CH. 12: Testing Grounds

[BishGada]

Using the crack and his keen elven eyes Tulbas checks if he can see under the door of the room opposed to him.

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(OOC: In general I'd like to get the attention of the apprentice next to him. If not having a way to get out and try to find the leaders of the orders, at least give a warning.
Is it possible to use cantrip to create mirror like surface so it can be used to look at the room while looking only under the crack of the door?
Also, did Tulbas notice if the magic on the door is stronger than cantrip or not?
)

[TristenC]

Grubnick shakes his head. Always lots of promises... he lowers his voice a little so only the bartender can hear. The dragonmen don't give a rat's ass about us. My friend Znot joined up with the army. Those dracs beat him to pieces for nothin. It's a wonder he survived! They broke every bone in his body just about. The temple wouldn't even heal him. They don't care. I hear they only give our kind the tough jobs and beat us like drums when we won't sit still for it... The goblin gages her reaction to the story.

[Haahque]

A wiser gnome might have shrugged off her comments and accepted her ‘punishment’ for his actions. However Haahqae is a gnome with more confidence then wisdom, and his confidence had just been struck a solid blow by her words. Through what is possibly less then rational thought, Haahqae feels required to offer an agitated retort, however he accepts her final verdict.

“I entered the keep with an escort, but I didn’t see him after I fled from the toilets. Oh whatever fine. It’s not like I even want to continue performing here anyways. Now I’ll have the free time to find a real job that pays actual money. I say good day miss.”

The army’s constant misjudging certain facts like this is one thing that’s really starting to irk Haahqae, and he’ll be glad enough when he’s out of the keep once and for all.

[JadedDM]

Haahqae (Outside Old Keep)
"That's probably for the best," Mouna says. "Escort him outside."

The guards walk Haahqae out of the tower, across the courtyard and open the gates to lead him outside, all at spear point. Once he's out, they close the gates again and the gnome is left on his own. It looks to be around Eleventh Watch by now.

Kendra Greylock (Market Street)
"How are you going to do that?" the kender asks. "And if that's true, aren't you taking a big risk in telling me this?"

Tulbas Erogund (Tower of Wayreth, Guest Room)
Tulbas tries to peer into the room across the hall, but can't make out anything but shadows through the crack of that door. He wonders if the other apprentices are locked in their rooms, too. As he ponders this, he hears and feels the ground rumble a bit for a few seconds. The jolt is strong enough that it knocks a couple of books off the shelves.

(OOC: You could use a cantrip to conjure a small mirror, but it will only last for 10 rounds before it vanishes. The detect magic cantrip specifies that it does not tell you the strength, direction, or type of magic, just that if there is or isn't magic within 10 feet of you.)

Arulia Seroth (Outside Mageware Shop)
Arulia heads to the mageware shop next, but finds it closed and locked up. A sign is hanging from the door that says, "Taking apprentice to Test. Will return in a few days."

Grubnick (Happee Ohgr Tavern)
The bartender nods. "Sounds about right. Nobody cares about our people, not even the gods. Especially not the gods. Still, I guess working for the army's still a better deal than raiding villages or caravans for scraps." She looks him over. "You aren't a soldier. What do you do for a living?"

Ne-Chanz and Shima (North Haven Sewers)
Shima stabs at the rat again, wounding it severely. The rat looks ready to bolt, but it's backed into a corner and so keeps fighting for its life. It snarls and leaps at the dwarf, biting into his leg with its rancid fangs, drawing a trickle of blood, but no more.

Initiative
Ne-Chanz (N/A)
Shima (1d10+6): 2+6 = 8
Giant Rat (1d10+3): 10+3 = 13

Round 3!

Shima stabs at Giant Rat with his spear [TN 11] (1d20): 16, hit for (1d6): 3 damage. Giant rat is near death.
Giant Rat bites at Shima through his leather armor (+2 hit) while being blocked by his masterwork buckler (-2 hit) [TN 16] (1d20): 19, hit for (1d3): 1 damage.

(OOC: I'd say your best bet would be for both of you to withdraw backwards until you're out of the hall, and there's room for someone to flank it.

Actions for Round 4?)

[Chris1234]

Shima says, "Making a fighting withdrawal so we can both get to the creature", and then tries to hit the rat and withdraw (10').

[HorizonsDream]

"Right now, I'm simply trying to gain the trust of the prefect," Kendra explains. "Which I think is working. Once I have his trust, the more open he will be to my advice. At least, that is my hope. As for the risk in telling you, yes, it is a huge risk in telling you," she adds. "Which means you'll have to keep it a secret otherwise this is all for nothing."

[spyguy1503]

Ne-Chanz moves to the proper position.

[Haahque]

Despite how offput he was by the warden’s words, when Haahqae gets outside the keep he breathes in the fresh cool air and sighs. His mind is full of thoughts as he starts walking back home towards the tankard.

Things were finally starting to look up for him. He’s acquired the supplies he needs to get a ferret of his own, he wasn’t a snack for a giant lizard of terror and being arrested really didn’t last that long or be that painful after all.

He’s done it.

He’s won, he’s had a solid victory by outsmarting the stupid red army in the keep. He’s managed to steal from the rich and help out the little people and help himself out while he’s at it. His much too long losing streak was over and it was all due to his own incredible talents. Certainly he’s done more good for this city today then miss I am more holiest then thou Myriam has managed since the occupation began. And he’s done it in his own style. The performance was a little sketchy from a financial perspective, but it did its job, it got him inside. Then he managed to locate the people’s money, brutally squeezed from them thorough high taxes and refusal to pay for drink, and he redistributed that money amongst those who needed it.

Now he’s no wealthier then he was a day ago, but he’s made significant progress towards one of his goals, and that feels good. That feels like he’s able to spend some of his money from before on some things he might not have thought he had enough steel for before. Such as paying Ismene for the rescuing Tulbas job. And he should start thinking about where to acquire some more money, since he still has more plans which need some supplies. Or he could try and bypass the money requirement and try to figure out how to call in his favor that Tulbas owes him to get him what he wants…

Interesting.

Certainly Haahqae has a lot to think about on his way home today.

[djhyland]

At a loss of where to look next, Arulia decides to go back to the market. She doubts that she'll have much luck in finding Yvette and Xyleena there, but maybe she'll find some sort of opportunity. It couldn't be much worse than staying around at the forge, anyway...

[JadedDM]

Haahqae (Steel Tankard)
Haahqae returns to the Steel Tankard, feeling pretty good about himself. Cassandra is tending the bar, as usual. Most of her attention is with the small group of soldiers that are drinking and carousing in the corner.

Bear sits at the bar, drinking alone. There are some other patrons about, as well. A woman with an eye-patch sits and talks with a pregnant woman. A young woman of around 13 or so sits alone by the fire, watching everyone come and go. And a trio of dwarven merchants sit and chat near the entrance.

Kendra Greylock (Central Haven Sewers)
"I won't tell nobody, although I'm not sure why you are telling me at all," Pen says. "But you should be careful. Evil is like a sickness. Spend enough time around it, and you'll get infected with it, too."

Arulia Seroth (Market Square)
Arulia heads to the market square. It's been five days since the elemental attack, but there are still signs of the battle. There are scorch marks on the ground, and several piles of dust and ash that have not yet been swept away by the wind. The impromptu stage has been torn down, but no merchants have set up shop in that area of the square yet.

There are, however, a number of other people out and about. A priestess of Takhisis stands on an abandoned vendor's stand, preaching to a small crowd. A couple of humans in heavy cloaks lurk around the vendor stands, constantly casting glances at the soldiers. A small boy stares hungrily at some fresh bread at one stand. She also spots Osred, evidently doing some shopping as he peruses various clothing vendors.

Ne-Chanz and Shima (North Haven Sewers)
The giant rat bites Shima again, but it's little more than a scratch like the last time. Shima counters with his spear, impaling the creature through. It squeaks and squirms for a few seconds before going still.

Initiative
Ne-Chanz (1d10): 8
Shima (1d10+6): 9+6 = 15
Giant Rat (1d10+3): 1+3 = 4

Round 4!

Giant Rat bites at Shima through his leather armor (+2 hit) while being blocked by his masterwork buckler (-2 hit) [TN 16] (1d20): 20, critical hit! for (2d3): 2,1 = 3 damage.
Shima stabs at Giant Rat with his spear [TN 11] (1d20): 12, hit for (1d6): 6 damage. Giant rat is killed.

(OOC: End combat.)

[Chris1234]

Shima says, "Nasty little begger! Hey, Ne-Chanz, would you mind standing guard for a minute, please, while I give these bites a quick wash?"

Assuming Ne-Chanz consents, the dwarf will take a minute or so to wash out the two bite wounds and then quickly bind them to try and minimise the chance of infection.
If nothing untoward, he then reequips sword & shield on leads onward to the door.
Shima then listens at the door and then examines it for traps, attempting to remove the same (if detected), followed by checking if the door is locked and tries to unlock it if necessary.

Again, if nothing untoward, he opens the door and proceeds onward until something significant crops up.

[BishGada]

Tulbas quickly stands up. 'What was that?' he wonders. 'So, I can barely see through to the room opposite. I can try to dispel the lock on the door, or just wait to see what this was all about.' Tulbas gets into full alert. It is no coincidence this tremor happens only few minutes after the Black Robes conspired something that he assumes is attack on the leaders of the orders. 'Maybe they called the reinforcement of troops, or even their beasts...' he thinks and looks worried at the ceiling. He goes to the door and tries a Cantrip to dispel the magic on the door knob.

'Magic weaved through the veins of the world,
So tight that they appear as one,
Sever carefully the main cord,
And poof, the magic is gone.'

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(OOC: Is what he can see enough to guide the spectral hand through the corridor, to the opposite room, and guide the hand to make some gestures?)

[HorizonsDream]

"Oddly enough, I trust you," Kendra says thoughtfully. "But, don't worry. I'm being as careful as possible. You know, you might be useful to me. Do you think you could find any solid evidence that the trade guild is not guilty of being rebels?" she asks.

[spyguy1503]

Ne-Chanz complies. He, while still keeping watch, examines the spider legs. He had never seen anything like it before.

[TristenC]

Grubnick shrugs. Odd jobs usually. I do ok in a fight, but I'm not really soldier material. I'm running out of coin, though, so I'm looking for work. You wouldn't know of anything would you?