Finishing all his meal and some of the others' that they didn't seem to have the motivation for...
"Well, I'm all for scouting it out tonight, if ye all are.
I cannot speak for all of ye, and though I've noticed Humans are a bit blind at night in comparison to my folk, if you don't feel it'd bother you, I'm all for it.
First, if you two decide WHAT approach we want, then we can figure WHEN we can achieve it, and what may best be left for the daytime or tomorrow night. As my people say 'Knowing is half the battle'... I believe the other half involves getting sodding drunk, but I think combining the Wisdoms of our peoples might be best in this situation."
"Well if you think using a boat, and waiting for the fog to roll in is a good I'm for that. As long as we get a hold of Lamm I could care less on our entry plans."
Everyone:
Finding a fisherman to take the afternoon and evening off by renting his rowboat out to you is a fairly simple matter in the docks. Waiting until the sun sinks deep into the Arcadian Ocean to the west, you wait uneventfully for the early morning, keeping yourselves awake with cups of strong tea. Taking the rowboat out, you row yourselves out into the wide expanse that is the Jeggare River. To your rear is the East Shore district and facing you is the old docks which sprawl upwards towards the Midlands and higher still to the oldest part of the city where dwells Castle Korvosa and the Heights.
The long evening gave you plenty of opportunity to study the area in question as well as give you an excellent idea of guard patrols. From your observations, a light guard patrol of two to five city guards walks the main thoroughfare dockside, but observing the address that Zellara gave you reveals much more. You manage to see small figures moving near the fishery's single ramshackle barge, likely a once-proud fishing vessel now downtrodden and dirty, much like the building itself. Even from your distance from shore, the smell of putrid rotting fish wafts out towards you, and you thank whatever gods you believe in that there is a light chilly breeze blowing westerly. From what you can tell, the fishery has two levels, the upper level glowing with bright lantern light and the lower level dimly from somewhere in the interior.
As expected, a fog rolls in from the sea, coating the area in a misty veil that prevents any vision.
Quickly checking his equipment he nods to the dwarf, "Shall we begin"
"May Shelyn smile upon us, this foggy night."
As the two of you cautiously pull up anchor and try to navigate the strong spring river current, you are pulled several feet down river and away from the fishery. Zarak, you clumsily try to fight against the current, and are unable to assist Dunzeltoff in gaining any headway. You both continue to try and finally are able to head towards the dark warehouse to the south of the fishery.
The warehouse that you pull up to is silent and only the quiet whistle of wind through the pilings and piers gives any sign of motion down here.
Zarak:
You see the shape of a large creature swimming under the docks between the lower level of the fishery and the decrepit barge, circling as if seeking something.
Watching the fishery's south side, you have a fairly good view of both the upper and lower levels. The dim light coming from the lower level occasionally blinks repetitively, as if something keeps blocking the light.
Coyote:
The wretched ache in your shoulders startles you awake, and the incessant dripping of grimy sweat and congealed blood into your eye stings as you take a look at your surroundings. Dangling from rope and iron manacles over shallow lapping river water, stripped down to your trews, you easily spot the enormous gator watching you from one corner, gazing at you with its distinctively cold reptilian gaze. The chill from the water palpable, making the bottoms of your naked feet ache even more than from the beatings that they took. Several mossy pilings emerge from the water, supporting the roof and narrow walkways surrounding the pit over which you're dangling. Other ropes dangle nearby, with impossibly small rusty iron manacles attached to them. Across from you, a small chamber with old lockboxes and cabinets arranged haphazardly, while a beaten door leads into a room.
Coyote will take stock of his situation and the tools at hand, especially any visible means of escaping the shackles or any people present. Is there any chance to swing over to the walkway, or is he dangling too far to reach anything of interest?
"I've got a bad feeling", Zarak whispers to Dunzeltoff. "I could've sworn I just saw something moving in the water."
Coyote:
The area is quiet and you don't see anything out of the ordinary, and the only creature you see is the gator. You hear a slight snoring from the closed room. A single lantern hanging near the room has illuminated the area which allowed you to see your surroundings. You manage to spy your gear, tossed carelessly among the piles of goods across from you . Judging by the smell of fish, you're fairly sure you're in the docks, but whether in the Narrows of Old Korvosa, Midland docks, or East Shore, you're not sure . The throbbing in your head makes trying to remember anything painful, but you are able to put together a mental picture of Giggles, one of Lamm's men overly fond of the cudgel and a disturbing tusked grin distinctive to half-orcs . The manacles around your wrists are tightly locked and you are unable to free yourself from them . Damp with moisture from the river, you can't get a good enough handhold on the rope to try and climb up . You're situated in the direct center over the pit - swinging over to the walkway is possible, but you're too high up to be able to touch it with your feet.
Zarak:
You thought you saw something, but perhaps it was just a trick of the fog.
"W-Where? What is it?"
Perception Check: 16
Coyote:
Dunzeltoff:
You see a large mottled gray and brown shark slowly swimming underneath the docks, its coloring hiding it among the fog and docks.
"Psst... Zarak... Careful... We've got a shark under us here..."
"Well hopefully it's not hungry"
"Are you OK? We're all clear on the plan right?"
Zarak & Dunzeltoff:
Coyote:
You manage to swing yourself over to the other rope and successfully wrap your legs around the rope, but the hemp rope you're attached to is soaked through - you'll need a sharper edge than what the other manacles have to cut the rope. Trying to wrest your hands free from the manacles themselves is next to impossible without a lubricant of some sort.
"Are you OK? We're all clear on the plan right?"
"Ya, let's just be quick. Being on the water is making a ill." Zarak answers his face turning pale. "Shark doesn't help matters either..."
Coyote:
The ropes are looped through a series of pulleys and tied securely onto the pier base in the upper right corner of the room. You think that if you manage to climb up to where the pulleys are secured to the ceiling, you might be able to work the rope free from the first pulley, but you have a good chance of dropping into the water.
Making his way behind Dunzeltoff, Zarak is just happy to be getting away from the boat.
Zarak & Dunzeltoff:
Both of you now spot the lazily swimming shark underneath the walkway and surrounding areas. All seems to be quiet, despite the startlingly loud footsteps from Dunzeltoff as he steps off the rowboat. At the end of the walkway is a ladder leading to the upper level, while at the opposite end is a doorway . The flickering of the light coming from the windows has stopped.
"Where to know my friend", he whispers to Dunzeltoff.
Well, proceeding with the plan, if we haven't done so yet, we'll climb up to the ship deck, hauling the ladder up with us, as quick and silently as possible.
As the two reach the ships deack,Zarak begins to pull the ladder up.
He carefully looks around the checking for any movement, and looking for any loose rope.
OK, Once the ladder is up under the first window (against the mast if possible?), I'll head up while Zarak holds it, stopping at the top, just under the window, to let Zarak follow. I'll do the Touch of Luck thing on myself, unless Zarak asks for my special ju-ju instead. Then I guess I'll go in thru the window, listening & looking at the light/shadows for clues to what's going on before I bust in.
"Sure is quiet", Zarak checks his surroundings. "You'd think there's be a bit more noise, despit the hour."
Dunzeltoff:
As you creep up the ladder and peer into the room, you see the curled up form of a sleeping child directly beneath the window. In the middle of the room, pacing around two large tubs of filthy, slime-filled water, is the mangiest cur of a dog you've ever seen.
Across from you is a walkway that wraps around the room with two doorways, and to your right is a stairway leading up to a closed doorway.
Hey, welcome back!
Lilith & Zarak:
Ducking back under the window sill, I whisper to Zarak:
"There's just a scroungy dog and three kids sleeping. A stair goes up one more level, and there's two other doors."
"I'd perfer not to wake the children, or alert the dog" Zarack ponders the options. "Let's try the stairway"
Zarack tightens a gauntled fist.
After checking to make sure Zarak is right behind me ready to go,
I whisper a quick prayer to Shelyn, spitting and rubbing it in to myself, :-)
and slide open the window, using the back edge of my glaive.
I'll lurch to the right as I enter, and if possible take a further step in.
Would I need a Handle Animal Check in this situation? I'll use the Touch of Luck then: A 16 it is!
"Here, Fella!" "Aw... that's a good pup..."
Zarak readies his crosbbow incase Dunzeltoff's plan fails.
Dunzeltoff & Zarak:
Dunzeltoff slowly creeps over the sleeping figure and offers a tidbit to the mangy canine. With a snarl and a deep growl, the dog starks barking loudly. The three children by the window jolt awake and quickly move as far away from you and the dog as they can. As Zarak tries to hit the dog with his crossbow, but sails harmlessly over its back and into the walkway on the other side.
Coyote:
The loud barking of a dog overhead alerts your attention, as well as the sounds of feet hitting wood. There must be a floor above you where this activity is taking place. Thankfully, you do not see any sign of the shark, but the room with the beaten wooden door shows signs of activity. The door flies open, and the gator turns his head to watch the occupant, a slightly stooped old human male. He doesn't seem to notice that you're conscious, and walks on the walkway around and behind you, fumbling with a latch and exiting through a doorway.
"Gods be damned," Zarack curses to himself as he quickly tries to reload him bow
South of the round pool is an upper level, from which there are two narrow gaps. On said upper level is a large tub, which drains out through the narrow gaps into the round pool below. The upper room appears to be mostly empty, though you're not 100% sure because of the angle of your view.
The stairway on your right leads up to the upper room, while the wrap around walkway on the left side leads to the other two doors.
I hesitate for a moment, not having a true grudge against the dog, but it seems to be guarding the children for Lamm,
and Shelyn surely couldn't object to allowing it's spirit a chance at a less revolting body...
Whispering a quick prayer to Shelyn, I aim to give a quick ending to the mutt: 14 to-hit, 7 damage...
"Hush, children. You're about to be free of this Lamm. You can make your way down to the boat, but it's probably best to stay tight until we've taken care of the situation. Where is Lamm? What is up there, and thru these doors?"
Finally loading his crossbow, Zarak moves to cover 'Toff.
.
"Are the children okay" Zarak looks with concern.
Nimbly stepping aside from Dunzeltoff's glaive, the dog continues to bark loudly.
The children seem to be too terrified to speak to you, but one of them looks at you sullenly. "Naw, Lamm's down wit' his croc, but up is - "
The child is interrupted before he gets a chance to finish, jumping with a start as one of the doors on the upper floor flies open, revealing a one-eyed half-orc covered with pucker-shaped scars over his face and neck. He lets out a childish giggle, incongruous with his bulking frame, drawing out a flail and shield. He launches himself over the railing, landing solidly on his feet, continuing to cackle madly .
A solid twang from Zarak's crossbow and the meaty *chunk* silences the barking dog. The force of the bolt makes the dog slide several inches and stops right at the half-orc's feet. His one eye glares back at you from his scarred simian face. "Oh, the boss ain't gonna like that."
Another figure comes out of the same doorway, half-dressed in a fancy coat and leathers, he looks down at the body of the dog, yelling out, "Bloo!" With a snarl, he draws out a thin black stick set with green-painted runes, pointing at the wielder of the crossbow and utters a single word. A sticky green glob hisses out of the end of the stick, heading unerringly to Zarak . The children, shrieking, flee towards a side door, scrambling at its lock, tears pouring down their face as they are unable to exit.
Whimpering, the dog tries to stand, but can only crawl away from Zarak & Toff.
With a pitiful whimper, the dog keels over and doesn't move.
"I don't think the boss'll be liking much at all tonight..."