The door does not appear to be trapped or locked and opens with a squeaky hinge whine that sets your teeth on edge.
The air in this room is somewhat chilly, and stinks of the river, no doubt thanks to a huge opening in the floor that drops away to the river shore five feet below. Several pilings emerge from the waters to support the roof above, with mossy ropes slung between them. In two places, rusty manacles hang from the ropes over the water. Two five-foot wide walkways cross the hole's edge to the other side of the chamber, where a collection of old cabinets, lock boxes, 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. Three tables, their tops heaped with additional clutter, stand amid this mess, while just west of that door seems to provide access to a walled-off section.
Seated at one of the tables, looking up at you, his hands twisted around string of pearls, is the object of your hatred, Gaedren Lamm.
The old man looks up startled as you enter. His face flushes red, but then settles into the evil little sneer you all know so well. "How? HOw did you find me here? Where are my guards? I will kill that little...eh, no matter now I suppose."
"They are dead. All of them. As you soon will be too."
Kalvin steps to the front. His illuminated blade glowing in the darkness, casting light on his face and revealing the righteous anger that burned in his eyes.
"Gaedren Lamm, by the divine authority of the Goddess Iomedae I arrest you for your crimes. You may surrender to face justice at the hands of the Order of the Nail or accept summary judgement here."
Crux moves forward. "I have come for you, Lamm. You will not escape my vengeance."
Acid Splash: RTouch
to hit damage
For once Rodan hadn't had the urge to inwardly mock the paladin as he demanded Lamm's surrender. For all of that he thought of Kalvin's concepts of honor as a form of naivety, the rogue could recognise the same hunger for revenge beneath the veneer. Besides, if Lamm surrenders thinking he'll weasel his way into an acquittal at trial, he's delusional. And I'll be volunteering to play executioner at the end.
However once again it was Crux who acted precipitously, throwing one of his little globules of conjured acid at the scum. No chance of catching him alive now. Now we just gut the bastard... Rodan launched himself into a dash around the uneven wooden walkway, trying to close the gap between himself and Lamm before the latter could escape through the doorway to the north or otherwise evade the group.
Lamm's Den - Round 1
23 Viviana
14 Kalvin
13 Crux
12 Graxton
7 Lamm
6 Rodan
Viviana readies an arrow aimed at Lamm while the young paladin tries to arrest the long-time crime boss.
Taking the law into his own hands, Crux lobs a handful of acid at Lamm but it misses over his head.
Kalvin pushes past the hasty wizard, and readies an attack should Lamm not chose to surrender.
Lamm's Den - Round 1 - continued
Viviana spends the few seconds before Lamm reacts calling for her Goddess' blessing on the group, and asking for her sacred judgement on her enemies. Additionally, a mirror image of the inquisitor appears next to her confusing any possible attacks.
Kalvin shoulders past the wizard and enters melee range with the old man, readying his sword blade.
Armor Class. These bonuses last for the encounter’s duration.
Lamm's Den - Round 1 - continued
Graxton advances along the narrow walkway around the pool in the middel of the floor and as he gets close, let's loose with a javelin thrown at the old man's midsection, but the throw goes horribly wide of the mark, the javelin left quivering in the old plank wall boards.
The old man's eyes narrow as he comes under attack from Crux and Graxton. "I knew I shoulda finished you off, Crux. Yer nothing now but a stain on the city. Yer dead and don't even know it, har!" he starts to laugh but it turns into wheezing chuckle. When he can he raises a small hand crossbow, aiming it at...
Lamm's Den - Round 1 - concluded
As Lamm raises his hand crossbow, the paladin swings into action, bringing his weapon down two handed on the old man. The blade bites deep through his unarmored form, but the man is less frail than he appears, and he survives the blow although with a major wound.
Lamm fires the crossbow, and you find he wasn't aiming at any of you, but into the pool. The bolt flies true and you hear a bestial roar from the hole in the floor. Looking down, you see a large allilgator thrash to the surface, a bolt protruding from it's long, hard body. The prehistoric lizard, now quite enraged, thashes it's tail and snaps it's jaws with a loud thud. AFter firing, Lamm drifts away from the evil-smiting paladin and right into the circling Rodan
End of Round 1
Lamm's Den - Round 2
23 Viviana
13 Crux
12 Graxton
10 Alligator
7 Lamm (Wounded)
6 Kalvin (readied last time)
6 Rodan
The roar of the alligator fills the room, as Lamm, hurt and bleeding, limps away from Kalvin. "Stop, stop." pleads Lamm through labored breathing. "I'll cut you in, we can split the profits 50-50. Just stop..."
Crux runs up and tries to bash Lamm's face in.
Club:
to hit damage
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"I used to have fantasies about what I would do if I met you on the street. I daydreamed taking my revenge, day after day! You cursed a priestess of Calistria with your shiver! You stole my youth, and my beauty. I wrote a speech once!" Viviana nocks an arrow, stepping back from the surfacing reptile.
"When you take revenge, dig two graves. A smart person said that once. I only need one; I'll drag you into mine if I have to, Gaedren Lamm!"
Viviana shoots the alligator swiftly and with accuracy. Perhaps.
Lamm's Den - Round 2
Viviana readies her bow, but holds off shooting for now, tracking the alligator as it thrashes in the river pool.
Crux shows no such restraint, and rushes towards Lamm, trying to bash his face in, but the wily old fox avoids the blow.
The half-orc cleric draws out his greatsword and advances on the target of his scorn but cannot strike at him yet this round. As he advances, the alligator leaps out the of the water and wraps Graxton in it's massive jaws. Only the heavy steel armor prevents the half-orc from being perforated in a dozen places.
The old man, Lamm, leaps at Rodan who is blocking his way, and slashes at him with his dagger but misses the agile half-elf.
Rodan thought briefly - very briefly - about trying to take Lamm alive after all, knocking him over the head with the pommel of his sword, then letting the paladin drag the slime in front of a jury. But as the old thief draws his own dagger and slashes at the air, and an alligator - Where the hells did that come from? - surges out of the water and seizes Graxton in it's jaws, Rodan mentally shrugs and simply tries to slice open Lamm's belly with his sword...
As the rogue brings his sword around in a vicious slashing sweep, he does a half-step back to open the distance slightly and give him room for the swing, only to slip on a slime-encrusted patch of rotting planks, throwing his aim off balance and missing Lamm's exposed belly by a good inch.
Kalvin steps around Graxton and Crux (Provoking AC with Smite is 18 for Lamm, for the Gator still 16).
Lamm's Den - Round 2 - continued
The valiant paladin is ready to end this, and turns away from the gator to chase Lamm. The gator still holding Graxton spins and slaps at Kalvin with its massive tail, but the move is more than the reptile can pull off, and the flailing tail does not connect.
Lamm's attention is focused on Rodan and escape and he doesn't see or hear the approach of the knight of Iomedae. It comes as a surprise to the old man, then, when Kalvin slashes deeply into the man, collapsing him like a sack of potatoes.
Watching as Lamm dies beneath the paladin's blade right in front of him, before Rodan can land his own blow, the rogue instead leaps forward to try and rescue the half-orc cleric from the alligator's jaws.
Lamm's Den - Round 2 - concluded
Rodan adjusts his strike after watching Lamm fall, and leaps over the crumpled body to slash the alligtor holding Graxton with a deep slicing wound.
End of Round 2
Lamm's Den - Round 3
The alligator releases the half-orc cleric from it's jaws and is not angrier than ever. It thrashes about still half-in, half-out of the water.
23 Viviana
13 Crux
12 Graxton
10 Alligator (wounded)
6 Kalvin
6 Rodan
From the far side of the room, Viviana fires another arrow at the big lizard, but the creatures tough hide deflects the arrow.
Crux targets the alligator with a Ray of Enfeeblement spell.
Ray of Enfeeblement: rtouch, fire into melee
to hit to hurt Fort dc 15 for half damage.
He then begins to inspect Lamm for a controlling whistle or something.
Kalvin shouts to Grax.
"Stabilize him if he still has life in him. The people of Korvosa that he's harmed deserve their justice."
He then steps through Crux putting himself side by side with Grax and swings at the reptilian monster.
Swing and a Miss.
Lamm's Den - Round 3 - continued
A magical ray erupts from the deformed wizard's fingertips, but is far from the mark and it ends harmlessly.
Crux pauses at Kalvin's words. He then tries to toss Lamm's body into the water with the alligator.
Lamm's Den - Round 3 - continued
The cleric of Gorum hacks at the reptilian killing machine with his greatsword but the blade cannot find a soft spot in the creature's tough hide. The alligator snaps it's jaws on Graxton again, trying to pull him into the pool. This time, the priest's armor does not protect him from the massive jaws. In addition to the bite, Graxton is pulled off his feet into the water, still clenched firmly in the jaws of the massive beast.
Seeing his friend - as Graxton isn't an enemy, and that's about as close to a friend in Rodan's mind as things get - being dragged into the water by the alligator, the rogue grips his sword in both hands and lunges forward. "Drop him you ugly damned oversized lizard!"
Lamm's Den - Round 3 - concluded
Watching his ally pulled into the water by the alligator motivates Rodan to attack, but this sword stroke fails to connect with the massive beast.
End of Round 3
Lamm's Den - Round 4
23 Viviana
13 Crux
12 Graxton (grappled)
10 Alligator (wounded)
6 Kalvin
6 Rodan
Viviana fires another arrow striking the gator with a splat and causing a well of blood to form from it's back.
Tosses Lamm into the water as above. Maybe the alligator will release its current snack and go for this other one.
Lamm's Den - Round 4 - continued
Crux pushes the body of Lamm from the edge of the pool, all the way in, with a splash.
Injured, grappled in the gator's mouth, and starting to drown from the filthy water, Graxton summons every last reserve of strength and tries to wrench himself free of the beast's terrific maw. Despite his terrific struggle, Graxton cannot free himself.
The alligator, oblivious to the struggles of Graxton, begins to tuck it's legs and roll rapidly. The death roll jerks the half-orc's body causing him excrutiating pain, and nearly driving the consciousness from his body, his innate orc ferocity the only thing holding him alive. Blood and gore pours from a multitude of wounds, increasing the rage of the alligator.
Driven to desperation in order to try and rescue Graxton, the rogue jumps into the water while trying to stop the alligator, swinging his sword in both hands over his head and down onto the creature's thick hide...
If that Hits.
Using all his strength to keep the the Half-Orc's head above water he shouts to Viv.
"Viv help. You've got to stabilize him!"
He turns to the Wizard and glares.
"Grab his arm and help me get him out of the water, or I'll see to it you join Lamm at the bottom."
Lamm's Den - Round 4 - concluded
The two heroes jump into the water slashing and bashing at the alligator. Under the flurry of blows, the gator finally gives up the ghost and falls, jaws loosening on the unconscious half-orc.
End of Combat
The two men pull the soggy, bloody priest up to the dirt portion of the pool, and with Viviana's aid, they lift him onto the wood planking once again.
Graxton is now at -9 HP with a CON score of 14, he is bleeding out, looking paler and more still every moment.
damnit dice don't go cold.
Kalvin shouts to Crux.
"Check the table Crux see if Lamm had any potions lying around?"
Rodan lends his own strength to the efforts to haul the heavy, armored half-orc cleric back out of the water. Now dripping wet, he climbs out himself as well, but there isn't anything he can do for Graxton - until the paladin suggests to Crux to look for any potions amongst Lamm's little horde of clutter. The rogue quickly wipes his blade roughly dry on Lamm's body before sheathing it, then steps ove and starts helping the wizard look through the assorted junk.
If neither the rogue nor the wizard locate anything here, Rodan will hurry over to the other door and open it, forcing the lock if necessary to get inside quickly.
Crux does go to try and find something to aid Graxton.
Perception
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Viviana takes Graxton's hand in hers, kneeling down beside him. She holds his hand firmly and strongly for a moment as Kalvin tries to help him. As the paladin turns away, she buries her hands into the blood-soaked clothing of the half-orc, trying to stop the bleeding. "You're going to be fine," she whispers. "Calistria looks after fools like us, so wrapped up in our revenge."
Crux continues to search. "But he was the only one of us not here for revenge. His purpose is less visceral than vengeance."
Kalvin glares at Crux.
"Lamm was the only one who knew were my cousin was. I didn't want him dead, I wanted him incapacitated. And all the other people he's hurt, all the fools who idolized him, followed him into his bloody trade, they needed to see that no one escapes justice. But will his death provide any of that to his victims? To this city?" Kalvin responded with a snarl in his voice. "And now your friend lies dying at your feet consumed by you thirst for revenge. Now that your actions affect you do you finally feel their weight? Truly the Gods mirrored your soul with your face. Now go and search for something that might let your friend escape the consequences of your actions while Viv and I tend to his wounds."
From where he kneels in front of the worm-eaten door, trying to open the lock, Rodan speaks without turning to face the paladin. "I'm sorry about your cousin, Kalvin - truly I am - and it might have been nice to see Lamm paraded through the streets to the gallows. But you didn't have your childhood and your future twisted by him. When I stood up to him the bastard set the other children on me - they armed with cudgels and knives, me with only my fists - and after I was broken and bloody he dumped my body in the harbor. However, I survived."
Quietly, concentrating on manipulating his lockpicks, and still not looking at the others, the rogue says "I don't know exactly what Lamm did to Crux, but I don't think that whomever he was before survived whatever it was. He's not to blame." Rodan takes one of his hands away from the lock for a moment to point at the pool of gore next to where he is working - the puddle of blood that's all that remains of Gaedren Lamm now. "That man was responsible for what he became, and if it brings Crux some measure of solace to do what he did, I'm fine with that..."
"For now, see what you can do for Graxton. We can argue rights and wrongs later, if you still wish to."
The search through the things in the chests here proves fruitless. No healing articles nor anything of much value (besides salvage value) can be found. There are some costume baubles and glass beads but not much else.
Viviana's skill with healing comes in helpful as she staunches the bleeding and begins basic first aid to the wounded cleric.
Rodan finds the door on the north wall is not locked at all. He opens the door, and a terrible odor hits him in the face. Gagging a little, he scans the room quickly for threats or healing.
This foul-smelling room seems to be a combination bedroom and study. A wooden bed with a lumpy mattress stands against the east wall, while a round table heaped with dirty plates, bread crusts, stained goblets, fruit rinds, and scuttling cockroaches sits nearby. At the foot of the bed sits a large strongbox, a slightly rusted lock securing the lid. A sagging dresser is in one corner. What appears to be a wooden hatbox surrounded by a cloud of flies sits atop the dresser.