GM Kamro's Curse of the Crimson Throne

Game Master overlord_laharl

Aerel smiles quietly. "I'm sure you would have thought of something to save her, Master Manyshot, but you are most welcome." He inclines his head mildly at Marvel's request. "Certainly, you have gotten more use from your arrows than I from mine, at the moment."

Are there any other doors out? Is there anything down the hole to the sea?

Aerel doesn't spy anything of note in the room. The children mostly look downcast at the mention of homes. Few give straight answers, or mutter something non-committal, and you all get the impression that in the rare case there are homes, they aren't much better than this.

Alana seems terrified at the prospect of letting go of her daddy, having finally found him after all this time, but is eventually persuaded to release him. Then she gives Hookshanks a desultory kick and tells Marvel not to be so long this time, a flicker of her old smile crossing her face.

None of the kids have directions to Lamm's chambers, but they are familiar enough with this floor of the building to know it isn't here, and thus probably downstairs somewhere. The existence of a downstairs can be confirmed by looking down through the hole in the floor, as while the northern half of the building hangs out over the river, the southern half does appear to have a lower floor. No one has ever seen a staircase leading to it, however. One boy, the one who was mended by Nicholas, pipes up that bad children were taken "to the boat".

There is another door to the south.

Right, we have definitely missed something on this level.

Aerel looks at the children somewhat sadly. I hate this city. "We will see you to a better place - the priests of Sarenrae are amongst the kindest and most loving individuals in this city."

After a moment, he lifts his head to look at the the boy mended by Nicholas. "Hm... to the boat?" The elf looks at his companions. "There may be stairs hidden behind a secret door?"

"Oy! Listen here elf, the priestesses of Calistria be quite lovin' too!"

"I am well aware of that." Aerel says with a small grin. "But your fellows do not run an orphanage, to my knowledge?"

"A boat, huh?" Nicholas says with a smile as he looks through the hole. It was too dark for him to see well, but there was definitely something besides water down there. "Gaedren always liked secret alcoves and caches, and I think we just found his. A lower floor needs a way down, and what better way on the waterfront than with a boat? I say we check out the pier out front. He probably isn't on this floor with his Lambs so close."

Aerel inclines his head at Nicholas. "Your experience with the man exceeds my own. I expect you are correct... but do we wish to seek him immediately, or seek more... evidence?" He flicks an ear at Marvel.

"No orphanage of which I am aware."

Peaking over Aerel's shoulder at the potions.
Spellcraft: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (18) + 7 = 25 That should do it. Would have been nice with the rapier but this works too.

Flinching at the replies the children give, "We will find you somewhere safe as soon as we have taken that monster Lamm."

Mumbling mostly to herself, "Wrong kind of loving."

Is the door we entered the only entrance? Or are there two? It looks like there are two.

Marvel adds the arrows to his own, while promissing his daughter that he'll be back. "And remember, should anything go wrong, your mother and brother are alive. They are at your grandparents' place - if things go wrong, take the other children and lead them to her. And tell her I love her."

Turning to the rest of the party, Marvel looks slightly annoyed. "I'd think Abadar's orphanage would be better for their future prospectives, but anyplace is better than this, so I'll go with whatever the majority settles on.

As for evidence - I haven't often participated in criminal investigations, but from what I remember the priority is to apprehend the criminals before they have the chance to destroy evidence. We already have enough documents to put these 3 away, though we still need a document with Lamm's name on it... but then again, his presence here and the children as witnesses might be enough. Even so, from my limited experience, I'd say we take him down and then we search the entire building thoroughly. For evidence - and, well, these children have worked for years. I say we take any valuables we find and donate them to the orphanage the children will stay at - improve their food, education and such."

Aerel offers Emma a quiet smile, laying a hand on her shoulder. He murmurs something to her, speaking Varisian in something of an archaic accent.

He pulls away, offering her a gentle smile, then thinks silently for a few moments, his hand still gentle on her shoulder. He looks to Marvel, allowing him the time to speak with his daughter. "It ought to be their choice where they go." He says softly, releasing Emma's shoulder. "The benefits of their work should go to their care, I agree."

Much though it pains the player in me to say give the loot to an orphanage, we ought to do something for them.

He looks to Emma, tilting his head. "Which room? The one with the other thug?"

"Off we go then!"

While it does pain me to hand the loot over to children, it also does kind of feel good to do exactly what the character would do, knowing it will come back to bite us in our rear ends, as we enter a part of the adventure which expects us to be better equipped than we are :-D

Also, Marvel is a lawyer. Of course he'll strain his ear to see if he hears what is being said!

Perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 1 = 15

Yay! Exactly 15, and I understand Varisian

Marvel looks very slightly puzzled by what he hears, but doesn't react or say anything.

Emma recognizes the potions as Cure Light Wounds (CL 1).

There is indeed a door to the south that hasn't been tried yet. You also recall that there is a large boat tied up on the north side of the building, though it doesn't look very seaworthy.

I too, as a player, recognize that APs often expect the PCs to be murder hobos, taking everything that isn't nailed down and selling it. I've certainly played characters who might walk around with Appraise maxed out, and having a ruler, and a list of specific weights, so he could estimate just how much that door made of adamantium weighs, so I can bounce it against yesterday's closing price at the Golarian Exchange and know how rich I was. With that said, from the PC's perspective at this time, all of us, we've banded together for the sole purpose of redressing certain crimes and transactions against us by a specific individual. A task we expect to be completed tonight, so it's not in character to feel the need to enrich ourselves off of baubles found on the corpses of those who stand between ourselves and our mission.

So, where are we headed? Boat or other door? And what are we doing with the kids?

Aerel glances at Shaeda, a faint smile on his lips at her enthusiasm. "Of course."

I'd guess the boat is where we need to go to get downstairs, probably aided by the keys we found. If the children assure us no one else is upstairs, then we probably should go to the boat.

Whoever took the keys might want to show them to the children and ask if they know what they are for

I've got the keys, so throw that idea down in IC.

"We will want those potions, they are curative." Mumbling to the others, "Though I would rather give one to the injured boy."

Once the group is ready to go Emma quietly follows.

"Curative?" Looking to the kids and back at the group "I... I agree with Emma that we should give the kid one, although, although they might be of great help in the fight against Lamm. Should we perhaps give it to the kid after the fight? Or right away? I... I'm a lawyer, not a vigilante, at least, well, at least normally. Also - we should ask the kids if they know what the keys are for, I mean, we found keys, didn't we? Or, well..."

Marvel has returned to speaking to Aerel's right ear.

Aerel nods quietly. "We are more likely to be in danger than the child, but by the same token, we are much more likely to be able to defend ourselves from such danger." He disregards Marvel's social awkwardness, thinking silently.

"That child is very injured, you should definitely give it some healing."

Oops, I guess Aerel has the potions right now?

Aerel gently offers the youth one of Giggles' potions, then grins at him. "I think that it is fitting that you have it, little friend." He turns, then looks to his companions. "So... where do we wish to look for Lamm?"

"The boat," Nicholas says, smiling slightly from the scene.

Potion: 1d8 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

The child takes the potion and feels much better, his wound closing quickly.

The kids don't know what the keys are for, but one opines that the crooks kept the money from their ventures in one of the rooms to the south, and the key might open that.

Sounds like the consensus is head to the boat now, so if you want to come back and search for treasure later on, remind me.

You bring the unconscious Yargin into the room, and he too is tied up. Then, entrusting the children to stand watch until you return (or get help if you don't), you leave the building and cross the greasy pier to the old boat. It wallows in the dark river water, and looks to be nearly on the verge of collapse, but the words "Kraken's Folly" are still just barely visible on the side on gold paint.

The rotten deck of this ancient sailing ship seems to be barely intact; its hull is worn and thick with seaweed and barnacles. The ship is held together primarily by the layers of old rope that lash it securely to the pilings that support the fishery and the nearby boardwalk. The rickety walkway leads along the ship’s starboard, a foot below its railing. A single wooden door leading into the aft cabin bears a crude painting of a red fish on its surface.

Nicholas slowly tests the ship's boards, making sure they bear his weight. He could see Gaedren's signature traps all over this.

If the boards hold and seem steady...

Waving the others on, Nicholas leads the way to the door to the aft cabin, watching for anything that might appear, and tests the door handle.

Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23
Is the door unlocked? Do I recognize the symbol?

Marvel takes a look at the smaller boat as well - does it look more seaworthy or as if it has been used recently?

Perception: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 1 = 15

If it doesn't, then Marvel moves carefully onto the bigger boat afterwards.

"The folly of a kraken... one wonders what it might mean." Aerel muses, his expression thoughtful. He remains off of the ship for the moment, watching quietly and carefully for any potential threat.

Perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (8) + 3 = 11

He smiles slightly, but falls silent, waiting patiently for the confrontation to come.

Nicholas finds that the boards hold his weight, but seem to be increasingly flimsy the closer he gets to the cabin. The door is locked, and the lock looks newer than the rest of the ship.

Marvel finds that the small rowboat down in the water is seaworthy, judging by the way it bobs up and down in the current, unlike the Kraken's Folly, which merely wallows. No way to tell if it has been used recently though. Getaway vehicle, perhaps?

Aerel sees no sign of danger.

Profession(sailor): 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21

What can I tell about the boats?

Marvel looks at the small rowboat for a second or two, before he starts laughing quietly, grabs the oars and walks back to the others, showing them the oars.

"I took his getaway oars, haha, oh boy is he going to be mad, oooh yeah, haha!"

After a moment or two Marvel obviously starts wondering about what's so funny, before placing the oars at the end of the docks, to then enter the bigger boat.

"We should use the keys on that lock"

Aerel laughs softly, shaking his head. "Leave them on the boat?" He suggests softly. "Such that they might be difficult to find, if he somehow manages to escape."

"Right, I'll just do that" Marvel leaves the boat again, grabs the oars, and tries to hide them on board the boat.

Would that be a stealth, sleigh of hand or survival check to hide the oars?

Shaeda actually remembers the Folly from several years ago, when it was a regular fishing boat. The captain eventually had to sell the vessel to pay off gambling debts. Seems you now know who the debts were to.

As for the boat itself, it's obvious Lamm had little interest in it other than as an addition to his hideout. It's simply been left to slowly corrode in the brackish water. It doesn't seem to be properly moored in place either, but something under the water seems to be attaching it to the building.

So do we need the boat? Or can we go ahead and destroy it?

The big one we should explore a bit - there is a locked door and from what I see there is a lower deck as well. Might be a way to the lower floor of the building through there? Don't know, would be cool. The small one we probably should wait a bit with destroying - we might need it to get to the lower floor of the building.

"Very well," says Shaeda as she pulls forth the keys she has to try them out on the boat.

Quietly watching the shenanigans with the oars with a frown. If he escapes then most of us are dead and he will have time. "Cut the ropes and let the boat drift off. Hiding the oars is not going to do anything."

Destroying the boat might be a bad idea - the Guard doesn't like it when people commit arson.

"It's too early to let the boat go - we don't know how to enter the lower part of the building, we might have to use the rowboat. Besides, if he has time to find the oars, then all of us are dead and it doesn't matter."

"That was kind of my point. We are wasting time with this."

"He will not escape this way, at least whilst we are here." Aerel points out gently. "But your point is well-made, Emma."

Shaeda finds that the keys do indeed open the door.

Dark and dank, the ship’s hold smells of mildew. Several barrels, crates, and other containers lie stacked here and there. Dust and grime cover the floor, except where river water has collected in puddles. There also appear to be several large spider-webs.

Perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21

Shaeda thinks for just a moment that she sees something skitter down the stairs.

"Belay yer talking for a second, there be something down in the hold of this vessel. Mebbe a beastie? What was that name the kids gave out?"

Nicholas grimaces as he looks at the dark hold below. "I'm not sure, but whatever's there can probably see better than us. Anyone got a light?"

Most colour seems to drain away from Marvel's face, as he looks to the cobwebs "Spiders... I hate spiders..." Looking to Shaeda Marvel says "Gobblegut. They called it Gobblegut. And I sincerely hope it isn't a giant hungry spider..."

Looking as though his first instinct really is to just walk back home, Marvel tells Nicholas's feet "I've got torches. But I can't hold a torch and my bow at the same time."

Aerel rubs his nose, wishing distinctly that he could purge the scent of the fishery from his nostrils, then steps carefully onto the boat, brushing past Nicholas and glancing down into the hold. "Shaeda and I probably see quite a bit better in dim light than you, especially if there is a torch behind us. Shall we go in first?"

He focuses on his hearing, listening carefully for any sign of what might be down beneath the ship's decks.

Perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 15

"I only need one hand to fight, so I can use one of those torches to help give us light," Nicholas says.