"Well, that barge wouldn't be here if he'd left in that direction, so I figure we go that way." Callie whispers, pointing toward the door to the west.
"Sounds good to me. I'll lead the way," Crain mutters, taking the point, leading the others toward their inevitable confrontation with the source of all his problems.
Standing behind Crain on the floating boards Timerus holds the spear steadily in both hands while focusing on maintaining his footing with the ebb and flow of the waves.
Marching order?
Eleazar eventually came down the lift as well. If illumination was needed he would once more conjure forth the dancing lights, but would keep them hovering over the heads of the party, careful to shed only the little light they needed.
As Timerus stands near the barge He eyes the sides of it warily, also glancing up to the 'deck'
@Timerus, besides being badly weathered and warped, you notice nothing strange about the large fishing boat.
"Look, out there," the warrior whispers to the others, pointing toward the shadow. "Shine your light closer to that thing. Something is out there!"
Not seeing yet what it was, Callie turned toward the shadow and drew her sword, just in case.
Eleazar focused on the dancing lights and caused two of them to zip forward and hover low over the water in the direction that Crain pointed. He had a bad feeling about whatever could be lurking where the man pointed.
"No sign of Gaedren yet..." Eleazar whispered, he knew didn't want the scum to get away.
A shiver running up his spine, Timerus wasn't sure what he was seeing but he didn't like it any the same some kind of fish? or that Croc of Lamm's? Whatever it is, let's get through that door...I want more firm ground beneath my feet.
Callie nodded, but kept her sword out. "Right, let's get going." She was ready to quickly follow Crain as soon as he set moving.
He still wondered exactly what that shape was, but shook his head...there'd be plenty of time to search the place after. "Ok, just make sure nothing comes up behind us. I'll handle this end.". He again continued down the row of floating boards.
You're at the door. It's closed.
Crain reaches for the door handle after checking to see if there were any traps.
Perception
IF the door is locked, Callie hands the key over to Crain she found to see if that will work.
As everything down here, the door is badly weather and warped, but Crain finds no evidence that any trap has been laid. When you try to jiggle the handle a bit, the ancient thing nearly breaks off in your hand, and it's definitely not locked.
Eleazar kept his eyes on the area around them, hoping to move beyond the door as quickly as was possible. He too was disconcerted by what they had found so far.
Crain throws the door open, and grabs his flail, twirling that over his head. He scanned the room like a hunter, looking for his prey.
The air in this large room is somewhat chilly and stinks of the river, no doubt thanks to a huge opening in the floor that drops away to the river shore a foot or so 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, an old wooden shield with a crossbow bolt embedded in it, the odd dinged helm, and other “treasures” litter the floor of this 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.
More urgent though, is the man-sized alligator lying on walkway just on the other side of the hole. The gator is working on a pile of fish on the deck before it, but it's cold, reptilian eyes lock onto Crain as he storms through the door making a racket. It opens its maw wide and hisses threatentingly.
"YOU!" shouts a voice from across the hole. Turning to look at the voice, you see a sneering old man in a gray cotton robe. He is stooped and appears to favor one leg. The wretch almost looks...pitiful. Except that he's holding a crossbow aimed directly at Crain. "I was led to believe that you were attempting to drown yourself in a tankard somewhere. How did you find me, you washed out half-breed?!"
Lamm's greedy eyes jump next to Callie, who has rushed into the room right behind Crain. He expression goes from one of contempt to one of smug perversion. "Ah, yes, my lovely young customer, Callie Cobalt. While the company you choose is disappointing, I could forgive you and entertain an offer for a few vials if you'd be a dear and shank that half-of-a-man beside you first."
Rather than the sudden fire of rage that possessed Callie when she saw the defenseless girl with Yargin, the anger that lights in her now burns cold. Her options as an opening blow she knows are limited--she could shoot him where she is standing, but it would leave Timerus and Eleazar's line of sight blocked behind her; she could attack the alligator, but she was not so tough as the others and did not want to lock herself in combat with it and let Lamm get away. Instead of start an obvious opening volley--she simply begins to walk up the walkway to her right, not making any obvious combative moves just yet. Maybe she can give Gaedren a chance to give up, while still using her arts to aid her allies should he be so foolish not to.
Her eyes are locked on Crain as if daring him to fire the first shot. "You know, dear Gaedren," she says as she moves, "The shiver just doesn't... satisfy the way it used to. I'm afraid I'll need a better offer than that. Let's start with your life and see if you can beg me down from there."
She tilts her head toward her companions and speaks, her voice rising to a rousing pitch of absolute confidence. "Do you see this man? See how wretched he is? All of his strength is in the minions and meat shields he hides behind, the thugs he sends to beat the innocent and then offers 'rescue' from them himself. A 'Lamm' in wolf's clothing, a little crippled goblin hiding in a rusting suit of a bugbear's armor that would be oh-so-easy to strip away. Now, if he's smart as he often claims to be," her eyes flash back to Gaedren, "he'll surrender. But if not, let us show him tenfold the pitilessness he has shown us and countless others!"
Lamm sneers at Callie and his voice drops to a soft, dangerous drawl, "Not another step, tramp. A little girl and a drunken bastard come to tussle with me and my alligator...I like my chances just fine. Now, turn, walk back out that door, and never show your impertinent face around here again, and I'll let you live. You have 3 seconds to decide." At that, he swings the crossbow away from Crain's direction to aim it directly at Callie's chest, though it's clear that his aged arms are struggling mightily to hold the thing steady.
It was not so much that Eleazar was slow to react, but rather that by his nature he was a student and an analyzer. He didn't move on gut instinct like some of his companions did, rather his wide eyes took in the scene and began disecting it, trying to determine the path with the best possible outcome.
Yet the large alligator seemed to occupy the majority of his attention. It was clear he was not too keen to get anywhere near that dangerous reptile.
As the crossbow turns away from him, Crain unleashes a furious howl and moves forward, trying to smash the alligator.
Attack
Damage
The alligator, seemingly unprepared for Crain's sudden violence, is unable to avoid the barbarian's enraged attack. The flail crashes down with devastating effect. No even the alligator's tough skin could save it, but it's still on its feet and now it looks even angrier.
The alligator is quick to retaliate against its attacker.
Bite:
Grab:
The alligator chomps down hard on Crain's leg and its jaw locks into a death grip. Crain can feel each, excruciating tooth accutely as they dig into his flesh.
Timerus!
Timerus follows Callie into the room and see's Lamm. They aren't alone Gaedran! Its time to pay for your transgressions!
Timerus touches his holy symbol to Abadar and a greyish white aura extendeds from it to envelop himself and his 3 companions.
Eleazar followed right behind Timerus. Though he worried about the condition of Crain and the Alligator there was little he could do in that department. Instead he focused his power at Gaedren. Weaving his hands through the air, he drew up the fillaments of magic that hovered all about him and then blew some hairs from his younger brother's old monkey doll into the air.
"Kaló emprós ton ýpno tou koúnia . Koimi theíte tóra san éna paidí ikanopoii ménos..." his voice stretched out, arcane magic joining it as he attempted to bring a deep slumber over Gaedren Lamm.
Recognition dawns on Lamm's shadowed face. "Ah, a little lost Lamb has come home. Poor company, whelp. I thought I'd trained you better than to run about with garbage like these. I suppose that's what a silly faith will do to a man."
Upon seeing Eleazar enter the room, the shriveled, old man chuckles. "When it rains, it pours. I suppose you're all very excited to have your revenge, aren't you? How pathetic. You sniveling, little beasts felt so slighted that you just couldn't be whole until old Lamm was gone. I take great pleasure in knowing that the harm I've done to you snots will last long after you've thrown me in the river.'
Will save vs sleep:
As Eleazar finishes weaving his spell, Lamm blinks a few times...but that's it.
A cruel bark of a laugh bursts from the hateful old cuss. "You're as impotent as I'd suspected. I don't know why I wasted my time setting you up for a fall. An incompetent boy like yourself is probably more a threat to himself than to me."
Callie literally bites her tongue, intentionally, trying to keep her focus. As much as she'd love to charge Lamm, she knows Crain will be in trouble if he can't pull away from the alligator. She hopes Lamm is as weak as he looks and is unable to loose the crossbow bolt effectively, as she steps toward him--but just shy of engaging him ()--her aim to be within spell range of Crain.
Shifting her buckler slightly to do so, she pulls more oils from her spell component pouch and chants a few brief words, pointing at Crain's armor, covering it with magical grease.
Afterward she spares a few words for Lamm. "Impotent? Don't project your inadequacies on Eleazar, Lamm."
Seeing Callie approaching, he panics and fires a bolt at her while screaming, "Back! Stay back! No closer!"
Ranged attack w/ crossbow:
The bolt flies true, though fortunately it only catches her arm, just above the buckler.
Lamm shouts a quick word of triumph, and then realizes he's now defenseless. He tosses the crossbow aside and draws a dagger from within his ratty, gray robe.
Crain's up!
CMB
Crain struggles to get the monster's jaws off him, trying to get away from it.
Crain is able to wrest his leg free of the gator's vice-like jaws, but it hurts like hell. After freeing his leg, Crain realizes that the damage isn't actually as bad as it felt, his pants seem to have protected him to an extent.
Crain moves back toward Timerus five feet, knowing he would likely need the cleric's healing touch again, before the battle with the alligator was over.
As Crain stepped back, Timerus glanced to where Callie stood and stepped forward as he calculated distances and he touched his Holy Symbol and uttered the healing prayer he had uttered before and another flash of white went forth bathing all except The Alligator, who he excluded by Force of personality, and Lamm who the burst did not quite reach.
As Crain fights his leg free and stumbles back toward Timerus, it scoots forward to continue its assault.
Bite:
Grab:
The alligator's great jaws clamp down onto Crain's leg again with excruciating force.
The words stung Eleazar, partially because they were true. His magic had failed more often than not and while he could create dancing lights or an arcane mark, those were simple tricks that all apprentices could easily master. He choked back his rage, for a part of Eleazar wanted to charge at Lamm with mace and fist, and focused his gaze on the Alligator. With several quick steps he tried to get around behind the savage creature so that he could flank it. Once more he opened his arcane third eye and a gout of pure magical energy shot forward, seeking to penetrate beyond the reptiles scales and wreak havok on the creatures internal organs.
EDIT: I forgot to apply Callie's inspire: +1 competence bonus to attack and damage. My roll should be either a 15 (if I flanked) or a 13 if I didn't, and if I hit it should be 6 total damage.
Seeing the panic in Lamm's eyes, Callie just smirks and slowly advances on Lamm. "Careful with that thing." With a controlled flick of the wrist, she angles her blade swiftly toward his hastily drawn dagger, hoping to knock it out of his hands.