[D&D 4E IC] Residuum Revolution Arcane- Above ground!

Bhow

After careful consideration of the plaza, Shen leads a small group around its edge and through a narrow maze. Their boots splash lightly through puddles they prefer not to identify, and soon they arrange themselves in the gloom along the tavern’s back wall. Riishi gently guides Alise to a corner, beside a large cask, and sets Alise’s hand on Shen’s pack for reassurance.

While Riishi mimes her intentions to Shen, a small ghostly cat slinks further along the wall, quickly disappearing in the murk. After a brief look up to assess the structure, Riishi nimbly climbs the cask beside Alise, puts one hand on the nearby downspout, and swings herself onto the roof’s edge, rolling at the edge to cushion her landing. Raising her head, she finds herself just a few quick steps from a garret window that has been left ajar in the hope of catching the subterranean version of clean air.

Anialos

Shen looks up nervously, hoping that they are not detected. So far, they aren't. To keep it that way he slips into the darkest corner he can with a view of the alley and keeps an eye out.

Perception=19

mightyjongyo

Alise does her best to sit quietly like a good girl while those who can actually see go about their business. While she waits, she keeps her ears open just in case. Being effectively blind didn't mean she was useless - just mostly.

stealth: 1d20+8 = 19
perception: 1d20+5 = 18

daniant

Riishi sees a typical tavern scene. Except it's very fey, and most of the denizens have dark skin. There appears to be a band playing in the corner, but quietly. Their is a table below you with a tired-looking gnome and a slightly more perky elf chatting. As you grow accustomed to the noise, you can hear their conversation. It's actually a pidgin language, part common, part elvish, part draconic, which seems strange to you. You catch little phrases like, "...mining...close...light" and "rebellion...steward...north", but unfortunately, you need more language training to understand what's going on.

Bhow

Carefully minding her steps, Riishi slinks to the roof edge and lowers herself beside Alise, Shen and Persecutus, then relates what she heard in guarded whispers.

"So," she summarizes, "there's some sort of unrest, probably to the north. Nothing about the towers, or any treasure. It seems we're on our own. Should we take a closer look at Twiq's tower?"

Anialos

"Aye, lets. Quiet now." Shen pokes his head out quickly to make sure the alley is clear before darting across into the next shadow, slowly making his way towards the back of the tower with the rest of the group not too far behind.

Perception to check alley=28!, Stealth to stay out of sight, out of mind=30! Crit stealth...I AM THE NIGHT!

I'm using non-bold text when Shen is trying to be quiet, bold when not

daniant

No one sees Shen. Or hears him. As he slips around the back of the tower.

Illianthar

Persecutus remains as motionless as possible, allowing the rest of his compatriots to perform their reconaissance.

Riishi wrote:

"...Should we take a closer look at Twiq's tower?"

"It seems that should be our next destination. It would also seem that our ranger friend is a few steps ahead. Let us try and catch up without revealing ourselves."

With that, Persecutus places a hand on Alise's shoulder to help guide her through the dim light, and starts to make his way to the tower.

mightyjongyo

Alise follows under Persecutus' lead, hoping they wouldn't be attacked while she was still unable to see.

daniant

You all dart behind the tavern, making your way as quietly as possible to the back door of the tower. Sometimes you see people give Persecutus a sharp look, but it appears that his dark skin and swagger announce that he belongs here.

The door is guarded by two elves with dark skin and spears. Their black clothing is embroidered with silver and red symbol that you don't recognize. They look fairly bored. As yet, they don't notice you.

Anialos

Shen peers silently at the gaurds, looking for an opportunity in the surrounding area for a distraction to draw them away.

Perception=29

mightyjongyo

Alise tapped Persecutus on the shoulder. "Is there any alleyway near here? I have an idea that might distract them, maybe even get them to leave their posts if we're lucky." Turning to the ranger, she whispered, "Shen...get your bow ready. If they don't fall for it, hopefully they'll at least be distracted enough for you to get a good shot or two in."

Persecutus clued her in to the existence of an alleyway a few feet down the road, and with a few whispers and a gesture, a hoarse voice floated out from the alleyway. "Help... please help. I've been robbed... I think I'm dying..." the voice repeated over and over.

Her cards played, Alise waited for the guards to respond...

arcana? for effectiveness: 1d20+10 = 16
and bluff for good measure: 1d20+3 = 18

Anialos

Shen notches an arrow and aims it at one of the guards, ready to make him into a pincushion should Alise's ruse not work.

Illianthar

Drawing his axe and readying his shield, Persecutus waits for the situation to play out, ready to charge in should brute force be required.

daniant

The guards look at each other, confused. They talk a little bit. You get the sense that it's the language that's confounding them. They've only read that dialect in school. Is it a school teacher that's been hurt? Maybe he's an expert in the classics.

Shrugging, one guard elects to check out the noises. He looks for a second in your direction, but he's distracted by a sudden wail from the "dying person" and sprints towards the noise.

Leaving you all with one lonely guard. He's very interested in what his friend is doing too.

Anialos

"If nobody has an issue with it I'll put an arrow between the eyes of the one still at the door. Who wants the one chasing our "school marm"?" Shen whispers quietly, arrow aimed and ready to loose into the poor unsuspecting guard's body.

Stealth=19 I'll declare him my hunter's quarry as soon as any combat starts, or before it if you'll allow.

mightyjongyo

"Better than nothing, I guess," Alise shrugs as the guard runs off. "I'll leave the rest to someone who can actually see...we're lucky enough that I didn't accidentally make the noise come from a wall instead."

Bhow

Cherka nearly quivered in anticipation beneath Riishi’s hand, ready to follow Shen’s keen arrow-point with its own rending claws. Riishi… felt nauseous. Striking from shadows was bandit’s work, and after all, isn’t that what she was now? Sneaking through gloom to take, with blood, another’s gold? This guard was merely another’s pawn. The treasure wasn’t his, or hers. What was she fighting for, again?

Riishi squeezed her eyes closed, forcing out the swirling miasmic thoughts until her mind was blank. She steadied her breath, and prepared for her task…

daniant

Go ahead and roll your attack, Anialos.

Anialos

Without a sound Shen marks the lone gaurd as his prey and looses the drawn arrow. As it speeds towards the guard Shen holds his breath, hoping that it finds its mark.

[url=http://4e.orokos.com/roll/53707Careful shot vs. AC=26![/url] If that hits its 16 damage, 5 of it from Quarry if you deign to not include that.

daniant

You all hear a faint *twang* and then the guard at the door silently slumps down, dead. The door is unguarded now.

Anialos

Shen quietly pumps his fist, then slings his bow to quickly drag the body of the guard back to where he had been shot from. "We either gotta go now, or pick off the other guard so there will be no alarm till shift change." Shen readies his bow again in the direction the other guard ran off chasing Alise's "villager".

If nobody has made a move or concensus by the time i wake tommorrow Shen's going in, consider another of those arrows ready for the other guard should he reappear.

mightyjongyo

"Go ahead and take the other one out, I say. We can dump them both in the alleyway. If we're lucky the next shift will just think they left their posts."

Anialos

Shen nods and waits for the other guard to reappear after his fruitless search, unleashing a VERY well aimed arrow certain to take him down a peg or two.

Careful Attack vs. AC = 31! Crit! so 18 damage plus another 5 from Hunter's Quarry since Shen always makes sure to use up that minor action =p. I do love sniping guards in the dead of night.

daniant

You wait, very still. A confused-looking guard appears in the darkness. You hear the twang again, and then he falls, without even knowing what hit him.

The door is before you, completely exposed.

Illianthar

Moving with single-minded purpose, Persecutus quickly scoops up the guard near the door and moves him into the alleyway. He then grabs the other guard and pulls him out of the open. He props them up against the wall so that they look like they are perhaps sleeping, then quickly looks them over to see if perhaps one of the emblazoned tunics that they wear would fit over his armor as a sort of disguise.

If the tunic with the symbol looks like it's something that'll fit over my armor, I'll take one and put it on real quick.

daniant

It does. It's obviously made one size fits all.

Illianthar

The revenant returns from the alleyway wearing one of the tunics and holding the other in his hand.

"Not sure if this will buy us anything, but it can't hurt to try and fit in."

Passing the tunic off to whomever might want it (or tucking it away in his pack otherwise), Persecutus turns to the door itself, looking it over to determine if it has any lock or trap, and listening intently to determine if anything lies on the other side.

Perception = CRIT! 26

Waste of a crit, but at least I can tell you everything there is to know about this door...

daniant

The door is locked. There is also a small rune over the door frame, and you can tell that it is activated.

Anialos

Shen keeps an eye on the alleyways while Persecutus examines the door. This was certainly some adventure they'd gotten into. Not exactly what he expected when he first saw the Kobolds. The thoughts are a bit too distracting, and his watch on the alley is not as sharp as it could be.

[url]=http://4e.orokos.com/roll/54532]Perception=12[/url]

Bhow

Riishi stands before the door, silently looking upward at the rune.
"Hey," she calls under her breath to Alise, "Is that magic?"

"I wonder if there are any clues to opening it," she mutters to herself as she begins searching the immediate area for anything helpful, while also keeping an eye open for anyone heading their way.

AA Arcana, perception: 1d20+4 7 1d20+10 25
Aid another attempt to help Alise fails, but maybe she notices something helpful...

mightyjongyo

Alise joins Riishi at the door to examine the rune. "I wouldn't be surprised... Let me just see if..." The rest of what she says is unintelligible as she mutters under her breath, trying to discern the nature and function of the rune.

arcana: 1d20+10 = 15.

daniant

It's a door protector of some kind. It could be a trap, an alarm, something that guards that door. You think you might be able to disable it, however.

With an arcana or thievery check.

mightyjongyo

Once Alise figured out what it was for, it was quick work to disable it. A simple counter spell, and...there!

"whatever it was going to do when triggered, we don't have to worry about it now," says Alise smugly as the rune fades.

arcana: 1d20+10 = 25. Alarm? What alarm? =D

daniant

A quick search of the guards' clothes reveal no key to open the door in front of you.

mightyjongyo

Alise took the remaining guards tunic and pulled it on, wrinkling her nose at the smell. She walked up to the door and gave it an experimental shove, checking if the tunic was enough to allow her passage, extending her senses to see if there were another magical signs that she was missing.

arcana: 1d20+10=17. Arcana rolls all up ins.

daniant

Your arcane senses the past residue of a rune inscribed in the air in front of the door. You copy it and the door unbolts from the other side and swings open silently, revealing stairs going up...

Anialos

"Well, up we go, squishies in the middle and I'll take rear guard." Shen is thankful to be off the street, even if it means going into an enemy stronghold.

Illianthar

Persecutus takes the lead, stowing his battle-axe but keeping his shield readied. "Hopefully the tunics will help with anyone we encounter...at least long enough for us to get the upper hand."

The revenant keeps a wary eye out as he climbs the stairs, using his eyes and ears to the best of his ability.

Perception: 1d20+6 = 25!

mightyjongyo

Alise walks in the center of the group silently, trying to make herself as inconspicuous as possible. With any luck, she wouldn't be noticed if someone came across them, although she didn't put the chances of that very high.

stealth: 1d20+8 = 28. there is nobody walking in the center of the group!