"Walk away. Get out of her sight. She doesn't want to be here but she feels threatened."

Jex, seeing Falgrim surrender, realizes that he doesn't stand a chance on his own, especially woozy as he still is. He drops his bow and just kind of slumps over against the wall, watching your argument about Beaky with hopeless eyes.

The owlbear despises all of these apes standing around and shouting in their pathetic, thin ape voices. But one of the apes just threw it on its back, twice, and Beaky understands dominance and territory as well as any predator. This isn't its territory, and even though the ape is smaller than an owlbear, she does seem to be quite dominant. Beaky starts to get up again, but the ape's steel claw flashes, and it decides not to for now. The other, smaller ape, the shadow one that was a wolf before he was an ape, seems less threatening. Beaky thinks that one... helped it in some way? He seems to be shouting at the other apes, and urging Beaky to run, but Beaky simply can't see anywhere to go that doesn't lead to the big ape's steel claw. Beaky has seen and felt enough of steel claws to last all summer, and well into the winter, too. If the apes aren't going to kill it immediately, Beaky takes the opportunity to rest for a moment, get its breath back. Maybe a shriek will stun them enough that it can get away.

The main gate takes a total of 6 actions to open, although there's plenty of room for several people to collaborate on moving the beam.

Status report:
Dubh: 34/41
Sophia: 37/47
Telric: 26/44, Armor in Earth
Wilkezag: 27/32
Falgrim Sneeg: down 8; surrendered, probably
Jex the Snitch: barely conscious
Beaky: down 42 (wounded), prone

Will prepares to start opening the gate, but waits for Sophia to take charge of Falgrim.

In reply to Wilkezag (msg # 119):

Telric tries to move past Beaky to get to the gate. Assuming the creature does not attack him, he will open said gate and let the Owlbear leave.

Sophia gave her best effort to not take advantage of the moment of weakness as Beaky stood up. She took a step back and sheathed her sword, letting the owlbear feel a bit more space.

But she called to Falgrim, "If you make us come find you, you are going to regret it. Stay put until the owlbear is gone or dealt with. Unless you want to deal with her yourself."

---

Action 1: step back
Action 2: sheathe sword
Action 3: nothing
This message was last edited by the player at 19:41, Thu 25 Apr.

Once Sophia is next to Falgrim, Will joins Telric in opening the gate.

With Dubh talking softly and calmly to Beaky, Sophia is able to back away through the store room, then hustle around to the front to keep an eye on the two remaining bandits. The owlbear gets its feet back under it, but stays on all fours for now to show submission.

However, when Wilkezag and Telric manage to get the gate open enough for Beaky to see it, everything changes. With another deafening screech, the monster leaps up and sprints for the open gate and freedom. Unfortunately, it doesn't follow the path in doing so. You were warned to follow the path on your approach, but an owlbear doesn't care. A sickening stench reaches you as several corpses claw their way out of the earth near Beaky and turn toward it, but you don't think they'll be able to catch an owlbear at full charge. This is going to be your problem.

You were supposed to have to deal with this on the way in, but you were clever enough to avoid it. Too bad Beaky isn't. Enough calm has happened that I'd like to see initiative all around, plus Will saves against Beaky's DC 20 Bloodcurdling Screech once more (it's been just long enough, I checked!)

Status report:
Dubh: 34/41
Sophia: 37/47
Telric: 26/44, Armor in Earth
Wilkezag: 27/32
Falgrim Sneeg: down 8; surrendered, probably; awaiting Will save
Jex the Snitch: barely conscious; awaiting Will save
Beaky: down 42 (wounded)
all zombies: prone, permanently slowed 1
This message was last edited by the GM at 14:50, Fri 26 Apr.

In reply to GM (msg # 123):

"The second time I let Beaky go, and she is STILL being a pain about it!" Telric grumbled as he covered his ears.

OOC:
10:59, Today: Telric Televentor rolled 10 using 1d20+7 with rolls of 3.  initiative . – 10

10:59, Today: Telric Televentor rolled 22 using 1d20+7 with rolls of 15.  Will save(Beaky is getting on my last nerve...). – 22

Dubh's soft words turn to a pained expression as the screech hits his ears. With the dread that comes from knowing an animal can rip you to shreds without trying Dubh makes sure that he is clear of her path as she tears out of the fort. He smiles despite the terror at the fact that the powerful and majestic creature is free and healthy but that smile melts away as the corpses begin to rise.



OOC:
15:34, Today: Dubh Oiche rolled 14 using 1d20+11 with rolls of 3.  Will save DC 20. – 14

15:33, Today: Dubh Oiche rolled 30 using 1d20+11 with rolls of 19.  I. – 30

Wish I had rolled those in reverse order.

Will feels a little satisfaction that the poor creature is going to go free, right until the creature lets out a horrifying screech!  He covers his ears and whimpers a bit.

Will fails his will save
15:00, Today: Wilkezag rolled 11 using 1d20+9 with rolls of 2.  Will Save.

20:39, Today: Wilkezag rolled 13 using 1d20+9 with rolls of 4.  Perception for initiative.

This message was last edited by the player at 01:39, Mon 29 Apr.

20:13, Today: GM, on behalf of Sophia Akhova, rolled 20 using 1d20+7 with rolls of 13.  will save vs. Beaky (DC 20). This is increased to a critical success for Sophia because of Bravery.
20:13, Today: GM, on behalf of Sophia Akhova, rolled 21 using 1d20+7 with rolls of 14.  Perception for initiative.
Sophia is startled by Beaky's sudden screech, but she's heard worse. A monster that can't even keep its feet doesn't frighten her at all.

20:15, Today: GM, for the NPC zombies 1-4, rolled 19,17,1,6 using d20,d20,d20,d20 with rolls of 19,17,1,6.  Perception for initiative.
20:17, Today: GM, for the NPC Beaky, Akiros, rolled 18,17 using d20+13,d20+10 with rolls of 5,7.  Perception for initiative.
20:26, Today: GM, for the NPC Akiros, Falgrim, Jex, rolled 9,13,7 using d20+7,d20+4,d20+4 with rolls of 2,9,3.  Will save vs. Beaky (DC 20).
Hearing the owlbear's scream, Akiros gives up tacking up his horse and starts to run past Falgrim deeper into the stable area. Falgrim himself just rolls his eyes and drops his head into his hands. "Way to go, 'heroes', now you've really done it. The last time this happened, they ripped poor Gregus to shreds and we were all trapped inside until morning. The time before that, Happs and Jeb managed to get away into the woods, and we plinked at 'em with our bows until they all quit moving, but that didn't exactly help Gregus now, did it?"

Dubh is up, followed by Sophia.

Status report:
Dubh: 34/41, frightened 2
Sophia: 37/47
Telric: 26/44, Armor in Earth, frightened 1
Wilkezag: 27/32, frightened 2
Falgrim Sneeg: down 8; surrendered, probably; frightened 2
Jex the Snitch: barely conscious; frightened 3, fleeing
Beaky: down 42 (wounded)
all zombies: prone, permanently slowed 1, immune to fear effects (sorry!)
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:32, Tue 30 Apr.

As soon as Beaky is out, Wilkezag shouts, "Close the gate!" and begins to do so.

Dubh runs up to the gate to be able to see the new threat more clearly. Calling on the forces of nature once more he flicks his hands out at the two closest undead creating savage blades of air to rip at their unnatural bodies.


I believe I have line of sight to the two closest zombies. If not, please target two I can see within 60ft of AF15
A1:Run up to AF15
A2 & A3: Slashing Gust on the two closest. Not sure if they can take bleed damage from a crit so I didn't roll it. If they can they take another 2d4 persistent Bleed damage.

13:17, Today: Dubh Oiche rolled 27,11 using 1d20+7,3d4 with rolls of 20,4,3,4.  Slashing Gust. – 29,11
18:38, Today: GM, on behalf of Dubh Oiche, rolled 16,9 using d20+7,3d4 with rolls of 9,4,1,4.  2nd slashing gust.

GM edit: slashing gust makes two separate attacks, but both at your full attack bonus.
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:39, Tue 30 Apr.

Zombies are in fact immune to bleed damage (this is new as of the remaster, apparently). However they still have weakness to slashing damage!
Dubh's scything blasts of air slice into the closest two zombies, cutting one to shreds and badly injuring the other. Unfortunately, as its ability to move and fight doesn't depend very much on its anatomy, the second still attempts to lurch to its feet to attack the nearby invading owlbear.

Sophia is up, followed by several NPCs and then Wilkezag.

Status report:
Dubh: 34/41, frightened 1
Sophia: 37/47
Telric: 26/44, Armor in Earth, frightened 1
Wilkezag: 27/32, frightened 2
Falgrim Sneeg: down 8; surrendered, probably; frightened 2
Jex the Snitch: barely conscious; frightened 3, fleeing
Beaky: down 42 (wounded)
all zombies: prone, permanently slowed 1
zombie 1: RIP, critically hit for 27
zombie 4: down 14
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:43, Tue 30 Apr.

I don't know what's happened to Sophia, I hope she's ok!

Sophia hears Falgrim's mocking and glances out the open gate at the zombies. "Wait, how many of these are there? Dozens? I'm as happy for a good old-fashioned brawl as the next woman, happier probably, but even I don't think we want to fight dozens of zombies. They'll get a lucky hit or two in eventually. Nice shot though, Dubh, I didn't know you had it in you!" She moves to help close the gate, especially when she sees a few more spots of soil nearby rumbling as if they were boiling pots of water.

Beaky is still hungry, but these things don't smell like food at all. A little rot is nice for flavor, but this is just way too much. Also, rotted things don't usually groan and try to bash it. The owlbear is just so totally done with this stinking, horrible ape cave and everything in it, and books it for the closest trees. Hopefully it doesn't find your horses, which you left outside!

Akiros runs screaming past the horses and Falgrim, not realizing that the source of his unnatural terror is running away even faster. Fortunately he hadn't managed to untie either of the horses, so while they plunge and buck with their eyes rolling, neither can get away.

One of the zombies gets to its feet and, rather than hopelessly chase after the owlbear, stumbles toward the gate that Wilkezag and Sophia are trying to close.

Wilkezag is up, followed by Telric. The gate has 4 actions left to get it closed enough that zombies won't be able to get in before you get it properly secured.

Status report:
Dubh: 34/41, frightened 1
Sophia: 37/47
Telric: 26/44, Armor in Earth, frightened 1
Wilkezag: 27/32, frightened 2
Falgrim Sneeg: down 8; surrendered, probably; frightened 2
Jex the Snitch: barely conscious; frightened 3, fleeing
all zombies: prone, permanently slowed 1
zombie 1: RIP, critically hit for 27
zombie 4: down 14
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:13, Thu 02 May.

Will sticks with his earlier plan of gate closing.

In reply to Wilkezag (msg # 132):

OOC-Assuming Wilk used all 3 action to close gate, Telric will spend 1 more action to finish closing said gate. Then he will spend two action moving to get to the second floor via the stairs so he can fire down at the zombies.

Working together, Wilkezag and Telric get the front gate of the fortress closed once again. Leaving Wilkezag to deal with the bar, Telric stomps over toward the stairs, hoping to get a good vantage point to fire down on the undead menaces.

Outside, you hear another shambler dig its way out of the ground, and the damaged one lurches over to pound on the closed gate, but Wilkezag and Sophia can hold it easily against a single zombie. It doesn't seem to have the ability to do any actual damage to the gate itself, although the battering is a bit disconcerting. Sophia gets the bar into place to keep the gates shut for good, or at least for the night. You slump against the gate to catch your breath, to see that Jex has keeled over again from terror and stress and Falgrim is just leaning against the wall, smirking at your antics.

Whew! I think you're temporarily out of danger at this point. Although Akiros is going to be pretty pissed when he finds out you've trapped everyone inside for the night! Telric and Dubh (and anyone else if you want, but Telric and Dubh are by far the best at it) can spend some time blasting away at zombies from the tower, but you don't get any experience for it. There's a total of 12 of them. All it accomplishes is to let Akiros leave and get your own horses inside for the night, and possibly give Falgrim a chance to get away.

Although eventually the other two bandits will come back from their hunting trip, and won't be happy to see the zombies riled up. You still have at least an hour before that happens, though.

Status report:
Dubh: 34/41, frightened 1
Sophia: 37/47
Telric: 26/44, Armor in Earth
Wilkezag: 27/32, frightened 1
Falgrim Sneeg: down 8; surrendered, probably; frightened 1
Jex the Snitch: unconscious again
all zombies: permanently slowed 1
zombie 4: down 14
zombie 5: prone

In reply to GM (msg # 134):

OOC-can we heal up to full?

The crisis over, for the moment, Will has several activities he wants to do or see done.  First, he asks Sophia to take care of securing Falgrim, and Jex as well, but especially Falgrim.  He reminds her, quietly, that Kesten Garess has offered a bounty on the bandit, and it is worth more if he is brought in alive.  "Perhaps we could tie then up and put them in Beaky's cage.  It won't hold them, but it will slow down any escape attempt they make."

Second, he wants to see everyone's injuries attended to.  He's happy to apply his own first aid skills to anyone who would like it, but he knows that Dubh is better at Medicine that he probably ever will be.  Wilkezag makes an attempt to put some healing cream on the bruise he has on his bum, but it doesn't seem to help.

Finally, the bard spends 10 minutes in quiet contemplation, picking out a little tune on his lyre and refocusing himself.

19:49, Today: Wilkezag rolled 10 using 1d20+7 with rolls of 3.  First Aid on self.

It only takes Dubh and Telric a few minutes of concentrated blasting to clear out all the zombies, although they just keep rising up for a surprisingly long time. With Sophia slashing them up on a more personal level, you think you probably could have stayed ahead of them as they dug themselves out of the ground a couple at a time, but by the time you're finished, a round dozen cursed corpses have been cut to pieces. This was definitely a much safer way to go about things.

Akiros recovers himself in time to notice what you're doing. "Oy, those guys. They don't stay down, you know. We've cleaned them out a few times, but they just keep coming back. We don't even bother anymore, usually, if someone stupid pisses them off. Just let them lurch and groan out there; they always knock it off at sunrise. Not sure how long it takes them to pull themselves back together if you kill 'em; it's at least a few days, but no more than a month or so. Probably have to get a priest or something in here to get rid of them for good, who knows. Not my problem anymore."

After securing your remaining two prisoners in Beaky's old cave, Sophia takes the time to put the rest of her armor back on. She seems to be much more comfortable once fully clad in steel once more, although she's not looking to the amount of scouring it's going to take to get it back to its proper shine.

The thing about shamblers is that they're really not a serious threat even to relatively wimpy mooks like these bandits, unless there's a whole mess of 'em. Lucky for you, there's a whole mess of 'em outside.

Feeling refocused and generally better, Will encourages Dubh to perform First Aid on everyone Telric, Sophia, and himself.  The Bard does what he can to Aid the process.  It takes him a while to get a working rhythm with the druid, but finally they get their act together.

16:57, Today: Wilkezag rolled 8,13,21 using d20+7,d20+7,d20+7 with rolls of 1,6,14.  Aid another for three Medicine rolls.

Guys, we still have one more battle to go before we're done, so let's get healed up and ready for it.

Telric proceeds to heal anyone who the first aid does not fix.

Ooc-21:26, Today: Telric Televentor rolled 10,8,9 using 2d8,2d8,2d8 with rolls of 3,7,6,2,1,8.  Ocean balm healing. – 10,8,9

It takes you about half an hour, but between Wilkezag's and Dubh's first aid and Telric's water magic, you manage to get yourselves patched up, refocused, and ready for one last battle. Your prisoners don't seem to be too upset to be locked up: they seem to think this will only be a temporary situation. You catch Falgrim whispering to Jex, "Don't worry. The old guy will take care of these do-gooders no problem, and Jeb and Topper will let us out when they get back from hunting, or we'll get out eventually on our own. This cave isn't really meant to hold people in, just monsters like Beaky. What do you say, Jex? Every wanted to be a bandit king's first lieutenant? Get in on the ground floor, right?"

While you're getting yourselves back together, Akiros finishes tacking up the bandits' two horses. They seem to be happy enough to see him, which makes you think he was probably the only one taking care of them in the first place. Hearing that the zombies have been pacified for now, he moves to reopen the gate. "Go with the gods, folks. You'll never see me again. Good luck on.... whatever it is you're trying to do. Don't know what I'm doing, but it's not hanging around people crazy enough to try to make a real nation in the Stolen Lands. The place is cursed. It'll always be cursed, no matter how you try. Maybe I'll head south and sell my sword in Gralton. Always plenty of work for sellswords there. You don't even really have to do anything most of the time; those nobles are too busy crying in their beer to actually get anything done." Unless you do something to stop him, he reopens the gate and rides off to the south and east, toward the Tuskwater.

As you police up the area, you take inventory of whatever the bandits had, both their personal equipment and their stockpiles in the armory, Akiros's storage room, and the Stag Lord's personal chambers. In the armory, you find a pretty impressive collection of longbows, spears, shortswords, and leather armor, enough to outfit a much bigger bandit company than the Stag Lord actually ran. It doesn't seem like the band used to be much bigger, either. Maybe he was just stocking up and looking to expand?

The storage room doesn't have anything very interesting, just sacks of oats and other dry goods, firewood, some tools, and a fair bit of dried and smoked meat. The Stag Lord's private room, which you're now seeing for the first time, is well insulated with animal hides (in contrast to the rather drafty and chilly nature of the rest of the fort), with a ragged bed in one corner and a sturdy chest serving as a nightstand. Inside the chest, you find mostly bedding and some other miscellaneous items, including three extra crudely-stitched leather masks. Digging deeper, you find the best (and most portable) treasures: a small pouch of gold coin (mostly Brevic), a collection of cut gems and other jewelry, and a pewter belt buckle cast with a depiction of two succubi entwined in a passionate embrace. Tricky to show off in most social situations, that. But still, even including the bandits' personal gear (adding to your stack of healing potions, but only Dovan's rapier and the Stag Lord's composite longbow are worth keeping) this is nowhere near all of the treasure that you know the Stag Lord's group has taken over the last several months. The rest must be guarded by this "creepy old guy" that all the bandits have been mentioning.

Before Akiros leaves, Will asks him about the "creepy old guy" that Falgrim and Jex are talking about.