Seph begins to look for something to use as leverage to pull up the bar.
Seph sees basically only what was described above.
As he casts about he hears approaching footsteps. A voice rings out:
"Parron! There are rioters at the Main Gate! We need to secure the bar on the Lesser Gate! PARRON! SOUND OFF!"
It sounds like 3-5 folks approaching
"So, time for some of the old cross-trade?", Swire asks.
Outside the party members watching see their five comrades enter and the Lesser Gate shut. The plaza becomes silent again, but a louder noise is now discernable from the Main Gate area. The Xaos boys, led by Mordrigaarz, are causing quite a diversion. Only Bethany is high enough to actually see the ruckus, but it is impressive. The Xaositects are throwing anything they can get their mitts on at the Main Gate, howling and carrying on in their predictable chaotic fashion.
"Aye, time to make our entrance."
Isaac is going to slip up to the back entrance, listen to make sure the coast is clear and try to open the door, likely using his short sword in the crack between the doors to lift the bars once he sees how it's secured.Perception (sound):1d20+13=15, Disable Device:1d20+10=28
Drazek glances at the sigils and listens to Justin's message.
Knowledge Arcana 1d20+6=13
He whispers to the others,"If it goes ta hell, we trash these symbols on the way out, give 'em somthin' else ta worry 'bout"
The young man shrugs
"Yeh got me. Mayhap a crowd of Xaos boys or Sensates have decided to riot. We've been having a lot of problems with Anarchists too. Let's stay away from there anyway. I gotta get back to me post afore I'm missed."
Justin/Clawboy merely grunts and shrugs noncommittally, and follows his guide. As they walk, he occasionally soundlessly whispers the directions he's taking to the others in the spell-link.
The man and his two zombie companions climb the stairway out of the Vaults, arriving at the main floor in the side room. The young man mumbles the phrase again, and Justin/Clawboy notes it's the same words.
From there the young man leads Justin to a large pillar, one of the four in fact that hold the vaulted arch of the main room up they walked through. Inside is a spiral staircase. The man leads Justin/Clawboy up, the zombies trailing behind.
'Main floor. Side room, same password. Main room, Northwest pillar, hidden stairwell,...' Justin/Clawboy whispers as they begin to climb. He doesn't have to pretend to hide his words behind panting. 'I gotta,... get more exercise.' He adds morosely. Stopping to catch his breath, he glances nervously at the two zombies trailing obediently behind him.
After spiraling up three levels, the Dustman opens one of the doors and he walks into a domed room. It is shaped much like a four-leafed clover with the ceiling curving upwards to the top of the Mortuary dome.
Along the walls of this odd-shaped room are rows of half circles outlined in various metals and colored stones. Only one contains anything: Flickering red flames dance within a black iron-bound half-hoop. Nearby the flames a woman in chainmail directs several zombies who are moving a gurney with a dead body on it. The woman looks up as Clawboy and his guide enter.
"Parron. What the Nine Hells is going on? Who is this berk?"
The young man coughs nervously
"Factotum Toranna, this here is one of Meldric's crew. Says he's one of us. He says that Meldric's been penned in the dead book. They brought a prisoner, an elf bint. I stashed her and three other cutters from Meldric's crew in the safe vault."[/i]
Still panting slightly from his climb, Justin/Clawboy takes in the room, the interesting decor, and the lady in the chainmail and skull-motif robe. And almost forgets to breath. Raising his hand to his mouth to cover a slight cough, behind his hand he forms the words. 'Found her.'
The woman, Toranna, squints at Justin/Clawboy.
"Penned in the dead book? That's bad. Who recruited yeh, iron phiz?"
Justin/Clawboy lowers his hand, puts it on his hip, and takes another look around the room. He sniffs as if he doesn't agree with the air, or maybe the decor, and slowly shakes his head no.
"Meldric." He grunts, as if that explained everything.
'WHY do I always think that getting IN is the hard part?!?' He thinks to himself as he sets his mind to the task of making sure he lives through this encounter. If only so he can berate himself for being the one to suggest it in the first place!
Even as his brain starts belching out metaphysical smoke as it churns out and discards one idea for escape after another, the curious part of Justin's mind idly pores over the dancing red flames in the black iron-bound half-hoop and tries to identify it, or at least it's use,...
KNowledge (Arcana):1d20+11=30, (Planes):1d20+11=26, (Religion)1d20+11=12
But if I get a chance, was wondering if using it's ability to float 1 lb of weight would give me a small bonus to my (Untrained) pickpocket attempt?
...as it specifically states that watching someone sending a message gives them a chance to read your lips. I am hoping that being behind this guy, he won't get a chance to notice! :)
Justin's mind idly pores over the dancing red flames in the black iron-bound half-hoop and tries to identify it, or at least it's use,...
KNowledge (Arcana):1d20+11=30, (Planes):1d20+11=26, (Religion)1d20+11=12
The hoop with flames is definitely a portal of some sort. The way the different hoops are strung along the wall would indicate that they are inactive portals to various realms. The Mortuary is rumored to have the most permanent portals in one building in all of Sigil. Considering how many half hoops Justin sees, this is the straight chant. As to where the flames lead to, no real clue can be discerned. A hell, or the Plane of Fire mayhap. Although the flames make Justin feel psychosomatically hot, there is no real heat given off.
"Meldric." He grunts, as if that explained everything.
Toranna smiles evilly
"Oh really? When he was a brand-new namer to our faction? Without tellin' me? I don't think so. Who sent yeh? And no tricks or I'll have me associates grab yeh and toss yeh into the flames."
Justin/Clawboy sees Parron move towards the stairwell they just arrived in with his two zombie pals, readying to block him should he bolt
door thuggery
Cat sneakery
Issac sprints over to the door and manages to wedge his sword through the narrow crack. He grunts and attempts to lift the bar behind it
Meanwhile, Seph manages to hide in a shadowy corner. He sees a sword poking through the door crack. He also hears the footsteps getting closer. A voice rings out:
"If that namer berk Parron sodded off from his post after requesting the duty I'll put him on zombie washing for a whole cycle! PARRON!"
Torchlight begins to dance off the walls of the gatehouse as the Dustman party grows nearer.
Issac is close enough to hear the approaching voices through the door.
Isaac strains with the bar, but he lacks the proper leverage to get the bar up.
Strength: 1d20+2=4
"Blood and ashes!",he whispers,"Little difficulty gettin' in, Justin. Stall her, get her down with the rest o' the crew."
Thinking quickly, he finds a shadowy corner to slip into as the guards approach, then begins shouting.
"CHAOSMEN, COMING DOWN BLACKSHADE LANE! WE NEED REINFORCEMENTS! LET'S SHOW THOSE BERKS THE TRUE DEATH!"
He nods Swire to the opposite side of the gate to set up a flank.
"Let's try not to kill any o' the Dusties, eh Swire? These berks got nothin' to do with the job.", he whispers.
Stealth:1d20+10=26, Bluff:1d20+5=13
Jump and Shout
Issac's shout galvanizes the Dustmen. Seph hears them speed up, and then sees four men in chainmail and Dustman tabards running to the door. One older Dustman with several interesting facial scars starts barking orders:
"Right lads! Get those locks! Secure the gate! Don't let the Xaos berks get through!"
The other three each grab a large lock off the gatehouse wall and head to the gate to seal it up.
Issac manages to meld into the shadows, but he hears the above shouting first.
Ekuur slowly maneuvers himself so that if he were to channel energy, all four skeletons in the room would be in the area of effect (if possible). He looks to the others, and asks, "Do we stay here?"
Ekuur slowly maneuvers himself so that if he were to channel energy, all four skeletons in the room would be in the area of effect (if possible). He looks to the others, and asks, "Do we stay here?"
The four skeletons are basically on the four corners of one sarcophagus, so it would be easy to include them all. They stare silently ahead, the blue pinpoints of necromantic energy watching the party dispassionately. Each bleached bone skull has a number inked on it. They are dressed in chain shirts and carry longswords.
"So uh what's the plan now?" Merle asks "Karrin do we try to blast the door down or something?" She pats her wand of lightning bolt to emphasise her point.
Seph seeing the men grabbing the large lock decides to do something incredibly risky. Leaping from his cover he dives between the mens legs hoping to distract them for a few minutes
"Blood and ashes!",he whispers,"Little difficulty gettin' in, Justin. Stall her, get her down with the rest o' the crew."
'Shards and Dragonshells!' Justin thinks in response. ' "Stall her? Get her down with the rest of the,... " Sure, I'll just ask her to tea!' HE grumbles to himself.
Justin/Clawboy furrows his brow, as if Toranna's response confuses him. Again, he's not really having to fake the appearance of confusion or thinking, as he is desperately thinking of how he's going to live through the next two minutes!
Suddenly his racing thoughts screech to a sudden halt as he grasps at one, desperate, brilliantly simple idea,...
He nods Swire to the opposite side of the gate to set up a flank.
"Let's try not to kill any o' the Dusties, eh Swire? These berks got nothin' to do with the job.", he whispers.
Stealth:1d20+10=26, Bluff:1d20+5=13
Swire holds up a sap with a smirk on his face. "Oh, the barmies are coming, the barmies are coming, why'd they open the door for that." Swire then leans over and knocks on the door. "Hey, open up! We're not ready to face the final death just yet!" He then hides in the shadows on the other side of the door.
"This is a tough decision Merle," Karrin says scratching her head, "we need information, we go too soon and Justin might not have been able to pull that off, then again, if things went bad right off in there, like I'm thinking they did, they'll need our help right away."
Karrin stands up.
"I don't know about you Merle, but I don't like waiting and I don't like having friends behind enemy lines . . . let's bust them out."
Karrin steps over beside Isac.
"Let me," she says as she sees Isac struggling to left something, possibly the bar, with his sword.
Nari sits up. This was not how she'd envisioned this going. But worrying about Justin wasn't going to do anything to get them out of this mess. She just didn't know if things had gone sideways already or if she was supposed to continue with the ruse. She listened to her psicrystal's rather confusing description of events outside the doors as she deliberated.
:)
Justin/Clawboy looks at his erstwhile guide, now blocking the stairs, and rolls his eyes while Toranna can't see them, the usual signal between workers who know what it's like to work under a boss they'd rather not. His mind uses the brief reprieve to carefully word his next statement.
:)
He looks at Toranna, his brow still furrowed from her previous statement, and opens his mouth like a confused fish.
"Namer, He was a? Factotem, was a he told me he!" Justin/Clawboy's eyes widen, then his shoulders slump slightly, and he exhales shaking his head slowly.
"No. Way no. Happening not is this. Rep my shot is. In by taken Namer a delusions with. Well ah, Dead Book the penned in he's now, do it for him or I'd.""
Justin/Clawboy suddenly looks up at Torranna, squinting slightly as if sizing up a likely candidate. Or a likely sucker. He obviously quickly discards any ideas of hornswoggling. He raises himself back up and smiles, the Clawboy visage trying to look like it's being friendly and charming, but ends up looking like he just swallowed a large mouthful of something that he didn't like, and it's returning the favor.
"Yes, I Now you for work, So? Nothing if flexible not am I." Justin /Clawboy says resignedly as he visibly relaxes, giving no indication he's ready to do anything except sit and chat with his new boss. He jambs a thumb over his shoulder towards the entrance now blocked by Parron and his Zombie servitors.
"Bring did I prisoner one you, alive. One want did you? IF even idea Meldric's not? Do what me want you ask her to? Ways,... I have." Justin/Clawboy finishes with a perverted grin that indicates he'd be happy to interrogate the prisoner, and he enjoys his work.
'Alright guys, anytime now! Don't wait on me!' The usually panicked part of Justin's mind squeaks up. To silence it Justin begins mentally reciting the Draconic alphabet, backwards.
"Naw let's move, trash the skells." Drazek begins to stride down the hallway Justin was led down.
"Let me," she says as she sees Isac struggling to left something, possibly the bar, with his sword.
Karrin grabs Issac's sword as he strains and with her assistance they feel the bar flip up out of its cradle.
Seph seeing the men grabbing the large lock decides to do something incredibly risky. Leaping from his cover he dives between the mens legs hoping to distract them for a few minutes
Seph sprints towards the approaching men, tail bushed out to three times normal size.
"Hey, open up! We're not ready to face the final death just yet!" He then hides in the shadows on the other side of the door.
"Bring did I prisoner one you, alive. One want did you? IF even idea Meldric's not? Do what me want you ask her to? Ways,... I have." Justin/Clawboy finishes with a perverted grin that indicates he'd be happy to interrogate...
Toranna frowns as Justin/Clawboy puts on a convincing show. She's still looking skeptical, but not as sure as she was.
"Ditch the scramblespeak berk, it's annoyin'. Meldric was a bit of a self-important git, was real amped to be asked into the ground floor of our faction. And you do look like a trig cove, ..?"
"Clawboy. Should guessed that one. And I'm a little short on help right now. I need namers wots got their brainbox screwed on right."
Toranna relaxes a bit, as does Parron. They remain in their spots though.
"So Meldric got inked in the dead book, and yeh're now lookin' for his spot. That's fine. We're a new force in Sigil, an' all we asks of our namers is total devotion to our orders. But, I have no objection to mixing business with pleasure, so .."
She looks Justin/Clawboy up and down.
"Me orders is this: Parron will take you back to the Vaults. You can have a bit of fun with the prisoner. I want her ready to talk, but no lasting damage, by the time I get to her. I gots to finish me work up here first. If yeh do the job to me satisfaction yeh'll become an official namer of the Illuminated. If not, well, we'll activate that portal when we come to it."
Toranna smiles again, and it isn't a nice smile
"Parron! Take Clawboy down to the Vault. Get those jinkswords out of the Mortuary, then take yer guard post back up afore they relieve yeh. Clawboy, I'll be there in an hour or so, do as I said an' if we get good chant from the prisoner yeh're onboard."
Toranna turns back to the stiff her zombies were patiently waiting by. The flaming portal has winked out while you all were talking
"SOD IT! " Toranna grumbles and fishes in her pocket for something. She holds something up and the portal reactivitates.
Perception (Sight) DC 20:
Parron guestures for Justin/Clawboy to follow him.
"Naw let's move, trash the skells." Drazek begins to stride down the hallway Justin was led down.
The door opens easily enough and Drazek strides into the corridor.
Acrobatics
"Thanks, Karrin. Suppose there'll be a change o' plans; let's knock these berks out and grab the uniforms. They'll think we're Chaosmen after the fact, Renkar won't face any hot water."
Isaac shrugs at Swire's remark.
"How was I supposed to know they'd leave their mates high 'n dry? I hollered for reinforcements, didn't I?"
The half-elf pulls out his mace, leaving the leather cover on the flanges to pad it a little, and waits in the shadows to strike with surprise.
"Naw let's move, trash the skells." Drazek begins to stride down the hallway Justin was led down.The door opens easily enough and Drazek strides into the corridor.
Ekuur smiles, an altogether not-too-pleasant grin. "Absolutely." He pulls out his obsidian holy symbol, holds it up, and suddenly the light blue flames dancing around it grow to encompass a 30' radius. Everyone within feels an intense heat, both painful and pleasant at the same time.
He'll first ready himself to swing his weapon, in the event the energy doesn't incinerate the undead. Otherwise, he'll wait until everyone else has left the room before following last.
Bethany is busy watching the approaching horde, when she happens to glance back and see Karrin, Isaac & Swire at the door.
Wondering if Karrin is going in, she readies herself to leap over the edge and wing her way down to them, not wanting to be left outside alone with the Xaosboys.
Ekuur smiles, an altogether not-too-pleasant grin. "Absolutely." He pulls out his obsidian holy symbol, holds it up, and suddenly the light blue flames dancing around it grow to encompass a 30' radius. Everyone within feels an intense heat, both painful and pleasant at the same time.
The burst of blue energy flares in the room, catching the four skeletal occupants and turning them into piles of unarticulated bones. They clatter down on the sarcophagus they were guarding, released from their undead servitude.
The party feels a warm wind wrap around them. The smell of exotic spices fill their noses and the prickle of strong sunshine plays on their skin. The oppressive feeling of these subterranian vaults receeds for a bit.
Acrobatics
Seph rockets towards the approaching squad of Dustmen. He nimbly inserts himself between their feet, causing curses and stumbling in several. The leader of the squad lets out an oath:
"Someone brain that sodding cat!"
But by this time there are bigger issues than making cat pancakes. The bar on the Lesser Gate suddenly flips up with a clang, and the door opens. The leader swears and points
"We've got Xaos boys at the gate! At the ready men!"
Iniside:
Justin (acting as clownboy/clawboy)
Nari (pretending to be captured in the Mortuary Vaults)
Drazek (acting as part of clawboy's crew, waiting in the subterranian catacombs of the Mortuary Vaults.)
Ishmael (ditto)
Ekuur (ditto)
Outside:
Seph (playing footsie with the guards at the Lesser Gate)
Karrin (storming the Lesser Gate)
Isaac (ditto)
Merle (ditto)
Bethany (ditto)
Mr Swire (ditto)
Bethany is busy watching the approaching horde, when she happens to glance back and see Karrin, Isaac & Swire at the door.
Wondering if Karrin is going in, she readies herself to leap over the edge and wing her way down to them, not wanting to be left outside alone with the Xaosboys.
Bethany can see four guards running to the gate from her perch. They suddenly pause and curse. Bethany makes out Seph's small form darting about their feet. Then she sees her associates open the Lesser Gate. The hawk is among the doves for sure.
"Thanks, Karrin. Suppose there'll be a change o' plans; let's knock these berks out and grab the uniforms. They'll think we're Chaosmen after the fact, Renkar won't face any hot water."
Isaac shrugs at Swire's remark.
"How was I supposed to know they'd leave their mates high 'n dry? I hollered for reinforcements, didn't I?"
The half-elf pulls out his mace, leaving the leather cover on the flanges to pad it a little, and waits in the shadows to strike with surprise.
Issac hears the guard yell about Xaos boys at the gate, then there is the stomp of feet and the distictive sound of steel swords being withdrawn from scabbards.
"Alright," Karrin says as she surges through the gate, "nobody move or else this will happen to you!"
As Karrin steps in she twists her axe so the flat strikes the first dustman she sees.
attack, damage, cold damage (1d20+6=19, 1d12+7=18, 1d6=1)
Swire attempts to hit the nearest Dustman in the head with his sap.
Merle casts a ball of grease under the feet of the thugs. (Dc 14 ref)
Seph meanwhile dives for cover and hides
"Alright," Karrin says as she surges through the gate, "nobody move or else this will happen to you!"
As Karrin steps in she twists her axe so the flat strikes the first dustman she sees.
Karrin's blue axe connects solidly with the Dead's sergeant, sending him flying. He crumples into a ball.
Swire's sap connects with the skull of another Dustman, sending him sprawling
Merle's spell causes the final two guardsmen to fall prone
The gate is left open and the four guardsmen are disabled.
Seph's stealth
Seph's stealth
Seph easily vanishes into the shadows of the guardhouse
Toranna frowns as Justin/Clawboy puts on a convincing show. She's still looking skeptical, but not as sure as she was.
"Ditch the scramblespeak berk, it's annoyin'. Meldric was a bit of a self-important git, was real amped to be asked into the ground floor of our faction. And you do look like a trig cove, ..?"
Justin/Clawboy narrows his eyes, then relaxes and shrugs. "Clawboy", he grunts. "An' annoyin' has it's uses." He adds with a growl, and only a hint of his previous disturbing smile.
"Clawboy. Should guessed that one. And I'm a little short on help right now. I need namers wots got their brainbox screwed on right."
Toranna relaxes a bit, as does Parron. They remain in their spots though.
"So Meldric got inked in the dead book, and yeh're now lookin' for his spot. That's fine. We're a new force in Sigil, an' all we asks of our namers is total devotion to our orders. But, I have no objection to mixing business with pleasure, so .."
She looks Justin/Clawboy up and down.
"Me orders is this: Parron will take you back to the Vaults. You can have a bit of fun with the prisoner. I want her ready to talk, but no lasting damage, by the time I get to her. I gots to finish me work up here first. If yeh do the job to me satisfaction yeh'll become an official namer of the Illuminated. If not, well, we'll activate that portal when we come to it."
Toranna smiles again, and it isn't a nice smile
"Parron! Take Clawboy down to the Vault. Get those jinkswords out of the Mortuary, then take yer guard post back up afore they relieve yeh. Clawboy, I'll be there in an hour or so, do as I said an' if we get good chant from the prisoner yeh're onboard."
Justin/Clawboy bows his head to Toranna, never taking his eyes off of her for a second. He grins once more, the disturbing sight not seeming to phase Toranna the least bit. HE opens his mouth to speak, then seems to think better of it and simply nods instead.
;PToranna turns back to the stiff her zombies were patiently waiting by. The flaming portal has winked out while you all were talking
"SOD IT! " Toranna grumbles and fishes in her pocket for something. She holds something up and the portal reactivitates.
Perception (Sight) DC 20:
Justin/Clawboy notices that Toranna pulls something out of her pocket and gestures with it toward the portal. But he is so relieved to have survived the brief interview, so far, that the pounding of his heart distracts him, and he misses seeing what it actually was. He turns back toward Parron and the stairway, and with a small shrug, holds up one hand indicating that the youth should lead the way.
Once they pass the first curve of the stairwell, with Toranna safely out of sight, and Parron safely in front of him, Justin/Clawboy silently but distinctly mouths words which echo softly but clearly in the ears of Isaac, Karrin, Drazek and Nari;
'Draz, Nari, we're coming back. Stay in the room! Ambush Parron, the kid, the minute we step in the door. But DON'T kill him!'
As they pass the second round of steps, Justin/Clawboy silently adds;
'Knock him out before he can see anyone, if you can. Or make it look like Nari is busting loose as we get there, and I'll try to knock him from behind. Do you understand?'
Isaac shakes his head, whistles in appreciation.
"Fine work, cutters. Let's get these lads out o' the way..."
The half-elf whispers for Justin and Drazek to hear.
"All right, bloods, between Karrin, Merle and Swire the Dead are down four darkmen and the lesser gate is open like a succubus with a pint o' bub in her. We're comin' in with some drab new threads."
Swire takes the opportunity to make sure the other two dusties stay down with his sap, then begins to take off the robe of one of them (along with any convenient coin purses). "Hey, no need to let them know we're breaking in as long as we can.", he says as he begins to don the cloak.