March 2-3: The Old 19th and Events Thereafter

[Fulci]

Ballar Uh, fighter/assassin

I made a roll as well... if only I didn't, ahahahha
[1d100] = 99

[Mister-Kent]

Zaent
Within sight of the gates (slightly east of them) Zaent finds a well-obscured hiding spot within sight of the gates--a triangular alleyway where two neighboring buildings have collapsed against each other. The buildings remain whole, yet tilted, and provide a shady place to lurk.

Poe perches nearby, riffling his feathers. The plaintive "Huuuu-oo-ooo" fades as Zaent moves back towards the gate, and Poe caws in response. The moaning ceases.

Zaent sees the gates crawl open, and the Regent's Men march through, with the Penitents taking up position at the gate cranks. As the gates crawl open and the Penitents begin to close the doors, Zaent is following behind as planned, but suddenly there is a loud commotion…

"Defilers! Vandals! Dismantlers! Close this breech! Shutter these gates once more!" a wild-eyed older man yells after the soldiers.

Zachariah
The ranting prophet Zachariah Tar rushes past the Penitents and scrambles across the open square just inside the Old Nineteenth. The Captain does not turn to heed Zachariah's warnings--that is, until the two soldiers at the back of the formation realize that the soothsayer has entered the old ward.

"Captain! The old nutter's loose!" one soldier shouts, hand on the hilt of his sword. The Captain raises his hand to halt his men.

There are some decent hiding places nearby--the triangle-shaped alley is one to the east, or the toppled buildings that create the alley. There are many buildings of more dubious structural integrity.

Mathias
The Penitents nod as Mathias points, and the zealots spread out. However, as soon as the raving madman blusters past the gates, the leader of the little Penitent band throws up her hands. She pats Mathias and another shrouded follower on the shoulder, points at Zachariah with her left hand, and quickly snaps her fingers twice. Without hesitation, the other Penitent called to action chases after Zachariah.

Biblo, Ballar Uh, Morgan, Gul-Marach
One can follow a narrow alley along the ward's wall. Visibility along the wall extends for about a block on either side of the gates--the Penitents have a decent view all around.

Once the party heads east, as suggested by Biblo, they eventually reach a slight downward slope in the alley and a stack of crates. The pile creates partial cover, though without an illusion the party will be seen scaling the wall.

(Climbing rolls noted~ Thank you both! So Ballar Uh and Morgan climb, then Biblo gets hoisted, then Gul-Marach?)

[Enoch]

Mathias nods in reply and rushes through the gates, after the madman--after all, his goal was simply to ensure an unguarded section of wall for his compatriots to scale, and this will do just as well. Indeed, the pretext removes the requirement to scale it himself, or otherwise steal inside.

[Fulci]

(Climbing rolls noted~ Thank you both! So Ballar Uh and Morgan climb, then Biblo gets hoisted, then Gul-Marach?)

No. Ballar Uh and Morgan go first, as they have good climbing skills (and bad dice rolls...).
Gul-Marach has no climbing skills. So Ballar Uh throws back two ropes. Gul-Marach ties one to the concentrating Biblo,
and climbs up himself on the other rope.
Then Gul-Marach and Ballar Uh safely hoist up Biblo, without breaking the illusion.

[Mister-Kent]

Got it! I'll give a little time for input from Grog/Biblo, and then describe the climb. And hey, about half the party's inside already, so you're almost there!

[Marullus]

Gul-Marach trusts the illusion to conceal his action and focuses on hauling himself up the rope by feat of strength. He glances over to see the gate periodically as he goes, still concerned about the penitents and guards, and hastening himself as the guards pass inside... Worried they will get ahead too far.

[Inferno]

Zaent Darkhand, urban rogue:

Zaent paced the holy parade in parallel, following them one block to the east, and one block behind. It shouldn't be hard to tail such an outrageous procession in the dead, ruined ward.

With the librarian's familiar lurking about, he figured the party would know his movements.
When the crazy old man created a ruckus, Zaent slipped into a shadow to avoid detection until the commotion was over.

[jellyfish]

(Climbing rolls noted~ Thank you both! So Ballar Uh and Morgan climb, then Biblo gets hoisted, then Gul-Marach?)

No. Ballar Uh and Morgan go first, as they have good climbing skills (and bad dice rolls...).

Not so bad for me: rolled a 91 vs 92% for a 6th level thief (assuming no mods).

[Mister-Kent]

The climb for Morgan and Ballar Uh goes fairly well, save a few treacherous slips. As with Zaent's ascent, the stony surface of the wall provides some hold, but other sections easily flake off and clatter to the ground.

At the top of the wall, the full desolation of the Old Nineteenth is revealed. Large craters have opened up and swallowed entire blocks, and some buildings, if they remain whole, appear to be half-buried underground.

[Fulci]

Ballar Uh, fighter/assassin

Ballar Uh pulls himself up to the top of the wall and freezes - the panorama of the desolate quarter is breathtaking... The same way the city holds these warded areas enclosed in its very heart, Ballar Uh's mind & soul have certain areas which he has no access to. The majestic sight of the Old Nineteenth from a bird's eye view triggers something deep inside the hardened assassin. Forgetting about precautions, he steps up to the very edge of the wall. He stands there, oblivious to anything but the sheer, raw, maddening beauty of the barren landscape.

But man-made abominations as Ballar Uh are never meant to experience such joy. Redemption is unreachable. A split-second later Ballar Uh only sees the Ward for what it is: another wound on the wretched body of the world, ruins of mankind. Ballar Uh is to penetrate and explore this place, not to contemplate its real or imagined beauties...

He turns his back on the view and he is, once again, empty, void of emotions, ready to act and serve. He throws back two ropes as agreed, fixing them well on the top. He waits for Gul-Marach to climb up, then together they hoist up the Illusionist.

If a Strength test is required, here's my WHAT?! well, my 1d20 roll. The dice roller is not in my favor. I hope I'll get better results in exchange when sh*t hits the fan.
[1d20] = 19

[jellyfish]

Morgan/Thief

Morgan quickly and deftly hauls herself up next to Ballar Uh. Noting his quiet revelry and not wanting to disturb him, she carefully climbs down the other side and hides behind a building's collapsed wall. Taking stock of the situation, Morgan gives thought as to how best to find Zaent.

[Marullus]

Gul-Marach, Priest of Vorn

Gul-Marach hauls himself up the rope as expediently as he is able, trusting the illusion to conceal his indelicate and large proportions. Once to the top, he grunts once at the view, ignoring the panorama to focus his gaze on how far ahead the guards have thus far gotten.

He then turns to the ropes and assists Ballar Uh in hefting the chanting wizard.

Strength Roll [1d20] = 6

[Pulpatoon]

Zacharias Tar, footloose and fancy-free

The vagrant runs down the alley, arms akimbo, skinny legs pumping, picking his clumsy way through the litter and debris at speed. He has absolutely no plan other than to defy the Captain, and runs heedlessly through the twists and turns of the broken streets until he runs out of breath.

[Mister-Kent]

Gul-Marach and Ballar Uh, atop the wall
The soldiers are now some distance away, marching to the center of the ward. As they proceed, they seem to be walking down a slight slope. The soldiers seems to pay little regard to whatever "Penitent vs. Madman" antics occur behind them.

(I don't think Biblo has an appropriate illusion spell readied--would you like to change that Grognardsw, or just count on the distraction of the Penitents' to see you all through?)

Morgan, within the Old Nineteenth
Morgan slides down the last few feet of rope and lands at the bottom of the wall. As the lady thief touches the ground, she finds the soles of her boots slipping on a red-violet, wax-like substance. The material is pooled in a small pothole in the ground, and there is more of it streaked across the wall at Morgan's waist-level.

Zachariah, running wild (followed by Mathias)
The two Penitents (one being Mathias) sent by their matron rush after Zachariah and into the crooked streets. The first hooded pursuer lifts his veil for a better field of vision. He is bald with a slightly pointed ears and a milk-colored complexion. He nods to his fellow Penitent and points to Zachariah--who is beginning to run out of breath!

As Zachariah feels his heart hammer within his chest, the first Penitent catches up to him. With a fluid motion he draws a long, slim blade, holding it threateningly in Zachariah's direction. With his free hand he beckons for the wild prophet to return with him and his partner to the gate.

[Enoch]

Mathias, changeling (gnome) illusionist/assassin

Following close behind, his robes hitched up past his knees, the second Petitioner trips over a loose cobblestone in the long-abandoned road and crashes into the back of the first, just as he draws the blade.

[Pulpatoon]

Zacharias Tar, prophet-upon-knifepoint

The vagrant turns to his pursuers and opens his arms in greeting. Still panting from the exertion of running, he says, "Good men, to come hear my words among the wrack and jetsam of this city's foreboding tide! Listen to the visions cast into my weary eyes by the consuming Abyss! The broken wall! The crumbled mortar! The purloined bricks! The pall of doom that clings to us like blackened barnacles!"

[Mister-Kent]

Mathias and Zachariah
The blade-wielding mute stumbles forwards as his partner crashes into him. Knife still gripped firmly in hand, he comes dangerously near stabbing Zachariah in in the sternum before landing on his knees at the prophet's feet! He draws the knife away, however, and after regaining composure he staggers backwards, dagger at his side. In frustration he scowls at Zachariah, then at Mathias. He spits on the ground and throws up his hands, waving his free hand angrily at Zachariah, then gesturing for Mathias to return with him to the gate.

He begins walking back in a huff, pausing to see if Mathias follows. At the gate, the Penitent Matron and another mute are positioned at the gate wheels, prepared to close up the ward until the Captain's return.

Dex check, just to see if the Penitent keeps his blade and dignity:
[1d20] = 9

Zaent
Poe follows closely behind Zaent, hopping from perch to perch. Just as the brief commotion with the zealots and the madman ends, Poe leaps into the sky and begins to circle overhead.

As Zaent stoops in the shadows, the Captain's procession is getting quite distant. It looks as if they are walking downhill into a massive crater as they drop from view.

Gul-Marach, Biblo, and Ballar Uh
From atop the wall the group sees a little black shape spiral up above the broken buildings, circling an area a few hundred feet ahead. Biblo can plainly recognize his familiar, marking an important location.

(Morgan awaits you at the bottom of the wall. When the gang of four is gathered, what is the formation?)

[Fulci]

Ballar Uh, fighter/assassin

If Ballar Uh can see the red-violet substance, he tries to avoid it while descending (if possible). He wonders what that stuff is - is it anything he might have seen before? After reaching ground, he steps up next to Morgan and prepares his crossbow.

(Morgan awaits you at the bottom of the wall. When the gang of four is gathered, what is the formation?)

Gang of Four you say?

If Biblo informs them about the whereabouts of the familiar, Ballar Uh proposes to advance slowly and carefully in that direction, in a loose skirmishing formation, checking the surroundings often.

[Marullus]

Gul-Marach is willing to take point, or follow. His first concern is the location and direction of the guards. With reassurance that they are being followed, he can be convinced to see what the bird has found.

[Inferno]

Zaent Darkhand, elvish rogue:

Zaent raced toward the crater, now that the procession couldn't see him. He scanned the ruined terrain for his company.