Kraelix watched the kajit run off, scared for its life, and shrugged. Then he called out, "Winnk?" He jogged up behind the fellow to speak softly, "That's not oil, it won't explode. It'll burn, and it'll stink, but they don't have an explosive and it'll take more than just your match to set it off. We can move right in and confront them head-on. What do you say we call their bluff, push in, and knock some heads together?"
This message was last edited by the player at 22:05, Sat 24 Apr 2021.

Winnk grinned. He knew it all along. They were bluffing.

He talked quietly to his companion.

“I agree with you Kraelix. I was hoping they would talk before we barged in, but when you’re ready I will help you.”

Then loud again to those on the other side of the door, taking a deep puff on his cigar. “You guys gonna talk? Convince me to join your cause?”
This message was last edited by the player at 21:54, Sat 24 Apr 2021.

"Give me a hand with this, they've had enough time to do this peacefully." Kraelix made for the door, preparing to force it open.

I've got +5 Athletics. Do you want to help me, or should I help you?

Let’s out a long exhale and sets his cigar down.

“Let’s do this!”

I’ll help you, I am a dex build.

With Winnk giving him assistance, Kraelix tried to force the doorway back open.

23:22, Today: Kraelix rolled 15 using 2d20+5, dropping the lowest dice only with rolls of 10,7.  Athletics.

"Haha! C'mon, boys, thought you were pushin'?!" The massive orc bursts into hearty laughter as she easily holds the would-be heroes back.

"Seems like you two shoulda hired some muscle, huh?" The orc doesn't force the door fully closed, keen on teasing the pair of fellows on the other side of the door a bit more. They're certainly better company than her crew!

13:56, Today: Sabah rolled 24 using 1d20+7.  Athletics Check.

There was a slight commotion behind Sabah, accompanied by a faint moan, a gurgle, and the sound of two more bodies hitting the floor. Turning around, she saw the little Khajit standing over the corpses of Horatio and Seamus, her pair of thin, curved elven daggers dripping with fresh blood.

"Time is wasting. The mission is failed. This one will leave no witnesses. This one is sorry. Is only business."

Wiping her mouth with the back of her bloody paw, the lithe assassin locked eyes with Sabah and closed the distance to her with a series of silent, elegant, zig-zagging bounds.

Initiative everyone!
This message had punctuation tweaked by the GM at 07:14, Thu 29 Apr 2021.

13:05, Today: Kraelix rolled 4 using 1d20+1.  Dex check.

Hearing the commotion on the other side of the door, Winnk called upon the powers of his blood to quicken his reflexes. He noticed the resistance from the other side diappearing as the orc turned around to face the feline assassin.

In a bound of surprising speed, the small female was already toe-to-toe with the much bigger orc, unleashing a flurry of precise cuts. Taken aback by the assault's ruthless precision, Sabah had to make some defensive concessions, one of them being a deep cut to the forearm, which sent jolts of pain in her brain and started bleeding profusely.

Pushing the door open now requires a DC 13 Athletics check taken as an action.
13:46, Today: Aurbis rolled 24,7,12,7 using d20+8,d4+5,d20+8,d4+5.  Khajit attack rolls.

Unnamed Khajit hits Sabah for 7 damage.

Your turn! You can all act now, and I'll post enemy actions afterwards.

With the resistance gone, Kraelix flung the door open and took in the scene before him. Seeing an apparent confrontation within, he paused to get a feel for what the sides were in this.

Action: Athletics 24
Bonus: cast Shillelagh
Move: none

08:49, Today: Kraelix rolled 24 using 1d20+5.  Athletics.

Winnk was glad they never talked. Talking was boring. Talking probably would have led to more clues that they would have to follow. Winnk still wasn’t sure why he had taken the job, now that he had Izada’s head in a burlap sack back at the barracks. He’s gonna have to find a courier to take that back to Captain Malaj.

These are the thoughts going through his head as he shoots two arrows and tosses a hand axe at the big orc. But he missed and of course an arrow hit the khajiit, which was fine too. They were gonna have to kill them both.

07:36, Today: Winnk Slornga rolled 8 using 1d8+3.  Dmg. – 8

07:36, Today: Winnk Slornga rolled 12 using 1d20+5.  Hand axe attack spending sup die. – 12

07:36, Today: Winnk Slornga rolled 11 using 1d20+5.  Haste attack. – 11

07:36, Today: Winnk Slornga rolled 23 using 1d20+5.  Attack the cat. – 23

"Are you serious right now? We coulda made some serious coin together, but I guess if it's gotta be this way..." Teeth grit and a low hiss comes out as a sizeable blow comes down upon her forearm. The mammoth of a woman draws her biggest of the axes she carries, a greataxe of orcish make with a wicked curve to the blade, and prepares to deal with the traitor - but!

"You dirty bastard! Honorless coward!" A handaxe goes whizzing by, leaving the only cutting done by the effort done by her biting tongue.

Sufficiently antagonized and cornered, there's only one thing for our heroine to do - lash out. Violently. Blood gets blood. An overhand stroke with a hearty roar for good measure.


00:30, Today: Sabah rolled 23 using 1d20+7.  Greataxe v. Traitor-cat.
00:30, Today: Sabah rolled 14 using 1d12+5.  Damage (if successful).

The catlike assassin reacted to the hail of arrows with a swift motion of her razor-sharp blade, dodging and cutting the projectile in half in mid-air at the same time. The action brought her dangerously close to the half-orc. The Khajit could not completely evade the attack, and despite her best attempts at rolling with the blow, the flat of the broadaxe's head connected with her temple, sending her tumbling into a nearby shelf. A couple of jugs of colourful powder crashed on the floor, forming a strange mass that bubbled and fizzled menacingly.

As soon as she connected with the ground, the assassin rolled back on her feet and charged again, ducking between the orc's legs to deliver an underhanded strike with both blades. While sliding, she threw the second blade at Winnk with scary precision. The blade left a deep gash on his face, only a hair's width away from the jugular.

7 damage to Winnk
19:49, Today: Aurbis rolled 26,7 using d20+8,d4+5.  2nd attack.
19:49, Today: Aurbis rolled 10,7 using d20+8,d4+5.  Dagger attack vs. Sabah.
Cat HP: -14

Finally.

Finally they were done talking and Winnk was staring down a dagger as it flew slowly to his face. He dodged it easily.

He felt something wet on his cheek. He put a hand to it, felt the blood, but when he looked at his fingers there was nothing there. He shrugged, grinned at his luck, and knocked two arrows and let them fly faster than a normal man could send one.

----
11:02, Today: Winnk Slornga rolled 11 using 1d10+1.  2nd wind.
11:00, Today: Winnk Slornga rolled 11 using 1d8+3.  dmg if succeed.
11:00, Today: Winnk Slornga rolled 15 using 1d20+5.  atk cat 2.
11:00, Today: Winnk Slornga rolled 12 using 1d20+5.  atk cat 1.

Kraelix strode through the door, shillelagh swinging toward the Khajit.

Move: into melee range with the cat/orc
Action: Attack w/ Shillelagh
Result: Hit AC 21 for 8 magical Bludgeoning damage

13:19, Today: Kraelix rolled 21,8 using d20+6,d8+4.  Attack w/ Shillelagh.

The orc stands her ground - not like running was ever an option - as her adversaries close in from both sides now. Fortunately, they seemed to want to focus down the traitor before turning on the orc; why pass on free help?

Amidst the hail of blows launched at the khajit, Sabah was really putting her all into hers, roaring with every swing. In the end, it doesn't matter who kills who, so long as they die, and yet, well, if it puts a fear in her remaining foes, well, the dramatics are worth it!


13:01, Today: Sabah rolled 9 using 1d12+5.  Damage (if successful).
13:01, Today: Sabah rolled 25 using 1d20+7.  Greataxe v. Traitor-cat.

In the crowded space of the underground cellar, the raging melee left Winnk with little opportunity to place a decent shot, despite his supernatural speed. Both arrows missed. Meanwhile, the combined efforts of Kraelix and Sabah drove the Khajit back, inflicting heavy wounds. Reeling and whimpering from her heavy wounds, the agile creature quickly performed a short series of hand gestures, finishing by clenching her clawed fist to her heart. In an instant, the whole room was filled with a supernatural darkness. Using the momentary confusion, the assassin scurried across the room towards the loading shaft.

Your turn to act. You can't see anything, and determining the moving Khajit's approximate location requires a DC 16 Perception check. All attack rolls have Disadvantage.

Winnk couldn’t believe it. That cat had nine lives.

He gave up and turned away from the room and went in search of one of the EITC workers.

“Hey! That room doesn’t go anywhere right??? You said it was a dead end right???” He kept an eye on the door to see who would come out.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:44, Tue 04 May 2021.

"Why do people always run when they lose..?"

The orc simply adopts a defensive posture and lets what will happen, happen. When she can see again, hoo boy, there's gonna be a rampage, believe you me. For now? No point wasting energy swinging at shadows - just dodge.

Opportunity Attack: hit AC 21 9 for 8 magical Bludgeoning damage  (assuming the cat moved)
17:14, Today: Kraelix rolled 21,8 using d20+6,d8+4.  Attack w/ Shillelah.
17:21, Today: Kraelix rolled 9 using 1d20+6.  Disadvantage OA.

Forgot I had luck points, or I'd have used one


Kraelix swing where the cat had been as he saw them trying to escape. He listened to her footsteps and followed. As he stepped, he reached out to the spirits of his ancestors and summoned them into the physical realm. 17:16, Today: Kraelix rolled 19 using 1d20+4.  Perception.

Move: knowing where it went, if I can follow and step out of the darkness while staying in melee so I can see them, I will
Action: Cast Spirit Guardians, protecting me and Winnk
Result: creatures starting turns or entering my 15 ft radius Wis DC 14 vs 3d8 Radiant (half on success). Speed of all creatures (besides Winnk) is halved in the area.

17:17, Today: Kraelix rolled 4 using 3d8.  Spirit Guardians, Wis DC 14 for 1/2.

Immediately after the darkness fell, the adventurers heard some more scurrying from the loading shaft, along with the sound of a blade cutting ropes and the crashing of a heavy wooden item.

"Well, there's only this door and the elevator", the clerk answered Winnk. "It's broken now, and pretty badly stuck, so you'd have to be really slim and agile to crawl through here."

Echoing the servant's words, a clamor erupted from nearby, at ground level. The shouts of surprise and "Hail to the thief!" quickly mutated into screams of pain and panicked fear.

Winnk put a hand on the servant's shoulders, and wanted nothing more than to wring the fool's neck, "Do you see now how that information would have been extremely helpful toward our efforts here? We could have split up and put a man down at that exit. But now the one who knows information has fled, and we have this orc to deal with, who probably knows nothing."

He tried to calm down. He knew it would just create more problems. "Come here." He half dragged the servant back toward the room. "You're gonna help us negotiate with the orc."




----

08:05, Today: Winnk Slornga rolled 23 using 1d20+4.  athletics check to drag servant.

08:04, Today: Winnk Slornga rolled 18 using 1d20.  wis save to do diplomacy. FAIL

Forcing NPC to negotiate with the orc bc I cannot. If DM chooses not to then I will attack Sabah next round.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:58, Wed 05 May 2021.

Kraelix turned and closed on the orc, swinging the glowing staff twice.

Move: close to Sebah
Action: Attack
Result: Miss AC 9 25 for 11 Bludgeoning
Bonus: War Priest attack
Result: Miss AC 13 18 for 8 Bludgeoning
Concentration: Spiritual Guardians (half speed and Wis 14 vs 3d8 Radiant)

00:11, Today: Kraelix rolled 18,8,13 using d20+6,d8+4,d20+6.  Attack w/ Shillelah.
00:08, Today: Kraelix rolled 9,11,25 using d20+6,d8+4,d20+6.  Attack w/ Shillelah.


This message was last edited by the player at 05:14, Thu 06 May 2021.

"Hells! Now you? Fine. Die!
Those five words are far more kindness than this elf seems to know, and are all Sabah plans to share with him - besides the kindness of a swift death. Her axe screams through the air, the orc bellowing with primal rage as she goes for the Dunmer!


Bonus: Rage. 1 min remaining, 1 Rage left.
Standard: Greataxe v. Kraelix

My brain is under the assumption that Darkness was only there for one round. If I am wrong, DM, please roll my disadvantage accordingly.

23:38, Today: Sabah rolled 19 using 1d12+7.  Raging Axe Damage.
23:38, Today: Sabah rolled 24 using 1d20+7.  Greataxe v. 'Adventurer'.
23:35, Today: Sabah rolled 3 using 1d20.  WIS vs Kraelix's S.W.

Kraelix felt the presence of his guardians disperse, and moments later the darkness did as well. He'd heard movement all around and was never sure which footsteps belonged to who. Would the ancestors know to protect Winnk even in the darkness? That was a question for the elders; the ones he had no particular intention of ever speaking to again. So he'd stayed put, waiting for someone to make a move or for the darkness to clear on its own.

When things did finally clear up, there they all stood in a triangle formation. "Seems like you're the only one left. One of you, two of us plus the backing of the fighter's and mage's guilds. Are you ready to talk, or shall I invoke the spirits again?"
This message was last edited by the player at 16:01, Mon 10 May 2021.