[Game Thread] VI. Trouble in Lehman's Hollow

[mountainbound]

Though McNosky was momentarily dazed, he was enough of a warrior to keep his defenses sharp. The captain's ornate longsword whips this way and that, deflecting Silas's advances.

After a moment, he snaps out of the magical fog Dan had placed him under, and catches just the end of Dan's little tirade. "Shut your mouth Fanny Danny," he snarls, using a childhood nickname that everyone knew Dan hated. "Once I'm through with Silas, I'm going to personally break your fingers so you never cast another stupid spell again."

He feigns in Dan's direction and then makes a rush in the opposite direction, clattering Silas's rapier aside and slicing deep into the ranger's calf. Blood immediately begins spilling down Sy's leg and into his boot.

Enraged and totally untrained in combat, Dan takes a wild swing at McNosky. Unfortunately his staff catches on the low ceiling and the wizard manages to crack himself in the face.

McNosky, hearing Dan curse and seeing Silas wince from the nasty cut, smiles arrogantly. "Did you two boys really think you could break into a prison?" But if nothing else, Dan succeeds in positioning himself near the door and opposite Silas, making it hard for McNosky to keep both his enemies in sight.

DM's Note "Captain" McNosky: AC 17 15 -- He is now Flanked, wounded for 20hp; currently attacking Silas in melee. Dan: Critical fumble -- 2hp damage self-inflicted Silas: 9hp damage

[Krimchee]

Silas grinned at McNosky's threat, baring his teeth. He found himself liking the man less and less. Silas evened his stance, bouncing on his toes as he looked for the right moment to attack. Silas watched the man's eyes as McNosky looked back and forth between Silas and Dan. Silas wanted to wipe the arrogant grin right off his face. The rapier balanced easily in Silas' hand. It felt like an extension of him. Silas feinted a few times, trying to bait McNosky, and moving so the man had to take his eyes off of him if he was going to keep Dan in sight as well. When McNosky next risked a look at Dan, Silas sprung, his rapier sparkling as he thrust the deadly point viciously at McNosky.

Attack Attack Dice Roll: 1d20+11 (11)+11 Total = 22 Damage Dice Roll: 1d6+4 (5)+4 Total = 9

[mountainbound]

Confident though he was, McNosky is unable to keep both Dan and Silas in his vision, and Silas takes advantage of the first opportunity to strike. The ranger's rapier skewers deep into the captain's side causing a sudden cough of blood as he staggers backward. He steadies himself against the body of his dead companion, still bleeding from the arrow in his chest.

Then it's Dan's turn to seize his opportunity. Shouting an arcane word, a bolt of white races from his fingers, knocking McNosky against the dead card-player and freezing them together.

Suffering from a loss of blood and the terrible cold from Dan's spell, the captain loses consciousness. As his head droops, his ornate sword clatters to the floor.

"Is he dead?" Dan asks, moving toward the captain and putting his hand on his neck. He answers his own question. "No, but it looks like the other two are. We're totally screwed if we get caught now. I mean, we are deadmen Sy."

With shaking hands, Dan takes a length of rope from his pack and the pair spends a minute tying McNosky up before the thin coating of ice melts away or he regains consciousness.

"Where's the mayor?" Neither knew the answer to that, but both knew you had to go on.

Beyond the fallen men there is a wooden door -- the same one that McNosky entered through. Gingerly, Silas eases it open and finds a dank hallway lined on either side with bars. The prison! It's impossible to see inside the cells as the only torch in the jail area is at the far end of the hall, illuminating a stone stair that goes up.

With murder hanging over your heads and the possibility of more guards coming down those stairs at any moment, you struggle to concentrate on the task at hand. As you eyes adjust to the near-darkness of the creepy jail area, voices begin to croak from the darkness.

"Psst, hey did you boys take out those guards?"
"You here to rescue me?"
"I'm innocent, I swear it!"
"Down with the ratmen, let me out and I'll kill every one of 'em!"

DM's Note McNosky has been subdued. Feel free to search him or take other actions in addition to what's described. You can't see the faces of the men in the cells.

[Krimchee]

After tying up McNosky, Silas quickly began searching searching the unconscious man with shaking hands, looking for anything important, particularly keys. "Search the others," he said to Dan, hoping his voice sounded more confident than he felt.

The "ratmen" disturbed him deeply, more even than nearly killing a childhood menace named McNosky. He silently reminded himself that McNosky WAS in league with these ratmen, and part of whatever evil seemed to be taking over their town. He also told himself that they had a mission to do, one they were charged with by GOOD people. He thought of his and Dan's families, and why they were here.

"Dan, let's try to get some of these prisoners out of here. See if any of them know where Munley might be."

Perception Check Perception check Dice Roll: 1d20+11 (14)+11 Total = 25

[mountainbound]

It's an odd thing to go through the pockets of another man. Silas grits his teeth, awkwardly rummaging about and finds a few coins, a potion, and perhaps most importantly, a ring of keys. There is also a very impressive looking sword lying next to McNosky, with Silas's own blood darkening the blade.

Dan, having finished searching the two card players, tosses Silas a bag of coins. Catching where Silas was glancing, the wizard says, "Heh, that's a mighty fine blade for a punk like him. Magical too, if my eyes don't deceive me." He cocks an eyebrow at his friend.

In the dark hallway outside the room, men groan and whisper and beg to be let free. So when Silas begins jingling the keys outside their cells, every prisoner who's able to stand is suddenly at the bars. "Hell yeah" "That's it fellas, put that nice fat key right in my slot," "Ooo, do mine first!" and other shouts.

"Er... Sy," Dan whispers, "maybe some of these yahoos deserve to be behind bars."

One of the men recognizes the two boys, "Silas, Dan?" He strides forward and you can make out a bald pate and piercing eyes. "It's me, Mike Cortezar. You remember me, don't you? If you're looking for the Mayor, he's here with me."

After a brief exchange, the boys open up Mike's cell and see a form huddled in the corner. The mayor is asleep, head bloody as though he's still recovering from a beating. Mike says, "He's been out cold for a day. He might have died down here. I can carry him, but how are we going to get out of here?"

DM's Note You'll need to decide if you're freeing others, and how to escape the prison. McNosky's belongings 35sp 38gp 1 Potion: Your choice, pick any potion costing 300gp or less Keys Ornate longsword, properties unknown Dagger The other guards each have 20gp and two daggers each.

[Krimchee]

Hearing Dan's words, Silas looked again at the sword. Eff it, he thought and picked it up. He also took the money. He figured they'd need it. And since it was more or less, to his mind anyways, ill gotten since it involved the rat men, he told himself it wasn't quite the same as stealing (though a voice in the back of his mind told him he knew bloody well it was too stealing). Silas gave one of the daggers to Mike. "Here, you might need this."

"Dan, grab the potion." Silas looked at the jail...Dan could be right that some of them maybe should be there. It still didn't feel right to leave them in the care of these rat finks. Plus, Silas and Dan could benefit from a bit of a diversion to buy them time to get out. Silas tossed the keys to one of the least dangerous looking individuals. "Let out whoever you think doesn't deserve to be here," he said to the man.

"Dan, let's get the hell out of this bloody place. Is there any reason not to go out the way we came in?"

[mountainbound]

"No problem that I can see, provided that stone opens up in two directions," Dan says as he stows his new potion in his cloak pocket.

There are some hoots and hollers the keys are handed over to one of the incarcerated men. "Will do," the man says, quickly unlocking his own cell. He moves across the hall and begins to open up the other doors.

"Where you kids going?" one of the prisoners calls out. But neither Silas or Dan has time to answer questions. Instead, they backtrack into the guardroom, stepping over McNosky and the dead guards. With Mike carrying McNulty the mayor, Silas leads the way toward the dank corridor where they slew the ratman, and Dan lifts his staff to provide light again. There's a scuffling and sounds of voices behind them -- a small band of prisoners are following behind. Which way the others went is unclear.

Silas reaches the slimy ladder and climbs back up, pushing the stone aside.

Peering out, he sees nothing in the alley behind the courthouse and begins helping Mike to lift the mayor's limp form up and onto the paving stones. Dan is next. As the first prisoner pops his head from the opening, a loud clang rings out from overhead. The prison bell!

"Looks like the jig is up," Dan says. "We gotta get back into Leyman's Hollow as fast as we can."

Not waiting for the half dozen other prisoners to get out of the secret passage, the boys break for the road. As luck would have it, the guards standing outside must have been called inside to deal with the escaped prisoners, and the coast was clear.

But people were roused and lights were going on in windows all over the village, as the cruel bell clangs on in the darkness. In moments, all of the escaped prisoners have disappeared down various streets and alleyways, leaving the small group on its own as it approaches the bridge gate.

There was at least one guard on duty when you crossed with Joey's help a few hours back. As you approach the gate, you see three more soldiers standing guard to prevent anyone from getting out of Olyphant. They are standing, yet they're hunched over oddly, hoods over their faces and seem to be sniffing the air.

Still in the shadows of a street corner about 80' from the gate, the group stops. Dan whispers, "OK, no surprise, the bridge gate is closed. How do we get out of here?"

[Krimchee]

Silas cursed at seeing the gate closed. He just knew that it couldn't be that easy. Silas furiously looked for a way around. He didn't like the look of those sniffing guards. He felt pretty sure he knew what that meant. The fight underground with the rat finks was still fresh in his mind, after all. Despite his own loathing for the creatures and what they'd been doing to his hometown, he was still in no hurry for another fight.

"The Yackawanna's not that deep," he said. "Maybe we should go down river street a ways and cross downstream where the bridge guards can't see us? I'm not that keen for another fight with those....things." He certainly didn't want to catch whatever it was that afflicted them. "I'm open to other suggestions".

Perception Check Perception C heck Dice Roll: 1d20+11 (5)+11 Total = 16

[mountainbound]

Dan scratches the stubble on his chin nervously. There were footsteps behind them in the dark alleys of Olyphant, and the alarm bell kept on clanging. Time was short.

"I dunno Sy," the young wizard says. "The wall around Olyphant is pretty solid. Maybe you and I might be able to get over or under it, but..." he trails off, looking at Mike and the mayor. McNulty was still unconscious, and would be a huge burden no matter what they attempted.

Then Mike pipes in, "I don't think we can cross the river with him like this. Not in the darkness at least. Everybody says you two are adventurers or something. Can you take those guards?"

Dan shrugs. "I've been working on a spell that puts people to sleep. Might be risky, since there's four of them, but if we can get across the bridge here it means we save a whole lot of time and avoid other dangers we don't know about out there," he motions toward the darkness of the village.

DM's Note I prolly should have been clear that there's a wall around each town. Not super high or strong, but enough to keep the basic variety of fantasy world creature out of the village.