"Let's get down below and see what all the fuss was about."
Julian takes out his rapier.
Morgana calls upon her magic to mend her wounds a second time... then follows the others.
"Let us bring Vark. He may be worth some if we need to parlay."
Julian ties up the other crewman with his silk rope. He quickly checks the 'swimmers' to make sure they aren't lingering and fires a crossbow bolt to encourage their departure.
Quartle helps Julian with the rope and joins him at the rail to have a look at the swimmers. He drops a gold piece into the water, "Thank you for the blessings Besmara." He nocks a cold iron arrow and gets ready to join the others down below.
N'Dateh takes a moment to listen to the sounds downstairs.
He shrugs and instead helps to tie down the sailors and brings Vark to his feet: "So what's downstairs?"
You secure the prisoners and head down the steps to investigate below deck. The smoke is heavy down here and you see a small fire next to a crew member who has been partially eaten. A number of cages meant for animals are ripped open and blood and guts are thrown about the hold.
As you come down the stairs a you see a spider-like creature the size of a pony.The creature's body is dark brown with yellow stripes,its furred legs long and spindly. The front pair of its ten legs rear up threateningly, their tips flattening into terrible discs studded with dozens of hooked suckers. The monster's head is horrifically over sized, dominated by immense mandibles that chatter and clack with obvious hunger.
- Julian, N'Dateh, Quartle, Celentria, Big Bug, Morgana
AC 14 T 11 FF 13 CMD 18
"That spider may bite and grab."
As Julian finishes his pronouncement, he attempts to drop the spider prone by putting a patch of grease under it.
"Watch the ground under the spider, it is slippery."
School conjuration (creation); Level bard 1, sorcerer/wizard 1
Casting Time 1 standard action
Components V, S, M (butter)
Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Target one object or 10-ft. square
Duration 1 min./level (D)
Save see text; SR no
A grease spell covers a solid surface with a layer of slippery grease. Any creature in the area when the spell is cast must make a successful Reflex save or fall. A creature can walk within or through the area of grease at half normal speed with a DC 10 Acrobatics check. Failure means it can't move that round (and must then make a Reflex save or fall), while failure by 5 or more means it falls (see the Acrobatics skill for details). Creatures that do not move on their turn do not need to make this check and are not considered flat-footed.
The spell can also be used to create a greasy coating on an item. Material objects not in use are always affected by this spell, while an object wielded or employed by a creature requires its bearer to make a Reflex saving throw to avoid the effect. If the initial saving throw fails, the creature immediately drops the item. A saving throw must be made in each round that the creature attempts to pick up or use the greased item. A creature wearing greased armor or clothing gains a +10 circumstance bonus on Escape Artist checks and combat maneuver checks made to escape a grapple, and to their CMD to avoid being grappled.
Quartle studies the spider, taking a moment to look for weak areas in its dark body. As it rears up, he takes a shot with a cold iron arrow, trying to find a soft spot in its belly.
N'Dateh almost freezes as he starts down the stairs: "What's that!?!" he shouts in Polyglot. He regains his wits quickly as he descends the stairs and calls for his ancestors to bolster his companions.
The air seems to thicken and your ears ring slightly as you feel your limbs move differently, as if guided...
DC 15
Julian squirts out grease but the creature remains on its feet. N'Dateh fills you with the spirit of battle, increasing the odds to victory in your favor. Quartle finds a spot spot to sink his arrow in. Celentia moves up to the only open spot and find another spot spot to sink her rapier in.
The creature reaches out with a pedipalp and tries to latch itself to Celentia and pull her into a bite. Despite its best efforts however, it is not able to pull her in for a bite
*Hit*
vs CMD 16 *Fail*
*Miss*
- Morgana, Julian, N'Dateh, Quartle, Celentria, Rhagodessa
AC 14 T 11 FF 13 CMD 18
Julian Round 2
Julian begins his song as he prepares to use his rapier. The song seems to resonate with a source of magic, and a light enchantment permeates everyone's weapons. Julian holds his rapier at the ready, realizing there were more capable combatants around.
"My crew prides themselves on their exotic pets. I would like to take this one alive."
N'Dateh frowns at Julian's words. He wants to say something back, but he is taken by the battle and a great sense of danger for his companions. Dropping the tip of his longspear, he advances, resolute, and stabs mightily at the strange spider with a great war cry: "UURGAH!"
"Sure, let's give it a go. I'll switch to my blunt arrows." Quartle nocks a blunt arrow and fires it at the spider-creature. Bolstered by the magics of N'Dateh and Julian, he scores another hit as the arrow lands with a thud, muffled by the creature's fur.
N'Dateh skewers the enraged vermin, killing it.
Combat Over
N'Dateh watches his spear dig in deep. With startled eyes, he waits for retaliation, but the monster just shivers and drops, failing to throw a decent strike before succumbing.
He pulls the spears with difficulty, a little out of breath: "Vard's little surprise... That man is a snake."
He looks around, especially at Quartle, then looks at his scaly arm and adds: "I mean in a bad way!"
Julian has much more compassion for the spider than he has shown for any of their adversaries yet, and looks at N'Dateh with some disgust.
"The men on deck deserved killing more than this poor creature, tormented by these men and locked in a cage. My crew could have treated him well. Not to mention the value of an exotic pet like this. What a colossal waste!!!"
Cold and calculating, Julian strides back to the deck in anger to confront the leader of the captors of this creature.
It appears the crew member down here tried to light everything on fire, and the smoke enraged the Rhagodessa which broke its cage and killed everything down here. What you can gather is that Vark had these exotic animals stored here to sell later.
Searching the ship outside of the captain's quarters doesn't reveal anything much of value. However inside there Morgana finds a large trunk with Vark's personal items. Included with his items is a bag with 100pp in it. (The very amount Lavinia paid him)
Julian also finds a hidden section in the headboard of the bed. Lavinia's father's signet ring is found there with a small scrap of parchment threaded through it. Written on it is a strange list of monsters.
"No offense N'Dateh. Snakes are usually known for eating us frogs. Looks like we've got a few things for our employer and I owe thanks to Besmara for seeing us through safely. Shall we go back up top?" Once back on the deck, Quartle will offer a prayer to Besmara for our successful mission and drop another gold piece into the sea in thanks.
Julian is still visibly upset over the death of the exotic creature. He takes the parchment and shows it to the others before he pockets it as he recovers the signet ring.
"I don't think this parchment was mentioned in our deal, but the payment and ring we are dutybound to return to our employer."
He makes an effort to avoid eye contact with N'Dateh as he storms around. The red head is a veritable storm of emotions, and his face is still flushed.
I spend much of the fight in the water and my magic seems to have little effect. We rescue not one mistreated creature. I have much to learn.
"Is this her crew or Vard's?" asks N'Dateh pointing to the sailors, some of whom are slowly climbing back on board the ship.
The crew member you captured knows only that their boss, Vark, was going to pay them 20 gp a piece to help load the crates of animals onto the Blue Nixie and then a few days later onto another ship in the middle of the night.
Vark doesn't talk at all, no matter how hard you put the screws to him.
Morgana suggests, "We should report back to our employer... and maybe ask about these creatures."
"I don't like this night trading. I wonder what they were up to. Is there a law against keeping such creatures? As for leaving the ship... Maybe it's best if we send for her and wait here."
Morgana turns to N'Dateh, then nods, "Aye, sending a courier might be the wiser course.... if only to ensure nothing happens to the ship.... I can't help but think the fires might have been attempts to destroy evidence of something."
Julian nods:
"We can grab the two boats and head into the dock. Then we can send a runner to our employer. We don't even have to split up."
"Why don't we ask him about the riddle..?" offers N'Dateh, turning to look at the man with death and pain in his eyes.
"Unless he hid it, I'm not sure he knows about it either. I am in agreement with sending a runner to our employer." Following N'Dateh's lead, Quartle glowers at the man and asks "Did you hide the piece of paper in the headboard?
Morgana says, "I wonder if they might be names of ships? It could indicate patrols or something similar?"
You send for Lavinia and question your prisoners. Vark has nothing to say while the only thing the thugs know is that Vark was going to pay them 20gp apiece to help load crates of rare animals onto the Blue Nixie and a few days later from now onto a different ship in the middle of the night.
When Lavinia comes she is over joyed with your reclaiming of the Blue Nixie and even more at finding the signet ring.
She pauses for a moment and then offers you a job to remain in her agents, personal troubleshooters, and bodyguards. She offers 100gp per month to be in her employ and implies that their service to one of the noble families could have advantages and rewards beyond the monthly wage.
Assuming the you are interested, she already has a task for you. She needs to travel to Castle Teraknian near the Harbor to check her family vault.
All of the city's nobility have vaults under the castle, but she's never seen any of them (including her own). Rumors hold that some family vaults are quite extensive and guarded by traps. Based on things she overheard her father say through the years, she suspects that the Vanderboren Vault is relatively small and safe,but that there may be a construct guardian. She would like the PCs to accompany her to Castle Teraknian to provide protection and aid in investigating the vault contents.
She wants to go immediately to check out her vault and has a coach ready to take everyone there.
Julian bows as he makes sure to snag the seat next to her.
"You hire professionals, and you get results."
He doffs his hat and prepares for the journey.
Morgana smiles at Julian's statement, "Fortunately, that also happens when you hire lucky folk."
|
"Agreed! It will be an honor to continue in your service... We will leave this one for you, as well as his smuggled menagerie." She indicates the bound and helpless Vark.
"There was a riddle we found on the ship as well, something you might be more familiar with." She then shares the riddle with their new patron.
She has one of her men get the authorities to arrest the men, including Vark. She looks at the parchment and says, "I have no idea what these means, but I do recognize the handwriting. It was written by my Father, Verik. If it was with the signet ring it must be something important, but for what I do now know."
Julian, being less forthcoming, has the parchment with the original writing tucked away safely as he did when he first found it.
"Let us see this vault!!"
He gives Celentria a dark look when he can do so unobserved.
N'Dateh seems lost in thoughts and just nods and follows his new companions.
In the coach, he looks in the distance, still lost in thoughts.
What happened on the ship? Where are the voices? Have I lost my connection to my ancestors?! he wonders to himself, though he finds no answer.