GM Tyranius |
Leaving Greeley's compound you return to Magistrate Drune who looks pleased as you deliver the pieces of evidence that Drune sought.
"Sounds to me that Greeley may have been little more than a pawn in this Cult's scheme. Continue your pursuit of the cult itself. I know. I know it is more than I have asked, but I prefer the work of 'professionals' over the 'outmatched' Korvosan Guards" Drune clasps his hands as he awaits a reply.
GM Tyranius |
Going to push forward since you came to a plan in the discussion tab.
After resting for the night you head out to the town to try and find the Soiled Sow. Speaking with the locals and even a few addicts it takes several hours before finding the second drug den that Frell used as a local hangout for his shiver pleasures.
This Shiver Den is quite similar to the last, if not a bit cheaper, though it answers even less questions. you end up spending the entire day there speaking with the surrounding dealers and users which only leads to absolutely zero leads.
It isn't until you give up for the night and go to return to your rooms that a frantic guard approaches you running down the road. taking a moment to catch his breath he continues.
"There...there you are....been looking for you for nearly an hour. The Magistrate found it. He found the cult's hideout."
Without another word he escorts you quickly back to Magistrate Drune's office. "Wonderful. Thank you Edward. That will be all." He excuses the guard. "I had a small retinue clearing out the rest of Greeley's place and seems that there was a secret passage within one of the walls. It lead to a long tunnel within the Old Wall.
Though crumbling, the Old Wall is considered a part of Korvosa’s defensive fortifications, its upper ledge still in use by occasional patrols of the Korvosan Guard. [b]"We ended up losing a man to a pair of Ogre Spiders that were hidden beneath. While there are many roughly hewn and makeshift exits from the tunnel that open into various hovels along the wall, the entrance to the cult’s lair was more elaborate, with a torchlit stone staircase that ascends some 15 feet and terminates at an iron portcullis. It lead to a House on Hook Street. he points it out on the map."
Gerard Abrigone |
"If we could find a way past the porticullus, I'd love to sneak up on them. But I doubt that's going to happen, so we probably have to come running in through the front door then."
Grinner the Grippli |
"Honestly, I don't see much wrong with the head-on approach." *Ribbit*
GM Tyranius |
The cult’s lair—the titular house on Hook Street—is the ancestral manse of the Caligaro family. Though long fallen into disrepair and heavily damaged from an old fire. From the outside, the once-opulent house’s rotting front blends in perfectly with the decrepitude of modernday
Bridgefront. The house is set slightly off Hook Street, and the surrounding area is overgrown with makeshift tenements. Sprawling hovels cling to the mansion’s exterior, growing upward toward the Shingles.
The house’s exterior doors and windows are heavily boarded or barricaded to prevent intrusion from outside, with the exception of the balcony entrance.
Reigan Steel |
Reigan, quiet up until this point, decides to chime in. "See all these built up shacks? Might be good to get entrance or spy on the goings-on of the place, but also good for those who've already done so." he says as he fishes some silver from his pocket.
Reigan looks for the nearest vagrant, approaching him with a smile while flipping the silver piece off his thumb and catching it, over and over. "Howdy. Name's Reigan and this silver's got your name on it if you can tell me everything I want to know about that house there." he says, thumbing towards the run down house on Hook Street.
"Anything odd happening there?" he asks for starters, still occasionally flipping the coin to keep the man's attention.
Diplomacy: 1d20 + 13 + 1d6 ⇒ (17) + 13 + (3) = 33
Grinner the Grippli |
"I could climb up to the balcony to see if it is clear."
GM Tyranius |
The Vagrant looks confused at Reigan and chuckles a bit as he looks to the House. "That place been empty a long time Mister. Ain't nothing been in or outta there in years. May wanna keep yer coin."
Pregen - PatheticWretch |
Grimnir nods at the idea of checking out some of the side buildings.
"Le's go."
I guess we can choose left or right.
1 left, 2 right: 1d2 ⇒ 2
Grinner the Grippli |
"Good as any."
GM Tyranius |
One of Old Korvosa’s oldest surviving homes, the Caligaro family estate is now just a support for the clinging and towering tenements that have grown up around it. Built against the Old Wall as well as over and around the foundations of a ruined temple of Desna dating from Hook Street’s earliest origins, the house itself has fallen into heavy disrepair.
You spend several hours speaking with several of the tenants within the building. All seem to give you a similar conclusion. that not a soul has been seen entering or exiting the building through the boarded up front door. each of the residents looks a bit confused as they believed the residence to have been abandoned several decades ago.
GM Tyranius |
You know that a secret way in and out has been found in Greeley's place via the hidden tunnels the Magistrate Drune mentioned to you.
Gerard Abrigone |
Yeah I was wondering if there might have been an easier secret path, with no porticulus...guess not.
"Anyone feel like trying to get through that porticullus? That might be our best route in."
Terry PBP |
I thought the police made such a commotion inspecting that entrance that it would be useless as a way to sneak in. But perhaps the ogre spiders were not an 'official' part of the defense force and thus did not report the incursion? More like a Shelob lair, spiders even.
"Isn't that way guarded? I thought the magistrate said they have Ogre Spiders posted as guards? 'Ogre Spiders'! As if the hand sized ones aren't bad enough some crazy god or goddess or wizard or wizard god or whatever idiot decided to make 'ogre spiders'. Give me a nice wight any day of the week and keep your monstrous spiders thank-you-very-much. Are you absolutely SURE there isn't a better way in? Isn't there? Couldn't we just TRY that nice abandoned temple? Everything around here is so crapily made I'm SURE we can break through a wall."
Grinner the Grippli |
"It wouldn't be so silent though to break through a wall. Besides, the building may collapse in its state if we try that. I say we give the building a once-around and if we find nothing, the front door. Although my offer to check the balcony is still on the table..."
GM Tyranius |
Think of the tunnel from Greeley's as a network of sewer tunnels. Dozens of off shoots converge in all manner of areas. A lot of areas converge in on the elaborate door. Greeley's just happened to be one of the many. So basically you have the front door / balcony or back door (Greeley's) as options at this point.
Pregen - PatheticWretch |
I like the idea of the balcony...I think it will get us straight to where the tunnels would eventually lead us.
"Balcony works fer me," Grimnir says.
GM Tyranius |
The balcony proves easy enough for Grinner to reach but it will take a bit of effort for the rest of the group to make it to the second floor some 15 feet up.
How does everyone else plan on making it to the balcony. Grinner can climb.
Grinner the Grippli |
Do I see anything up there?
Pregen - PatheticWretch |
How about Grinner looks around to make sure it's safe, then lowers the knotted rope I handed him before he climbed up?
Grinner the Grippli |
Just thought of something.
Grinner casts Pass Without Trace on the party before stomping all over.
Might as well...
Grinner the Grippli |
"If it helps, I can hang onto the wall and shove you up." Effectively, +2 for aid another, although there's a bit of snarkiness in that statement too. XD
GM Tyranius |
Grinner clings to the wall and climbs up to the balcony with a coil full of knotted rope. From atop the balcony he can see little in the house as a door blocks his view for the most part. Though the smaller Grippli does have a wonderful view of the slums and any noticeable landmarks from the rickety balcony.
Lowering the rope the rest of the group has little issue climbing up to the balcony above. As nearly everyone is up Grimnir cracks the door open to the parlor.
The scent of stale smoke permeates this crossroads of stairwells and hallways. A moth-eaten rug stretches before a fireplace surrounded by a beautifully carved mantle and an ornate but unstocked bar. A heavily adorned staircase in the room’s northeast corner descends into darkness below, opposite a long hall with a staircase that spirals up to the floor above.
A single lantern lit with continual flame hangs from the descending stair’s bannister to illuminate this parlor, and similar flames burn cold in the fireplace casting strange shadows. The hallways contain decaying taxidermy mostly rotted to their carved wooden cores.
A candelabra carved in the shape of a crooked-backed imp (worth 150 gp) rests on the bar, and three bottles of Varisian pear brandy (worth 30 gp each) are stashed behind a crooked shelf in the back bar.
Reigan Steel |
Reigan, enjoying the snuggie obtained from Greeley's stash, follows up after the rest of the party. "Hmmm... I'll take a bottle of the brandy for... investigative purposes." he says with a knowing smile.
"Perhaps you should open one of those doors to continue our search, Ser Grimnir." he adds, motioning with his long sleeves towards the northernmost door as he slides the bottle of pear brandy into his new vestment.
Perception-Traps: 1d20 + 12 + 3 + 1d6 ⇒ (6) + 12 + 3 + (2) = 23
Pregen - PatheticWretch |
Grimnir smiles at the thought of opening the drinks and takes a long pull himself before moving to the indicated door.
"Shall we?" he asks, then opens the northernmost door.
Gerard Abrigone |
"Keep the brandy, sell it and go buy yourself some cheap grog! Everyone snap back to it...we still have work to do.". He waits for the others to begin the exploration again while he waits toward the back.
GM Tyranius |
Two velvet curtains tied back with filthy gold cord reveal an iron portcullis cast with a webbed motif. Cobwebs drape the forms of two carved wooden mannequins dressed as robed cultists, which flank each side of the portcullis.
The compound’s entrance hall stores the necessary ceremonial paraphernalia for visiting worshipers to don. The room’s wood-paneled walls are covered in hooks, from which hang dozens of the cult’s olive green robes. A locked iron portcullis (hardness 10, hp 60, lift DC 25) blocks the entrance into the cult’s compound.
The portcullis’s winch takes up the room’s northeast corner. One door leads to the south and another to the east. Eight silvered spider-leg sickles worth 26 gp each hang on a small rack. A candelabrum in the shape of an upturned dead spider, its eight legs each piercing a single candle, is worth 200 gp. The crates contain mundane items such as folded vestments, a dozen torches, and 6 pints of lantern oil.
Gerard: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (1) + 11 = 12
Terry: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (12) + 9 = 21
Grimnir: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (2) + 9 = 11
Reigan: 1d20 + 12 + 1d6 ⇒ (6) + 12 + (3) = 21+3 vs Traps
Grinner: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (17) + 11 = 28
Grinner the Grippli |
DC on that Perception? XD
Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (16) + 11 = 27
GM Tyranius |
Is no Dc for that one Grinner. That was me rolling all your perceptions for the trap that is about to go off in the room :)
Gerard and Terry rush right over to the cowls and robes and begin to dig through them, not even realizing that their feet brushed over several runes on the floor that looked like dust.
Number of monsters: 1d3 ⇒ 2
A pair of creatures rise forth from the shadows as the snap of magic pulses throughout the room.
Wickedly barbed chains adorn these lean figures. Gaps and bindings reveal deathly pale flesh etched with jagged scars. Two chains shoot forth from the darkness and slam into Gerard and Terry.
Chain vs Gerard AC FF 17: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (7) + 11 = 18
Damage: 2d4 + 2 ⇒ (2, 2) + 2 = 6
Chain vs Terry AC FF 15: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (16) + 11 = 27
Damage: 2d4 + 2 ⇒ (2, 1) + 2 = 5
Gerard: 1d20 + 0 ⇒ (16) + 0 = 16
Terry: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19
Grimnir: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8
Reigan: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (19) + 3 = 22
Grinner: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (9) + 4 = 13
Kytons: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (13) + 7 = 20
Chains begin to rip and fly all around the room in a flurry of activity that is extremely difficult to avoid.
Red Chain 1 vs Terry AC FF 15: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (13) + 11 = 24
Damage: 2d4 + 2 ⇒ (2, 1) + 2 = 5
Red Chain 2 vs Terry AC FF 15: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (15) + 11 = 26
Damage: 2d4 + 2 ⇒ (1, 1) + 2 = 4
Red Chain 3 vs Terry AC FF 15: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (11) + 11 = 22
Damage: 2d4 + 2 ⇒ (3, 4) + 2 = 9
Red Chain 4 vs Terry AC FF 15: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (3) + 11 = 14
Damage: 2d4 + 2 ⇒ (4, 2) + 2 = 8
Green Chain 1 vs Gerard AC FF 17: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (17) + 11 = 28
Damage: 2d4 + 2 ⇒ (4, 2) + 2 = 8
Green Chain 2 vs Grimnir AC FF 25: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (7) + 11 = 18
Damage: 2d4 + 2 ⇒ (2, 4) + 2 = 8
Green Chain 3 vs Grimnir AC FF 25: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (10) + 11 = 21
Damage: 2d4 + 2 ⇒ (1, 4) + 2 = 7
Green Chain 4 vs Grimnir AC FF 25: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (12) + 11 = 23
Damage: 2d4 + 2 ⇒ (3, 3) + 2 = 8
Grimnir is the only fortunate soul to be able to halfway block any of the chains that whip throughout the room.
Round 1
-------------------------------------------
Monsters (DC 16 Knowledge Planes)
--------------------------------------------
Reigan
Terry (20/43)
Gerard (24/38)
Grinner
Grimnir
Grinner the Grippli |
Ugh. I hate these things. XD
"What in the blazes?"
Standard Action
Grinner calls upon Misfortune of the Red chain creature. DC 18 Will save to negate.
Move Action
He chants from the hallway. *Ribbit* *Ribbit*
Pregen - PatheticWretch |
"Ah have a chain ay mah own!" Grimnir says as he strikes at the green creature.
+1 Corrosive Dorn Dergar (power attack): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 281d10 + 11 + 1d6 ⇒ (10) + 11 + (6) = 27
+1 Corrosive Dorn Dergar (power attack): 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 201d10 + 11 + 1d6 ⇒ (1) + 11 + (1) = 13
CRIT?: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 281d10 + 11 + 1d6 ⇒ (1) + 11 + (2) = 14 41 dmg total
GM Tyranius |
Gerard know of these creatures as Kytons (Chain Devils). From what he recalls is that they have a natural regeneration and are resistant to most weapons unless they have good or silver properties. The good or silver properties also seem to put the regeneration at bay for a short duration.
Often classified among the ranks of the infernal and called chain devils by the uninitiated, the sadomasochistic kytons are not true devils. Many suggest that kytons were natives of Hell who existed there before the advent of devilkind, while others hypothesize they were later brought to the plane by some sadistic power. Regardless of their origins, kytons roam the planes in their lust to cause and receive suffering, seeking pain through violent abductions and sadistic debauches.
The kyton presented here is a typical member of this fiendish race of outsiders, but is by no means the only type of its kind. Just as there are numerous different species of demon and devil, rumor holds that different kinds of kytons dwell in their jangling cities in Hell and on the Plane of Shadow. These kytons are invariably more powerful than the one presented here, often having spell-like abilities or hideous and unsettling special attacks along the themes of torture and pain. Rumor holds that the most powerful kytons are completely inhuman, and that these monsters are the true progenators of the kyton race—the kyton presented here but the result of unholy dalliances with their unfortunate victims.