The group finds itself right outside of Verholm's manor, under the south wall, shrouded by a cluster of trees. Verholm's manor is a large building on the top of a hill to the east of Osvik, the west wall harbors a watchtower and the east wall a gate and a guardhouse. The wall is tall and mirrorlike in its surface, made with pitch black skarradian Ore, it probably costed a fortune but its certainly unclimbable.
Time - 7:20 pm
Gaius walked over to the very corner of the wall and he took a peek at the guard's post.
Oustide the Guardpost a Dah'kin Knight and a tall Lizardman stand on each side of the gate.
Gaius turned to Amadea and Urien and signaled them to stay quiet and stop. He hunched and called them closer, "Tsk.. how the hell did Verholm get Dah'kin and Lizardmen to work for him?" he said in a hushed voice as he pointed towards the Gate with his thumb, motioning the 2 to take a peek. "Be careful, the Dah'kin can see in the dark"
Amadea quickly stopped when Gaius motioned. The choice of personnel was interesting to say the least. "Urien and I could hit them at range," he whispered into Gaius' ear.
Urien shook his head. "I'm useless with a bow and arrow. I suggest we lure them around this corner and just as they turn round here, we take them out," he whispered to the other two. "It will be interesting fighting such warriors."
"Whatever we do we must do it soon..." said
Gaius growing impacient. "Imagine what would happen if the girls open that gate and find the enemy instead of us!" he continued. "Amadea, go over the corner and try to take them down, if they come over here step back and Urien and I will ambush them."
Combat has started!
The turns are as following - Amadea, Lizardman Scalebreaker, Urien, Dah'kin Doomsday Knight, Gaius.
"Very well," said
Amadea. "The Dah'kin dies first for being able to see in the dark." He took a deep, calming breath to focus. He checked his crossbow to make sure it was loaded, and then drew out a second bolt, placing it in his mouth for easy access. Then, stepping around the corner, he aimed carefully at the Dah'kin and loosed a missile at him.
The dah'kin doomsday knight spotted somethign coming towards him at incredible speed and, in almost a reflex like motion he lifted his shield. However his reflexes were not fast enough, before he could block the arrow struck him right in the chest, pierced through his armor and lodged itself in his lung dealing 9 damage! The Dah'kin coughed up blood and fell to his knees.
The scalebreaker quickly ran towards Amadea with his battleaxe at the ready, however he did not make it to him before Urien reacted!
Urien's Turn! -
Urien thrust at the soft belly of the lizardman with his longsword.
The lizarman easily bashes Urien's sword away with his shield!
The doomsday knight, mortally wounded, staggers towards the gate in an attempt t alert the guards
Gaius's Turn! -
Gaius runs towards the Lizardman and tries to bash him in the head with his staff!
The lizardman dodges and the staff zooms over his head
Amadea's Turn! -
Amadea, praying the lizardman was sufficiently distracted by the attacks of Urien and Gaius, reloads his crossbow and fires it at the Dah'kin.
Amadea fires at the helpless Dah'kin striking him right in the chest and killing him immediately!
The Lizardman, after bashing Urien's sword, does a half turn and tries to hack at him with his battleaxe!.
Urien attempted to block the lizardman's attack with his shield.
Urien deflects the lizardman's strike, bashing the side of the incoming axe with his shield!
Urien's Turn! -
Urien swung the sword round and under the lizardman's axe in an attempt to get him off guard.
The Lizardman backs down a bit and blocks the slash with his shield!
Gaius's Turn! -
Gaius tries to bash the Lizardman on the head once more.
The Lizardman ducks as it backs down from Urien's attack and the staff zooms a few inches over his head!
Amadea's Turn! -
Amadea reloads his crossbow and fires it at the Lizardman, hoping the agile warrior is unable to doge this.
Fending off attacks from several enemies, the Lizardman did not notice the incoming arrow, which struck him right between the eyes, once more proving Amadea's sniping skill, the huge creature backed down a step or two as he dropped his battleaxe, then collapsed.
Battle has ended! -
Everyone gained 500 XP
Urien has leveled up!
Gaius has leveled up!
Amadea has leveled up!
Amadea quickly reloading his crossbow, looked to Gaius. "Shall we search the bodies now, or after we have concluded our business here?"
Gaius in turn looked at Urien "You two search for anything that might be useful but dont overburden yourselves, we will go in as soon as Saris and Miss Eirian open the doors." he said looking intently towards the sturdy wooden gate. "In the meantime i'll keep watch."
Moving quickly,
Amadea search the nearest body of the Lizardman.
On and around the body of the Scalebreaker, Amadea finds -
Leather Armor
Battleaxe
Large wooden Shield
Two Minor Healing Potions
Two Healing Potions.
Already having similiar armor, and seeing no use in the shield and battleaxe,
Amadea took the potions. It appeared as though Urien probably would need some healing potions of his own, so Amadea handed one healing potion and one minor healing potion over to him before going to the gate and searching the Dah'kin.
Urien nodded in thanks to Amadea, stowing the potions away. "Thanks. That lizardman was a tough fight." He went towards the gate and stood there, ready for the doors to open.
On the body of the Dah'kin Amadea finds;
Scimitar
Small Wooden Shield
Splint Mail
Figuring the scimitar might come in handy and would not slow him down,
Amadea grabbed it. The splint mail was another matter. Holding it up, he asked Urien, "Is this something you might find useful?"
Urien smiled as he patted his chest. "I'm already wearing that. It might be useful for one of the others or yourself though."
Amadeus turned to Gaius. "Do you want this," he asked.
"Nay" replied
Gaius pacing impatiently near the door, stopping every few second and looking intently at it, hoping it would open soon. "It would hinder me and its mighty hard to cast anything with those on."
"Hmm," said
Amadea. "It is not quite my style, but I suppose I could use the extra protection." He quickly donned the splint mail in place of his leather armor, placing his old gear carefully on the ground.
The inside yard of the mansion was once a beautiful garden but apparently many of its plants have withered due to the lack of care, on the other side of the yard Saris and Eirian can see several tents set in a warlike fashion, apparently they are empty right now but several put out fires and garbage on the dirt indicate that at least a regiment of soldiers was staing here a few nights ago. To their left the mansion dominates the hill, to their right they can see dried out fountains and withered trees and a cobblestone trail that leads to the main gate.
Time - 7:20 pm
Eirian motions to Saris, gesturing towards the main gate, before setting off as quietly as she can.
Saris looked around for a second and then headed cautiously to the main gate, trying to hear or see any guards.
Three male voices could be heard coming from the mansion, a patrol made of 2 humans and a Dah'kin walked calmly next to the wall, the Dah'kin spotted the girls but could not tell who they were in the distance, he ordered his men to stay quiet as he squinted in an effort to distinguish the 2 shadowy figures on the far side of the wall.
Saris continued walking, but much slower now. If there was a Dah'kin, shadows were not going to help her much. She looked at Eirian. "Three men. Could you distract them a second?" she whispered. Maybe she could hide in the meanwhile and attack before they noticed she was missing.
Eirian stares in the gaurds direction for a moment before nodding and moving off to the right, down the path a few meters. She jumps into the air a few feet and keeps herself aloft, hoping the site of a flying shadow would be distraction enough as she made ready her bow.
Saris uses the moment to hide under the wall's shadow and accelerate the pace towards the soldiers, prepared to take out her scimitars when she was close enough to attack. Her first objective was the Dah'kin, who she could see better now.
Combat has started!
The turns are as following - Saris, Zaalek, Eirian, Dah'kin Doomsday Knight, Human Archer, Human Acolyte.
Saris's Turn! -
Saris doesn't stop to think. She runs and takes out her scimitars, jumping over the Dah'kin and trying to cut his throat.
The Dah'kin fails to react to Saris blows but his splin mail comes through, blocking the scimitars!
Zaalek's Turn! -
Zaalek Flies downward toward the Dah'kin almost as if he's falling, none the less prepared to crash into the enemy.
Zaalek falls on the Dah'kin and, though he did not deal any damage, knocked him out for the moment, the dah'kin's companions were stunned by Zaalek's sudden descent, and so were the girls.
Eirian's Turn! -
Eirian stalls for a moment, unsure of what just happened, before firing her bow, aiming for one of the human guards.
Rather startled, the human does not notice Eirian firing against him, the arrow strikes his stomach dealing 7 damage and blood gushes out, the human clutches the wound and backs down a few steps!
The Dah'kin quickly pushes Zaalek out of the way and stands up, not having time to do anything else.
The wounded archer quickly loads an arrow and fires it towards Eirian!
Eirian drops to the ground and rolls to avoid the arrow.
Eirian ducks just in time, but for no reason, the arrow struck a tree several feet away from her as she stood up again!
The acolyte, completely stunned by the situation, turned towards the manor and tried to make a run for it!
Saris's Turn! -
Saris charges against the Dah'kin again, hating him and his kind deeply. She cointained herself enough not to roar loud and drag everyone's attention. They had to finish with this guys quick, she thought, while trying to find an uncovered spot where her scimitars could make any damage.
The Dah'kin cannot even react to Saris's attack, as he pushed Zaleek out of the way, Saris stuck one of her scimitars in the Doomsday Knight's stomach and with the second one quickly severed his throat, the lifeless body of the warrior fell to the floor as Saris withdrew her weapons from his corpse.
Zaleek's Turn! -
Zaleek gets up from then ground and charges the fleeing acolyte with his spear.
Zaleek attacks the acolyte from the back so he is unable to react and impales him with his spear, the poor man struggles for a few seconds and then lays motionless.
Eirian's Turn! -
Eirian unloads another arrow at the human archer.
The arrow struck the wounded archer in the chest and tossed him backwards like a rag doll, killing him immediately!
Battle has ended!
Everyone receives 266 XP!
Zaleek leveled up!
Eirian hurried over to Saris and then stops, peering at the other hauken for a moment. "Zaalek? Is that you?"
Zaalek Rubs his head for a second,"Ow", "Yep its me, how ya been doing."
"I....Wait. What are you doing here?!... I..."
Eirian pauses and then shakes her head. "Not now... We'll talk later. The other's will still be waiting outside the gates." She turns to Saris, "We'd better move."
After a few minutes of walking, Eirian and Saris, followed closely by the Hauken newcomer, arrived at the main gate of the manor. The main gate was a large and sturdy double wooden door, held together by a large iron rod that prevented it from being pushed open from the other side, other than that it appeared to be unlocked.
Eirian eyes the gate and then headed up to it, placing her hands underneath the bar, "Give us a hand..." She hisses at the other two.
Zaalek follows and then proceeds to help her with the bar.
Saris runs towards Zaleek and Eirian and helps them push the bar up.
After a few seconds of trying, they manage to lift the bar and set it aside, once free of the heavy iron bar, the door slides open, waiting on the other side were Urien, Amadea and Gaius.
Amadea, a little uncomfortable in the new armor, lowered his crossbow as he saw the ladies were unharmed. Then he saw the newcomer. "Who are you?"
Eirian shakes her head, "Don't worry, he's a friend of mine." She replies, keen to avoid any problems. She looks at Gaius, "Any trouble?"
Urien smiled as he walked through the gates and looked up to the manor house itself. "We're halfway there," he said quietly.
"No problems here" replied
Gaius with a dismissive gesture. "just some uncooperative guards. How about you Miss Eirian? And... what exactly was this friend of yours doing in Verholm's manor... can we trust him?"
Eirian threw a glance in Zaalek's direction and then shrugged, "A minor interuption, but we took care of it...As for Zaalek..? She paused, "I didn't really give him a chance to explain himself earlier.
He's Sayune's friend. He must have heard about the escape and come looking for us."
Urien coughed loudly, interrupting the conversation. "Very sorry, but we don't exactly have time to stand around chatting. There's a despot up in that building waiting for my blade," he said, pointing his sword at the manor.
"Good point," said
Amadea. "Shall we," he asked looking to Gaius.
"You know, Eirian we'll have to talk soon." said
Zaalek
Eirian shook her head, "But not now."
Urien was already making his way towards the manor, slowly creeping from tree to bush.
Gaius glared at Zaalek for a few seconds, he did not exactly enjoy his familiarity with Miss Eirian. "Very well then" he said reluctantly as he realized he had to turn the newcomer, his companions were already anxious and Urien had been particularly reckless by leaving alone. "Let's go" and with that he began walking towards the manor.
Amadea moved as quickly and silently as he could to catch up to Urien, the whole time keeping his eye on the mansion entrance.
Eirian set off after them, her bow drawn and ready.
Zaalek took a deep breath and followed.
Saris wrapped herself in her cloak and ran after the group.
Back to
Realms of Lemire
Urien Flametongue
Saris Asdar
Eirian Ain'sedth
Gaius Varro
Amadea Tor
Zaalek Kelner
Stumble!