(023) Breakfast at Saxxon's

Post by **waysoftheearth** » Sat May 21, 2011 11:28 am

waysoftheearth wrote:
Gustave has tied his silk rope to the rear gate portcullis and about his own waist, and now attempts to scamper across the rickety "bridge". It is a looooong way down, but (1d6=4) he moves quickly and confidently, reaching the other side safely.

His rope is unfortunately 20ft short of reaching the opposite portcullis (which is closed), so Gustave makes do with leaving the rope about his own waist and positions himself stoutly behind a stone column that was once a pillar of the collapsed bridge.

With the great thumping of Giant feet now shaking the very foundations of the gate house, the remainder of the company move across the bridge as swiftly as they dare...

Post by **waysoftheearth** » Sat May 21, 2011 11:33 am

waysoftheearth wrote:
(1d6s) Ulric=4, Mads=3, Highbough=4, Desmond=3, Wibert=3 and Pelenwin=5 all make it hastily across the ramshackle bridge, but as Koch is dubiously approaching the middle section there comes an ear-splitting roar that shakes dust from the air.

A moment later, as ears begin to hear again, there is an thunderous crack from the gatehouse, and all look about just in time to see the top section of the front battlement explode in an impossible shower of great rocks and stones, tumbling and clattering down like childrens' toys. The entire gate house trembles under the impact, and the bridge shakes violently -- several timbers collapsing into the ravine as Koch (1d6=2) looses his footing half way across and slips!

He faaaaaaaaaaaaaalls!

Post by **waysoftheearth** » Sat May 21, 2011 11:38 am

waysoftheearth wrote:
(1d20=17!)

At the last possible instant Koch lashes out with a desperate fist and clamps his fingers onto a lone plank of the timber bridge... and is left dangling over the center of the ravine by one strong hand!

Andaros (already with his first foot on the bridge), Boris, Victor, Olaf and Dieter look on in awe... they are all still on the threatened side of the ravine.

They are all aware of the Giant's footfalls breaking into a run dangerously nearby. The monster must be almost on top of them!

Post by **waysoftheearth** » Sat May 21, 2011 1:05 pm

ehiker133 wrote:
In a desperate attempt to do anything he can to distract the enemy, Desmond pulls out his silver whistle and blows a long steady (and silent) note. If he hears any indication (yowling wolves or a giant bellow) it is having an effect on anything on the other side of the ravine, he'll continue blowing it.

Post by **waysoftheearth** » Sat May 21, 2011 2:35 pm

mushgnome wrote:
Highbough scouts forward a short distance to plan the party's next step... is there an obvious entrance to this gatehouse? Any other paths/stairs?

Post by **waysoftheearth** » Sat May 21, 2011 5:20 pm

coffee wrote:
Any chance of a quick map? I have a plan, but need to see something...

Post by **waysoftheearth** » Sat May 21, 2011 10:43 pm

tonneau wrote:
"Pelenwin!", grunts Gustave, "give me a hand with this eh?", grinning (or is it grimmacing) wildly as the partial weight of Koch pulls the rope taught, causing his feet to skid slowly toward broken edge of the bridge.

Looking across the gap, his eyes widen further and both brows shoot up (though aesthetically so) at the sight of the enormous (and very poorly attired) entity now looming in the keep.

"Some haste, gentlemen!", he yells at those still stranded on the far side (as if they were unaware of the need).

"I do hope the Duke was picky with his ropes", he mutters under his breath, bracing himself for a heavy load and making a mental note of the location of his dagger should its use be required.

Post by **waysoftheearth** » Sun May 22, 2011 11:27 am

waysoftheearth wrote:

ehiker133 wrote:In a desperate attempt to do anything he can to distract the enemy, Desmond pulls out his silver whistle and blows a long steady (and silent) note. If he hears any indication (yowling wolves or a giant bellow) it is having an effect on anything on the other side of the ravine, he'll continue blowing it.

Desmond blows upon his whistle -- but no sound issues forth! It is impossible to tell what effect it is having, since the enemy are all concealed beyond the structure of the gate house... but this will surely change any moment now...

Post by **waysoftheearth** » Sun May 22, 2011 11:30 am

waysoftheearth wrote:

mushgnome wrote:Highbough scouts forward a short distance to plan the party's next step... is there an obvious entrance to this gatehouse? Any other paths/stairs?

The Ogres' Keep is a mirror image of Saxxon's keep, except that it is -- if anything -- in an even worse state of disrepair.

The only direct way into the Ogres' Keep from the bridge is through the gate arch, but the rusty old portcullis is lowered -- and looks as though it hasn't moved in ages.

There is no space to creep around the side, since the keep itself is perched right on the very edge of the precipice. The only other option appears to be to climb over the crumbling walls.

Post by **waysoftheearth** » Sun May 22, 2011 11:32 am

waysoftheearth wrote:

coffee wrote:Any chance of a quick map? I have a plan, but need to see something...

`S`````/`````````xX``````|x`````
E+W``/```````````x/`````/```````
`N`/`````````````| `R``|```xxX``
``/`````````````X| ```/`Xx``````
``````Saxxon's`xx `A`/``````````
````````keep```/ ```/``````````/
``````````+==+/ `V`+==+`````--/`
``````,---)..2=====1..(----/````
`````4``3`+==+ ``I`+==+`````````
```/4`4```````\````\`Ogres'`````
``/````````````\`N``|`keep``````
``````````````X|````\```````````
`/road````````x/``E``\x`````````
/```````````xX|``````|`xX```````
```````````xXx/``````\``xxX`````

1 : Gustave and Co (on the "safe" side of the bridge).
2 : Dieter and Co (on the "unsafe" side of the bridge).
3 : Supposed position of the Giant
4 : Supposed position of the hobgoblin troops.