Ignoring the new development, Shakhan is enraged by Lamm's dismissal and charges him in an all out assault.
Risdin drops his bow, draws his axe, runs up to the crocodile and hacks at its head.
Shakhan bellows in pain, his eyes reddening over from both rage and clouds of unconsciousness threatening to take him. But he carries through it; holding on to that rage and slashing his axe right down on the creature.
Risdin feels very dizzy and supports himself against the wall for a moment, then drops to the floor.
Stabilize: (DC 12 I think)
Una swiftly turns her target to the far more agressive (and apparently deadly) creature in front of her. She releases a crossbow bolt.
She takes a 5 foot step away from the creature, glancing around to see if any other dangers are nearby, and loads another bolt into the crossbow.
Shakhan, barely holding on through the pain, grips the axe by the short-haft to better control it and strikes straight for the eyes of the creature.
With sweat pearling down his face and chest heaving, Shakhan falls to the floor. Sitting, leaning back against the wall he tries to catch his breath. The blood is still seeping out from the crocodile's bite and he spends what energy he has to staunch the flow.
After a minute of recovery, Shakhan waves the stunned Pierre over. "You there! Priest man. I'm doing okay, I can sleep this off in a couple of weeks, but this guy here needs help" - inclining his head to Risdin - "a bit of help will be all he needs."
Nodding to Una, a warrior, just as I thought, she fought when others were slack-jawed, "Have a look if Lamm has any more surprises for us, and the damned geezer must've amassed a fortune. He never threw anything away." Slightly bitterly he adds, "Except people."
Risdin gargles some blood, "Yes, if you have a healer please have him help me."
"...and my name is Risdin, not guy, guy."
Una carefully makes her way around the water hole, looking for any other dangers.
She pushes at Lamms body with her foot, making certain he's dead.
Risdin, Una, Shakhan and Pierre: Lamm is a jaundiced and bent corpse of a man, his eyes yellowed and skin speckled from age. His left leg carries a pronounced limp as he shuffles out, wearing a grey cotton robe.
"Yessss, I remember you all. Pathetic, seeking some kind of 'justice'" He spits. "Why you should imagine life should be fair, I do not understand. Snivelling around whining about what should be, instead of getting on with life. Una - tomfool chose to take drugs, nobody but himself to blame. And yes, Shakhan, I remember you. Cage fighter. Should have stuck to that, don't try thinking, you never could and never will. Bergamot, another one who tries to think, instead of being the minion you are. And you, Arramack, so full of yourself, so clever... maybe you there is hope for, if you want to work for me - shiv these other fools and maybe we can talk."
Hytogg and Vic: As Hytogg's spell hits the gnome, he screams, clutches at his eyes yelling "I'm blind" and runs straight into a wall and falls over...
The Watch look rather surprised. "What's going on here? Has Hookshanks been bothering you?"
"Yes". "Yes, he was up to no good sir". "He and some of his minions had captured a bunch of children, and were using them for slave labor in that place there". "We caught him in the act, and were chasing him down when you showed up".
"I'd tie him up now, as his condition won't last long". "So there you are...another criminal finds his just rewards due to the services of Hytogg the Magnificant". And with that comment, he doff's his hat and takes a deep bow with flourish.
Vic looks from the gnome’s prone body then back to the watch guard and shrugs. “Yep. What he said. Him and his half-orc partner drew on us in the alley. We were just defending ourselves….and, ah, saving the children too, of course. I don’t suppose there was any kind of reward?”
Did he actually just call himself Hytogg the Magnificent?
Satisfied that their main quarry was dead, Una takes several minutes to look around the room for anything of interest.
"They were being held on the upper floor of that building there", Hytogg says pointing to the fishery. "Truly deplorable conditions, I might add".
"As to where they are now...I suggested that they go to the temple of Calistra and see Molly there, after giving them my last coins, I might add". "A child named Kester leads them, and he will verify our story".
"Now good evening to you gentlemen...and I will sleep safely knowing Korvosa's security rests in your capable hands".
After watching Una for a few minutes, Shakhan gets up - in spite of his wounds. He smiles. The first genuine smile that his companions have seen on him - in fact, the first real smile Shakhan has had in 2 years!
Looking at the pathetic remains of Lamm and the twisted caricature of a villain he has become, Shakhan shakes his head, still smiling. "Go find a shark, nobody else wants your damned remains." Then he shoves the corpse into the waters below letting Lamm be consigned to wet grave.
Shakhan goes and looks over the wounds Risdin has received;
Afterwards he helps out Una with her search of the place - apparently there's one more room to look at. Or so the door would suggest.
Vic will gladly follow Hytogg wherever he‘s headed, as the further he can keep from the inquisitive city watch, the better, at least that’s always been his policy. In fact, as soon as they‘re out of view, assuming the guard doesn’t order them to stay put, he’ll suggest they speed up their pace.
“Well, Hytogg the Magnificent, I wonder where Shakhan and the others got off to? I would have thought they’d have caught up to us by now. That fishery is probably going to be crawling with guardsman shortly. If we’re heading back there, we better move quickly.”
Along the way he continues to wonder about the possibility of a reward. Lamm’s a pretty nasty guy, even in a city full of them. His minions could have had bounties on them, not to mention the old man himself, should they ever find him. Revenge is nice, very satisfying even, but Vic doesn’t see any reason he shouldn’t also profit monetarily from this night‘s adventure.
Risdin gets up from the floor and looks to Pierre,"That was uncomfortable, thank you good sir!"
He starts to help Una with searching through Lamm's stuff.
Taking 20 = 18
By the time Vic and Hytogg arrive at the scene, Shakhan isn't smiling as broadly anymore - but it definitely seems that underneath his grim exterior something has been lifted off his shoulders. To the new arrivals: "You're late, Lamm has already become shark bait. But you can help, we're currently looking through the rubbish that Lamm collected."
By the time Vic and Hytogg arrive at the scene, Shakhan isn't smiling as broadly anymore - but it definitely seems that underneath his grim exterior something has been lifted off his shoulders. To the new arrivals: "You're late, Lamm has already become shark bait. But you can help, we're currently looking through the rubbish that Lamm collected."
"Where is his body"? "I won't believe it till I see it", Hytogg exclaims.
Shakhan wordlessly points into the water, with his still bloody axe.
Shakhan wordlessly points into the water, with his still bloody axe.
"And I'm sure you searched him before throwing him in...?"
Hytogg then casts determined t magic and begins to scan the area.
"Ya, Una started the search with Lamm - bolting his head first, to make sure he's damn well dead."
Una gingerly finds a way through the disgusting den to the dresser, and pulls out her shortsword to attempt to pry open the hatbox without touching it.
Risdin tries to open the lock on the strongbox with the keys found on Lamm's person.
Shakhan eyes the severed head of Zellara and repels in disgust and apprehension, "Witchcraft! What is the meaning of this?"
Una herself is perplexed by the head in the hatbox in front of her. Hadn't they just spoken to her a few hours ago.
"I think perhaps our matron is not who she seems to be. Either that, or Lamm is far craftier than I had originally given him credit for."
Vic spends a few moments gazing at the spot where Shakhan dumped Lamm’s body. They’ve no reason to lie about it, but he wishes he could have seen the old man’s corpse for himself. Something about the whole night still feels wrong to him. The head in a box doesn’t help.
“I never did trust her…but it looks like she’s been dead for awhile. Which doesn’t make sense. Maybe we should take what’s in the strongbox there and clear out of here, divide it up someplace else. Besides, the witch said we should meet her back at that place on Lancet Street when we were finished...”