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

[Voda Vosa]

Izera raises his sword in the air. The time seems to have gone still, as the massive blade descends in slow motion. The ruffian opens his mouth... and tries to move away from the devastating blow aimed to his head. In a blink, the times goes back to normal, and the apparent adrenaline-induced time delay seems to catch up. The blade goes down at unfettered speed, cleaving into the man, from the left shoulder to the stomach. "Ghrag..." are the last sounds the leader makes, before spitting blood, and collapsing, almost cut in two by the demolishing blow.
As the dust settles down, the group finds they are alone in the house.
In the room, the two bandits lay slain. Behind them Taran spots a trap door... As the elf slowly opens it, expecting another trap of the thieves, he finds the treasures they have being hiding. Many valuables, along with a lot of gold coins.
In a dark corner of the room, the elven sight of the druid catches a contorting figure. A half orc, hands tided on a chair.

OOC: Battle is over, at last. I'm so bad as a DM that I never cease to amuse myself. I've lost like 4 characters due to this long tiresome battle. Sorry everyone.
The bright side is: You get to level your characters to level 3, and you get the loot behind the trap door. That's one level 4 item, one level 3, another level 2 and a level 1 item, along with 500 gp each.
We'll be incorporating the new players soon, so post your reactions, and then head to the OOC thread.

 

[On Puget Sound]

The half-orc eyes the party warily. I sure hope you're here to rescue me; my ribs have had about all the kicking they can take. He glances beyond the adventurers and sees the carnage in the next room. Ah, I see you got the one who did the kicking. Whatever happens next, you at least have my thanks for that.

I'm Chizz, a sailor from the Isles. My ship was lost in a storm, and these hoodlums kidnapped me shortly after I made it to town. No, I have no idea why. Bluff: 6 Whatever else Chizz may be, you can tell he is a very poor liar.

The half orc wears leather armor and is tightly bound to a chair. A few feet away are a backpack, a long wavy dagger and a bow and quiver.

 

[Walking Dad]

Taran

Taran moves nearer to the bound half-orc. "Interesting. And now the truth, please."

[sblock=OOC]
Passive insight should be enough for the bluff check.

[sblock=Mini stat block]
Taran
Perception: 21 Insight: 14 Low-Light Vision
AC 16 Fortitude 12 Reflex 14 Will 15
Hit Points: 26/31 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
[/sblock][/sblock]

 

[Voda Vosa]

As the group inspects the room behind the trap door, speaks with the captive pirate and collects their sell assigned reward, from the fight room comes a buzzing noise, and suddenly, a flash of light filled the room. Instantly you hear the thundering voice of someone "Surrender now Shadowthieves, we have finally locate..." and the voice goes down.
As the warriors peek out, they see around 8 cowled wizards, beholding the destruction of the battle and the corpses. Issia and Taran recognized the lead mage, a tall thin wizard entered in years for a human. Cliff has seen him several times, and is certain he goes by the name of Fremach. As the group approaches, the wizards take a defensive pose.
"Easy men. These are no Shadothieves." says the thundering voice that Issia remembers so well. Fremach smiles at the dragonborn.
"We meet again, and you too elf, I remember you as well." he offers. "It seems we came too late to enjoy the action, seems that you have already slain Musadar, one of the leaders of the area. I doubted at first when we detected the use of an arcane artifact of great power. I suspected something bad had happened to this fellow, and seems that you happened." The cowled wizard puts his hands on his back. he takes a few random steps around the room, analyzing the situation "You indeed made a splendid job with the Shadows, perhaps I can interest you in a mission?" He blinks at Issia "You have no choice my dear, I'm affraid the use of your arcane spells have not go unchecked."

 

[Walking Dad]

Taran

Taran let's the half-orc be for the moment and takes more a defnsive stand. His last encounter with the Cowled Wizards were not 'encouraging'. He instead looks over to the fallen dwarf... in elf shape.

[sblock=OOC]
Passive insight should be enough for the bluff check.

[sblock=Mini stat block]
Taran
Perception: 21 Insight: 14 Low-Light Vision
AC 16 Fortitude 12 Reflex 14 Will 15
Hit Points: 26/31 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
[/sblock][/sblock]

 

[Theroc]

Issia's face contorted into a snarl as she saw the cowled wizard's, electricity welling up within her body, aching for release.

"Leave me be, Ape. I already am on your errands... do not test my patience..." She growled, her arcane energy roiling within as she restrained herself, not even caring about the other's present at this point. She would not be taunted as a lapdog. She'd die first.

 

[Voda Vosa]

"Have it your way dragonborn. One way or the other I end up winning." Fremach says with a smile. "How about the rest of you? Would you be interested in my proposition? I assure you, the rewards are worth the risks, besides you'll get your chance to make your second good action of the day" he adds, kicking the dead corpse of the shadow thief leader.

 

[CaBaNa]

My business is with the Shadowthieves. coolly responds Thurinar.

 

[Walking Dad]

Taran

Taran looks up at the wizards proposal. "You wizards have taken the birthright from my brother. What do you think can you offer me to help you?"

[sblock=OOC]

[sblock=Mini stat block]
Taran
Perception: 21 Insight: 14 Low-Light Vision
AC 16 Fortitude 12 Reflex 14 Will 15
Hit Points: 26/31 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
[/sblock][/sblock]

 

[Voda Vosa]

"I can offer you this. And the knowledge about it that you so direly seek elf" With a motion of his hand, Fremach creates an image of the sapling that was taken from Taran and Tiwix.