2019.

"Who is Palfrey?" the barbarian, still fairly new to the group, asks.

"The Lord whose word makes us more than just a roving band of brigands attacking an abandoned castle."

Rissa answered with a smile.

"Though, he didn't exactly want us here, so we're careful not to drop his name too much."

She turned to face those who had been doing this longer than she.

"Unless I'm giving a false accounting?"

Terminax shrugged. "Are we all totally sure there is anything left here to be found? Seems pretty empty..." He pointed out.

Lucien nods in general agreement with Rissa. "The Lord Palfrey is hiding something about his ancestry. His son told us as much. We knew this keep was linked to him even before finding the crypt."

Lucien indicates the two remaining doors and the bend in the tunnel. "Each room down here has held something of interest. I think we had best be thorough." He approaches the next door on the left side of the passage and conjures his mage hand to try and open it from a, hopefully, safe distance.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:34, Wed 25 Sept 2019.

The doorway on the left is open. The room that it leads to appears to have once been a small chapel to Torm, but has long been desecrated and turned into a nightmare place. The scene inside the chapel is deeply sickening and unsettling. Blood and flesh are smeared on the altars and the walls, and human/humanoid bones, some with fly-covered meat still attached, are scattered around the room. It is immediately apparent that blood sacrifices have been a common occurrence here.

Apart from the desecrated altars and evidence of unholy rituals, the room is empty. There are no other exits from the room.

Rissa made a face.

"If you wish to be thorough here, I won't stop you.  But I won't touch that mess.  Wish I had the makings of that spell you all seem to..."

"Tetrani"
"Tetrani."

She seemed to catch herself off guard with the strange word, her eyes going wide as the shadows about her flickered and condensed into a three fingered hand made of inky blackness.  It hovered about a foot in front of her, pivoting slowly on an invisible axis as she stared at it slack-jawed.

"That was.... that was me."

It was a statement, not a question, but there was still wonder and surprise in her voice as she stared once again at her own two hands.

"What?"

Lucien nods his agreement with Rissa and turns away. "I would agree that the clue provided by this room is apparent without thorough investigation. The identities of the sacrifices might be of use, but there are probably other ways to learn that and there does not appear to be... enough left for identification anyway." The elf might well be making excuses, but it is clear that even his constitution is being challenged by the sight of this room.

At the appearance of the spectral hand, Lucien turns to study his companion. His expression seems to be one of concern, but for what or whom is unclear. "Are you still in control?"

Rissa turned her hand upward, and the shadowy copy mirrored her.

"Yes, quite.... it just.... it doesn't hurt."

She said, like that explained everything.

"I can feel the Art in my blood, pulsing through my veins, which would be concerning enough.  But it doesn't burn like my magic always has since....  Well since I was burdened with it.  This is something.... different."
This message was last edited by the player at 02:35, Thu 26 Sept 2019.

"Vile..." Lathan shakes his head and grimaces upon seeing the desecrated chapel. "Let's try the next door." He stands back and waits for Lucien to open another door with his magical hand.

Rissa beat him to it, the shadowy hand reaching for the next door and opening it.

"This is fascinating."

She said as she did it, the wonder in her voice obvious.

"Is this what magic is supposed to feel like?"

"Clashes.  They should have used a lighter color, would really lighten the place up.  If we choose to stay here for any period of time, we should clean this place.  Appease Torm so he may grant us strength and wisdom.  Besides...the smell you know? What would our guests think? The attempt at levity by the barbarian half-elf draped in animal skins seemed odd.  Perhaps as odd as the Tiefling and her bazaar magics.

Three Elks turned to her. "Perhaps..." he started to say.  What he had to say would surely offend her,and despite his skill with tale-telling and song, he could not find a way to express his thoughts without doing so.  So he remained quiet, turning to stand behind Lathan who seemed ready to move.

"If this place is filled with evil magics we cant counter, then we must leave! You need to tell us if these...visions....get any worse!" Terminax said with concern.

Lucien steps back to allow Rissa to work the hand. In all honesty, both sensations you describe are different from my experience." He looks to Terminax. "Does working magic cause you pain?" He simply shoots a look at Three Elk's, but says nothing.

The door is locked.

When Rissa's hand is unable to open the door, Lucien once again summons his own. The spectral hand pulls a set of tools from one of Lucien's pockets and moves over to the door. The hand begins to fiddle with the door's lock.

Lucien casts Mage Hand.
Lucien Nailo rolled 13 using 1d20+5.  Thieves tools check.

Lucien's attempt to unlock the door is unsuccessful.

Lucien eyes the door somewhat nervously. "I think I may need to unlock this one up close. I would recommend the rest of you stay back." He approaches the door and checks it closely before attempting to open the lock again. If he is satisfied that the door is safe he will once again pull out his tools and attempt to open the lock with that hope that doing it directly will reveal the method. If he succeeds, he will not open the door, but will retreat back down the hallwway and attempt to open it with his mage hand.

Lucien Nailo rolled 16 using 1d20+3. Check for traps.
Lucien Nailo rolled 18 using 1d20+5.  Thieves tools check.

Lucien does not find any traps on the door. He successfully unlocks it, then opens from a safe distance with his mage hand. On the other side, the party finds a small room that has clearly been disused for a very long time, judging by the thick dust, cobwebs, and rat droppings covering the long-molded furniture. Wall hangings in the abandoned living chamber have rotted long beyond any hope of recognizing patterns or symbols on them.

There are two additional doors in the room, one on the east wall and one on the west wall.

After first cautiously poking his head into the room, Lucien eyes the two doors. "It's strange that there are so many living quarters in the basement levels of this keep. The ancient Palfreys appear to have had a predilection for sleeping underground." He tries the door leading east with his mage hand.

Rissa watched with interest as Lucien set to work.

"It isn't mine."

She said simply, answering him as he approached the door.

"I was a Guild Artisan, an Herbalist by trade.  My whole family was and is.  This?"

She tapped her chest, then the orb of glass she bore.

"This was forced upon me, upon me and my father both.  It is from him that my... inhuman heritage comes."

There were loaded words, if ever Lucien had heard them.

"I don't know what the sages call it, that's part of what I'm looking for.  But my father and I?  We call it the Pale Night.  We were working, he and I, together tending the garden.  Harvesting Iophriscus petals.  It struck us both, a burning, terrible sensation, I cannot convey the depths of the agony it inflicted.  With it came visions, terrible and utterly alien.  I saw monstrous creatures, more nightmare than flesh, I saw them burning. Consumed from the inside, consumed by whatever was burning us."

She shuddered.

"My father had it worse, that horrible agony.  We made it to my mother's study, me dragging him along.  She was the one who crafted the first wards, that contained it."

The tattoos that marked her skin.

"I think if she hadn't, we would have joined those that I saw in our visions.  It was stronger for them though, I think they were closer to her, closer to the Pale Night."

She went quiet for a long moment.

"I think.... I think that is her voice when I call upon the shadows and the dark, but I thought I saw her burning.  I don't know, neither do I know whose voice it is that speaks in tune with mine when I call the light.  All I know is that to summon either is to invoke whatever it is that is inside me, to make it burn.  At least... that was before this?"

She gestured to the shadowy hand still floating before her.

"Let us try east then."

She said at last, following Lucien.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:34, Tue 01 Oct 2019.

The door on the eastern wall of the room is unlocked and leads to what appears to be a workroom or study, with a desk sitting against the north wall. Like the previous room, this room is covered in dust and cobwebs and appears to have been abandoned for years.

Mostly using the arcane magic she had discovered, Rissa searched the room.


19:07, Today: Rissa Twiceborn rolled 17 using 1d20.  Investigation.

Lucien also searches the room for anything of interest.

Lucien Nailo rolled 21 using 1d20+3. Investigation.

To Rissa he says: "That's very different from how I've learned to access magic." The elf does not make eye contact or face Rissa, but there is a rigidity to his posture as he searches the room. Whatever other thoughts he has about the story, Lucien does not share them.

Rissa let out a wry chuckle.

"So my mother has said, endlessly."

She kept behind him.

"What was it for you?  Or you, Terminax?  So recently come into your power?"

Rissa and Lucien find nothing of interest in the room. The few pieces of paper on the desk are completely faded and crumble when touched, and everything else is badly decayed.

Lucien emerges from the room and uses the mage hand to try to west door. As he does, he phrases a cautious response to Rissa. "I picked it up by watching others. I've had a few companions, particularly since I came to this area, who were practitioners. Eventually, I just learned a few tricks. It was very mechanical." After something that verged on the longest personal statement he has ever uttered in this group's presence, Lucien returns to the matter at hand.

The west door is unlocked and leads to a small bedroom. A skeleton is lying peacefully in the bed, its neck crushed.

There are no other exits from the bedroom.

"I don't know who these Palfrey's are, but they had powerful enemies," Three Elks said with a shake of the head.  "It looks like he was strangled so hard it crushed the bones in his neck. What could do that? An orc? An ogre?" He looked around the room to see if their were old bloodstains.  He wanted to know if the violence occurred in this room or if the body was laid to rest on the bed post-mortem.
This message was lightly edited by the player at 14:15, Sat 05 Oct 2019.

A final check, cursory at best.

"Is this the last of it then, are we ready to descend?"

18:02, Today: Rissa Twiceborn rolled 11 using 1d20 ((11)).  Investigation.

There are no bloodstains in the room. Very little of the skeleton's clothing remains, but it appears to be wearing a sleeping robe. The index finger of its left hand bears a plain gold ring.

Rissa slipped the ring off the finger, seemingly having no issue with looting the dead.  For her, what mattered were the living.  Still, she pocketed it rather than putting it on.  There would be time to investigate it later.

"Let's go."

Lathan says nothing when Rissa takes the ring. He turns and heads back out to the hallway. "Lucien? Do you want to continue leading the way?"

A quick examination of the body reveals no immediate evidence. Lucien ponders Three Elks words and says nothing when Rissa takes the ring. For his part, he simply hopes that the ring provides more clues. "I very much want to know why this keep was abandoned. Something clearly happened here a long time ago before the necromancer ever arrived."

Lucien nods in response to Lathan and then follows him back out into the main hallway. Cautiously, he then approaches the turn in the corridor and pokes his head around to see what is around the corner.

The corridor turns south and widens to 20 feet wide around the corner and continues for 50 feet in that manner before narrowing again to 10 feet wide. A single closed door is situated on the western side of the corridor about five feet down the hall, and two closed doors are on the eastern side, one about 10 feet away and the other about 50 feet away, right before the tunnel narrows. The hallway is dark and quiet.

Before doing anything else, Lucien pulls a single ball bearing from a bag in one of his pockets and throws it down the corridor he tries to get it to go the entire distance, but also  bounce several times. To his companions he says: "This section gives me a bad feeling. I think we should be especially cautious here."

Rissa held her glowing orb up high, illuminating the hallway.

"You're a book mage then?"

She asked Lucien, referring to his earlier statements about his studies.

"And you Terminax?"

She asked again, seemingly nonplussed by the Dragonborn's earlier silence.

The ball bearing bounces and rolls down the wider section of the hallway then disappears in the darkness of the narrower section.

The hallway appears to be the hallway that the party observed when they descended to the dungeon level via the lumber storeroom.

"And here we are again."

Rissa said wistfully, staring down the hallway and waiting for those more martial among them to go first.

"Hmmm? What?" Terminax was looking through his spell book, while petting his bat. The bat squirmed, trying to escape in vain. It even looked at Rissa with the same eyes a cat would have, held 'prisoner' by an over affectionate owner.

"Oh no. I had to study. I was expected to learn the arts of war by my broodmother. I much preferred books. Look at all the fun things I can do thanks to them!"

He gestured, freeing the bat, and the book floated in front of his face. Then he gestures again with his now free hand, and he created a small band of tiny people playing a very silly song. Then they vanished.

Moderately satisfied by the results of his test. Lucien summons his hand and uses it to try to open the nearest door, the one on the western side of the corridor.

To Rissa he says: "I don't know that I aspire to be called a mage. I know a few tricks that use magic, but that's no different than knowing a few tricks with a lockpick."

He eyes Terminax's bat. "Since my owl is on patrol, would you mind sending your familiar down this hallway? Just have him fly to the end and back. He can grab my ball bearing."
This message was last edited by the player at 23:24, Thu 10 Oct 2019.

Rissa stared long and hard at Terminax, her expression uncomprehending.

"To use the Art so freely."

She shook her head.

"I'd only known my Mother's magic before this, and she was a book mage."

She paused, contemplative.

"What is it you two are doing with those trained animals?"

In reply to Rissa Twiceborn (msg # 305):

"Well, I am using him to scout!" The dragon born chuckled. He released the bat Bombor to fly off and do the scouting as suggested.

Three Elks stood guard as the others talked freely.  His shield was in one hand and he had his trusty axe in the other.  Here in the bowels of some old bunker surrounded by the unknown he felt uncomfortable using the one-eyed necromancer's flail.  Though he listened to the others his senses were strained to catch the slightest noise from potential danger be it down the hall or behind one of the doors.

Lucien shrugged. "I use mine for essentially the same thing. As I understand it, the ritual to summon it establishes a contract between us. The advantages are plentiful. An animal can often pass unnoticed where I would draw attention. It is also less susceptible to danger than I am."

The door on the western side of the hallway is locked.

The smell of urine and feces emanates from behind the first door on the eastern side of the hallway.

Terminax's familiar scouts out the rest of the hallway, finding it empty and confirming that it leads to the set of stairs leading up to the lumber storeroom.

Upon discovering that the door is locked, Lucien sends his hand back to it, but this time with his tools in one last attempt to open it from afar. Having gained a small amount of practice already, his attempt is not as poor as the last time.

Lucien Nailo rolled 18 using 1d20+5. Thieves tools check.

Lathan stands at a distance, one sword drawn, as Lucien attempts to pick the lock.

Lucien successfully unlocks the door via his mage hand.

Rissa held her light high, but let those more martial go first.

Three Elks slips into the room willing to take point and help protect the others.  He looks around as the shadows from Rissa's light bounce around the room."Were the living Palfrey's you spoke of wanting to reclaim this keep? Or were they simply wanting you to probe its secrets, then leave it abandoned to the elements?"

Lucien shakes his head in response to the question. "The current Count seems to be actively trying to suppress his family's history. He was noticeably irritated when things were uncovered by our previous expeditions and tried to dissuade us from investigating this place. It is his son who is interested in the family's history and asked about what we had learned." He follows the half-elf into the room to investigate.

"So technically, he'd be angry to find out we were here!"

Rissa added cheerily, her tone utterly at odds with the seriousness of what she was saying as she followed them both in with her light.

Three Elks enters the 20-foot-by-20-foot room that is lit by a pair of lanterns. A narrow tunnel leads out of the room to the south, and the walls of the room are covered in bizarre charcoal drawings.

Two large dogs immediately lunge at Three Elks to attack.

Begin combat.

Dog 1: uninjured
Dog 2: uninjured

Somehow, Rissa was ready for the fight.

She raised her orb, and that eirily smooth and almost sultry voice mirrored her own.

"Ubrath'cil."
"Ubrath'cil."

The new words flowed out like silk, and in response the shadows within the orb writhed and danced, trying to swallow up the light that they continually battled.  The shadows about the two beasts flickered in kind, skittering up the animal's legs and enveloping them.

Initiative: 21
Action: Cast bane on both dogs, DC 13.
Using a sorcerer slot.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:42, Thu 17 Oct 2019.

"No," he called out, slightly startled, as if that would be enough to hold back the attack of the bad dogs.  He raised his shield to try and deflect the snapping jaws of one, while bringing his axe down in a diagonal slash to beat away the other.  He found himself wondering if these were the same dogs that were chained up above, let loose by some undiscovered foe; or if they had been hiding down here the whole time.

07:27, Today: Three Elks rolled 10 using 1d8+3.  damage.
07:27, Today: Three Elks rolled 13 using 1d20+6.  attack.
07:27, Today: Three Elks rolled 15 using 1d20+1.  initiative.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:31, Thu 17 Oct 2019.

In the same breath that Three Elks slashes at his opponent, Lucien has his bow out and looses an arrow at the dog's flank. "Our necromancer was certainly a fan of dogs."

Action: Longbow attack hits AC 19 for 12 damage.

Lucien Nailo rolled 15 using 1d20+3. Initiative.
Lucien Nailo rolled 19,5,7 using 1d20+5,1d8+3,2d6.  Sneak attack w/damage.

"It seems he was..." Lathan springs into action, moving into the room to attack the nearest dog. However, he is distracted by the strange drawings on the wall and fails to hit his target.

Initiative 18. Attack 1 hits AC 8. Attack 2 hits AC 6. (If the dogs have not acted yet, he has Advantage on his attack rolls, though.)

20:35, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 6 using 1d20+4.  Attack.
20:34, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 8 using 1d20+4.  Attack.
20:34, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 18 using 2d20+2, dropping the lowest dice only.  Initiative (advantage).

As the dogs move to attack, Rissa casts bane on them. Despite Rissa's curse, the first dog sinks its teeth into Three Elks's thigh, leaving a bad bite wound. The second dog attacks Three Elks, too, but misses. Lathan moves into the room and attacks one of the dogs but misses. Three Elks brings his axe down hard on the dog that hit him, killing it. Lucien fires an arrow at the second dog, killing it, too. As the dogs slump to the ground, a woman with a deranged look on her face steps out of the shadows and stabs Lathan in the side with her sword. She laughs maniacally and prepares to stab him again.

Next round.

Dog 1: dead
Dog 2: dead
Woman: uninjured

Rissa's eyes were already wide with confusion as she looked at her outstretched fingers of her splayed left hand.  She jumped in shock when the bedraggled looking woman stepped out of no where and stabbed Lathan.

"Lathan!"

She turned to face her, the blackness within the orb condensing even further as she drew forth a mote of it.

"Irkigaar."
"Irkigaar."

She hissed almost seductively, but the bolt of shadows and darkness went wide.

Lucien turns to face the strange looking woman as Rissa's bolt flies past. "Wait! This may be a chance to learn more. Don't kill her!" He pulls out a net from one of his many pockets, unravels it, and casts it at the woman in an attempt to restrain her. However, in such close quarters, the net does not unfurl completely.

Action: Thrown net hits AC 7.

Lucien Nailo rolled 7 using 2d20+5, dropping the highest dice only. Net attack w/ disadvantage.

In reply to Dungeon Master (msg # 322):

Terminax moves forward, and speaks in the arcane tongue as he gestures towards the woman. A bolt of fire shoots forth, looking very hot and deadly indeed...

OOC:

01:01, Today: Terminax rolled 9 using 1d10. Fire damage. 01:01,

Today: Terminax rolled 16 using 1d20+4. Firebolt cantrip.

His leg throbbing from the dog bite, Three Elk's hung back and cast a simple spell instead.

"Skulking in shadows among the remains of the dead...even the roaches around here are big and mean," he says insulting the assassin that just slinked out of the shadows.  The insult carried with it an aura of magic, causing it pierce through normal mental defenses and attack the psyche.

Casts cantrip: Vicious Mockery, Will save DC13 to avoid taking damage and having disadvantage on next attack roll.
09:26, Today: Three Elks rolled 4 using 1d4.  psychic damage.

Lathan spins around to face the woman. He's ready to cut her down but hears Lucien's call and decides to strike her with the hilt of his swords instead, hoping to knock her unconscious.

Attack woman. Attack 1 hits AC 22 for 3 damage. Attack 2 hits AC 22 for 9 damage.

14:29, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 6 using 1d8.  Colossus Slayer.
14:29, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 3 using 1d6+2.  Damage.
14:29, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 3 using 1d6+2.  Damage.
14:28, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 22 using 1d20+4.  Attack (subdue).
14:28, Today: Lathan Swiftstrider rolled 22 using 1d20+4.  Attack (subdue).

Rissa fires an eldritch blast at the new arrival but misses. Lathan delivers two quick blows to her face with the hilt of his swords. She does not appear to be affected by Three Elks's vicious mockery, and easily evades Lucien's net. She stabs at Lathan again but he is able to step out of the way of the incoming blade this time. A fire bolt from Terminax hits her squarely in the chest; she lets out an awful scream then collapses to the ground.

End combat.