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"Crap. I expected more from that spell," Deliah grouses to herself quietly.

She calls across, more firmly. "Now, now! We can all be friends*, here. I'd hate to see harm come to you from some misunderstanding. We were sent by Varas the Perspicacious. We have his business within, if you open the gate to allow passage, then we shan't have to kill you, and you earn his ire. Have your men stand down, and let us open the gate, hmmm? There are worse things inside that you can let us face, and which you'd not wish to face with your forces thinned, I imagine."

* In goblin, this is better translated as "allies in profit."

(sorry, forgot to link the saving throw)

Enemy saving throw [1d20] = 19

The voice retorts: "I've never heard of this Varas fellow. Is he one of Viscarg's men? We got word that the hobbo had been routed and killed--you'll find no shelter here!"

Frent reports that the footsteps are now quite close.

She huffs in frustration, blowing her hair out of her face and turning to whisper to Varas. "So much for the nice way... Perhaps our negotiations get more aggressive?" she asks him, pulling and preparing a flask of oil that she can light and throw. "Perhaps we pour oil at the doorway, and lob some across as well."

Varas nods and points towards the door. "Go ahead" he whispers, "here's my torch; you can throw it at the oil when our enemies enter."

He motions for the others to stand back from the doorway as he draws his longbow, ready to fire at anyone who enters. If possible, he also stands out of the path of missile fire that may come from the other side of the portcullis.

If it's obviously an enemy, he will fire.
Anyone want to give initiative a shot first?

Deliah pours oil along the door entrance to trap those entering, and stands off to the side with a torch.

Initiaitve [1d6] = 3

The hurried bootsteps grow louder outside, then suddenly they are replaced with a muffled cry and begin to recede. Frent listens, puzzled. "Something spooked them. Maybe the fire?"

Odium retrieves his scroll of sleep and waits cautiously behind the others. He shows genuine confusion when the sounds of the goblins recede into the distance.

'Very peculiar.' After a long wait, if nothing comes through the door, he slowly moves up to the side of the oil-soaked doorway and listens; if he hears no sound, he pulls/nudges it open, leaving ample room for those armed with ranged weapons to shoot through while he hides off to the side.

If Dorvar hears sounds of combat from inside, he will ready his crossbow and keep a wary eye open for any activity (or threat) from inside. If he does not hear anything, his attention will remain outward, looking for anyone approaching from afar.

Odium puts his ear to the door and hears a faint but indistinct sound. (Do you want to spend a full turn doing a Listen at Doors check?)

No need for now.

Odium stands back from the door and spilt oil, his scroll of sleep ready.

'You might as well come in', he says in Orcish. 'We know you're out there, and I'm sure we could both do with some help against those filthy goblins.'

Odium steps back from the door and invites the newcomer in, his spell in hand. After a long moment, he hears a reluctant or fumbling movement at the door and the handle begins to slowly twist...and then the latch slides back into place, the door unopened. There is a long pause, and then another effort at the door. The handle twists a quarter-turn, and then slips back into place. After another long pause, the party hears a faint rasping sound as something begins to scrape at the far side of the door.

Deliah looks uneasy but remains silent, standing ready with the torch in case Odium's friendship gambit goes as poorly as her own.

Dread creeps into Varas' voice. "I didn't fancy fighting a bunch of orcs. I fancy even less fighting whatever it was on the other side of the door that scared 'em off."

He remains back from the door, bow drawn.

The scratching sound is insistent but does not appear likely to make its way through the door, nor does whatever is on the other side seem capable of opening the handle.

Under those circumstances, ball's in your court.

Varas motions with his eyes towards the door, encouraging someone to open it so he can fire at it with his bow.

Deliah stands to the side, ready to torch the oil, asking Frent to pull the door open.

Odium doesn't bother waiting. He swings the door open and dives back out of the way.