The severely wounded man cringes back from Justified, "The boss's quarters. That's what we was set to guard."
Graythan looks up at this, his eyes flashing in the torchlight, "The boss? Good. The trail shortens."
Moira does to the door and listens.
She then inspects for traps.
Moira, finding no traps, eases open the unlocked door. Beyond is a small office with a desk and two chairs. Moving deeper in you pass though a small anteroom and move into a large, empty meeting room (D28)
A large hexagonal table made of oak takes up the majority of this room, surrounded by six chairs. The north wall bears a huge map of Sasserine, on which dozens of tiny flags have been placed, a gold flag protruding from the Vanderboren estate. To the south, a five-foot- tall and ten -foot-wide slate bears a tangled mess of chalk scribblings.
The primary piece of information currently on the slate seems to track the comings and goings of ships in the harbour, as well as notations of which ones have been "holed." In the upper right comer, you see your names listed inside a box, alongside a note in big letters that reads,"VANTHUS! FIX THIS NOW!"
An unlocked door leads deeper into the complex.
Moira moves over to the desk and starts to check it out. She looks for a pen or pencil and some paper/parchment to write on. She tries to draw the map on the paper and all the details including the flags. Moira whispers to the others "You guys check the rest of the room out. I got some work over here."
"Justified is right, Moria. Don't bother with the map, we can bring it with us. Make note of the vessels listed on the slate, but be quick about it. Vanthus is close and we shouldn't give him any more opportunities to slip away."
Graythan then sidles up against the wall to the side of the unlocked door. "When you're all ready..." He waits to throw open the door, his crossbow at the ready.
"Oh brother!" Moira rolls her eyes taking the map. She rolls it up and places it in her sack. "This is some good intell. You never know what fortune this could bring us."
Once done with the map she hops over to the door.
Stepping into the center of the room, Rast holds his holy symbol in one hand as he prays, "Lade of the Waves, give me sight to see the magic as it flows from the beach, to the waves" His eyes glowing as he opens them, he scans the room for any magical auras.
A quick search of the room turns up nothing of real note, neither magical or mundane. Moving on, you pass down a short hallway that ends in another door. Opening this door reveal a small room with a large monstrous guard.
The massive bulk of a bugbear stands before another door across the way. It stands motionless in a gleaming metal breastplate with a morningstar and heavy shield held at the ready. Its skin is hangs loosely and the faint odour of decay permeates the room.
Round 1
25 Ignius
18 Graythan
17 Moira
9 Justified
5 Zombie
3 Rast
Size/Type: Medium Undead
Hit Dice: 45/45
Initiative: +0
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares; can’t run)
Armor Class: 23 (+5 natural, +2 heavy wooden shield, +6 Breastplate),, touch 10, flat-footed 23
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+6
Attack: Morningstar +6 melee (1d8+3) or slam +6 melee (1d6+3)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: —
Special Qualities: Single actions only, damage reduction 5/slashing, darkvision 60 ft., undead traits
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +2, Will +5
Skills: —
Feats: Toughness
Environment: Temperate mountains
Clustered in the hall as they are, Graythan tries to snap a shot off over Moira's shoulder at the rigid guard.
HP: 15/15
AC: 19 (13 T / 16 FF)
CMD: 13
F/R/W: +3/+2/+6
Judgements used: 0/1
Relentless footing used: 0/6
Spell Slots:
Level 1 (2+1) - [ ], [ ], [ ]
Ongoing Effects
"Yuck.....smells like something died in here. Oh wait....I think it's that giant over there that stinks." Moira launches an arrow from her shortbow towards its direction.
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Move back. I need room to fight this thing! I'll be moving back regardless. Justified says. The fighter slices at the dead creature power attacking with his glaive.
If room is made he will step back to where Moira was. If not he will move back into the previous room. Most zombies cannot both move and attack. The proper way to fight them is to retreat as you fight. he explains.
Already at the back of the group, the sun wizened man covers his mouth in a reflex gag at the smell of rotting flesh. The armored and shielded bugbear carries with it a cloud of flies and Ignius can't help but be revolted by the creature. Despite that revulsion though, Ignius is able to perfectly time the casting of his spell, licking the creature with a tiny dart of flame that shoots from his finger, singeing the creatures breastplate.
Moira's arrow sinks to the fletching, but the creature hardly seems to notice.
Round 1/2
25 Ignius
18 Graythan
17 Moira
9 Justified
5 Zombie
3 Rast
The zombie shuffles towards Justified.
Size/Type: Medium Undead
Hit Dice: 43/45
Initiative: +0
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares; can’t run)
Armor Class: 23 (+5 natural, +2 heavy wooden shield, +6 Breastplate),, touch 10, flat-footed 23
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+6
Attack: Morningstar +6 melee (1d8+3) or slam +6 melee (1d6+3)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: —
Special Qualities: Single actions only, damage reduction 5/slashing, darkvision 60 ft., undead traits
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +2, Will +5
Skills: —
Feats: Toughness
Seeing what he could do to help his teammates pierce the armor of this abomination, Rast prays "May the currents of the sea guide the hands of the righteous and aid in piercing the hides of the damned." The result is a feeling of increased courage and precision by the team.
Then, Rast takes Justified's suggestion and backs out of the narrow confines of the hallway.
Graythan frowns as his bolt plinks ineffectually off the zombie's armor. "Can you slip behind it, Moira? If we trap it between us we may be able to cut it down quickly and prevent it from getting to the others." As Graythan asks his question to the lithe elf in front of him, he intones a spell and directs its power over her as well. As the magics settle upon her, he slides his shield onto his left hand.
HP: 15/15
AC /w shield: 20 (13 T / 17 FF)
CMD: 13
F/R/W: +3/+2/+6
Judgements used: 0/1
Relentless footing used: 0/6
Spell Slots:
Level 1 (2+1) - [X], [ ], [ ]
Ongoing Effects
shield of faith (Moira): 1/10 rounds, 0/2 minutes
"I can try."
The agile half elf maneuvers past justified and past the zombie in order to get behind it.
Justified steps up and neatly severs the zombie's head and it topples with a clatter.
Graythan gets ready to draw his morningstar when suddenly the zombie's body slumps to the ground lifeless once more. Relaxing and retrieving his crossbow, he looks at Justified with an air of equal parts surprise and respect. "Nicely done, Justified. Now, let's see if we can convince this 'boss' to turn over Vanthus to us." He nods to the door the zombie was guarding and then lets his eerie eyes settle on Moira, obviously expecting her to want to search the door for traps and locks.
Moira moves over to the zombie corpse. "Boy, this guy stinks." She inspects the body looking for any useful items and spoils.
The rogue then moves over to the door that the zombie was guards and inspect for any traps.
Excellent Job! Ignius states, looking down at the festering zombie with an air of disgust. Carefully stepping over the corpse, the mage moves into the room. I believe the breastplate is of some value, but the cleaning of it makes me question my desire to gather it.
Moira finds the door unlocked and untrapped, as far as she can tell. Pushing on you enter another winding corridor with a couple of doors opening off it. The first stands ajar with light spilling out from it.
Peering in, you find the opulence of this chamber's decor a bit jarring. The smooth plaster walls are painted violet. Delicately crafted silver lanterns flicker softly on the wall, lighting the room.
A shelf to the north holds several books, statuettes, stuffed animals, a crystal ball with a smoky red light at its core, and two coffers; one of dark wood and one of iron decorated with tiny jade bats. A five-foot-wide landscape of the city of Sasserine hangs on the eastern wall, yet all of the ships in the harbour fly flags depicting a serpentine dragon coiled around a lotus.
A pair of overstuffed chairs sits beside a low table heaped with fruit and bottles of wine. To the south stands a lone wooden cupboard. The floor itself is adorned with a thick, deep purple carpet. An open door to the south leads to what appears to be a bedroom.
Seated in one of the chairs reading a book, is a beautiful human woman with long red hair tied back in a ponytail. On one shoulder she wears a tattoo of a lotus, while on the other is an intricate dragon tattoo, its tail coiling down around her arm. Standing to the side is a bright-eyed and hungry-looking monster, a dinosaur-like dragon with green scales and a bright yellow crest on its head.
She closes the book and gentle puts it aside at your entrance. Rising to her feet, she says, "So you must be Lavinia's flunkies. You have been causing quite the clatter today. It is rather unbecoming to murder my men. Good help is so hard to find these days. Is there anything in particular you were looking for, or is this simply mayhem for the sake of it?"
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Justified steps into the room and readies to attack at the first sign of aggression.
Flunkies? How complimentary you are. That greeting alone tells me you would rather fight that talk. And why would you be any different than the rest of the men down here. But if you know we work for Lavinia, then you know why we are here, and what it will take to get us to leave.
"Where's Vanthus?"
Near the back of the room Ignius tugged at his beard thoughtfully. The woman was cornered and had thus far made no attempts to attack him. He wasn't sure if this was the leader of the Lotus Dragons, but he thought it was possible. On one hand she had been responsible for the orders to attack the magi and his companions, on the other however, it seemed as if Vanthus had been the driving force. Sighing to himself, the wizened man stepped foward, running a hand along his suntanned scalp. Perhaps a carrot rather than the stick? Ignius murmured. I suppose in a way one could call us Lavinia's flunkies, miss. The older man began, smiling sadly. But if that were the case what would that make the Lotus Dragons in regards to Vanthus? Holding his hands out the older man shrugged. Our lives were threatened. The city was not safe. We were left little options at a diplomatic resolution until now. Perhaps.. perhaps some sort of agreement could be reached however.
She smiles languidly at you, "Vanthus? Well that would make Vanthus a member of my guild. He paid dearly for that honour. As for where he is, well let's just say that he is out of the city on official guild business. So since you are here and he is not, why don't we talk business."
She bends down to pat her pet on the head. "Gutripper tends to be a little over protective, so why don't we be civil and ease up on the weapons a bit. You seem to be a bunch of talented individuals and I take it from you presence in inner sanctum that I going to be in need of some new blood. How would like to get in on the action? The Lotus Dragons are poised to take control of the city's harbour. With it in our grasp, the city will be at our mercy."
Graythan's eerie blue eyes lock with the woman's, "I already have an employer and a job, thank you. Our concern is with him, not you. Your men stood between us and Vanthus and made themselves our concern. As you have already surmised, it did not go well for them. Now, where is Vanthus specifically?
Keeping close to the back of the group, but still close enough to hear the woman speak and see the emotions on her face, Rast kept his weapon and shield out but at ease. He had no desire to help the woman in her schemes, but if they could convince her that Vanthus wasn't worth the effort, she just might give him up. He was not one for diplomacy however, so he let the others do the talking.
Moira nods when Justified's eyes meets her eyes as she slowly removes her rapier from the scabbard.
Sighing, Ignius holds his hands out pleadingly. tell us what we want to know. My companions will not take no for an answer.
"Well I guess that this conversation wont be going anywhere. I guess Gut Ripper will just have to continue the negotiations"
Combat Round 1
22 Moira
21 Gut Ripper
20 Ignius
19 Graythan
18 Rast
16 Justified
10 Chick
AC19, touch I5, flatfooted 14
hp 35
Fort+2,Ref+8,Will+3;evasion
Male crested felldrake Fighter 2/Ranger 1
NE Medium dragon
Init +6;
Senses darkvisic n 60 fl., low-lightvision, scent; Perception+7
Languages Common, Draconic, Sylvan
AC21, touch13, flat-footed 17
hp 52/52
Immune sleep, paralysis
Fort +6,Ref+8,Will+3
Spd 40 ft.
Melee bite +7(ld8+3 + 1d6 electricity) (+2/+2 vs humans)
Base Atk +5; Grp +0
Abilities Str 14, Dex I5, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 10,Cha 10
Feats: Weapon focus, Power attack, Step up
You can take a 5-foot step as part of your readied action, but only if you don't otherwise move any distance during the round.
Moira tries to maneuver around her companions, using the commotion as she tries to get into flanking position.