Gator foes: IT missed Keliwyn, your actions?
Heather: Light does not add to the ambiencee of the room. Crumbs, grease stains and roaches adorn the bed. The illumination releases a small shower of squeaks and scurrying movement ruffles the litter. The small table becomes a flurry of of fleeing insects. The chests' drawers have been turned out. Heaps of worn, moth-eaten clothes lie on the floor. On top of the chest of drawers is a closed hat-box.
Heather grimaces at the sight of the mess...housekeeping was not Lamms strong point it seems. She moves to inspect the somewhat incongruous hatbox.
"Here, gator!" Inigo shoves the unconscious body of Lamm into the water for the gator.
"Here, gator!" Inigo shoves the unconscious body of Lamm into the water for the gator.
The body of the late Gaedren Lamm slips into the water where the alligator strikes and grabs the body. It drags it northward under the floor and out of sight.
Heather: The hatbox is rather plain. No logos, symbols or maker's marks. Lifting the lid releases a swarm of flies which cuase you to involuntarilarly lean back for a moment. Inside is a grisly scene. A woman's head, somewhat decomposed. Her hair is long thick and black. Although brittle in death, it was probably quite luxuriously beautiful in life, perhaps even the match of yours. Her face has been powdered, her eyes kohled, and her lips rouged in an attempt to give her a semblance of life, -- or else to mock it.
There is a spark of the familiar about her. A spark fanned by the sight of an old, curiously patterned Harrow Deck in the box under the hair.
Darthen, Keliwyn:
As the alligator slips out of sight, Jeorik shakes his head,...
"That's one way to deal with both,... I guess. Where did Heather go? Heather!"
Jeorik calls after the spell-caster as he moves towards the door she just went through, bow and arrow still at the ready.
Heather feels the gorge rise in her throat at the sight and fights back the urge to vomit. At Keliwyns shout she starts...
"I'm alright...but...oh it's horrible...theres..there's a head in a box and she looks familiar"
Heather steels herself and looks again at the gruesome sight trying to identify the Harrow deck....
These are the cards used to summon the group to Zellara's.
Heather makes the connections
"Oh blessed Mother of luck...these are Zellara's cards...and I think it's her head..but..if she has been dead for months and her cards here then who or what summoned us together"
Keliwyn grins at Inigo, and says, "You have a way with animals . . . and you're good with the 'gator, too." With his blade still drawn, and a wary eye towards the water, Keliwyn follows Jeorik toward the room.
These lower rooms are now devoid of foes.
"The gator shouldn't be back for awhile. Lets get out of here before that crowd sets this place on fire." Darthen takes a look around the room Heather is in and the larger one with the pit.
Small room; Large room (1d20+4=15, 1d20+4=12)
Disgusted at the sights and smells of the small room Darthen makes a hasty retreat back up to the first floor. He waits for the others before heading up the ladder.
The inside of the room still smells of fish and the river. As you enter you can see why. There's a large hole in the floor. Wooden pillars support the roof. Dust, moss, mold and cobwebs line the walls and hang from the ceiling. Everywhere there's junk. It's strewn about the place; it's overflowing tables along the north wall. (Although the junk's been pushed off one table onto the floor and a small chest sits on the table.)
That was the initial description of the larger downstairs room.
Assuming Darthen's checks down here are a quick visual scan, they reveal nothing more. You may make more checks upstairs if you wish. There is nothing to hinder you from searching the rooms as thoroughly as you'd like. All depends how much time you want to spend.
Inigo joins the others, "So find anything of interest?" He asks of the others.
The inside of the room still smells of fish and the river. As you enter you can see why. There's a large hole in the floor. Wooden pillars support the roof. Dust, moss, mold and cobwebs line the walls and hang from the ceiling. Everywhere there's junk. It's strewn about the place; it's overflowing tables along the north wall. (Although the junk's been pushed off one table onto the floor and a small chest sits on the table.)
That was the initial description of the larger downstairs room.
Assuming Darthen's checks down here are a quick visual scan, they reveal nothing more. You may make more checks upstairs if you wish. There is nothing to hinder you from searching the rooms as thoroughly as you'd like. All depends how much time you want to spend.
Responding to Inigio, "The chest seems to be the only thing of interest. Other than the head in the box of course." Darthen looks over the chest wondering if it would be trapped.
Darthen stands to the side of the chest, flexes his fingers gingerly, and tries to open the lid.
"Let me know if you want the damn box smashed." Inigo tells Darthen, as he swings his mace like a toy.
Heather points wordlessly at the head one hand over her mouth as she continues holding back the urge to vomit
"She looks familiar," says Jeorik with a distasteful look at the head. Then,while Darthen examines the chest, Jeorik takes the time to examine any other interesting contents in the room.
"She looks familiar," says Jeorik with a distasteful look at the head. Then,while Darthen examines the chest, Jeorik takes the time to examine any other interesting contents in the room.
Jeorik looks around the room and pokes through the piles of gewgaws, kotchke's, and baubles. Most are chipped, frayed, worn, or otherwise flawed. It seems that although much here glitters, most is not gold.
The chest on the table in the larger room is locked.
Heather points wordlessly at the head one hand over her mouth as she continues holding back the urge to vomit
Keliwyn pats Heather on the back, and says, "Go on back upstairs, I'll deal with this." With that, he sheathes his scimitar, and without taking his eyes off the box, he replaces the lid. He briefly looks around for anything else interesting, but due to an urgent need for fresh air, he quickly heads back upstairs, box under arm.
Once he reaches the floor above, he finds Darthen and Inigo contemplating a locked chest. Drawing closer, he puts the box aside, cracks his knuckles, and says, "Gentleman, please, allow me." After a cursory exam to find & disable any potential traps, he pulls out a small bundle with some tools, and sets to work on the lock.
"You are good at opening locks." Inigo comments, "Are you sure you haven't done this professionally?"
"Remember everything inside is probably stolen. We have to return them to their owners or we wait for the proper period to expire before claiming them. There is a provision of law that would cover this matter I am sure."
Heather nods mutely and returns to the upper level where she finds a convenient corner to be heartily sick in before returning to her nephew
Keliwyn finds no traps, the lock opens after a few seconds of probing. The lid creaks open to reveal inside the chest :
On top is a layer of clothes. Below that are several packages, each wrapped in cloth tied with twine.
- a teak cigar case, inlaid with mahogany in the shapes of animals with jade eyes. (25 gp)
- a 2 lb gold ingot bearing the seal of Korvosa (100 gp)
- a miniature gold crown (350 gp)
- an ivory kraken figurine with garnet eyes (200 gp)
- a finely wrought silver ring insribed "For Emma Light of my Nights
- a suggestively anatomically correct sculpture of 2 succubi. (450 gp)
- set of 3 masterwork shuriken
- an adamantine arrowhead
- abalone shell holy symbol of Shelyn (300 gp) [10] a vial of oil (keen edge)
- an obsidian wand (magic missile) 23 charges
- a fine crystal vial (silversheen)
- a jeweled brooch with a broken clasp in the form of a amethyst-eyed pseudodragon and an emerald-eyed imp. The two nest together like a yin-yang symbol. It is fabulously beautiful. Spare and elegant as elven work, detailed as the best gnomish and the clasp would be a wonder of miniature mechanism if it wasn't damaged.
Underneath everything is another layer of clothes.
Rolled 6.
Untrained Knowledge Check: (1d20=19)
"That's quite a collection of valuables," comments Jeorik, looking in the chest.
"You are good at opening locks." Inigo comments, "Are you sure you haven't done this professionally?"
With a wink and a smile, Keliwyn simply says, "It's only a hobby, I assure you."
Once the chest is open, he lets out a long whistle. Picking up the statute of the succubi and turning it over in his hands, he glances at Inigo and asks, "How, exactly are we supposed to identify the true owners? Any suggestions?"
"We could always post a notice that valuables have been collected from known criminal Lamm and anyone who thinks they have a claim leave a description of their valuables with the guard."
Darthen claps Keliwyn on the back as he unlocks the chest. "Job well done my friend. Let us see what payment Lamm has left us for dispatching him."
"You are good at opening locks." Inigo comments, "Are you sure you haven't done this professionally?"
"Remember everything inside is probably stolen. We have to return them to their owners or we wait for the proper period to expire before claiming them. There is a provision of law that would cover this matter I am sure."
Darthen raises an eyebrow at Inigio's comment. "You are serious aren't you? Well after we split this up you can do as you wish with your share. I, however, do not do charity work for the government. My armor and weapons do not upkeep themselves. Besides, if we take these things and leave them for someone to claim it will cause more headache trying to sort out the hundreds of "owners"." Darthen looks back at the others to see their reaction.
"We could always post a notice that valuables have been collected from known criminal Lamm and anyone who thinks they have a claim leave a description of their valuables with the guard."
"One problem I can think of is this. A cohort of Lamm that we did not find could easily show up with knowledge of what we have. I don't know about the rest of you, but I will take an equal share as the rest of you and pawn them off. There are certain ... things ... I would like to do, and like all things in life it will take gold."
Heather returns to her nephew to find him rifling through a collection of items.
"And where did you find those "..she tries to sound disapproving like an aunt should
"I took 'em off Yargrin and Giggles...they wasn't needing them no more"
"That should be you took them and they won't be needing them anymore...ore Dawnflower what am I saying. you mean you stole those from the...bodies" She sighs "Just how am I going to explain this to your father"
"Well we could just say we found them"
"Yes we..no,no...that's wrong..stealing is wrong..what in the name of all the gods have they been telling you here. Now put it all away before that crazy priest gets back and wants to jail you for some ludicrous Asmodean crime or something"
Heather returns to her nephew to find him rifling through a collection of items.
...."Yes we..no,no...that's wrong..stealing is wrong..what in the name of all the gods have they been telling you here. Now put it all away before that crazy priest gets back and wants to jail you for some ludicrous Asmodean crime or something"
Jeorik searched Yargin and carried off most of his stuff, except the tanglefoot bag Keliwyn took. Nobody searched Giggles. There wasn't much on him aside from his weapons. Let's say Heather finds Nikhil rifling through the desk in the front room.
Jeorik, feeling protective, follows after Heather.
"Actually searching the desks might turn up information about Lamm's activities."
Jeorik proceeds to rifle through any interesting papers himself, after which, he will see if there is anything of value in the office.
With a wink and a smile, Keliwyn simply says, "It's only a hobby, I assure you."
"Why do I doubt that?"
Once the chest is open, he lets out a long whistle. Picking up the statute of the succubi and turning it over in his hands, he glances at Inigo and asks, "How, exactly are we supposed to identify the true owners? Any suggestions?"
"I suppose the Guard have a list of lost and stolen items reported by law-abiding Korvosans."
Darthen raises an eyebrow at Inigio's comment. "You are serious aren't you? Well after we split this up you can do as you wish with your share. I, however, do not do charity work for the government. My armor and weapons do not upkeep themselves. Besides, if we take these things and leave them for someone to claim it will cause more headache trying to sort out the hundreds of "owners"." Darthen looks back at the others to see their reaction.
"This is not a case of finders keepers. Lamm is a known criminal and scum. He did not come by these by the sweat of his brow nor by blind luck. Law-abiding citizens of Korvosa sweated for these and I am not about to deny them an opportunity to recover what is theirs."
Something about the broach nags at Keliwyn. First it's quality is well above that of the rest of Lamm's loot. It's just out of place. Second, The imp and psuedodragon motif is often used as a symbol of the city. Third, Inigo's statement triggers a memory.
Keliwyn:
Spoiler:Such a broach was given to the queen by the king at a reception a few months back. Shortly thereafter the broach was stolen.
The desk has some paper, blotting rags, quills, scraper, and inkpots. In the filing cabinets are various papers relating to the business: Receipts, customer information, etc.
Jeorik looks briefly through the business papers to see if there are any names in there of people who did business with Lamm.
Jeorik looks briefly through the business papers to see if there are any names in there of people who did business with Lamm.
Yes, but no one famous. Amidst the papers are three tax bills, none with receipts.
Heather spends her time putting the boy into some sort of order.
"Honestly...missing just a few weeks and look at the state of you..like some guttersnipe from Bridgefront...what will your mother say....and your father...not to mention my father"
She overrides any protestations doing the stern Aunt routine to keep her mind off the bloodshed she has witnessed in this place
"Well gentlemen," says Jeorik, as he moves out of the office, back to where the others are still arguing over the 'loot,' "May I suggest we retire from this particular location and find a spot where we can sit down and distribute the valuables as appropriate. Inigo, if I may make a suggestion, we could divide the valuables, and each one will be responsible for finding out the proper owners of each piece they recieve, if that is possible. Leave it to our honor and conscience to do the right thing."
"Honor and duty require us to present these to the proper authorities. I am sure if no one claims them within a certain period we can claim them as our own. Besides, grateful owners may reward us better. Sentimentality do increase the generosity of people."
"Would the proper authorities be those same guardsmen you were accussing of corruption just a short time ago," Jeorik asks with a grin, then motioning at the box with the head, he adds, "And this grisly trophy is disturbing. Do you suppose our card dealing benefactress had a twin sister? I think we might want to look into that quickly to see what the truth of the matter is. I admit my curiousity in the matter."
"Not those guardsmen. Their superior. A man of zeal and devotion to duty. He, we can trust. You can hang on to those things until we reach the Guard Headquarters. Now, no more debate and let's go."
Inigo takes the severed decomposed head and stuffs it inside a bag.
Heather waits patiently for the others..once they return she asks that they see her and the boy home before anything else is dealt with.
Darthen, Keliwyn, Jeorik:
Keliwyn:
"Well, we should first follow up with our fortuneteller," Keliwyn says. "I have a hard time believing that one of Lamm's thugs took her head, after we met with her, and then beat us back here. Not to mention, the head does look a little, well, aged."
"Hold on a moment," Keliwyn says, looking over more of the loot. "I do recognize one piece. This brooch, with the pseudodragon and imp. The king gave this to Queen Ileosa at a reception not too long ago. I remember it because, well, I was there," he says, with a grin, "and because there really was much ado about the mechanics of the clasp . . . what a shame it seems broken."
He slips it into his pocket and, looking up, he seems to snap back to the present. "Alright, Lamm might have had some top notch thieves, but how the hell to you think he got his hands on this little piece?"
"Keliwyn's fine recall of local history vindicates my insistence on proceeding to the Guard. Just imagine what would have happened had one of you tried to hock the Queen's jewelry."
"For the moment, Keliwyn, what is important is that the jewelry is now found and we are in a position to return it."