"I'm curious to find out what her reaction will be once I mention you called her "Zarty" though"
“Oh yes, at school she was always ‘Zarty’. And I was ‘Phoxy Phelly.’” The woman’s eyes glaze over as she reminisces. *Sigh* The things we used to get up to …”
“Zarty took over biology class from a substitute Asmodean nun one time. Sister sure learnt a few things she didn’t know before.”
“And then there was the time Mother Inferior decided to have a ‘Uniform Optional’ day. Zarty took the meaning a bit too literally …”
At Manius and Abraxi’s ‘suggestion’ Phelerosa’s eyes harden, but she seems prepared to play along.
Without a word she slips the arms of the Edgy Libertarians and kneels down to pull a scarlet crossbody bag out from under her bed. “I keep a bag packed in case I need to get away in a hurry. I didn’t want to greet Sawndannac’s marines if they ever decided to come ashore.”
“It’s time to go.” She searches the Pathfinders’ faces. “I assume you are offering me your protection?”
Emmy Winner shows up in front of the warehouse on time and begins a solo performance of Tybalt’s part in Gnomeo and Juliet.
The crowd soon gets bored with the single character’s lines, which are incomprehensible outside the context of the entire play.
A broad-shouldered man wearing a grey kerchief over his face nudges Jake and Dave. “I detested the Bard à l'école. Let’s kick that fool’s derrière, mes amies.”
As the crowd boos him, Olandil raises a eucalypt rod carved at one end to look like a humanoid hand holding a dark crystal. Light flashes out from the gemstone in all directions as the actor declares, “A plague of all your houses!”
“Today, I shed light upon one of Pezzack’s greatest secrets. Emmy Winner, Grimy Rick and the Guv’nor, men you trust as members of your own faction are one man – Amalia Wraxton’s lover - the Printsmith! All your secrets are laid bare to Pezzack’s greatest journalist, soon for the entire city to see! Panic! Panic and regroup! Pay no attention to outside affairs!”
He gestures emphatically as he speaks, but his gestures do not match his words; instead, they are a series of Pathfinder hand signs.
Follow me … into building ... secret passage … underground
Pandemonium erupts and opposing factions take the opportunity to settle a few scores with their rivals, allowing the Pathfinders time to grab a stunned Phelerosa and decide their course of action.
Map is linked at the top of the page!
The dank tunnels reek of putrid seawater that oozes from the stone ceiling and leaves the walls coated with a wet sheen. A few fresh torches suggest the derelict tunnel is still in use.
You can hear a rapid clomp-clomp sound coming from somewhere to the west.
It’s the sound of a bipedal creature running in heavy boots. The sound is receding.
Phelerosa still seems dazed and it’s simple enough to lead her through the ... “Are we in the guts?” She *groans* “Where are you taking me?”
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Abraxi shakes his head in confusion as the events unfold around him, but moves along with the party as they descend into the secret passage.
Abraxi pauses to let his eyes adjust to the dark, then moves up to the front of the group. "Shall I take point?"
Glancing toward the man who led the party into the tunnel, he asks. "Which way?"
"Do you mean to tell me you don't where you're going?" Phelerosa cries a little too loudly.
"Great. Oh, this is just great."
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"Feh, you wish you could go to space, stuck here in Meteorville." Steve abandons the new companion to avoid being left behind.
"Oh! One'a you boys aughta get me some youth power in my cloak. I'll heal you up right after with the Wand."
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"Feh, you wish you could go to space, stuck here in Meteorville."
“Zat so?” Old Madge grasps the top of Steve’s head and the bottom of his jaw between her wrinkled, arthritic hands and none-too-gently, wrenches his head 90º into profile.
She peers into the elf witch’s ear for a moment before releasing his head and *scoffing*
“Feh! From what I’ve seen of space, Ol’ Madge’ll be happier spendin’ the rest of her days with her feet firmly on the ground.”
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Abraxi shrugs and puts on the elderly elf's shawl, wincing a little as his life force is sucked out of him. He then asks someone to use Steve's wand on him.
Digging into his bag, Abraxi withdraws and elixir and drinks it down, then says. "Everyone stay put. I'm going to scout ahead while it is dark." Barring any objections, Abraxi pads off into the dark, turning north to peer arouund the corner and down the first corridor.
Apart from the steady drip of rank, briny water Abraxi encounters nothing unexpected during his reconnaissance.
He does note two additional tunnels branching off from the northern corridor.
Although Abraxi’s reconnaissance doesn’t detect anything unusual, when Manius moves up to back the tiefling’s next scouting foray, the Hellknight Armiger recalls one of Olandil’s hand signals involving the cupping of his left hand while pointing his right index finger at his own gut.
I will pull Phelerosa along in the center of the group.
*SQUEAL* “Not so rough, Jake. I’m coming! Hmph. It’s not like I’d return to that riot, even if I did know the way back …”
Abraxi stops and carefully searches for triggering devices. Eventually he finds a pressure plate in the floor of the southern corridor.
When Steve catches up, his long elven ears detect a *squeaking skittering* from somewhere just in front of Abraxi.
After about ten minutes work on the concealed pressure plate, Abraxi looks back at his companions and nods confidently that the cover over the pit trap in the corridor will remain firmly in place.
The tiefling judges that the covering will now easily support each Pathfinder’s weight – even the heavily armored Jake and Manius.
As Abraxi stalks towards a stout wooden door in the corridor, he continues to hear a *squealing* sound beneath his feet. However, both he and Steve notice a louder *skittering* sound coming from behind the door to the south.
Unfortunately, those are not the only things squealing in the guts … “Dave? DAVE! JAKE'S HURTING ME! What are you going to do about it?” Phelerosa complains.
Abraxi checks the door and believes the doorknob will turn easily. Apart from the LOUD rustling sound from the space beyond, the slayer detects no additional traps.
Map has been updated again. You may place yourselves wherever you like.
“DON’T YOU TELL ME WHAT TO DO!” Phelerosa takes a couple of deep breaths and at the gunslinger.
“So you’re taking your buddy’s side instead of mine? Typical!”
Phelerosa crosses her arms but does lower her voice to an angry whisper.
“So I’m only worth saving if you’re getting something in return? Fine.”
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Omar will try to assist Dave with dealing with the woman.
In a hushed voice.
We are all working for the same prize and we are all worth saving. But we must work together and get through this. We can save the discussion on the finer points of the arrangements for when we are safely in a Inn and have drinks in our hands to toast our valiant escape."
Phelerosa’s arms remain crossed as she glowers at Omar. However, despite the sulky look on her face, the former noble stays quiet.
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"Oh, there's the waitress..." Steve notes, looking quite dazed. He asks the woman and looks around with .mostly-closed eyes, "Excuse me, waitress? Where's that ugly fella I came in with? He said he wanted another pitcher of the cheap stuff on the tab."
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Bird shakes and trembles, very afraid of the dark.
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"Oh, there's the waitress..." Steve notes, looking quite dazed. He asks the woman and looks around with mostly-closed eyes, "Excuse me, waitress? Where's that ugly fella I came in with?"
Phelerosa looks from Abraxi's intimidating form to Steve’s … somewhat less intimidating form.
She looks disappointed with Dave and Omar. “Mates don’t let mates drink and dungeon crawl.”
✋⛔✋⛔
Manius throws open the doorway and instantly recalls another of Olandil’s hand signals – two ‘pincer’ hands *snapping* open and shut, followed by a ‘shadow-puppet’ swan/ostrich/emu’s head and neck.
Pherlerosa and Steve’s bird both jump with their feathers ruffled, as Dave’s shot in the dark *cracks* the hard carapace of the bug-with-attitude.
Omar guards the rear with his readied Minkain polearm.
Bug #2: -7
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"Pfft, I ain't no drunk-o, but if some dungeonkin's gonna rip my head off on account'a some watered-down-" Steve's dialogue continues through the firearm's echoes, though Steve doesn't seem to hear it.
Bird panics.
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