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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Jon Potter" data-source="post: 2525129" data-attributes="member: 2323">[PLAIN][Realms #318] Storming the Castle[/PLAIN]Once he'd finished using the Wand of Vigor on Husair, Karak approached Morier and Ledare who were quietly conferring about the manor. "Well, lass, it seems we handled these beasties rather well with only a few minor injuries to Hothead's skull. Feln caught the runner an' we got one dead wolf," he grumbled as he approached. "Poor, wee one. That's gonna be a tough one for her. Faerie's be nae meant for stompin' 'round the world fightin' chaos that is for sure." He spit at their feet for emphasis. "I wish Malak were here. He would know what to do about possible reinventing or resereincarnatin' the wolf. I just do nae know.""Perhaps Shamalin might have some ideas," Ledare said. "Providing we find her.""We'll find her, Ledare," Morier reassured the Janissary. He was cradling his right arm in his left as he spoke."Oi, White One," Karak grunted, pointing a thick finger at the eldritch warrior's arm. "Be ye needin' a whack from my stick o' healin'?" Morier looked absently at his wounded arm as if he hadn't realized that he was holding it; the magical leathers had already healed themselves, giving no sign of his injury beneath apart from the dried blood that stained the cuff and covered his hand like a glove."I'm not too bad off," he muttered unconfincingly. "How's the wand holding up?""I think it be almost dried up," the dwarf replied. "But I do nae see a point o' havin' it if'n we're nae goin' ta use it.""I prayed today for Flor's Protection from Evil," Hildegunna said as she stepped up behind the dwarf. She flicked ash from her cigar and added, "But it is within my power to channel that divine gift as healing energy if it is needed.""It sure do help to have a full fledged Cleric along that's all I have to say about that," Karak muttered. "But let's use my healin' stick for now. We may need that Protection 'ere our work here be through."Sparky had given them the lay of the land. The tiny bird studied the exterior and returned a description to Huzair of a fortified home, more keep than mansion. The manor was large, stone and flat-roofed with buttressed walls that looked capable of withstanding a catapult shot. There were lots of leaded glass windows, however, making the thick walls look rather odd. The whole building was set into the side of the hill, and the front of the manor was a full story above ground while two side doors further back opened up right onto the hillside with only a single step. A small paved courtyard was in front of the place, providing relatively level ground for the reception of coaches and the like, with two sweeping staircases that lead up to the front door. Two massive double chimneys dominated the roof - any of the four flues large enough to allow Lela or Sparky entrance if they chose. Other than a bit of smoke coming out of the easternmost chimneys , there was no signs of life from the manor."Let's send Lela down the chimney. Let her earn her keep," Huzair said, unconsciously fingering the new grey scar that marred his cranium. "I'm not goig to risk Sparky."Lela, perched high on Feln's shoulder, stuck her tongue out at the wizard and glared before turning to Ledare. "If you think that would be helpful, I can go down that chimney and see what there is to see," she said with a shrug. "It worked pretty well at the cheese factory.""You're right - that did aid us last time," the Janissary admitted after only a moment's consideration. "But for now we'll stick to the original plan: Huzair and Feln will move in first. You go with them. Fly around and check out any vantage points that they miss by being on the ground. We will rely on you to report back news of anyone we encounter. The rest of us will be only a heartbeat behind. Your information will help us know how best to proceed." Karak nodded eagerly."I know keeps; I am a dwarf. We have to be mindful of defenses," Karak reminded. "If we go in the front, there may be man pits, or rock drops, or gates what separate us from each other. We pick our point of entry and we move in. This be a raidin' party. We strike hard an' fast an' keep movin'. We sow dissention an' confusion among th' enemy. We find the leaders an' we take 'em out. We cover our backs, an' move room to room until we find Heurist an' the girl. We fortify and rest where we can if necessary.""Let's hope it doesn't become necessary," Ledare said as she took of the Ring of Invisibility and handed it to Feln. "This'll benefit you a lot more than it will me. Flor knows that you're a lot quieter than I am.""Thank you, Ledare," Feln growled as he took the device. It looked far too tiny to fit on even the smallest of Feln's meaty fingers, but when he tried to slip it on, it sized itself to fit perfectly. Grinning toothily, Feln turned to Huzair and scowled. "If we come up on any guards, let me deal with 'em.""Whatever you say," Huzair smirked. "Far be it from me to get between you and any sharp objects. Just give me a minute to prepare." And he started layering on the buffs.The gathering darkness of evening would have aided their approach to the manor if they hadn't been invisible already. Still, the wan light gave them all hope that those less skilled at sneaking about would be able to make the dash from the treeline to the manor without being spotted. The vanguard had nearly reached the side door when a figure that had been sitting unseen against the foundation stood up with a clatter of plate mail. It was another of the warriors that they had faced on their first visit; he had a bastard sword drawn in one hand and a joint of meat in the other. He peered into the darkness, but Feln was happy to see that he was looking in Huzair's direction."Who goes there?" the guard shouted around a mouthful of meat. When their was no reply he dropped his dinner and drew a dagger in his off-hand. It was the last action he ever took.Feln struck completely without warning and reappeared as soon as his fists had crushed the guard's breastplate, turning the body beneath into jelly in the process. But he only stayed visible long enough to hiss, "Be quiet!" to Huzair and then he activated the Ring and vanished again.The door was unlocked and it opened into a room paneled in richly-stained wood. Several low wooden benches stood against the walls and two large wardrobes flanked the door. There were some child-sized boots beneath two of the benches, caked with dried mud. A closed wooden door led south and a hallway stretched off to the east, lined with closed doors.Feln squeezed through the doorway and paused, listening. He could hear voices and laughter coming from somewhere down the hallway. Feln deactivated the Ring of Invisibility long enough to signal Huzair to wait. Then he gestured for Lela to check out the hallway. She buzzed off down the darkened corridor while Ledare, Karak, Morier and Hildegunna came across the field toward the open side door.The half-ogre winced. They made slightly less noise than someone hurling a weapon rack down the stairs. By the time the others had arrived at the side entrance, Lela had returned with her report. The voices were coming from behind the first door on the left, there was the sound of snoring behind two of the other closed doors on the right."Wait here," Feln said to the others and he activated the Ring of Invisibility again. Twice the others saw doors open on the right side of the corridor and after a few moments, Feln reappeared beside them, grim-faced. He cocked a thumb towards the revelers behind the door on the left and asked, "What do we do about them?"Karak raised his axe and cocked an eye at Ledare. "No quarter?" he asked.The Janissary glanced side-long at Hildegunna and sighed. "No quarter," she reluctantly agreed drawing Ravager.Feln opened the door silent as death. Inside was a well-appointed den complete with sofas, upholstered chairs and divans. There were several cabinets against the walls that held wine racks although most of the bottles of wine were gone. Several empty bottles were stood or lay on various low tables set about. Six humans in various states of inebriation lounged about the place, passing around a crystal decanter of brandy. Nobody noticed the door open and Feln was able to position himself invisibly without any of the revelers being any the wiser. He struck swiftly, delivering two massive chops with his hands that killed one man instantly. Then the delicate magic disrupted, he appeared behind the sofa and the screaming started.Lela leapt from her perch on Feln's shoulder and fired her bow into the midst of the scrambling drunkards. piercing one of them in the side. Ledare and Karak burst through the doorway with weapons ready and were upon them before they could prepare. Morier followed on their heels. Hildegunna stayed in the hallway with her quarterstaff ready. Huzair, who wanted to maximize the usefulness of his Invisibilty spell, kept out of the fray, but he kept a Magic Missile spell handy in case it became necessary.One of the warriors gained his feet and turned unsteadily on Feln with a wine bottle in his hand. Feln struck a pressure point at the man's elbow, deadening his arm, with one hand and drove the other into his opponent's gut. The man fell back with blood frothing from his mouth.Ledare slashed outward with Ravager, landing two blows with the jagged blade. Neither was telling, however. Lela put an arrow into the wounded man's throat, dropping him at the Janissary's feet.Karak's waraxe split one man nearly in half and the powerful blow cleaved through to strike a woman who was behind him, wounding her deeply as well. Before she could do anything other than clutch at the wound, Morier stepped up and plunged four feet of alchemically silvered steel through her torso.In little more than ten seconds, the party of six had been reduced to a solitary woman with a pixie-sized arrow protruding from her hip. She glared at them through a haze of strong drink and rapidly coursing adrenaline, her hand still clinging to the crystal decanter she had been drinking from when the violence started. She came at Feln with it, screaming at the top of her lungs, "INTRUDERS!! INTRUDERS!! IN-"She was cut off mid-scream by Feln's snap kick. It doubled her over and made her own awkward swing go well wide of the half-ogre. The open-palm strike he delivered to the back of her head drove her to the ground, splintering her face against the floorboards.Hildegunna looked up as another door opened further down the hall and a man stepped out with a heavy blanket wrapped around his naked body. "Guys! I've got to relieve Nerramas down in the village at midnight. Could you please keep it dow-" he stopped, blinking sleepily at Hildegunna. "Who are you?"The woman answered by speaking a droning litany of tongue-twisting syllables and weaving her arms as if she were playing an invisible harp. The man's face grew slack, his eyelids drooping to half-cover his pupils. A stupid grin started to spread across his face but at the last moment, he shook off the effects of the Hypnotism."You're not supposed to be here!" he shouted, dropping the blanket and running toward the door set in the end of the hall wearing naught but a loin clout. His shouts seemed to rattle the walls, "INTRUDERS!! INTRUDERS!!"</blockquote>

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