Knowledge (Local):
Malchius lays the map out and an animated face pops out and starts bouncing up and down while singing...just kidding. Had a Dora moment there.
Malchuis and Nathaniel both spot what looks to be a destination on the map that the thieves where attempting to flee. There is a location circled with the letters "AM" written next to it.
"That way," Malchius points, landing his finger down next to the almost identical one belonging to Nathaniel, hearing the echo from his twin's lips as well.
"Right, then," says Nathaniel, still not entirely used to watching--much less--hearing himself in stereo. Attempting to remain quiet, he begins to pad down the longer path.
As the group cautiously makes their way down towards the place marked on the map, the ground begins to shake once again. The rumbling beneath their feet isn't as violent as some of the earlier shaking, but with only a narrow ledge to shuffle along the sewer tunnel, staying standing (and out of the sewer) is much more difficult.
Xarina falls into the sewage. Before she does she holds her breath and closes her eyes. She will try to surface and get out as soon as she can.
Reflex Save:
Nathaniel falls into the sewage head first with no sense of up or down.
Reflex:
Malchius keeps his footing, grabbing something on the wall to hang on to.
"Xarina! If you have rope, hold it out, and my spell will grab it and bring it to me. I'll get you out."
Xarina makes a grab for the rope.
She firmly grabs it and waits.
No, he doesn't have rope. She needs to provide, unless Garrett or Nathaniel have some.
No, he doesn't have rope. She needs to provide, unless Garrett or Nathaniel have some.
Xarina and Nathaniel both lose their balance and falls into the sewer. Xarina is able to grab the side wall at and hold herself up, but Nathaniel isn't quite as lucky. When he slips off the ledge he falls down into the sewage sideways, without any chance of landing on his feet, and is fully submerged momentarily.
With Malchius' and Garret's help, the two make it out of the sewer. The smell radiating from the two Watchmen is obnoxious and possibly toxic.
Malchius commands the unseen servant to start cleaning off the two as quickly as possible, minimizing their exposure.
After a bit of cleaning the group begins down the tunnel again. About a half hour later they reach a place on the map where an improvised tunnel, not unlike the one from under the cheese shop, splits off from the sewer system.
About ten minutes along this path it dead ends into a ladder leading up. Looking up from the base of the ladder, one can see dim daylight in between the slats of wood, which looks to be a floor. Possibly a trapdoor leading somewhere.
As the servant cleans, Nathaniel offers his sincere thanks. "Thank you brother; I will spare you the indignity of a hug."
Once they reach the trap door, Nathaniel listens closely for sound on the other side:
Perception
"And I will spare you the indignity of being pushed back in the human effluence," Malchius retorts.
"Anyone ever tell you two that you're kinda of weird?" Garret asks, casting a spell of his own to remove any sewer smell that may be clinging to him.
"What's that about a 'kinky beard'?" Nathaniel asks, as he shakes his head and tries to clear the sludge from his ear canal. "I can't hear a thing and ... wow ... I smell positively toxic ... would someone check to see if there's anyone on the other side of this door?" Nathaniel tries to distance himself from the group a bit, out of respect for the others.
Realizing that his odor gives him a certain measure of protection from physical harm, he continues with Malchius, "Effluence? You've been saving that word all week, haven't you? You're wasting those 25 gp words on me, you know. Now, old woman Breenie on the other hand, I hear she really goes for the smart type. I can see it now, the two of you, together in the Hall of Records, alone ... wait, that's no good," a look of concern crosses his face, "That looks just like me and her in the Hall of Records. Damn it. Curse you and your good looks Malchius." Nathaniel chuckles at his own joke, even though it's poor form (and a bad joke).
"Seriously, though, let's get the hell out of here. I've had my fill of cave-ins, sludge, and sludge beasties. I need a drink."
"This is the only time I will want a bath."
Xarina moves to the door and takes a listen.
Xarina climbs the ladder up making her way to the hatch. She gets within seven or eight feet when the light showing through is blacked out for a moment. Someone or something walked right over the trapdoor in the floor of the space above. The others can faintly hear boot steps walking on the floor above them.
Xarina stops and stays still to listen further. Various items are being moved and slide across the floor by someone, who isn't trying to be very quiet. The clanging and banging of items being thrown here and there reach the other Watchmen on the ground of the tunnel.
Xarina does hear one thing faintly from beyond the walls above. It sounds like screaming and crying coming from a crowd of people.
Xarina whispers:
"Shall we make an entrance?"
Nathaniel whispers, "Malchius and Garrett, do either of you have any magic left that could avoid a fight if this starts to go south? If not, and this turns hostile, let's try to show some restraint; these may be ordinary citizens. Although the secret tunnel raises some serious questions, we don't know what their involvement is. And we're the ones coming up unexpectedly out of the sewers. Any resistance they mount may just be them defending their home or business."
"Closest thing I've got is that song I tried with Xarina. It can only affect one person though, so it's not very useful." Garret whispers back. "I can think of a few ways it could be useful, but whoever in that room would have to be able to hear it too."
"I have one charming spell left, as well as a spell that can knock one or more individuals unconscious without harming them permanently."
He thinks for a moment and then adds, "I also have a minor ability. With a touch, I can make someone stand around looking dopey without any idea of what to do, kind of like you would if a hot girl ever actually came up and asked you on a date."
"I'm thinking quiet entrance, assess the situation, and then continue on. Any objections?"
"None from me. Getting some information beforehand is a good thing in my mind. Gotta know whether what you're dealing with before you deal with it, you know?"
"If he's up for it, I think we send Garrett in first to minimize the the risk of intimidation, with Malchius at the ready to do what he can if it starts to look ugly. Xarina and I will be prepared to put them down as gently as we can, if Malchius doesn't put an end to this."
Xarina climbs down.
"Agreed. Garret, you up for it?"
Garret shrugs.
"It's not the worst thing I've had to deal with." He says before he climbs up to the hatch as quietly as he cans and listens a bit before he decides to open it.
Garret is able to make it up the ladder without making a sound. There doesn't seem to be any sort of latch on this side of the hatch, so he slowly lifts it up.
The hatch opens into what appears to be some sort of storage shed, now cramped with fallen timbers and rubble and other obvious signs of destruction. A sizable hole in the ceiling spills streaks of daylight into the room, which glow amber in the dust filled air. Stacks of
crates line the walls, though several have toppled and their contents, piles of fenced silver goods, lie strewn about the floor.
Once Garrett gives the all clear, Nathaniel makes his way into the room, looks about, and listens intently.
Perception
Climbing back down the ladder, Garret reports back to his allies.
"Okay, we got one guy moving stuff around and a bunch of silver goods-stolen no doubt-scattered across the floor. As busy as he seems, one of us bursting in might surprise him enough to catch him off-guard. The rest of us would follow in quickly, of course."
"Agreed. Let's go."
"Who do we want to go first? I could do it if everyone wanted."
"My stupefying ability requires physical contact, as all the ladies know," Malchius says. "But I don't fancy going first."
"How about Xarina in front followed by Malchius, then me, then Garrett? If it gets physical and Malchius's 'abilities' fail him--I'm thinking of that time with the Rusty Dragon barmaid--Xarina and I can put him down while Garrett gets the lay of the room and any others that may be near by."
Nathaniel has a serious look on his face but is difficult to take seriously, given that he is covered head to foot in sludge and smells like the backside of a troll after a long night of scarfing down gamey goblin snacks.
"Good to go?"
The group starts slowly up the ladder as quietly as they can. The handle of Xarina's greataxe knocks against the ladder at one point, but the sound is drowned out by the ambient noise coming from the shack, or perhaps beyond the walls of the shack.
Once everyone is in position, she throws the hatch open and rushes inside. Just as she gets herself to the floor she can see the a tall man standing near a far wall, both hands occupied carrying a crate filled with golden candle operas.
Initiatives!
Initiative order:
Malchius
Man
Xarina
Nathaniel
Garret
Round 1
As Malchius enters the shack it is apparent that the building is a little larger than it appeared from underground, it looks more like a small warehouse. He can also identify the ambient noise. It is coming from outside and it is the sound of a large group of people screaming and crying in a panicked state.
The man looks startled for an instant but quickly realizes that the Watchmen are not here to bring more stolen goods. He drops the crate and it spills onto the floor joining many other toppled boxes. He then reaches for his sword. When his hand finds his scabbard empty he looks at the adjacent wall where a longsword rests. He rushes to it and brings it up as he approaches Malchius.
Xarina stands and attacks once she is up.
"You want to die little man? Put down your sword before I cleave you in two." she exclaims as she swings at the man.
Malchius will attempt to touch the man with his dazing touch ability.
Touch attack:
He'll then take a diagonal five-foot step back to pit Xarina between himself and the bared steel.