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Xian briefly considers his options, however limited they were. He needed more information. They might be able to escape from here but with no knowledge of where 'here' was or who, or what, was outside, it was best he followed along for now. Perhaps wherever they were being led to would contain more clues and information.
Xian dutifully lined up alongside the other prisoners, though some seemed to be refugees.
Outside of the barn, you find yourself in a courtyard, surrounded by a 20' tall razor wire fence. A spider-horse is being ridden by a guard in the yard, and guard towers line the perimeter of the fence. On the other side of the fence you can see a cityscape, immediately your eyes are drawn to the sky. It's afternoon, but the sky is gray. On the horizon are the dead mists of the Mourning, in every direction...
To the north, just on the other side of the fence, you see a massive toppled spire. The architecture is unlike the kind seen in Sharn. After picking your memories, you realize you've seen this style before, in a picture if not in person. It's a Vermishard, a palace. One of many in Metrol, the capital of Cyre, now known as the Mournland.
GM:
So the marching order is Lazharis and Vesile, then Maladiel and Malix, followed by Xian and Ozzar? Or did you want some more NPCs crammed between you all?
Some skill checks.
Lazharis, or DC 13 Insight: The hobgoblin Vesile has started getting restless. She seems to be expecting something.
DC 10 Investigation: If anyone tried to climb the razor-wire fence, it’d likely kill or entrap them—and the guards in the towers
have heavy crossbows and clear lines of sight to anyone trying for the fence.
DC 10 Nature or Survival: There are no birds on the fence, though several perch on surrounding roofs, suggesting the fence may be dangerous to touch.
DC 10 Perception: Some guards carry packs on their back, which appear to hold personal effects confiscated from the "volunteers".
DC 10 Medicine: Most of the "volunteers" are malnourished and too weak to fight.
Looking in vain for useful spell components, Maladiel sighs and refocuses his attention.
”Don’t touch the fences,” he whispers just loud enough for his allies to hear.
”Only chance is the guards’ gear.”
Then he smiles to himself. A few of his spells do not require components at all! He’s been so used to wands because it impresses people more easily. Affecting a person’s attitude towards him, well, the most effective variant only needs a few eldritch words and some waving of arms.
Glancing up at the guards, Mal looks for one that is close enough, not too bright, and hopefully in charge of a few others.
Ozzar eyes the guards looking for the one who would give up his weapon most "willingly". He whispers back to the group "We need to focus if trouble start and not rush all over each getting his own weapon. We swarm two of them and take whatever, move to the next. Rinse. Repeat. Something is gonna happen soon."
"We need to find a way to disable the wire, whatever is going there it is dangerous to touch it."
He points at one guard that looks a bit unsure in himself. Or he may be uncomfortable with the proceedings "That one will not fight too hard. But there may not be many slaves capable of fighting. We will be in that state soon."
"So, we don't have any weapons and the plan is to just attack the guards with our hands? How barbaric. Although if that is our only option, I shall do my best, however ineffective that may be." Xian whispers back.
"So, we don't have any weapons and the plan is to just attack the guards with our hands? How barbaric. Although if that is our only option, I shall do my best, however ineffective that may be." Xian whispers back.
The guards march you through the courtyard into a corridor, 20’ wide, lined with razor wire. A single guard tower on the outside rises high above the procession. Vesile grows visibility agitated, as do all of the people walking with you. The oppressive atmosphere is palpable.
About halfway through, Vesile shouts “WATCH OUT!” The warning is followed by an explosion, as the guard tower topples over, smashing through the fences. The falling structure finds itself embedded in several of the now dead who were marching with you, including one of the better armored guards. Some of the living didn’t fare much better, a middle aged woman looks upon a piece of splintered wood that was driven through her stomach with teary eyes, as she begs you for help.
From the broken guard tower, a hulking creature emerges, its body a grotesque amalgamation of several others. It has an ogre’s fleshy body, spottily covered by small useless feathers. Its vulturelike head—with vicious sharp beak—turns on an elongated neck, while its arms each end in a single large talon. The creature roars, strangely deep and unbirdlike, and then impales one of the guards and knocks back another. Vesile looks upon the beast with panic in her eyes. “That creature will kill us all. Follow me if you want to live!”
GM:
Time for initiative once again!
Everyone make a dex saving throw, with advantage for the warning. DC 10, 4 damage and prone on a failed save, half damage and not prone on a success.
The broken guard tower is difficult terrain, but should allow for a somewhat safe climb over the razorwire.
There are quite a few dead bodies under that tower.
P: The Prisoners, they are unarmed and unarmored, cowering in fear because of the situation.
