The shark stays far away, swimming around a nearby pier in an area that seems to have an abundance of fish darting here and there near the surface.
The small door to this area appears to be locked, but Marcus doesn't spot any traps.
Shi also checks this new door for traps.
Shi pushes past Marcus and pulls out her thieves' tools, endeavoring to crack the simple lock.
Shi swiftly pops the lock and heads behind Marcus and Krovax.
Shi simply rolls her eyes at Kali before moving up to help open the door for Marcus. Once she picks the lock she steps back letting the two men take the lead but not letting Kali get ahead of her, instead making sure to swish her tail a couple of times where Kali can clearly see.
Kali doesn't want to be in front of Shi and lets her go first. When she swishes her tail, she is extremely tempted to reach down and yank a hair to see if she would jump and squeal.
Marcus knows that whoever is inside has likely heard them. Himself and Krovax, at the very least, were much too loud to go unnoticed. Once the door is unlocked and the sneak is out of the way, Marcus turns the door handle and slightly pushes the door, then kicks it open the rest of the way and steps inside.
The air in this large room is chilly and stinks of the river, thanks to a huge opening in the floor that drops away to the river shore three feet below. Several pilings emerge from the waters to support the roof eight feet above the floor, with mossy ropes slung between them. In two places, rusty manacles hang from the ropes over the water. Two five-foot-wide walkways cross the hole to the other side of the chamber, where a collection of old cabinets, lockboxes, and piles of clutter are strewn about. Chipped porcelain plates, a cracked goblet, badly rusted silverware, an old wooden shield with a crossbow bolt embedded in it, the odd dinged helm, and other “treasures” litter the floor of this side of the chamber. Three tables heaped with clutter stand amid this mess. In the southwest corner, a wooden door provides access to a walled-off section.
When the door opens and Marcus bunkers down behind it, you all hear a powerful, if older voice cackle, ”So: Yargin said some people were coming.” His voice takes on a sneering, mocking tone ”how did you like the spiders? No matter, you will find that this is the end of your pathetic journey.” When he sees Marcus through the door, he says ”Eh, is that Marcus Havel? The dog? Are you still upset about the docks? It was just business. A mercenary like you should know it’s no hard feelings.” and he laughs, which quickly turns to a hacking raspy cough. He clears his throat. ”It sounds like I’m hiring some new henchmen now. Why don’t you throw those idiots behind you into the Jeggare and we can talk about you working for me, eh, lad?”
It sounds like a genuine offer.
He fires a shot into the water at the large crocodile resting quietly. The crocodile begins thrashing around wildly.
Yargin prepares a noxious concoction, ready to throw it at a any second.
Marcus narrows his eyes. So you WERE involved. And you have admitted your guilt. He forces his way through the opening, cracking wood and scraping his armor. "You're right. I am not upset. It was smart, framing me since I was there. But you screwed up, admitting it."
"And now I have to ensure a threat is eliminated. Just part of business." He starts marching towards Lamm.
Yargin shrieks and lets his bomb fly at Marcus, seemingly afraid of the implacable warrior.
Thankfully, the bomb doesn’t splash on anyone else.
Krovax steps through and readies to defend himself.
Hearing Lamm's voice ignites a fire inside of Kali. Ignoring the possibility of betrayal, she grinds her teeth and starts running into the room. With a shove, she pushes Shi out of the way and barrels past her into the next room. With her bow raised as she runs, she looks for the first possible opening and lets the arrow fly at him. as she shouts "You're going to die today, Gaedran!" Kali shouts at Lamm
As the others filter into the room, Shi does the same. She pushes past Kali on her way through.
"Ow." Vera tries to cleverly slip through the door, but instead bonks her head awkwardly on the doorframe. Still, she sees a large crocodile and decides it's time to act. She begins a long, droning chant.
As his foes stream into the room, Lamm takes stock of each, not losing his sneering, contemptuous expression while he spits invective from his withered lips.
When Kali enters, Gaedren seems to laugh ”Is... that Kaliyah!? You survived... fat lot of good it’ll do you now. You’ll go down hard like l, was it ... Vanora? It’s hard to remember specifics about garbage... like your sister’s corpse.” He grins manically. ”At least you’ll be feed for Gobblegut, unlike ‘Vannie’, who died as she lived, f*&@ing useless time everyone until the end, crying for her sister.”
When Shi enters, he appears confused, though. ”Who are you supposed to be? Did I abduct your kits or something? Foreigners like you should never have come to our city, you probably deserve whatever you think I did! This city is for humans, not degenerate mongrel b*&$es like you!”
Kali doesn't take the taunt well and unleashes a blood curdling scream, her arms starting to tremble as she is barely keeping herself together.
"I'm going to rip your eyes from your skull and burn your body head to toe you WORTHLESS S+%$!"
Shi just rolls her eyes at the man trying to illicit a response from her, she rolls her eyes further as Kali takes the bait and explodes with vitriol for the man.
Hearing Gaedren call out his wife's murder so callously, Krovax snaps.
He levels his sword at the man and says "You need not worry about the prattle of the rest of this lot. Your fate lies with me. Your death will not be quick, it will not be easy. You will beg for the sweet release of death before I am through with you, and then I still won't give it to you. You will suffer like no mortal on this realm has suffered before I let the sweet release of death take your soul to the Boneyard."
"prattle, rest of this lot, blah, blah, blah." Magda mutters as she dashes past Vera and behind the iron giant #1 "You really are a pompous... Oh, F&~&." she stops mid insult as she sees Lamm.
A man she fears more than anything, who tortured her, who killed her friends, who SHE HATES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Fury leaves her speechless and she bolts around the other walkway, knowing the walls of meat and steel will never let her pass, let her end the turd flea of Lamm.
As Gaedren monologues, the vicious-looking alligator lunges from the pool, biting at Krovax!
The alligator manages to bite through Krovax’s leg armor, badly injuring the warpriest and pulling him into the water. Oddly though, the alligator releases Krovax immediately and looks angrily at the others on the walkway.
At this sight, Gaedren laughs, ”that must be Krovax. To have come so far, and now, to fall to a beast. There is a bitterness to that, young man.” He grows serious, then yells He frowns bitterly, tottering on his lame legs as he backs away from the assault.
He turns to Magda, and cackles. ”the tide is turning, little one. The offer to Marcus still stands. You’ll keep your life - what’s left of it. You know I am loyal to people who deliver.” He pauses, ”you always were a smart kid. You can have half of my fortune, and I’ll leave Korvosa, forever, too. Just like you want, and you’ll never be hungry again.” He appears again to be completely sincere, and then he grabs a bit of grimy muck from the junk pile near him.
Trigger, first enemy that moves adjacent.
Yargin’s bomb does a bit of residual damage, and looking worried, he pulls out a wand, hits it on the side, aiming at Marcus. The magic fizzles as a noxious spark emits from the wand.
Krovax thrusts his blade at the alligator before he slides too far into the water, and then begins doing his best to try to stay on the surface!
Krovax strikes out and manages to connect an excellent blow into the side of the alligator, who hisses, but doesn’t seem to connect the attack came from his prior target. Krovax then slips under the water, his armor weighing him down.
"You're... scared" she says aloud, astonished, No Flabbergasted to heck and back. "You'd never EVER give ANYONE a single copper piece, you goat piss piece of DUNG!" looking back she'll see the big guy go down in teeth and blood.
"Balls..." she curses. Considering leaving him to drown, bleed to death, or end up dinner, but she couldn't or she'd be as bad as goat piss there. So instead of going after Lamm, she'll try and stab the croc with her spear. "Here Kitty Kitty!"
Kali is furious and tries to focus her rage into her weapon as they had taught her. The marines had showed her how to focus and she does her best to do it now. Blowing out a breath she steadies her aim and lets an arrow fly towards Lamm, all the while trying to not tremble so bad as to throw her shot off and hit Krovax in the back.
Magda scrapes the alligator’s tough hide, but can’t penetrate to the vulnerable organs. Kali’s arrow embeds in Lamm’s arm and he cries out in pain.
Lamm curses in infernal and looks at the wound on his arm, and then looks up, he sees Vera peeking out from the doorway and waggling her fingers, ”What? How could you find me!? No, you’re dead! That isn’t you... Zellara... Such beautiful eyes and silky hair! I couldn’t bear to feed them to my pet... It can’t be you!” He screams, and Lamm looks addled and confused, and begins at last to wear his age on his face. The crack of confidence has cracked, and he shows real fear at the sight of Vera.
Rage barely contained, Kali screams out "We'll see who's f*&~ing useless!" as she prepares to load and fire another arrow, eyes locked on her target.
When Korvax gets pulled into the water Shi hesitates. She wants answers from Lamm and if he is guilty of what she suspects she wants to see him dead just as much as the others here, but as of now she doesn't know for certain and her new acquantiance was in trouble. Not blinded by hatred she moved over toward him getting ready to help him out of the water shortly, but she held her blade at the ready to defend herself in case the croc made a move to attack her before she could help.
Vera looks straight at Lamm as he utters his strange curse . . . Zellara . . . why was he using her name? Could it be?
She was ready to unleash her magics against him, but at the last second, as the alligator snaps onto the vengeful Krovax, she turns her focus. Looking at the alligator, she tries to soothe it with magical sleep.
She then steps through the doorway and fully into the room. "I'm not dead, Gaedren. But soon you'll be, you vile man!"
The thrashing form subsides, and the pool calms. Gobblegut is no longer a threat, as the alligator lazily sleeps near the surface of the water, its nose and closed eyes barely visible.
The acid burns into Marcus badly, and he grits his teeth. He considers backing up, but the path is crowded, overall the battle is in their favor, and he knows that the others have healing.
Marcus leaps forward, his slow gait quickly going into a rush. He brushes past the alchemist and goes straight for Lamm!
Marcus drops his shield and brings down his greatsword to smash Lamm into the wall!
Gaedren sees Gobblegut and yells, ”wake up, you stupid beast! Wake it up Yargin!”
Marcus connects with Gaedren, and the old man teeters uncertainly. Desperately he grabs a bit more muck and throws it in Marcus’ eyes, trying to blind him.
Marcus is blinded, badly, and it’ll take a little while to clear the gunk from his eyes.
Yargin hits his wand on the side, aiming at Gobblegut. The magic fizzles as a noxious spark emits from the wand.
When Yargin fails, Gaedren curses at him and jumps into the pool himself.
Marcus's nostrils flare at the dirty fighting. Not something he was personally fond of, and he thought it a cowards way to fight in most circumstances, but yelling about something being unfair is foolish in a fight to the death.
Knowing that standing defensively will do nothing while he's blind, instead he throws his whole body forward into Lamm in an attempt to flatten him.
Vera gasps as Lamm himself jumps into the water! Surely he would end up drowning in the alligator's pool?
She starts performing the same droning chant that sent the alligator to sleep, but it takes time for the magics to complete.
With the gator asleep Shi moves to try and help Korvax get out of the water, reaching out her hand to try and help pull him up.
Ignoring all of the clutter and solely focused on Lamm, Kali is oblivious to the fact that her brother-in-law is drown in a pool next to an alligator and a fox. Instead, she tracks Lamm as he moved towards the water and projects his landing spot, firing her arrow in the place she thinks he will be.
"Did you kill it?" the half orc yells after Vera's hands wave and the croc gets all quiet. Bubbles correct her though "sleeping then. Sorry kitty" Magda lines up and slams her spear into the beasts neck. "If you'd had just left it alone, bad old man, I'd not have had to kill it" she yells Lamm who was going to wake it up.
Krovax struggles, and sinks to bottom of the salty pool, still holding his breath, and a handful of bubbles gurgle from the salty water.
Near him, Gaedren Lamm topples into the water, and a vicious arrow embeds in the old man's neck. Magda does the same to the sleeping form of Gobblegut, who expires immediately and lays still. Blood fills the salty water, a mixture of human, and alligator.
Gaedren Lamm, bleeding from his extremely severe wounds, spasms, chokes, and lays still, floating face down in the bloody water briefly. His still body then sinks and disappearing in the morass. Slight splashing and movement in the area where Krovax fell is the only sign of life within the now-sanguinary and opaque fluid.
Yargin, seeing the ease and speed at which Lamm and Gobblegut were dispatched, swallows, and runs into the corner after dropping his wand. He crouches on the ground and holds his hands up in supplication, "please don't kill me!" he whines.
As Krovax slips deeper into the water and she can't grab a hold of him she looks around to the others. "We need to help him, I can't swim well with this armor on!" She pulls some rope from her pack and has it ready to throw to someone that can swim down to get him so that she can help to pull them up.
Now that Lamm is down she considers putting another arrow in him just to make sure he stays down, but she hesitates because of what Krovax had told her earlier.
Kali looks over where Krovax is supposed to be and gasps when she sees all of the commotions for the first time, noticing bubbles coming up from under the water where he likely fell in.
Looking over at Shi, Kali notices she's getting a rope out. Kali hops into the water and grabs the rope, swimming down to find the sunken man.
Kali swims to Krovax expertly and with a little feeling around, hands him the rope. He is struggling and grasping at anything he can find, but takes the rope and pulls on it, scrambling with grasping hands. Luckily, there are a handful of defunct cleats nearby to tie off the rope, and Shi quickly ties one end of her rope with a cleat hitch, securing it just before it goes taught.
Krovax eventually breeches the surface, and takes a deep breath. He climbs up onto the walkway and stands, looking around for Lamm. Seeing him missing and the water filled with blood, he looks around and says "Where. Is he."
Marcus finally clears his eyes. He lost Lamm, but based on the sounds he heard and the relative lack of combat going on around them, they appear to have won.
Marcus returns his greatsword to his back, approaching Yargin. "Turn around." It wasn't a request.
Marcus pats down Yargin for any weapons or anything else that may seem dangerous, taking away everything he has except the clothes on his back. Then he retrieves a set of manacles from his belt and affixes it to his wrists, behind his back.
Seeing Marcus change his focus to the surrendering Lamm, and the blood in the water, Krovax narrows his eyes and glares at it a moment before he turns and stoically walks out of the room. You can all hear his footfalls on the floor above, and after a brief pause, he sounds like he is returning.
A few moments later, he returns into the room with a bound gnome over his shoulder, and he turns his cold eyes to Kali.
Kali wrings her hair out, shaking off. She folds her arms in front of the giant soaking wet piece of metal in front of you. "You're welcome. You know, for saving your life?"
Shi reaches out to help get Krovax out of the water, but steps aside as the man asks about Lamm. She points to the blood in the water to answer his question. When Kali makes her way up she reaches out a hand to help her get back up to the walkway as well.
Once the two are out of the water and Marcus is working on securing Yargin she goes to check the other door down there, just to make sure there aren't any other surprises.
Krovax doesn't say anything in reply to Kali immediately. He looks to everyone and says "Finish your business here. I know a place we can go."
He then steps over to Kali and says "Lamm was just the fool barking orders. This one...this is the one who held the blade. This is the one who did the deed. This is the one...who will know our vengeance."
Kali keeps her arms crossed and looks over to Yargin when the heavily armored man motions to him. She blinks twice without saying, eyes focusing on the new target.
Twisting her torso, she look back over her shoulder at the bloodied and floating Lamm in the waters. She stares at him for a moment before she finishes turning completely around and draws another arrow and fires it into his already dead body. The third arrow embeds itself it his back without any signs of movement and she nods satisfied before moving out the door with the others.
When discussion about where to go comes up, Kali looks to Shi and asks "What does the fox say?"
Marcus turns to face the others. His armor around his left shoulder and chest is burning and melted, and his skin is angry and raw. He frowns at Krovax. "Focus. We are still in hostile territory. We need healing and to make a retreat."
"I fully agree. As I said, I know the perfect place. Secluded, quiet, and where nobody will come poking around," he says calmly.
As Shi examines the door, she finds it unlocked, and slightly ajar. She finds no traps. This foul-smelling room seems to be a combination bedroom and study. A wooden bed with a lumpy mattress stands against the east wall, while a round table heaped with dirty plates, bread crusts, stained goblets, fruit rinds, and scuttling cockroaches sits nearby. At the foot of the bed sits a large strongbox; a slightly rusted lock secures it and a moldy ledger with pages rippled from moisture sits atop its lid. A sagging dresser filled with moth-eaten clothes well past their glory days is in one corner. What appears to be a wooden hatbox surrounded by a small cloud of flies sits atop
this dresser.
Marcus binds the simpering mook behind the back with manacles, who follows the instructions perfectly, sitting quietly in fear as he watches the party.
As the battle ends and everyone starts barking orders, Vera comes up to Marcus. "You were very brave. Let me heal you again, mister." she says, speaking her infernal language once more.
Vera turns her focus to the things in this room. She wanted answers. She inspects the area very carefully for traps or anything hidden.
And starts reading the ledger.
Not seeing a specific threat Shi notes to the others "Think this was Lamm's room? Some stuff in here, we should grab anything useful or valuable and get out of here."
She will grab anything that looks useful and follow behind the others, suggesting Magda or Vera check the rooms upstairs and take anything they could use or sell.