Rufus finds no traps, but the door is locked.
Like Rufus, Hamilton doesn't find any traps. After a minute of fiddling with it, he finally manages to get the lock open.
Tharkan rushes into the hall, with his companions close on his heels. Scattered debris and empty barrels clutter the structure’s main hall. Dim light filters from a curtain-shrouded balcony above, illuminating the silhouettes of dozens of wooden training dummies. To either side, stone stairs lead up to the balcony. The stench of rancid oil and stale sweat fills the hall’s smoky air.
Two men, who had been deep in conversation, look up when the group bursts through the door.
"Hey! You are not welcome here. Leave now!"
Initiative:
Round 1
1st: Dailung, Lion, Balon
2nd: Dervishes
3rd: Rufus, Hamilton, Milo, Tharkan
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"We're just here to get back the items that your group stole. Would you like to return them to us, or will we have to resort to violence?"
Balon and his skeletal lion move forward, Balon allowing the lion to get right up to the men and then saying "Hold. Kill them if they move to attack you." The lion does not attack yet, waiting for Balon's signal.
Dailung moves forward and attacks one of the dervishes. She lands a solid blow, causing the man to step back. Balon and the lion prep attacks, waiting for the men to make the first move.
"Farook!"
One of the dervishes calls out, and simultaneously kicks over a clay urn standing next to him on the floor. A puddle of blood red liquid spills out from the urn, covering the floor in front of him. The other dervish reaches into his belt and pulls out a tindertwig. He scratches it across his belt buckle, lighting it, before he tosses it into the liquid. The entire pool goes up in a whoosh of flames!
At the man's cry, a third dervish appears from one of the side rooms. Seeing the intruders, he moves to flank Dailung, and swings at her with his scimitar.
In his haste, the swing goes wide.
Round 1
1st: Dailung, Lion, Balon
2nd: Dervishes
3rd: Rufus, Hamilton, Milo, Tharkan
green 18 dmg nl; flames 1 round
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Milo ducks into the room, taking cover behind one of the training dummies.
A wicked smile crosses his face at the sight of the fire burning in the middle of the warehouse, as he reaches out one hand, a few sparks from the fire seem to float across and form up in his palm.
With a cry in draconic, he then tosses the flame at the dervish harrying Dailung's flank.
, for fire damage.
The flame reforms in his hand as soon as it leaves.
Under an onslaught of attacks, the three dervishes go down, two of them permanently. The third is only unconscious. One of the dead men is Hakir Half-Ear, and now that you've seen them up close, you realize the others were at the wedding as well.
The fire burns itself out in about half a minute without causing any damage to the building.
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"Prigs." Milo says with disdain as he examines the fallen thieves.
"Bludger there's the git what loosed the cats." He adds, pointing at Hakir, and making a point not to look at the skeletal lion that still follows them around.
"Granny them too." He adds after a moments thought, looking at the other two.
"Glimmed their own crib." He adds, offhandedly, looking at the burned section of floor thoughtfully.
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"Does anyone need some healing? I will be mending the damage to the skeleton, and can include some of you if you'd like. You'll feel a bit strange for a few seconds, but it will pass, and you'll be healed."
If anyone needs some healing, Balon will use his death's kiss ability to cause up to two people to be treated as undead for healing by negative energy, then channel on those two and the lion. /2 = 3.
With the dervishes out of commission, the party is able to explore the building at leisure.
Two stairways lead up to a curtain-shrouded balcony, where a massive brazier burns below a smashed skylight. The ruddy light illuminates an ominous bronze idol with the head of a bull.
Downstairs, the two rooms to the west are empty. To the east, the northern chamber contains a slave pen with bloodied manacles inside while the southern room is an office with a desk and two chairs. Heaped notes and letters lie atop the office desk. You find one parchment that catches your eye A bloodstained box in the corner holds the stolen portrait of Prince Khasine and bags of Chelish gold (1,900 gp).
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Trask prepares to finish the job on the remaining dervish, but pauses for a moment. "These are not demons, nor are they proven to be irredeemable. Should we live him alive, or finish him?"
Seeing the bloody manacles, he has what he beliees is a better idea. He takes the three, and puts them into the manacles, carefully, so as not to open the wounds on the one that is merely unconscious. "There, we shall inform the authorities that he is here, and move on. We need to find this, 'Incubus'. I assume it is a ship."
"I believe I know where the ship might be. Finish up here, and let us hurry. Perhaps there is still time."
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[ooc]No, her response makes sense. He was poised to strike the final blow, when he noticed the manacles.[/b]
[ooc]Response to Dailung.[/b]
"Very well, we allow them to live. I do not relish killing, but sometimes it is the only answer.
"However, we should use their own manacles to restrain them, as we do not have time to sit around waiting for the authorities. If you'd like, hire a boy to run to the constabulary with information on their whereabouts, and their misdeeds."
The group puts the surviving dervish in manacles. As they are leaving the building, they are able to flag down a passing youngster. A couple of copper coins are enough to convince the urchin to communicate the dervish's whereabouts to the authorities.
As you are making your way to the harbor, a familiar face emerges from out of the crowd. Al'Jahar abu-Targos flags down the group just before they reach the docks.
"Hello, my friends. How are things going? Have you been able to find the stolen artifacts?"
After providing him with a brief update of what you've found so far, he says: "Raamiz Ibn-Chadli? I know that name. He is a merchant, and a sorcerer, and a very bad man. In fact, he was once a suitor of Lujine Bashir. Obviously, she eventually chose to marry Farendir, but I would not be surprised if he were behind this theft. Watch yourselves, friends. I would not put it past him to consort with demons."
Al'Jahar is able to give you directions to Ibn-Chadli's villa, on the Avenue of the Phoenix. He mentions that the neighbor's house mysteriously burned down recently.
The party has no trouble finding their way to the proper street. Small villas line the Avenue of the Phoenix, the local residences of raveling merchants and officials. Intricate designs cover the homes’ finely carved doors, subtle reminders of their residents’ wealth and taste. Midway down the street, the gaudily painted walls of one home contrast sharply with the burnt-out remains of an unfortunate neighbor: this must be Raamiz Ibn-Chadli’s villa.
Few people travel the secluded avenue, and although watchmen regularly patrol its length, they follow their rounds with easily predicted routine.
A stout, locked door and twelve-foot walls guard Raamiz Ibn-Chadli’s home.
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The young gnome studies the burned out husk of the neighboring building with interest.
"Toffken gaffed glim long back." He says, thoughtfully.
"Rozzers breaking." He observes, glancing both ways up an down the road for any guards. "Worth a gawk." He adds, before ducking quietly into the vacated property to check it out.
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Shaking his had at the nonsense coming out of the gnome's mouth, Trask cases the home. First, he quietly sneaks around the house, paying close attention to any windows or other escape routes.
He then makes his way back around, and carefully checks out the door.
He takes 20 for finding traps on the door, etc... 29(+2 if there are traps)
He will attempt to disarm the trap.
As Milo is poking around in the ruins next door, he finds a spot where the debris is piled up against the wall to Ibn-Chadli's property. It would be a simple matter to use it to climb over and into his yard.
Hamilton can't yet get a good look at the house yet, due to the wall surrounding the property. But he does note that there is a smaller structure towards the back of the property, likely servant's quarters. He finds no traps, and is easily able to open the lock on the door into the courtyard.
With the gate open, the group is able to reconnoiter the rest of the property. Ground floor windows open into a kitchen and a disheveled room that looks like it is used as a guard barracks. There is a smaller dwelling in the back of the property that may be slave or servant's quarters.
Hamilton manages to easily get the front door open. Opening the door reveals a short hallway. Doors open off to the left and right, and the hall appears to end in the kitchen. The door to the left opens into a sort of guards barracks, although the cots are larger than human sized. As the group moves towards door on the right, a small elderly Ulfen man shuffles out into the hall. On seeing the group, a frightened look crosses his face. ”Who are you? What are you doing here? What do you want?”
As the man questions the group, the voice of an old woman comes from the room behind him: ”Who is that dear?”
"I don't know what any of that has to do with this house. But our master is not currently home. You should speak with Qutirh. He should be able to help you. If you would follow me."
The man then heads towards the kitchen. As he starts to move, the woman says:"Ask them if they would like some tea?" The man just scowls and shakes his head at the suggestion, before moving on.