A Paid Trip to Spellhold [D&D 4e]

[Velmont]

"As long as I know, the Shadow thieves, the Cowled Wizard and the Five are all trying to gain as much control over this city as they can. They are most of the time working against each other, but I wouldn't be surprise to hear about punctual alliance to take down a common enemies." replies Cliff.

[Theroc]

"In that case, we should be helping these people rather than attempting to attack them..." The Sorceress pointed out, her ire was for the Cowled ones, not thieves. Thieves were thieves. The Cowled ones were... well... worse. Discriminatory thugs bent on forcing control over the activities of the Arcane? How disgusting.

[Voda Vosa]

Everyone, excapt Rudin Outside the house.

As the paladin asks his questions and some of the present ponders his words, Taran, the elven druid, unleashes the best inside of him, reaping some wood out of the door, with his now clawed pawn. A shower of splinters now cover the hairy back of the druid, leaving a hole in the door to peek in.

Taking a look inside

You can see a shady room, with several tables, and a cage containing three humanoids in it, on a corner. You can see nobody else.

Rudin Stonearm, Inside the bandit's house.

Rudin step into the city with his left foot. Since he entered the gates, the guards looked at him with weary eyes. Inside the city, most people refrained from speaking to him, claiming he was a savage, not more than an animal. A "hairy ape" was the most common used therm to name him. Angry at these distrustful and discriminative folks, Rudin gave up his task of gathering information about his lost family among these people. He thought about the mages, wizards, shamans of sorts, as he view them. Although apparently more comprehensive than the commoners, the cowled wizards proved to be of not much help. The pair Rudin walked upon, knew nothing about his artifact, besides it was not magical, and seemed to care little for it, or for the dwarf.
However, they pointed out the house of one who could know something about it. An old shack in the merchant's district, the antiques shop. It was said that the antiques trader was a former sage, Filasico Lumnas, who belonged to the colwed wizards, but revelaed to the. The arcane organization sent him to Spellhold, as he was quite powerful to be dealt with inside the city. The legend tells that in that dreadful place, Filasico was strip out of his arcane powers, and lost his memory and most of his judgment with it. Harmless, Lumnas was returned to the city, and the few friends that remained opened the shop that now he attends.
Decided to find the truth about his family, Rudin ran to the shop. Filasico was now an old tall human, with long gray beard and a ridiculous pointy hat. The former wizard offered the dwarf an endless list of goods, and only after explaining that he was not interested in any relic, was Runi able to catch the wizard's attention, to expose his dilemma. Filasico examined the artifact for Rudin, and told him that he remembered the rune. It was, according to Filasico, who hasn't lost his memory, nor his judgment, the family crest of the Blackaxe clan, great forgers from the mithril halls. Lumnas told Rudin that one of his relatives, Ramlok Blackaxe, one of the few wizards and enchanters of the Blackaxe clan was detained at Spellhold back in the times when he was captured and striped from his powers in the forsaken island. Biding goodbye and thanking the old sage, Rudin walked out to the streets of Athkatla, determined to bring light over the obscured secrets of his ancestors.
The dwarf began to ask questions, he wanted a trip to spellhold to search for his relative, or any remains, of perhaps a dairy; something. But far from giving him any information, his questions lead to unwanted attention. As he turned the corner, in a shady alley, a pair of black dressed men approached him from the sides, and another two from the front. The dwarf drew his axe, which seemed to inspire fear in the assailants. But after a moment of doubt, they kept coming. What Rudin didn't saw was the other two approaching from behind... A dry hit on his head dropped him unconscious.
From the black oblivion, Rudin heard noises, people talking around him. Suddenly, a hit: the image of himself chopping wood with his axe came to his mind. The dwarf opened his eyes to see he was in a cage! Next to him, a woman and a shifter. He had seen few, but this one was clearly a shifter, and dressed in woodland clothes. Raising his gaze, he saw the bandits, lots of them, hurrying to another room, as some barred the door. Another hit to the door, and another. The bandits flee to the next room, leaving the dwarf and the unconscious shifter and maid in the cage. The next hit broke a part of the door, and the sunlight filled the dark room.

[BarrelRider]

Distracted by the discussion of attacking a lair of thieves, Daven doesn't notice the wild-looking elf move toward the door until it's too late. As the sound of shredding wood bounces off the alley walls he turns in horror. Well, he says wryly. I guess that's the end of trying to do this the nice way. He looks at the others and shrugs. I guess it's time to try the blade, he says as he draws his own.

Moving up to look in the newly-formed window he looks the elf over. I thought you'd be friendly with wood.

[Voda Vosa]

OOC

Originally Posted by BarrelRider

I thought you'd be friendly with wood.

Druidowned!

[Reklaw]

Break out

Should I make a strength check to break out of the cage?

[Voda Vosa]

OOC

You can attempt several things. Perhaps I should list them? Break out of a steel cage is not an easy feat, although you can always try. Twisting the bars enough for Rudin to escape will require a Str check with a DC: 25. Remeber that he has been strip from his gear, except for his armor.

[Walking Dad]

ooc: Taran looks like an actual animal, not like shifted or a hybrid form.

Originally Posted by BarrelRider

...
Moving up to look in the newly-formed window he looks the elf over. I thought you'd be friendly with wood.

"Not this time." Taran - panther answers shortly. "Twiixt, can you hear me?" He calls inside, still battering the door. His voice something between human speak and an animals growl.

OOC

Attacking the door, using Grasping claws.

Mini stat block

Taran
Perception: 21 Insight: 14 Low-Light Vision
AC 16 Fortitude 12 Reflex 14 Will 15
Hit Points: 31/31 Bloodied: 15
Temporary Hit Points: 0
Action Points: 1 Second Wind: 1
Healing Surge: 7 Surges per day: 9/9
At-Will Powers: Wild Shape, Swarming Locusts, Grasping Claws, Flame Seed
Encounter Powers: Elven Accuracy, Cull the Herd
Daily Powers: Summon Giant Toad

[Voda Vosa]

Rudin Stonearm, Inside the bandit's house.

From the other side of the door, between the hits that it receives, you can hear "Twiixt, can you hear me?", almost growled by whomever is giving the door a good battering.

[Velmont]

"I think it's either time to leave or to take a side. I doubt people inside will welcome anyone forcing the door." tells Cliff to Issia and Izera. He then turn back to the other group. "What are you doing there? You'll probably get killed if you try to confront the Shadow Thieves. They are used to confront much more organized larger group than you four."

[Keia]

Izera

"I am uncertain we should get involved, my friend," Izera cautioned. "We know not which is the side of right, though perhaps with greater knowledge, we may be more wise in our actions."

Heedless of her words, the cloaked woman unsheathed the very large sword in her possession. The blade gleamed, not by magic, but by oils and infinite care taken by its owner. "It is always wise to be prepared for any eventuality," she added softly, as if in explanation of her actions. 'Master would be proud that I remain prepared . . . even in a place such as this' the gith thought.

[Theroc]

"It appears we are going to be skipping dinner to irritate another faction vying for power in this pit?" The dragonborn grumbled, reluctant to make an enemy of her enemy's opposition. However, she readied her quarterstaff in the case that she was embroiled in combat. After all, she might not want to hit EVERYONE when she let's loose the torrent of arcane power within her.

[Velmont]

OOC

I agree that actually, the only reason why Cliff would help the others, it is only meta-gaming reason. In character reason doesn't exist for the moment... if it continue like that Illmater will have to come to the help, or we might leave them get killed too

[Reklaw]

Rudin attempts to pull the steel bars apart, straining as he pulls on the two. Apparently weakened from the blow to the head his face turns red and then he gives up.

Strength Check

[7,4] = (11)

Shouting to the door he says, "We're in here, the thieves ran off!"

[CaBaNa]

Thurinar steps back and let's the panther continue to remove the door. How many were there, and how many are with you now?! shouts the elf toward the door.

[Reklaw]

"I didn't see them all but there was quite a few of them, they're in another barred room now.. There is a woman and a shifter in here with me! Get me loose and I can help you with these cowards. If I had my axe they'd be dead already!"

[CaBaNa]

*He's crazy enough to help me. Then again, I'm a bit surrounded. This may be a trap, I should be ready to run. * Thurinar makes to the edge of the group, and looks for various escape routes.

[Voda Vosa]

Bandits' outpost.

The door finally gives away to the panther claws, and with a final blow, the last pieces of the door felt before Taran.
The sunlight now bathes the dusty room. There was turned up tables and chairs, various shelves and what seemed as a bar. This was probably an abandoned tavern of sorts. Near the bar, on a corner, there's a rusty cage, where Rudin, a savage looking dwarf is holding to the bars. Tiwix and a woman, that Mithalor recognizes as his lost sister Havarla, are on the cage's floor, apparently unconscious.
There are two doors in the room, although it was not clear, at least for everyone but the dwarf, in which direction the assailants went.

[Walking Dad]

Taran becomes his true(?) elven self again and strides into the room. Seeing the situation, he asks the dwarf: "Through which way did they leave?"

OOC

Mini stat block

Taran
Perception: 21 Insight: 14 Low-Light Vision
AC 16 Fortitude 12 Reflex 14 Will 15
Hit Points: 31/31 Bloodied: 15
Temporary Hit Points: 0
Action Points: 1 Second Wind: 1
Healing Surge: 7 Surges per day: 9/9
At-Will Powers: Wild Shape, Swarming Locusts, Grasping Claws, Flame Seed
Encounter Powers: Elven Accuracy, Cull the Herd
Daily Powers: Summon Giant Toad

[Voda Vosa]

Originally Posted by Velmont

OOC

I agree that actually, the only reason why Cliff would help the others, it is only meta-gaming reason. In character reason doesn't exist for the moment... if it continue like that Illmater will have to come to the help, or we might leave them get killed too

OOC

Yes, I'm aware of that, and that's why I put the other prisoners inside, to make Cliff see that these bandits are dealing with slaves, and incentive his morality. =)