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While the half orc takes it's swipe at Istas, Jubrayl silently takes a swipe back. His longsword glitters in the light falling through the open doorway, and stops point down on the floor by his feet. A drop of blood slowly drips down the blade, and a long gash is left down the side of the half orc.
Turning in shock, the half orc sees the wound, rather than feels it, and his laughter turns hysterical.
Turning in shock, the half orc sees the wound, rather than feels it, and his laughter turns hysterical.
Istas can feel a righteous wrath boiling up inside her as she hears the half-orc's laughter. "You won't find things so funny after we're done with you," she challenges him. She shifts her position just slightly to make sure Giggles has to split his attention between her and Jubrayl. Then, she adjusts her shield to take advantage of the distraction offered by the paladin's attack and thrusts her spear at the half-orc.
Istas' attack with shortspear on Giggles... (1d20+1=[19,1] = 20 to hit, 1d6+1=[1,1] = 2 damage)
Turning in shock, the half orc sees the wound, rather than feels it, and his laughter turns hysterical.Istas can feel a righteous wrath boiling up inside her as she hears the half-orc's laughter. "You won't find things so funny after we're done with you," she challenges him. She shifts her position just slightly to make sure Giggles has to split his attention between her and Jubrayl. Then, she adjusts her shield to take advantage of the distraction offered by the paladin's attack and thrusts her spear at the half-orc.
Istas' attack with shortspear on Giggles... (1d20+1=[19,1] = 20 to hit, 1d6+1=[1,1] = 2 damage)
Istas opens another wound in the half-orc, he staggers even more now, but doesn't go down.
I have Atherton in that Sq, attacking the gnome I'm afraid....The only step you could take is diaganally back-right (i.e south-west).
The gnome moves backwards, towads the door on the southern wall. He opens it, and yells through it, "Blu, intruders! YARGIN!" From another room behind an angry muttered reply can be heard.
"Little bastard!" Atherton curses, stabbing again at the offending gnome.
Atk 17; Dmg 2
This time Aterton's rapier meets it's mark, leaving a scar down the gnomes face he won't easily forget.
Giggles' face wrinkles in rage, and his chuckles finally stop as he swings his flail again. This time, Istas' studdied leather absorbs the blow...
The gnome moves backwards, towads the door on the southern wall. He opens it, and yells through it, "Blu, intruders! YARGIN!" From another room behind an angry muttered reply can be heard.
Hearing the gnome's warning, Istas calls back over her shoulder to the rest of the group so they can prepare themselves, "We're gonna have more company!"
Giggles' face wrinkles in rage, and his chuckles finally stop as he swings his flail again. This time, Istas' studdied leather absorbs the blow...
Istas realizes the attack is going to get past her shield and instinctively throws herself inside the arc of the half-orc's swing, taking the reduced brunt of it on the shoulder guard of her armor. 'I guess Chelaxian-made leather isn't so bad after all,' she muses when the blow doesn't harm her.
Torillan, steeling himself, makes a swift attack with both his short swords, each slashing the brute visciously.
The first stroke of Torillan's flashing baldes takes the half-orc down, with the second causing grevious wounds as he falls. Giggles lies unconscious, blood flowing freely from his wounds.
The first stroke of Torillan's flashing baldes takes the half-orc down, with the second causing grevious wounds as he falls. Giggles lies unconscious, blood flowing freely from his wounds.
"Well done, Torillan!" Istas congratulates the warrior before turning her attention back to the gnome and whomever he's summoned to the fight. "And you're next, you little..."
Calandra moves towards the door that the angry muttered yell was heard from, hoping to intercept the reinforcements, dagger in one hand and a pich of wool for another daze spell in the other in preperation.
Stepping casually over the bleeding half orc, Jubrayl moves to the doorway it enetered from to check for an more enemies from that direction.
As he peers through the door, his whole body tenses.
Looking into th next room, the floor is on the level below 6 orphans are still at work in this room, and as you glance around, one stands out. You niece is stood, looking thinner than you remember, and much dirtier, with a huge fork, raking muck in a tank much like the one in the room you are in.
Istas steps alongside Atherton to face the crooked gnome, leading with her spear. "You should have cooperated when you had the chance," she tells him, "As long as Pharasma is on our side, this choice you've made cannot end well for you."
Istas attacks the gnome... (1d20+1=[13,1] = 14 to hit, 1d6+1=[1,1] = 2 damage)
Istas steps alongside Atherton to face the crooked gnome, leading with her spear. "You should have cooperated when you had the chance," she tells him, "As long as Pharasma is on our side, this choice you've made cannot end well for you."
Istas' attack glances off the gnome's armour, and he snarls as he attacks back with his Kukri, failing compleatly to make contact. Concentrating hard on deflecting the inevitable blows from Istas and Atherton, he backs himself into a corner...
Malik takes aim at the new opponent and lets his crossbow fly.
Malik takes aim at the new opponent and lets his crossbow fly.
Malik's bolt rips the mans leather armour, but does no apparant damage.
The man flourises his wand and speaks a command word, but nothing happens. He looks at it perplexed, then shouts, half at the wand and half at the intruders "Bloody, f$~&ing damn thing. When this works you will know about it!"
At this, a larg dog also breaks through the door, launching itself at Istas, but not managing to get a hold.
Being far too soft for her own good sometimes Calandra can't bring herself to attack the dog. Instead she throws her dagger over the canine and at Yargin.
Istas diverts her attention to the savage dog barking at her heels, leaving Atherton to deal with the gnome. She attempts to spear the animal, but the close quarters and her shield get in the way of lining up a proper thrust.
Istas' attack on the dog... (1d20+1=[6,1] = 7 to hit, 1d6+1=[3,1] = 4 damage)
"It's okay," he explains even as sounds of the fighting continue behind him, "We're here to free you from this place."
Diplomacy check for Jubrayl to calm and reassure the children... (1d20+10=25)
(sub-)Jubrayl,
The room is large, 30' to the east and 45' to the south.
Steps lead down from your current position to a door against the north wall. With more steps starting against the east wall, 15' from the south wall, leading south, then along the southern wall, and back along the waestern to a position 15' away from you, ending at another door.
Two large tanks are in this room, which the orphans have obviously been tending. This lends the room the same ghastly aroma as the previous room.
The orphans, though street savvey, and weary, are impressed by a Paladin in gleeming mail. jubrayl's cousin recognises him, and rushes up the stairs to his embrace, leading the others to drop their caution, and crowd at the bottom of the stairs to see what their saviour will do.
(sub-)Jubrayl,
Spoiler:
The orphans, though street savvey, and weary, are impressed by a Paladin in gleaming mail. Jubrayl's cousin recognizes him, and rushes up the stairs to his embrace, leading the others to drop their caution, and crowd at the bottom of the stairs to see what their saviour will do.
Jubrayl kneels to give his neice a relieved hug. "It's okay. I'm here. It's safe now," he assures her. Eventually, he notices all of the other children gathered around and rises to his feet.
"We're getting you out of here," he addresses them in his most confident, authoritative voice, "Are there any more of you?"
The fighting continues upstairs behind him. "Don't worry about that," he explains, "There's some bad people up there. But some friends are making sure Lamm's thugs get a proper dispensation of justice today. Stay close here with me and when the fighting dies down, I'll take you out of here."
Jub...
"Jubrayl? Is it really you? Are mother and father here too? Oh, I've missed you all so much....It has been, horrible here. The things we have had to do...."
Most of the other orphans mill around aimlessly, it is obvious to them from the sounds above that everything is changing for them. The tallest, and probably oldest of the children steps forward though.
"Bad people? You don't know the 'alf of it mate. Been 'ere 5 yer I 'ave, and been beaten every day of it. Bad people! huh. An 'ow exactly do you intend to get us out of 'ere? That other door just leads back to your friends and the fighting you so want to keep us away from, and this bottom door's locked."
He looks insolently at you, waiting for an answer with a smerk.
Spoiler:"Jubrayl? Is it really you? Are mother and father here too? Oh, I've missed you all so much....It has been, horrible here. The things we have had to do...."Most of the other orphans mill around aimlessly, it is obvious to them from the sounds above that everything is changing for them. The tallest, and probably oldest of the children steps forward though.
"Bad people? You don't know the 'alf of it mate. Been 'ere 5 yer I 'ave, and been beaten every day of it. Bad people! huh. An 'ow exactly do you intend to get us out of 'ere? That other door just leads back to your friends and the fighting you so want to keep us away from, and this bottom door's locked."
He looks insolently at you, waiting for an answer with a smerk.
He looks down at his neice. "Stay close, now. Your mother and father sent me to find you," he tells her, "And now that I have, I won't leave your side until I'll get you back to them...in Magnimar."
Malik reloads his light crossbow takes aim at the blond man, Yargin.
Bugger! Sorry...
** spoiler omitted **
"This door at the bottom of the stairs leeds right outside, then along and back up to the yard. The other leads back to Yargin's office and the front door if you fancy it!" He grins.
Ok Done.
Yargin, panicing now that he is being attcked with nowhere to run to, drops the wand, and pulls a dagger, attacking Torillan, a lucky stab penetrates his leather armour .
Spoiler:"This door at the bottom of the stairs leeds right outside, then along and back up to the yard. The other leads back to Yargin's office and the front door if you fancy it!" He grins.
He steps past the assembled children with his neice in tow. Once he reaches the door at the bottom of the stairs, he assesses it for any weak spots, testing it with his shoulder to see how well the lock holds. Then he hefts his longsword, ready to strike.
"This is the door we're taking," Jubrayl says, motioning the children to step back. He looks over his shoulder at the catwalks leading to the other doors and the rest of the fishery just to ensure no further threats have emerged. Then, he hacks at the locked door with his longsword, putting all his might into every blow...but also including as much precision as possible to make short work of the barrier.
Yargin, panicing now that he is being attcked with nowhere to run to, drops the wand, and pulls a dagger, attacking Torillan, a lucky stab penetrates his leather armour .
Angered at the cut, Torillan takes two viscious swings with his swords. His first attack misses, but he feels the second slash deeply, and he smiles wryly.
Jub
Jubrayl's attacks against the locked door for the next 5 rounds... (1d20+4=[10,4] = 14 to hit, 1d8+2=[6,2] = 8 damage, 1d20+4=[10,4] = 14 to hit, 1d8+2=[2,2] = 4 damage, 1d20+4=[2,4] = 6 to hit, 1d8+2=[7,2] = 9 damage, 1d20+4=[11,4] = 15 to hit, 1d8+2=[1,2] = 3 damage, 1d20+4=[13,4] = 17 to hit, 1d8+2=[8,2]) = 10 damage
OOC: I presume every attack can hit the door, but he needs to overcome its hardness to break it down? If you'd prefer Strength checks or something let me know...but there's no way he's going to pick the lock.
As the door crashes open, light floods into the room, reveling the full extent of the filth these children are living in. Old rotted fish guts, and blood coat the floor in most places, and the children are covered in sores and legions. Most look healthy enough though, if a little on the thin side.
Drawing her second dagger Calandra quickly throws that one to join it's brother embedded in Yargin.
Drawing her second dagger Calandra quickly throws that one to join it's brother embedded in Yargin.
This time Calandra's dagger stays embedded in the tall blond man, a direct strike into his chest, and with it, he goes down. Still conscious, barely, but blood flowing freely now from all three wounds.
Istas resets her shield, shoving it into the face of the dog to keep it from nipping at her heels or launching for her throat. In her other hand, she raises her spear high and when the dog falls back from crashing into the shield once more, she jabs the spear downward directly into the dog's body.
Istas' attack on the dog... (1d20+1=[15,1] = 16 to hit, 1d6+1=[5,1] = 6 damage)
Glancing over her shoulder, she can see Atherton's still busy with his opponent, but at least the help the gnome summoned hadn't done much good. "Stop plahing around, Atherton! Finish him so we can get after Lamm..." she encourages.
Istas resets her shield, shoving it into the face of the dog to keep it from nipping at her heels or launching for her throat. In her other hand, she raises her spear high and when the dog falls back from crashing into the shield once more, she jabs the spear downward directly into the dog's body.
Istas' attack on the dog... (1d20+1=[15,1] = 16 to hit, 1d6+1=[5,1] = 6 damage)
Glancing over her shoulder, she can see Atherton's still busy with his opponent, but at least the help the gnome summoned hadn't done much good. "Stop plahing around, Atherton! Finish him so we can get after Lamm..." she encourages.
With a yelp, the dog crashes to the floor, bleeding badly from the wound the spear inflicts, and probably with a broken spine.
At the sight of this, the gnome breaks down. He drops to his knees and beggs for mercy.
"No, please, stop! This lot aint worth dying for. I'll tell you everything; where Lamm is, that's what you want? Innit? just let me go, please..."
Atherton puts the point of his rapier to the gnome's neck, pushing just hard enough to draw a little blood "Alright then. Talk, and no funny stuff; I wasn't in an especially good mood to begin with and your life isn't worth a hell of a lot to me."
"L-L-L-Lamb. You wanted to see lamb? Well, he doesn't come out, see? I told you that before. But he's downstairs. Under us. You get to him through the b-b-boat at the back of the place. T-t-t-there's a secret door, in the r-r-r-rooom at the back of the bottom d-d-deck. Through there and into his rooms..."
Yargin, mean while, tries, even in his crippled state to flee, he manages about 5 feet through the door, and passes out from the pain of his wounds.
Istas leaves the spear in the dying dog and draws an intricately carved Shoanti warclub from her belt to face the gnome. She squats down so she can look him in the eye.
"I told you when we came here that we had no interest in you or anyone else except Lamm. But you made a choice to stand by him. And now it's cost you and those you summoned to the fight. Lamm cannot avoid the path Pharasma brings to a close. And you cannot help him do so. It is like railing against the fierce wind of the storm...in the starless dark of the night. Nothing good can come of it. Not for you, and not for Lamm."
"In life, we get a series of choices," she tells him, "Each one opens a new path. Some lead to cherished experiences in a well-lived life. Others to a painful death. This is your chance to make such a choice. Tell us everything you know about Lamm...and what to expect when we find him...and you may yet take a different path than the one he's chosen to tread."
She looks back at the dog. "Does this animal belong to you?" she questions, "If you speak truthfully, I can yet heal the dog and save its life. And if you choose wisely this time, you can still save yours as well."
The gnome gulps, and looks quickly between the dog and Istas. "The d-dog is Yargin's p-pet, not mine. Mangy cur. L-L-Lamb is where I said, through the boat, down the ss-s-stairs, and through the s-s-secret door, j-j-just where the hull starts to curve at the front. Then along more gang planks into his r-r-r-rooms. Mind the spiders in the s-s-ship, they b-b-bite if you're not quick.
"L-L-L-Lamb is alone, always alone now. Just that aligator of his for company. No t-t-traps, not that he has t-t-told us about.
"C-c-c-can I g-go? Please?"
"C-c-c-can I g-go? Please?"
Istas looks at Atherton to consult the street-hardened rogue's opinion. After all, he's had more dealings with Lamm and the type of individuals among his crew than any of the rest of them. "He seems true to me," she states, "But if we release him, make sure he takes nothing with him we might need. And watch him to make sure he doesn't come back. And take his weapon, too..."
Then she turns back to the gnome. "This is your last chance," she instructs him, "Pharasma will open a different path to you if you will only take it. But if you wander back to this one, she may well end it...just like Lamm's. Don't let us find you back to your old ways."
She leans in closer, her voice just a whisper. "By now, you know I mean what I say. Betray us, move against us again, or even so much as consider picking up the pieces of what you once had here...and I'll make sure I finish your fate once and for all."
Intimidate check... (1d20+1=16)
With that, the priestess resecures the club on her belt. Then she turns and withdraws her spear from the wounded dog. To anyone looking on in concern at the animal, she says, "Leave it be. A dog raised to such savagery won't change its bark just because I relieve its pain. Besides, we still have work to do."
"Him, on the other hand..." she says, gesturing towards the unconscious man named Yargin by the door, "I'll attend to...but someone make sure he's bound in case we need to question him later. And check him for anything we might need to access the ship or secret door the gnome described."
Heal check to administer first aid to Yargin so he doesn't die... (1d20+7=18)
She leans in closer, her voice just a whisper. "By now, you know I mean what I say. Betray us, move against us again, or even so much as consider picking up the pieces of what you once had here...and I'll make sure I finish your fate once and for all."
The gnome gulps reassuringly.
"Him, on the other hand..." she says, gesturing towards the unconscious man named Yargin by the door, "I'll attend to...but someone make sure he's bound in case we need to question him later. And check him for anything we might need to access the ship or secret door the gnome described."
Istas stems the flow of blood from Yargin, but he doesn't regain consciousness.