At the moment Zork is unsure what to do, he remains in the ready to send grizzly as well as ride but for now he counsels Yarrow reluctantly to get up on his horse instead.
The front gate swings on a hinge and can be barred, but currently stands open, its bar on the ground inside. The wooden portcullis has ropes tied to its base which rise to a pulley wheel mounted on the palisade, then descend to two thick pegs in the ground. By the west peg stands a man leaning on the wall with his mouth agape and staring straight ahead. The third door is open, a heavy old door frame holding its two parts up, the east door has a rusty lock.
The man in the shade you noticed before is a serious-looking grey-haired man with stubble on his chin and wearing well-kept chainmail. He ascends the staircase to Archival's left. The stairs creak as his hurried footsteps clack against the wood floorboards and you can assume he reaches the northeast watchtower.
"Norry!" Archival hears a gruff and commanding tone. "You keep hauling the body in. Jex! You go down the path and around our hill and see what all the screaming is about. Go now! Double time!"
Out of Character: As for running into you with invisibility, looks like you came across the same forum post as me. Let's treat it as an Overrun combat maneuver, where you can choose to step aside (Or not! In which case they just stop and bump into you, feeling your presence). When we enter combat, I'll get you to roll Stealth with every move, but not for standing still.
Good point on the summoning, the class seems more overpowered now. I wonder if the first summoned creature would know who is an opponent? It can't see or hear its master and there's no battle going on…
Map is up, black areas are unrevealed. I can't believe I spent so much time, and ruined it with crappy bandit tokens. I wish I was allowed to use the images from the book.
I peer at the man that is speaking with authority. Is this the individual Kesten spoke of - the deserter he wants captured alive? Or could it be the angry looking grey haired man Burke and Piter had mentioned they took the armor from? Does the man have a Varisian olive complexion?
I move to the east, using the barrels to guard my flanks, my back against the fort wall (6 squares right, 1 up - if able). Once there, I begin by summoning Small Earth Elementals to charge the man by the west peg.
Out of Character: This class is rather limited, but it's certainly good at what it does. I can see why people call it a solid tier 2 class. Summon Monster states "It appears where you designate and acts immediately, on your turn. It attacks your opponents to the best of its ability. If you can communicate with the creature, you can direct it not to attack, to attack particular enemies, or to perform other actions." Which is why I summon them near the target I want them to focus first. Whom they attack next is up to you if I can't speak with them (Soon!). That being said, it's magic - we don't need to nuke it As is, I'm taking story feats instead of feats to make the character stronger.
Small Earth Elemental
AC 17, touch 10, flat-footed 17 (-1 DX, +7 natural, +1 size)
HP 17, Fort +4, Ref -1, Will +4, Immune elemental traits (Immune to bleed, paralysis, poison, sleep, stunning, critical hits, flanking, precision-based attacks like sneak attack
Improved Bull Rush, Power Attack (-1 attack, +3 damage - not added into listed stats)
Speed 20 ft., burrow 20 ft., earth glide
Melee slam +8 (1d6+7)
Earth Mastery (+1 attack and damage if both it and foe are touching the ground - not added into listed stats)
ST 20, DX 8, CN 17, IQ 4, WS 11, CH 11
BAB +2, CMB +6, CMD 15
Senses: darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 60 ft.; Perception +4
My creatures will always charge and power attack if able. This brings their Attack to +10, Damage to 1d6+11, and their AC to 15 (If Charging). If not charging, their attack is +8, damage 1d6+11, and AC 17.
In Character: Zork, still observing, waits for a signal or resolve as to what to do in exact terms instead of acting and messing up everything. He does focus on the men at the fort and what they are doing.
Out of Character: Sorry, I meant east. How do I keep screwing up cardinal directions? The image is correct.
The man shouting had a whiter complexion, but, considering his hair, might be the one Burke and Piter spoke of. Only they could confirm for sure.
In Character: Moving into position, Archival summons two elementals, flanking the completely surprised bandit. The first pummels him in the stomach and the second follows up with a blow to the back of the head. The bandit lurches forward with a sickening crack and falls limp on the ground, blood seeping from the orifices on his face.
"What the hell?" the voice speaks from above as the grey haired man pokes a head out from the watchtower above, spotting one of the elementals. "Jex! Norry! Get back here!" The two bandits drop what they're doing and begin to turn back. An elemental sees the man, speaks in Terran and both begin to move towards the staircase.
Everybody can hear the sound of combat starting; your signal to move.
Out of Character: Everybody roll initiative! It takes three full-round actions to Run for both the mounted or dismounted party to reach the entrance. So I'm sorry to say but I won't be taking combat rolls yet unless you're shooting into the watchtowers, which have cover.
Theaton stops trying to sneak and moves to run into the fort. HE tells White Fang to go and get in the fort to attack bad people. He will stop and shoot at Jex and Norry if he can see them and have a clear shot. (Combat rolls already made earlier.).
Zork will ride fast and shoot arrows into the tower since he has nothing else to do until he gets to where the combat is happening. He sends Grizzly ahead as well.
Out of Character: I realize there will be some modifiers to this action, please adjust accordingly, thank you.