Souls for a Devil
Game Master Tordek Rumnaheim

Kneeling on the guard's chest, Corvin delivers a backhanded blow to the man's face, followed by a powerful pile-driver to the side of his head.

Spiked gauntlet: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6; Damage: 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7
Spiked gauntlet: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (12) + 4 = 16; Damage: 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7

The guard manages to turn in his face just in time to miss the the first swing, but not the second. Corvin's spiked guantlet crashes into the guard's skull knocking him unconcious, his life slowly pouring out of the gaping wound above his ear.

Initiative
Savendir
Corvin (posted)
Matsumoto (posted seeking healing)
Flavia
Mason
Guards (1 dying, the other missing)

"I could sure use some healing if you're up to it, Mason," Flavia says, rummaging through the pile to obtain her gear.

Flavia will find her gear and start donning armor if nothing nasty happens.

Savendir hurries to Flavia and heals her with a charge from his wand. 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (1) + 1 = 2

"We must hurry," he says. "Get the other prisoners and get out before more..." he looks at the vile beasts on the ground, searching for a word which he never finds. "We must hurry," he simply says again.

"Thank you, Savendir," Flavia says, feeling slightly better than before. She continues to find her gear and don her armor (5 rounds for don hastily).

You are able to gather and reset your gear undisturbed. While this is being done for 5 rounds, is anybody else doing anything? We are no longer in rounds.

Flavia yaps as she re-armors. "I'm so glad to see you guys! We meant to poke around a little but they caught us. There are two men - fellow prisoners - in the cell block that have daggers. They've been kidnapped. Another lies unconscious. I was just going to check on him when you showed up. There's no light in there, either. The guards used a light spell. At least one should have keys, but you won't need them for the cells that people are in. I opened 'em all. It's a shame the one guy got away. They were talking about 'a good haul' so I guess they meant to sell us or something. They didn't tell the prisoners anything. If you can stop that guy from dying, maybe we can question him. I'd be surprised if he survived Corvin jumping on top of him like that. That was pretty amazing, though." She gives Corvin a smile. "And I want the daggers back once we get these guys safely home."

Mason heals Matsumoto for 1d8 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10 points.

"If you can stop that guy from dying, maybe we can question him. I'd be surprised if he survived Corvin jumping on top of him like that."

Corvin pauses in his attempt to snap the dying man's neck, dropping him to the floor.

"Yeah, that would, be, uh, real smart, wouldn't it?"

"That was pretty amazing, though." She gives Corvin a smile. "And I want the daggers back once we get these guys safely home."

"Sure thing. ...thanks."

He keeps his eyes downcast, absently shaking blood from his hands.

"Dirty sons of b$#!$es shredded my gods-damned cloak."

"If we stop to question him, that will give the other guards a lot of time to return. Can we move him somewhere?"

"We've got the prisoners to move, too, and one is still unconscious. Can you check on him, Savendir or Mason?"

"If we stop to question him, that will give the other guards a lot of time to return. Can we move him somewhere?"

** spoiler omitted **

Rokuro bows deeply to mason as fter the healing energies mend the worst of his wounds. "My thanks to you Honoured Healer".
he then moves over to help with the other prisoners, propping up the unconscious man ready for Savendir or Mason to administer to his condition.

Savendir attends to the unconscious prisoner. CLW from wand 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (7) + 1 = 8. Heal check 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (10) + 11 = 21 to assess his condition.

Sorry for the absence. Very busy week at work and home last week. Thanks for continuing on without me.

The prisoner remains unconscious, breathing shallowly. The wand seems to have no effect on him.

The wounded guard near Corvin let's out a gurgle as he condition worsens.

Mason looks over at Corvin and elects not to try to help the guard.

"So, uh, anyone else need to be patched up?"

The guard's wounds prove to be too great for him to overcome. He succumbs to the massive amount of blood loss from the various punctures that Corvin's armor inflicted.

So, the guard is dead, you have liberated 3 prisoners (one of whom is still unconscious). What do you want to do now?

And my heal check did not identify why the prisoner is unconscious?

And my heal check did not identify why the prisoner is unconscious?

I needed some time to research

As Savendir examines the unconscious prisoner, he finds a tiny puncture wound in the victim's neck. It appears to Savendir that the prisoner has been poisoned.

"Maybe we should escort the prisoners back to... wherever they are going. And sleeping beauty here might be the friend of the guys in the tavern, Mason. We could drag him back there so they can take a look. In the meantime, let's toss this place and see if we can find out anything about the operation, huh? There's an office and a wagon and crates and this other room. And Mason, if you can do any of those nifty mass healings, I think a lot of us are still hurt."

"I agree, quick search and then get out of here. We need to get this man to where I can attend to his condition."

Flavia searches the office and looks for a way into the room in the northwest corner.

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21

She looks for any papers that might indicate who or what is behind the human smuggling ring. And for any valuables. Of course.

Perception: 1d20 + 11 ⇒ (11) + 11 = 22

Savendir looks for similar things, as well as any indication of what might have poisoned the prisoner or information about the monsters.

Mason channels energy for 1d6 ⇒ 6.

"Flavia, I'll help you search the office."

Perception to assist: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18

Warehouse Office
The office has various ledgers and notes related to the shipping business. You notice that the last entry is dated about 9 months ago (4 Abadius 4711). Also, you find a calendar hanging on the wall. As you page through the calendar, you notice a red x on the fifteenth day of every other month beginning with Calsitril (February) and continuing to the end of the year. There is an X in the current month, Lamashan, and the next X is on the 15th of the last month, Kuthona. You think for a moment and remember that this is the evening of the 17th of Lamashan 4711.

There is a cash box in the bottom left drawer with 30 silver pieces, 5 gold pieces, and 15 copper pieces.

Warehouse
The deceased guard has the following items: Wooden Holy Symbol: Pharasma, Silver Unholy symbol, Sap, Thieves tools, masterwork shortsword, light cross bow, 11 bolts and leather armor. The are various empty crates stacked along the walls.

Northeast Room
The door to this room is unlocked. It is the kitchen and there are enough utensils for 3 - 4 people.

XP Award: 400 XP each for defeating the two undead monsters and 1 guard, plus 1 story award.

Rokuro helps tend to the prisoners and get them back on their feet after their ordeal while the others search the place.
Once everything has been searched, he says "we must be swift, for I envision that the one who escaped will be back soon with reinforcemnets. Let us away from here back to the tavern so we can discuss what has occurred."

Flavia examines the calendar and ledger. "If my hunch is right, this place quit being a real shipper months ago. It looks like the guys here drugged and abducted people, then sent them out every couple of months. There are sixteen cells, so they could ship that many or more, if they cared to cram more guys into those cells. With the drugs, it's simple to immobilize everyone, load them into the wagon, cover them with empty cartons, and they're off!" She looks up from her reading to Savendir, Rokuro, and Corvin. "They said that they were ahead of quota with the five of us, and it looks like they sent out the last shipment just a couple of days ago."

Pondering a moment, she suddenly groans and thumps herself in the head as a sudden realization hits. "If they sent out the prior shipment two months ago and our client's son disappeared a month or so ago... then he was here until a couple of nights ago! Gods dammit! We were so close!"

Springing up, she retrieves her lantern, lights it, and does a thorough search of the normally-darken cell area, looking for anything that prisoners might have scratched into the walls or floor indicating their captivity or presence. "I know you want to get moving, Matsumoto, but we need to know if he was here, if it's at all possible."

Taking 20 on the search gives a 26 Perception.

In the 2nd cell from the door on the right, Flavia finds some crude, blocky, writing on the floor in a far corner.

Father,

I do not know what is in store for me. Know that I love you.

Nadu Pieresiff

Heal check: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (17) + 8 = 25

Looking over Flavia's shoulder, Savendir comments grimly, "Written in blood." He moves toward the door. "It seems we have found the trail of young Master Pieresiff."

"The who what now?"

Flavia rises from her crouch, holding the lantern high. "We were hired to find a Korvosan nobleman's son who disappeared several weeks ago from an inn here in town. We seem to be right behind him, but don't know where the prisoners were sent from here. Too bad... " She glances at Corvin and trails off. "But did you notice that guard had two holy symbols? One of Pharasma.. what is that other one? Does anybody know?"

"I guess we really should get back to our rooms for tonight, and maybe send a note to the father saying we are on the trail. I guess we'll have to carry this guy back to his friends. I hope he's the right one. Is everyone fit to travel?"

Map of Sirathu
All is quiet at the warehouse.

There is a road, Hickory Lane, that heads back in the direction of the Rich Fox Tavern, or you can head back on the main road.

Someone should retrieve Enard from the gambling den. Corvin will know the way and how to get in.

"But did you notice that guard had two holy symbols? One of Pharasma.. what is that other one? Does anybody know?"

Mason's face takes on a deep reddish shade.

Flavia rises from her crouch, holding the lantern high. "We were hired to find a Korvosan nobleman's son who disappeared several weeks ago from an inn here in town. We seem to be right behind him, but don't know where the prisoners were sent from here. Too bad... " She glances at Corvin and trails off. "But did you notice that guard had two holy symbols? One of Pharasma.. what is that other one? Does anybody know?"

"Too bad what?"

Corvin examines the dead guard, looking for anything familiar.

Perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (18) + 1 = 19
Knowledge (dungeoneering): 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17 (Probably not relevant, but worth a shot.)

"I guess we really should get back to our rooms for tonight, and maybe send a note to the father saying we are on the trail. I guess we'll have to carry this guy back to his friends. I hope he's the right one. Is everyone fit to travel?"

"I'm hurt, but not by much. Don't really want to get out on them streets lookin' like this, though."

"Too bad we can't question this guy. At least, I can't. I hear there are spells, though." Flavia considers the group. "We don't look too bad. It's dark out, anyway. That should cover some of the mess. Where is Enard? We can use all the muscle we can get. What's the plan?" She turns rather red. "Maybe we should all go get Enard instead of splitting up."

Savendir nods in agreement.

"We may look bad, but we will look worse if we are still here when reinfocements show up. We should get Enard. A few of us can hide back in an alleyway near the gambling parlor with the prisoners while a few others extract him from the place. Then we should get somewhere safe, and quickly."

I've marked the location of the trick door on the map. What path will you take to get there? It's about 11 pm

Map

"Good thinking, Savendir. Let's take the darkest, quietest route we can find and get out of here."

Is the Wedge Stair road fairly quiet and dark?

"Good thinking, Savendir. Let's take the darkest, quietest route we can find and get out of here."

Is the Wedge Stair road fairly quiet and dark?

yes

When they got outside and saw the road, Flavia would vote for Wedge Stair Road.

I agree.

"The quickest most least travelled route would be the best. We do not wish to draw too much attention to ourselves, so your suggestion would seem the most appropriate." He nods in the direction of the Wedge Stair Road.

"Let's go, then. Corvin, you've been there. Lead the way! The least damaged of us should go fetch him but frankly, we all look pretty bad."

You make your way down the dark street, led by Corvin. All is quiet. You come to the end of Wedge Stair which is a dead end. Corvin knows that it is vaguely straight ahead but your path is blocked by houses.

You make your way down the dark street, led by Corvin. All is quiet. You come to the end of Wedge Stair which is a dead end. Corvin knows that it is vaguely straight ahead but your path is blocked by houses.

"Might could find an alleyway somewhere 'round here..."

Knowledge (local) or Perception?

GM Tordek wrote:

You make your way down the dark street, led by Corvin. All is quiet. You come to the end of Wedge Stair which is a dead end. Corvin knows that it is vaguely straight ahead but your path is blocked by houses.

"Might could find an alleyway somewhere 'round here..."

Knowledge (local) or Perception?

Make a knowledge(local) check.

Make a knowledge(local) check.

I'm an idiot. Thought Corvin had that skill, but apparently he doesn't. Any other options here?

GM Tordek wrote:

Make a knowledge(local) check.

I'm an idiot. Thought Corvin had that skill, but apparently he doesn't. Any other options here?

You can take a guess and try to pick a path between houses. I can roll with that. To everyone else, its been a hectic time at work, I should be able to post more this weekend.

Moving things along.

Corvin spots an alley between two houses that seems to be headed in the right direction. It seems safe enough. Do you want to try it?