Out and about

Castellan Castle leaves the tower more often lately and speaks with his soldiers, he looks tierd and mumbles something about bloody paperwork when he feels unwatched. He participates on the most sermons and even attemps to speak with the clergy, but usually leaves after some sentences and returns to his office.

Audrey speaks with the Castellan whenever she sees him, offering him soft words of encouragement and respect. She makes it a point to make him feel comfortable with her so he can speak on any topic he needs.

The castellan looks skeptical whenever Audrey approaches him but after some days he relaxes in her presence but doesn't share his thoughts with her. Contrary to his usually habits he goes out on patrols now and makes his round to Foxridge and the Fire Ant Hill before he returns to Shadowdale. Usually he is escorted by one or two soldiers.

Should Castle travel to the woods at night he might get the feeling that he was being watched by something in the darkness, a very dark an ominous feeling, but just that, a feeling nothing more.

If the Castellan walks along the road in Fox Ridge he might sometimes notice an air elemental not far away from the road. It doesn't move much, only changing its position from time to time.
If the Castellan has the true sight spell he might notice an armored and hooded man (in the etheral plane) next to the air elemental watching him and sometimes scanning the surroundings having the true sight spell himself and wondering if there are more guards around just unseen.

During one of the Castellan's trips to towards the ant hills, something clicks and a tangle trap springs. The bushes rustle and a five-man army immediately surrounds the Zhentarim patrol. A hooded man in heavy armor, dwarf with a longsword, elven bladesinger, Uthgardt barbarian and... you'd swear there was a fifth guy with them...

As the Castellan is patrolling, newly minted Commander Anteos patrols the battlements and begins inspections of the cities defenses. He pays little mind to the Castellan's abscence, himself thinking the man a fool.

Some other guy who patrols that place real regularly would probably find the five man army, and make it six.

Valtore stands where he was told to and hunkers down to hide in the tall grass. The sneaker gives him some helpfull pointers as to be out of sight. He waits within sight of the Barbairan knowing only to follow his lead...

When the huge man moves Valtore quickly draws his sword with a silent prayor to Dugmaren and Torm the True for victory in the coming battle. He yells out "TORM" as he moves forward with the others..their fate unknown but soon there will be BATTLE & BLOOD!

The elemental and the armored grey man who appears out of nowhere for those who didn't see him are part of the five man army. Resting the bane blade Morvian on his shoulder he stands there and lets someone else do the talking part for now if there is any. Else he just waits, ready to counter the first move of the enemy.

"Wha' was tha' Valtore? Oh bloody Hells, yer mean those Zhents righ'?"

Tohrm then proceeds to join in any mash up, giving mercy to any Zhent that surrendered or dropped their weapon. If they did surrender, he would make sure they didn't go anywhere, until he could figure out what he'd stumbled up on.

For Valtore there is no talking and the only mercy is a quick death for those who have chosen to follow the dark path of Bane. The time for talk and comprimeses is long past. If the others pause he does not. The only answer for the evils that they have done in Shadowdale and the lands around is death...

He stalks forward his ancient blade humming with focused power as he slowly closes the gap...

*The barbarian eyes the Zhents, then then numbers of his allies. *

"You Zhents have grown a pair of solid ones, eh? A bit too solid for your own good."

*The barbarian looks over the battlefield briefly - scouting for any hidden threats with true sight*

"Seems like you're outnumbered. And I have yet to see a Zhent who fights without the numbers on his side. So why don't we cut right to the end where you drop your weapons and cloaks?"

*However relaxed the barbarian sounds, his bodylanguage says something else. His shield held high, axe held low. He eyes the Castellan and his bodyguards, positioning himself several feet away from his nearest ally - just as they planned. Close enough to quickly close the gap, should the Zhents try to escape - but far enough not to let them blast the entire squad with a single spell.*

The elf talks, he is visibly enhanced by numerous magical wards

- In your arrogance you walk these lands like they were yours by right, but Cormanthor is no place to slavers, criminals and nature defillers, you talk about law and order, but only misery and chaos makes room in Shadowdale under your rule.

Immediatelly after this his face turns to a thin and polite grin, the elf with his unsheated long and beautiful blade, with a huge translucent crystal in its middle section, starts hum loudly and monotony melody in a disturbing way, in a trance common to bladesingers. His sword starts cut fastly in air turning almost invisible in so fast movements, making noisy whistles like a song made of a blade, with his left hand free he starts to cast a haste spell.

Before any more could transpire, the few Zhentarim surrounding Castle find arrows bouncing off their heavy armor. As they look around, surprised, a dark skinned man approaches from behind some trees. (Anyone with a spot of 35 and up would notice a few shadowy figures behind him)

He approaches some of those that he had talked to prior and one he had not. As his large, black crossbow remained on his back and the number of arrows that flew simultaneously, it was apparent he was not alone. The black leather held to him tightly as he moved with grace and an heir of confidence.

"Hold, friends. Recon tells me that this one only recently found himself in the sun. An officer perhaps? He is surely dressed far more appropriately for the role than these ones." He pauses a moment to look the group over. "Do you plan to take his life here and now? Or do you think perhaps he holds knowledge that would aid us?" His words are spoken in a somewhat gruff manner, but there is apparent wisdom behind them. Due to various small scars seen on his skin, the wisdom is most likely of a tactical nature.

Valtore stops as the man appears and shrugs, "aye that he might. However they spew lies and tricks with everyword out of their fowl mouths. How can ye believe anything the scum says.,..better ta just end the bastards life."

The castellan shows not much surprise as the group jumps on him, he quickly draws his blade, a greatsword, and so does his escort.

Was wondering when you maggots would show up *he spits on Valtores feet as he comes closer* prepare to learn what fear means..tunnelrat..men get ready for battle! *he orders his escort and both men quickly take postion left and right to him*

For now he ignores the the elemental but one of the soldiers keeps an eye on the thing, while his face displays no emotion.

The castellan turns his face to Tearon as he speaks" Outnumbered? We shall see, one of my men is worth 10 of you'rs maggot.

Tearon himself can't see any tracks as he scans the area.

Still rather calm the castellan looks around and as his eyes meets Nadins he grins and taunts him " You pointy eard bat will be the next after im done with this halfmen *once more he spits on Valtores feet*

The heavily amoured man narrows his eyes as he spots the dark skinned man. "now its going to be interesting "*he says, his voice still don't show any hint of fear*


//i ask you all for a bit of patience, forum RP with a large group is always a bit messy, therefor its important that we get enough time to read everything to keep the mess low

The dark skinned man smirked as Castle spoke. "Got a spark about him. If you would truly kill him, it would be more sporting to free him first," as the last word was spoken, the dark skinned man unsheathed and swung his sword at Castle's feet, disabling the trap. "If you change your mind, I'd be curious to see if you can capture him without a trap."

The man turned away from the group and walked toward where he had come from.

Before he got far, arrows fired at the feet of the rebels, distracting or immobilizing them if the arrows managed to hit their pants, missing skin and entering the ground.

((Still within earshot. Your choice of whether your are immobilized by the arrows or distracted.))

Once the whole commotion began and everyone appeared distracted by each other's presence, a letter would appear simply floating via the wind though the air close to the Zhents. The letter would read:

"You should not fear your lord, but instead what you will lose. Your answer is accepted, so be it."

Tohrm would not be particularly worried by a multitude of arrows, considering the amount of wards he may have placed on himself now the battle had taken a turn for the 'stalemate'

"Now, I don't know 'bout these many folk jus' randomly showin' up an' givin' false warnin's an' all, I stick by wha' I said. Zhents lay down there blades, an' I'll be showin' mercy like. I still ain't los' me morality in this war yet unlike yer Zhents! An' nay get so cocky Officer, any one a the lads 'ere is quite capable a takin' down a bloody battalion out on his own, yer'd do yerself a real favour by jus' givin' up."

If the Zhents still refused to lay down their arms, Tohrm would definately now engage in a melee, his greater invisibility, ethereal visage and mirror image providing more than ample cover against unseen archers, even if his superior hearing and ability to see the invisible could not detect them. His songs of heroism would hopefully aid his happenstance allies, though Tohrm was completely unaware of any alterior motive the patrol of 5 Defenders / Rebels may have had, so his actions may have coincided quite awkwardly (even disruptive) with their battle plan.

*The towering barbarian doesn't even flinch at the arrows. In his thick field plate and dozens of wards, the man seems to have faith in all the protection the combination provides.*

I fought your lackeys, your skymages and your commanders. Unless you're somehow a hundred times stronger, you will fall.
And you really don't seem like a god to me.

*he turns to the group*

The bodyguards don't need to survive. If the old man does, it's a bonus.

*With that, Taeron recites something in Illuskan and starts moving forward*

When at a safe distance, the dark skinned man turns back to the group. His arms crossed, he watches intently and with great interest. While the reasoning for his men firing upon the group might not be apparent, it is certainly apparent he is not running or trying to escape.

*As the barbarian spots that with the corner of his eye, he mutters:*

Sure. Stand there like an idiot. Once this is over, you're bloody next.

The grey grump would get ready for battle as soon as he sees the Zhentarim move. The air elemental swirls towards the Zhents being hit by arrows or deflecting some by being all whirly and windy. Karovir starts to cast a few last battle wards. Being already warded and due to his skin being naturally as hard as silver most arrows would break on him or get stuck in his armor. His experience with such situations makes him not lose his concentration and after the wards are casted an extremely probably unnaturally loud roar, like the one of an angry lion, can be heard which fills the blood of his allies with adrenalin and makes the ears of his enemies bleed.

If this distracted his enemies for a short moment he would start to prepare another spell. If not he would fight the first one who attacks him.

Alfie, a hin in light clothing and a shortbow chooses to stay hidden in the woods unless he is noticed beforehand (hide/move +90/+90 + natural enviroment)

The hin looks to the Castle after briefly looking around for any hints of other heavy trackmarks, and other traps. (44survival/41spot +truesight)

"Does he really fink, any attempt of a trap.. would work against the folk of the roads? or ye just stupid to attempt it eh?" Alfie grumbles this sentence to himself as he inspects the situation, bow in hand ready to shoot a sneak salvo to...

1)If Alfie doesnt notices a sign of overpowering ambush/trap, he takes a shot to Castles knee intend to cripple him, and aid the other rebels. ..If the shot hits, he murmurs "This was for Raman ye prick".

2)If Alfie notices any marks of a trap/ambush/reinceforcements, he shoots a salvo to Castle's balls, intend to wound him critically. right there, then criying out a loud one word before aiding the rebels. "TRAAP!"..If the shot hits, alfie murmurs "This was for Seadin ye prick"