The savage tide hits Arcadia

Game Master Scarletrose

Sense Motive! Is this guy on the level?

Sense motives all around

The taxidermist seems to be sincere. He strikes you as someone who was with the lotus dragon for money and that has no intention to die for them, nor has any intention to hold back anything now that his chances at profiting from them are ruined.
As a matter of fact, behind the obvious veil of fear and anger for the wounds he suffered, he seems almost eager to give you the information you may need. He probably wish you can cripple the Lotus Dragon before they get the chance to punish him for failing at his job.

"I might not know much about what you guys have been doing before I was invited to help you guys out, but from what he is saying we shouldn't take these people lightly." Ismaire says with a bit of fear in her voice. She tries to keep it back and to be strong but this is the first time she would have to fight other people. She always her bow and sword on her to help scare people from attacking her, but this would be the first time she would have to use them against people.

Erick, hearing the hesitation in her voice, frowns, but where Ismaire can't hear. "You should stay back and use your bow, just be sure not to shoot Tessa in the ass by mistake. Had a kid in Sandpoint do that to my mentor, got nervous when a crocodile charged us, shot my mentor in the ass." He grunts in amusement. "My mentor very patiently explained that wasn't considered helpful as he broke the kids bow into a dozen pieces afterwards."

Ismaire puts a hand on her bow when Erick mentions his mentor breaking the bow. "Please don't do that to my bow." She isn't sure if she should be scared or should laugh at the story. She clears her head and tries to focus back on the mission at hand. "So are we going to tie him up? He might have warned them already, or some heard all the noise."

Whoever has Escape Artist trained needs to do the tying up.

Erick begins pulling some rope out of his backpack.

Bedu pats Ismaire's bow from down low and grins up. "Fear the one with an imp? Now that shows talent, does it not? Perhaps a battle worthy of our skills and strength. We are the ones who should be feared and now we have a saurian large enough to swallow a pig."

You tie the Taxidermist at the best of your ability hoping that he could escape from that in the approximate 20 minutes that you were planning.
All that remains now is to venture through the trapdoor.
you can still do all the interactions you want of course, just tell me if and when you are ready to proceed

Tessa is quite skilled with ropes and finish securing the Taxidermist. Turning back to the party she looks at the trapdoor and asks, "Are finished up here? Shall we descend?"

Once the group is all gathered Tessa turns blatantly to Erick and asks, "Oh, and before we go. Don't think your little quip back there went unnoticed. I already know you look at my ass, but you if you insist on talking about during business time can you at least do it when all can hear you? I mean it is a fine ass. Isn't it Gavin?"

Tessa turns slightly for Gavin, a smirk on her face.

Erick humphs. "Well, I agree it makes a fine target. Nice and round, not too small..." He says with a shrug. "Be hard to miss it at 15 feet...."

He turns and brushes past Gavin, giving the boy a grin where Tessa can't see it. "Alright people, remember, if you're going to comment on how big an ass Tessa has, do it where everyone can hear it, so be loud in public. In the meantime, let's get down there and kick some ass..."

when you open the trapdoor you see a wooden ladder going down into a natural cave underneath the taxidermist guild.
Moisture dripsfrom the walls to pool on the rough floor, draining in tiny rivulets to the east.
a wooden door beckons to the west.
Cormag would be able to jump down but climbing back up from this ladder could prove troublesome. You will either have to go through the way the lotus dragon uses for the animals or lift him up somehow. I placed the map and your tokens but feel free to descend on your own accord and to place yourself in the way you want.

Erick goes first, still not drawing his sword, as it makes noise. He moves as quietly as possible.

I assume there is light down here, given that there are humans in the dragons?

Taking his customary spot in the middle of the lineup, Gavin makes his way below the trap door, casting light on his gloved left hand if there is none to see by.

Ismaire will be towards the back with Cormag.

Tessa grins at Gavin's fumbled response and laughs lightly to herself. When Erick descends she will be right behind him. When she observes its dark she will ask to the group, "Can one of you given souls cast light on an object for us to take down with us?"

After a brief pause she adds, "Perhaps on my ass. Since it is so huge it will guide our path. No, no, that will not work. Poor Erick will be blinded from staring at it and I'm afraid I need him focused on the goal and not the booty so to speak."

Erick chuckles. "There's a better we're in trouble sign, instead of Smelly Fish Balls, just comment on Tessa's Fat Ass Full Moon. We'll all know we're in trouble." He responds in a whisper.

Bedu obliges and the bottom is lit.

Tessa glares at Erick and raises the point of her weapon at him. "Quite enough, that is a terrible trouble sign. But it may distract them all by staring at my ass."

Tessa nods to Bedu, "Thank you my friend." She glances back at the light and swings it side to side and giggles lightly. She clears her throat and wipes the smile away getting serious, "Alright, let's gets to work."

"Little advice, Tess. Never point a weapon at someone, especially an ally, unless you're ready to take it in the gut as well." He comments, eying the tip of her weapon, all humor gone from his voice.

"Shall we move on - quietly? In case they do not have a sentry ready to raise the alarm and send twnety thieves crashing into our bodies like hot knives through cold butter."

Bedu continues on past the pair, using whatever stealth he can muster.

I think we're Rping while waiting on the GM.

Indeed. But sometimes SR is doing the same.

Sorry, I was just filling the time is all. I've been ready to move on.

Never a need to apologise in my eyes, especially when its fun.

Actually I was waiting for one of you to either open the door or venture through the cave

Bedu checks the door thoroughly and listens for sounds of people (or worse rhagodessi) then carefully pulls it open towards himself like a shield. Leaving the way ahead to Tessa and Erick in case of real danger.

Bedu carefully opens the door.
The guildhall consist of brick-lined corridors and rooms with numerous wooden ceiling supports.
the interior is more illuminated than the external cave, with lit torches at regular intervals across the walls.
You don't seem to hear or see anyone near you. you quickly proceed south to see where the corridor ends but after a turn you lose sight of it, still you see a door on the corridor, and what seems to be the archway of another door just behind the corner, north of the corridor, near the entrance there is a third door.
All doors seems to be slightly open, and you believe is because of the humid state of the cave. The heavy reinforced wooden doors would probably tend to get stuck if closed.

Gavin creeps around the corner and taking the slightly open door to the north, swings it open, peering into the darkness...

Erick had originally offered to take point, and I moved him to the front of the line. I thought that was what the GM wanted as far as line up. Sorry, didn't realize you were waiting for us to move the group forward on the map.

Erick moves along with the group.

You can have point - I don't want it! :) I'll switch us. Also, I may be confused - the doors to the left on the map are the doors from the ground level of the Taxidermist's shop? If so, we'll creep down the hall I suppose.

There seems to be some confusion here So I'll ask before confirming your actions.
The taxidermist hall can not be seen here. all you can see is the trapdoor you came from (which was in the floor, but obviously, from down here, is in the ceiling.
The corridors on the left ARE the Lotus dragon Guildhall and it's all below ground.
Given the proportion only part of the cave is directly under the taxidermist guild. Most of the guildhall seems to develop below.
I made an image of the current level placed upon the taxidermist hall to give you an Idea of where are you going direction wise.
There is no Door in the way you are pointing your characters doors are the white rectangles, one has been opened by Bedu revealing a corridor and other three doors.
Now, you may of course want to explore the cave anyway, but I would like to know if you have the situation more clear and know you are acting upon a conscious decision rather than a misunderstanding over the layout of the dungeon.

Ah, it looked like the door was the trapoor coming down originally. I suggest we check the closest door first, then work our way down the corridor.

I agree with Erick, lets be methodical about this.

Ismaire pets Cormag to keep him calm as she watches Bedu open the door, and then Erick and Gavin venture into the hallway. She was petting Cormag to not just keep him calm, but her as well. Her hands are visibly shaking. She cannot decide whether she is nervous, or anxious for something to just happen. After a moment, she decides to move a bit closer to Bedu and Tessa, feeling safe between them.

Sounds good. My keyboard has gone "been coffeed" so somebody please move Bedu as we go.

please .. if you want to explore the doors in the corridor put your token before the door you want to open, if you want to explore the cave say so in here. Right now you have your tokens going to the cave and you announcing your re going to check the closest door, it's confusing.

Erick steps into the hallway, looking around, fists ready.

If nothing attacks, he'll step toward the closest door, and listen without touching the door.

If all is quiet, he'll silently wave Bedu up to do a check on the door, pointing first at Bedu, then at his eyes, then at the door's lock. Then he'll step back to make room for Bedu, motioning for Gavin to take a step back as well.

Fixed

You look at the room that seems empty and then open the door. it is indeed empty, and the door ahead of you is ajar revealing there is a second door behind. makes you think about a guardpost of sorts, possibly manned to bar the entrance to the rest of the complex and give the alarm to the rest of the guild. But clearly it's not manned right now.
you don't know if it's supposed to be this way or not but at the very least, you get the impression that nobody knows about your intrusion yet.
You may have very well taken the guild unprepared and by surprise.

Gavin enters the room, timidly, looking about for tripwires, pressure plates and the like. "Thieves' Guild - there's probably traps."

Perception check, please.

You take a look at the room, but you cannot find any kind of trap.

Bedu sneaks up quietly and tests the door to see if it is a danger. Then he listens beyond and tries to open it. If locked he will get out his favoured friend, the number three pigtwister.

DMSr, can I have some rolls?

If the door is unlocked then the little katapeshi steps back to let his companions advance. If defeated, he will advise them to go elsewhere and jam this door for now. All in a murmur like a sirocco across the sands.

The door appears to be open like the others encountered, and you don't see any trap in it. However, once you open the door, you catch the slightest hint of a sound.
On the west, for a moment, you hear a little bit of snoring, and the creak of a bed, similar to those that happens when you shift your position during sleep.
you are pretty sure, there is someone sleeping west of here.
you stand before the new web of corridors and doors just uncovered.

In a whisper. "Ok, we have sleeping beauties." He looks to Tessa. "Think you can sneak up on the sleeping beauty and brain him, her, or it hard enough to keep them unconscious for a few hours? That will give us someone to question for sure, and take them out of contention if and when we wake up the place."

Bedu quietly tests the door to see if he can lock it, as an extra measure perhaps.

you could lock the door, but more than everything you notice that the doors tends to get stuck and would also require a little bit of brute force to open them if you were to close them.

"Good," he murmurs to himself.

Bedu prepares to shut and lock it with some care to avoid any dangerous squeaks or treacherous creaks.

Ismaire walks towards Gavin and Erick. "Maybe bringing Cornag might have been a bad idea if we are trying to not wake anyone up. He will be helpful when they wake up though." Ismaire pats Cormag on the head to keep him calm, and she makes sure that he isn't making more noise than he needs to.

Tessa nods to Erick, "I'm on it. Do you have a club or sap or something I can use? I only carry pointy sharp things to stick people with." Looking between her companions she asks, "Everyone ready?"

"Ready. The pommel of your sword will probably have to do."

Erick takes a sheathed dagger off his arm, and hands it to Tessa, still sheathed. "It's not designed for throwing, so it makes a good sap. Hit them with the heavy end." He mimics holding the dagger by the sheath, and clubbing someone with the handle. "Usually I just beat people up if I want to be quiet." He makes a fist of his left hand.