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Korinne and Donkere volunteer to stay in Yargin's office, standing watch over the barred trapdoor, while the rest of the team follows Kradel back outside and to the boardwalk at the southwest corner of the old fishery.
The slippery boardwalk clings to the south side of the fishery, held together by barnacle-encrusted pilings that have had half of their thickness worn away below the waterline a dozen feet below. The boardwalk slopes downward as it approaches the ship to the east, where it stands about 10 feet above the river.
Despite the single door halfway along its length - Yargin's office, you guess - the decrepit boardwalk has seen only infrequent recent use.
About the same time that Dragas places his full weight on the groaning planks of the waterlogged boardwalk, Sora calls out a warning. "Careful, guys. It looks slippery, and I don't think it'll hold all our weight."
The underpier lies about ten feet below, running beneath the old fishery's upper level and about three feet above the water.
A narrow space exists under the fishery, with about three feet of room between the floor of the eastern side of the building and the languid, foamy river water below. Wooden pilings support the building, and thick mats of moss and cobwebs hang from ropes and rusted chains between them. The underpier's wooden walkway floats on the river’s surface, winding along the inner wall of pilings that supports the building’s frame above. The walkway leads to the sodden ship to the east The pilings below the understructure are densely arrayed, leaving only narrow gaps into the water below that area.
"I'll go first," Dragas said. "If I can make it around without falling through, then everyone else should be safe."
Sheathing his greatsword to free both arms for balance, the tall man slowly makes his way out onto the walkway. With methodical patience, he advances forward, making sure to test each plank before putting weight on it.
"If you insist. Walk slow and careful! Someone get a rope.. just in case!" Kradel stays back, knowing his weak back won't help much in case the man falls through.
Kradel looks closer at the planks and the under cribbing "Best stay apart, and move slowly. Don't stop though, its pretty thin but it should hold someone, just not close together!"
Gerry represses a smirk at seeing the big 'uns worried about their weight as he waves the others ahead of him. "I'll be fine, watch yer step yet keep your eyes peeled. Lamm won't have just a creaky set of boards ready to slow us down!"
Once the dwarf priest has make it across he will proceed over the planks, eyes watching the fishery building anxiously.
"Okay, single file, then?" Sora cautiously puts her first foot on the boarding, testing its strength. She continues slowly and carefully, the noisy shifting of the wood fibres causing her to cringe with each step.
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With Sora's warning and Viggo and Kradel's assessment of the boardwalk's load capacity, the team works its way slowly down its sloping length, all the way to the ship.
Gerry checks and confirms the door in the south side of the old fishery is locked. Following Dragas and Viggo, the halfling looks over his shoulder and spies a small door in the southeast corner of the lower level. That might be the 'door' the kid mentioned. A tight fit for a human or a dwarf, for sure.
The rotten deck of the ancient sailing ship Kraken's Folly seems to be barely intact; its hull is worn and thick with seaweed and barnacles. The ship is held together primarily by the layers of old rope that lash it securely to the pilings that support the fishery and the boardwalk. The rickety walkway leads along the ship’s starboard, a foot below its railing. A single wooden door leading into the aft cabin bears a crude painting of a red fish on its surface.
Gerry moves over to the small door placing a hand up for silence as he listens for what is on the other side...
Kradel edges a bit closer on the pier to get a better look up on the ship as others check out doors. "See anything?" He calls out quietly.
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As he passes the door on the south face of the old fishery's upper level, Viggo halts long enough to pick the lock with ease, and opening it, he sees Korinne and Donkere inside Yargin's office , guarding the trapdoor. Nothing new there, so he continues the slow, careful trek to Kraken's Folly.
Donkere decides to follow the rest of the team toward the ship, but Korinne holds her ground, determined no one will escape through the trapdoor.
At the front of the extended column of heroes along the boardwalk, Dragas and Viggo are first to spot the door to a cabin at the aft of Kraken's Folly. Kradel peers up at the ship's rigging and nearly takes a direct hit from a gull dropping a load as it flies overhead.
When the Donkere steps out of Yargin's office and gets a little too close to Sora, the boardwalk's planks creak and groan under the excessive weight of the two people. It's about to break!!!
Seeing the small door in the east wall of the lower level of the fishery, Gerry decides to retrace his steps back along the boardwalk and go down and check it out.
The small halfling enters the dim narrow space under the old fishery's upper level, with about three feet of room between the floor of the eastern side of the building and the languid, foamy river water below. Wooden pilings support the building, and thick mats of moss and cobwebs hang from ropes and rusted chains between them. The underpier's wooden walkway floats on the river’s surface, winding along the inner wall of pilings that supports the building’s frame above. The walkway leads to the sodden ship to the east The pilings below the understructure are densely arrayed, leaving only narrow gaps into the water below that area.
Gerry creeps along the underpier until he reaches the small door in the southeast corner of the fishery's lower level. The door is only 2-1/2ft square and locked. The strange size of the door makes it somewhat awkward for a Medium-sized creature to move through. The halfling doesn't sense anything unusual.
"Not so close," Sora whispers as Donkere steps out onto the plank, balancing herself against the side of the building. "I'm eager too, but step too hard or too fast and we're all going for a dunk in whatever fish slurry might be below us!" She scoffs, carefully shimmying towards Kradel, Viggo, and Dragas. "See anything in there, guys? Where did Gerry go? Probably not good for him to be wandering around alone, is it?"
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Viggo smiles at Sora and then whispers back to her, "That halfling is very skilled with that pointy little sword of his. I am sure he can take care of himself if it comes down to that."
Vigg then scans around to see if anyone is watching or lurking.
Thinking the coast is clear he will then try to climb onto the deck of the ship (assuming Climb will be appropriate). Relying on his luck, Viggo scampers over the railing. (Another use of Luck before skill checks).
4/6 remaining (lingering).
Kradel dodges the aerial assault then looks to where Viggo headed, trying to judge the ease of access and the strength of the ship's deck.
If only I could just take Sophie home now and be done with this place! He grips his holy symbol tightly then puts that thought out of his mind.
As Viggo and Kradel move onto the boat, Dragas follows them slowly, making sure that he tests the weight of the deck with each step that he takes.
"Let me go first," he says to the pair. Moving to take point in front of them, the barbarian makes his way toward the cabin door and opens it, looking to see if anything lies within.
Gerry eyes the small door for a brief moment before shrugging slightly. I could get in there...but no one else could. Not a smart plan...at least for now. He then carefully makes his way back towards the others.
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Viggo looks around, but he doesn't see anyone watching. The derelict, the Kraken’s Folly, looks like it was moored here long ago by one of the fishery’s previous owners, and over the years it has become almost a part of the building—it's no longer seaworthy.
Before Viggo climbs aboard, Dragas stops him and Kradel, insisting on taking point. The barbarian has no trouble climbing from the boardwalk over the taffrail and onto the deck. When he puts his full weight on the deck, the groaning and creaking planks warn that it's no more sturdy than the rickety and rotten boardwalk!
Meanwhile, some 10ft below the old fisher floor, Gerry moves along the boardwalk of the underpier, halting near mid-ship on the side of the vessel opposite the rest of the team.
Approaching the door to the cabin in the aft of the ship, Dragas observes the deck is a bit more solid within a few feet of the cabin.
He opens the door and peers inside. The air in the cabin is thick and musty. Thick sheets of cobwebs hang from the walls and mounds of blankets, cushions, and straw clutter the floor. A narrow flight of stairs leads down into the ship’s hold.
Crouched upon the webs, prepared to pounce, is a mottled brown spider about the size of a small rat.
Map & Images
Dragas
Donkere
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Spider ??
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Sora
Gerry
Korinne
Viggo
Kradel
Dragas
"Rat-sized spider in the cabin!" Dragas calls out. Rather than move in and block everyone's view of the threat, he steps to his right as he draws his mammoth greatsword and positions himself to hit the spider should it scuttle through the door and out on deck.
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The bold barbarian, in a gentlemanly gesture of deference to his dithering companions, steps nimbly out of the way, so they, too, might admire for themselves this foul diminutive vermin, sitting silent and menacing amidst its silken webs.
The mottled-brown, rat-sized spider remains where it is, ready to attack anyone who dares enter its lair.
The ominous sounds of the creaking and groaning planks of the deck and the boardwalk, straining under the weight of our intrepid heroes, provide a dissonant accompaniment, adding to the tension...
Donkere
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Spider ??
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Sora
Gerry
Korinne
Viggo
"An overgrown spider? Gah, call in the exterminators and flame throwers!" Dithers Kradel, a shiver running up the back of his neck. So many spiders in the caves.. so.. many.. spiders..
Dragas holds his greatsword high above his head, waiting for the spider to scuttle through the door so he can deliver a deadly stroke to it. After the span of eight heartbeats, the barbarian's patience quickly evaporates at the lack of a target. With a scowl on his face, he drops his greatsword and draws a javelin from the quiver on his back.
He steps back to where he can see into the cabin interior through the door frame. Knowing the spider is a smaller target than the sour-faced man, he draws back his arm and launches the javelin while invoking a silent prayer to the spirits of his ancestors to guide his aim.
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Hearing the shrieks of fright from the deck above, Gerry peers up at the Kraken's Folly, wondering how hard it might be to scale the derelict's exterior, the rough, rotting wood slick with sea spray from the waves, presenting a considerable challenge.
Dragas drops his sword and hurls a javelin at the spider, skewering the rat-sized arachnid against the wall of the aft cabin, its yellow ichor dripping along the skeins of webbing to the floor.
The filthy cabin is empty, otherwise.
"Watch out for the rat-si-" No sooner had Sora called out a warning than Dragas' javelin summed with a spider made for the next carnival treat. "Ah, nevermind. Nice shot, Dragas. I think I'd pass on a giant arachnid-on-a-stick, except maybe in the worst of times," she smiles.
"I'm starting to think you should stop carrying that greatsword around so much and just throw javelins. Or maybe just keep the sword as backup when you run out." Kradel peers to try to see on to the ship.
"Let's stay spread out as we search the ship, we don't want to fall through the ceiling into a pit of watery death or anything." He urges the group to keep exploring, knowing full well why they are there, and the quicker he can get back to Sophie the better.
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"Almost as good of a shot as I am..." He sweats a bit, man that sounded like a good throw... But I need to watch our butts... "I will watch us from behind, maybe we can get our paladin friend back up here before we go explore the ship if she wishes. If not, this will make a good relay for communication."
"Thanks. The floor closest to the door seems more sturdy than the rest," Dragas calls back to the others. He picks his greatsword back up before moving through the door into the cabin. Not wanting to take a chance that the wood underneath his feet could be derelict, he slowly moves toward the skewered spider and retrieves his javelin. "Stairs in here that go down," he says, taking a position at the top. Although he does his best to peer down to watch for signs of trouble, it's tough to see with what little light is coming through the door outside.
Gerry sighs in relief as the sounds of combat have subsided. Briefly considering the thought of rejoining the others he decides instead to stand his ground and keep an eye on the small door leading into the lower part of the fishery building.
Besides...I don't want to be the straw that broke the Kraken's back...I am shocked that bilge-nest still floats!
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Kradel joins Dragas aboard the Kraken's Folly searching the area near the prow, the rotten deck creaking ominously beneath his feet.
Viggo checks out the derelict ship's exterior, noting the deleterious effects of neglect and weather on the vessel. He calls out to Dragas and Kradel, encouraging them to inspect the hold.
The barbarian peers down into the darkened space below. Dark and dank, the ship’s hold smells of mildew. Dragas makes out several barrels, crates, and other containers stacked here and there. Dust and grime cover the floor, except where river water has collected in puddles.
Sora and Gerry watch the team's rear, while Gerry keeps an eye on the small door at the southeast corner of the old fishery.
Korinne leaves Yargin's office and heads toward the team along the rickety boardwalk.
"Give me a bit of space Dragas, I can see in the dark just fine. If I holler come pull me out though." Kradel gingerly gives the big man space then starts by scanning the hold for poison, then for magic, and then with eyes alone. "Torag, guide mine eyes to clues that could help with our search. Make our community whole once more."
"Where is this guy?!" Sora throws her hands up with impatience. "Wouldn't he have heard the ruckus when we took down his henchmen? ... Come to think of it, maybe that's exactly why he's so quiet. Whatever. I've decided! I'm going to find Gerry, and then we're going to find Lamm. Come on, Viggo, bring that sword of yours. We'll need it." The Varisian woman walks back towards the boardwalk with purpose, and follows the same route Gerry went.
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Peering down the steep steps with the dark-adapted eyes of a dwarf, Kradel spots four more rat-sized spiders dwelling in the long-abandoned hold—they look quite aggressive, ready to attack anything that enters this area
He also spies the outline of a secret door placed in the side of the ship adjacent the boardwalk of the underpier.
"Torag blesses my sight! There's four more of those spiders down here guys, and it sure looks like a hidden door in the side of the ship on the boardwalk!" He edges backwards and waves the javelin expect over.
Gerry nods softly as Sora approaches, "Yeah this looks like the only other way inside. I think I can get in there but the rest of you..." he shakes his head in doubt. "Still, I am willing to go in first."
Seeing the others heading towards the lower boardwalk Gerry finally turns his full attention to the door. Glancing back towards Sora he mutters "Locked door here. I don't suppose you found a key on any of the bodies?" Grunting in disgust he sheathes his blade and examines rhe door closely for any weak points to be forced apart.
Perhaps getting a little tired of waiting at the rear Korinne moves further down the boardwalk towards the boat, taking care to move past Donkere quickly enough to keep from putting too much strain on that section of planks.
She glances off in the direction that Gerry and Sora are moving and then back towards the boat where the others are lingering.
"Spiders? Is there enough room for me to get up there with my bow?"
"There is always room for a bowman, but they are hiding in the dark and likely protecting their home."
"We need light. I have light," Dragas says to Kradel, his tone not concealing his drive to push forward. The tall man reaches into his backpack and removes a slender piece of iron approximately twelve inches in length. Giving the piece of iron a light rap against the floor, Dragas emits a grunt of satisfaction as the piece of iron begins to glow and illuminate the cabin.
"Stand behind me," Dragas instructs, seeing to protect his dwarven comrade. Stepping to the top of the stairs, Dragas gives the glowing sunrod an underhanded toss down the stairs and into the hold. "Now we can see the spiders," he says as he draws a javelin and prepares to start picking the eight legged vermin off.
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With some light now, both Kradel and Dragas can see the four diminutive but aggressive spiders lurking among the web-covered crates and barrels of the cargo hold.
"Ahh, drain spiders a diminutive vermin. After a strong downpour, these spiders are often forced onto street level by flooding, boiling up from the drains in great swarms and thus justifying their common name." He takes aim and shoots another acidic dart at the nearest one, then retreats behind the large barbarian.
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Kradel recognizes this particular breed of arachnids are drain spiders, but he's no trained tree-huggin' naturalist, so that's about the extent of his knowledge of the species.
The herald caller recalls hearing somebody say that after a strong downpour, these spiders are often forced onto street level by flooding, boiling up from the drains in great swarms and thus justifying their common name. Looks like he and Dragas have found their nest.
Flat-footed as the spiders are, Kradel's acid dart is just accurate enough to hit the bug. The acid quickly dissolves it into a pulpy mess.
Map & Images
Gerry
Donkere
Sora
Kradel
Viggo
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Drain Spiders
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Dragas
Korinne