"Oh, eh, yes, sorry... I didn't know you were friends..."
Crenshaw is not the best of liars, but who knows...
|
"ARRRRRRAAAAATUUUUUU!!!!" Screaming apparent gibberish, a six and a half foot monster comes barreling into the room. His face is more pig than man, and bristly hair trails down and neck and disappears under the neckline of his leather jacket. Strangely enough, though, he wears a top hat and a monocle.
" CHILDREN?? GAEDRAN LAMM USES CHILDREN? WHAT KIND OF MONSTER ARE WE DEALING WITH? I HATE MONSTERS!"
"CHILDREN! RUN BEFORE ARRATU EATS YOU!"
Arratu stands in front of the group, to accept any blows these children may try to deliver assuming they don't run, adopting a position of total defense.
Veronica almost stumbles backwards until she remembers the doctors 'friend' was meant to be showing up. She had no time to gawk at the monstrosity in front of her; an ally was an ally.
She draws her revolver and runs into the room after the man.
I hate paranoid adults. They make my job so difficult.
"Looks like the jig is up gentlemen. I'm not sure if its good or bad that there's more children than adults. But we can't let him escape!"
Urhal runs after the man, tackling him to the ground. He whispers in the mans ear, "Listen here, if you're one of Lamm's goons, then I'm afraid that your luck's run out. You can give up now and tell us where he is if you want to do this the easy way."
Tasche grins wickedly at the monster. "Ah, this must be the good doctor's ally. Friends in low places indeed", he mutters to himself. Thoughts and speculations start bubbling up. Doesn't really look human despite his nice hat. I wonder what he is... Shaking his head to clear it, he moves into the workroom, deliberately keeping the monster between him and the kids.
Noting that Urhal has the man, Tasche raises his revolver to the ready for any more trouble and yells. Augusta? AUGUSTA?" He scans the room resperately, half for trouble and half for his niece.
|
Urthal successfully tackles and holds the good down,
Unfortunately for the Half-orc she forgets the man's last orders. A child comes over and tries to smash his head in with a shovel.
The shovel slams the brawler smack in the side of his head.
The rest of the children pick up objects strewn around, from pitchforks to small knives. Most of them hesitate apon the entry of the strange monster screaming, however once that shock clears they all rush to help the grappled goon, surrounding Urthal and her opponent.
Luckily for the half-orc, there are only about 4 children willing to fight, the others all scamper off to the shadows, hiding behind boxes or under tables. They likely won't fight unless provoked...
Luckily for the Half-orc these children are unable to break his defenses
The goon squirms, Let me go! he attempts to break free.
The man is utterly useless, his pitiful squirming is almost laughable.
|
|
"SO MANY CHILDREN?? WHAT WE DO WITH THEM? ARRATU NOT KILL CHILDREN. BUT ARRATU HAPPY TO KILL MAN WHO TREATS CHILDREN BAD."
Arratu charges at the goon that Urhal is holding, smashing his horns against the goons chest. His top hat pops off, but hangs by a chain to the collar of his leather jacket.
(Strength+Charge)
(Strength)
My AC is lowered by 2.
Tasche glances at the fight, and waves his pistol around looking for a good shot. After a few seconds, he grimaces and lowers it. He steps forwards and in one smooth, graceful motion draws his rapier. Seeing that the massive beast, such an impressive specimen, has Urhal's immediate opponent covered, he tries to place himself between the children and the half-orc. "Yah! Flee before us!" He waves his sword dramatically, before trying to hit one gently. The child dances out of the way of his strike, and he grunts. "I'm a little rusty. Haven't touched this blade in years. Give me a few moments to warm up", he quips trying to seem lighthearted despite his disappointment at the lack of his niece.
Crenshaw points his gun at the man's head. "Quiet. Now." He cocks the hammer and the click sounds all inside the man's brain. "Don't be a hero."
With his organic arm holding the man's neck, Iolas punches him in the gut with his metal fist and says, "Come on now, don't make this harder for yourself than it has to be."
|
|
The goon falls limp in Urthal's hands.
The children all back off, holding their weapons up in defense, unwilling to attack a man with a gun...
The goon makes no move, having succumbed to his wounds. Whoever this was, he wont be talking any time soon. The door he was trying to excape through opens and a gnome peeks in, apon seeing the group he immediately closes the door, and you can hear it lock.
Tashe points at the where the gnome disappeared to, in case someone missed it. "Well, now they know we're here. Could one of you strong folk bash the door down? We ain't got time for finesse anymore." He sheathes his rapier and glances at the body. Then he pauses and frowns in thought.
"I'm gonna go try those doors from the main room. Anyone care to join me?" Tasche jogs back to the room with Bloo's corpse and tries to open the left door we haven't touched.
Veronica moves to stop Tasche.
"We have already alerted one area. We don't need to alert any more. We should stick together. This man is powerful and dangerous, if we get caught at anything but full strength, we might as well leave now."
She gets out her skeleton key and attempts the lock.
Tasche considers. "Right. I just hope Lamm doesn't run out the back while we wait. He is a slippery one. Staying together. Okay. I can do that." Nodding, he approaches the next door. Perhaps too closely, he watches Veronica work, fascinated by the lock mechanism and her talents. Never great at locks, Tasche's passion for technology and machinery means he finds them fascinating, and anyone skilled at unlocking such delicate machinery even more so. He studies her delicate movements, trying to commit them to memory.
"Are you mad? Tasche hisses at the terrifying creature before him. "You can't just push them out on the streets. Someone else, mayhaps someone worse, will take them in!" He pauses and then adds in a small voice "Not that there really is anyone worse. He sighs, as no obvious solutions come to mind. Finished, he notes the beast's new digits. "How are you doing that? Magic? Alchemy? The shape shifting I mean. That's very impressive. I've witnessed very talented magicians spend years trying to achieve what you just did."
"We can take care of the children later, and I agree it is something we should do" says Crenshaw. "But for now let's do what we're here for."
He stands ready for whatever is found after Tasche opens the door.
|
|
Arratu lowers his voice as best as he can. "I suppose it is magic. It is part of who I am. "
"Children such as these are used to the streets. They can hide and fend for themselves better than we can care for them. They are safer out there than in here, with your guns. DON'T YOU KNOW THAT MOST GUNSHOTS ARE ACCIDENTAL AND HAPPEN WHERE CHILDREN LIVE? GO CHILDREN. " He once again tries to shoo them out.
|
|
The children begin to scramble, heading out the main door, wherever they went, hopefully it is better than here...
From behind the door you can hear muffled orders being given...
The goon when checks is found to be unconscious, but on the edge of death. Unless someone stops his internal bleeding he will die in but a few moments.
Urhal tries to staunch the man's bleeding, presssing his hands against the wounds inflicted by Arratu's horns.
Arratu concentrates, and brings back his hooves.
"You, detective. Are you going to try picking this lock again, or shall I bash it down? "
"Hm. Our mutual acquaintance, Doctor Evans, mentioned that you were quite secretive. I suppose you would mind telling me who you are and what magic surrounds you then? I only ask from an academic perspective. I'm a bit of a scholar when it comes to obscure forms of magic. Perhaps it is something we can discuss at length at a future, less pressing, date." Tasche's followup question to Arratu is strangely lengthy given the hastiness of the situation. He tries to look and sound serious, well aware he probably he won't get a meaningful answer.
Tasche frowns a little as the children leave. "One can never get used to starvation, fear, and doubt. I just hope those of them with families find their way back to them. Heh." He chuckles and his tone becomes lighter. "At least they won't have to deal with accidental gunshot wounds. But Crenshaw is right." He turns to look at each other person in turn. "We should do our job. Everyone ready?"
Tasche takes up a readied position behind the kneeling lockpicker and raises his pistol towards the door. He listens carefully to try and make out the words. "Break it down. We need to move."
|
|
Arratu is all too happy to comply with Tasche. With Veronica slow to respond, Arratu pulls out a small pill and swallows it. The monster seemingly grows even larger, though in bulk, not in height. His muscles ripple and his skin hardens.
"MOVE ASIDE, DETECTIVE. THE TIME OF STEALTH IS OVER. THE TIME OF ARRATU HAS BEGUN. ARRATUUUUU! " He starts hammering away at the door with his hooves.
|
|
By the efforts if the half orc and his quick work the goon stabilizes, however he's still unconscious and likely will be for several days...
As Arratu pounds on the door he can hear the wood cracking and breaking... Unaware of the danger on the other side..
The sound of a massive gunshot blast from the other side of the door, and a hole splinters through the wood as the bullet blasts straight through the wood
I'm shooting at the first sign of any of yer ugly mugs! shouts the gnome from the other side, somehow armed with a gun Powerful enough to blow through a door.
|
|
The door should have opened by all the onslaught being put into it, however a metal bar is holding it shut on the other side, and although Arratu's blows have bent it the door stands firm. Another shot goes off, blowing another hole in the door.
You can hear the sound of someone reloading as the cartages clink on the ground
That's all the warning ye get! Next one's blowing yer head off! says the gnome.
Veronica can her the sound of cartridges falling to the ground.
"He's reloading." she mentions briefly, leaving her comrades to draw their own conclusions.
She would like to be diplomatic, but the gnome is armed and already shown to be willing to fire without even a direct line of sight.
She aims her revolver through the nearest hole from her position against the wall.
"Consider that our own warning shot. I suggest we come to some sort of arrangement, before my friends and I get through this door. "
Urhal slams his fist into the door from the side and roars, ”Don’t make us come in there! I can guarantee you won’t like the result!”
"Hm. That's one heck of a gun." Tasche drags a finger along the barrel of his gun, causing a few of the runes to light up. He then leans around Veronica and fires through a hole.
Leaning back into the safety of the sides, he grins wickedly at no one in particular. "I want it."
Crenshaw shows his revolver pointing at the gnome through the holes of the door.
"Sir, we ought to suggest you to abandon this place if you want to end up unharmed. We want you no ill, but we'll stop for nothing."
|
|
The gnome curses as shots come in. Giggles, open the door! he shouts, and the metal bar is removed.
Now unsupported the door falls in in a pile of splinters. Those of you who can see make note the room ahead is another work station, this one filled with canning Equipment. The gnome can be seen roughly 10 feet in, holding a gun twice his size with two barrels. He takes aim and fires again, the bullet hitting the far wall of the room your in.
a burly Half-orc with a huge smile on his face steps in from the left, he swings something at Arratu.
The weapon flies wide, smashing the wall. You recognize the weapon as an old fashioned Flail. The half orc just giggles despite his miss, his eyes filled with bloodlust.
[ooc]Okay, Initiative is the party-> the goons-> the children (who are out of sight)
Urhal smiles at Arratu’s efficient performance. He chuckles slightly, ”Nice job big guy. Next one’s mine.” He charges into the room, trying to strike the gnome.
Tasche follows Urhal into the room, keeping the imposing half orc between him and the gnome. As much as he admires the large gun, Tasche would very much prefer not to study it from the business end. Moving sideways a little for a clear shot, he touches his gun momentarily to charge it with his own power.
"Don't say I didn't warn you." With these words, Crenshaw pulls the trigger and shoots at the gnome.
"Woah woah now everyone. We need someone able to give us information! If we keep knocking them all out, or almost killing them, well have no means of interrogation!"
I mean come on. Prime source of information and I fire one shot and all of a sudden everyone is trigger happy.
"Surely now you are in a more negotiating mood? Any more damage and you might wind up worse than your friend. We are only after Lamm. Tell us where he is and this can all end."
She sees her attempts at diplomacy fall flatter than a freshly starched sheet. Sighing, she turns to the children.
"We have guns and knives. Either leave or get back to work. Do not get in our way. "
Rather than waste trying to talk again, she fires a warning shot into the door frame.
|
|
With Sebastian's shot the gnome goes down, dropping his rather large gun.
The children in the room all scramble away, dashing out doors or climbing out windows.
Your new left with the relitivly empty room. You notice a pool in the middle swirls as something moves inside it... Probably best not to get near...
Stairs lead down onto the production floor, and large doors in the back open where you can see an old fishing boat.
If any of you wish to pick up the gnome's gun you find it is loaded with rifle bullets, and big ones too. Seems the gnome was firing at you with a gun that could take down an ogre.
|
|
From his postion, Arratu scans the production floor. Surely there are more evil doers close by.
He concentrates, and his hooves disappear. Instead, a larger pig nose grows on his face (scent ability).
He raises his snout in the air, sniffing and concentrating.
Perception-scent:
Standard Perception- sight and listening:
|
|
Arratu points. "I smell someone below us. Maybe through that door that goes back inside the main building. And watch it. A croc is in that pool. Wonder why they keep it here? Body disposal? Makes me want to get a closer look at that pool. Gives me an idea, actually..."
Arratu concentrates, and his nose returns to a normal size, and he regains his tusks. With his tusks and his hands, he lifts up the dead gnome (after stripping it of equipment), and starts walking down the stairs to the pool.
"Maybe this tasty morsel will distract that thing and let us see what it is protecting. Anyone wanna take a gander with me?"
Tacshe jogs into the cleared room, making a beeline for the gun. He grabs it and zones out to the world, lost in rapturous examination of the weapon. This ignorance of his surroundings thankfully causes him to miss the children leaving, a subject he would otherwise complain about. After a few minutes, he comes to and shakes his head to clear it. "Nice gun." He glances around, taking in Veronica's frustration. "I think we're past talking. The only information we need comes from the man himself." He grins and reloads his revolver, affixing the large rifle to his back. [b]"Good idea Arratu! But that one's tiny. Tell you what, I'll get you some more.[b]" He moves back and checks the first goon's pockets, before dragging the corpse towards the pool making slow progress. Tasche takes a good look at the wand while he attempts to move the body.
"Let me take a look that." Veronica insists, holding her hand out for the wand.
Not being able to make out anything more than Tasche was, she turns her focus to the crocodile, trying to remember if she knows anything about it.
The sight of the children are bringing emotions to the surface that she had thought she was able to keep in check whilst working. Apparently, being this close, seeing what Megan might have been through, is clouding her mind and interfering with her being able to retrieve any information about anything in that moment.
"Uhh...' she says, blinking back tears and trying to clear her head. "If no one objects I think any coin we find should go to helping those kids, families in tough situations, and probably orphanages. Stop his work force at the source. That coin right there could go a long way to stopping kids needing to work for him, families selling them or orphans vanishing like they never existed."
|
|
As Arratu and Tasche drag the bodies closer to the pool, he looks over his shoulder at Veronica.
"I AGREE. THE CHILDREN SHOULD BENEFIT FROM WHAT MONEY IS TAKEN FROM THIS PLACE. BUT NOT TO THE ORPHANAGES. THOSE PLACES ARE CORRUPT AND THE MONEY WILL END UP IN THE WRONG HANDS. I SUGGEST DR.EVANS. HE KNOWS PEOPLE. HE COULD SEE THE MONEY GOES TO THE RIGHT PLACES. "
And with that, from a distance of about 20 feet, he throws the gnome's body into the pool of water.
"We'll see about that later. With everyone here on alert, we should hurry. He might squeeze out of here and escape or punishment." Crenshaw looks for an exit, though he still takes mental note of who's got the wand. If it's something dangerous, he'll have a talk with the others.
"Let's make decisions later. Like Sebastian said, not much time to make philanthropic decisions. Right now, we gotta keep moving."