Akahale nods approvingly. "Shrimp will fear you."
Manny beams. The smile couldn't be any bigger if the small dragonborn had told him he was the favorite grandfather.
Manny does indeed present a comical sight. Whether shrimps will fear him remains to be seen.
With all the rummaging and careful searching, the group take up about 30 minutes.
Manny does indeed present a comical sight. Whether shrimps will fear him remains to be seen.
With all the rummaging and careful searching, the group take up about 30 minutes.
"Okay grab a light lunch so we can get moving on, perhaps making sure there's noone in the pantry first and see if there's anything edible for a light lunch before heading down, oh and hopefully it might reveal how long they expected to be away unless they were mesmerised by that song last night too!" Rowan nods.
"It is my belief that this dwelling is the former residence of Alderman Ritter. Mr Zal bisected him. Possibly you might forgo lunch in favour of examining the trapdoor in the scullery. There may be evidence of his demonic associates. Or possibly a wine-cellar."
"It is my belief that this dwelling is the former residence of Alderman Ritter. Mr Zal bisected him. Possibly you might forgo lunch in favour of examining the trapdoor in the scullery. There may be evidence of his demonic associates. Or possibly a wine-cellar."
Rowan blinks.
He looks across at Manny and then Seram."Might be worth a look even if its just to get an idea of just how much this scumbag was raking in from his ill gotten gold," he nods in agreement.
Akahale nods. "Let us proceed. His gains are likely to have been ill-gotten," he remarks portentously.
Seram follows behind the others. His boredom mounting.
Akahale finds that the trapdoor seems to be barred on the other side.
Akahale finds that the trapdoor seems to be barred on the other side.
"Most suspicious. More than wine may be at stake."
Akahale hauls unavailingly at the trapdoor and then steps aside.
"Mr Zal?"
Seram takes his large blade and swings down at the cellar door
"Ha, we may yet not be let down by our desire for conquest. Hmm, I says to myself. What could ye find in the bowels of this abandend abode?"
Grafire rushes over to help chop open the trap door and supprise anyone awaiting below.
Axe versus trap door: 1d20+9=22 +4 axe=26
Damage: 1d10+5=11
IT observes the goings-on by the trapdoor (impassively, of course).
As the heroic adventurers teach that wooden door who's boss, they here women scremaing in surprise and fear in the room underneath.
Pretty soon, bladework has reduced the door to smithereens. The cries of the women continue, as much as you can make out are perhaps the words "Go away!" and such like.
Akahale kneels beside the shattered trap door and raises a polite hand.
"Good afternoon. My apologies for the intrusion. We called, but received no answer."
"Are you alright down there?" Rowan asks.
"Your disappearance got us all worried, we thought something had grabbed you like they did the others we fended off last night," Rowan explains as he tries to coax those hiding downstairs for an explanation.
The friend hear a well-spoken woman cry "Get out of my house!" and some whimpering from younger women.
A man says "We don't want strangers here!"
"Most understandable. Regrettably, your town appears to have suffered a demonically inspired attack. We are anxious to know if you are safe and well."
Akahale tries to sound soothing.
"Just go! Father Dagon will be angry! Go!"
"We will certainly be leaving after we have rendered this town safe for you all."
Akahale continues to sooth.
Akahale's soothing seems to be having the opposite effect.
"Who's Dagon again?"
"Who's Dagon again?"
Akahale looks as if he might embark on a long explanation, but remembers in time who is asking and keeps it simple.
"A very big evil shrimp."
"Who's Dagon again?"Akahale looks as if he might embark on a long explanation, but remembers in time who is asking and keeps it simple.
"A very big evil shrimp."
Manny's perks up with a grin, then his face falls.
"But, I forgot the cocktail sauce!" He moans. Then he raises a bushy eyebrow.
"I wonder if Dagon goes good with raspberry jam?" HE whispers to Rowan.
The elderly wizard is obviously less than concerned, at least at the moment, with the opinions of those hiding in the basement. :)
"Who's Dagon again?"Akahale looks as if he might embark on a long explanation, but remembers in time who is asking and keeps it simple.
"A very big evil shrimp."Manny's perks up with a grin, then his face falls.
"But, I forgot the cocktail sauce!" He moans. Then he raises a bushy eyebrow.
"I wonder if Dagon goes good with raspberry jam?" HE whispers to Rowan.
The elderly wizard is obviously less than concerned, at least at the moment, with the opinions of those hiding in the basement. :)
"Its bound to be inedible, I'd save the raspberry jam and see if they've got some sweet chili sauce or whatever passes for a sweet addition to a fish dish," Rowan shrugs.
"No offence but I think we're passed the bit where you could hide away from your Alderman's stupidity, I'd recommend fleeing this settlement and getting as far inland as possible since last I heard Dagon is more prone to flooding settlements like this. You don't honestly believe he will spare your lives do you? How about migrating some where safer you know where the only things you need to worry about are nixies or oversized fish dwelling in lakes, ponds and the like?" Rowan asks.
"Revele to us your knowledge of Dagon or face impending doom. If not by his hand certanly ours will do as well. At this point in time we are on a cleansing and if you are to be in Dagons count your time runs short."
Grafire belows down to the people below and a forceful plea for their cooperation.
Diplomacy check-1d20+12=13
"Revele to us your knowledge of Dagon or face impending doom. If not by his hand certanly ours will do as well. At this point in time we are on a cleansing and if you are to be in Dagons count your time runs short."
Grafire belows down to the people below and a forceful plea for their cooperation.
"No offence but isn't that intimidation?" Rowan looks up at Grafire.
"This is going too far," Rowan sighed."Look you may as well come out, we really need to have a chat if nothing else you could help yourselves to your pantry for additional supplies if you're going to wait this out," Rowan beseeches.
"Well? Threatening women and children isn't going to improve things at least this way we'll know they're okay and if they don't want to answer questions, so be it they can go back down there and see that their deity has no mercy unlike that of Bahamut for how else can we show the error of their ways when all they seem to know are the lies of that demonic entity?" Rowan points out to the others.
Akahale nods.
"We should make every attempt to avoid needless violence. I am in agreement that if these souls wish to remain at the mercy of their deity, they should do so. I would, however, suggest that we try to prevent any attempts on their part to warn their remaining leaders of our activities."
He surveys his companions, and adds, "This is not an open invitation to eviscerate them."
"No offence but I think we're passed the bit where you could hide away from your Alderman's stupidity,
"How dare you insult my husband, you sanctimonious oaf!" the older woman cries.
"How dare you insult my husband, you sanctimonious oaf!" the older woman cries."No offence but I think we're passed the bit where you could hide away from your Alderman's stupidity,
"You have my condolences, over your loss,"Rowan promptly replies and then shakes his head in disbelief.
There is a pause.
"What? WHAT?! What do you mean, my loss, what have you done with my husband, outsiders?!"
There is a pause.
"What? WHAT?! What do you mean, my loss, what have you done with my husband, outsiders?!"
"If he's the one claiming to be him he made the mistake of getting involved in a fight with some fishmen, to be exact standing and fighting with them instead of running when it became obvious they weren't winning," Rowan starts counting his fingers.
"Still doesn't that make you the Alder...person now?" he asks.
"Aldermen are elected, Father. It is not usually a hereditary post. Good afternoon, Mrs Ritter. I fear we have bad news for you."
Akahale notes with interest that the news of the Alderman's demise has not yet reached his household.
"Aldermen are elected, Father. It is not usually a hereditary post. Good afternoon, Mrs Ritter. I fear we have bad news for you."
Akahale notes with interest that the news of the Alderman's demise has not yet reached his household.
"Really? is there anyone left who can elect a new one now?" Rowan openly wonders.
"DEFILERS! MURDERERS! GET OUT! DAGON KNOWS HIS CHILDREN AND WILL REWARD THEM. THE FAITHLESS ONES SHALL BE DEVOURED!" you hear screamed by the woman.
"Excuse me."
Akahale looks around the kitchen for something to replace the ruined trapdoor with.
"Hold on, we may have something here. My hunch says that if the Alderman would put his precious in the celler there maybe more down there then just women and children. Maybe even something that could be pivitol in the very near future. I would highly advise that we restrain these, um folks if that term suit the rest of you well. When it comes to facing a potential demigods every upper hand we can get the better off we will be. The wife and children of the Alderman could be such a boon for us."
Manny looks back and forth as the comments fly. Finally scratching his wild white hair with a confused look.
"Um. If your suggesting that the Alderman may have been not all bad if he went to the trouble to hide his family, then I have to remind you,... I'm pretty sure what we fought was no longer human!" He whispers to Grafire.
"Also, if your suggesting that we can appeal to the humanity of our foe by holding captives,... again,... pretty sure it ain't human!" He adds sourly.
"Now, if your thinking that we can prevent needless bloodshed by locking these people back up, THAT I can understand!" He smiles.
"Although any fool chanting 'Dagon is all powerful' is pretty much fireball fuel as far as I'm concerned,..." He mutters under his breath as he shuffles out of the way of the others,...
"I would suggest replacing the trap door. Deluded though they are, I cannot condone wholesale slaughter. If Father Rowan is correct, Dagon will not deal kindly with these people. Since they have chosen his protection over ours, let them embrace it."
Akahale pontificates as he continues to hunt for something to replace the trap door with. He also takes note of any condiments the pantry has to offer.
Akahale spies several items of furniture that could replace the trapdoor, such as a table, or a chest of drawers. He also spies some dried meat and salted fish in the pantry.
"You sure you don't want to gather some supplies before we block up the entrance to the scullery?" Rowan calls down.
"Personally I'd have thought you'd at least consider getting as far away as possible before your god recalls you since you no longer have anyone to act as an intermediary so your patron has no reason to keep their word remember any such deal only applies to those physically present or involved in the actual deal and I suspect if any of you were so involved you would be down there beseeching them for their aid against the ungodly intruders, right now!"Rowan points out.
They really are in no mood to listen to you, especially after the implication that you killed their husband and father.
"Father, let us leave them to their faith."
Akahale moves the table over the hole where the trap door used to be.
"Father, let us leave them to their faith."
Akahale moves the table over the hole where the trap door used to be.
"Please Akahale leave them some hope of redemption," Rowan protests.
"They might even lead us to the entrance we're seeking," he whispers to the warlock.
Before leaving the scullery Rowan turns sharply.
"You sure you don't want this food?" he asks before turning back.
"Well I was being polite," he shrugs to the others.
"I can think of nothing we can offer them to make them forswear their demon lord, but I bow to your greater judgment in this area."
"In any case," he adds, as he follows Rowan, "I doubt that the table will hold them for very long."