[ES] The Staff of Thunderbolts

[Kip]

Fort Fellhammer isn't difficult to find, lying not too far from the main road to Dawnstar. Giren, having slipped out on his own during the scuffle of words, is the first to arrive. His quick survey of the structure shows it in an advanced state of decay, with bricks tumbling out of the walls like acorns from an autumn oak. At least one part of the wall has collapsed in on itself, but both the gap and the gate have makeshift palisades guarding the entrances. The disrepair of the building has suited Magnus Grim-Foot's men just fine - the structure is too broken to be worthy of attention from the Legion or the Stormcloaks, but provides more defense than the typical dug-out or co-opted cave.

Giren can see bustling activity within the walls - he counts at least 5 men patrolling the walls themselves, and maybe 10 or 20 more inside the courtyard, sitting around a large bonfire - it's hard to attain an accurate count, because the bandits enter and exit the garrison freely to escape the cold. As he finishes his scouting, the rest of the Nightgate patrons arrive, first in a relatively large group, and then any stragglers who either took longer to make up their minds, or simply preferred their own company for the march to war.

[jacb547]

Rangald's hands formed into fist and was about to spat out a reply but decided against it when the lizard fled into the wind, cursing it's pride he followed his companions. Ragnald had seen the old fort in one of his wanderings, never had been inside or close since it looked as uncomfortable as it was now, when the elf who had been there before joined he asked "Did you manage to see anything?"

[Agamemnon]

Faolan decides to scout out the fort, first looking for a river or other water outlet next to the fort, and then for the sewer grate he is sure is there. "There must be a sewer somewhere on this fort..."

[Kip]

It doesn't take him long to conclude that if there ever were plumbing to this border fort, it would have long since collapsed just like the cracked masonry of the walls; however, his scouting trip is forced to an abrupt end when one of the sentries on the wall shouts "Who goes there?"

"Must be my imagination," he mutters after some time.

[Dan the Man]

Giren takes up a position at the base of a tower and sits in silence, surveying the situation. A firebolt glows in each hand.

"Let's hope you taught me well enough, father."

[Agamemnon]

Faolan gets an idea. "If the plumbing system has collapsed due to the dilapidated state of the fort, then perhaps the stonework is bad enough I could climb it." First, Faolan hides, watching for the torches of sentries. After a few patrols have passed, he then gets to work trying to find a place he can climb up the wall. Before he begins climbing, though, he spots the Bosmer and motions for her to join him in his attempt, intending to explain his plan.

[jacb547]

Ragnald is midly anooyed by the elf not sharing his findings with them but decides to creep closer to the wall, staying out of arrow reach.

[Watercress]

De'Kothre follows the others in silently approaching the fort, avoiding the range of arrows or the vision of the enemy.

[Xion]

Falicia, having arrived after the rest of the 'adventurers' after listening to the rantings of the mage and failing to get any information from him. She notices a nearby hill with some large pine trees and slowly moves towards one to observe the fortress inhabitants for any weaknesses before deciding on a course of action.

[Kip]

She observes the same weakness spotted by Giren - namely a crumbled section of wall in addition to the main gate. The coverage of the bandit patrols is fairly comprehensive. She spots the Reachman approaching the walls in order to climb them, and the Dark Elf braced beneath one of the towers. The rest of the adventurers are currently hanging back.



OOC: I'll wait for a few more initial moves before resolving anything. Movement rules are a little fuzzy at the moment, particularly because I'm omitting the "game board" (a simple Excel grid designed by Aggy). For now, I'll treat movement as we typically do in Character IHs: your movement distances will be generally ballparked and RPed, and motion means inaccuracy to ranged attacks.

[jacb547]

Ragnald stops dead on his track as soon as he gets a good view of the walls, laying onto the ground in order to avoid being spotted he looks at the fort to see how many were standing sentry and their position.

[Gone 2 the Celts]

"Hmm, these adventurers are all attempting to be stealthy. Perhaps the best form of stealth is no stealth..." The Argonian thought to himself

"Oi, bandits!" He shouted "Cm'ere without your weapons or else I'll chop your balls off!"

[Pericles of Athens]

Stupid Lizard man! Ulf thinks bitterly, when the Argonian attracts attention to their collective position. Ulf swallows his pride, ignoring the voice in his head which incessantly screeched Announce yourself! Fight them! Face them now!, and attempts to distance himself from the lizard's ruckus and approach the fort attempting to find another avenue for assault. Though his body type and skill set leave him at a distinct disadvantage in his attempt at a stealth assault he knows that this was the only way they could take on this many bandits.

[Barry Goldwater]

Well, isn't that convenient. And I can just thank them for their heroic sacrifices...at their graves. For now...Taking advantage of the distraction created by the Argonian and the big Nord, Claude begins to quietly follow the Khajiit and the smaller Nord in approaching the fort, hands balled up into fists & ready to send ice spikes flying into any bandit too vigilant for his own good at a moment's notice.

[Kip]

The Argonian awakens every creature in the woods with the intensity of his taunt. The sentries quickly draw arrows and trot towards the front gate. "Someone approaches! To arms!"

The Nightgate patrons can hear the vibrant rustling of swords drawn from sheaths echo from the courtyard, the two entryways are quickly choked with angry, hide-clad bodies. "Move along, scaleback! We'll make dinner of you if you-" "Hey!" interrupts another sentry. "They're trying to sneak in!"

It seems the Nord and Reachman have proven just a little too clumsy to move unnoticed despite their best attempts, and have drawn attention to their advances on the walls. The sentries, in a panic, abort any further attempts to taunt the Argonian, and begin loosing arrows at the three patrons they have accounted for so far.

[5 shots, 2 hits]
[1-2 = Silent-like-Shadows (1 hit), 3-4 = Ulf (1 hit), 5-6 = Faolan]
[Ulf suffers 1 Wound]

Their presence revealed, the adventurers return a volley of arrows and spells against the sentries.

[5 shots, 3 hits]
[2 sentries dead]

One of the sentries is pierced clean through by an ice spike flung by the Breton mage, while another falls with a Nord arrow through his gullet. The three remaining archers all retreat from the walls - despite one arrow flying true, the sight of a heart blown clear from a ribcage by magical ice is enough for them to abandon their posts.

The bandits crowding the gates are calling taunts of their own, and it appears as though they are preparing to sally forth and confront their attackers directly...

12x Bandits remaning (6 in main gate, 6 in breach)
Ulf: 1 Wound remaining

OOC:

If a character were to "fall" in battle, they'll be rolled on an injury table. No death yet, as we need as many of you alive for testing as possible

[Xion]

Falicia remains hidden behind a tree, cursing the idiotic actions of the lizard and the larger Nord, waiting to snipe a bandit if the chance appears.

[Pericles of Athens]

Ulf screams as the arrow pierces his gut, "By the beard of Talos!" a cry of pain mixed with wrath. He grabs the cheap arrow shaft, on instinct, and removes it from his torso in a single rough pulling motion, though this might not have been the best of ideas as a surge of blood followed the arrow out of his body and a stream of the dark red liquid began to stream down his side. Run! a voice in his head cries another, the one from before, responds, No! Stand and fight! Your a fool of a Nord! Says the coward! The two disembodied voices continue their banter until Ulf cuts them off, Silence! Silence! Silence! Let me think! as he darts away from the wall and toward cover attempting to wrestle back control of his mind.

[Dan the Man]

"Azura preserve us from the stupidity of Argonians..."

Giren lets a few firebolts fly in the direction of the bandits at the gate while remaining behind cover at the tower.

[jacb547]

ing lizard! Ragnald cursed the Argonian and his fellow nord as they attracked the bandits. He nocked an arrow and let it fly, it went true and the sentry was dead before he hit the floor. Further cursing those loud bastards and shot the closest bandit.

[Dan the Man]

ing lizard! Ragnald cursed the Argonian and his fellow nord as they attracked the bandits. He nocked an arrow and let it fly, it went true and the sentry was dead before he hit the floor. Further cursing those loud bastards and shot the closest bandit.

OOC: Best to let Kip decide if the arrow hits its mark or not. We call this god-modding.