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(CSRHoD) Creamsteak's Red Hand of Doom [IC]

Larian waits until they are within sight of the walls of the keep before he casts his spells on Warren, then he adds some advice that he knows his impetuous friend will likely ignore. Still, he would feel guilty if something happened after he failed to try. Remember, Warren, this will only last for five minutes or so, so don't wait too long to call us in. And don't go trying to take care of anything by yourself. We're a team, and we need to use each other's strengths. You are a truly formidable warrior, but you are not invincible. Scout it out, but don't be a hero.
[sblock=ooc]ooc: I think he was talking about the small building outside the walls of the keep as his first 'target'.

Cast invisibility on Warren.[/sblock]
[sblock=spells]Spells Prepared
0-Detect Magic, Lesser Acid Orb, Mage Hand, Daze
1-Shocking Grasp, True Srike, Color Spray, Enlarge Person (Trans.)
2-Scorching Ray, Scorching Ray, Bull’s Strength (Trans.)
3-Mass Resist Energy, Fireball, Haste (Trans.)

Spells in effect
Mage Armor--Until 10 hours after we left Drellin's Ferry
Invisibility (Warren)--5 minutes

Rod of Extend--2 uses left
[/sblock]
 

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"Being bigger? No, I4m fine as it is. Just keep an eye out for me when the rage grips me, so I don't drop dead without realising it. I'll stay with you 'till things get interesting."

OOC:sorry, work was hell
 

Warren the halfling, HP 30/33, AC 23

(Heading around south and then over to check the door of the tiny building first. Only going around to the keep itself after checking out that little building. If there's something in that tiny building, Warren will sneak off to inform the group and let them know to avoid it for now, so that they can still make their attack on the inner keep with the advantage of surprise.

After the little building in the southeast has been checked, Warren will continue around south and up to the hole in the main wall at L-19, keeping a careful eye on the giant skeleton half-buried there, ready to jump back outside if it starts moving while he's walking over it.

He'll check the little building's door for traps and locks first, and pick any locks if needed, to check inside as quietly as he can. Listening at the door first, of course, before he goes fiddling with it at all. Then slowly taking a look inside, without opening the door all the way, to see if anything dangerous is inside. If there is something dangerous-seeming inside, Warren will judge whether or not it's something he can eliminate with a little invisible backstabbing, before deciding what to do. If he sees no such thing, then he'll move away from the small building and head around to the hole in the keep's main wall.


Then walk carefully over the rubble and take a good look around that section of the courtyard, including a careful look inside the left-side building (the southwest one) through the hole in its wall, without going inside. If he sees nothing in that southwest building, he'll creep inside the entrance of it to take a better look, listening all the while for signs of danger or movement.

Assuming Warren sees and hears nothing dangerous inside the southwest building, he'll go listen at the door of the southeast building in the keep, then return the way he came, going back outside the keep. At that point he'll climb the southern wall until he's at the top, then toss a pebble off to the side of the group to signal them.

Once they start approaching, Warren will climb down to the thatched roof of the southeastern building in the keep and ready himself to jump down to it and break through (only jumping down once the rest of the group is about to reach the door). If the roof doesn't give under his weight where he jumps, Warren will head over to one of the smoke-holes, jump down, grab hold of the edge, and swing in to the side, so as not to land on any firepits or whatnot.


Warren's possibly-relevant skill bonuses for these actions are..... Balance +11, Climb +5, Disable Device +12, Hide +16, Jump +10, Listen +10, Move Silently +14, Open Locks +14, Search +10, Spot +8, and Tumble +12. Larian's invisibility spell will add another +20 or +40 I think to the Hide checks, depending on whether or not Warren's moving at any given time.

He will be taking 10 on any checks that he can, but if taking 10 on Climb doesn't get him partway up the wall on the first try, then roll further Climb checks normally. Naturally, if he falls he'll try Tumbling to lessen the impact. If he can take 20 on the Search or Open Locks checks, then he will (I can't recall off the top of my head if he can or not). Warren will be checking for traps at the hole in the south wall and at the tiny building's door.

Warren's carrying all of his own gear once again, and with it his total weight is approximately 55 pounds. He will have his short sword drawn the hole time, except when climbing, disarming traps, or picking locks, and will draw the short sword again after each of those actions, like just before he jumps down to the roof. For reference again, his readied maneuvers are Burning Blade, Mighty Throw, Cloak of Deception, Shadow Blade Technique, and Stone Bones.)
 

Avril - Human Druid - AC 20 - hp 36/36 - Spot +11 - Listen +11
Scarlet - Riding Dog - AC 26 - hp 30/30 - Spot +5 - Listen +5


Having finally agreed with her allies Avril quickly cast a spell, sharing the power with her companion, Scarlet. She then followed the others to a point where they could watch Warren scout the area, and timed the casting of her next spell with Warren's departure to the keep. Using her rod to enhance its power, she hoped that her protective spell would last longer than the magic that was on Warren. She had one more spell to cast, but the light it would create would likely give away their position, so she held onto that one until the time was right. Spirits protect us!

[SBLOCK=OOC]
OOC: Cast Barkskin and Extended Cat's Grace and share both spells with Scarlet. Once Warren gives the signal, she'll cast Extended Produce Flame and head towards the keep with Scarlet.

Spells and Abilities Active:

Barkskin (Avril, Scarlet, +2 AC, 50 minutes)
Extended Cat's Grave (Avril, Scarlet, +4 Dex, 10 minutes)

Spells Cast and Abilities/Items Used:

Summon Nature's Ally III (Call Lightning)
Cure Moderate Wounds
Wild Shape (1 Used)
Metamagic Rod of Lesser Extend (1 Used)
Barkskin
Extended Cat's Grace

Spells Prepared:

Level 0 (5): Cure Minor Wounds, Detect Magic, Guidance, Naturewatch, Resistance
Level 1 (4): Cure Light Wounds, Enrage Animal, Entangle, Produce Flame
Level 2 (3): Bear's Endurance
Level 3 (2):
[/SBLOCK]
 

Warren, as you get close to the shack you inspect it and realize that it is in terrible shape. It could collapse with the slightest motion. Assuming this means you'll avoid the building further, your left to explore the keep. As you approach the building from the southern wall and get close to the doorway you hear nothing particular on the other side. When you do peer inside, your greeted by an unfriendly site.

What this squat building might once have been used for is unclear. All the furniture has been crushed into rubble, and a large nestlike mound of tree branches, bones, bits and pieces of foul-smelling animal parts, and long thin spikes of some sort of black material fills the northwest corner of the room. A gaping hole in the roof in the northeast corner provides a view of the sky above.

A huge lumbering monster is resting here. The description eerily matches that of the monster Larian described to the party as a Manticore.
 
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Warren the halfling

(Yeah, Warren would avoid messing with the door of the small building if it looked like it might fall apart or make a lot of noise when opened. But what building inside the keep does he see the creature in? The southwest building with a hole in its western wall, or the southeast building with the smoke coming out the roof-holes?)

Warren decides after taking a peek that the plan may need a bit of adjustment, so he carefully heads back to the group rather than tossing a rock to get their attention. Once close enough for his allies to hear, Warren tells them of the monster he saw, and asks if they should move in to attack it or not. Though he's still invisible for now.
 


"We should strike now, while the beast still sleeps. I cannot think that it will sleep through the whole fight, or that it will flee. If we can wound it before it wakes, we may be able to finish it before it can take to the air- it will ruin our surprise against whatever else lairs here, but a beast like that could be a major problem all by itself." Tyrla's voice does not sound terribly confident, though, and she slowly shakes her head as she speaks,as if wishing the manticore might simply vanish on its own...
 

I agree. The beast is a major threat, and the rest can be taken care of as we find them. That doesn't mean that we should expend all of our resources on it, however. The wolf and goblin tracks around here suggest they are in the keep, too, and something must be keeping the beast from attacking them. That means a powerful leader, if I know anything about goblins. Larian says, shaking his head in concern.
He quickly opens his scroll case and shuffles through the magical pieces of parchment inside. I can provide flight to one of our number to keep the beast from flying out of the hole in the roof, and magical protection from its spikes, which should go to that same individual. It might actually be a good place for my enlarging spell, too, to more effectively block the hole. Gurguannin, Siobhan, would either of you be willing to play the role of the portcullis?
 


Into the Woods

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