Gadren drags the gollem back into the kennel. "We should be cautious in case the downstairs door is trapped." He says lowly. After dropping the dog like construct back in it's kennel he stands up stretching and puts his fists into the small of his back.
Maria smiles at the others. "That was fun. Now onto whatever that dog was supposed to distract us from."
She winces in a bit of pain. "Someone want to help me out a little more?" The pain on her face seems to come more from asking for help than the physical bruises and cuts. But she's come to trust these people enough to ask when she needs something.
Cedric channels the healing light for everyone.
Caution would indeed be wise, and I would rather not start fights that may not need to happen as well.
He waits for the all clear from those in front.
E2. Storage
This chamber contains numerous boxes, crates, and bales of straw for packing. Four strange, deformed humanoids are working in here. When the door opens they turn, eyes widening. "Not allowed in here!" They cry in frightened voices, grabbing clubs and waving them at you.
Ivory tusks, insect chitin, matted fur, scaly flesh, and more combine to form a hideous humanoid shape.
Mongrelman CR 1
LN Medium monstrous humanoid
Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +6
DEFENSE
AC 13, touch 11, flat-footed 12 (+1 Dex, +2 natural)
hp 15 (2d10+4)
Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +4
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee club +4 (1d6+3) or slam +4 (1d4+3)
Feats Skill Focus (Stealth)
Skills Climb +6, Perception +6, Sleight of Hand +7, Stealth +13, Survival +5; Racial Modifiers +4 Sleight of Hand, +4 Stealth
Languages Common, Undercommon
SQ sound mimicry (voices)
ECOLOGY
Environment any ruins or underground
Organization solitary, pair, gang (3–6), band (7–12), or tribe (21–30 plus 30% noncombatants, 2–4 rogues of 1st–3rd level, 1–2 oracles or witches of 2nd–4th level, 1 fighter or ranger chieftain of 3rd–6th level, 4–6 dire bats, and 3–20 dire rats)
Treasure standard (club, other treasure)
Despite their monstrous appearances, mongrelmen are generally hardworking and peaceful creatures. A mongrelman can produce offspring with any humanoid, mixing bloodlines in strange ways to create hardier crossbreeds. No two mongrelmen look the same. One may have a face that is half hobgoblin, half lizardfolk, with one human-like foot and one cloven hoof, while his sister may have elven ears, a dwarven beard, orc tusks, and clawed hands. Each mongrelman usually has characteristics from at least a half-dozen different races. This strange mixture enforces mongrelmen’s place in the edges of the world, for they are shunned by all who fear their twisted appearance. Mistaken as enemies by all, mongrelmen prefer to be left alone.
Most mongrelmen live below the surface of the world in hidden caves far from civilization. These creatures pride themselves on their survival skills, for the bowels of the earth are no place for weaklings. Other foul and intelligent races who claim dominion in the underworld take mongrelmen as slaves (particularly morlocks), finding this deformed race’s docile nature and hardworking attitude makes them extremely useful as tools of labor. In this role, mongrelmen still fall back on their pride of survival, slow to rebel and patiently waiting for the overthrow of their masters.
Mongrelmen dwelling on the surface sometimes live amid the hustle and bustle of cities, sequestering themselves in ghettos and sewers to avoid notice. Urban mongrelmen may rely on begging and pickpocketing to get by, but most form rural communities near trading routes.
Despite their varied physical forms, most mongrelmen average 5–6 feet tall and weigh between 150 and 250 pounds on average. A tragically short lifespan limits the creatures’ population growth— mongrelmen rarely live past 35 years.
What are you doing now?
Keeping a grip on his bardiche, trying to look menacing, Mishtes says:
"Never mind that! Where's your boss?"
Curious about the door up high. Phaedra takes a shot at climbing up to it to open it.
"Let me check out the other door before we go to far in that one."
Maria follows in behind Mishtes and stares sternly at the odd folks.
The door from area E1 opens onto a narrow stone platform 15 feet above the floor. The ceiling is another 20 feet above ground level.
E4. The Vats
This chamber occupies a whole side of the building, from the cellar level below up to the roof high above. Seven iron vats, each ten feet across, occupy the majority of the room. Furnaces fuel the vats at cellar level, while at the ground floor level a series of planks have been laid across the vats to allow passage to a ladder that leads to an iron walkway on the level above. Two ladders also allow access from the planks to the floor below. The air in the chamber is cloying and acidic.
Pheadra. You see more of the strange, deformed humanoids working on the vats.
The Humanoids facing the rest of the party cower at Maria's glare.
What is everyone doing?
"Maybe we should ask them a couple of questions" Lazar proposes, always at the ready in case any of them tries anything 'heroic'.
Phaedra looks about for a place to secure a rope and then will descend back down to the group. No way I'm going in there on my own. I wonder what is in those vats?
Maria nods at Lazar's suggestion. She turns to the strange workers "When is your boss?" she asks in a firm voice.
we have permission to be here from the judiciary department of the town, so have no fear that we are trespassing. Cooperate and answer our questions and you will see us gone sooner rather than later, understand?
Gadren raises an eyebrow unsure of these unusual individuals... homunculus perhaps or some kind of construct akin to the one outside but more exotic or had inadvertently or intentionally been transmuted magic or more likely alchemy. "No reason for us not to be reasonable my good fellows."
Those on the ground are getting no joy. The creatures do not attack, but will not back down.
Phaedra, as you look about a handaxe slashes passed your face, missing by an inch. You see a small, very ugly humanoid glaring at you.
What are you doing now?
He beat your perception by over 20. :)
Maria will start trying to force her way through E2 to open the door on the other side of that room, glowering the whole time to discourage resistance.
Gadren moves behind Phaedra. "Stop your attack or you'll regret it. We have a warrant to investigate this place. We will defend ourselves."
Terrified by the grim Maria the four creatures huddle in the corner as the party enters the storeroom. Opening the far door reveals a small stable.
Lazar hears Phaedra yelp in surprise but cannot see why?
Phaedra can drop without an AOO, she notices that her assailant is standing on the wall rather than the walkway.
What are you doing now?
Mishtes will address the four humanoids cowering in the corner:
"Alright, you lot. How do we get into that part of the building?"
he asks (in a rather threatening tone), pointing in the direction of E4.
When asked how youget inside one of the creatures points upwards. You can see another set of door in the wall above E2
What are you doing now?
"Maria, our friend here just showed us another handy door", pointing to the door the humanoids pointed at just now.
Mishtes will try climbing up to that door.
"Pha! Can't get a grip"
"What did you see up there?" Gadren asks unable to get a good view.
Maria nods to Mishtes "I'm beginning to think this odd construction tells us something about the freak who designed this place..." She pulls a rope from her backpack. "This might help. Too bad I don't have a hook as well."
"Watch out, there is some little guy with an axe up there that took a swing at me."
Lazar points his bow up to where Phaedra is. "Climb up, guys, if someone shows his head I'll give him a pointy lollipop." Then he shouts. "You, little guy! Show yourself and don't be a hero!"
Maria tries to climb up the wall but her splint mail weighs her down far too much.
Cedric seems reluctant at first, and speaks up. Perhaps, it would be best if someone went up first, and then threw down a rope for the others? I have some we can use if no one else does.
"Give us a moment, Cedric, we're working on it", says Mishtes as he takes the rope from Maria and tries climbing up again:
Phaedra casts Grease under the little fellow with the axe.
@Phaedra casts her spell and the small humanoid keeps his footing expertly. Swinging back at her with malice.
Misthes scrambles up the walls with much more success this time, and is hanging on by the double doors, which are firmly closed.
What are you doing now?
Not having line of sight, Lazar sets himself ready in case the guy shows his head, and otherwise waits for the rest to climb up.
Gadren moves to try and get line of sight. This fellow needed to learn they had teeth it seemed.
And then start try to break open the door with Lopper's Hand Axe:
Cedric merely waits at the bottom, as the wall and doorway upon it seemed a bit... crowded.
The paladin begins trying to heave her armored bulk up the wall after her ally.
Phaedra hisses as she feels her strength being sapped by whatever was on the axehead?
Mishtes begins hammering at the closed doors while anchored securing with the Rope of climbing.
Gadren misses. Lazar waits patiently for their enemy to show himself.
Maria tries to climb and doesn't.
The small humanoid again hits Phaedra, taking an arrow to the head from the awaiting Lazar as he does so.
Glaring with hate he pulls back into the building.
What are you doing now?
Gadren readies himself incase the figure appears again. "If we pursue they might have a trap set up ahead. We should be careful."
Despite resisting the poison this time Phaedra decides it is safer on the ground and slips down the rope. "He's hiding in the shadows again, so be wary."
After Phaedra puts her feet on the ground, Lazar grabs the rope and climbs with agility.
Once up, he looks for the guy while reaching back for his bow.