STARDAY, 2 ROVA, 4711 A.R.
Not long after sunrise, the party begins searching along the coast for any sign of a secret entrance into the castle. After inspecting the sides of the lagoon and the east-facing wall of the harbor, Hanzo and Molido decide to swim out into the sea, hugging the shoreline. They're out in the cold sea water for around half an hour without success before deciding to scale the cliff up to the castle's entrance.When they reach the top, Molido heads down the road to report to Brixton and Zaphkael about their lack of discovery, while Hanzo stays behind to watch the keep's front gate. A few minutes after they part, the old iron gate swings open, and a trio of dire corbies armed with crossbows and a longspear march out, leaving the gate wide open behind them.
Molido gathers the others, and they return to Brinewall Castle. To Hanzo's surprise, they didn't encounter the corbies on their trip. They investigate the road leading from the keep to the village and find tracks leading into the dense woodlands south of the castle. Wary of an ambush, but presented with a temptingly open door, the party decides to head into the castle's gatehouse and lock the gate behind them.
Once inside, the group decides to send Hanzo off to do some scouting. Finding a ladder leading to a tower with access to the castle's walls, the ninja surveys the keep's general layout and also spots two dire corbies patrolling the walls at a meandering pace. Utilizing his training, he sets ambushes for the both of them, dispatching the unsuspecting creatures with deadly blows from the shadows. He then takes a single finger from each of the corbies as trophies.
With the lookouts dispatched so quietly, none of the castle's inhabitants have been made aware of the party's presence. They head into the courtyard unopposed. Brixton finds another guard tower and uses pitons to secure the trap door leading from the floor above before declaring it safe enough to stable his horse. They then proceed into what clearly looks to be a stable along the castle's western wall.
Hanzo kicks the doors open dramatically, and across the room, a gangly, purple-skinned humanoid with a sagging belly shrieks in alarm. It opens the stable door nearest it and calls for whatever is inside to attack. As it turns out, the creature is an ettercap named Flatbelly, and, alongside its pet giant wolf spider, it launches itself into battle against the heroes. It does manage to inflict its venomous bite on Molido, slowing his reflexes, but the pair are dispatched without too much trouble.
Exiting the stables, the group debates whether or not to enter the main keep through the front doors, or to use one of the side entrances Hanzo spotted early. They decide that discretion is the better part of valor, and head for a door near the keep's northern wall. Opening it, they find a monitor lizard halfway through molting--its skin is peeling forward from its tail, obscuring its eyes and giving it a rather unsettling appearance. Brixton, however, approaches the creature with an offer of food and a stream of soft, comforting words. The lizard accepts the meat and munches it contentedly while the paladin cuts away the loose skin and throws it aside. The newly-shed beast is happy to follow additional treats out into the courtyard, and Brixton closes the door behind it.
As Hanzo inspects the next door, he catches a whiff of a strong, reptillian scent wafting from behind it. Opening the door, they find a pair of trogdolytes lounging on the remains of a long table and benches. They rise at the intrusion, reaching for weapons. Brixton attempts to communicate a desire for peace, but the lizard-like humanoids don't understand Common; Zaphkael attempts to translate Brix's words into Draconic, but the passion and nuance in the paladin's words doesn't carry through the cleric's awkward and monotone relation. Molido, satisfied that attempts at diplomacy have failed, cuts one of the trogdolytes down. The others manage to subdue the other nonfatally, binding him in rope before healing him back to consciousness for interrogation.
Asked about the master of the castle, the trogdolyte volunteers to guide the group to him. This turns out to involve opening a single door. Beyond, a long hallway lined with faded tapestries leads to an elevated dais and a large throne carved with the sigil of Brinewall. Upon it lounges a thin man bedecked in finery, with crimson skin, a shock of white hair, and a long, sharp goattee. Before him stand a quartet of dire corbies dressed in worn and tattered theatrical costumes; one wears a the powdered wig and long coat of a Taldoran noble; another wears a thin breastplate with a large bassinet helmet, its visor open to allow its beak to stick out; a third is dressed in what was once a fine doublet and vest, a tarnished silver rapier at his side; and the last wears a low-cut gown beaded with fake pearls and a long, conical hat with a thin veil hanging from its tip. The four seem to be engaged in some sort of theatrical production, croaking lines of dialogue in a crude attempt at Common, their pronunciations and cadences all badly off mark.
The man bursts into high-pitched, manic laughter as he spots the heroes entering the throne room, and the corbies turn to regard them with expressions of both surprise and relief. "Well, well!" cackles the red man. "Visitors! Would you like to join our performance? The Lady Shiwassey was just about to be wed!"
Without waiting for a reply, the man turns to his troupe of "actors." "New scene! Get them!"
((Short entry. Our group gives combat what could be politely described as generous amounts of tactical appraisal.))
No comments:
Post a Comment