GM Zimmer's Curse of the Crimson Throne (Inactive)

Game Master zimmerwald1915

"Good to meet you," says Fredo to Ambadus. It was a good name. The Old Chelish would have rendered it "Amabadarus," for the love of Abadar, but the modern shortening sounded nicer. "And if you feel safe, you can stay up here alone. Take a pitchfork, though, just in case."

"And you," he says, rounding on Raseri and walking up to the hole she'd uncovered. He wears a smirk, but his voice has an edge as he talks. "Have you forgotten I've got my own questions for Lamm? Have you forgotten the others? Don't think you're getting him all to yourself. We're in this together.

"Now, child," he says to Sigr. "If you run upstairs real quick you'll find a man with pointy ears, green eyes, and long black hair. He should have a suit of armor that will fit you.”

"Oh, and Raseri," he says in a low voice as Alfsigr runs out of earshot, "Since we are going down together, since your tigress of a sister seems intent on following us, and since I fight best from the rear, I will do as you ask and guard her. When she comes back I will shield her further with magic." Fredo lets a spark of arcane energy play across his fingers to illustrate the possibility. "But do not presume to order me around again."

Fredo looks in the hole. "Do you think the banister will hold a rope so we can lower ourselves down? Or should we try to make our way to the ship, down to its hold, and smash our way through the hull and onto that causeway?" He looks appraisingly at the bobbing skiff. "Were the dock outside not so slippery, I would think the route through the ship safer."

Durriken smiles to himself, letting calm fill his voice. "That wasn't so hard now, was it? Now, I did promise to let you go..." Durriken relaxes his grip, extending his arm to overbalance Yargin, pushing him headlong out over the void below.

Yargin falls, screaming, into the water below. There is an almighty splash when he hits, and when Durrkien looks again, the man is nowhere to be seen.

Durriken takes one last glance, turns on his heel, and stalks back past Theron and Tristain. "He said he's on the boat. I'm getting the others."

Tristain looks as Yargin goes screaming and shrugs.

"Meh. He should have told me where Trina was. The bastard."

Sighing, Tristain goes to look in the office.

1d20 + 9 ⇒ (4) + 9 = 13 Perception

The slates are covered with Yargin's sloppy attempts at double-entry bookkeeping. All the dates Tristain sees on the slates are recent, within the past month. Inside the cabinet are scrolls of parchment covered in the same sort of accounting, that seem to represent earlier months and years. Most of the purchases seem to have to do with the processing of fish and the making of something called "dock dumplings". Tritain finds mentions of dough and fish shipments, as well as a few procurements of various salts that can be treated to make weak acids. Lamm's acid supplier is listed on the ledger as "M.A." Oddly enough, though Tristain recognizes the salts as fairly expensive - he's come across a few of them in his periodic quests for pigments - Lamm seems to pay "M.A." a pittance, plus "services rendered".

As Tristain's poring over the records, Alfsigr, looking like she's about to be sick, to soles of her shoes red and sticky with congealed blood, comes into the room. "Um...I'm Ras' sister," she says, looking at Tristain. "Her friend told me you had armor for me?"

"My apologies, your grace."

Her voice is dripping with sarcasm. She pulls on the banister to check how sturdy it is and ties a rope off if it seems safe enough. The awkward silence continues for a minute until Raseri speaks again, this time much more sincere.

"I'm sorry. These past few years have not been pleasant ones. My parents died, and then my sisters were taken a year later." Her voice cracks as she continues. "I know I'm not the only one whose suffered, but to be so close, and knowing that one of them is in danger...I just want my sisters back."

Tears stream silently down her face and the small woman looks up at Goffred with an expression of pain and fear.

"I've been alone for four years. I just want my sisters back."

Durriken descends the stairs into the large room quickly. "Yargin said Lamm would be on the boat." He glances at the rope and the tears in Raseri's eyes. She sees something soften just behind his eyes as he kneels down next to her, though his jaw is still firmly set. "I saw your sister. There is still one more, and The Artist's friend, as well. The others want answers."

He stands and looks at the rope down, testing it himself before looking up to see if Tristain and Theron followed him down. "We will find your sister, and their answers." He nods up to Goffred, before settling his gaze back on Raseri, his eyes disturbingly predatory. "Then we can have vengeance."

"Um...I'm Ras' sister," she says, looking at Tristain. "Her friend told me you had armor for me?"

Tristain looks confused.

"I have armor for you? Uhm..." Tristain looks about the room for armor. "Uh, one sec..."

Tristain ponders for a moment, almost as if he had forgotten what had happened minutes ago.

"Oh yeah...we have this!" Tristain holds up some small sized leather armor. "I almost forgot all about it. Here put this on. Let me show you how."

"Good. There you go. That strap connects to this flange and this doodad goes into this doohickey here."

"There you go." Tristain steps back and admires his work.

Looking at the little ragamuffin, Tristain realizes that he has no idea whom he just be-armored.

"Uhm, who are you? I'm Tristain. Have you been here long?"

"I told you, I'm Ras' sister. Alfsigr. Didn't she tell you about me?" She seems put out that she is not Tristain's absolute first priority, but compared to how he first saw her this seems to be an improvement. The armor seems to have given her a bit of an awkward swagger as well, as she squirms to make it fit better and shies away from the red stains that splatter the front.

"Four years," she says to Tristain, taking him by the hand and leading him down the stairs to the fishery floor.

Theron hasn't responded for a while, but in an effort to expedite matters I'm going to assume he follows as well.

The rope Raseri tied around the bannister appears strong in itself, secured as it is where the railing meets one of its supports in a sturdy cleat hitch. But the bannister doesn't seem as sturdy as it could be. Years of exposure to the brackish water of the Jeggare, plus the recent and fairly common splashes of acid from the vat have warped and cracked the wood. Raseri and Durriken suspect it will only hold one person at a time, and might not survive long enough to let them all down.

"I understand," says Fredo, sidling by the hole in the floor to stand nearer Raseri. "And I'm sorry too, for snapping at you. But it is important to me that we do this the right way. And, if I may say so, it is important to me that no one feels the need to go alone. If Lamm got the best of you, and I was stuck up here, I don't know if I could forgive myself. I lost Aless because I couldn't keep him safe. I didn't even know he was in trouble." Fredo finds his hands shaking for some reason, and clasps them inside his sleeves to hide it. "We found Alfsigr. We'll find your other elf. You won't have to be alone."

As Alfsigr approaches his position, the ring on Fredo’s hand begins to glow with a soft green light. When she passes by, he stretches out his hand and lays it on her shoulder. He speaks a few words in a tongue that sounds nearly as old as humanity itself, and the light pulses once. Alfsigr’s pores flash with it, and then it is gone. Alfsigr now bears a Protection from Evil spell, cast through Goffred's bonded object.

"You are warded as well as I know how, now," Fredo says to her. He addresses the rest of the group. "As such, we should be moving on quickly, before the magic fades. Durriken, you say Lamm is in the ship? Then we should get down to the dock and break into the hold. If he's anywhere, he'll be there. Here's how we'll do it. One person will be lowered down at a time. While there are many of us up here, we will all try to lessen the strain on the banister. Tristain, you will go first. Your folk can see in dim light; inspect the ship's hull for any signs of weakness. I will go next, as the one least helpful at strengthening the line. Then Alfsigr, then Theron, then Raseri, so she can catch Durriken should he fall in his unaided descent. Alright?"

Durriken nods and begins coiling the rope. "I agree, we should hurry. I distracted the shark, but that probably won't last long."

Theron watches, not too terribly pleased as Yargin is dropped into the water. 'Violent death ... tortured soul will be reborn tortured... the cycle continues..'
Hearing his name spoken by Fredo snaps him out of his cogitation. 'No point in dwelling on the lost opportunity to cleanse a toxic soul.'

"Very well, time to finish this." Theron waits for his turn down the rope, pushing his negative thoughts to the back of his mind.

"Guess I'll go first."

Raseri swings herself over the edge while holding the rope. She cautiously makes her way down and lightly steps onto the pier below. She tries to keep an ear open for any sign of alarm or ambush, but her mind has too many thoughts running through it.

Climb: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (17) + 5 = 22
Acrobatics: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23
Perception: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6
Looks like Ras made it down easily, She'll pull the rope closer and look for a place to tie the other end. IF there isn't one that looks sturdy enough, she'll hold the loose end and brace herself to keep from going for a swim.

Tristain follows the girl down.

"Shark? A real shark?" Tristain takes a look.

1d20 + 9 ⇒ (6) + 9 = 15 Perception
1d20 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4 Know (nature) untrained

"Wait. Let me try something...it's silly, but sometimes..." Tristain looks at everybody, with a look of being unable to explain what he means clearly. "Let me try something. It will only take a minute."

Tristain moves to a place where he can see the shark and begins to whisper to it, trying to attach Korvosa's will through him and into the shark.

"Hey, shark...there you are, Mr. Shark...we see you, you're a good predator. Hey, shark...there is food out to sea..."

Tristain will stare and mumble and think upon the shark for a while.

Wild Empathy Check

1d20 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 2 + 1 = 8 Diplomacy check

Raseri ties the end of the rope in two half hitches on the line holding the skiff, just where it meets the dock. She wishes there were another cleat on the dock itself, since a cleat hitch would have been more secure, but all the metal horns have either fallen away or been taken up by the ship. As it is, the rope will slide a little bit, but the line is made of a coarse fiber and is adhesive and heavy with water. It won't move much.

The shark seems unmoved by Tristain's efforts to communicate. Well, unmoved to do as Tristain wants, anyway. Only a few seconds after he starts his mumbling, the shark breaches out of the water, clearly intent on food.

Tristain, please make a Sense Motive check for me. Also, initiative:
Tristain 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 2 = 14
Shark: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16
Raseri: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (6) + 5 = 11
Alfsigr: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14
Theron: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (15) + 3 = 18
Durriken: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 15
Goffred: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23

I tried to reorder the initiatives to run from highest to lowest, but it seems the forum rerolled them. The order runs like this:
Tristain
Shark
Theron
Raseri
Alfsigr
Durriken
Goffred

Tristain stares at the shark moreso.

1d20 + 7 ⇒ (2) + 7 = 9 Sense Motive

Tristain is unable to determine why the shark's attacking. Perhaps he offended it?

Feel free, Tristain, to take the rest of your action.

Also, have a map.

Round 1, Init first

If Tristain can see the shark, he will pull out one of his still magic stones and cast it at the enemy before it gets into combat.

1d20 + 2 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 2 + 1 = 9 to hit;
1d6 + 1 ⇒ (4) + 1 = 5 damage.

Meh. I rushed that shot.

Tristain's shot goes wide, and his stone plops ineffectually into the water. The shark breaches again, lunging at the druid. Fortunately for Tristain, it is unable to get sufficient traction in the shallow water to breach high enough to threaten him. It does, however, take a chunk out of the dock.

As it lunges, Tristain and Raseri can make Perception checks. Please note that while the shark is underwater and while no PC is in the water, it will not be able to make AOOs, and AOOs cannot be made against it.

Acrobatics: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (4) + 3 = 7
Attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15
Damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

Map remains unchanged, but is included for the sake of completeness.

Round 1

Theron steps up to the edge of the hole - trying to keep room for Durriken to descend. He loads his crossbow and fires it at the shark.

Despite the difficult angle of the shot, Theron's bolt manages to lodge itself in the shark's flank. It begins thrashing about under the water, trying to get its mouth around to the source of what, to it, is a mysterious new source of blood.

Map, with the requisite minute change

Round 1
Perception:1d20 + 4 ⇒ (11) + 4 = 15
Attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19
1d8 ⇒ 7

Raseri takes the bow from her back and takes careful aim.
"Open wide ya overgrown minnow. Li'l Ras has a treat fer ya." She lets the arrow fly.

"'Why go to all the trouble of swimming out there when there's food just a slipping foot away?' is what I think it said." she translates for Tristain.

In the dim light and in the flash of motion and splashing, salty water that was the shark's attack, Raseri doesn't manage to notice anything special about the animal. She does, however, pierce the flesh just behind its eye with her arrow.

Alfsigr, looks at her pitchfork for a moment and then clutches it to her. She doesn't want to trade the protection it provides for a chance to kill the shark. She also doesn't want to climb down the rope and into its waiting maw. She holds her action.

Map, with no changes because nobody moved.

"Wasn't the coward enough of a meal for you?" Unable to do anything from this distance and unable to climb down to the dock below without knocking one of the others into the river, Durriken waits for some sort of opening to join the fray.

hold action

Round 2, Init first

Tristain will back up...doing a full round withdraw to a place from which the shark cannot attack. (30' move*2 = 60' feet)

"Uhm....I don't think it likes me...or likes me too much. I say we go higher and blast the thing from up there, it's the only way to be sure," Tristain says as he walks by Raseri.

I get that you're anxious, but I do still have a place in the initiative order.

Fredo hears the snapping of the shark's jaws, the roar of air from its body, and the splash as it falls into the water. Raseri's and Theron's bowstrings, driven by muscle and machine power, twang. But if they want to be sure of hitting again, they'll need something to see by.

So Fredo mumbles a few more ancient words, and the light on his ring reappears, green and glowing. It does not pulse, but persists, accentuating the green and black of his robes but making his skin look pasty. This is a Light spell. "Apparently not, whatever that means," he says to Durriken, starting to shimmy down the rope. The dock is not clear, so he hangs above the water, the light showing the shark's silhouette much clearer than before.

I did not realize how much this sounded like Green Lantern fanfiction until just now. Oy vey.

The shark continues trying to gnaw at its own flank, sinking deeper in the water as its circles contract. Only when its belly touches the mud of the riverbed does it seem to snap out of its blood frenzy and start rising towards the surface again.

This takes its whole turn. It could have gone for three rounds, but the dice said otherwise.

Hark! The map does sometimes change!

Round 2

Theron reloads his crossbow, murmurs a thanks to Fredo, and tries to line up another shot.

Theron's shot this time somehow has less force behind it than his last, which one would think really shouldn't happen to a crossbow. It hits the water just above the shark, and Raseri and Goffred can see that it even hit the animal. But the water slowed it enough that it didn't tear its flesh.

Raseri readies another arrow and takes aim again.

"I'm really starting to hate fish."

She lets fly again.

Attack: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (15) + 4 = 19
Damage: 1d8 ⇒ 7
Well, I guess it's safe to say that Ras is at least consistent.

Raseri's arrow, on the other hand, cuts through the water like the bow of a ship, and comes to rest in the base of the shark's skull. It continues floating to the top, but now just lays there, slowly turning.

It's dead, Jim. Take 80 XP each.

Fredo continues down the rope, coming to rest on the lip of the dock. He sidles between Raseri and the hull of the ship, looking for some weak point where they could break through easily. As he looks and feels the hull, bits of seaweed and algae deposited there at high tide come off on his fingertips. The arcane green light reflects strangely off the waves and plays over the craggy, rotting, but still thick wood. He says to Raseri "I'm not sure how long that rope will hold. Think you can catch anyone who comes down?"

Perception: 1d20 ⇒ 13

Tristain steps back and admires the handiwork of the bowmen that translated into the dead shark.

Tristain bends now to whisper to the shark.

"Next time listen to your our mother, Korvosa. I'm sorry this happened," Tristain says softly.

* * *

Tristain takes a moment to look around while everyone decides what to do.

1d20 + 9 ⇒ (18) + 9 = 27 Perception

It's pretty out here...even with the old buildings. I should sketch it later.

Once the commotion has calmed down Tristain can see, even from way across the underpier, the outline of a doorway in the hull of the ship. Why anybody would put such a thing in a craft meant to go to sea is beyond fathoming, but to Tristain's eyes it is clearly evident.

Durriken tests the rope, then crouches and winds his arm through, gripping it with both hands to help take the strain off the bannister.

"Go, Old Man. When you get to the bottom, untie it. I will lower the child down."

Durriken motions the young girl bearing the pitchfork to him. "You wish to find your sister? Very well. I caution you though." He pokes the pitchfork lightly with his finger, his face and eyes soft, even compassionate. "If you use violence tonight, you will never be able to outrun it. It will change you, and not for the good. Lamm has ruined too many lives already. Don't let him turn you into a monster." He returns his attention to the rope, waiting for Theron to climb down. Like me.

Theron nods, secures his crossbow, and takes hold of the rope. 'Alright hands .. I know you aren't as strong as you used to be..'
As he starts his descent, he hears Durriken speak to the young girl.. 'Well ... that's encouraging. There may be hope for his soul.'

climb: 1d20 ⇒ 5

Tristain gathers his belongings and prepares to follow along, trying to gauge the health of his companions?

"Is anyone hurt?"

Is Durriken still visibly wounded?

Tristain readies to pull out his scroll again.

"I'll be fine." Raseri moves out of the way to Goffred can get off the rope.

If Theron falls, Raseri will try and catch him.
Reflex: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19

She also tries to help Theron and Alfsigr climb onto the dock.

The rope stays steady as Theron makes his way down, but his grip isn't what it once was, and his hands slip. Raseri does manage to catch him and set him on his feet in front of her. Alfsigr makes it down without a hitch. Durriken, however, falls the last few feet as the railing holding the rope snaps, landing in the skiff. It bucks threateningly, but does not capsize, and Durriken, with Raseri's help, is able to climb onto the dock.

As far as I can tell, Tristain, Durriken is still at 4/11 HP. I guess you could tell that from his wheezy breathing and the ligature marks on his neck.

On another note, the door you saw in the hull of the ship was north of square AA8.

"It's my fault Hil's gone," says Alfsigr, stamping her foot impatiently even though Durriken was questioning Yargin when she told Raseri her story. "I have to make up for that. I need to be like Ras."

Map, showing the secret door.

"It really isn't, little one," says Fredo. "It's Lamm's fault, for kidnapping you and making you slave for him. It's not wrong to try to escape a tyrant." If Fredo had had his way, of course, all the children would have coordinated their escape or their bosses' overthrow together. They would have had a better chance at succeeding, and strong spirits like Alfsigr would have been spared the pain of Lamm's divide and rule tactics. But it wasn't right for him to criticize. He couldn't know what it was like for them. At best, he could hope for self-criticism driven by logic and a desire to do better, not by guilt and loss.

"Be like Raseri," he says, turning to the grown woman. "You're pugnacious and aggravating, and you could consider others more. But you do not suffer fools or tyrants, or such impulses in yourself. I can't think of a better role model among us."

"Durriken," says Fredo, hesatating a little before he goes on,"Well said.

"Now, has anyone managed to find a spot where we can bust through and get to Lamm?"

4/11 is still correct. Half-orc got me good.

"I think you already are much like her. Definitely as stubborn," Durriken sighs as he dusts himself off after the fall. His eyes shift to Raseri's, though she can't be sure what message he's trying to send her. Concern maybe? Though knowing him, it's probably just concern that Alfsigr will get underfoot.

perception, to notice door: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19 not sure that's good enough

His eyes widen a little at Goffred's comment, clearly surprised he heard him, then are covered by his by-now familiar mask of anger."Who tied that thing up there? No matter. We can reuse the rope now, at least. Plan?" Durriken stands on the end of the dock, hands resting on the hilts of his weapons, clearly impatient.

Tristain comes over and reads again from his scroll.

"Stand still, Durriken. Let Korvosa help us do what needs to be done."

Cast Cure Light Wounds.

1d8 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3 healing

Theron reddens a bit "Thank you, m'lady." He glances at the rope burn on his hands. Not bad .. glad it wasn't further..
"Hmm .. plan.."

Durriken flinches when Tristain reaches for his throat, but as the warmth washes over his injured neck, Durriken looks at the Druid appraisingly.

"Thank you..Tristain." The words sound pained, as if they were hard to get out, even though his wounds look mostly healed. He looks like he's about to say more, then notices the others watching and clamps his mouth shut, simply growling, "Let's go."

To heal Durriken, Tristain would have needed to move next to him. Thus the map looks like this.

Also, Tristain is the only one who, so far, has seen the secret door in the hull.

Tristain will move to heal Durriken and point to the secret door.

"Oh yeah, there is a secret door here. See it?" Tristain points out the door.

Tristain looks around at everyone.

"Did we finish searching that place? I kind of got distracted by the shark."

"Whatever is left up there, the Lambs can have," Durriken mumbles as he examines the door for an opening mechanism.

perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26

Raseri blushes at Goffred's kind words, even if they are a little tongue in cheek.

"The same person that just helped you up here." Raseri digs through her pack and pulls out a grappling hook to attach to the rope.

"Here, this outta make things a little easier. If we knot the rope it should make things much easier." She gives the hook to Durriken. "I'll help you knot it in a second. I need to make something clear for my sister."

She pulls Alfsigr aside and talks to her in a low voice in common so the others might understand her.

"Sig, I need you to listen to me. It is not your fault that Hil isn't here. We're going to get her back but have to promise something. Promise me that you will listen to what I say and do anything I tell you. If I'm hurt, then you listen to them." She gestures at the four others on the dock. "Keep close to him and watch his back." A sly smile plays across her face as she points to Goffred. "He's a wizard and you know what Papa always said about wizards."

When Tristain points out the door, Raseri looks a little puzzled.

"I guess Durriken doesn't need my help knotting the rope now."

Ras moves over to where Goffred is standing.

"May I ask a favor? I told Alfsigr to keep a watch on you, but I'm more worried that she'll get hurt than you will. Despite the jest, you seem cautious enough. Can you keep her safe and get her out of here if-- if things don't go well?" She looks worried and her words have an edge of fear in them.

After Goffred answers her...

"So, there's a door here? Seems like a bad place for one." Ras shrugs and turns to Durriken.

"So I go in first you follow, and then Theron and Tristain with Goffred and Sig in the rear?"

Durriken nods at Raseri's suggestion, standing up following his examination of the door."If you are ready, let us get your sister back, and end this."

Then we may part paths, and my conscience will be clear. For this, at least.