A new beginning.

[GladiusNP]

Caedren moves behind a stout oak tree. The antlered sword - given to him by Shadrath, snags on a low tangle of brambles. He curses silently, then pulls it free. He glances up at the tree - though none of the branches are within easy reach, one thick, gnarled limb could be jumped too. He then brings his attention back to the wall, and crouches even lower, his eyes fixed on the ramparts, just as...

Dravis watches Drilk move into the undergrowth. The wolf is quickly lost within the shadows of the forest, and the druid looks up to the wall, looming directly above him. As he moves back, his fist thuds on the tower door, the large wrought iron padlock rattling very softly. He looks over at Caedren, remembering the two keys the warrior carries. He then refocuses his eyes on the wall above, hoping that the angle isn't good enough for any sentries to see down, and realizes that....

Aerlyn lets Fallon hop onto her shoulder. Crouched behind a dead elm tree, she can see Dravis very clearly, but Caedren is obscured from her view. Fortunately, Aerlyn still has a clear view of the wall. Fallon suddenly nips at her ear. Through the bond she has with the owl, she can tell he is unhappy at the situation - and very sulky as a result. Doing her best to sooth the bird, she looks up at the wall, only to see...

An orc warrior move to the lip of the wall. He carries a shield on his right arm, emblazoned with a twisting rune - legible, but indecipherable. In his other hand, a great ram's horn is held, the tip bound with silver. Dressed in furs, and leather, a curving sword hangs at his right side. He surveys the forest edge, then shouts a question in orcish. In almost exaggerated surprise, he looks down to see the two dead sentries, laying next to the path. His gaze travels slowly towards the door - it appears that Dravis will soon be discovered.....

 

[WraithSpawn]

Dravis silently grips one of the clay jugs in anticipation of the Orc's next move. He grasps the lock to prevent any further sound from it and waits silently for the events to unfold, hoping to hurl the jug upwards at the rampart if the Orc feels the urge to betray their location.

 

[Aerlyn]

Aerlyn quickly tells Fallon to take flight and distract the orc's attention long enough for Dravis to hide. She also warns him to be careful and assures him that he will be alright. Aerlyn then makes sure that she is fully concealed from the orc's view. She crouches lower while preparing her magic missile just incase the orc decides to either attack Fallon or spot Dravis.

 

[Ceadren]

Caedren, not making a sound, pulls an arrow from its quiver and nocks it in place. Drawing back and taking aim at the orc, he waits, loosing his arrow only at any sign of hostility. Noticing Dravis with the clay jug, he looks for a clear path to the pile of jugs. If the arrow misses, lobbing pottery at orc is plan B.

OOC - Merry Christmas!!

 

[GladiusNP]

Clarifying

(ooc - So everyone is attacking. I will post something soon. SOrry for the long delay!)

 

[GladiusNP]

A slight fumble. Secrets discovered.

Caedren waits, holding himself still. For a brief moment, it seems that the orc may almost not be able to see Dravis. Caedren moves his grip slightly, the sweat making his grip feel greasy. Accompanied by sudden muttered curse, he feels the arrow suddenly slip from his calloused finger. Cursing under his breath, the half-elf looks on in dismay as the Orc spots Dravis.

Aerlyn watches Fallon take wing, his wings beating heavily in the still midday heat. Her attention snaps back to the orc. The final syllable is almost on her lips before she completes the thought "Not again.” Her spell moves more quickly this time, and strikes the orc, who reels in surprise as the silvery bolt takes him in the shoulder.

Dravis’ eye lock with the orc’s for one brief moment. With that, the burly young man hurls the jug upward towards the orc. It spins upwards, but arcs away from the wall. Dravis leaps aside at the last moment, avoiding the failing container. At that same moment, Caedren’s arrow flies through the air, whirring lethally. It ricochets off the rim of the orc’s shield, knocking small fragments of wood into the air. This is not enough however, and the orc falls to the ground, landing with a resounding crash. Caedren is already running towards the door. Fallon swoops in towards Aerlyn’s shoulder, landing easily in a rush of air. Aerlyn stumbles slightly, but keeps running towards the door.

Dravis looks down at the jug’s contents – a slick, pungent type of oily green moss. It hisses and eats at the grass, growing larger for a brief moment. It then suddenly begins to shrivels – for no apparent reason. Dravis suddenly remembers his mentor telling him of this – it is green slime, and dies in sunlight. And then his attention is drawn to more pressing concerns – the horn in the watchtower is being blown.


(OOC Init - Aerlyn 7, Caedren 13, Dravis 6, Orc Sentry 13. Caedren rolled a 1! Aerlyn hit for 3 points. Dravis missed with a (14 –2 +2= 14 - he needed 15) Reflex Save 13 to dodge the contents of the jug. Fortunately, this is a surprise round! Caedren beat the orc in a 2nd roll-off to hit with a 22.)

 

[WraithSpawn]

Dravis quickly glances around at Caedren and Aerlyn. He whistles to Drilk, springs upwards, and darts forward to the door. He slams into it shoulder first. Realizing it's locked he throttles at the handle then turns to spur on the approaching figure of Caedren.

"Hurry Caedren, we haven't much time before they're upon us! The key good man, THE KEY!"

 

[Ceadren]

Caedren, while almost at a full sprint towards Dravis, slips his bow over his head letting it hang over his shoulder and the string across his chest. Approaching the door, he fumbles through the contents of a leather pouch on his belt searching for the two black keys within. He finds the first one and while trying to use it he turns and asks Dravis…

“What are those jugs filled with?”

After three tries with out any success, he plunges back into the pouch at his side. Searching blindly he feels the other black iron key with two fingers and pulls it out. Fitting into the lock, he hears a click and the door swings open.

 

[GladiusNP]

Into the keep - for the last time?

Caedran is first into the room, and immediately stops short. The floor of the tower is covered in the same slick oily moss that Dravis saw. As the other two move into the doorway, Caedren looks up. A large gaping hole is in the middle of the ceiling, and enough light filters down to see, though the sunlight doesn't shine directly into the circular room. The walls are covered by some of the slime for two or three handspans above the floor, save for a set of worn and narrow stone stairs which lead upwards.

Caedren's eyes are the first to adjust to the gloom, and he sees a clear path around the border of the slime. Behind him, Dravis is attempting to persuade Drilk to enter. Drilk refuses to go near the moss however, and so Dravis sends him off into the woods. The druid then closes the door. Above, shouts and the sound of running feet bounce off the tower walls to echo to the small group. It sounds as if the alarm is well and truely sounded.

(OOC Spot Check - A = 9, C = 17, D = 8. Dravis Handle Animal = 7 vs. DC 14)

 

[Aerlyn]

Aerlyn finds herself running at full speed towards the keep. She can't help wondering how she got herself into so much trouble. When she left her father in search for her mother, she never dreamed of ending up in such a dangerous adventure.
Up ahead she can see Dravis and Caedren fumbling with the lock and finally entering the keep. As she closes in towards the door, one of the clay jugs catches her eye. Aerlyn saw what the contents of the jug did to the grass and decided that it may be helpful to them in the future. So she runs to the nearest jug and scoops it up midstride. For a moment she loses her balance and almost lands face first into the dirt but manages to regain her balance and make it to the door as Drilk runs towards the woods. Once inside, Aerlyn shoves the jug into her pack and lookes around the room waiting for her eyes to adjust to the darkness.