Escape from / Assault of ... the Slavers Temple

[Rex]

Brick

"Lets head for the rock cairn."

Mystery roll [1d20]=14

[corum]

Galadria

"We're too exposed out here"

Will follow Brick mace drawn...



"I have a bad feeling about this Brick"

[gurusql]

Vennar

"Oh my - it does not sound like The Feast of Edoira, but I guess is the best of bad options."

[1d20]=9

[Straither]

Actions,Which way do you go?

To get to the Temple's interior courtyards, you need either choose to go via the broken wall in the Treacherous Beam room (the beam was shifted by you guys to now be in the cellar not on the room ledge so you need lift it back up or find another way across) or go via the Kennels.

[Edeldhur]

Edel

"Let's start by heading to the kennels first, and strike back" - Edel retorted - "They might be momentarily in disarray, so this is our opportunity"

May I suggest spending any extra healing consumables (if you have them) on Elwita and Jacupo?
Then strike at the kennels.

[Rex]

Brick

"I have no way to help with healing anyone. Are we going through the kennel or another way?"

It sounds like some don't want to go to the cairn, if not where?

[Edeldhur]

Edel

"Kennel" - the magic user insists.

Like I said here - viewtopic.php?p=766657#p766657 - my vote is still for trying to find a way past the Aspis again, and then heading to the captured slaves.
The kennel is on the way for both options anyway, and it did not seem to have a lot of foes? So we can try to 'thin the herd'.

[gurusql]

Vennar

Vennar will cast Cure Light Wounds on Elwita (twice) and suggest that Jacupo heal himself.

Cure Light Wounds [1d8]=8
Cure Light Wounds [1d8]=8

[OGRE MAGE]

Mortar speaks invisibly.

“It will be quicker to go through the kennels, but we will face obvious opposition from the orc handlers.”

The unseen Gnome will lead the fighters to the kennel, darting inside and behind them before they attack, hoping to gain any advantage he can.

…and then heading to the captured slaves.

I’m sorry. I must have missed something. Do we actually know where these slaves are being held at the moment?

[Rex]

Brick

Brick follows along to the kennels.

[Edeldhur]

Edel

Mortar speaks invisibly.

“It will be quicker to go through the kennels, but we will face obvious opposition from the orc handlers.”

The unseen Gnome will lead the fighters to the kennel, darting inside and behind them before they attack, hoping to gain any advantage he can.

"But not a lot of opposition, correct?" - Edel replied - "We need to whittle down their numbers somehow, so measured fights are a good option" - then followed along.

…and then heading to the captured slaves.

I’m sorry. I must have missed something. Do we actually know where these slaves are being held at the moment?

Yep, we kind of have an idea, based on the information provided by the charmed orc Chagg, before he died. But the only route we know is underground, past Aspis territory (or back down through the weird garden and the crypt we were in), and we haven't found anything else to trade with the Aspis for safe passage. We do know the sugar the orcs use for it is probably stored in or near the kitchens, but we do not know where those are either. Maybe we can capture an orc?

[Straither]

Temple Ruins: avoiding capture.

Ruin Temple: Orc patrol vs 1 [1d6]=3

Minutes tick away, the beleaguered strike force opting to continue forward rather than abandon the mission. Vennar invokes the spirit of the summer equinox, praying the light will shine ever brightly in this despotic Temple stronghold, ministering health and hope, invigorating the scarred Icon with new strength and power.
+16hp.

Rather than have Vennar cast both CLW's, I will deduct one from Galadria which will leave each cleric with a single 1st level spell slot available

Nine in the group, it makes most sense to advance fighters first, followed by the clerics and unseen Mortar bringing up the mage rearguard. Choosing the Kennels over Treacherous Beam room, the fighters barge unannounced as the simplest action. Brick kicks the door wide and the dwarves get to their grisly task.

Olleg: shield bash [1d20]=2 melee [1d20+1]=20+1=21 [1d8+1]=7+1=8Elwita: broadsword melee [1d20+1]=17+1=18 [2d4+1]=4+1=5

Killing both Orcs.

The Giant Weasel is penned and a bolt slid over the cage to secure it inside. It chitters loudly and snarls but cannot reach to bite any character unless you stick unwanted fingers through the pen grills.

The Kennels is a simple affair, a room to house the Temple's rat-catchers. The slab table in the centre of the room is of heavy rustic build and can be placed against the door you came through to help barricade the inside. The corner cabinets can be casually searched but unless you are interested in animal handling, the leashes and collars are of little value though one cupboard contains a large 'man-suit' made of stuffed fibres and reinforced leather. Used to get the aggressive predators to train on chasing down fugitive slaves or intruders. It is slightly bulky but could be worn as minor protection should a character be unarmoured.

Mortar is the only unarmoured character but you doubt that this could be worn without hindering any spell casting.

One guard wears a bone whistle on a cord, the only other item of interest.

The other exit from this room is a narrow archway in the corner that has a metal gate type door. It can be unbolted and swung open, but not before adding a liberal anointing of oil on the rusted hinges to soften any creaking. The passage goes through the interior wall and opens into the Temple courtyard which is a large scrub of tall weeds, broken ivy covered walls, piles of rubble and the smallest patches of tendered vegetable allotments.

The area is overgrown but unlike the Memorial cemetery, it does not have the pervasive sense of eeriness or anger at your unwanted intrusion.

Another grated door is built into the wall on the east side of the wall, another narrow passage through the solid Temple walls. To the west, a long line of derelict and overgrown walls and more than a hundred feet away, the courtyard has another boundary wall topped by barbed wire.

Ruin Temple: Orc patrol vs 1 [1d6]=4

No guards alerted to your presence, except dead guards in the Kennels who can tell no tales; no guards are in the courtyard.

next actions please



Olleg: 23/33hp
Brick: 18/18hp
Mortar: 10/10hp
Vennar: 17/19hp.
Galadria 16/17hp
Durrant: 4/7hp
Edel: 11/11hp (14/14hp with Pallas the Owl:
3/3hp)
Elwita: 28/54hp.
Jacupo: 7/15hp

Spells available:

Mortar: DM & RM, any 0/4 x 1st, 0/3 x 2nd
Durrant: DM & RM, any 0/4 x 1st, 1/3 x 2nd
Edel: DM & RM, any 3/4 x 1st, 1/3 x 2nd

Galadria: DE cantrip, any 1/4 x 1st, 0/2 x 2nd lvl
Vennar: DE cantrip, any 1/4 x 1st, 1/3 x 2nd lvl

Jacupo: DE cantrip, any 1/4 x 1st lvl, 1/2 x 2nd

[Rex]

Brick

Brick will head for the cairn.

[gurusql]

Vennar

Vennar will follow staying at his place in the order.

[Edeldhur]

Edel

"Let's check this door first" - the Elf suggested to Brick and the other frontliners, nodding to the door on the eastern wall.

[OGRE MAGE]

Mortar will use a single charge from his Wand of Enemy Detection as he searchers the overgrown courtyard, trying to pinpoint any more opposition before they can attack.

"DON'T move that table! We need to keep these rooms looking just as they were. If we leave traces of our work behind, they will simply follow them to our hiding place. Let's move these orc bodies as well, to make it look like they were encountered in the pit room or something."

He will leave no indication that they came through the kennels, if possible.

Do we think the weasel could be won over?

[Straither]

"DON'T move that table!

okay, I can retrieve that scene as the two were killed instantly. The bodies dumped in the nearby derelict room or even tossed down the slippery staircase.

As to the Giant Weasel, this is an adult not a juvenile under training. It has a broken leg, now in a splint hence being treated for wounds sustained. Adult Weasels are probably too far won over to their Orcish masters to be taken as an animal companion but a juvenile kit could be trained by a character (or even in the right conditions be called forth as a Familiar).

[Howman]

Olleg, Dwarf

Seeing no more immediate danger, Olleg will head to the eastern door with Edel, while Brick and Mortar survey the courtyard. Peering through the grated door, he attempts to discern how far the eastern passage runs. If no threats are visible, Olleg will then cautiously check whether the door is locked.

[Rex]

Brick

"We may want to kill the weasel so they can't use it to track us."

[OGRE MAGE]

Mortar looks up at his partner, even though Brick can't see the serious look on his face.

"My thinking as well. Go right ahead big guy."