Laria snorts at Laurants comment, "They have always been there Hun, you just probably didn't notice because the side you were on. I do think that since Thrune been in power its even more so however."
Tongue clicking against the roof of his mouth in a half-playful, half-schoolmarmish fashion, the Calistrian adds to Laria's comment, "And not for nothing, but too many of the nobility share those sentiments, including my dear father, or are at least willing to turn a blind eye to it. Though clearly not yourself, Master Laurent. I'm sorry for having misjudged you at the park."
He raises his glass once more, tosses back the rest of the contents, then stands. "Alright... I need a bath, or at least a wet cloth. If our lovely host doesn't feel she needs us to wait, shall we head down and relieve her of the burden of minding us?"
"Out of sight, out of mind? But will she forget about us if she is not minding us?" Carawyn asks. "She still minds Nam Comerivos, though she doesn't see him? Perhaps he is invisible? We wish we could be invisible sometimes. We shall try that, when we see him. ... If we can see him."
Berenice rubs the back of her neck.
"Well, let's get down there. Better to have these conversations where the tallfolk outside can't here."
She looks at Laurent.
"Also, while we're puttin' cards on the table, Laurie? Your man Beppe and me aren't actually related. We're both in with the Bellflower Network, and he didn't wanna blow his cover at the protest."
She gives an awkward, embarrassed grin.
"If she minded us whilst we were out of sight, then would she be out of her mind? Would one mind an invisible creature if, being invisible, it did not matter? If it's mind over matter, then the matter is of no mind. Yes? No. Alright. Let's go." Aldren has no clue what he just said but he seems amused by it all the same. Perhaps it was the alcohol.
He finds a place to set his glass down then heads to the hidden area, eager to put this dat behind him.
"Hmm? You two are into horticulture together? Why would that be a secret? And what is it with talking about invisible people and ghosts? We have yet to see any evidence of either except for a bit of music."
Lirana then yawns hugely. "Perhaps we could find beds for the night?
Laria says, "There is room in the Nest to sleep there are pallats and foodstuffs." she says sheepishly. "This was once a rest stop so to speak for escaped slaves. I expect your discretion by the way that is the cost of the use." with that she moves toward a bar set in the floor and opens it. " you can rest below, talk to Nam. he hired me to keep him below along with some cargo. unfortunately I don't know that the cargo is and I don't want to. as long as it wasn't slaves, a girl gotta make her money. Or if you don't feel like dealing with Nam yet you can just sleep and rest directly in the basement. You wont have any pallets but it is warm and safe."and she nods as each of you go below.
@laruant- with Berenices revelation Beppe sags his head and gives a big sigh. Following the rest of you into the basement.
At Aldren's comments Laurent nods. "I thank you for your kind words, but I am not a revolutionary by nature, and a democrat even less so. I'm in this because the Lord Mayor, and by extension the Thrunes, are bad kings who literally worship devils, not simply because they are kings. Assuming what we are doing here is not just the fantasy of children, I want a coup d'état, a restoration if you will, and not a complete restructuring of society. We already have an Andoren and a Galt on this continent, and that is quite enough."
Laurent manages to keep his surprise under check when Berenice reveals that both she and Beppe are members of the Bellflower Network. "I see. We will have to talk about that later, in private, Beppe," is all he says for now, though he adds a small smile to his words to show he is not angry at his valet.
If everything is concluded, he will accompany the group down into the basement.
Carawyn follows the others down, looking around at the basement.
"Do we wish to sleep on the ground or on pallets?" she asks.
Aldren feels something in his soul break at the mention of no surfaces on which to sleep but, while in front of their host, he bites his tongue and smiles gamely. "I'm sure we'll manage just fine; thank you for the hospitality."
No beds...and no bath. My day just keeps getting better and better. With my luck, this Nam fellow will be some Abadaran dirt merchant with the face of a poxxy horse. Mistress, kill me now and get it over with.
Once in the cellar, he looks about, hoping against hope that a bed or bath might be hiding forgotten in the corner. Seeing none, he replies to Carawyn, "Let's find Nam. If we're sharing this warren with him, may as well not surprise him."
At Aldren's comments Laurent nods. "I thank you for your kind words, but I am not a revolutionary by nature, and a democrat even less so. I'm in this because the Lord Mayor, and by extension the Thrunes, are bad kings who literally worship devils, not simply because they are kings. Assuming what we are doing here is not just the fantasy of children, I want a coup d'état, a restoration if you will, and not a complete restructuring of society. We already have an Andoren and a Galt on this continent, and that is quite enough."
Laurent manages to keep his surprise under check when Berenice reveals that both she and Beppe are members of the Bellflower Network. "I see. We will have to talk about that later, in private, Beppe," is all he says for now, though he adds a small smile to his words to show he is not angry at his valet.
If everything is concluded, he will accompany the group down into the basement.
Berenice frowns.
"Easy for you to say, Laurie. There are lots of kings who don't worship devils that don't bat an eyelash at using halfling slaves. I'd love to live in Andoran. There halflings can live free and make their own lives, be their own people. You don't get that anywhere else outside of wild frontiers like Varisia."
She walks towards the stairs to the basement and then turns back to him.
"It may seem like a fantasy to you, cloistered in your fancy manor polished and scrubbed by halflings you barely know, but down here? To people like us? It's real. It's so real I'd die for it.
Lots of people have already died for it."
She turns and heads down the stairs.
Beppe takes a look around the basement, "There is a secret door behind that group of boxes over there. I don't care what we do I'm exhausted."Beppe Also defends Laruent from berenices remarks. "That's unfair Berenice, Everyone has their own path and struggles."
Rex puts in his two cents, " I would absolutely vote for a pallet tonight. plus who knows maybe Nam has some wine and refreshments."
"If we know about it, is it really a secret," Carawyn says with a frown. "Secrets should be unspoken, like with Baiardo. That we mustn't say."
She looks pointedly away from the secret door as she waits for someone to open it.
The half-elf stares at the secret door for a moment and his mood brightens slightly at Rex's comment about wine and refreshments, but it quickly fades. "Somehow I doubt we would be so lucky... but we can hope. Anyway, we're not expecting trouble, right? This Nam guy is an acquaintance of Laria's... Let's go."
He opens up the secret door -- "Thank you, Beppe, I hadn't noticed it." -- and, assuming nothing leaps out at him or makes him want to vomit, he heads through.
"As long as it is a safe place, I don't care overmuch what I sleep on. After today, I'm fairly certain I could pass out on a rock."
Rex helps Aldren with the door and moving supplies out of the way. After the door opens the rest of you see lights from lamps inside the wasps nest. Going inside, you see a long damp hallway opens to the southeast into a large reservoir of calm dark water leading to the sewers. A wooden pier extents twenty feet into the water. while another twenty feet from the dock rises a top half of a beautiful elven woman statue. a fowl smell of rotten meat hangs in the air and it seems to be coming from the pier. two small entrance holes leading back further into the complex. is opposite of the pier to access the chambers beyond.
"*Cough* by the gods! what is giving that awful smell." Rex exclaims.
"That's a dead body smell, I'm pretty sure" Beepe mutters.
Aldren notices the dead body, "Is that a..."
His voice trails off when he sees the statute. I expected as much but...
He immediately pulls out his holy symbol, utters a prayer to the Savored Sting, then begins walking towards the pier and the statute, trying to make sense of its presence in such a horrid place. While he is aware of the body and the stench, it is only at the periphery of his consciousness. There is a greater mystery here than the smell.
"It is probably coming from the body in the water," Carawyn helpfully replies to Beppe, holding her veil more firmly over her nose. "We wonder how Nam was able to tolerate it. Perhaps he can't smell..."
Choosing to keep her eyes focused on the statue, Lirana will approach it with Aldren.
"This is not a pleasant place.
"Welcome to my life," Berenice comments.
She nods at the statue.
"At least your goddess favors us here, Aldy."
"Helloooooo! We're looking for Nam." she calls out into the darkness.
"Too bad it isn't my goddess down here. This place would look a whole lot prettier."
"Hmm. I don't think a proper Calistrian has been down here in a long time. This is... disgraceful. Look at the slime on the base of the statute." He pauses, standing short of the pier, and looks over at the body.
As aldren gets close to the body a large white crocodile with red eyes pounces out of the water. everyone Roll perception check to see if you can act on surprise round. (standard action only; then intative.)
<-ouch, even no flat footed I think that hits you.
<- Damn Aldren, your grappled.
Initiative-
<-14 average-
Croc first- after surprise.
<-13.5average
Surprise round- (go surprise round. Battler map under Livery map.)
Croc-
Then heroes-
Tactics-
Aldren grappled-
Beppe gives a shout and runs towards the end of the dock. "Noooooo.!" drawing a dagger as he runs.
Beppe surprise round-
Carawyn gawps as the albino crocodile lurches forward.
"Is that Nam? If so, he is not what we pictured..."
"Aldren?!"
Rather shocked by the sudden attack in what was supposed to be a 'safe' place, Lirana channels, hoping to keep Aldren alive until their group can free him.
@lirana - could you add your channel number on stats. I have no idea on your channels.
yes
Berenice shouts in surprise as the beast snaps Aldren up, taking a shot at the creature hoping to get it to let him go.
;
Laurants posts seem to be spotty on weekends. so I will Npc if not posted by tomorrow. (Gl aldren)
I just realized Lirana you need to update your character to lvl two (your hp and other things).
Carawyn yours says lvl 1 but your hp is correct.
Berenice yours still says 1 also. but your stuff is two.
(sooo, could everyone just double check the stuff written on your stat sheet and stat info under your name for quick reference. thank you.)
(Gl aldren)
Laurent decides to not pursue Berenice's attacks on his family and background at the moment, simply stating, "We will have to talk politics later, mademoiselle. I'm a little tired and louse-ridden at the moment."
He gives Beppe a nod of thanks when his valet defends him.
He joins the others in the basement, only to catch sight of the crocodile just as it leaps out of the water to devour Aldren.
The surprise of the event quickly wears off and, drawing his sword, Laurent rushes to Aldren's side.
the White crocodile suddenly starts twisting around in a death roll with aldrens leg in its mouth. in addition to the ripping of his leg Aldren gives out a scream and falls prone when the croc twists.
@laurant- no your good.
tactics-
Aldren prone and grappled by croc-
HP: 16/18
AC 14, touch 14, flat-footed 12 (+4 vs. giants)
Fort +3, Ref +2, Will +5 (+3 vs. illusion spells/effects)
CMD: 11
Effects:
Spells/Abilities:
Dancing Strings: 0/1
SLAs: bleed [], chill touch [], detect poison [], touch of fatigue []
0: xxx, mage hand, open/close, prestidigitation
1st: animate rope[], peacebond (DC 14)[], unseen servant [x], XXX []
Carawyn's eyes widen as the crocodile starts to roll and then narrows ominously.
-12 HP applied; now at 1/16
Grappled
Aldren screams as the crocodile lunges out of the water, grabs him, and begins rolling him about like a ragdoll. Sensing his life fading, he draws his dagger and tries to stab at the overgrown lizard in a desperate attempt to save his life .
Lirana will draw her morningstar and attack the croc with it.
Making a quick dash to the southeast, Laurent attempts to plunge his sword into the crocodile's neck, but his thrust is repelled by the monster's tough hide.
Beppe sees his master going toe to toe with the croc and it gives him a fierce bit of pride in his charge. pulling out a short sword Beppe comes in attacking. slashing at its eye's, solidly connecting the creature gives out a thrashing of its tail trying to hit Beppe.
Rex hears a shout given by Aldren. For a moment he is torn between helping running away and see what he could do to help. Looking down at his sword cane. that wont do anything.. once again he cursed his parents for only making Reckton go to fencing classes. when suddenly he realized that he might have a spell that could just reach the creature.
giving a quick prayer to the Gods of Luck. Rex runs to the edge of the water and casts a spell.
The crocodile looks up as a color spray hits it square in its face and body stunning the creature. It drops Aldren out of its mouth, and is temporary blinded.
tactics-
croc Blinded and stunned. down 18
Aldren down to 1 hp.
Croc doesn't go its turn as you see it starting to move again.
HP: 16/18
AC 14, touch 14, flat-footed 12 (+4 vs. giants)
Fort +3, Ref +2, Will +5 (+3 vs. illusion spells/effects)
CMD: 11
Effects:
Spells/Abilities:
Dancing Strings: 0/1
SLAs: bleed [], chill touch [], detect poison [], touch of fatigue []
0: xxx, mage hand, open/close, prestidigitation
1st: animate rope[], peacebond (DC 14)[], unseen servant [x], XXX []
Carawyn's continues to focus on the crocodile.
"It doesn't seem to be very bright," she notes, tittering slightly at her joke.
Seeing the crocodile let go, Berenice runs over to the pier and tries to grab Aldren and pull him out of the water.
Worried that Berenice is too small to move Aldren by herself, she will help move him out of any water and away from the Croc before it can recover.
"Way to go Rex!" Laurent shouts, seeing the effectiveness of the other nobleman's spell on the crocodile.
Not wanting to waste the opening, he tries to plunge his sword into the reptile's side.
@berenice- just a strength check would be fine because the croc let go and is sitting there with his mouth open.
@aldren your at the edge of the pier the croc half came out of the water and onto the Pier with his tail hanging off.
The White crocodile shutters once then goes limp as Laraunt plunges his short sword into the meaty flank of the beast killing it.