Cautiously. With Combat Expertise (-1 to hit, +1AC)
Move action: Feint
Standard action: Attack
Spinnaker Jon lunges for the big lizard again.
for a possible piercing damage.
Bhru stops bleeding out, but remains unconscious, the party lashes out at the violent little reptile, and though beaten and bloody, it keeps fighting.
Again cautiously. With Combat Expertise (-1 to hit, +1AC)
Move action: Feint
Standard action: Attack
Spinnaker Jon lunges for the big lizard again.
for a possible piercing damage.
Kellan offers up a quick prayer to the balancing scales in his head before offering his next ally to strike what little aide he can.
With a dip of his shoulder and a twist of his wrist, Jon makes a lunge, running the beast through. It gives one last snarl of defiance before sliding off the blade to lay still on the floor.
In the sudden stillness that follows, you hear an oath ring out from back the way you came. "Dammit, they even cut down the mauler."
More loudly, you hear a voice call out, "Mistress Kellani? Is everything alright?"
"THAT'S got 'im!" Exulted Spinnaker Jon as he flicked his blade off of blood. He whirled about, his eyes scanning the area.
"Where'd the lassie get to?"
Phineas addresses the baddies behind the door:
“I find myself in the unfortunate position of bearing tragic news to you lot—
We’ve slain your Mistress. We’ve slain her fanged friend and we’ve slain your friends. Many of them.
Oh yes, and the mauler. Him too.
I must admit, our stomachs begin to churn at the sight of all this blood…”
“As I see it, you’ve two choices. You may open that door and enter. And very soon afterwards you will find yourselves waving hello to your preferred god of death. Or, you allow us to pass and meet your gods at a time you deem more suitable. Until then you might even…hmm…plot your revenge? Muster another mauler? Find more foul, winged things to do your bidding? Admirable uses of your would-be time!”
“Our stomachs may be weary of blood, but rest assured, our blades are not weary of shedding it.
You seem honest fellows. Of that, I’m sure. The choice is yours.”
Kellan hopes his half pint friend has the appeal to avoid further blows but his focus largely remains on his fallen companion; praying the scales hold for his friend he searches for energy to get him on his feet. He hesitates a brief moment as he focuses on the swinging scales before he lays a hand on the downed dwarf, dreading touching the dank armour further if the dwarf is unable to rise unaided.
Bhru's eyelids flutter as the healing touch steadies his failing heart. He groans and rises to a half seated position,
'Not the best time fer a nap innit lad'
He gathers his senses and looks around the room.
'Where did she go?'
Jon mimicked someone dissolving into the air at Bhru.
Ukufa claps the broad shoulder of Bhru in a rare show of appreciation;
"Glad my mistress did not claim you... Smelled too bad most likely."
She nods as Jon demostrates what happened;
"Vanished. The drake is downed."
There is a pregnant pause, and then some muttered conversation. No reply can be heard, save for the fleeing sound of running feet.
The fight over, your take some time to poke about the room. A bookshelf holds several minor objects of value. The books themselves are novels, mostly adventure stories or erotica, none of particularly high value. Some of the statuettes are valuable though, including an alabaster statuette of a succubus , an onyx statuette of a displacer beast , and a silver statuette of a rearing unicorn , Two coffers on the shelves are jewelry boxes, . The darkwood coffer contains seven silver and gold chain necklaces and bracelets . The iron box contains a dozen rings and earrings .
A wooden cupboard contains several different articles of clothing sized for a human woman, including three courtier's outfits ), a noble's outfit . and a flowing (and scandalous) robe of shimmering lavender silk .
Pushing open the door to the south, you find a thickly carpeted room with walls that have been smoothed with plaster and painted a soothing light green. A delicate crystalline chandelier hangs from the center of the ceiling. To the south, a dressing table sits next to a padded stool, and a large canopied bed with silk sheets looms to the southeast. Between these two objects sits a heap of oversized cushions.
In the bedroom, a search of the dressing table turns up a large collection of exotic and expensive perfumes, 24 vials in all.
(Dated 2 days before the fire that slew the elder Vanderborens)
“...My parents have grown soft. I’m not worried in the slightest that they suspect anything, my delicate flower. The funds you’ve trusted me with have been more than enough to pay off the local guards, the harbor watch, and the ship’s crew to say nothing about the new cargo. Hell... they even offered to help load the barrels! Of course, I didn’t tell them what was inside— I’m sure they’d sing a different song if they knew just how much alchemist’s fire we loaded into the hold of my father’s new plaything. I’ll be following the ship’s progress for a few days to make sure the fire does the trick, so you’ll not be seeing me for at least half a week. Keep your bed warm for me!”
(Dated 3 days after the fire)
“...It’s unbelievable! Sure, she’s the eldest sibling, but she knows nothing of life! She spent the last half of her childhood in Thenalar learning how to fold napkins and play the violin, for Hell’s sake! It just goes to show you how insane my parents really were... leaving everything in her care like that! Whatever. She’ll need the house to live off of, I suppose. Lavinia’s not a bad lass, really... I kind of miss our time together, to tell the truth. Think she’d be interested in joining the Lotus? I doubt it. And anyway, a second Vanderboren tragedy might get too many people curious. No, for now, whatever’s in the vault will have to do...”
(Dated two days ago)
“...I really wish you could have been there, my little dragon. Lavinia’s never going to get anywhere hiring fools like them.”
“In any case, on to the purpose of this letter. Brissa’s in the other room, getting ready for a night out on the town, so I’ll have to be quick. Remember that thing she hinted about to me? About the pirates who were supposedly using Kraken’s Cove as a base for their smuggling operation? Turns out she wasn’t spinning tales—I’ve heard that they’ll be arriving within the week with a particularly rich cargo. I’ll bring her with me on the pretext of joining up with them, get their guard down, and when they’re not expecting it my men’ll light the ships on fire! It’ll be a simple task to pluck the treasure from the water once all those fools are dead. Should be more than enough to make up for what we lost when Lavinia inherited rather than me.”
“I tell you... burning people to death on their own boats? It’s the best way to make money yet. Wish I’d thought of it years ago!”
Jon couldn't help but grin as he let the valuables sift through his fingers...
Bhru sniffs around the stonework as the crew sets to finding silky dresses and awful smelling perfumes,
'Somefin' not quite right bout the stone this deep.'
The old, recently nearly deceased dwarf raps his armored knuckles around in varying places,
"Hmff... Stone and boats... Next it'll be walking dead. Is it a way out of this hole Bhru? Kellan carefully puts a hand on the dwarfs shoulder as he seems to search for something. Lending his Guidance.
“A secret passageway perhaps? Please be a secret passageway….”
Phineas lends what hand he can, prodding and poking items within the room.
With Bhru's intuition guiding you, you manage to locate a false panel that reveals a short hallway that ends in sturdy door. Unlike all the other doors you've come across in this nest of thieves, this one is locked shut with an elaborate and well made lock.
Having loaded up all the treasure into the chest, Jon hustled forward at the discovery of the locked door.
"Whatd' ye got here feller me lad?" Jon said, closely examining the elaborate lock for possible weaknesses.
He took out a leather pouch from his sash and unrolled a number of small tools. He took a couple out and carefully proceeded to try to trick the lock open.
As Jon works the lock, Ukufa focusses her senses on what lies beyond the portal;
Checking the lock, Jon finds that it very much trapped, but with a little bit of effort, manages to disable the trigger mechanism, letting him work on the lock at his leisure. it takes a bit of doing, but eventually, he gets the door unlocked.
Beyond the door is a small room, empty save for 3 large iron bound chests.
"Arr, this be promisin'..." Said Spinnaker Jon, the light of treasure lust gleaming in his eyes.
Nevertheless, he cautiously scanned the room, and the iron bound chests for traps before delicately approaching the chests and trying to open them.
"Nice work Jon! Tell me those are full!" Kellan gives Jon a chuck on the shoulder as Jon moves to open the chests, wary for more traps.
“By the gods, Master Jon!”
Phineas tries to contain himself, eagerly waiting to behold the chest contents.
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Eye's glinting, Jon slinks into the room and checks the chests. Two are locked but the third opens easily, revealing a clockwork mechanism frozen in motion. With some delicate experimentation, Jon figures that if closed, the mechanism springs back to life and so decides to keep it open, so you can all keep an eye on it.
The other two chests take a bit of finesse, but in time they spring open.
In one you find a fantastic amount of stolen wealth. These items must represent the work of countless minor burglaries and thefts perpetrated upon Sassarine over the past several months.
The other chest is packed with gold and gemstones, all of which are neatly collected in silk bags bearing the Vanderboren family crest.
At this time, you begin to smell smoke. Taking a scorched earth policy, the guild has set fire to their own base of operations. It is a near thing, but somehow you all manage to escape back to the surface with the guild's ill gotten gains before the flames and smoke overcome you.
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"Well the duwur may have died a little bit but he did not do it alone! A shame we didn't claim the Lady O'the Lotus for your mistress eh!" Kellan gives Ukufa a hug about the shoulders and a wink, unable to contain his excitement to be under the sky and alive. "Crossroads of glory indeed Master Flaunce! Bhru we can afford some clean armor finally thanks to this lockpickin son of a locksmith!" He jeers winking at Jon now. [B]"To Lavinia's or the nearest watering hole?"
*koff koff*
"Praise be for fresh air again!" Jon said to the sky as he knelt hugging protectively the trunks they rescued.
"To Lavinia's or the nearest watering hole?"
"Lavinias first!" Jon said fiercely. "We need ta secure the... take first. She's got just enough of an estate here in town, we can bury it in the back, out of sight." He nodded, thinking furiously.
“May a thousand praises be sung in our honour! And who shall we commission to write our stories and paint our portraits? I’m sure Vanthus might lend a suitable recommendation.”
Bhru nods,
'Aye les return the families treasure to miss 'Vinia, and get an ale.'
The old, sore dwarf makes his way back to Lavinia's Estate.
Soot stained and bloody, you draw your fair share of odd looks as you lug your haul back to the Vanderboran manor. Kora lets you in with a look of distaste at you appearance and a word to stay off the rugs, before going to find her mistress. She returns shortly and leads you to the library, where you are met soon after by Lavinia.
Lavinia is ecstatic with the return of the coins, "This is completely unexpected and wonderful. I thought it was gone for sure." She riffles through the sacks and pulls one out, handing it back to you. [b]"Keep this as a finder's fee, with my thanks."
Listening to the account of your attack on the Lotus Dragons and pursuing Vanthus' letters, Lavinia's face darkens. "This is much more serious than I could have imagined. From the sounds of things, the city nearly lost control of the harbour, and that would have been a crippling blow. I will see that the Dawn Counsel knows of your service to the city."
"As for my brother, I would ask that you do not give up your search. It seems that he and this Brissa have headed to someplace called Kraken's Cove. I'm sure someone on the seedier side of town might know where to find it . That being said, Master Sloren Highwall of Highwall House is a bit of a fanatic for local geography and has been know to share his knowledge for a fee ."
Spinnaker Jon ran a hand through his unkempt hair and looked embarrassed.
"Well ma'am, seems ta me I might have heard of a Kraken's Cove meself in my travels..."
"Well Jon if yer memory fails you, I may know a guy who could scrounge some details up."
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Spinnaker Jon, having some experience with the seagoing underworld, had actually heard of the place and knew roughly where it was.
As it was some days away, and having money in their pockets now, Spinnaker Jon went out and talked to some old acquaintances to see about hiring a trusty sailing pinnance for a bargain price.
Bhru doesn't do much shopping aside from finding a blacksmith to readjust a few dents that were causing unwanted chaffing. The next time you see Bhru he is much more modestly dressed. He dons a casual workers shirt and leather smoc. Forearms beared and ready for work.. its a GLAAAMOR, hes actually still kitted.. :)
He visits his old local Arena, looking in to who the new champion is, and wondering if he's still got the strength to step into it.
Kellan wanders the streets for a few days, eating more than he should as he's wont to do when his coin purse is full.
He found some fairly nice armor upgrades but then the wondrous mithril breastplate caught his eye, and the thought of parting with nearly all of his gold and the meals he'd miss as a result cinched his purse strings almost reflexively. He upgraded his mundane gear hoping what was left and the upcoming balancing of Vanthus' scales, with the hoard the rat and the lotus presumably had collected, would allow him to sport his coat, No sense in attracting unnecessary attention, over a shining new Mithril breastplate. He too stashes some gold in one of his old investigative haunts, a deserted row house, under a corner brick he'd carefully altered to slide up and out. Satisfied his stomach would be full for some time he returns to the Vanderboran manse ready to bring Vanthus down.
Phineas hastily graces every tavern in Sassarine, spreading word of the party’s recent exploits.
Before long, he summons the wolf-steed, Lloyd. To celebrate their reunion, they shop!
Studded Leather Barding for Lloyd = 50gp
Cloak of Resistance for Phineas = 1000gp
With your preparations complete and knowledge of you destination in hand, it takes little time to find a fisherman willing to play ferry man for the day. No matter how much money you offer, he refuses to put you closer than a sheltered beach a few miles away from the cove proper. When pressed, he tells you that the Kraken's Cove is known to be rife with pirates and he'll not risk his ship. Transport arranged, you leave in the grey predawn light and make the long voyage unmolested.
From the beach, you cut your way though the dense jungle brush in the general direction of your destination. Rounding a bend in the land, you see great plumes of smoke rising into the sky above the cove. Bizarrely, swaths of dead wildlife, from parrot to gull to monkey to snake, start to litter the ground, their bodies horribly distorted and deformed. What few wild animals you catch sight of are similarly deformed, and shockingly aggressive. You see many animals savagely tearing each other apart and more that once you are forced to dispatch one of these mutated horrors before it can gnaw out your eyes.
Finally, you break through the foliage and find yourselves on a low bluff overlooking the water. In the sheltered cove below, an inferno rages. Several ships, including a two-masted caravel, a sizeable frigate, a long barge, and what might have once been a schooner are all ablaze. Further out, a three-masted caravel seems to have escaped the fire, for now. A shiny slick on the surface of the water itself burns as well, creating a wall of wood and flame. The heat rises in searing sheets, and the roar of the flaming maelstrom mixed with the crashing surf masks any other sounds that might be issuing up from below. Through periodic gaps in the smoke, you catch sight of movement on the beach, so something still lives in the inferno below.
"Looks like he pulled it off... Vanthus truly has tipped the scales this time. His balance owing is tremendous, and I'm glad we will be there to collect it." The fires glowing in Kellan's eyes are not all literal but it isn't clear if he speaks with more vehemence at neutralizing Vanthus or collecting the gold Vanthus' inferno will leave at the bottom of the cove. It is clear however, from the conspicuous lack of a wink, that he is deadly serious either way.
"Vanthus has help, shall we attempt a stealth approach first?"
"Aye, stealthy it is." Replied Spinnaker Jon quietly.
Hand crossbow out, he stealthily made his way forward towards the beach using what cover existed while keeping a wary eye out as well.
Bhru rolls his eyes as the sleight humans slide forward quietly,
'Aye..."stealth"'
“…And don’t forget Master Scribeman—at our side you are in the safest, most adept of hands!”
Phineas takes another look around. Catching sight of an especially deformed dead animal, he lowers his voice and speaks to Kellan.
“Errr, why yes, Master Kellan, an endeavour of stealth may be the preferable option.”
Ukufa nods silently at he plan and draws her new magical dagger, its ruby topped pommel glinting as she shifts forward;
From your vantage point above the cove, you look for a way down to the beach. The prospect of Bhru climbing down the cliff face, not to mention Lloyd, is fortunately avoided, as you come across an old wooden walkway driven into the cliff, leading down to the beach below. The rickety wooden walkway creaks ominously, but seems stable enough. Even at this distance the heat coming off of the burning ships is intense. Only one vessel remains free of the flames, a massive three-masted caravel stands anchored in the harbour. Her sails are decorated with stylized figure of a wyvern; its tail raised over its back as though ready to strike its enemies. It's figurehead, powerful wyvern, its wings unfurled, crouches at the prow.
Kellan sidles up to Bhru, "Nice armor friend! Clean! Pretty quiet too!" The wink puts the lie to his straight face.
Jon's piratey heart hurt to see the value of perfectly valuable ships going up in flames... A tear rolled down his face slowly
But that wyvern caravel in the harbor, that had some possibilities. Greed rose again in his heart.
But.
First things first. He resumed moving stealthily towards beach down the creaky wooden walkway.
'NUFF blabbin 'bout armors n get a move on. That boat is about ta make move to clean us off the mountain!'
Bhru starts off in a run trying to get ahead of the collision.
Realizing the threat, Jon breaks stealth and runs for it.
Seeing Bhru and Jon bolt, Phineas and Lloyd follow suit.
“Make haste, Lloyd, and much of it!”
Kellan follows the crowd...