@Callie and Crain, the door stops before opening completely as it bangs into a desk set in the corner of the room. The desk is heaped with dozens of slate boards covered with chalk scrawls. To the east, a cabinet slouches against the wall. To the south, a few moldy boards have been nailed over a door. The door on the east wall is open, through which you hear some hushed chattering, wimpering, and occasionally a hushed voice barking for silence.
@Timerus and Eleazar, the stink in the this room, a mixture of rotting fish and sweat, is enough to make your eyes water. To the east, a large wooden trough holds a hideous mound of half-rancid fish, seaweed, and brine. Filthy seawater and fish blood stain the floor around the trough. A pair of lead from this trough holes in the northern wall into a larger room to the east. To the west, a desk and chair sit in one corner while a tall cabinet sits in the other.
Crain looks at the lady warrior beside him and nods toward the open door on the eastern wall. He tightens his grip on his flail and steps through the open door, not knowing what awaited him.
As Callie enters, her eyes light on the scrawls, to see if they say anything interesting.
She sees Crain's urgency to move toward the voices, and decides the rest of the room can be explored later.
Callie whispers, hoping Eleazar is in range of her message spell, "We hear voices through the door, we're going to go through." Since there's only one door that doesn't lead back the way they came, hopefully he will understand what she means.
Timerus wrinkles his face in disgust at the reeking smel of rotting fish and blood. Carefully picks his way across the room to the door to the east. He nods at Eleazor and points at the cabinet. Best to make sure their were no clues or keys or such before tey headed out of the room.
He held his spear firmly in both hands and eyed the door as if it would jump at him.
Sorry, guys, wild day. I'll probably not get to post today.
Crain, and then Callie, step through the doorway onto a raised walkway about 3 feet above the floor below. The walkway wraps all the way around the southern half of a large warehouse-type room and ends with a set of steps that drops down below.
The floor below is slick with seawater, bits of seaweed, and fish
blood — the air is thick with the accompanying scent. The floor here is only five feet above the river below, as you can see through open bay to the south that allows direct access to the sloppy, muddy water, while to the northwest stands an immense 5-foot-tall wooden vat, its sides caked and waterproofed with tar. Inside is a foul-looking mixture of chum, seawater, and who knows what else. To the east are stacked many barrels and crates.
As soon as you two step into the room, you hear an adolescent voice shout, "Oi! You ain't supposed to be here! What you want from us anyhow?!"
As your eyes adjust to the darkness, after leaving the room lit by Eleazar's floating lights, you notice about 20 children, ranging from teens to tots, huddled together in the north end of the room near the vat and crates. The bigger children are standing in front of the smaller ones wielding pitchforks and shovels as menacingly as they can, but still appearing frightened. They all appear gaunt, dirty, and in varying states of physical abuse.
"Put your weapons down, kids. We aren't here for you. Out of the way, and I'll forget I even saw you here. We're here for the big guy, Lamm. Show us where he is, and we'll be out of your hair before you know it."
Callie just waits for the children to respond. She keeps her hands open to show them they mean no harm.
Timerus Glances back at Eleazor to see if he's going to open the cabinet, before reaching out to take hold of the door latch. Cautiously he opens the door enough so he may peer in.
@Timerus, are you trying to open it quietly? If so, make a Stealth check.
The children shift nervously and look at each other, all hoping someone else will tell them what to do.
Eleazar opens and searches through the cabinet as quietly as he can with Timerus' instruction. He seems content to let the Priest lead the way, but has once more summoned forth dancing lights which circle over head, ready to float through the door once opened and provide any necessary illumination.
"Children, if you listen to that voice, we'll be forced to thrash you, like we did the two guys back there," he said, pointing behind him toward the way they came. "I don't want to do that. Show us to Lamm and we'll be sure he doesn't hurt you anymore."
Voice? Callie looked around, examining how the children were clustered to see if they were positioned to hide someone behind them. ( ).
Her head swung toward Crain. "Don't threaten them, they're victims of Lamm just like half this city seems to be."
She looked at the assembled children and addressed them in a voice she hoped emitted both warmth and confidence.
"Listen: I know we just barged in here, but we're here to help. You don't have to live like this," she waves around to the muck and slime around them. "Move, get out of here, run, and I swear by this sword," she puts her hand gently atop her hilt, making as clear as possible she is not going to draw it, she is just touching it, "That I will do and give all I can to see you safe and fed."
as he was opening the dooor Timerus armor rattled against the hinges.
@Eleazar, the cabinet is locked.
@Timerus, as you pull open the door, it opens much easier than you expected it to. As a result, it flies open and crashes into your armor making a terrible ruckus.
Inside the door, you see a very large room. Directly in front of you, there is a 15' walkway that ends in a short staircase that drops down about 3' to the floor below. At the base of the stairs, you see 15 or 20 children of every age huddled in front of a large pile of crates and boxes. The largest of the children bear pitchforks and shovels and stand in front of the smaller children. As you crashed through the door, their attention whipped to you from some across the room. They all brandish their impromptu weapons at you.
One of the older boys turns back to the other side of the room where he was looking before and shouts, "You said you wouldn't hurt us! Why are you surrounding us?! Another voice, shrieky and threatening chimes in, "They're here to murder you all. Attack them! Attack or I'll feed you to Bloo!"
@Callie and Crain, you see what just happened to Timerus, but from the other side of the room.
Callie waves to both Timerus and Crain to back off.
"That man is a priest, as you can clearly see from his livery. They are not in the business of murdering children, as you well know. And you can't threaten these children with Bloo, as Bloo is dead. Giggles too." Callie knew there was some risk in telling them that, as children could offer misguided loyalty to any hand that fed them if they were in dire enough circumstances--but there was also a chance that it would free their minds if they knew they were no longer threatened with "punishment" by Lamm's goons.
"Look at us. We are trained mercenaries, armed with magic and weapon, clearly able to do much damage. If we wanted to murder you, you would already be dead, and you know that. You know it. And I think in your hearts you also know we are your BEST chance at survival right now. Who would you listen to, us, who have done nothing to hurt you save to put down those who likely beat and threaten you every day? Or these who would bully you into fighting with farm tools against those of us with master-forged weapons, who have taken down a man four times your size? Have you managed to survive so long, so bravely, so cunningly, to throw your chances away now?
"And if you are truly invested in helping one of your own, there is a girl in the other room." Callie describes the girl. "Yargin gave her a good deal of shiver and has done gods-know-what else to her. She could probably use one of your help right now." She steps aside to clear the path to the door. "Perhaps you'd like to check on her."
Eleazar wills three of the dancing lights to flow into the room as he glances in that direction. He hopes that the light will provide necessary illumination for his companions, while one of the balls of orange flame hangs over his own head.
"It seems the cabinet is locked and I do not have the key." Eleazar said, wondering if perhaps it was the same key that callie grabbed. He looked at his own mace for a moment and then back to Timerus. "I'll improvise."
If it seemed possible, he would use his mace to 'open' the cabinet.
Crain uses his head and stays silent for once, letting the glamorous orator take the lead. He stood by, prepared if one of the children made a move towards Callie.
Timerus scowls as the children appear to be on the edge of fighting from fright. he stays where he was standing at Callies request but when she is finished he adds. I was one of Lamm's Lambs Just as you are now oh so long ago. Perhaps you heard me, perhaps not. I sought sanctuary in the arms of Abadar, at The Bank. I was welcomed with open arms, and now am a full fledged priest of Abadar. I urge you all to not listen to whoever you are being urged on by, but instead, turn on him. We will help you! Further I will promise aide by the temple in either settling you into homes, orphanages or even the various temples around the City. My word is my Bond and I do so give it freely
In the light of Eleazar's spell, you see a gamut of emotions on the children's faces. Some confused. Some threatening. Some hopeful. In the light, the extent of their abuse becomes more apparent. Their cheeks and eyes are sunken in. Most bear bruises, old or new. And their clothing is in tatters.
At Callie and Timerus' words, an incredulous and then increasingly excited murmur spreads through the children, "Bloo's dead?" "They're not here to hurt us?" "Bloo is gone?" "Bloo's dead!" "BLOO'S DEAD! GET HOOKSHANKS!!"
An older boy, perhaps 16, turns and swings the shovel he's wielding in a high arc, which makes contact with the head of what appears to be a funny-looking child, but the cry that accompanies that loud, metallic thud is decidedly not childlike. At once, the whole mass of children seems to go berserk and years of abuse are repaid upon some individual in the midst of the crowd.
After just a brief moment of this tumult, a door into the night bursts open behind the children and they pour out onto the deck that skirts the building. Left behind on the floor is a still and bloody form.
In the other room...yes, Eleazar, you think a mace might do the trick - though it might get a little messy.
Eleazar turns toward the doorway with the commotion created by the children's sudden explosion of repressed anger. Not yet utilizing the mace on the cabinet he steps forward and glances over the shoulder of the Priest of The Bank. Focusing his will outward, he causes one of those orange spheres of phantom fire to descend and more carefully illuminate the bloody form.
"The cabinet's locked. I might be able to smash it open, but if we can find the key... Wait, what is going on out there?"
The minute the violence erupts, Timerus rushes down the steps as quick as is safe, to insure the children are unhurt. As the door bursts open he says Find me at the Temple on the morrow I will help
Callie stands stunned a moment by the sudden and bloody fight which ended as quickly as it began. Slowly she begins to exhale. "Well," she mutters softly, "Not what I was going for. I suppose I shouldn't be too surprised."
She makes her way down from the walkway to the main floor and kneels by the fallen form, checking to see if he is breathing or has a pulse.
When Eleazar enters, Callie gives him half a glance. "I have a key... we passed a cabinet too..." she says absently. She stands and reaches into her pouch and holds it out to Eleazar from the stairs. "But I think we should see if anyone else is here before we get involved in looting, valuable evidence though we may find. The ruckus the children raised served as well as an alarm to Lamm or anyone else still here to stand ready to fight--or flee."
"Although I don't know where else they could go from here."
"there's plenty of time to search this place from top to bottom, but that's for later. We have a job to do. Lamm is here somewhere. We must find him now! If he gets out we will never get the drop on him like this again. Let's go..." the warrior yells, looking for any possible place the bastard could be hiding.
After Callie checks on the boy (assuming he's dead), Callie searches the area for trap doors or hiding places.
Eleazar will abandon the cabinet for now and move closer to get a better look at the bloody form that the children left behind.
As Callie bends over the figure on the floor, she's surprised to find that it's not a child at all, it's an adult gnome disguised as one of the Lambs. The gnome is horrible beaten and wounded. He's barely breathing, and his weak breaths are quick and very shallow. It is clear that the gnome will die very quickly unless there is intervention. His wide eyes stare up at Callie full of fear, yet he makes no sound but for his pitiful breaths.
There is a pulley system hung over the opening in the floor with many ropes connected to a platform suspended just above the water about 6 feet down. The platform hangs adjacent to a badly weathered wooden boardwalk down there. It's quite obvious that the platform is used as a crude elevator or dumbwaiter.
The crates piled on the east wall are nearly all broken and all are empty, but for a bit of packing straw in a few of them.
Under the catwalk, dozens of ratty blankets are strewn across the floor. It's clear that this is where the Lambs slept. There is nothing of value there whatsoever. There is really nothing else of interest in this room.
"He's not dead yet. I wouldn't know where to start bandaging him; Brother Timerus, can you stop the bleeding? He may be a bastard but if I know he's alive I can't let him die... and besides, he may have useful information."
Waiting for Timerus, Callie also points at the pulley system. "That looks like where we go next."
Standing above the Gnome, Timerus remarks. Just like Lamm to have a plant in the Lambs. He toes the gnome with his boot. I should let you die, for your crimes. But I dont know if I could look myself in the mirror tomorrow. Touching the Symbol of Abadar hanging from his neck, he mutters a quick prayer and focus' his attention on the bleeding wounds, closing them.
Then he glances at Crain. I agree with Callie...Theres a boardwalk down there. Can we use the pulley's? or the ropes from them? to get down there?
"Lower me down. Let's see if that platform can take my weight. If it does, you all get down there behind me."
Abandoning the cabinet for the moment, Eleazar made his way over to where the rest huddle about the beaten gnome. He crouched down next to the gnome with a mace still in his hands.
Leaning over the gnome, he grabbed the little villains arm and wove magic into it. His words become a low, otherwordly arcane chant and his fingers dance across the gnomes flesh. When he pulls them away an arcane mark glows brightly. It is the Dwarven rune for Crimminal.
"I have bound you with a powerful magic. Disobey us and your fate will be far more dire then mere death..." Eleazar said. "Tell us where Gaedren Lamm is now!"
Eleazar counted on the gnomes lack of spellcraft and his current fear and disorientation. He was getting tired of guessing games. Not when his revenge and justice was so near.
Eleazar, make a Diplomacy check on the gnome.
Or Intimidate...
Eleazar tried his best to come off believably dangerous, but he had no training in such things and what he knew about these sort of things had only been picked up from silver-store novels. Still, it was worth a try.
Callie positions herself behind Eleazar, but so the gnome can see her, and makes her best effort to loom over him menacingly, pulling one of her daggers out of her boot sheaths.
The gnome's unsettlingly large eyes grow even larger at the dual threat looming over him. He takes a few more quick, shallow breaths as he works up the will to gasp a few words. "Basement... Take lift..."
Timerus wastes no time as the words are uttered. he nods to Crain moving quickly trying to figure out how this 'lift' works.
Callie nods to Eleazar. "Do you have any more rope? I'll tie him up if you go help them with the pulley."
The gnome being smaller than the other man, Eleazar pulled out his rope and knife again and cut off another 10' from the rope. It was getting shorter and shorter, but he figured once this was settled he could always purchase some more. It was not as if he was at a want for money. His family had always been well off and he had a good supply of income squirreled away.
Tossing the rope to Callie, Eleazar rushed over to the lift and sought to help the others. All but one of his dancing lights followed him (the remaining hovering over callie) as he looked over the lift.
"Let's get down there and deal with Gaedren once and for all."
"We need to get down there now. Put me on that lift and let's go!"
The lift is pretty simple. A few seconds of studying it and you've got it figured out.
A narrow space exists under the fishery, with about six feet of room between the floor of the building above and the languid, foamy river water below. Wooden pilings support the building, and moss and cobwebs hang thick from ropes and rusted chains between them. A wooden walkway floats on the river surface, winding along the inner wall of pilings that supports the building’s frame above, leading from the sodden barge to the east all the way west to a wooden door that leads into an understructure below the fishery’s landbound half.
Once she's done with the gnome, Callie will work with the others so they can all take the lift down after Crain.
Armored as he is, Timerus takes extra care and follows Crain Down the lift to the walkway,, sticking his spear into the floating walkway as he helps the others down.
After being lowered, Crian holds until the others arrive, not sure which direction would be the best to pursue first.