Seeing the dead dogs, Thunder-Klar draws her earth breaker and tells Cindersteel to be on the lookout for enemies.
"Saloa, Cindersteel, Corra nalochti sorehk."
After warning her companion, Thunder-Klar turns to the rest of the group.
"I think we should follow the signs of battle, it seems to be the path they have taken."
With that, Thunder-Klar and Cindersteel move forward, earth breaker in hand and claws at the ready, looking into each ally way, hoping to see which way the rest of her group would be.
Joe eased his greatsword out of its sheath as he glanced around warily.
"Looks like our cojunior partners already had a less than friendly negotiation with Smeed. He was known for keeping dogs, so I assume these are his. Also, Saul was right about Smeed working for Boss Croat, so we really need to watch our backs. Who knows if he has some way to call for help in there."
Joe grinned slightly as he kept an eye on the front of the building. He'd missed a fight, but it looked like things were happening, and he wasn't too far behind events for once. So far, today was not boring.
Spotting the dogs and hearing the cursing coming form the brownstone building, Bron grins as he says, "Looks like we found the place."
Looking down the street towards the front of the building, Bron comments, "I don't see who we suppose ta meet down there. Maybe they're around back?" With that, Bron grips the two foot haft of his flail hanging off his shoulders, holding it in one hand as it continues to hang from his shoulder. Heading towards the alley leading to the back, he goes down there to see if he can spot who they are suppose to be meeting.
Joe moves forward to where he can see the side of the building, looking for windows that are big enough for a person to slip through.
"Guys, I think I should keep an eye on the front door for a minute. If they are around back, we don't want Smeed slipping out the front while we're all back there. I'll yell if anything happens, and you guys let me know what's going on back there."
Joe moves closer to the front door, trying to get an idea if maybe he could force it open with the help of his trusty crowbar.
When you go around the corner in the back, you see Zane looking at a rent and bloody cloak Nakoda is holding up.
Rounding the corner of the brownstone coming from the East, you see a bizarre sight.
1. A big guy in an armored coat and carrying a flail and a drinking horn.
2. A petite Shoanti girl carrying an Earth-breaker that’s taller than she is.
3. The biggest, and ugliest, dog you’ve ever seen in your life.
Something about them seems familiar somehow…
Oh, yeah; you’ve seen them around the Golden Goblin before. They work there, different shifts you think.
One of the upper floor armored shutters opens up, and you see Lymas Smeed lean out the window, glance about furtively, then pitch a coin at your feet.
“Psst! I’ll give you two more just like it if you go tell Boss Croat down at the Union Hall at the docks that Lymas Smeed needs help! Got that? Get going then!”
When you look closer at the coin, you realize it is a copper bit, the second smallest denomination.
Int check
Zane arches an eyebrow in utter puzzlement at the weird sight approaching.
"Nakoda, we've got company."
Smeed hisses at you.
"Just have him send some of his bully boys up here as guards. Now move; they might still be around! And hand me back up my crossbow!"
He points down below him. You see a masterwork heavy crossbow lying on the ground where he had apparently dropped it.
Thunder-Klar lowers her earth breaker to the ground in respect after hearing her native tongue.
"Tsomah Thunder-Klar shi' Cindersteel korr Lyrune-Quah Tahek Lakeroan shi' Bron, shoj Stomari toh Saul Vankaskerkin."
"we be Thunder-Klar and Cindersteel of Lyrune-Quah, walking roads with Bron, doing jobs for Saul Vankaskerkin."
Cindersteel also lowers his muzzle in respect of another Shoanti, and speaks clearly and respectfully.
"shihak soma, storre karros tehekalu Tunder-Klar."
I serve my master, Thunder-Klar who tamed me as a child.
Thunder-Klar turns to Bron, not translating what was said, but instead says quite simply,
"Worry not, large Bron, they be Nakoda and her companions, I have told them who we are, if the believe us, then we do not fight."
Smeed's face turns red and he grabs a light crossbow from the interior and waives it at you.
"No! Git goin'!"
The shutter opening is two feet wide, three feet tall, and the sill is twelve feet off the ground.
To jump up to get a hold of the sill requres an Acrobatics check DC24 (with run of 10 ft included), or DC48 (standing jump).
Maelorn steps to the side, and gestures to the door. "By all means. We need entry, the door is weakened, and that", he nods to Thunder-Klar's weapon, "looks suited to the job."
Close up you can see the lock is corroded and rusty, though the rest of the armored door is in good repair.
Break DC now 17.
Looking a little lost as the two Shoanti talked, Bron's grip on his flail lessens as the three accept their help. "We got another helping us as well. He's out on tha street, making sure that Smyeed don't try ta make a break for it through tha front." Then, hearing that there was a door that needed to be broken down, Bron suggests to Thunder-Klar, "How about we give them a hand, eh?" Moving to the door, Bron limbers up his shoulder, preparing it for the impact it was about to have against the metal door. Once people were clear of the door, he unslinfs his flail and, holding it in one hand for now, waits for Thunder-Klar to come alongside him so they could rush the door.
Strength Check:
"Let me help, large Bron, combining our might will get us in."
Thunder-Klar joins in on shouldering the door, helping Bron and the rest of the group gain access through the door.
At the back door, the first attempt to shoulder in the door is rebuffed, but once they get the timing right, Bron and Thunder-Klar snap the lock and stumble into the pitch black interior.
Your first thought is the smell; an incredibly dense smell of dog and dog excrement and meat that seems just on the verge of spoiling. You tense up, waiting for dogs to attack, but nothing happens.
And,... is that monkey you smell as well?
Smeed abruptly turns to the interior, alarmed by something. Then he turns back to you.
"Move ye lazy bastard! They've broken in! Move!"
He turns and moves away from the window and disappears. [Yes, he abandoned the shutters in the 'open' position].
No too happy to have wrestled the door open, just to be assailed by such a rank smell, Bron does his best to cover his mouth and nose. His human eyes failing at piercing the darkness within, he grips his heavy flail in both hands as he calls behind him, "Any of ya got a light?
Perception:
Zane [npc] strides in and snaps his fingers to cast a Prestidigitation cantrip in the form of a candleflame.
Revealed in the dim light are a number of hay nests where the dogs slept. On the stone walls are hung a number of disurbing implements, including choke collars, whips and chains.
The only exit is a heavily curtained opening in the south.
Peeking through the curtain, you see the heavily barred front door directly ahead of you with it's armored peephole, a number of spears, maces and light crossbows racked to one side of it.
Shelves of consumables fill most of the rest of that room. At the opposite end, a stairway leads up.
The Climb DC is way easier at 14, so you made that. Climbing quietly will take a couple of rounds.
Nope, just the one roll is fine for this.
You hear the slamming of doors and the rattle of chains from the second floor.
perception roll
Noting the attempts make light, Maelorn draws his silver hammer, and places his hand upon the head, "Allow me..."
Muttering a quick prayer to Torag, the hammer glows as brightly as a torch.
Walking in further, determined to not let harm fall his soon to be partners, Bron will walk past the curtain into the entrance area. Hearing noise from above, Bron looks back, pointing up to the second floor as he does. Then, he will advance on the stairs, taking point as he starts to head up the staircase.
Perception:
Thunder-Klar puts her Klar on to her wrist, and grips her earth breaker tightly. she then turns to Cindersteel and whispers a quick message to it.
"Tolah kireh, Cindersteel."
"Eyes open, Cindersteel."
She then follows Large Bron into the house, noting his impromptu sign language, and understanding all to well that the sounds are coming from upstairs, and so that is the direction in which they should investigate.
Looking through the lower floor using flickering witchlights of Thunder-Klar and Zane is greatly sped up when Maelorn has his silver hammer shine forth as a torch.
Creeping up the stairs, you come across Joseph climbing quietly through an upper floor shuttered window.
You come to a very differently furnished upper floor, arranged into a richly appointed gallery. There are rich velvet curtains surrounding framed portraits of scantily clad women egaged in a variety of lurid acts. Gold fitted continual light globes shine light both night and day; rich but delicate looking furnishings are scattered about in somewhat haphazard way. There is no one currently here, but there is a closed interior door.
"Looks as if we'll need to knock again." Zane says with a grin.
Joe gives a grin of his own as he sees the rest of the group coming up the stairs, and then strides over to have a closer look at the door.
perception roll
You can hear some movement inside, but nothing else.
This standard door has a standard lock.
Joe motions everyone to get out of direct line of fire from the door as he takes out his trusty crowbar. As he positions himself just to the side of the door frame and positions the crowbar to pry the door open, he looks back at everyone.
"Any objections?"
You can hear something heavy being dragged towards the door.
Someone is whispering frantically "Hurry! Hurry!"
Eager to get in the room, Bron moves to lend his strength to Joseph's idea. Hearing something, Bron says, "Let's do this quick. Sounds like Smeed has someone with him and they're blockin' the door.
Perception:
Zane faded to the back of the room a spell hovering on his lips along with a grin.
Joe inserts the crowbar into the crack between door and frame just above the lock, and then he and Bron give a strong pull.
Thunder-Klar quickly moves her hands in a complex and strange manner, her voice low and fleeting, as though some strange creature had possessed her voice.
Her hand reaches out and touches Cindersteel's coat, hiw claws and teeth glowing with a silvery light for a moments, only to subside and all but disappear.
Cindersteel's claws once again unsheath themselves from it's lupine claws, teeth bared and ready to pounce at a moments notice, claws raking into the boards of the floor, leaving thin, deep marks.
Bron Ref:
Joseph Ref:
You have the door about levered open when you hear a hideous roaring and the clatter of chain just befor the door is smashed off it's hinges. Joseph just ducks aside at the last instant, but Bron is caught by the door and smashed flat.
Standing on top of it is the ugliest human barbarian you've ever seen in your life. It has a choke collar with a trailing length of chain behind it, and its definately enraged.
That's the biggest baboon you've ever heard of.
Seeing the eidolon in front of it, it attacks immediately.
Thing slam #1: vs. AC16: Miss.
Thing slam #2: vs. AC16: Hit! for crush damage.
Smeed comes out right behind it with a hastily donned suit of mail, an ancient kite shield and a richly decorated scimitar.
He screams "Help! Anybody! They're trying to kill me! Help! I'm rich! I can pay!"
He swings wildly at Joseph: Hit! for cutting damage.
Round 1
Initiative rolls____________
Ape:
Bron:
Cindersteel:
Joseph:
Maelorn:
Nakoda:
Smeed:
Thunder-Klar:
Zane:
So, in order you go--------
Thunder-Klar
Zane
Maelorn
Cindersteel
Bron
Joseph
Nakoda
Ape
Smeed
Joe takes a mighty swing at the ape thing (or smeed).
to hit (24 against smeed)
damage (with +1 from inspire)
sneak damage