"I don't think I can go back in there. Can someone take a look around? Or should we just close the damn door and move on?"
Adrin watches from the doorway as Andakos comes to his conclusion. He wretches slightly in his disgust, "I knew that these traitors to Her Royal Majesty could be up to no good. These disgusting mongrels must be handed over to the Queen's justice immediately!" Vitriol stains the end of his statement, his hand moving unconsciously to his rapier grip, though he still holds the sap. "Let us go end the watch that these guards have taken," Adrin says quietly this time, his furor descended into a purposefulness the exuded a sense of danger, and violence barely restrained under the surface.
"Agreed." Andakos, still reeling, moves to the northwest door and checks it.
+1 traps
Andakos finds the door neither locked, nor trapped.
On the other side, two foul-smelling animal pens take up the majority of the room. Each pen is defined by a wooden fence set with a gate. Inside each is a long water trough and heaps of filthy hay. The floor here is hard-packed earth. The pens are both currently empty.
Once everyone is gathered and ready, Andakos steps into the room and takes a look around.
+1 traps
One would think an otyugh would be found here based on the smell, but the room appears to be empty.
Andakos again insists that his friends gather around him, and then checks the western door.
+1 traps
Finding no traps or locks, and hearing nothing sinister on the other side of the door, Andakos swings it open. This large cattle pen is open to the air, and the stink of manure, mud, and animal is strong, despite the breeze that wafts through the stockade's wooden fence. Two large pigs wander placidly about the pen.
Maelis is unable to hold back the bile and retches into a corner at the discovery of obvious humanoid remains.
Following along with the others he uses his keen eyes to look around, trying how best to keep his shaky legs beneath him.
Trell almost vomits even thinking about what Andakos saw in there. He is relived that no one else wants to investigate any further.
These monsters... is all Trell can muster up as they move away from the room. He does his best to shake off the shock of what they have discovered and tries to help the party look around the rooms that.
Adrin sticks close by Andakos as they look through the two pens, giving the pens a fairly casual sweep with his eyes, far more interested in their objective than whatever was once here.
Initiative:
None of the party finds anything of note aside from an impressive amount of pig dung.
As the party gazes into the cattle pen, Trell and Andakos hear a noise behind them. They snap their attention back onto the killing floor to see a young man matching Verik's description unlocking Baldrago's manacles with a small key. Apparently he stole it from the Citadel on his way out for just such an occasion. He glances up and sees he's been spotted, spitting an oath.
[color=green]
Verik (0 dmg)
Andakos (14/18 hp)
Baldrago (14 dmg, mute)
Trell (16/17 hp, 1 Str dmg)
[/color]
Verik drops his spear at Baldrago's feet and, quick as lightning, his hand whips to his back and a longbow appears. Almost before the brain has time to register the action, an arrow is loosed and sailing toward Adrin. The arrow slams into his shoulder, and the vigilante expects to feel a sharp surge of agony, but instead it feels like something prickly is digging lightly into the flesh of his shoulder. He glances down to see that the arrow head is lodged between two links on the top of his chain shirt; it missed connecting with meat by mere centimeters, and the sharp head of the arrow digs slightly into his skin.
Andakos growls, the deep, bestial sound coming from low in his chest. He raises his fist and rushes forward, bringing the spiked gauntlet down on the still prone Baldrago.
To Andakos's mild surprise, he actually manages to connect--hard--with the big man's skull. He looks heavily clobbered, but manages to grasp the spear and stand on wobbly legs.
[color=green]
Verik (0 dmg)
Andakos (14/18 hp)
Baldrago (14? dmg, mute)
Trell (16/17 hp, 1 Str dmg)
[/color]
Trell whips around at the sound and see's Verik. It takes a fraction of second longer for Trell to realize what is happening than it took Verik to shoot is arrow but they both loose their attacks with in seconds of each other causing Trell's magic missile and Veriks arrow to pass each other in mid-air.
Trell's magic missile whips past Adrin's head and lands squarely in Verik's chest with a loud whump. The man barely seems to notice, already nocking another arrow.
[color=green]
Verik (5 dmg)
Andakos (1/18 hp)
Baldrago (14? dmg, mute)
Adrin (7/13 hp)
Trell (16/17 hp, 1 Str dmg)
Maelis (12/16 hp, 2 Str dmg)
[/color]
Verik snarls at Andakos. "Get away from him, you lapdog!" His arrow flies truer than the last, and rips through two links in the tiefling's chain shirt to lodge in his gut.
Andakos feels the arrow pierce his abdomen and instantly knows he doesn't have much left. He tries to call out to his friends for help but can't seem to force out more than a whispered "Help."
If I'm going down, I'm taking this f&*@er with me. He steps back, his tail whipping up to his belt to retrieve the alchemist's fire he has stashed there. He grins through the pain at Verik as he winds up and tosses the vial at Verik's feet.
Baldrago gets hit by the splash and looses a horrid scream, distorted grotesquely by his malformed jaw, then falls to the ground from the shock. Parns is also splashed by the flames but doesn't wake up. His brainpan was thoroughly scrambled by Adrin's sap.
Verik takes the alchemist's fire straight-on, the flames licking his body and bubbling his skin in a few places, but it only seems to make him more determined. He looks as if he's going to nock another arrow next round.
[color=green]
Verik (9 dmg)
Andakos (1/18 hp)
Baldrago (15? dmg, mute, unconscious and dying)
Adrin (7/13 hp)
Trell (16/17 hp, 1 Str dmg)
Maelis (12/16 hp, 2 Str dmg)
[/color]
Trell see's the nasty hit that Andrakos takes from Verik and runs up to stand in front of him, Your going to have to go through me first, a~%*@!! Trell almost chuckles to himself at how cheesy that sounded ...it sounded better in his head.
As an added effect, Trell's blade begins shinning with arcane energy.
Adrin laughs, a hint of the maniacal in his bravado, as the arrow bounces uselessly off his chest, "Verik Vancaskerkin, I charge you with dereliction of duty, treason against the Korvosan crown, and," his eyes flick towards the murder room, "homicide. In the name of her Royal Majesty, Queen Ileosa Arabesti I place you under arrest. Lay down your weapons!" Adrin's voice is firm, and authoritative - but he doesn't expect compliance at this point, so he moves aggressively to cut off Verin's retreat, and threaten him from behind.
Seeing Andakos' life blood quickly draining away and the color fading from his normally ruddy cheeks. He holds out his left arm, palm facing Andakos, his sleeve falling away to expose the dagger trifecta tattoo. A bright white ray of light emits from his hand towards Andakos,
[color=green]
Verik (13 dmg)
Andakos (3/18 hp)
Baldrago (15? dmg, mute, unconscious and dying)
Adrin (-7/13 hp, unconscious and dying)
Trell (16/17 hp, 1 Str dmg)
Maelis (12/16 hp, 2 Str dmg)
[/color]
Verik brushes off the last of the alchemist's fire as the deadly flames cause bits of exposed skin to bubble. He steps back from Adrin's advance and makes a disgusted face. "Are you an idiot? You're the murderers here! We haven't killed anyone!" He glances at Malder's gutted corpse, and his face hardens. "But don't worry. I'll repay you for that."
True to his word, he unleashes an arrow at Adrin lightning-quick, and it lodges itself in Adrin's left lung, missing his heart by mere inches.
Blood pouring from the wound, the nobleman collapses to the ground and begins to bleed out.
Andakos moves into a position behind Verik, giving Trell a flank opportunity. He tries to tenderize Verik's face with his gauntlet.
Maelis sees Adrin go down and his blood begins to boil. He strides into the room with purpose and whispers fiercely under his breath, and the blood at Adrin's puncture wound instantly slows to a trickle as the grace of his diety grants him the power to stabilize. He raises the crossbow at his side, ready to use it.
Trell stands over Baldrago's limp form and swings at Verik.
Unfortunately, the blade glances off the renegade guardsman's finely-crafted chainmail.
[color=green]
Verik (35 dmg, unconscious and dying)
Andakos (3/18 hp)
Baldrago (15? dmg, mute, unconscious and dying)
Adrin (-7/13 hp, unconscious and dying)
Trell (16/17 hp, 1 Str dmg)
Maelis (12/16 hp, 2 Str dmg)
[/color]
Verik moves back from the duo, creating an opening for Andakos and Trell.
The investigator swings wide, but the momentary distraction lets Trell sweep across the nape of Verik's neck. The cut is actually quite shallow, but appears it may have just nicked the jugular, and Verik crumples to the ground bleeding profusely.
"Maelis! Stabilize this a~*$+*@! The queen wanted him alive." It causes Andakos almost physical pain to not let him die, but they were given orders.
While Maelis tends to Verik, Andakos searches the body, looking in particular for healing potions. If he finds any, he administers them to Adrin; if not, Andakos gives Adrin his potion.
On Verik you find:
- One set of masterwork chainmail
- One masterwork composite longbow with a +3 Strength Rating
- 17 +1 arrows
- One potion of cure light wounds (you also see two empty vials next to Baldrago)
- A silver dagger of fine craftsmanship
- 28gp
On the Cow Hammer Boys, you find:
- Three sets of leather armor
- One set of chainmail (non-masterwork) on Malder's corpse
- Three potions of cure light wounds
- Three longswords
- One meat cleaver
- Four longbows
- Approximately 70 arrows in four quivers
- 15 masterwork arrows
- 192gp
Andakos quickly administers two of the potions to Adrin.
"Maelis, do you have any healing ability left or should I drink one of these as well?"
Adrin gasps in shock as he's brought back to consciousness. He sits bolt upright, fumbling for the sap that had fallen from his limp fingers when he sees that the threat has been handled. He breathes a sigh of relief, then flushes in embarrassment for having been felled so early, and without even putting up a fight.
As Adrin looks around, he sees the growing pile of loot that Andakos is collecting. He examines it all, trying to determine if any of it belonged to the city watch, or was issued by the city to Verik, or any of his men, "We should make sure that any of the queen's property is returned to them," he says weakly. He walks up to Andakos, and puts his hand on the man's shoulder, "It looks like you administered some healing tinctures. Thank you very much," he looks Andakos in the eye, before continuing, dropping his arm and pacing the room, "we should investigate the rest of the shop to verify that it is empty."
The only item Adrin finds that he knows for certain belongs to the city is the manacle key he used to free Baldrago; all the locks appear to use the same key, for sake of ease. Having a spare key to city watch manacles floating around the city seems like a very bad idea.
"Odd. This dagger appears to be magical but doesn't seem to actually do anything." Andakos shrugs, then makes an obvious show of looking over his many (many) wounds.
Maelis spurs to action and immediately casts stabilize on Verik as soon as he slumps to the ground.
"Yes, I can provide us all with some healing. Lets bind them and then move to another room to ensure they do not gain any of Her Grace's healing touch just yet. I do not think any of us is ready to deal with their lot again."
Andakos and Trell thoroughly search All the World's Meat from top to bottom. The second floor, a small office space with a table, desk, and a few empty shelves, contains absolutely nothing of value. There are a few bedrolls stored against the far wall from the stairwell, but that's all.
The killing floor and shed where you entered also hold nothing of value. After a few moments of debate, you finally cave in and thoroughly inspect the holding pens. You are about to severely chastise yourself for digging through gods-only-know-how-old pig s@$@ when you discover a large but cleverly-hidden mound of dirt under one of the troughs. After a few moments of digging, you uncover several bags.
Inside the bags you find:
- 450 gp
- 740 sp
- A large quantity of various gems, statuettes, candleholders, and other art objects
"Straight cash money, yo!"
Trell smiles at all the stuff they find, after wiping his hands on the nearest towel/cloth/friend.
I say we gather our friends over there and bring them to the authorities. It looks like our job is done here.
"I'm not sure about the viability of the four of us getting the five of them, some of them unconscious, across the city. Perhaps one or two of us should go summon some additional guards to help us, or to take over the scene entirely. In fact, they'll probably want to shut this place down and warn anyone who received the 'meat' not to eat it."
Andakos thinks for a moment, then shakes his head. "Never mind, that won't work. You're right, Trell; it's going to be up to us. It would be easiest if they could all walk but I don't know if we have that much healing."
Maelis looks at the cowed form of Karralo, "If we can get that one to cooperate and walk while bound, it might be easier to push the others in the cart. I do have some healing ability yet available, but I'll not use it on these bastards," he says, spitting onto the gore streaked floor. His usually easy-going attitude is no where to be found on his now dark face, and his eyebrows are drawn down deep over his eyes when he looks at the limp forms of them men on the floor. "Lets take them out of here, I want to be gone from this stinking place."
Andakos tries to find a piece of wood and some paint (or failing that, just some paint) to leave a sign on the storefront that says
CLOSED
MEAT TAINTED
DO NOT EAT
The party totes the unconscious bodies of Parns, Baldrago, and Verik (as well as the corpse of Malder, if you feel like taking him) in the back of the horsecart, two of you taking turns pulling it along the streets. A thoroughly cowed Karralo slouches along behind it, flanked by the other two of your party.
The streets are particularly wild this afternoon, and more than one mob of angry citizens comes after your cart before seeing the bloodied forms--and disemboweled corpses--in your possession and thinking better of it.
However, the party soon reaches an intersection that is in full riot. Over a dozen people are brawling in the middle of the street, one great big sweaty, bruised pile of aggression. It doesn't seem to be a particularly fatal fight, but it is definitely violent, and impeding your progress.
A few of the people in the melee turn to see your party approach, and get others' attention. Their eyes filled with manic bloodlust, they turn on the party as a pack and begin running toward you...
... until everyone skids to a dead halt as the street buckles upward with a loud thoom! You can see, now, that this spot of cobbled street was actually already structurally weak, and now the small spiderwebs in the pavement crack and bow upward. The crowd looks significantly more alarmed than enraged, now.
With another thoom!, the street bursts upward, then collapses back down...
... as a massive form crawls forth from the wreckage. Its body is an enormous blob of fat and muscle the color of particularly unhealthy sewage, resting atop three ungainly legs. Three tentacles waggle about atop its lumpy body; two of them are covered in barbs at the end, and the third is, unsettlingly, covered in eyes. And splitting its amorphous torso almost in half is a massive mouth full of jagged yellow fangs. A writhing red tongue slithers about among its hideous teeth.
Most unsettling of all, however, is when it bellows, in Common, "FOOOOOOODDDOMNOMNOMNOM!!!" The brawlers all scream and scramble away from the massive beast as it lumbers toward you with startling speed.
Initiative:
[color=green]
Andakos (15/18 hp)
Otyugh (0 dmg)
Trell (17/17 hp)
Maelis (16/16 hp)
Adrin (12/13 hp)
[/color]
Otyughs eat feces. Like, a lot. Because of the squalid conditions in which they live, otyughs have slowly developed an immunity to all diseases. That doesn't mean, however, they can't be carriers. Best not to let it bite you.
"Otyugh! Don't let it bite you!"
Andakos has no interest in getting anywhere near this thing. He falls back a few steps -- possibly subconsciously drawing the beast towards Karralo -- and draws his sling. He winds up and launches a stone at it.
The sling bullet bounces harmlessly off its thick, rubbery hide. The otyugh actually doesn't even seem to notice. At first, it seemed like the otyugh was barreling straight for the group, but now you can see its eye stalk swerving back and forth. It spots a middle-aged man with a scraggly beard and pot belly nearby and yells, "FOOD!" again before snatching at the man with its long tentacles, but the man shrieks and scrambles just out of reach of them. The otyugh emits a noise that is somewhere between an indignant huff and a particularly wet fart.
[color=green]
Andakos (15/18 hp)
Otyugh (0 dmg)
Trell (17/17 hp)
Maelis (16/16 hp)
Adrin (12/13 hp)
[/color]
Adrin watches over the bound and unconscious forms as Trell and Andakos properly search the remainder of the abattoir. He loops the sap on his belt, and switches to his rapier, hoping to keep them in line. As they gather an impressive collection of gold, gems, and art he peruses the pile to see if any pieces strike his fancy.
As the prisoners, and the corpse are loaded into the wagon, Adrin offers to take up the burden, knowing that he's one of the strongest members of the group.
As the crowd of brawlers begin to advance, Adrin let's down the wagon tongue, and puffs out his chest. He's about to make a grand speech, ordering the people to stand down in the name of the queen when the ground erupts in front of him.
As he sees the creature rush toward the frightened man, he steps forward, raising his shield, and drawing his rapier as he does so. He strides up close to the creature, slapping his rapier against his targe to draw it's attention before holding his shield defensively in front of himself, and staying nimble on his feet.