Scourge of the Silver Marches

[Tassadar]

Re: Scourge of the Silver Marches

1d20+1 = 3+1 = 4
1d20+3 = 13+3 = 16
1d20+4 = 2+4 = 6
1d20+3 = 17+3 = 20
1d20+3 = 8+3 = 11

1d20+2 = 8+2 = 10
1d20+7 = 15+7 = 22
1d20+4 = 10+4 = 14

Order is separated because the enemy isn't in the room yet, and the group will presumably be prepared by then.
Your order is: Malacet, Trex, Holi, Tod, Bolm.
Enemy order is: thugs, samurai, half-orcs.

Everyone (except Holi) awakens to the sounds of moaning coming from downstairs. Trex quickly tosses his pack at Holis face to awaken him and takes up his weapon while Bolm rushes to the door and puts his weight against it to block ay would be intruders. Booted feet can be heard rushing up the stairs and someone crashes into the door, attempting to open it.

1d20+5 = 14+5 = 19 vs 1d20+4 = 13+4 = 17 19 vs 17 = opened

The crashers momentum, and the press of men behind him manage to overpower Bolm, and the door is forced open slightly, but not enough for the enemy to slip more than a burly arm through the door to keep it open.

(Everyone except Bolm and Trex are still in bed.)

 

[Ryu]

Re: Scourge of the Silver Marches

Tod sighs. "And I was having such a nice rest too..." he waves his hands and chants, quickening everyone in the room.

(Cast haste on Malacet, Trex, Holi, Tod, Bolm)

 

[Shrike7]

Re: Scourge of the Silver Marches

Malacet wakes with a start, and uses the time she has to place herself as far from the door and windows as possible, unwilling to cast a spell when most of her allies were still in her way.

 

[dmronny]

Re: Scourge of the Silver Marches

With the pack landing on his head, Holi wakes up and quickly shakes off his grogginess. "What in the nine hells is going on?" he says before realizing what is going on.

He jumps out of bed and with his axe in handrushes to help Bolm hold the door shut before it gets any more open. "Ya know I wish I had thought to set up some kind o' brace on the door before I went to bed now."

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Scourge of the Silver Marches

1d20+14-3 = 11+14-3 = 25-3 = 22 vs DC16 = hit
1d8+6+3 = 2+6+3 = 11 damage

Trex rushes to the door, shouting back at Malacet; "If they make it through the door, don't worry about hitting us, just fry them!" Before slashing hard at the arm coming through the door. He cuts deep, and the arm goes back behind the door, and Bolm manages to push the door closed again.

1d20+4+4 = 7+4+4 = 15 vs 1d20+5+2 = 17+5+2 = 24 = enemies win

Holi rushes to Bolms aid in keeping the door closed, but the angered enemy roars, and the additional push of bodies gives him more than enough push to once again force the door back to its initial point, but he doesn't put his arm back through the gap.

Tods spell gives the group additional speed, which will likely prove useful against the seemingly vast group of enemies.

1d20+4+4 = 20+4+4 = automatic success

Bolm, with Holis help, manages to push the door closed once again.

A harsh voice can be heard from behind the door; "Move." And the press stops for a moment. Then a flaming blade slashed through the thick wood vertically, right between Bolm and Holi, cutting the door nearly in half. Both men fall back, and the armored man who had been glaring at them from the tavern common room stepped through. As he passed the broken doorway, his armor began to morph, growing angry spikes at the joints and erupting in spots with red flames, the plates turning black and blood red, the mask of his helmet becoming the twisted face of a leering demon. Everyone in the room can feel the evil emanating from the man. He holds his long curved sword in front of him in both hands; "My master demands that you should die. Fight and die with honor."
"Who is your master?" Trex asks.
"The small man you spoke to downstairs, his name is Natyomei. He is the one I serve." the man responds.
"Then who is Gershalt?" Trex asks.
"He waits below. He came to us a few days ago, demanding fealty from my master. I fought him, and was defeated. The creature spared my life, in exchange for my masters surrender. It was he who brought many of the men who fight for us." he replies, seemingly unwilling to attack before the conversation concludes. The men behind him stay back, clearly afraid of the man in demonic armor. "I should have died for my dishonor, long ago." he continues, seemingly not talking to anyone.

1d20+20 = 11+20 = 31 vs DC20 = success

"What dishonor do you speak of?" Trex asks, seemingly catching onto a possible way out of this dangerous situation. Or at least a way to eliminate their most dangerous opponent.
The man pauses before replying; "I do not wear this..... abomination...... by choice. The man I served before it was forced upon me was honorable and goodly. I served him with pride. But Natyomei killed my master, and tricked me, he came to me, and told me I could make up for the dishonor of failing to protect my master from his enemies. He gave me armor, telling me it would aid me in battle against my foes, and told me where to find them. I donned it, and killed those who I thought had killed my master. They were Natyomeis enemies, and as I stood there in the room of my greatest dishonor, for I had killed goodly men, the armor took me. I could not resist it then, anymore than I can now. Natyomei came to me then, laughing, and told me of my folly. I would have struck him down before ending my life, but the armor was his to command, and I could do neither. That is why you must die, I have no choice."

(If any of you have anything to say, you might help Trex in getting rid of the most powerful enemy in the fight.)

 

[dmronny]

Re: Scourge of the Silver Marches

Holi moves to a position between the enemies and Malacet and Tod in order to protect them if need be. Taking up his axe he speaks the only thing he can think to say. "We dwarves have always been an honorable race, we kill our enemies or we die honorably. For if we do not die honorably then we never truly die and forever live with dishonor. I urge you to fight this foul magic that has a grip on you for I myself will die honorably or take you with me."

 

[Shrike7]

Re: Scourge of the Silver Marches

((Ooh ooh, a chance for x-treme diplomacy!

*slaps Elan, tells him to go back in his corner*))

Malacet starts conjuring a spell as soon as the door gets slashed, but stops to listen to the man. Realizing this man as something of a kindred soul, she speaks up from the far end of the room. "If your honour is so important to you, then use it to your advantage. If that armour has some sort of magical grip on you, fight it, refuse to let yourself be a pawn of evil."

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Scourge of the Silver Marches

Bolm pipes up; "Give me a day to prepare the right spells, and I can remove the curse from that armor, at least long enough for ye to take it off. Ye can regain your honor, and we can help ye avenge yer master."

The man begins to shake violently at Malacet and Holis words, and at Bolms promise of a hope for freedom from the foul armor. The flames seem to flare, apparently the armor is fighting back. Seeing Malacet, and her demonic appearance; "What would you know........ of such............. you are clearly....... a pawn of the....... same evil......... that created this........ What would you know of.......... honor?" he says, through clenched teeth.

The men behind the samurai seem to be getting antsy, but don't yet push forward.

 

[Shrike7]

Re: Scourge of the Silver Marches

"Not as much as you'd like, I'm sure." Malacet admits. "But I am nobody's pawn, and I know shame. There was a time when I deserved this," She says, indicating her appearance. "And it is only by the grace of the Good Gods that I am not on some plane of Hell, continuing to deserve it. instead, I am here giving everything I have to try and prove that I am better than this. It is my greatest pain, and I am reminded by it every time I see myself, and every time I am seen by someone else. I know what it is like to fight against a part of oneself, you have the advantage of still being whole, your evil is external. Fight it, and we can help you be rid of it forever, and you can take revenge on the one that did this to you." She says forcefully, passionately.

 

[dmronny]

Re: Scourge of the Silver Marches

"She speaks the truth, fight it and be rid of it. So that at the very least we can all die honorably. I myself can't wait till the day I get to dine in the great feast hall of Haela Brightaxe in Findar Endar." Holi adds.

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Scourge of the Silver Marches

(Moment of truth. Well done.)

1d20+20+6[Holi]+8[Malacet] = 17[male pueri est magnum morti]+20+6+8 = 41 vs DC30 = success

The samurais shaking and the armors flaring increases, to the point where it seems both will shake apart. Then, suddenly, the spikes and flames disappear, the armor resuming its previous normal looking form, and the man is smiling as he rips his helmet off; "Thank you." And he turns around, cutting at his formal allies, cutting the half-orc injured by Trex clean in half from head to groin. The stunned thugs stand stupefied for a moment before falling back, retreating back down the stairs.

After a moment, Trex and Bolm shrug and follow him.

 

[Shrike7]

Re: Scourge of the Silver Marches

Malacet smiles, covering herself back up again and running out of the room to follow the pair, stopping a moment to put a hand on the Samurai's shoulder. "Good to have you where you belong. I'm Malacet." She says, not waiting for a response before she runs out the door and down the stairs, following the others.

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Scourge of the Silver Marches

(Trust me, you want the samurai in front. He's a near-unstoppable killing machine in melee, and he can brush off the stuff the people downstairs are going to be throwing at you when you get down there. For now I'll put Malacet holding near the base of the stairs, seeing the carnage at the door Granth and Carella come from. But if you still want to go out ahead, be my guest.)

 

[dmronny]

Re: Scourge of the Silver Marches

Seeing him cleave the half-orc in half Holi says, "Glad to have you on the right side again." As he follows the others down the stairs behind the samurai.

 

[Ryu]

Re: Scourge of the Silver Marches

Tod takes up the rear of the group, still silent, slightly regretting the loss of his acid in Carella's room, but he wouldn't take the time to go for it.

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Scourge of the Silver Marches

1d8+5+2 = 4+5+2 = 11 hp restored

Bolm steps over to Carella and casts a minor healing spell, thinking his stronger spells would be better saved for later. The magic mends the rest of her wounds, leaving only a minor scrape where her worst gash had been.

The group re-assembles at the base of the stairs, including Carella, Aramil, and Granth from the other room, who have to climb over a mound of corpses at their door. After a brief conversation between Trex and Aramil, Trex says; "Let's follow him, he might need some help if this Gershalt is as strong as he says."
And he proceeds down the corridor to the stairs after the samurai, followed by Aramil, both with weapons drawn. Bolm shrugs and goes after them.

 

[Pheonix Alugere]

Re: Scourge of the Silver Marches

Granth motions at the pile of corpses, They just don't make zombies like they used to. He says before following after Bolm and the others.

 

[dmronny]

Re: Scourge of the Silver Marches

"Hold up ya darn long-legged people," Holi says as he chases after the others with his axe drawn.

 

[Ryu]

Re: Scourge of the Silver Marches

((Should still be hasted, right?))

Tod stays in the back still, glancing back over his should periodically to see if they were being followed.

 

[Tassadar]

Re: Scourge of the Silver Marches

(Still hasted.)
The group follows the samurai down the stairs to the first floor. The men who retreated are there waiting with crossbows and longbows readied, along with reinforcements, including the man from before, apparently the leader. "Today you pay for your crimes." A hail of arrows and bolts, and a few throwing knives, bounce harmlessly off the samurais armor. Apparently, the armor still protects him even if it doesn't control him anymore.
There are 17 thugs, a half orc warrior, and the man from before

Initiatives
Thugs: 1d20+7 = 8+7 = 15
Man: 1d20+3 = 4+3 = 7
Samurai: 1d20+4 = 2+4 = 6
Aramil: 1d20+5 = 20+5 = 25
Trex: 1d20+3 = 11+3 = 14
Bolm: 1d20+1 = 16+1 = 17
Malacet: 1d20+3 = 2+3 = 5
Tod: 1d20+4 = 16+4 = 20
Holi: 1d20+3 = 20+3 = 23
Granth: 1d20+1 = 3+1 = 4
Carella: 1d20+5 = 19+5 = 24

Order is: Aramil, Carella, Holi, Tod, Bolm, Thugs, Trex, Man, Samurai, Malacet, Granth.