"Those upstairs are going to be choked pretty badly by the smoke and heat coming upwards at them from this burning oil. If we can capitalize on that, we should be in great shape."
"Those upstairs are going to be choked pretty badly by the smoke and heat coming upwards at them from this burning oil. If we can capitalize on that, we should be in great shape."
Shall we go down for the moment, then, and clean out the basement?
Once the archers have been restrained, Mulligan will move to join Drindoleth and head down the stairs to find out what is going on. Invisibly, of course.
~~~~
Rorimac will volunteer to head down the stairs first, and see what is below.
"I heard some shouting, but it sounded as if they were moving away," Drindoleth explains to Mulligan, before continuing down the stairs cautiously.
"It does look as though the stairs leading up will be impassible for our opponents for the time being. Let us deal with those below."
So Rorimac starts down ahead of the pair of Dwarves.
Who is next after these 3?
Rori is silent in his boots & invisible in his cloak. As he nears the bottom of the stairs Kkosalbane suddenly detects undead. He then sees a skeletal looking figure that must somehow still be human. He is dressed oddly in a light blue tunic and green pants. He appears to be casting as Rorimac sees him.
Mulligan & Drindoleth head down and find stairs continuing down and doors leading to the outer halls and a door leading to the interior. Voices can be heard below.
"Mind the stairs down Drindoleth, while I check the door and see if anyone is in there." Mulligan goes to listen at the door, although she is expecting it to be quiet.
~~~
Rorimac looks across and immediately thinks, this is one for Gilraen. He will hurry back and inform the dwarves of what he has found before they stumble into what could possibly be a trap.
Thoroncir is right behind Rorimac and the Dwarves, longsword in hand, ready for anything.
Thoroncir is in charge, he should order the others into a swift marching order.
"Where would you like us, Sir Thoroncir?".
The young Sea-knight captain hesitates for a moment. "Let us wait for just a moment for Rorimac to return, my friends, to see what tidings he brings us. Then, as we go downstairs:
Gwaelur and Bitur
Thoroncir and Ceol
Gil-Gandel
Deor and Gilraen
Sala and Luzi Mati
Ithilneth
If the passage becomes too narrow, the second individual in each line will drop behind the first. Unless there are any other suggestions?"
He wonders how Drindoleth and Mulligan are getting on, and hopes they are well.
Drindoleth guards the stairs and keeps hold of the sorceress, listening and watching for anyone's approach while Mulligan investigates.
Mulligan hears nothing at the door and when she drops down the steps she sees no foes but begins to smell smoke, oily smoke at that. The voices below sounded agitated now.
The sorceress looks fearful. She is mumbling trying to communicate through the gag.
The party descends down.
Gwaelur Bitur
Thoroncir Ceol
Gil-Gandel
Deor Gilraen
Sala Luzi Mati
Ithilneth
The Dwarves see the horrible visage of the skeletal figure dressed in a light blue tunic and green pants. He has clearly completed his casting as dozens of shadows are now moving to attack the Dwarves. Gilraen holds aloft her bauble and says, "A Elbereth Gilthoniel o menel palan-diriel, le nallon sí di-nguruthos! A tiro nin, Fanuilos!" The Bauble flares with light of the morning star and the Shadows shriek in pain and fear but not all are destroyed and the figure has conjured up a darkness that protects himself and many of the Shadows.
Gwaelur urges Bitur, "Let's charge this grim figure and let the Axes of the Dwarves do their work." He charges forth and has Rilthol blast light out doing 6d6 damage to undead in 30’r. The Caster brings his arm up, disbelieving the assault of light through even his own spell and suffering some damage from it as does his remaining shadows.
I'll join you in a bit old friend. One thing I have to do first.
*Bitur pulls out Liquid Light and puts a dose of it on his axe, and then starts hacking through the shadows.
Thoroncir will make for the skeletal figure, if there's room, and attack with his longsword. Elendil! His heart soars as he feels the glow of his true love's enchanted bauble.
Ceol will hold his longsword upright in front of himself, channeling the power granted to him by Eonwë, in hopes of turning undead against these foes, before following Thoroncir to face the skeletal figure.
Deor draws his Wand from his sleeve with a slashing motion, ready to send a gout of flames at any shadow that ventures within his range. He'll hold off on casting standard spells unless it looks like the party can't handle this without, as he's low on spells for the day.
Aah, Shadows, this should be good, thinks Rorimac.
With a loud shout surprising for one so small, "BELETHIL", as he turns the light from his ring up to max.
He then will wade in using both swords.
~~~~
Mulligan sniffs the air and looks at Drindoleth. "Please tell me they didn't set light to the tower? It may be stone outside, but it's also wood inside. Not to mention having the sorceress who was probably supposed to control it over your shoulder."
She thinks for a moment. "Crap, I think we are going to need another way out of here"
Looking at the sorceress, "No, I don't understand what you are saying, but I think its time to get out of here."
"I think all the windows are arrow slits aren't they? I could probably get through but I'm not sure about you. Not to mention her and those archers upstairs, and no, I'm not leaving them behind either seeing as they can't move anywhere."
"Depending, I might be able to escape in my eagle form but, no, the sorceress and the archers wouldn't make it." Drindoleth considers that, then looks to their gagged prisoner, since she's trying to speak. "Do you have something to say that might save lives?"
Ceol successfully causes 6 of the Shadows to cluster very close around the caster and his darkness.
Gwaelur and Thoroncir are upon the caster as Bitur beats several Shadows to oblivion. The Liquid Light from Linwen allows his axe to chop straight through the injured Shadows. Rorimac's finger is glowing nearly as brightly as Gilraen's Bauble as his swords clear more Shadows from the duo's path. Gwaelur's Axe & Shield with Arcirist glowing green in Thoroncir's hand rise and fall and beofre a minute has passed the caster has fallen, dead, onto the ground.
Deor sends flames blasting from his wand at a stray Shadow. It turns and runs looking very ragged.
Gil-Gandel and Ithilneth see their arrows do nothing to the Shadows. This is new to both of them.
Sala sees how effective the Liquid Light is and prepares to apply it to his Rapier. Luzi is unsure what to do but shocked the undead are the ones in fear.
Upstairs the Sorceress looks uncomprehending on Drindoleth's statement.
Mulligan hears the sound of someone in heavy armor running up the stairs towards them.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Gilraen again Commands the Shadows to go back beyond this world and activates her Silver Belt so she glows like one of the Elves of the Light as her Bauble glows unopposed by the evil caster's darkness and 24 Shadows simply cease to exist. It leave but 9 shadows and they are fleeing. Sala decides not to use the Liquid Light.
Thoroncir is filled with love for Gilraen as, aglow with beauty and a holy grace, she puts these malign beings to flight. If he can pursue and cut down any of the fleeing shadows, he will.
Meanwhile, what of this clanking armoured person?
That's up where Mulligan and Drindoleth are. We wouldn't know about that.
And my reading comprehension used to be so good, too.
I just put it down to Gil-Gandel's excellent hearing :p
So are the shadows allowed to flee or is anyone attacking them?
What are Mulligan and Drindoleth doing?
Bitur aids Thoroncir in cutting down the fleeing shadows.
Rorimac lends his aid in getting rid of the remaining shadows.
~~~
Mulligan considers the options. "Let's not get trapped between two groups shall we. We should head back for the roof. I may have enough rope to go over the side and down to the ground if needs be. And we can lock the door behind us."
It is short work to destroy 6 more shadows as 3 escape down a dark hall. Mulligan & Drindoleth head for the roof with the Sorceress carried. Leaving those archers for their own men to worry about.(?)
Does the party regroup or forge ahead?
"Agreed." Drindoleth will start backtracking up the stairs towards the roof.
I'd say let's turn around and ascend the stairs, if the aftereffects of the burning oil have cleared by now.
It is a matter of moments to ensure that the door to the tied up archers is opened so they are visible, while we retreat to the top of the tower and lock the top door firmly behind us. It will give us some more time as any pursuers will stop to find out what has happened.
Then from the roof we can look down and see if the tower is on fire and if we can get down by rope, or in Drindoleth's case, fly down.
A look upstairs show that the defenders' plans have backfired, quite literally. The room above is engulfed in flames and black smoke. The Wall of Force is doing its job, though one burnt defender lies dead or unconscious at the base of the stairs.
Gilraen says, "can we not drop the wall and see if that poor man can be saved?"
Way upstairs, Mulligan and Drindoleth are back on the roof. Mulligan sees smoke pouring out a few windows on the side of the tower.
Ceol nods to Gilraen. "If he can be saved, I agree, we should do so. Compassion to one's fallen foes is a virtue."
"By all means," Thoroncir says, "let us drop the magical wall if we safely can. Then let us press forward in our usual marching order, with Gilraen pausing to heal the man under guard from Sala and Luzi Mati, while the rest of us continue upstairs to slay or capture any other foes in this tower, and with luck then link up with Mulligan and Drindoleth."
"It's burning badly and unless we have some way to put it out through water or wind, it's going to spread up the tower and Mulligan and Drindoleth are likely still up there." Rorimac stops and looks around, "This is probably a dumb question, but was anyone guarding the mage by the gate and will those Webs have worn off by now?"
~~~
"It's burning badly and unless you have anything that can put out a fire Drindoleth, it's time to go. I'm betting anyone else alive will be up here soon even if they have to knock the door down."
Mulligan fastens a rope around one of the crenellations and then fastens it around the waist of the sorceress. "We can lower her down first, then you fly and I'll go down the rope. I hope the others are around somewhere."
I have a hithlain rope if we need a second way down. As Ghan-buri-ghan might have put it, "no matter what the cause of a quarrel, if you are indoors and a fire breaks out, you should drop the quarrel at least in the short term and concentrate on getting out safely instead, as a house fire is likely to burn winner and loser alike, which is hardly something the wise man would want to happen".
The fire continues to burn on the other side of the Wall of Force. The man is probably nearly beyond hope now.
Those on the roof start their descent.
(Can someone page Appleciders please)
"Mulligan; Drindoleth", shouts Rorimac up the stairs wondering if they can hear him.
~~~
Mulligan starts to lower the sorceress down the building. The sounds of panic on the stairs and the crackling fire filling her ears and trying to waver her concentration.
Thoroncir will also shout in hopes that Mulligan and Drindoleth are within earshot.
Drindoleth helps lower the sorceress down. If nothing further interrupts them, he'll then change to the Eagle for the final time this day.
Is there any chance he might hear the shouts of the rest of the party before changing? Or after, for that matter?
Perhaps Glinras might be heard at this distance, at least to get their attention?
"I've got Feather Fall prepared, and it's no great hassle to cast. I can send as many as four of us down very easily."
"Deor, we are down here at the bottom of the stairs, Mulligan and Drindoleth are up there", says Rorimac, "Give me some cover" He starts to rise up using his Boots of Levitation.
Gilraen runs out to Deor, "Please drop your wall, the tower is on fire and that one man at the bottom has just expired from the fire and smoke."
Drinoleth does indeed hear the voices from below that are outside the tower.
I will lower any who need it - fire will not harm me for a while as I still have 84 points of immunity even if the fire is hot enough that I am not categorically immune to it.
Done.Quote:
Originally posted by What Exit?
Thoroncir shouts upstairs, "Do you need help, my friends? Can you come down safely?"
So confusion seems to the main issue on the ground floor. Those above are working their way down. Rorimac rising up to help. Suddenly a loud rumble and crack is heard at the top. Mulligan is sure it means they are through the doors.
Gil-Gandel retrieves the very seriously injured man from the fire, he knows immediately it is too late for this man.
Gil-Gandel pities him, for whatever his crimes, burning to death is a heavy penalty. Does anyone else need help?