Greyband waits for the thinkers in the party to clue him in to a plan. His first instinct is to find and slay some Denagothans, but he needs more intel at this point...

Neuken follows Jarder back down to earth, brushing himself off when he lands.  He reminds himself to file a complaint with whomever is responsible for air pollution around these parts.

When the thunderous din ended, Orin let out a breath that blew his whiskers sideways.  He looked about the chamber as the dust settled, eyes widening when he spied the dragon's corpse and again as he realized what had likely happened to the tower.

"We need to find another way to the top of the tower," he said, pointing to the blocked stairwell now closed off by the rubble of the second floor.  "If there isn't another stair that survived, we might have to climb outside."

Orin wasn't sure how close the poisonous gas was, but perhaps there was a small safe zone about the structure.


OOC:

Not sure where Jarder and Neuken are, physically.  Jarder's post says the top floor, but also that he is rejoining us.  Not sure which it is (since we're not on the top floor).

Greyband, who has moved down last in line behind the others, nods at Orin's words. "A good plan," he says, looking for that other way up as well.

Jarder walks beneath one of the now second story windows (formerly third story) and levitates to do a spot of scouting. If nothing goes amiss, he repeats the process for the other window(s).

"By the Silvery Threads!" Windor swore to the dangerous point of near-blasphemy. He grunted, picking himself up painfully as old warriors are wont to do after a lifetime of busting heads for a living. To many it might be that religious life was less dangerous and much more quiet. Not so for Windor. He'd more than likely argue with his Goddess Herself if She asked him to slow down.

"Perhaps when this business has all settled down and the war is averted, we ought to hang a shingle as dragon slayers, nay, demolitionists!"

OOC: My intention was to join the party.  In case I’m not already with you, I fly down and join you now.

Greyband, for his part, waits to find out what Jarder has found.

Neuken flies down to the opening on the southern side of the tower’s ground floor. Floating inside, the wizard finds himself within the room where the party first encountered the red robed priest and the Denagothian officer. Proceeding out through the northern door, which is hanging from a single hinge, Neuken makes his way into the circular chamber at the level’s center, where he finds his compatriots.

Looking above, those in the circular room can see that the spiral staircase, which is largely intact, leads up to an opening in the ceiling. The opening is partially blocked by a fallen piece of stone. Although the stone, a fragment of a wall, is large, it could be shoved to one side were sufficient strength brought to bear on it. Beyond the opening, the adventurers notice an unsteady, flickering light providing illumination to a shadowy chamber.

Jarder floats to one of the circular windows on the tower’s topmost floor. Through the window, the thief can see an octagonal room that he surmises serves as a laboratory of some kind, though it is now in great disarray.

A group of tables sit at the eastern side of the chamber. Three of the five have been flipped over; bottles, scrolls, bundles of herbs, and various powders are all scattered across the floor. Sitting beside one of the overturned tables is a large, translucent blue stone which glows with a faint, steady light. Jarder immediately recognizes it as the Elvenstar.

The center of the room is bare, save for an elaborate circle of symbols and intersecting lines which has been painted in red on the stone floor. Just west of the circle, there is an opening in the floor, partially blocked by a piece of debris.

On the western side of the room, Jarder spies a menhir, a standing stone inscribed with numerous runes. The slab of stone has toppled from its short, obsidian stand and now lies flat on the floor. Jarder notices two arms, one stretching out from beneath each side of the menhir, the fingers on each hand splayed wide, as if in surprise.

In the center of the room are three figures. One is a warrior in dark plate mail, armed with twin headed battle axe. The second is a figure clad in a long, dark robe, its features concealed beneath a hood. Symbols, embroidered in silver, line the robe’s center, as well as the sleeves and the opening of the hood. Standing at the robed figure’s side is a massive wolf with black fur.

The wolf’s red eyes fix on Jarder mere moments after he peers through the window and the beast begins to growl, a deep, menacing sound that the thief is able to hear from outside.

Immediately, Jarder descends and rejoins the others.

"Sorcerer, warrior, and dire wolf guard the jewel."

He sketches out a brief plan: "Neuken and I will smash two of the windows at the same time. When you hear the twin crashes, the strongest among you will push that debris aside so the rest can gain entry."

OOC Jarder will hover next to the window such that only his forearm and hand will be visible when he strikes the window with the pommel of his dagger.

The warrior nods. "I will assist in the debris."

“Not a bad plan,” Neuken says, feeling uncharacteristically agreeable.  He gets ready to smash one of the windows at the appropriate time.

"We need to disable the mage first, and quickly," Orin suggested with concern.  "Anyone who commands the allegiance of two dragons, an eternal fog of poisonous gas and the subservience of an entire nation must be feared above a knight and a wolf, no matter how large the worg is."

"Silence, bind or otherwise incapacitate him.  Then deal with the other two."

Turning his attention to their part in the plan, the dwarf looked at Greyband and Dimitri.  "I'll help if there's room, otherwise I'll charge through as soon as you heave the stone aside."  He expected the two brawny humans would have a better chance with the blockage, not because he was older or weaker.  It was simply a matter of leverage.  Or so he told himself.

Windor's eyes began to glow with the silvery light of the moon as he called upon Shul, the Mood God. "Bask in the Glow of Righteous Illumination!" Turning slowly, he let the light of his gaze fall upon his companions and as the light touched them, the Blessing of the Mood God fell upon them.

He then pulled a small cloth bundle from beneath his breastplate. This he unknotted to reveal a clump of dried, deep purple flowers. These he sprinkled upon his magical mace. "Wolfsbane," he explained, "quite lovely in the summer."

Finally, he withdrew a small vial of liquid, glowing slightly with the same silvery light of his eyes. "For whomever is the most powerful among us! One of you youngsters, I'm too old for this - " His last words drowned out by the further popping of stone and mortar.

Casting Bless, everyone gets +1 to hit and +1 to damage. Windor's spells now 0/2 | 0/2 | 1/1 | 1/1
Wolfsbane applied to magic mace.
Potion of Invulnerability to whomever takes it, the potion improves the user's Armor Class by 2, and gives a bonus of + 2 on all saving throws.

Greyband takes the potion and holds onit. He grins a brilliant grin. "Let's get on it! I'll drink this potion at the first sign of real trouble!"

He then gets ready to take on all comers as Jarder executes his plan.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:06, Sun 27 June 2021.

Moving back to their positions outside of the tower, Jarder and Neuken cautiously sight each other through the opposite windows. Then, moving all but their arms away from the glass, each adventurer strikes the window they are near, shattering it.

At the sound, the cloaked sorcerer backs away several steps from those he has been conversing with, shadows seeming to bleed from his open palms. The warrior takes a firm grip on his axe with both hands, scanning the chamber for the first sign of threat. The hound snarls, lowering itself into a crouch, smoke arising from its nostrils, flames flickering between its bared teeth.

OOC: Moving the debris from the opening in the floor requires a 1d6 roll, the same when attempting to open a stuck door. I believe that Greyband is in the lead, so with his Strength adjustment, he would need to roll 1-5 to shove the stone aside. One other adventurer can assist Greyband. They will also need to make a 1d6 roll to open doors. Should they pass, they would grant Greyband a +1 bonus to his roll, making success a certainty.

Being rather low on magical resources at the moment, Neuken assists Greyband.  Much as he hates making himself useful.

Dimitri sheathes his sword and helps push the rocks away.

18:33, Today: Dimitri Reznov rolled 2 using 1d6 ((2)). [+2 Strength Bonus?]

Greyband, meanwhile, uses his mighty sinews to move the debris as per the plan!

Got it.
17:16, Today: Greyband rolled 4 using 1d6 with rolls of 4.  Greyband shoves debris aside!

Their great strength working in tandem, Greyband and Dimitri shove the stone aside with a single, determined push. Their attention fixed on the shattered windows above, the three occupants of the octagonal chamber are startled by the sudden crash of the overturned debris and taken completely off guard as the adventurers surge into the room.

19:54, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 1 using 1d6.  Surprise.

The party has achieved surprise. The adventurers are able to move and attack during the current round. The Shadow Lord and his minions may not.

All three enemies are in melee range, though the sorcerer is positioned behind the warrior and the hound relative to the entrance in the floor. Even so, due to the element of surprise, any who wish to rush past the other enemies to reach the Shadow Lord may do so.

The warrior has an armor class of 1.

The hell hound has an armor class of 4.

The Shadow Lord has an armor class of 2.

Dimitri draws his sword and rushes to engage the Shadow Lord with wide grin and a mad gleam in his eye.

08:17, Today: Dimitri Reznov rolled 9,7 using d20+2,d8+2 ((7,5)).

Orin joined Dimitri in charging the Shadow Lord, following his own earlier advice.  He put everything he had in his swing, calling forth the emotions he'd felt when they'd seen the downtrodden villagers, when they'd encountered the false lancers, and when they'd lost their companions to the black dragon.  Orin was pleasantly surprised when his hammer met solid flesh and bone and beneath his heavy mustache a determined grin began to spread.


OOC:

14:46, Today: Orin Starshine rolled 20 using 1d20+3.  Attack Shadow Lord (TN15).  Hit!
14:46, Today: Orin Starshine rolled 8 using 1d6+3.  Damage.

Note: both rolls include Windor's blessing bonus of +1

Neuken tries to find partial cover, then gets behind it and begins chanting madly while weaving his hands, as though preparing a devastating spell.
This message was last edited by the player at 22:15, Wed 30 June 2021.

In one motion, Jarder slings himself through the portal with one arm and throws Hornet unerringly with the other. The dagger doesn't stop until it's planted to the hilt and then some within the malefic sorcerer's flank. Then, obediently, it extracts itself and returns to Jarder's waiting palm -- considerably wetter than it had been when it had begun the circuit.

Wet with what, that is the question.

12:25, Today: Jarder Mehro rolled 24,5 using d20+9,d4+3.  Ranged Hornet v SL.
Hits for 15 dmg.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:28, Sat 03 July 2021.

Greyband joins in the assault on the sorcerer, springing ably around the warrior and hound and attacking the ring-leader. Sadly, the moment is wasted; his blow flies wide...

Man, oh, man, I hate this dicebot.

16:29, Today: Greyband rolled 6 using 1d20+4 with rolls of 2.  Attack on sorcerer!!!