IC-Ep 3-The Rescue(Everyone else)

[Mr. Handy]

Artemis barely nicked his opponent with the tip of his pilum. Titus stood behind the line of fighters and stabbed his spear over Spurius's shoulder at the guard that had just wounded him, piercing him underneath the collarbone. Though horribly injured, he gritted his teeth and did not fall. Decius's foe attempted to bring up his blade to block the blow, but he was just a fraction of a second too slow. Decius cleaved through his chest, and the man fell, dying. Now only seven guards stood, with two of them very badly wounded. The guards looked extremely demoralized.

"Hold, men!" ordered one of the guards who had just emerged from the open door in broken Latin. "Put up your swords!" The guards stood down, and the one who had given the order sheathed his sword and approached with his palms outstretched to show they were empty. "Hail, Decius Lupus! I am Awan, captain of the guard, and I accept your offer on behalf of all of my men. They are loyal to me and will obey me in this matter. I can offer you more besides. Scaevola is not a generous employer, nor does he treat us well enough that we should die or kill for him. Sometimes servants disappear and are not seen again. Further, the way Caelia Alba is being treated is unacceptable. She has always been a great friend to my people, and my men and I will aid you in rescuing her. Akana has taken her down a secret stairway into caverns beneath the villa. The entrance is underneath the large planter in the center of the smaller indoor garden." He pointed to the door at the rear of the garden, on the right side. "Our swords are yours if you will have them."

Spoiler:

Guard 3's CON x 5 roll (65% stat) to stay conscious:

Mr. Handy rolled 1d100:
7

Guard 5's Parry roll (35% skill) to block Decius's blow:

Mr. Handy rolled 1d100:
37

Guard 5's Dodge roll (40% skill) to avoid Decius's blow:

Mr. Handy rolled 1d100:
80

Decius's roll to hit was actually a critical hit, which is better than an impale in that your weapon does not get stuck in the guard this time. That Status roll was also a critical success, which will help tremendously.

[andyw666]

Decius is breathing hard, perspiring freely and somewhat splattered with other people’s blood - but he manages a wry smile. He sheaths the khopesh in his belt and offers his hand to Awan.

“Awan, I would be right pleased to accept the help of your men. Senator Germanicus is a generous man and will look after you all, I promise you. Right now though, we must find the Lady Caelia. Help us find this hidden entrance and lend us your sword arms while we search for her."

[Ritterton]

"Praise the light," Artemis whispered as Decius accepted Awan's truce and offer of assistance.

[yockenthwaite]

"Are my friends held here as well?" Elizabeth asks the guards, her voice shaking, but trying to stay composed. "The Britons - the older man, Story, and the young girl Brook - and the Roman Lucius. Where are they?"

[Victoria Silverwolf]

"Welcome, new friends," Titus says. "If you will allow me, sir," he continues, addressing the guard he attacked, "I will attempt to stay the wound I was forced to give you."

Spoiler:

First Aid basic = 30%, I believe.

Victoria Silverwolf rolled 1d100:
83

There does not seem to be much he can do for the injured man, but he hopes his gentle tone will help ensure the loyalty of the guard and his fellows.

[andyw666]

Spoiler:

Outstanding! I love it when a plan comes together!

I must say, however this pans out, I'm extremely happy with this solution to the current battle, given we're in a Doctor Who/CoC crossover. None of the intelligent, experienced, decent soldiers in Doctor Who (eg. Th Brig) would have willingly wasted their troops' lives if a smarter solution existed.

Of course, if he manages to stay alive and sane long enough, I anticipate an "amusing" conversation between Decius and Germanicus about how cavalier Decius is with Germanicus' name and gold...

[Mr. Handy]

Aricus managed to bind his own wound expertly, and he was almost as good as new, but Spurius's injury was too bad for his limited skills to be of use.

Awan clutched Decius's hand with a strong grip. "This way," he said, leading the group back to the indoor garden. The two badly wounded guards remained behind, but the other four accompanied him. He spoke to Elizabeth as they walked. "Your friends are imprisoned below as well. They are safe for the moment, but I worry about what Akana will do to Caelia in her jealousy."

The exedra had some of the same plants as in the outdoor garden through which they had just passed, though only the smaller ones. It was lit by torches in sconces on the walls, one of which Awan took. There was a large wooden planter in the center with a large idol of Thoth looming behind it. "Might I suggest a ruse, Decius Lupus?" said Awan. "If you and your people hide your weapons, we could pretend you surrendered and we captured you. That should let us get close enough to her to take her by surprise."

Two of the guards moved the planter aside, revealing a dark opening beneath it that had been covered by the planter. Rough-hewn stone stairs descended into blackness.

Spoiler:

Aricus's First Aid roll (70% skill) treating his wound:

Mr. Handy rolled 1d100:
48

HP regained by Aricus:

Mr. Handy rolled 1d3:
2

Spurius's First Aid roll (30% base skill) treating his wound:

Mr. Handy rolled 1d100:
88

Titus actually has 60% in First Aid, as he has points in it, but the roll still fails.

Thanks, Decius! I'm glad things worked out this way with your plan too, and I also love the outcome. When you roll a critical success, you should get something really nice for it.

[Ritterton]

Artemis nodded in agreement with Awan's suggestion. He leaned the pillum up against a wall as there was no place he could hide it. His pugio he had hidden and accessible. Too many years of having it made that easy. As he waited for Decius' response, he tried to think of a place to hide the mace he had with him.

[yockenthwaite]

"Thank you!" says Elizabeth in response to Awan's words to her, the relief in her clearly evident to the others, as her worries about her friends dissipate. "Yes, we must free Caelia immediately. She has been a good friend to all of us."

[Mr. Handy]

Spoiler:

Everyone wishing to hide their weapons, please roll Conceal. The base skill is 15%.

[Ritterton]

Artemis looked at the Egyptian mace that he had taken and then tried to find a way to conceal it.

Spoiler:

Against a 15 conceal

Ritterton rolled 1d100:
36

After a few attempts, he realied that he was going to have to leave it up here. He sighed as he turned the mace about in his hands. He leaned it against the wall next to the pillium. "I am grabbing that when I come back."

[Mr. Handy]

The best Artemis could do was to hide it behind his back and hope nobody noticed.

[andyw666]

Decius thinks for a second. Hmm... Well, I did accept their offer of help. And it does take us in the right direction. But is this safe? I guess so far they have done the right thing.

Decius nods decisively. "Your plan sounds good Awan. But I think we should have just myself and two others as prisoners. The rest of my companions can stay fully armed and keep out of sight just behind your men."

Decius discards his shield and pulls his cloak about his body to conceal the weapons at his belt. "Volunteer prisoners?"

Spoiler:

Decius' Conceal is 15% and h rolls...

andyw666 rolled 1d100:
58

[Mr. Handy]

"I volunteer," said Spurius, "I am badly injured, and it is more plausible that I was subdued."

"As will I," said Aricus. "I too was wounded. The guards can claim they slew everyone else. The rest of you keep your weapons."

Awan nodded. "It is a good plan," he said. "I will lead, followed by the volunteers, and then my men. Then the others, after a small delay." He started down the stairs once the planter was cleared from the entrance, lighting the way with his torch. Deciius, Aricus, and Spurius followed, looking suitably beaten, and the two other guards who had not been moving the planter aside went next.

The first group soon arrived in a cavern that was anything but natural. It was rectangular, with smooth walls carved out of the earth. At the far end of the long room was an archway flanked by two torches, which were not lit. Before the archway stood a large idol of Anubis, some twelve feet tall and nearly scraping the ceiling. He held a pair of scales in one hand. Another archway led to the right, also with unlit torches on either side. Awan pointed at the archway straight ahead, beyond the Anubis statue, and began walking in that direction.

Spoiler:

Aricus's Conceal roll (25% skill) to hide his weapons:

Mr. Handy rolled 1d100:
88

Spurius's Conceal roll (15% base skill) to hide his weapons:

Mr. Handy rolled 1d100:
85

[andyw666]

Decius nods and follows Awan.

Oh good, more giant statues...

[Ritterton]

Artemis was in the group that lagged behind. He looked at the dark set of stairs, and then back at the mace. I am going to take it with me, yes, will be needing that for sure.

He picked up the mace and followed the second group trailing after the first down into the secret cavern.

[Victoria Silverwolf]

Titus follows along, murmuring a brief prayer to Anubis. It is always a good idea to seek the favor of the gods, even if they reign over other peoples.

[yockenthwaite]

Elizabeth tries to hide her knife before going down below.

Rolling Conceal (15%):

yockenthwaite rolled 1d100:
4

[yockenthwaite]

Fortunately she manages to conceal the knife. She hopes that she does not have to use it below, but would be glad to have it to call on if needs must. She follows the rest of the plan as laid out.

Spoiler:

OOC,I'm assuming that I go with the last group

[Mr. Handy]

Spoiler:

Everyone is moving to the thread linked below:

Sacrifice