Billo scratches his beard in contemplation as he stares at a fly-covered heap of manure on the ground.
"If no one has any objections, we need to get walking. Time is wasting if we are to find those crossbowmen."
I can't believe i'm actually considering possibly assaulting a slaughter house with these people
Let's be careful, keep our eyes open. If things go bad, stay close.
Tauni nods in agreement, and follows the others who seem to know this part of town.
Too bad its the middle of Neth...I think they drive the livestock at the beginning of the month. I was thinking we might sneak in as a bunch of cowpokes or something.....
"Loco, Shel, I'll defer to your expertise in this situation. This is not my side of town, to be sure." Callandor looks rather out of his element, spending equal time clutching his sword hilt and his coin purse, his face equal parts disgust, sympathy, and bewilderment.
Loco snickers at Callandor,
Well Callandor. My sage expertise tells me we're all a few tiles short of a roof. But at least we can have a look around and enjoy the sights and sounds of the slaughterhouse street. Ready? Let's get 'er done! And try stay out of trouble....Hahahaha!
Loco assumes his position ahead of the group and begins walking toward the slaughter houses, as if that were a perfectly normal thing to to do.
Loco leads the group through the Rego Crua and though, the group does get some strange looks from the locals, nobody attempts any funny business with the well-armed group. As you reach the slaughterhouse, you immediately sense the overpowering stench of blood and offal that pollutes the air. The building emanates a palpable aura of misery. Three chimneys, each teetering one direction or another, spew forth clouds of black smoke, while flocks of ravens seem to have nested on the roof. A large cattle pen dominates the front of the slaughterhouse. A rough-hewn log fence surrounds the pen, and at present, a dozen listless cows stand amidst mud and manure, ignorant of their eventual fate, most likely accomplished down the ramp in the southern pen, whose door is currently closed. Oddly, the entire slaughterhouse appears to be closed for business, as you see no activity outside, all the doors are closed, and all the shutters pulled.
"Let's be realistic. There is no way this place would be closed at this time of day unless there was something clandestine going on inside. I'm sure there is someway to let ourselves in, if the rest of you are up to it."
Tauni nods to Shel, indicating she is ready to go in. She seems to be out of place, as though she's afraid to speak lest the sound of a bare whisper carry inside and warn all therein.
"Loco, do you want to do the honors and find us a way in, or do you want me to handle it?" Shel attemtps to not insult the dwarf, giving him the first opportunity to show off his skills.
I suppose knocking is out of the question"
While shel and loco work to find a way in, Kaliana tries to keep her back to the group, slowly scanning the area, but trying not to make it too obvious. At least the sun is still out, I'd hate to be here a night
Loco looks to the back of the building if possible. Where do they dispose of their waste?
Maybe we can work together, eh Shel? I have no doubts about your skills...you little buggers are the slickest customers around I'll wager.
Now. About getting in. The windows are shuttered and not likely to allow access. There is probably a sluice pipe or an effluent channel. That could be fun....although they might dump their waste directly into an underground sewer. But that is probaby a little too much fun for our own good anyway. hehe.
Perhaps we can use the cattle to create a diversion. We round up the cattle to the doorway, we open the doors and herd them in. Shel and I can slip in among the animals. If anyone accosts you....bluff up some explanation to stall them....if it gets ugly we'll sneak up behind them and whack 'em! Does that sound like a reasonable plan - at least by our lunatic standards?
Or we can open the door and just walk in.
"Of the two plans, I think sneaking up, opening the door, and bludgeoning anyone inside would probably be more successful. I'm not of a mind to be trampled by cattle, if I can help it."
So the door it is. And I guess old Loco will have to stick his neck out this time. Something tells me it won't be the first time.
But I'll say this. I ain't going in there all alone to stir up trouble. Just a peak inside for now. I'm not exactly getting paid for this nonsense after all, eh? Maybe one of you can man the door to cover my back. The other two can take the top of the ramp.
It is indeed locked.
And here I was hoping to stay clean, after this I'm taking a long bath. let's get to it, before someone decides to ask what we're doign out here.
Loco inspects the door for cracks, keyholes - anything unusual/ He sticks his ear to it. Then - unless he notices something unusual - he reaches into one of the deep pockets of his overalls, and pulls out a number of delicate tools. With nimble fingers - quick as quick - he will attempt to unlock the door with them.
The cows moo a little, as Loco saunters into their pen, stepping in manure and other filth, as he makes his way down the ramp, obviously leading to some place underneath the slaughterhouse. Loco puts his ears up to the door but does not hear anything suspicious. He pulls his tools out and makes quick work of the complicated lock mechanism. He opens the door a sliver and sees a single file 10' passageway, most likely for the cattle, leading down 20 feet, then turning to the right. He also sees what appears to be the flickering of a light coming from around the corner, but he cannot see its source.
After putting his tools away silently and picking up the hand axe ...he pulls out his throwing axe as well- and slowly sneaks down the 20 ft corridor.
Just when he reaches the corner he quietly exhales on the blade of the hand-axe. After polishing it to a gleam, he crouches down and reaches out the blade. Perhaps the steel will give him a reflection of what's to come around the corner. Maybe it's distorted and meaningless....very well...he will just peak out then.
Loco peeks around the corner and sees the ramp go down another 20 feet before leveling out and turning again. At the end of the ramp, he spots a chair next to table, upon which rests what appears to be scraps of food and magazines, as well as a wineskin. A flickering torch rests on a sconce against the wall. More torchlight flickers from down the corridor to the west.
Finger to his lips, Loco beckons Kaliana to the corner. Then he proceeds to the table. Again - he uses the blade in an attempt to see around the corner before looking.
If the coast his clear he will take a moment to sift through the magazines...eyeing the food with disgust....
With a nod to show she understands, Kaliana slowly makes her way to the corner. Despite being careful, she is unable to keep the scales of her armor from scraping.
I hope no one heard that
Shel follows behind the two, trying her best to be silent.
Stealth
The light is too poor to see any reflection with the blade. As Loco peeks around the corner again, he is surprised when he sees a dagger flying at him, catching him in the neck, nearly severing his corotid artery, as he screams in pain, barely conscious from all the blood loss, as he grips his neck! Loco hears a voice, "Gotcha!"
Damage: [/ooc]
if he is unarmed,
Hearing Loco scream, Kaliana leaps forward, rushing past Loco to confront the unknow assailant.
"You better hope the dwarf lives"
Loco reflexively spits out a blood-sppattered a curse right at his assailant.
As Kaliana turns the corner, she sees a muscular looking blonde human wielding an odd-looking hammer, which she promptly disarms, with a flashy move. Pic of human The blonde human's smile disappears, as he looks at the hammer on the ground and thinks about going for it but instead draws a dagger and slashes at her, yelling "I'm Torkan Anderhoff and today, you all die, bi&ch!", but Kaliana easily sidesteps the swing.
"Well you're a big thing, aren't you," Shel asks the large blonde. Seeing the look on his face, Shel pulled her dagger and prepared to face the fellow. "If you'd like to give us some information about those crossbowmen who disrupted the funeral, we can be on our way, and we can avoid all of this."
Loco lashes out viciously like a wounded animal - fighting back to survive!
We'll slice you up like a turkey, Ander -f@&+!, he rasps through gobs of blood.
"Well you're a big thing, aren't you," Shel asks the large blonde. Seeing the look on his face, Shel pulled her dagger and prepared to face the fellow. "If you'd like to give us some information about those crossbowmen who disrupted the funeral, we can be on our way, and we can avoid all of this."
Torkan smiles. "Well, if it isn't Shel, you lousy thief. Sure, I'll help you, I'll get thems right now for ya." He looks up the hall and yells, "Kelvin, Morgan, gets over here, there's people that needs killin'!" He then looks at Shel, "That work for ya?"
More turkeys that needs slaughterin' you mean, eh Antsinpants? GET IN HERE!
Tauni moves into he building, lumbering up to Loco as soon as she sees his grave condition. She casts a spell, fully aware of the battle raging nearby.
Assuming she can start from W22, she will move to T21 and cast Cure Light Wounds on Loco. Heals . If she is starting from further outside the building, she'll double move to get to Loco.
As she pulls her hand away from Loco, he may notice on her palm a birthmark in the shape of a rose growing from paving stones; it looks so well defined that it could be mistaken for a skillfully applied tattoo. She smiles at him and says Milani's blessings on you, my friend.
As Kaliana brigns her blade across in a devious slash, "Bastard dog! If you will wont sing, then silence!"
As Kaliana brings her blade across in a devious slash, "Bastard dog! If you will wont sing, then silence!"
Kaliana swings the curved blade with skill, slicing open Torkan's abdomen, his guts spilling out, and a look of shock and horror frozen on his face as his last image, as he falls to the floor dead! As you look around the scene, this must be the area where the cows are literally slaughtered, perhaps with the odd-looking hammer on the floor, as you see a lot of dried blood stains on the floor and up ahead, as well as a series of iron hooks attached to rails on the ceiling.
"Torkan, no!!" come the screams from up ahead, as the two crossbowmen from earlier in the day appear from down the hall, two bolts flying from their weapons at Kaliana. But their grief must be great, as they do not even come close to the elf!
Shel takes a step back, behind the bend in the hallway. "Make them come to us, Kaliana. No reason for us to be those bastards target practice. Make sure the others are coming, Loco. We might need some help here."
Hearing the sounds of combat and the choked cursing of Loco, Callandor bursts down the ramp and through the door to step to the forefront.
Round 3.
Tauni will cast Cure Light Wounds on Loco (rolled 3 points of healing earlier), and use her move action to ready her shield.
Once the bolts fly past, Kaliana charges the crossbow men, hoping to reach them before they reload
smart.....real smart. Rush head long into trouble, like the damn fool girl father thinks I am
Kaliana charges and slashes the crossbowman severely, slashing him across the chest, but he still lives, barely!
Enemies' Turn Round 3:
The crossbowmen yell "Intruders, intruders!" Then proceed to drop their crossbows, draw their short swords and flank Kaliana. Yet despite her precarious position, Kaliana keeps her wits about her, spinning and deflecting both blows simultaneously with her blade, so they bounce off her armor harmlessly! Her assailants curse her skill!
You hear movement and sounds from further west and from the north, from the first floor.
Shel moves as far as her short legs will take her, almost. Dagger in hand she moves to n 30, ready to help her companion. Remember me, boys? I haven't forgotten our last run in. I should've known troublemakers like you would be behind all this.
Loco kicks over the table and steps behind it for cover, his also keeps an eye on the passage behind him in case others approach from the entrance. It looks like he doesn't have a clear shot at anyone yet.