@Alexei: The children range in ages from 7-15 to 16ish.The younger ones look more hopeful, while the older ones look more frightened than anything else. There are eight in total. You're about to continue on when you hear a voice call from the back, "Alexei!?"
Everyone else: As you open the door, the chilly air that fills the room hits you. It smells of the river, no doubt thanks to the opening in the floor that drops away to the waters just 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, lockboxes, and piles of clutter are strewn about. Chipped porcelain plates, a cracked goblet, badly rusted silverware, and old wooden shield with a crossbow bolt embedded in it, the odd dinged helm, and other "treasures" litter the floor of the entire chamber. Three tables, their tops heaped with additional clutter, stand amid this mess, while just west of that a wooden door seems to provide access to a walled-off section. It hangs open slightly and a light as if from a candle flickers from within.
Dhan, trying to move quietly, carefully checks the approch to the tables and walled off area, looking for any hidden compartments, or traps.
Gesturing to the older children Do you have any hammers or crowbars?
Heading towards the voice Yes?
@Alexei: A small girl approaches you. It takes you a moment to recognize your sister's familiar features through the filth that covers her like a second skin as well as the haunted look in her eyes. All that melts away, though when she rushes forward to leap into your embrace. A tear glistens down her cheek.
@Everyone else: Dhan, you don't notice any traps. But you do notice a glint of gold on something dangling from one of the sets of manacles dangling from the ropes hanging over the hole in the floor.
Alexei just holds her for a while, saying softly in elvish Sister. Oh my sister. switching to Varisian while looking around the room again. Well this is quite the palace you have my princess! Would you object terribly if I carried you away from all this to a dreary land of hot baths, delicious food, and real beds?
Dhan goes over to the manacles and examines whatever it is hanging there.
Alatáriël looks at Dhan as he stares intently at the manacles."What's so interesting Dhan?" Looking around the dreary room a shutter passes down her spine. "Ew he never was one for keep a wonderful living space." Alatáriël readies her bow again, ready to strike if she is needed.
Dhan calls over, "There is something here, just a second and I will try and get it...."
"Just be careful." Marcus warns as he pokes about the room. "I don't like to guess the purpose of these manacles, but it's hard not too, and that shark might not be the only thing inhabiting these water."
@Alexei: She just continues to sob into your shoulder.
@Everyone else: The glint comes from a bracelet hanging from a severed hand strapped into the manacle. It is s decent quality gold, nothing too fancy, but not bad. Certainly more than most could afford to spend on. Engraved onto the inside of the band is, Aaron.
Dhan shakes his head sadly and takes the bracelet. I shall find out who this belonged to and return it to the giver. They should have this back, and knowledge of what happened to this person
Dhan turns his attention back to the rest of the room.
Henric emerges from the water, dripping wet. He stands, shivering, and constantly glancing with the others. "He's surely ran himself into a corner by now..." he says, edgily. "Perhaps I should go back and look after the-" he sneezes, noisily and curses in a harsh whisper.
Henric will walk into the room and don the rusted shield. "Let's have it done, quickly." Henric will continue to move through the chamber, making for the next room.
@Henric:
A crossbow bolt cuts through the air flying towards Henric.
The bolt strikes home in the gaps between Henric's armor. "Blasted Guard can't even manage to follow simple instructions like 'Don't come bother me'. How about this, guardsman, if you can manage to pull yourself together and stumble out of here and not come back, I won't shoot you again." A man comes from the shadows in the corner of the building. His skin looks like the texture of well-worn leather. A few white hairs cling tenuously to his liver-spotted head. He glances around the room at the others present.
He looks towards Alatáriël. "Didn't I kill you?" He grins evilly. "Hehehe - *cough, cough, cough*," he wheezes. Blood dribbles down his chin. "Tell you what," he says wiping the blood away, "How bout you come work for me. I could use some one competent for once."
He looks towards Marcus. "You look familiar, have I threatened you before?" Looking around at the others gathered, he chuckles. "And who in the nine hells are all you, then?" He reloads his hand crossbow. "Well?"
Henric lets out a scream of pain, nearly dropping his weapon as blood spurts from his shoulder. He lets out a few laboured breaths and draws up to his full height. "Hold your fire! Come..." he winces. "Don't make this worse for yourself." he says, levelly. Gaedrenn knows the sentance for assault with a deadly weapon as well as he does. Torture. Twenty years or death. No appeal. He won't come quietly.
Edit:I thought I'd post the initiative order for future reference. We got...
Gaedren
Marcus
Dhan
Alexei
Titus
Henric
Alatariel
Waiting on you, Hector.
"I'd sooner strike a deal with Baalzebul than allow this snake another chance to strike," Marcus whispers at Henrick's request. "You know as well as I a cur like this won't submit until he's felt the snap of a rib or two. I'll make sure to leave him alive, though." He turns to Lamm.
"Not me, my cousin," he states gravely as he takes a step forward, his staff beginning to whistle as it spins through the air. "A half-elf from Cheliax, by the name of Aldorel. I suppose he would have told that he was descended from Chelish nobility, eh? Or that his cousin was affiliated with the Hellknights?"
Ribbons of energy swirl around his staff as he brings the tip thrusting toward's Lamm's forhead, going for a knockout blow. "What have you done with him?" The rage in his voice is tangible, and Marcus makes no attempt to mask his impatience.
"Of course..." Henric cuts in. "But I sleep easier pretending otherwise."
Seeing the monster who was the cause of my friends death, Dhan moves closer, keeping to the dark and out of sight, while also looking around to make sure there are no 'surprises' awaiting them as they close with Lamm.
The look upon Alatáriël face becomes one of anger and disgust."No but let me help you on your way to Hell, you old bastard." Alatáriël aims her bow at Gaedren ready to put her arrow right through his head.
"Has the watch forgotten how bribes work suddenly?" Gaedren taunts as he looses another bolt at Hector.
The bolt hits home just beneath the first. Gaedren reloads another bolt. "Then let me instruct you on how it works. I pay your department, and you stay off my turf!"
Marcus yells and rushes forward spinning his staff in a well-rehearsed arc. The tip goes streaking towards Gaedren's chest, but the wily old thief rolls backwards with the blow and he avoids most of the damage. He chuckles dryly. Meanwhile Dhan sneaks toward Gaedren's direction. The old man doesn't acknowledge him. Either he doesn't see him or he's so wrapped up in what he's doing to care.
Sneak Attack
Leaving me at 1hp until I take that bleed damage. Yikes.
Sis, there's still some work to do here. holding his sister, Alexei straightens and addresses the other children. Alright everyone. You saw the guardsmen and the rest who went to fetch Lamm out of his hole. We're going to help them by making an easier way out. Grab your tools and follow me.
Heading up the stairs, I, and the children, will start removing the floorboards from the square diagonal to the desk in the SW corner. Your call as to which round this actually starts(or started) happening.
Perception to see if I can hear sounds of fighting.
If needed, diplomacy to have the children help.
@Henric:
@Alexei: You do hear the sounds of fighting. Most of the children, however, immediately take off, reveling in their new-found freedom. A few stay behind to help you peel away the floorboards, your sister included.
:
Titus rushes forward, drawing his massive sword. "Time to face the Hanging Judge, Old Man!" he yells as he swings his heavy blade in a wide arc. He aims low, going for the legs. Dead bounties are for novices.
Lamm manages to roll backwards in time to avoid having his legs removed, but not in time to avoid injury. He cries in pain as the blade shears through cloth and muscle.
Alatáriël follows up Titus's strike with a quick shot from her bow, piercing the old man in the side. He falls to the floor.
"So this is it, is it? So who sent you, then? Or did you come for payback for that damned varisian woman?" He cringes and curls up into the slowly pooling puddle of his own blood. You here a sharply drawn breath from beyond the cracked open door just as there's a splintering sound from above. You all look up to see Alexei's face peering down at you from a hole above you.
As the children run Ack! How am I going to find them all?
As the floor opens What happened to Henric? Is that Lamm?
Dhan continues moving towards the door. Hearing the indrawn breath of someone on the otherside, he prepares to push the door open and examine who, or what is in the room.
On the other side of the open door, you find the blonde man sitting cross-legged and whimpering. 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. A sagging dresser filled with moth-eaten clothes well past their glory days is in one corner. The blonde man sits at the foot of the bed cradling a large stongbox with a slightly rusted lock securing its lid along with what appears to be a wooden hatbox buzzing with a small cloud of flies.
Kneeling down to the blonde man's level, Dhan starts to talk to him in calm and soothing words. "It is all over now. Lamm cannot hurt you any more. Hand me the box and we will help you out of this place and into the light. Its all over. Your are safe now."
Alexei climbs through the hole and moves to pray over Henric
AAlexei:
The man looks at Dhan sourly. "So, end o' the line for ole' Yargin, eh. Ye' gonna do fer me what ye' did fer Lamm?"
What do I know about this Yargin character? If I know he is a criminal, which I am sure he is, then I will turn him over to the bounty hunter for a cut in the reward. I will take the strongbox from him and then look into the hat box. I will keep my rapier out, and use it to flip the top of the hatbox, keeping Yargin in front of me, and allowing space for others to enter the room.
Knowledge-Local:
Well I guess not...lol
Alatáriël looks at Lamm's body and moves around it heading into the room to see what Dhan is doing. "What did you find in here, Dhan?"
"Guess I'm in no position to be arguin' with ya," he says handing over the strongbox. "And you can have that," he says as you flip the top off the hatbox. "Wench ain't caused us nothin' but trouble." Inside the hatbox, you see a most revolting sight: the severed head of a woman, poorly preserved and decorated with unsightly makeup in a crude attempt to give its sagging flesh a semblance of life. Yet even with the caked on makeup and the advanced state of decay, you can tell quite plainly who the head belonged to. It is the head of Zellara, the varisian woman who sent you on this mission! Yargin's lip curls in revulsion. "So, you gonna lemme go?"
Busy making sure Henric seems alright and that Lamm is stable, Alexei calls out, Find anything?
Not taking his eyes off the man, Dhan calls back to Alexei, "There is a fellow here by the name of Yargin. Ever hear that name before? He had a strongbox and, well, the head of our employer."
As Lamm is struck down Henric drops to one knee and falls to one side, breathing heavily. He grins weakly at Alexei as he approaches. "We got him." he says, blearily.
The flesh around his wounds seals tightly around the bolts, and Henric winces in pain. He clasps Alexei's hand apprecieatively and picks himself up. He walks over to Lamm and places a boot on his chest. "Gaedrenn Lamm." he digs his heel into the mans chest. "It took some digging, alright. The kidnapping of the girls from the Meirani enclave..." he says, cocking a head towards Riel, "the Jeggare boy... Aaron son of Alaric..." he spits a bloody mess at Gaedren's feet. "A list of crimes older than me and only one short stint in our lovely citadel."
"I'll see you hang for what you've done, kidnapper." he says, binding Lamm's hands and feet, roughly. Satisfied, he turns for his comrade.
"My nephew, Alexei." he whispers, placing bloodied hands on Alexei's shoulders and looking at him pleadingly. "My nephew. Have you found him?"
Suprised, I am not sure. What does he look like? Five of the children ran at first chance, but the other three stayed. Gently I am sorry. I did not know you had lost family also. If he was here, we will find him.
Dhan calls to Alexei with a description of the man. "For that matter does anyone else know who he is??
Keeping the fellow in front of him, he indicated to the man to move outside so all can see him. Dhan then hands off the gurad duty to Henric and returns to the room to search it more throughly.
"I couldn't risk letting it fall onto Lamm's ears." he says, regretfully. "We had a job to do, first. But I owe it to my brother. To little Aaron..." he trails off at the sound of Dhan's voice...
Knowledge local
Henric, you've heard of him. He's a local low-life. Sells slury to some of the restaurants around the docks area or sells it to make chum for fishermen. You've never heard of him being linked to Lamm, but that doesn't in and of itself rule out the possibility.
Hearing Henric mention his nephew, Dhan reaches into his belt pouch and removes the bracelet that he had found. He grips the guardsman on the shoulder and holds out his other hand with the bracelet.
"Henric, I found this over there."and he points to the shackles hanging over the water. "I am so very sorry.
Henric blinks up in disbelief, and gives Lamm a sharp kick in the ribs. "I don't believe it! We weren't fast enough."
Henric stares at Dhan, and then the bracelet, bewildered and weary. He turns it over in his hand. You see his brow furrow, and his jaw clench as he makes the realisation. He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath, and stands still for what seems like minutes. He shakes his head slightly and lets out a long, drawn out breath.
"This... is the evidence we need against him." he says, stoically. "Alexei. We should round up the rest of the children, and see to it that they remain out of harms way. We don't know how many contacts Lamm has. If he knew we were coming he may have tipped them off."
Henric will make a sweep of the room, avoiding the eyes of his comrades, before striding past them and through the door. "We should get out of here."
Dhan takes one more look through Lamm's room before he joins the others in helping get the children out of this terrible place.
Right. The children here seem fine for the moment. Smiling up through the hole. You kids still alright? Seeing Henric moving off. Okay then, anything else we need before heading out? Dhan, looks like you have that room pretty well taking care of. Mind taking a last look around the rest of place, here and upstairs before we leave? Alatriel, would you and Titus take the lead on the prisoners? I've a bit of healing left we can use once we have them altogether. Docile is nice, but ambulatory is useful to.
As Alexei begins to follow Henric, Dhan, have you seen Zellara's Horrow deck? May seem silly, but to a Varisian, particularly a true Harrower, the deck is... important. We should find it if we can. Since her head is here, perhaps the deck is also? Looking at Yargin. You there. Do know where the woman's deck is? Also the location of her other possessions or body parts. Quickly now.
Once they are upstairs again, Alexei takes hold of Anca's hand, Well. Time we leave this place. Come on everyone. Now,Looking at the other two children, what are you names, what's your family situation, and where do think we could find the rest of the children who where here?
Once he had gone over the room, and noted that there was nothing else of worth, Dhan climbs out of the lower level, and stops to examine the strongbox.
If no traps are detected, and it is locked, then he will pick the lock, otherwise he will open the box.