The Closed Eye (DM: Halford, Judge: garyh)

[covaithe]

[sblock=Palindrome]As you exit the building, you immediately notice that the yard is not as you left it. The dead bodies have been pulled out of the bushes and arranged respectfully in rows, faces covered by cloaks. There are a large number of muddy footprints all over the grass. Both are most likely a consequence of the large number of armed men standing about the yard. A quick count reveals at least twelve of Daunton's finest, led by a grizzled sergeant. The sergeant is standing next to a priestess of Juna in her formal robes, who is watching a familiar elf -- or what's left of him -- on a litter carried by two burly acolytes.

The guardsmen, sergeant, and priestess all look up at you. There is a heartbeat of silence before the sergeant bellows, "That's the skinny one! You! You're under arrest!"
[/sblock]

 

[KenHood]

[sblock=Wow!]

I LOVE IT!

Thank goodness my character has a completely average appearance.

Here's the course of action...

1. "You'll never take the Cult of the Open Eye alive, coppers! We join our dark lord in fire!"
2. Step back in house, slam door, lock it if possible.
3. Set house on fire. (To delay capture, of course...)
4. Run down stairs, close trap door, and scream about our newfound status to the other party members.

If I have enough time to pop a magic missile into that elf and coup de grace him, all the better.

I think Palindrome may have just changed his mind about that ritual. Four amulets that make people forget about you could be extremely useful at this time.[/sblock]

 

[covaithe]

[sblock=Palindrome]You slam the door and secure it with a chain that is none too sturdy looking, in your semi-professional opinion. A few well-placed scorching bursts send flames licking up your piles of kindling; a good thing, since the crashes of heavy boots against the door are accompanied with ominous cracking sounds. The door won't last long.

Down the trapdoor you go, but you've hardly navigated your way past Mobile Fortress Bunkbed before you hear muffled shouts echoing down the stairwell. "In here, sir! A trap door!"

ooc: go ahead and tell the party what you think is necessary IC. You've got a few rounds' worth of actions lead on the guardsmen; at least three but probably not many more than that.
[/sblock]

 

[KenHood]

[sblock=MFB?]Is there enough time to set the MFB on fire, too? If so, that happens before this post.[/sblock]

Palindrome yells back at the trap door (for the benefit of his pursuers). "Master Arnest, that elf has betrayed us! I'll activate the spear gauntlet to discourage pursuit!"

Palindrome replies in a serviceable imitation of Arnest's voice, "Yes, my servant. Delay them. I and my love will embrace the cold void in death, joining our dark lord, long before these fools arrive."

OOC: Bluff (1d20+7=21)​

Palindrome runs down the stairs.

He reaches the bottom, panting. "I knew we should have murdered that elf! Kill the prisoners. Make it look like suicide. Cops are coming. House is burning. No time for ritual. Hurry! Hurry!"

 

[Atriden]

Just as Atreus finnishes his proposal to Tander and Woe he hears someone running.

He reaches the bottom, panting. "I knew we should have murdered that elf! Kill the prisoners. Make it look like suicide. Cops are coming. House is burning. No time for ritual. Hurry! Hurry!"

Atreus takes the information at ease and mutters sarcastically " Great " and looks at Palindrome. " Kill the prisoners, hold that thought Palindrome " and he moves over to Arnest blocking him and his snake woman from Palindrome, if he should attempt to kill them. " You will pay us 500gp for the job and I don't care how you get the last hundred, but I am sure one of your status can manage that. When this business is done with the closed eye, you will accompany us to your dear mother so we can finnish our first assignment. Or we kill you and your lady here. Which is it? And be quick to answer!" he says outright, hoping that his comrades would agree to this arrangement.

[sblock= OOC]
Man, this is not good. We have to get out of there, and fast. How long does it take to cast a waterwalk spell? We could easily shake them if we run on the water.
[/sblock]

 

[KenHood]

"Kill him! Kill him! Kill him! He doesn't know where the bugbears are anyway, so he's no use to us," says Palindrome, salvaging as much of the magical components as possible, "If you're not going to kill him, then keep the Snake Lady as hostage. We can store her in Doddoddod's dungeon. If you let them both go, we're going to regret it. And ***** 500 gp for the group. It's five-*****-hundred apiece!"

OOC: Guys, we've got three or so ROUNDS. None of us knows the water-walking ritual. We need to get the hell out of here.​

 

[covaithe]

"Well, I certainly won't pay you anything if you kill me," Arnest giggles, eyes unnaturally brignt. Tsasha's eyes are flat black slits, silently following whoever speaks without apparent emotion.

 

[nerdytenor]

Tander steps next to Atreus, lending him support. "No," he says firmly. "I will have no more needless deaths on my conscience - not today."

"We need to move. Arnest, I suggest you accept my colleague's offer with haste. "

"To the sewers!"

 

[covaithe]

ooc: Actions? I'm not going to go to rounds just yet (and may not, depending on what happens) but I'm looking for round-sized chunks of activity. Use your judgement. Also, where's Dunamin? Did he post an away notice that I missed?

 

[KenHood]

OOC: Palindrome's actions...
Recover any arcane components/amulets if possible. (No more than a round spent on this. 'Shove it into the bag' mentality.)
Run away. (If the rest of you guys want to deal with Arnest, have fun with it. He should be dead. He's playing you.)