Hearing her companions continuing to fight something under the deck, Mirela climbs up and sits on the rail of the ship and lines up her shot at the purple spider.
Lord Deadeye guide my 'and, that the vermin may be dispached and this 'unt may continue on those who tear apart families.
Mirela grunts in frustration as the battle continues where she can't see. Pulling herself onto the ship she looks for the remaining spiders but as another scream of pain comes from below, she abandons her search and slams open the door running onto the stairs trying to see what they are fighting.
Kraken's Folly Hold - Round 4 - concluded
As the Blue Spider dies, Mirela finds herself without an easy target in line of sight. As such, she leaps aboard the rotted deck of Kraken's Folly and rips the door to the aft cabin open. Disregarding the thick tangle of webs in this space, the bow-shooting priestess makes for the stairs to the hold below.
End of Round 4
Kraken's Folly Hold - Round 5
23 Devan (entangled, poisoned, 6 hp dmg)
20 Twilight
16 Nargun (entangled, possibly poisoned, +2 to attacks, 6 hp dmg)
15 Purple Spider (evil eye, 1 round -2 to attacks)
9 Mirela
8 Atticus
18 Aleira
Feeling the physical effects of the poison already, Devan starts to panic, straining against the binding webs. His flailing about seems to pay off, as he strikes the remaining spider, cutting a gash through her crunchy shell, even as he feels the weakness spreading in his limbs.
Twilight looks around, uncertain for a moment. Where before she could focus on protection Nargun from being harmed, now she was suddenly overwhelmed with decisions. Did she try to ward Devan and let the poison run its course? Bolster him against the poison and risk the spider mortally wounding him. Bolster someone's attack and trust that they would be able to finish off the spider in time? The situation suddenly became so much more complicated!
Finally after what seemed ages she made her decision "I can treat wounds, but treating the damage the poison is inflicting is beyond my means. I'll have to trust in my companion's ability to fell the spider before it can do any more harm"
"Calistria, let the fires of this man's spirit burn the venom from his body"
Devan feels a faint, pleasurable warmth fill his body for a moment.
Nargun's body tries to fight the venom, while his axe fends off te arachnid
Kraken's Folly Hold - Round 5 - continued
Seeing the spider inject its burning venom into Nargun, Twilight beseeches Calistria to aid him fight off that foulness by continuing her blessing on him.
For his part, Nargun is still stymied by the binding webs, but manages to get another axe stroke in on Purple Spider who now appears much the worse for wear. Unfortunately, the fast-moving poison starts do its work against the hardy dwarf, and he weakens slightly as it starts to cramp his muscles.
Knowing it is struggling for life and death, Purple Spider leaps on Devan once again, trying to turn the webbed bard into a meal instead of a foe. But the bitter wounds it has already suffered, and the witches weird magic, cause the leap to be quite short of the goal and the mandibles click closed with no effect.
Atticus moves forward and into flanking position.
The bard stumbles back a step, sure that he has drawn his last breath upon Golarion as the spider looms before him. Incredibly, the arachnid missed, the musician breathing easier as his competent companions continue to bring their arms to bear upon this last of the trio of spiders.
Kraken's Folly Hold - Round 5 - concluded
Sprinting around the stairs, Atticus is able to get into a flanking position behind the spider and stab it once more with the borrowed rapier, felling the last foe.
End of Combat
[dice=Fort + Blessing ]d20+1+2
The bard stumbles back a step, sure that he has drawn his last breath upon Golarion as the spider looms before him. Incredibly, the arachnid missed, the musician breathing easier as his competent companions continue to bring their arms to bear upon this last of the trio of spiders.
Mirela rushes down the stairs with her bow drawn. Seeing the spider get stabbed she looks around for any other threats.
Do that be the last un?
Indeed, Mirela does not see any more spiders or foes of any kind either in the aft cabin above deck, or in the hold below.
Devan takes a deep breath after the encounter with the spiders, the area where the arachnid bit he m burning as he exhaled. Wincing, he rolled his shoulders and took. Practice swing with the longsword, shrugging at the results. The venom seemed to have sapped some of his strength and vitality, but that had never been his strong suit, anyway.
At Mirela's question the bard nodded in affirmation, wiping the blade of his sword on an arachnid body, then shifting his lute back to his side. Curious that Yargin's trail should end here in the belly of this dilapidated vessel. He would have guessed the man fled here out of sheer panic if not for the lack of his body anywhere.
Intrigued, the musician looked around the hold of the ship by the pale glow of his sword, wondering what had become of the fop. He runs his fingers through his hair in consternation as he doesn't find anything.
Taking his time Atticus checks the hold.
As the last of the spiders falls, Twilight breaths a sigh of relief. She whispers a quick prayer while holding her holy symbol and a warm glow bathes those around her.
Afterwards Twilght says "Are we sure he came down here?"
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Thanks, Princess, your Healing is most welcome. I must be still alive to bring down Lamm. I'll hunt him...whatever the cost.
There.. you see? Some very faint tracks, near the port side of the hull. But they suddenly diseappear. Some secret passage maybe?
Checking the place, Nargun finds Something clicking Under his fingers, and an entire section of the hull shift aside, revealing another wooden walkway outside.
My axe is thirsty for your blood, Lamm. You can run, you can hide, you can go to the deepest Hells, I'll follow you. And then I'll kill you.
Devan sighed in relief as he felt the warm healing power of Calistria flow through him. He watched in amazement as the heavily inflamed puncture wounds from the spider's bite lower and start to close up, not healing over completely but looking much better. The bard felt the burning desire for vengeance return with the healing of his wounds, wondering if the Savored Sting had a hand in that, as well. Perhaps, perhaps not, but She definitely had a hand in the brief feeling of lust that immediately followed the healing, his eyes meeting Twilight's for an uncomfortable moment before he tore his gaze away, feeling guilt creep in. Lamm.
As Nargun looked about and found the secret passageway with his keen dwarven eyes the musician lined up behind him, longsword held at the ready in his weakened hand. "Well spoken, friend. Let us make an end to this." With that, Devan gets ready to proceed behind the stout dwarf, trying to keep an eye out for any traps or surprises they might encounter.
While Atticus is busy grid searching the hold, tapping and prying all around, Nargun notices the tracks leading down the stairs to the port side bulwark. Quickly finding an unusual handhold, he slides a portion of the hull away, revealing another exterior boardwalk.
A narrow space exists under the fishery, with about three feet of room between the floor of the eastern side of the building and the languid, foamy river waters below. Wooden pilings support the building, and thick mats of moss and cobwebs hang from ropes and rusted chains between them. A wooden walkway floats on the river's surface, winding along the inner wall of pilings that supports the building's frame above. The walkway leads from the sodden ship to the east all the way west to a small two-and-a-half foot square door that leads into an under-structure below the fishery's land-bound half. The pilings below this under-structure are densely arrayed, leaving only narrow gaps into the water area below.
Since the lower walkway is better sheltered from the elements due to the fishery above, it appears to be in much better condition than the one leading out to the Kraken's Folly.
Mirela steps near the open gap in the wall and raises her bow.
Go ahead, and make sure it is not boobytrapped. I will cover you in case Lamm tries to send someone through the door.
Aleira clambers down to join Nurgun and the others at the concealed entrance to the ship and peers across the narrow walkway.
So I suppose the old bastard must be through there." she says, "be careful though, he'll know we're coming."
I do hope so. I want him to feel afeared. I want him to know his doom is coming, each footstep coming nearer, closer. I want him to know he's finished.
Nargiun looks around quickly and goes down the steps
Beware, those planks don't look very sturdy
Nargun marches carefully, testing the wooden bridge with the handle of his axe before going on
After healing the group, Twilight notices Devan's gaze lingering on her and with a well practiced ease gives him a warm, welcoming smile just as he turns away. Her attention is suddenly drawn to Nargun who has found a hidden passage out of the ship into some kind of walkway underneath the fishery above. As Nargun speaks of striking fear into Laam she nods approvingly at him "That's the spirit Nargun, draw this moment out and savour it. Laam's end will be soon, let him dread every moment he is still alive."
Mirela draws her bow and readies to shoot anything that threatens Nargun.
Ready shot:
Devan prepared to follow Nargun underneath the fishery, expression determined, his jaw clamped shut as a maelstrom of emotion flowed through the bard as the end seemed near. So much pain and anguish...it was what had kept him going these past few weeks, and now it threatened to overwhelm him as the group neared its goal. The musician shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts with partial success.
Devan took a couple of deep breaths, then followed Nargun onto the walkway beneath the fishery. Crouching low, he was thankful for his relatively small stature as he shuffled along behind the dwarf, keeping the sword in front of him to light the way into the bowels of Lamm's hellhole.
The walkway, though floating on the surface of the river, seems like ti will support your weight without incident. With only about 3 feet of clearance between the floor of the upper level and the walkway, it requires some ducking and crouching for everyone in the group, but eventually you make it to the door that leads into the understructure.
The door is small, only about 2 and half feet wide, and square. It does not appear to be trapped, but a large brass lock set below the handle is engaged, holding the door fast.
While no foes are immediately apparent, anyone watching closely can see an ominous sight in the illumination from Devan's blade -- a dorsal fin cutting the surface of the water seems to be circling the gangplanks as you walk, first one side and then on the other. It's hard to make out in the dark, but a sizable body seems to be attached to that fin. The creature makes no overt aggressive moves, but its presence is disconcerting nonetheless.
Atticus cracks his fingers. Checking the door he smiles at the others. First he checks for any traps. "It seems not to be trapped. [b]"Dear Twilight, could I ask for your blessings? Or your guidance?"
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Twilight appraises Atticus with a bemused look.
"Why Professor, you are a fickle man! You had the Lady's attention and still sought to catch the eye of Desna. And now that you have found Desna's touch to be cold and indifferent you seek out Calistria's warm caress once more?
Despite the cramped conditions, Twilight crouches down next to Atticus and gently places a hand on his shoulder while she leans in close.
"Because of the importance of what we are doing here, I will beseech Calistria to overlook your slight... for now. Whether or not she chooses to help, we can discuss how you can make it up to Her another time."
She takes up her holy symbol.
"Calistria, I beseech thee to aid this man in the name of achieving our greater endeavour secure in the knowledge that as your humble servant I will see that, no manner how minor the slight, he will make amends."
After speaking to Atticus Twilight stands up, smooths out her clothes and then steps back to give Atticus room to work. She warily eyes the fin in the water and leans over to Mirela, a hint of nervousness in her voice "Is that something we should be worried about? Its not going to try and grab the last person through the door or some such thing?"
Aleira stands at the back of the group, watching as Atticus examines the door. Holding Cat in her arms, well clear of the water, she nervously watches the circling shark. She stands silent, staring at the building's understructure for some time and then speaks.
"Seems strange to me that this'd be the only way through. - An uncomfortable path for Lamb to come very often. Surely there must be another way through?"
Devan manages to hold an amused grin in check as the Calistrian chided the Professor for his deity-shopping. The bard, remembering from his all too recent encounter with magical healing, decides then and there to always ask for divine help without naming a patron. Not that the musician was the godly sort, but some divine powers were more spiteful than others.
The bard waited as patiently as he could while the Professor worked at the door, his tapping foot betraying his eagerness to proceed. At Twilight's question to Mirela, Devan glances at the dorsal fin as it weaves a pattern around them. Determined to not become food for something before his revenge was complete, he stayed near Nargun. No sense tempting Fate by being the last one through...
As Aleira ponders the situation, Devan turned sideways to regard her. "We heard the fool banging for his master to let him in from the room above. Either our eyes weren't keen enough to find the other entrance, or it didn't exist. It never hurts to look around, though. Lamm didn't become an old crime lord by being stupid." Brutal, murderous, but not stupid.
Mirela looks worried at the fin and replies to Twilight:
I don't know enough about what can live in brackish water to know... but the shark being 'ere do be worrying. They normally come for blood. If there is a water entrance in that room, that could be where the children disappear to...
I would avoid going in the water if it's at all possible.
Aleira peers through the half-light and can see there are small spaces between the pilings holding up the lower floor. Theoretically one could get in the water and squeeze between those pilings and perhaps get inside, but one would have to be pretty small to pull it off. With the circling shark, that idea doesn't seem particularly feasible. Otherwise, the only visible entrance to the under-structure is through this small door.
After being upbraided for his earlier faux pas, Atticus finally receives the blessing of Calistria. That divine inspiration along with his own innate skill and practice from before allows the novice lock-picker to be rewarded with a satisfying click as the lock opens.
With few others choices, each of you can hardly contain yourselves, thinking that Lamm (and perhaps his henchman Yargin) are just beyond this small portal, with nothing save a quick turn of the latch standing between you.
Taking a spot directely behind Nargun, Atticus prepares to move in.
Nargun get in front of the line, eager to kill.
Are you ready? Get the henchman, I'll attack Lamm
Mirela lines up behind Atticus trying to get a shot through the door when it is opened.
Go.
Devan allows the other more martial folks in front of him, not slighted at all. One had to be comfortable with his own strengths and weaknesses. So the bard settled in between the two priestesses, longsword held slightly to the right to provide its steady light to those ahead.
This would be the end in many ways. He had continued living to exact this vengeance, and now that it was here he felt a gaping hole beyond it, looming as the old man's minutes grew short. Best not to worry about that now...there was work to be done.
Nargun throws open the small door and peers inside. The air in this large room is chilly and smells of the river, thanks to a huge opening in the floor that drops away to the river shore three feet below. Several pilings emerge from the waters to support the roof eight feet above the floor, with mossy ropes slung between them. In two places, rusty manacles hang from the ropes over the water. Chained to one set of these manacles is a small child, who seems to be slumped unconscious. Two five-foot wide walkways cross the hole to the other side of the chamber, 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 side of the chamber. Three tables heaped with clutter stand amid the mess. In the southwest corner, a wooden door provides access to another walled off section.
Sitting on a small camp chair amid all the clutter is your nemesis, Gaedren Lamm. No matter you pictured or remembered this twisted snake, his actual appearance takes you aback. He is now a jaundiced and bent corpse of a man, his eyes yellowed and skin speckled from age. He wears grey padded clothing and wide brimmed hat that mostly shades his eyes. In his trembling grip is small hand crossbow, trained at the door.
Next to him stands the man in the red bathrobe, Yargin. He holds a glass flask filled with clear liquid in his hand trying to look menacing, but instead looking quite worried.
Lounging on the shore of the river visible through the hole in the floor is an enormous 8 foot long alligator currently calmly lying in the mud.
Obviously aware of your coming, Lamm smiles at you patronizingly. "Wondered when you'd get here, master dwarf. I knowed I shoulda kilt you too, but doan worry, I'll remedy that up soon enow. You an' yer lady-love can have a happily e'er after... in hell!"
To Nargun's surprise, the twisted old man then turns the hand crossbow from pointing at him, and fires a bolt into the thick hide of the dozing alligator. Immediately, that great creature flies to a furious rage, roaring with pain and fury.
Gaedren's Playground - Round 1
24 Mirela
16 Devan
15 Nargun
10 Gobblegut
9 Aleira
7 Twilight
6 Lamm
3 Atticus
After Lamm fires his hand crossbow into the gator, it begins thrashing around slamming its tail into the sides of the enclosure. Yargin holds a flask of something at the ready.
Hearing the unmistakable voice of Gaedren Lamb, Aleira feels a complex wave that is a mixture of both remembered fear and hatred wash over her and she scowls, suddenly eager to confront the man who was the cause of so much misery. Peering past the shoulders of the rest of the group, she prepares to move forward at the earliest opportunity.
Devan, his blood pounding in his ears at the anticipated confrontation with Joline's killer, fails to make out the conversation from inside the fishery. The musician shifts impatiently from foot to foot, holding the light-emitting long sword forth to light the way for his companions as they slowly file their way in. As space starts to clear before him, he eagerly shifts forward, anxious to bring an end to the pain.
Twilight doesn't hear anything over the thunderous racket that seems to have erupted from up ahead. "By Calistria's barbed words, what is that?"
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Mirela looks carefully for Lamm but the doorway gives here no view into the room. Something splashes in the water ahead but with everyone shifting around she can not tell what it is.
Forget waiting.
Mirela pushes past the others, saying only:
Time to finish this!
She has trouble in the doorway, but pushes through to get inside, and giving the 'gater wide berth turns to Lamm.
As she steps forward she says:
For years you have sown Terror and Fear on us children. It is time to reap what you 'ave sown; Sir.
Then she raises her bow and aims at the pair of criminals.
Damn, he still scares me, it just slipped out...
Gaedren's Playground - Round 1 - continued
Mirela cannot contain her patience any longer and squeezes around Nargun and through the narrow doorway. Entering she sees the object of her revenge, but instead of the cruel man with the heavy hands she remembers, he is just a withered old thing. Feelings of fear, revulsion, shame, and pity all mix in the young priestess as she raises her bow at the pair of criminals. Those quickly turn to simple anger as he speaks.
"I remember you!" Lamm says, licking his pale lips. "A cute young'un you were, as I recollect. Growed up to be a bit fiesty, eh? Well, I like 'em that way too! Now come sit on ol' Gaedren's lap like you used to, girlie. I've got somethin' for yeh." he laughs the same high cackle that you grew to revile but it ends in a fit of choleric coughing.
The others can only strain and stamp impatiently, waiting to see what is occurring inside the tiny doorway.
Nargun get throught the door, with murder in his eyes.
This day is your last one, Lamm. My heart has bleed enough. Let's see if you still have an heart.
Gaedren's Playground - Round 1 - continued
Nargun struggles through the door, intent on exacting his revenge against the man responsible for his love's murder. He advances along the walkway edging the pool.
Half-mad with rage and pain, the large alligator swims to where Nargun is along the walkway. Mirela watches in horror as the great beast lunges itself out of the water and latches its massive mouth around the dwarf's leg, rending the flesh in the process. Pulling for all it's worth, the alligator nearly succeeds in pulling Nargun into the pool, but at the last moment the warrior is able to wrench is wounded leg free.
From his chair, Lamm cackles with glee. "That's a boy, Gobblegut. Rip his leg off! That'll teach the poor bastard! Ha!" again with the high-pitched laugh, which sends shivers up the spines of any who have heard it before.
From the corner, Yargin launches his acid flask, which sails over the head of the embattled Nargun and shatters on the shoulder of Mirela, eating through her clothing and burning her flesh. Grinning evilly, the cruel man grabs another flask from his robe pocket.
FAIL
Hearing the commotion from inside the building, and ready to take her revenge on the old man, Aleira prepares herself to follow the others through the small door.
Twilight looks around for just a moment "What are they all waiting for?"
She then moves up to the door, eager to finally lay eyes on the man she has come for. "He looks so fragile and pathetic, how am I going to keep them from killing Lamm before I have a chance to exact my own revenge?"
When she finally gets to the opening she is horrified at what she sees "Nargun needs help! There is a giant alligator guarding Lamm!"
Hearing the pain from Narglum Atticus moves past Twilight, into the next room but he moves around the basin carefully trying that not all are on the same spot."Move in Devan, they need us!"
Hearing that the fight has begun in earnest, Devan nods fiercely, moving forward and ducking to squeeze through the small door into the belly of the fishery. Leading with his longsword as he emerges his eyes widen at the sight of the alligator and his two companions suffering from grievous wounds.
Even that sight does not distract him from the old man at the opposite side of the area, the musician's eyes hardening as the object of his revenge finally comes into focus. It is almost underwhelming...the man looked as if a stiff breeze might tip him over, and left to his own devices would probably not last much longer, anyway. However, the etched cruelty on the man's face and the sadistic grin on his face at the sight of all this pain was enough to convince the bard that this was indeed the Lamm he sought.
He would waste no words on this one. The old bastard had taken everything from Devan, so the musician would demand recompense in the form of the old man's blood. But first they had to defeat the beast...
Gaedren's Playgrond - Round 1 - concluded
Aleira hesitates as things start to bottle neck at the narrow doorway. She can tell something is going on inside, but exactly what she is not sure. Until the path looks more clear, she chooses to stay put.
Twilight moves forward along the boardwalk and leans into the underground chamber and is startled by the sight both of Lamm, and also his reptilian pet. Unable to reach the archer-priestess, she instead beseeches her Lady to succor her dwarven companion in his struggle with the alligator.
Laughing still, Lamm reloads his small hand-crossbow and without rising from his seat, fires another bolt, this time at Mirela, who is already burning with acid. Due to the old man's unsteady hands, the bolt flies well wide of the mark, embedding itself in the far wall. Lamm scolds Mirela angrily, "Hold still, you witch. This old man ain't done with you, not by a long-shot."
Hearing the commotion from inside the understructure, Atticus races forward, squeezing through the door, and along the other boardwalk, trying to keep the group from becoming too bunched. To his chagrin, he recognizes young Nicky as the youth who is suspended from the manacles above the alligator pit and his heart freezes seeing the unmoving form dangling there.
"Well, if it ain't the feeble, Professor. Heard you was asking around about me, doc. Musta been you that put all these others up to comin' here. None of them is smart enough to think of teamin' up on me. Already ruin't you once, smartypants. Guess, I gotta kill ya this time." says Lamm, his voice dripping with derision.
Just then, Devan forces his way through the door, eyes taking in the entire sordid scene. As revenge and pity for what Lamm has become mingles in the bard, Lamm slings contempt on him as well. "I'll be damned. The sot awakens. Thought you'd be drunk in an alley someweheres b'now. Not to late fer you to just walk away, troubadour. My fight ain't with you. Go back to what you know best, drinkin' yer life away."
End of Round 1