|
Kalak takes a swipe with her weapon that misses, but follows it up with a blow from her fist that causes the beetle to fall and leaves her hand covered in bug guts. Corona runs by as she tries to figure out what this rage is starting to burn inside her. Seleena and Kolris both try to strike Laszo but he easily dodges both blows. The alchemist pulls out another bomb, shakes it, and tosses at Seleena in a way that the shrapnel avoids him, but still hits Corona.
Round 2/3
Active Conditions: Raging song
Kalak (-8)
Corona (-4)
Seleena (-9)
Kolris (sickened)
==========================
Laszo
==========================
Sesska
Lara
==========================
Beetle
|
Seleena slashes at the alchemist as he throws his bomb.
for
Seleena steps up to the alchemist, maintaining her furious song, and slashes at him again, fury in her eyes.
for
-Posted with Wayfinder
|
|
As Laszo was tossing his bomb at her, Seleena managed to take the opportunity to nearly chop his arm off with her blade. Sesska pushes her way towards the combat, while Lara fires an arrow that draws blood. Kalak swings and misses with her fist, but lands a solid blow with her weapon, and Seleena and Kolris team up to finish him off for good.
Out of combat!
On his body you find: 1 potion of CMW, 2 acid flasks, masterwork studded leather, a pair of daggers, cloak of resistance +1, an alchemy crafting kit, his formulae book, a portable alchemists lab, and 2 vials of the drug "whip". More importantly though, you find all of his notes on creating and refining the drug.
|
|
Kolris immediately slings his backpack off his shoulder and digs out a waterskin. Not finding a clean place to set it down, he returns it to his back then goes to work to clean the filth off of his legs. Dry-heaving once or twice as he does so, he eventually is able to get himself clean enough that he can focus on what's around.
Before leaving, Kolris approaches the statue of a rat, and studies it. "I'd bet this is Hanspur." He looks over at the body of the alchemist. "Curious. A lesser god. Smugglers and waterways. I guess it fits."
|
Now that she's not focused on fighting an enemy, every movement makes Kalak wince as her clothes rub against her skin. "Would anyone have something for these burns?"
Without waiting for an answer, she inspects the alchemist's things on his workbench. "We should take all of this back. Some of it might be useful, and these vials of drug should be good proof of what's going on."
As she turns around to see if anyone is reacting to her previous inquiry, she notices something faintly glinting under one of the addicts' pallet as he shuffles slightly. She approaches and reaches for the small vial. Lifting it at eye level to take a better look at it, she realizes what it is and takes a step back from the drugged person. "That bottle of whip looks a little different from the others, but that's definitely what it is. Probably one of the previous versions."
|
"Gonna get you! Get...you..." Corona mutters, staggering slightly as Seleena's rage song fades away. "Oh wow...I dunno what sort of magic that was New Friend Seleena, but I felt like I could take on the world just now!"
She shakes her head. "I think it made my mind cloudy though...probably not good for trying to use magic. But anyway! Good job, New Friends! I guess that takes care of him," she continues, nudging Laszo's body with her foot. "The guard might have liked to have him alive but I guess dead works too. At least we've got all this proof of what he was up to! I bet our New Friend from the A.C. will be really happy with the job we've done."
Noticing that Kalak still seems to sport some burns, Corona pulls out a wand and gives the martial artist a few quick taps with it.
"There you go, good as new!"
|
|
"Is he really dead? Can someone see if he's just unconscious? We have plenty of proof, but bringing him in alive would certainly better. And avoid us a lot of trouble with the law," she says while Corona pulls out a wand and uses a it. Feeling all better, she smiles. "Thank you, Corona. I'm all better now."
|
|
"Oh! I guess he's not dead after all...maybe?" Corona's expression brightens as Lara uses some healing magic on the fallen alchemist. "That's good, because the dead can't really repent and try again."
Turning her attention to the addicts, Corona peers down and pries the eyelid of one of them open. "Uhm...we should take them with us so they can get some help. And maybe offer testimony too once they uh...sober up? Come down?"
|
|
Seleena arches an eyebrow at the offer of money and does not contribute any herself, but she does help cart the delirious addicts out of the sewers.
-Posted with Wayfinder
|
|
Kalak frowns at Sesska's suggestion, but takes the time to think about it. "Hm, the Society probably wouldn't want us to leave these wandering around the city in their current state. Who knows, when they are off the drugs, they might get aggressive. Plus, maybe they can tell us more when they're all sobered up."
She walks straight to one of the drugged men and lifts him by an arm to have him rest against her shoulder, all the while wrinkling her nose at the stench from the place which sticks to them as well. As she does so, in a gruff tone, she says, "Come on, let's get you out of here, shall we?" She then turns to the others before carting him off the way they came from. "Will you guys be alright with the other three?"
|
|
"I know someone who might be able to assist us in transporting the helpless ones..."
Sesska heads into the "lab" and clears a circular area of earth with her foot while sprinkling salt around the perimeter. The whole process takes maybe a minute, and she culminates the activity with yet another prayer to Pharasma.
When she steps back, gray mist begins to bellow up from the ground inside the circle. The mist solidifies quickly into a gaunt, cloaked humanoid wearing a decisively creepy owl mask. Chunks of debris... Are those gravestones?... Ominously float near and around the entity.
"Ahmuuth, wise and experienced, devotee of the Boneyard, protector and usher of worthy souls, I welcome you again to the Material World."
"Why is Ahmuuth summoned?"
The form sighs.
"You have once again misjudged Ahmuuth's purpose. Had these mortals already perished, and their souls were evading judgment, then Ahmuuth would be of use."
The form begins to dissipate.
"Ahmuuth awaits again for your summons."
|
|
Kolris helps boost up and walk out the addicts, willing at least to help them out of the sewers. He takes pains to walk the long way around the sewer instead of attempting another crossing, wary of the filth and the stability of his stomach.
When they are about to exit the sewers, Kolris throws out a question. "So, what are we thinking here, a temple for healing? Sesska, can you lead us to your local affiliate?"
|
|
After securing Laszo's notes and the samples of the drugs, the Pathfinders help the addicts to the nearest temple, and leave them in the good care of the priests, before returning to the Sixwing Drake.
Back on deck, the Venture Captain waits until you have all gathered before speaking. "Very well done, Pathfinders. You have managed to complete both tasks and all is looking well. We received this missive a little while ago from Delroya, asking for you to meet her at a warehouse around noon. I suggest that you be there. This will be your chance to prove to her that the Pathfinders are a good fit for her skills, as well as to lay a significant blow to Aspis interests. Report to me when you have finished. Your barge from yesterday is waiting, and the arrangements are the same." With this, he hands you a slip of paper and walks off. Handouts slide 2 is active.
A large warehouse looms into view at the end of Gull Street. Its main level sits at the edge of the street above a ten-foot drop to the harbor’s waters below. A door in the western wall of the warehouse opens, and a woman clad in simple leather armor steps out. Her features display a blend of Taldan and Mwangi heritages, and her crisp accent is difficult to place. “I am Magali Delroya. You must come quickly, Pathfinders. We do not wish to be seen.” Delroya moves briskly, waving off protests or interruptions, and speaks with the rhythm of her steps. “Questions later. Much is at stake. First you must listen.” Her outward display of authority does not entirely mask her fear. The small room through the warehouse’s western door features a round table and several chairs. “This room is for the guards. They are all too busy dealing with our disruptions, so no one is here for now. That door leads to the docks below,” she says, indicating a door in the southern wall. “Come this way. I will show you the warehouse.” She opens a door in the northern wall, revealing a cavernous storage room. Haphazard stacks of barrels and crates almost reach the ceiling twenty feet above. Two large skylights in the ceiling provide ample light during the day, and a dozen unlit lanterns are spaced around the room. To the east, a wide opening in the southern wall looks out over the loading bay ten feet below. A freight elevator platform rigged to a complex set of pulleys and ropes and a staircase both lead down to the loading bay.
“As you can see, the Aspis Consortium maintains a sizable operation out of this warehouse, which they rent from the Kortos Consortium’s Locosta family in exchange for alchemical goods. After tonight, I hope that the relationship between Aspis and Kortos will be irreparably damaged.
“We may have delayed the shipment, but my sources tell me that both the Kortos and Aspis consortia are likely to investigate the warehouse later tonight. I had hoped for more time, but I will not able to move the goods until after midnight. I need your help in holding off the agents until everything is in order. They are not likely to work together, so you should prepare for multiple groups of agents. While I have no qualms about fighting the Aspis agents, if possible we should avoid further antagonizing the Kortos Consortium. Their agents may be willing to look the other way.”
“Because the agents are on high alert, you should stay at the warehouse until they arrive. We wouldn’t want anyone spotted or attacked out in the city before we’re ready. That gives you several hours to prepare. Most of the items in the warehouse are simple trade goods designed to make this outfit look legitimate. You may want to take some time to look around, though—you never know what the Aspis Consortium might have stowed away here. I can stay here briefly, if you have questions or need assistance.”
|
|
“Yes, I do care. The warehouse and many of the goods inside it belong to the Kortos Consortium, not the Aspis Consortium. We do not want to make them our enemies, if possible. As for the drugs, they are mixed in with a large number of goods that belong to the Kortos Consortium. It would take days to sort through all these crates— something I intend to do later, once they’re moved to a secure location. But there’s no time now. As for destroying the shipment, that’s out of the question. The drug is far too unpredictable. There’s no telling what effect it might have if we burn it or dump it in the harbor. No, we must deal with it later, in a way that puts no one in harm’s way.”
|
|
"So how do we know which stuff belongs to the Aspis and which belongs to the Kortos? What's fair game?"
-Posted with Wayfinder
|
|
Corona looks around the warehouse with interest, showing especial interest in the freight elevator and the skylights. "Oh wow...we've got all this space and all these things to work with, New Friend Magali? Just as long as we don't trash the place too much?"
She claps her hands delightedly. "This is like being a little kid again! It's like this is our fort and the Consortiums are the neighborhood bullies come to kick us out! Well, except with a lot more actual fighting and possible bodily harm. But still!"
|
|
As soon as Kolris realizes that Magila was saying there could be Aspis items here of strategic value, he starts taking a look at the crates and other items in the warehouse. He continues to listen as Magila answers more questions, and he opens and closes crates with care, keeping everything in good shape, but his focus is on finding the Aspis' stash.
|
|
"Well it's not always that easy to tell them apart. Aspis agents sometimes wear their serpent emblem pins, but not always. They tend to keep them out of sight. Kortos agents from the Locosta family tend to wear scarlet shirts, as they're the family colors. Some might wear a bronze alligator insignia as well. I *think* that the Kortos investigators will get here first. The Aspis Consortium leaders don't know exactly who or what they're looking for, so they're not as focused. House Locosta is more concerned about securing the goods."
Delroya reaches into her pouch pulling out a piece of parchment. "If you don't have any further questions, I'll be on my way to make final preparations to move the shipment."
Handing the parchment to the Pathfinders, "By now you should know that the Aspis Consortium is breaking Diobel’s laws. What we’re doing here is not exactly legal, either, in the views of the Kortos Consortium. I am hoping that we can get through this without drawing their ire, but as a last resort, you can use this document. It should eliminate any questions as to the legality of your actions. If you can avoid having to use it, I would be grateful, but do not hesitate to present it if necessary. Neither Consortium is likely to give it much true consideration, but it could give the Kortos agents pause."
She turns to leave, but spins around again, and digs in her pack. "Oh, I almost forgot. There's a couple of secret entrances to the warehouse you should know about, there and there. Also, you can have these, maybe they can help you." She tosses a pouch at you, and with that, she's off.
|
|
Corona looks around the warehouse, at the various implements they'd found, and then at her companions. "I guess we should try to block what entrances we can and then set booby traps at the rest, right New Friends? Try to force them all to come through only one or two routes so they'll be easier to deal with!"
______
|
|
"Aw...you're right," Corona frowns, though she seems reluctant to approach too closely to the cage. "Once we're done here we should free it and see if we can find a better home for him...or her."
Having given some more thought to the task that lay ahead, Corona points to the two secret entrances that Magali had shown them. "I think we should definitely block those off because if *I* knew about a secret way into somewhere then that'd be the first route I'd try." She looks around at the towering boxes. "Maybe we can block them with some of the crates - those suckers look heavy so I bet it'd be pretty hard to move them out of the way again once they're sitting in front of a door!"
She continues glancing around, trying to make a count of the other entrances in. "Putting the boxes in front of the secret ways in takes care of two entrances but there's still a bunch of other ways in. Um...maybe we could put the doggy inside that little break room to scare off anyone trying to come in through those two outer doors? And maybe put that oil on the big set of double doors over there to the west...oh! Maybe the poisoned dart trap on the other set of double doors down to the south! And the bear trap, uh...underneath one of the skylights? I think we should try and force them to come through the skylights because that way they'll have to climb down and they'll be vulnerable while they're doing it!"
______
|
|
Lost in thought, Kalak speaks up. "Let's not forget that we don't want to antagonize the Kortos agents, and chances are they will show up. Perhaps setting a trap on the main door would be ill-advised. We should set the traps on something only a suspicious person would use. I do agree on blocking the secret entrances, though. Anyone trying to come in from a hidden door is suspicious at best. If we can't locate the drugs, we could set traps closer to those doors. Then we'd have time to block one of the main entrances and the smaller ones, so they won't be able to surround us. Should we also try to hide until someone shows up? Although I really can't see much in the dark of night, we could light up only certain places and hide in the shadows of the crates to see who comes by tonight."
As Kalak says this, her voice is firm and confident, as she is completely focused on the task at hand, but as soon as she finishes, she glances at the others, blushes fiercely, and runs a hand through her hair as she turns to the crates. With great effort, she picks one up to place it over the entrance. She turns to choose another box to drag there, but sighs.
"Those are surprisingly heavy and difficult to handle alone. I think I'm going to need help if we're to manage to block anything by sunset."
|
|
"I think setting the dog free in the break room is an excellent idea. It's both a deterrent and and an alarm." He pauses as he considers other options before continuing.
"I'm torn about the secret doors, though. If we block and lock all of the normal entrances, but leave the secret entrances open, then we pretty much know that anyone using a secret entrance is suspect. Most likely they will be Aspis agents. The Kortos agents might knock and yell at a locked door; we can then let them in and discuss what's going on."