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The dogs snap viciously at the gate as Scratch approaches, but it hasn't risen high enough yet that they're able to reach him.
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Scratch
Yellow guard dog, Blue guard dog
Gillian
Green guard dog
Ed, Celvi
Red Guard Dog
Party Buffs: None
Environmental Conditions: Grease (requires DC 13 Reflex/Acrobatics unless you take the Step action, see map)
Ed decides being trapped here in the entryway was a bad thing so he decided to venture into the lair...
...unfortunately he slips and falls flat on his face! He then struggles back to his feet and steps out of the grease
Celvi points a hand and casts Fear on the nearest dog.
Then she takes a Guarded Step south.
Gillian steps through the grease puddle with a surprising amount of deftness before pulling out one of her prepared vials of alchemist's fire and throwing it at Green.
Minor Elixir of Life x2
Lesser Alchemist's Fire
Antiplague x2
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Gillian uncorks a vial of strong smelling liquid and lobs it at the guard dog, where it explodes and lights its body on fire. The pooch yelps in pain as it burns to death, the smell of barbecued canine flesh filling the air.
Celvi attempts to fill another dog with fear, but it's far too angry, and it barks back at the gnome.
At the end of the round, the gate finally clicks into place in the ceiling, and now the dogs are well within melee reach...
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Scratch
Yellow guard dog, Blue guard dog
Gillian
Green guard dog
Ed, Celvi
Red Guard Dog
Party Buffs: None
Environmental Conditions: Grease (requires DC 13 Reflex/Acrobatics unless you take the Step action, see map)
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Scratch sizes up the yellow pooch then swings both his hammer and dagger at once trying to knock it out of the fight in one go. "Sorry Mutt, there's only room fer one mangy dog in this place, and that's ME!"
Twin Takedown (Single Action)(Flourish)(Ranger)
Frequency once per round. Requirements You are wielding two melee weapons, each in a different hand.
You swiftly attack your hunted prey with both weapons. Make two Strikes against your hunted prey, one with each of the required weapons. If both hit the same hunted prey, combine their damage for the purpose of its resistances and weaknesses. Apply your multiple attack penalty to each Strike normally.
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Scratch's lifts both his hammer and signature Steeltoe dagger over head, smashing its skull and killing the animal!
Another dog comes rushing at the dwarf, wildly snapping at his foot..
But other than some slobber coating his leg, Scratch remains unharmed.
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Scratch
Yellow guard dog
Blue guard dog
Gillian
Green guard dog
Ed, Celvi
Red Guard Dog
Party Buffs: None
Environmental Conditions: Grease (requires DC 13 Reflex/Acrobatics unless you take the Step action, see map)
Now that Ed is on more stable ground here he decides to go on offense here.
With only two dogs remaining Gillian decides to conserve the rest of her concoctions, at least for the moment, and draws out her longspear. She takes a stab at Red, and then another!
Celvi loads her crossbow and takes aim at the Red collared dog.
"Mangy mutt."
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The dog play-bows just as Ed tosses his flame across to avoid it. Now distracted by the heat, the dog doesn't notice Gillian brandishing her longspear, and the half-elf skewers the dog through the head!
Celvi aims her crossbow at the only animal left standing, firing a bolt through its flank.
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Scratch
Yellow guard dog
Blue guard dog (-2)
Gillian
Green guard dog
Ed, Celvi
Red Guard Dog
Party Buffs: None
Environmental Conditions: Grease (requires DC 13 Reflex/Acrobatics unless you take the Step action, see map)
Celvi loads her crossbow before stowing it. "I'm wasting my spells, here. And what's with all of these traps? This guy who poisoned Bort must be a real loon."
Ed decides to check for magic in the area because that's what wizards do right?
Celvi begins Searching for any more nasty surprises.
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"And THAT'S how a Steeltoe takes out the garbage!" He sticks his chin out and stows his hammer before looking around the dog room, using his clan dagger to poke through the mess for anything useful or a clue.
"Long shot these pooches got collars eh?"
"How'd ya think that gate went up like that on its own? Crazy magic maybe?"
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Ed's eyes glow blue as she scans the area for magical auras, but the area remains magically silent. Gillian, Celvi, and Scratch spend some time looking around the room through the crates and barrels, all of which are empty? Whatever supplies Hallod ordered have long since been cleared out, save for packing straw and scraps of cloth.
Scratch moves in on the heavy door exiting this room to the east, and notices a slit through it that one may look through. The door is locked.
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"Well s~&@, think he flew the coop after the murder? Or is he just down on his luck and ain't got any inventory left to liquidate?" He says as he lifts the lid on yet another empty barrel before settling in front of the heavy door.
"So anyone got a better key than this?" Asks Scratch as he unshoulders his pack and pulls out a well worn crowbar. That thing looks older than Scratch.. which is saying something.
Crowbar Item 0+
Source Core Rulebook pg. 290
Price 5 sp
Hands 2; Bulk LWhen Forcing Open an object that doesn’t have an easy grip, a crowbar makes it easier to gain the necessary leverage. Without a crowbar, prying something open takes a –2 item penalty to the Athletics check to Force Open (similar to using a shoddy item). A levered crowbar grants you a +1 item bonus to Athletics checks to Force Open anything that can be pried open.
"Either that or he's one of those 'end of the world' survivalist types? Or just intensely paranoid," Gillian shrugs. She looks around, lamenting her inability to be of help in getting the door open.
"Never thought I'd say this but it's looking like I need to add 'learning to jimmy a lock' to the list of things I should do with my newfound free time!"
"Whatever his motivations may be, Hallod has shown himself to be quite thorough in his preparations here." Ed comments thoughtfully, "He must have planned this a long time ago...whatever his goals may be. I REALLY would like to question him!"
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Scratch digs his rusty crowbar into the edge of the door, and then braces his boots against the wall, pushing as hard as he can. The metal groans as the door pulls away from the frame, the cheap deadbolt cracking in a rustier section and falling to the ground, granting the party passage deeper into the basement.
Beyond the door is a short hallway remarkable only for a large steel wheel on the wall. And beyond the hallway is something much more: a.. living space. The living space is divided into several rooms. The first is a storeroom filled with scraps of old meat, a wheel of cheese, and a sack of turnips. There's also a crate of empty wine bottles in one corner, all of a fine Chelish vintage.
There's what could only be a lavatory here as well - really just an open pit filled with garbage and excrement.
Finally, there's a messy living area, consisting of a cot in one corner and a crude firepit in the other. A dark passageway exits to the east.
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Scratch moves into the room slowly after putting away his crowbar, clan dagger in hand as he looks around for Hallod.
He's gotta be 'round here somewheres... how long's he been gone from here... He looks for the man and any evidence on how long ago he may have been here or if he's packed up and fled.
Hunt Prey: Single Action: When you focus your attention on a single foe, you become unstoppable in your pursuit. You gain the Hunt Prey action. Source Core Rulebook pg. 168. You designate a single creature as your prey and focus your attacks against that creature. You must be able to see or hear the prey, or you must be tracking the prey during exploration. You gain a +2 circumstance bonus to Perception checks when you Seek your prey and a +2 circumstance bonus to Survival checks when you Track your prey. You also ignore the penalty for making ranged attacks within your second range increment against the prey you’re hunting. You can have only one creature designated as your prey at a time. If you use Hunt Prey against a creature when you already have a creature designated, the prior creature loses the designation and the new prey gains the designation. Your designation lasts until your next daily preparations.
Ed decides to have a look around here, carefully avoiding the latrine area.
Celvi plops herself on the cot. "Here's Hallod's home away from home. At least he knows how to sleep."
Celvi Searches the room.
"Maybe he keeps a diary or something?" Gillian muses as she moves forward and begins rifling through Hallod's bedding. "Kinda seems like a long shot based on what we know but it can't hurt to look..."
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The party fans out through the living area, with Ed carefully avoiding the makeshift washroom. While Scratch examines the larder, Celvi isn't intimidated by smelly pits, and ventures over to the lavatory, where she notices a number of small, identical bottles scattered among the trash.
The bottles all have a silvery residue in the bottom that smells strongly of iron and something else.. terribly acrid.
Ed steps through the living area, where he finds bits of trash and a few pieces of gear, including a whetstone, a dagger, 15 feet of rope, a hammer, 2 candles, and a coin purse containing about 3 gold in mixed coins.
Gillian digs through the cot, tearing through the sheets and pillow before she finally looks underneath the cot and finds a strongbox made from stout wood banded in iron, and closed with a lock.
"Nothing here either," Ed offers in reply, "Looks like he left in a hurry though."
"Eh, what's with this smell?" Celvi notices the silvery liquid. "Anyone knows what this is? Maybe he knew someone would come looking for him, so he bailed. I should have taken the hint."
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Scratch sniffs the liquid, and recalls the scent... It seems to be the remnants of a juggernaut mutagen.
The dwarf then peers around the corner, noticing a long corridor that stretches beyond what he can see. The stonework is odd in that it goes from worked stone to more of a natural cavern pattern further in.
"In passing; these are good for bolstering the body but uh, your reaction times and some other cognitive functions slow down a bit as a result," Gillian remarks after studying the empty vial. "Still, it's something that can be really handy in the right circumstances! I wonder if he left a recipe for this lying around somewhere?"
But then she realizes that they've pretty well searched the living quarters and sighs. "Probably not, not unless it's in this box here. Scratch, wanna see if you can force it open?"
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Scratch picks up the box and examines it carefully, and when he's sure it isn't trapped, he gets to work prying it open with his signature crowbar. Considerable effort (and grunting!) goes into the task, but soon, the box pops open.. and a needle shoots out from the keyhole and into Scratch's finger!
If it's any consolation for the dwarf's potential injury, at least the strongbox is open now. Inside are fourteen receipts for various goods, including hide, cloth, cheeses, leather, and wine.
There's also a scrap of parchment that lists each transaction with a value slightly higher than the corresponding receipt.
The chest also contains 21 gold pieces and 37 silver pieces.
Finally, on the back of the transaction list is a crudely drawn map. It depicts a cave labeled HIDEOUT, next to a shape that might be a pond. From there, a winding path passes through a strange V-shaped chamber before ending at what appears to be a clearing with a tree stump labeled DROP POINT.
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"Sonova biscuit!" Grunts Scratch as he's... scratched by something in the lock. "Clever bastard."
Scratch rubs his finger and sucks on it a bit as he paws through the now open box. "HIDEOUT?" He points to the map. "I didn't fall off the turnip truck this mornin'. How in the hells can we be expected to believe that's not a trick..." He takes a seat and starts counting the coins.
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"You sure you're okay? You don't look okay," Gillian points out with pursed lips. "Sit still a minute and let me check you over, alright?"
You treat a patient to prevent the spread of poison. Attempt a Medicine check against the poison’s DC. After you attempt to Treat a Poison for a creature, you can’t try again until after the next time that creature attempts a save against the poison.
Critical Success - You grant the creature a +4 circumstance bonus to its next saving throw against the poison.
Success - You grant the creature a +2 circumstance bonus to its next saving throw against the poison.
Critical Failure - Your efforts cause the creature to take a –2 circumstance penalty to its next save against the poison.
"There! I believe I've managed to slow the progress of the poison, somewhat. Your immune system will have to do the rest, though. As for the map...hmm. It could be a trick or it could be some manner of smuggling operation? I think it's worth checking out."
Ed peers at the crude map drawing, "This very well could be a trap yet I see no other way to proceed at this point. It looks like he was engaged in some illicit activities as well. Perhaps Bort was also part of this...smuggling ring? Maybe that is why he was killed?"
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"What's wrong with making a little bit on shipping? Isn't that what Bort did? I'm having a hard time findin' the reason for all this bein' so hush hush." Scratch says as Gillian is working on his prick.
"Well, let's put any of this to use I guess and start movin' I guess eh?" Wobbles Scratch a bit as he heads down the cavern.
"Yeah right, Scratch. You ain't foolin no one with the tough guy act. Just let Jillian help you."
She checks the map. "Of course we should go there. What, are we going to stay here and eat turnips all day?" She huffs, decision already made up. "This Hallod guy is clearly planning something big. Should make a good play"
Celvi picks up her torch and begins Seeking again.
"Yes Celvi we should hurry here!" Ed quickly hurries after the others, scanning the area for any magical auras.
"Yeah, I mean there's too much strange business pointing back to Hallod so we need to try and learn as much as we can - and hopefully track him down, too," Gillian agrees as she moves to follow the others, eyes peeled for trouble.
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Scratch leads you down the passageway, which takes on the appearance of a natural cavern as you get further in. Although the path is far from level, it appears to be have been worked to allow for easy travel, with stalagmites cleared away in some spots and small, wooden footbridges stretched over pools of shallow water.
After about ten minutes of traveling, the passageway opens up into a large natural chamber, the center of which is occupied by a pool of brackish water. Stalactites and stalagmites occupy much of the room, but a path between them leads around the pool and to another corridor on the opposite side of the cave.
As soon as you enter the room, a strange blue glow emanates up from the pool, sending a cascade of shimmering light to the ceiling above, though Ed doesn't sense any magic...
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Scratch signals the group to stop as they come into the flashy chamber. "This place looks like somethin' special. Best we have a good look around just in case." He flips his clan dagger up into the air and catches it before slowly moving through the cavern investigating.
Investigate
Concentrate Exploration
Source Core Rulebook pg. 480
You seek out information about your surroundings while traveling at half speed. You use Recall Knowledge as a secret check to discover clues among the various things you can see and engage with as you journey along. You can use any skill that has a Recall Knowledge action while Investigating, but the GM determines whether the skill is relevant to the clues you could find.
"Indeed it does Master Scratch!" Ed looks about the cavern with a sense of wonder before he slowly looks around following the old dwarf here.