Emileva Mavrakis |
"My plan is to go at Lamm head on, though that door they mentioned down there. We finish him quickly, before he can plan against us. After that we could all stay here if we need to, despite the smell." Emileva wrinkles her nose.
"I do like the idea of taking the children to Zellara's house as soon as it's safe though. I don't think she would mind at all considering what she told us about her past with Lamm, especially if it's an emergency like this."
DM Luke |
Inside the sack next to the dead orc you find mouldy clothing and two pairs of shoes in bad need of repair. Tucked in one of these shoes and wrapped in a smelly sock you find two firmly stoppered vials of a aqua-grey sludge.
Searching Giggles himself you locate a third potion, identical to the first two, tucked in his belt along with a heavy money pouch. 72 gp
The kids gather around Nebbin as he shares out his food. Eventually he will likely realize that they will gratefully accept and eat any amount of his provisions, up to and including his last morsel.
Carawyn looks around to the others for help, then answers Nebbin softly, "What homes do you think these kids have to go to? Maybe Kevlin's ma is lookin for him... good for him."
"There's some of these street lambs who are half-way to no-good. They aren't killers yet, like that one," she glances at Avram with disgust, "but they aren't angels either. But most are just scared kids who prefer the hammocks here to sleeping in alleyways. Or kids who need a hit..."
Kayleigh certainly knows of the local orphanages and their reputations. Her friends at the Temple of Aroden have their opinions and Kayleigh will have heard them.
Three of the five orphanages in Korvosa are a few blocks from here.
Korvosa's Mercy is a military-style orphanage that feeds the ranks of the city guard and the Sable Company with young recruits every year.
Riverside House takes a more traditional approach in the care of its wards. It's also the largest of the city's orphanages by far, and probably a place that the Lambs know and possibly lived in at one time or another.
Scrapper's Hall stands within sight of the Riverside House but has a darker reputation among the brothers for its practice of using its wards excessively for labor. They justify this by saying that they take the meanest wretches off the street, and indeed, hard case kids who have a hard time in another orphanage sometimes find themselves transfered here.
Dawflower Hall is further south, maybe half-way to Tassira's neighborhood. It's the only one of the city's orphanages run directly by a church (that of Saranrae).
Little House is built across the river in East Shore, and caters to orphaned little folk.
Carawyn's admirer, a lanky boy who names himself Hal takes the offered ration from Nebbin but sniffs it suspiciously before eating. "You'll need a spell to cook em as well," referring to the fish. "There ain't even a hearth in this place. If we eat, its the fish cakes the buyer brings later, when he picks up the barrels outside. Or some share of something knicked by the street Lambs."
Nebbin Elsbet |
Nebbin continues to hand out all his food.
"I'm sorry, that's all I have," he says, realizing he's actually a little hungry himself but knowing they need the food more than him.
"Would you stay at the orphanage if they gave you food?" he asks the assembled children.
Neziana Fentel |
Me being sick, my son being sick and life in general being busy held up things. I'm sorry. I'll be more consistent going forward.
Neziana's eyes goes wide in wonder as Kayleigh's magic fixes her wounds. "Wow, your magic is amazing. Thank you so much." No matter how many times she experiences it, she is always impressed by the miracles of magic.
While the others are busy talking, she searches the area, as well as the gnome, the boy and the half-orc for anything useful. "There are three potions here! I wonder if they are all healing potions. That would be nice." She holds them up to look through the vials.
perception to identify potions: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (3) + 5 = 8
"I can't figure out myself though. Maybe one of you could figure it out?"
"Kayleigh, you heard the story of what happened to Zellara's son right? We can't just just come in here and kill his men and expect him not to seek vengeance. We gotta finish what we started. I agree with Emileva, we should head down and confront him directly. And this time, please don't leave me alone. I almost died, fighting one against three." She turns to look towards Nebbin. "You give yourself too little credit. We did not do most of the job. You are the one who bashed in the head of the half-orc. I would probably not have survived if you didn't do that. And by the sounds of things you also dealt with the wand guy."
Tassira Vantyev |
Tassira slips her spellbook out of her backpack (which, surprisingly, isn't covered in cat hair), and flips it open to a page. Her eyes glow blue as she reads it.
Using Quick Study and 1 Arcane Point to switch out resistance for detect magic.
She then turns her glowing eyes on the potions.
Spellcraft w/Detect Magic: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (9) + 8 = 17
DM Luke |
Tassira identifies the substance in the vials as cure potion. cure light wounds
You relieve Hookshanks the gnome of a finely balanced kukri knife masterwork quality, and 7 golden crowns in his purse. There's also a bag slung around his torso that you struggle to remove from his inert form. When you eventually free it you find a collection of brushes, dyes and powders, along with two wigs sized for a gnome's head. disguise kit.
The kids look at one another when Nebbin asks his question, some shaking their heads, others less decisive.
"Not to Scrapper's Hall," one boy says. "Been there and all they do is work you to death."
"Which is all they did here!" soggy girl retorts.
"Ain't no mercy to be found at the Mercy, either." another of the Lambs weighs in. "Not unless you fancy yourself a soldier." This from the boy who hid among the hammocks. "Not that I'm too shy to fight!" he brags.
Carawyn speaks up. "We can wait here for you if you're going after Gaedran, right?" She looks around to her fellow Lambs for agreement. Some of them nod their head. Kind of.
Tassira Vantyev |
"Hmm... these potions are indeed healing potions. Admittedly, only for mild injuries, but every little bit helps."
"We can wait here for you if you're going after Gaedran, right?"
"That sounds like the safest course of action, really." Tassira nods as she picks up her cat and puts her back into her backpack.
Knowledge (Local for Orphanages): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (1) + 9 = 10 Since this didn't match or exceed Kayleigh's roll...
The mageling bows her head in thought about the subject of orphanages. "I'm afraid I don't really know of any other place where we can take you once we're done here. Does anyone else have suggestions?"
Neziana Fentel |
Neziana whistles softly as she inspects the knife. "This is one well made knife. Too bad it's a bit too fancy for me. I wouldn't know how to use it effectively. Any of you can use it?" She holds out the blade to the others.
Shame the kukri doesn't fit any of our fighting styles. It would be nice for Neziana if she was proficient... I assume the short sword is just a normal one?
"Indeed, you can probably stay here. But do be wary. There might be more of Gaedren's men coming here from the street or something and if the see the state of things, they won't be pleased. It's probably a better idea than going out on your own or coming with us though, so let's go with that. Do you know what other people there are here in the building besides Gaedren himself? Or beasts like the dog I guess. Would be useful to know what we are up against." Neziana says to the other Lamms in a business like tone. She wants to get things moving.
DM Luke |
Yes, the short sword and the dead half-orc's flail are mundane.
Hal shakes his head. "Nope, you brained Giggles. Shanks and Avram are tied up here. Old Terrell out front ain't gonna hurt no one. You laid old Boo down for good - thank the gods! That dog was more vicious than the lot of them. Yargin's shark food. It's just Gaedran left is all. Far as I know..." he looks around for anyone to contradict him.
"No one comes back from goin' ta see Gaedran."
There are two doors accessed by the rickety walkway - one was used by Yargin the wand guy (9,9), the other door has remained closed throughout (13,9). In the room above with the loading bay doors there's a door (8,5) that Yargin also appeared in at one point in the fight - obviously these are connected.
Tassira Vantyev |
"No one comes back from goin' ta see Gaedran."
"Then we should go about correcting that, shouldn't we?" Tassira shakes her casting fingers and prepares them for another spell.
Neziana Fentel |
"We should at least check out the rest of the place, even if there are no one here. Maybe we'll find something useful." Neziana says and starts moving towards the door carefully. She opens it as silently as possible to peer at what behind, just in case there is someone there.
stealth: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16
DM Luke |
I'm assuming we're talking here about door (13,9) as it's the only door still closed. I've updated the combat map under that assumption.
This interior work is filled with single-file opportunities, so at the risk of sounding very old-school, can you guys work out a marching order for those situations?
Neziana climbs the walkway steps and makes her way over to the closed door. The handle turns easily in her hand and she nudges the door open to reveal a disheveled office. The air in here has a faint unpleasant sharpness to it. There's a desk that's covered with slate boards, themselves covered in chalk writing. Sitting on the corner of the desk is a glass flask half-filled with a colorless fluid. There's a cabinet in the corner with its door slightly ajar.
An open door in the opposite corner leads to what looks like another office. Nothing moves in here.
Emileva Mavrakis |
Since she was planning to check out the room anyway, Emileva accompanies Neziana up the stairs and into the room at the top.
"Let's give the room a quick sweep to double check for anyone hiding, that sort of thing. A search can wait until later. Any extra time spent out here plays to Lamm's advantage."
Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (1) + 5 = 6
Kayleigh Fairwind |
"I'll stay put here to protect and watch over the Lambs while you check out the rest of the place," Kayleigh calls to Neziana and Emileva, but also turns to the others so they'll know she's speaking to them as well. "Call me if you get into any trouble or when you're ready to go after Gaedren."
Nebbin Elsbet |
Nebbin would want to go first, if only so no one else gets hurt. However, if Neziana is going to do some trap-spotting, which I think makes sense, she'll probably have to take the lead. After that, maybe Kayleigh, Tassira and then Emileva, so we don't leave our backsides undefended? If you guys want something else (I could see Emileva not liking that plan), that's fine. Nebbin will do what he's told.
Nebbin nods, hefting his board.
"Maybe wen can convince him he needs to stop," he says, hopefully. "I mean, everyone else is gone, so he'll see we mean it and we won't have to fight anymore."
Neziana Fentel |
Neziana isn't actually all that good at looking for traps, though I guess she's the best we've got. However she would like to scout ahead. With her 20 ft movement Emileva won't be of much use way back. I suggest we just go Neziana - Nebbin - Emileva - Tassira - Kayleigh. Kayleight got pretty decent AC anyway.
Neziana returns to hear the comment from the big man and looks incredulously at Nebbin with wide eyes. "Did you find some shiver stash down through the hole there to make you delusional? Gaedren is not going to stop just because we ask him nicely. Besides the vile man doesn't deserve to walk free after all that he has done to exploit, torture and kill little kids."
The cat-eared girl looks over to the kids with a wicked smile. "Could you perhaps tell this muscle man the names of the kids who has gone through that door down there, but never returned? Clearly he needs some examples of what the harsh reality is like."
Neziana then looks over at Tassira. "Anyway, the reason I came back is what you did earlier with the potions. There is a flask of something in this office. Maybe you can identify it for us Tassira?"
Without waiting for a reply she goes back to the offices to search quickly for anything of value or importance.
perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (7) + 5 = 12
Tassira Vantyev |
"Did you find some shiver stash down through the hole there to make you delusional? Gaedren is not going to stop just because we ask him nicely. Besides the vile man doesn't deserve to walk free after all that he has done to exploit, torture and kill little kids."
Tassira's face darkens. "She's right. Gaedren's not walking away from all this--he's either going behind bars or to Pharasma's court."
I hope it's the former, myself... but that's looking extremely unlikely.
"Anyway, the reason I came back is what you did earlier with the potions. There is a flask of something in this office. Maybe you can identify it for us Tassira?"
"Alright--lemme have a look." Tassira takes the flask Neziana found and lets her eyes glow blue once again. She scans the flask's aura...
Spellcraft w/Detect Magic: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (14) + 8 = 22
DM Luke |
The substance is a diluted solution of common acid. Its odor is a stronger version of the tang underlying the fish stink in the work room. The slates are covered with what look like tally marks. The cabinet in the corner is empty save for a ledger. Flipping through the ledger you find the business records for the fishery, with fish hawker's and slurry customer's names written out in long form next to quantities and prices.
You go through the remainder of the rooms. The first is an office, front doors opening to the street. These doors stand open - your enemy with the wand fled this way. The office smells of dog piss and you don't linger there. The last door was closed but unlocked. Within you find a dingy bedroom with two unkempt beds. No loot is found in either of these.
You do find in the upper workroom (again, the one with the loading bay doors) that there's a locked cabinet by the desk that you've not opened.
Neziana Fentel |
"A shame it's not another useful potion." Neziana comments once she learns the contents of the flask. "I guess it was too much to hope that they left useful or valuable things laying around." She shakes her head, though her disappointment is only ever so slight.
"We should check what's in here though. It should be quick, so not much of a hold up." Neziana says as she leans in to examine the cabinet. She carefully scans it with her eyes, before fishing out a pair of lockpicks from her inner pocket. If she finds nothing wrong she sets to work on it. The girl smiles to herself as her deft fingers quickly works the lock.
perception vs traps: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (16) + 6 = 22
Unlock the cabinet if no traps are foubd: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (19) + 10 = 29
Emileva Mavrakis |
"There is something useful here."
Emileva puts the ledger in her rucksack. "If Lamm does manage to slip away this time, we'll have a list of his contacts. It will give us a head start on tracking him down again."
DM Luke |
Neziana finds no traps. The lock is picked relatively easily and the cabinet opens. Within the cabinet are six small bags, each filled with coins. Four of the bags contain 50 copper pennies, and two of them contain 50 silver sails. total of 200 cp and 100 sp. There's nothing else of interest in the cabinet except for some rations (2 days worth) and a small box of sweets, most of which has been eaten.
Nebbin Elsbet |
Nebbin's eyes open wide at the coins, more than he'd ever seen at one time before his friends pooled all their wealth when he got in trouble with Lamm.
"I hope he doesn't get away. Maybe we can give the kids this food? They still seemed pretty hungry," he says.
Kayleigh Fairwind |
"I'm going to use my last spell to heal young Kevlin," Kayleigh announces to her comrades. "Hopefully, he'll come around and I won't have to carry him around with us, because I'm not just leaving him someplace to hunt down Lamm in the hopes that he'll still be there when we get back. I still can channel positive energy a couple of times if we get into trouble, plus you folks found those potions."
Kneeling over Kevlin, Kayleigh casts cure light wounds on the child (swapping out abstemiousness).
Cure Light Wounds: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2
When her spell doesn't bring the lad around, Kayleigh's countenance grows concerned. "He's really hurt if I can't bring him around with a channel and a light healing spell." Looking a little bit annoyed and moments later a bit apologetic, the young woman scoops the child up, cradling him in her arms.
"I guess I'll be carrying him with us after all."
Kayleigh will make up the rear when the group moves forward.
Tassira Vantyev |
Sounds like it...
Tassira pockets the acid flask and reaches into her backpack to stow away her spellbook. She gives Ravnos a reassuring pat on the head while she does so.
"Does anyone have any objection to using that healing potion we found on him?" Tassira asks when Kayleigh's magic fails to bring her patient around.
Emileva Mavrakis |
"I think it's best if we use the potion to get him up. It will be difficult enough for us to get through the hole and down to the door while staying out of the water. Doing carrying an unconscious boy will just be too much."
Neziana Fentel |
Seeing the sweets, Neziana is quick to react. Is that what I think it is? It would be nice with some sweets indeed, so something nice does come out of this. If the others see them, I would have to share with the kids though. Quickly, but stealthily, her hands darts out to grab them and hide them away.
Sleight of hand: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12
"Sure, the kids can have the rations." She answers quickly, trying to keep her voice as innocent as possible.
Of course she makes sure to retrieve the coins too, but those she shows off to the others. "Look what's in here."
"Can't the other kids watch over him? You won't be able to fight very well if it comes to that. Who knows what he'll have with him. Isn't that safer than laying him down on the ground when we enter?" Neziana comments on Kayleigh's actions.
The tiefling then look to the others. "Now, let's see if we can find the way the wand-guy used to go down there. Perhaps one of you kids know the way?" Her head swings towards the little lambs.
Tassira Vantyev |
Perception (Tassira) *Alertness*: 1d20 + 1 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 + 1 = 7
Perception (Ravnos): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (18) + 5 = 23
Tassira is, as usual, more focused on something else than whatever Neziana's doing.
Her cat, on the other hand, peeks her head out in time to see the tiefling swipe the sweets. Ravnos doesn't make a sound, but she does give Neziana a rather deadpan look.
Kayleigh Fairwind |
Kayleigh's momentarily uncertain, caught between her two biggest mantras: 1) Care for those who need your help and 2) Do so as efficiently and cheaply as possible! The potion would be better served if it went to one of the others to use in need when the cleric wasn't around to provide healing services. She could technically use one or both of her remaining positive energy channels on Kevlin...but that seemed dangerously wasteful, as the channels could heal multiple targets...a real possibility for the group if they were to battle Lamm himself.
A couple of times Kayleigh considered leaving Kevlin with the other Lambs topside--they seemed fairly kind and trustworthy. But other Lambs were due to return soon...likely older and more criminally-disposed. No--now that she'd found Kevlin, she couldn't let the lad out of her sight.
"Thank you," she tells the others, cradling Kevlin's neck back and slowly trickling the healing potion down the boy's throat.
Potion of CLW: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6
When the lad's eyes flutter open, Kayleigh smiles at him and says, "Easy, Kevlin. Your mother, Anadrea, sent me to find you. You're safe now, but my friends and I have one last thing we have to do here before I can take you back home, OK? Can you be brave and quiet for a short time? And can you climb down a rope?"
DM Luke |
You all should know that chocolate is bad for kitties! Neziana, do you take your virtual Margaritas with salt or no? :D
The kids look around at one another as they chew through the food you've found. They're ravenous. One of them goes over to the corner among the crates and retrieves a heavy pail of very suspect looking water. They begin passing around a ladle to wash down the dry rations.
"Do you think he used the pier outside?" Carawyn guesses. "There ain't no door in this place. Not that I've ever seen."
Another of the Lambs, "When Gaedran comes, he comes in from outside. I don't think there's a door inside the building that goes to Gaedran's. Only door I know of is the one that Jilly seen just now."
Jilly, the drowned girl replies, "It was a creepy little door. Is that where Yargin came out of when you fed him to the shark?" she asks Nebbin.
"When they lower you down the gut-hole, Gaedran waits for you in a little boat." The beaten boy speaks in a hushed voice, like he's worried Gaedran will hear him. "Then he takes takes you into his room and tortures you. Kammy screamed for a whole hour when they pushed her down the hole. Everyone who goes down there screams." He starts crying again, so Carawyn shoves a biscuit in his mouth.
Tassira Vantyev |
"...he won't have a chance to do so again." Tassira's demeanour turns even darker than before. She stows her crossbow away and approaches the gut-hole. Ravnos *hisses* in agreement--the tabby's ears are folded back in rage.
"We need to move. Nebbin, would you kindly go first?"
DM Luke |
When Kevlin awakes his first reaction is to reach up to the scar on his chest. When his hand comes away covered in his own blood he panics and struggles in Kayleigh's grip ensuring Kayleigh wears a good measure of his blood as well. She gains control of him easily enough though, the meaning of her words soaks in and he relaxes.
"D-Did you save me?! I think I died! A rope?" He stands slowly with Kayleigh's help, but looks around confused at the question and keeps unconsciously rubbing his chest, his soreness evident. "I'll try. If it will get me out of here and back to my mother."
Nebbin Elsbet |
"Oh, yeah, if you want. We can't let him hurt anyone else! I just wish we had someone who really knew how to fight..."
Not seeing any options, the big man descends again down the gut hole.
Climb: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (6) + 8 = 14
Tassira Vantyev |
Tassira is tempted to make a sarcastic quip, but she holds her tongue.
However, both she and her cat are now wearing the same deadpan expression on their faces.
Neziana Fentel |
Neziana nods at Nebbin's comment with a smirk. "Gee. Yeah, it would be nice to have someone strong and capable of smashing his face in or break his neck with a huge-ass board. Why didn't we bring someone like that?"
"Anyway, let's climb down the rope then. It should be easy enough with the knots." Neziana follows after Nebbin.
Take 10 on climb for 13
DM Luke |
Some relevant snippets of descriptions of the under-pier area from previous pages...
The area Nebbin bursts up into has a rotting old dock that bobs on the surface of the water, half its timbers cracked and algae-covered. The old dock runs the length of the port side of the ship, then angles just where Nebbin's surfaced to provide a low path back to the foundation of the fishery.---
Turning back to the pier (no action remaining to do more), Nebbin sees that the space between this under pier and the fishery above is about 5' - not enough for him to stand fully. Where he's heaved the girl onto the dock, she lies right at the foot of a door that leads into some base level of the fishery.
There's also a little rowboat lashed to a piling at the end of the pier, near the bow of the ship. The pier rocks ominously as you each in-turn add your weight to it. The door into whatever lies beneath the fishery is only 4 feet tall - a creepy little door indeed.
I have a sketch to share of the profile of this place. I had to make it when first digesting this location just to understand how the floors stitched together. I'll post it to the campaign site once we move a little bit farther (there's just a tiny spoiler in the sketch). Hopefully that will help visualize the layout of the building. It's odd.
Nebbin Elsbet |
"Do you think we could go find someone like that?" Nebbin earnestly asks Neziana before descending.
Once convinced that's not happening, he waits for the others to descend.
"There's the door. Should I go in first? I hope I don't get stuck in it..."
I figure Neziana might want to check for traps here. Though we should also stay spread out so we don't end up going for a swim.
Tassira Vantyev |
Tassira swallows and starts climbing down the rope.
Climb: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (20) - 1 = 19
Surprisingly, she manages to get down without incident, stepping onto the pier while shaking.
Kayleigh Fairwind |
"You almost died," Kayleigh admits to Kevlin, "but my friends and I were able to heal you up in time. If they're able to take down the evil man who runs this place, I'll be able to heal you up some more soon...hopefully good as new! Now--down the rope. Nebbin will catch you if you slip."
Kayleigh should be able to make the climb on a knotted rope by taking 10 on her Climb check. She'll follow Kevlin.
DM Luke |
Neziana's inevitable examination reveals a firmly locked but apparently untrapped door. Fiddling with the device, she's able to defeat it quickly. Even passing one another on this dock is a precarious chance. With the lot of you perched on the rickety thing, you can't help but feel an imminent disaster if you don't move on.
Squeezing through the little doorframe will count as a double move.
As the group stands there waiting for the lock to be defeated, Emileva experiences a brief and frightening sense of vertigo. The sound of Neziana's picks working their magic seem amplified and elongated in Emileva's ears. She hears the echo of a female voice.
"...for the locksmith does not destroy to defeat, but rather reasserts the order of positive possession, by supplying the key that was lost."
The harrowing's magic fills Emileva with energy and a renewed determination to stamp out this Gaedran-creature and the foul trades in which he peddles.
Emileva enjoys +2 to all Dexterity-based checks and +1 dodge modifier to armor class in any fight against Gaedran.
Emileva Mavrakis |
Emileva had been last to go down into the hole. She agreed with Nebbin's suggestion on the order, and held the rope, steadying it for the others as they descended.
Before she went down herself, she took the dagger from her boot and laid it on the floor. She looked to each of the children as she told them "While we are gone you will be in charge of those two we have tied up. If either of them try to escape, you will have to kill them before they can get free.You know better than us what suffering they've brought you, as well as to those who went down this hole and never came back. I will also leave it to you to decide whether you will take revenge for it. You know as well as I do that taking them to the city guard will lead to nothing. Be assured I will back you completely on whatever decision you make. So will Lythertida, the angel who holds dear those who might have been or done so many things, but who were robbed of those chances. They are now voiceless so you must speak for them."
Emileva Mavrakis |
As Emileva waits at the rear on the rickety dock she feels its slight sway become a nauseating lurch. The motion is not sudden and sharp like a board breaking, but fluid like sinking suddenly into soft earth.
She reaches out to the wall to steady herself against her dizziness and notices a loud rasping and clicking. Emi realizes it is Neziana, working on the lock, strangely amplified. When the Voice comes out of the lockpicks' sounds to her she reaches clarity.
I have been mistaken. What we are doing is not vengeance. The priest is kind-hearted but she is wrong. I felt this first when she saved the gnome's life, but now I know with certainty. We are more than vigilantes, and this is more than a substitute for justice. What we are doing is justice itself. We are its agents, its fixers.
DM Luke |
Damn, for a big dude you are hard to hit with a crossbow bolt.
As Nebbin ducks through the little door he hears the chilling twang of a crossbow being fired. Lucky for him, the bolt punches a big hole in the stupid little door, missing the barbarian cleanly.
The air in here is chilly and stinks of the river, thanks to a huge opening in the floor that drops away to the shore a couple feet below. Several pilings emerge from the waters to support the roof ten feet above the floor, with algae-covered ropes slung between them. In two places, rusty manacles hang from the ropes over the water. Two five-foot-wide walkways cross the hole to the other side of the chamber, where a collection of old cabinets, lockboxes, and piles of clutter are strewn about. Chipped porcelain plates, a cracked goblet, badly rusted silverware, an old wooden shield with a crossbow bolt embedded in it, the odd dinged helm, and other "treasures" litter the floor on the far side of the chamber. Three tables heaped with clutter stand amid the mess. In the northwest corner, a wooden door provides access to a walled-off section.
Standing before the door is a wiry old man furiously winding a crossbow. he cackles at Nebbin as the big man regains his feet.
"Come for a piece of old Gaedran, have ya! Come on then, have at ya!"
As Nebbin takes a step toward the old man his eyes are drawn to a twelve foot crocodile lounging on the water's edge just beside one of the walkways. The beast shifts its bulk, eyeing the new meat with its beady stare.
Initiative rolls are immaterial in this situation. The order is:
Gaedran
Crocodile (delaying)
Nebbin
Neziana
Tassira
Kayleigh
Emileva
Nebbin's up.
Nebbin Elsbet |
Beginner's luck!
HP 15/15
AC 16, touch 12, flat-footed 14 (-2 to all when raging)
Fort +4, Ref +2, Will +0 (+2 Will when raging)
CMD 17
Rage: 5/9
Harrow points: 3/3
Effects:
"Look out!" Nebbin cries. "He's here! And shooting at me!"
Feeling a surge of fear, but realizing the old man will just try to shoot him again -- or his new friends -- Nebbin rushes forward with his board raised high.
I have a bad feeling about these walkways and this croc, but it's what Nebbin would do...
Acrobatics (if needed): 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10
Greatclub, power attack: 1d20 + 5 - 1 ⇒ (9) + 5 - 1 = 13
Damage: 1d10 + 9 ⇒ (7) + 9 = 16
Neziana Fentel |
Earlier, before descending.
"We don't really have time to go look for more help. Gaedren could relocate or gather more help. We got to grab the opportunity when we have it." Neziana takes a step closer and pats the arm of the big man. "Besides, we got you. Don't you think you'll be able to bash his head in if you try your best? You did say you would protect us girls."
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Before entering
"It was locked, but not trapped. Though these rickety piers might be enough of a trap in itself. Also, we shouldn't let our guard down just because we've gotten this far. We still got the hardest fight in front of us. Gaedren is a terrible man." She stands up and moves around Nebbin. "I'll go in after you."
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Now
@DM Luke: Are you sure I can't use acrobatics or something to get through the door faster to move after Nebbin?: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25
Neziana rushes in after her new companion, moving on all fours like a cat. Despite her earlier questions for him to protect them, she knows that they have to protect each other if they are to succeed and she worries for the big man. I'll get your back shortly. She calls back to those behind her. "Come, let's go, hurry!"
@Nebbin: You don't have enough movement to reach Gaedren this turn...
DM Luke |
Yes, with your successful tumble check Neziana can squeeze without penalty. Nebbin's wasn't needed as combat did not start until after he was in the room (Nebbin's Acrobatics are disregarded - maybe he meant it for crossing the walkways). On the combat map I have Nebbin at 10' into his second move action at (6,3). I've marked Neziana at the end of one move action, so Neziana still has an action to give. I'll let you pick your spot on the map as it's awkward (or decide to take the other walkway).
Others are free to post your actions.
Nebbin Elsbet |
That works. Sorry, for some reason I looked at your sketch, and not the combat map. And, yeah, I wasn't sure if crossing the walkways would require an Acrobatics check, so I figured I'd throw it in just in case. Maybe that'd be too much for first level. :)
Emileva Mavrakis |
As soon as Emileva hears a voice in the room ahead identify himself as Gaedran she starts moving forward. Squeezing by those ahead of her at a run, she rushes into the room. Since Nebbin and Neziana have gone one way around the hole in the dock, she goes the other, rushing along the walkway as fast as she can.
Double move taking the route past the crocodile (Yay!). Also, I only just got around to taking a look at the loot list. There's a +3 STR compound bow! I missed there being a bow somehow, but there's no way Emi would leave a prize like that just laying around. Can she have brought it with her? I doubt it will be useful in these kinds of spaces, and Lamm is handwork as far as she's concerned. But you never know.