Raijinn prepares to help the others scale down the rope while Akiki wanders off.
There's only a few feet of difference between the edge of the ship's floor and the corner of the dock, but they aren't exactly connected. It would, however, seem that this is the "underpier" that the kids and Hookshanks mentioned. You can see the walkway that you came by above you.
Akiki waits impatiently at the lower dock for the others to catch up, not stupid enough to run too far ahead.
Thaven lowers himself down, spitting on the dead spider he speared as he does. He unslings his bow, nocks an arrow and follows the elf toward the dock, moving as quietly as he can.
Once Thaven's firmly on the deck, Fredo draws the rope up into a coil and steps into the loop at the end. He has some difficulty working it up his body, since it gets tangled in his robes, but eventually he's confident he'll be able to sit in it like a harness on the way down. With an encouraging smile at Nostrum, Fredo lowers himself over the edge. As he lets go, he feels the rope go taut, and slowly, carefully, he starts undoing the coil. He's landed by the time it's played out.
"Before we go," he says to Raijin, "we should try and catch Nostrum." Fredo backs a little ways away from the edge and spreads his arms wide.
Raijinn slowly walks over to where Fredo is waiting at the bottom of the hole. Remembering how easily the boards broke under Akiki, and feeling the ship underneath him now, Raijinn suspects that if they miss him, Nostrum will fall clear through the floor.
Looking up, with sweat beads forming on his forehead, he sinks back on his legs and spreads his arms, preparing himself for the impact.
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Nostrum looks grimly down at those waiting to catch him. He's never been afraid of height before, but then again, he's never had to jump onto rotting decks that could fall through and leave him in icy waters.
"Lord, now is a great time for direct divine intervention....", he says, stepping over the edge...
The last to go down the hole, Nostrum moves to jump, but his foot catches on the edge of the hole and he falls unceremoniously face-first, drawing a look from all of his compatriots as he hits the inside deck of the ship, hard.
Aaaaan Akiki actually facepalms, watching the bard unceremoniously fall.
Raijinn stares at Goffred as Nostrum plummets to the ground between them, somehow managing to miss contact with both of them. Raijinn studies the body for a second, then looks at their still-outstretched arms, then up at the hole, like he can't quite figure out how that just happened.
Then he bends down to help Nostrum to his feet.
Nostrum comes down harder than Fredo had expected. He misses Raijin entirely and lands almost on top of Fredo, driving him to the floor with his weight. "Ugh," he grunts, sitting up and rubbing his head. "Well, at least we're all here. What now?" Fredo looks expectantly at Akiki and Raijin, thinking that since they'd been down here the longest they'd know where to go.
Akiki points at the lower walkway she found.
"I see," says Fredo, pushing at Nostrum while Raijin pulls, then getting up himself. "We should take this one at a time, and get out of each others' way," he says, taking a deep breath and taking a running across. His shoes clack against the wood of the dock, which doesn't seem quite as decrepit as its upper counterpart, and he moves a few feet down the dock to give the others' some room.
And, down Akiki hops, calling, "You might want to toss the redhead" If his jumping skills are any indication.
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Blood pouring down his face from several open wounds, Nostrum staggers a little as Raijinn helps him up. He looks sheepishly at his companions and tightens his posture. Seeing the next jump he has to do, Nostrum chooses his words carefully.
"Unmaker, if it is your will... Let me decimate this gap, that it may despair at your glory?"
Raijinn followed up at the end, jumping to the lower walkway that Akiki gestured to.
One by one, each member of the group made the small leap from the hull of the decrepit ship to the fairly clean, dry underpier situated beneath the fishery. Above them, apparently, is the floor of the room with all of the children, as evidenced by a hole in the floor-ceiling right over a small part of the dock to their right. Wooden pilings that sink into the tepid water support the fishery.
Ahead, an empty, but still rocking sloop is tied to the dock. The dock extends from the sodden barge to the east all the way
west to a wooden door that leads into an understructure below the
fishery’s landbound half. As Goffred makes his jump, he notices the door closing, and the rattle of metal objects clanking into one another.
"Come on," says Fredo, pointing to the door. "Lamm's got to be in there. This tub might be his getaway," he says, kicking the cleat around which the skiff's bow line is tied, "but if he's got a bolt hole onto the land I don't want him using it."
Fredo makes his way to the door, ushering the others forward. When they're all ready to go in, he closes his eyes and raises his hands in front of his chest. The air in front of him suddenly glints strangely, though there's nothing there to be seen ().
He will then try and open the door.
Akiki slings her bow to the ready, and lets someone who is more physically inclined go first. Such a brave elf.
Adrenaline starts pumping through Raijinn's body as he follows the others towards the door.
Bow drawn and ready, Thaven follows.
Goffred-19
Raijinn-16
Nostrum-9
Thaven-6
Gaedren-6
Goffred steps into the room under the fishery, ducking slightly to accommodate for the low doorway. He makes a few paces forward, and the other members of the group file in behind him to take in the sights.
The air is this room is somewhat chilly, due to the large hole in the center of the room. In fact, this hole dominates the room, leaving only 10-foot areas to walk around the square hole. Pilings emerge from the shore below to support the roof of this room. 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 of this entire chamber.
On the opposite wall hangs a large board, covered in a table. Across the top of the table are obscure educational subjects. "Katapeshian History, Cheliaxian Dining Customs, The Secrets of the Arcane, Cyclopean Anatomy, and Slime Creature Density" number among the subjects. Along the left side, going down, are lengths in inches, starting at 1" and going to 8". Each cross section has a question in it, and each of the questions in the 1" row are crossed out/
Two pairs of manacles hang from the ceiling, connected to a complex pulley system that ends in a pair of levers on the other side of the room. From one of the manacles, by her wrists, hangs a terrified girl. Below, in the pit, paces a large crocodile. It tries to snap at her ankles, but she is at least two feet too high for it to reach her.
On the opposite side of the room stands him. Gaedren. The man you've been hunting, the man that's ruined each of your lives. He's hunchbacked, and his skin is speckled with spots. His skin is wrinkled and he's thin and emaciated. You've caught him right at the end of a sentence, "Cheliaxian Dining Customs for 2"? Very well..." and it is right then that he notices you.
"Interruptions! I thought I told you, Hookshanks, not to interrupt me when I ha-oh."
He wasn't expecting you.
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"When you have what, Gaedren?" says Fredo, circling around the pit to get as close to the strung-up girl as possible, "guests? Ah, but you do." Fredo's eyes are focused dangerously on Gaedren's. He speaks unblinkingly. "And I believe the Chelaxian custom is to cater to your guests' wishes when you host. Specifically, I want you to set the girl safely on the walkway. I want you to tell me everything you know about the circumstances of the death of Aleko Giulianoff. And I do not want to be interrupted." At that, Fredo turns his gaze on the snicker-snacking crocodile. His pupils seem to expand til his eyes are totally black, and though he does not move, those watching him get the sense that he's advancing inexorably towards the crocodile like a shark toward its prey.
Standard to cast cause fear on the crocodile. If it fails a Will save versus DC 15, it will be frightened for rounds, and will flee from me, and thus from the girl.
Raijinn seethes, his grip tightening on the hilt of his sword until his knuckles go white. 'Just wait', he tells himself. 'Let them get their closure, and then you'll get yours.' He stands tensed, ready to dash across the room, sword outstretched, at the slightest provocation.
Thaven calmly steps into the room and fires at Lamm, while whispering, "This one is for my father, whose name you helped to dirty."
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Nostrum enters the room, and knowing Fredo's way with words doesn't try to engage Gaedren straight away. He will get the chance to offer Lamm his salvation, but there are more pressing concerns.
Nostrum scans the room, paying attention to any means of escape that Gaedren could use. He won't let this end until all is said and done.
"" Shrieks Akiki. Unfortunately, she also drops her bow without thinking, pelting as fast as she can around the walkway, and diving straight into the pit, going for the crocodile with her dagger. Not the smartest move, maybe, but she also wants to be in the way if Semelle gets dropped into the pit.
Not very graceful in her rage, apparently.
Initiative:
Akiki-20
Goffred-19
Raijinn-16
Nostrum-9
Thaven-6
Gaedren-6
As soon as Akiki's eye falls on her sister, hanging helplessly above the crocodile in the hole, she's filled with desperate rage and takes a running leap into the hole. Unfortunately, in her fall, she flails a bit and lands uncomfortably in the water. Goffred, mid-speech to Gaedren but sensing her danger, quickly calls upon necromantic energies, but the crocodile was too distracted by its impending feeding frenzy to be scared of anything. Leaping into action, Raijinn charges forward, closing most of the distance between him and Gaedren and drawing his black scimitar. Gaedren begins to sneer and reply to Goffred, but is rudely interrupted by an arrow straight through his hip. Gaedren narrows his eyes, stands tall despite his fresh wound, and addresses Thaven, "You'd think that a Sable Marine would be better at killing old men. Are you going to fail at that, just as you've failed at everything you've done so far? Just as you'll fail to save this little girl, too." and with that, he throws one of the levers, dropping the little elven girl onto the lake's shore below him. He then takes a step towards the other room, drawing a dagger as he goes.
Gaedren intimidate
"" Akiki hollers, splashing as much a she can to struggle to get her footing, and distract the crocodile.
Akiki flails to swim towards dry land.
"You did not do as I asked, Gaedren," says Fredo, tearing his gaze away from the girl. He can do nothing against the crocodile that Akiki isn't already doing, but there are other ways to help her. If he can just get to the machine..."Semelle is not on the walkway, and I know nothing more of Aleko than I did this morning. DROP IT!" he commands sharply, seeing the old man draw a knife. His words are infused with power, and seem directed almost as much at the knife itself as at Lamm. At his will, the weapon flashes white-hot in the old man's hand.
Standard to cast Burning Disarm. If Gaedren doesn't save (Reflex vs. DC 16), he must drop the dagger. If he does, he takes fire damage. I love this spell.
Seeing Gaedren walking towards the other room, Raijinn points to the door . As the door swings shut he stares at Gaedren with a twisted smile. "There will be no escape for you, Lamm."
He continues moving forward, fully drawing his blade.
Thaven blushes with fury at the old man's taunts. "This one's for me." he mutters as he fires.
Akiki-20
Goffred-19
Raijinn-16
Nostrum-9
Thaven-6
Gaedren-6
In the crocodile pit, Akiki flails in the water, trying to reach the shore, but a stray current mixed with a sudden movement of the crocodile's tail pushes her around too violently, and she's unable to make any progress. Luckily for her, Nostrum lands heavily on the shore, axe in hand, yelling and swinging heavily. He connects with the crocodile, pushing the blade of his weapon deep into its side. It snaps at him, but he doesn't even need to move for him to avoid its jaws.
Above, on the walkways, Goffred mutters a few incomprehensible words, flicks his hand, and Gaedren's weapon reddens in a flash of heat. He curses in pain as the flesh of his hand sears, but keeps a hold of his weapon. Raijinn takes a step up, right into his face, and menacingly displays his weapon. Gaedren takes a swipe at Raijinn, but Raijinn bats the dagger aside effortlessly with the black blade.
There is a moment, then, that Gaedren looks hatefully at Raijinn, then at Goffred, then at Thaven, taking in those who he has harmed over his lifetime. In his eyes is a look of pure malice. Despite his trembling hands, then, Thaven nocks an arrow and lets it fly. It takes Gaedren right in the chest, and the look fades from his eyes as he falls to the ground.
Gaedren reflex
Gaedren attack
Gaedren damage
Crocodile attack
Crocodile damage
Fredo scowls at Gaedren's fallen form. Now he would never learn what the old man knew. There are, however, more important things to do than reflect on his loss. He turns to the machine and attempts to work the levers to raise Semelle back out of the crocodile's reach.
Raijinn carefully drags the blade across Gaedren Lamm's throat, spilling more of his blood onto the ground. The look of fury in Raijinn's eyes diminishes, and a sense of calm sweeps over him. And yet, he does not feel as satisfied as he expected to. 'One life,' he mutters. 'One in exchange for so many others.'
There was no telling how many more people Gaedren would have harmed, or how many he had already caused pain in his life. Raijinn resented that even though he hadn't known better, he had spent years working for the old man, contributing to his evil deeds. Killing Gaedren would stop any more from being hurt by him, but it did not make up for all the harm that had been done.
Raijinn considered those who were with him, and wondered what their lives may have been like had Gaedren not entered into them. It was worthless to dream of such things, but he still awarded himself that moment of pleasure, to imagine a world better than this one.
After one last look at the body on the floor, Raijinn walks towards the edge of the pit, seeing if he could be of any help to the others.
Seeing Lamm fall makes fills Thaven with a brief sense of fulfillment, but then...nothing. He feels nothing. COnfused, he looks into the pool to see the elf girl and elf child threatened by the gator. He snarls, his resolve suddenly back.
He moves to the edge of the pool, and fires another arrow, this time at the gator!
Akiki still flounders in the water, trying to get to her sister more than worrying about the 'Gator just yet.
This time she manages to swim to shore, and scrambles up onto it, out of breath and soggy, her leather armor squishing and dripping and her hair a plastered silvery mess on her face.
Akiki-20
Goffred-19
Raijinn-16
Nostrum-9
Thaven-6
Crocodile-6
Akiki flounders ashore, dripping with water and flustered by her clumsiness, while Nostrum takes another swing at the beast, missing it badly and swinging right into the sand. Raijinn takes a long look at the man that wronged him for so long. The man who beat him nearly to death. Somehow, he doesn't look so big anymore. Goffred, after critically examining the machine for a moment, pulls a level sharply upward, and Semelle is yanked high up into the rafters of the building. Thaven launches an arrow at the crocodile, but it sticks in its rough scales. Enraged, the beast takes another snap of its massive jaw at Nostrum, but yet again comes up short.
crocodile damage