Devlin leans on the doorway. "I would suggest you listen to my friend if you value your lives in the least."
The sap strikes down, knocking one of the Tower Girls unconscious before she is even aware of what's going on. The other one, shaken by Oster and Devlin's words lies cowering on her knees.
Xango comes closer and smiles."Wise decision?"
Taking a piece of rope he hard, but not brutally binds her.
Ok you bind the remaining Tower Girl.
In terms of loot you have 2 of the following:
Smokestick
2 tanglefoot bags
Set of studded leather
Hand crossbow with 10 bolts
short sword
climber's kit
grappling hook with 50 foot silk rope
hooded lanter
flask of oil
second story harness
thieves tools
15gp
GM note - I'll update the treasure list later
"You made a wise decision. Now we have some questions for you. Answer truthfully and we will not bring harm to you. Don't and well, you know what will occur." Devlin continues to lean against the door frame as he speaks.
Memnosyne is glad they were able to subdue these two so quickly. She flashes Oster a brief smile and 'thumbs up' as she helps sort through the gear they found.
The Tower Girl tells you that there are 8 other Tower Girls in the complex. In addition there are Ayala and 1 other Tower Girl who are wererats. There are also 6 donkey rats.
Ayala favours a bladed scarf in melee or a composite shortbow at range.
In terms of reaching the next areas you will need to make your way across a kind of spiders webs of ropes over the boat dock to get to the next chamber.
The tower girls have also set up a tripwire alarm trap a little further ahead. To get to Ayala's quarters and the doors you have to go up to reach an area where you can get back down.
"That is some darn fine information girls." Devlin pulls the group aside and whispers. "What should we do with them?"
Devlin divides out the found gold among the group.
Whispering, Memnosyne suggests they use some of the rope to leave the women tied up. They can free them when they return. "Or we could flat out tell them, if you're so-called 'friends' find out what you've told us, they'll try to kill you. Best to hightail out of here and never return." She shrugs her shoulders. "If they aren't tainted by lycanthropy, we might even try to reform them."
GM note - there is only 1 Tower Girl - the other one died.
The Tower Girl says that if you let her go she'll leave the Crow and Magnimar.
Oster shrugs.
"My thanks for the information."
Turning to the others:
"It's no skin off our nose either way. I say we leave her flee, and keep our rope handy."
"I don't have any issue with that so long as she doesn't take our boat when she leaves."
"Good point."
He turns to the tower girl.
"Don't mess with our boat. Or I'll have to be much less polite on our next meeting."
Xango nods. "We will let you free in the end. At the moment it is much too dangerous!"
You leave the Tower Girl tied up and head onwards.
The passage leads into another room. The murals in this room are scratched and faded. Several portions of the wall and floor show signs of past chipping. An empty plinth where a statue once stood rests by a small alcove.
Moving on again you come into a more open area. A ledge festooned with old bird nests looks out over a shaft dropping nearly two hundred feet to sea level below. A large coil of rope sits on the ground near the shaft, one end anchored to a large piton driven into a crack near the wall. Opposite the shaft is another ledge with a window looking out over Magnimar's harbour. The ceiling is a mere ten foot above, and crisscrossed by a complex tangle of stone arches that support the roof.
Between the two ledges, a five foot square wooden platform hangs from four thick ropes that hang from the stone arches. The platform is further anchored by two thick ropes to spikes hammered into the walls near the edge of the western ledge, while another pair of ropes hang from the ceiling above, anchored to a hook driven into the wall near the same ledge. It seems as if the only way onwards is to cross to the other ledge.
Memnosyne looks a little green looking down at the drop. "I'm gonna err on the side of caution here," she says as she pulls out her own rope. "Why don't we tie this to someone, let them try it out. If it works, we'll follow through. If it's a trap, we'll have a good grip on you." She holds out one end of the rope after looping the other around her arm and a piece of the arch. "Who's up?" she says.
"I'll give it a go. The worst that could happen is that I die. Everything else is a step up from that." Devlin takes the loose end of the rope and ties it around his waist.
"Alright, here goes nothing." Devlin takes a running leap for the platform.
Memnosyne gives one of her rare smiles. "Try not to die. I can't fix that... yet."
Devlin makes it across the gap easily.
Devlin gives a little holler and a fist pump as he lands safely on the platform.
Looking at the gap, Xango undoes his armor and stashes it in his backpack before moving across it.
On the other side he quickly dons it again.
That is fine both Devlin and Xango are now across the gap.
Oster pipes up:
"Next!"
"Hold the rope tightly, please," she says nervously. She follows Xango's model and removes her armor and shield to pack away before attempting such a feat. She also mutters a brief prayer to Pharasma for luck (casting guidance).
Her fears are well founded. She clings to the rope for safety.
Oster makes it across easily.
Memnosyne you slip slightly as you make your way across but with the rope tied around you are quickly able to recover and get across.
The walls along this short passage bear murals showing strangely dressed Thassilonian priests placing bodies into crypts. Several niches in the walls may once have been burial crypts themselves, but today, the hall is strewn with bones and the niches lay empty.
The passageway leads on into darkness, although there is a faint glow of light far in the distance.
Memnosyne says a prayer of thanks to Pharasma, and the others, before re-donning her armor. She quickly repacks her rope, before nodding to the others. "After you," she whispers.
As you move into the park you see a thin length of twine stretched across the room.
Oster attempts to disarm the tripwire safely.
Moving steadily along with the group Devlini scans the areas they pass through with Detect Magic in hope of avoiding any nasty surprises. "I guess that is the trap the girl spoke of. We will have to remain vigilant for others."
Oster manages to disarm the tripwire easily without setting the tripwire off.
Moving on you see a hooded lantern sitting on the lip of a fountain in the west wall of the next room. A tinkling rill of water runs from a demon-shaped mouth on the wall into the fountain. A bedroll and several bags of rations sit on the floor just to the north of the fountain. There are two more Tower Girls here who appear to be asleep.
Xango smiles and nods to Oster, letting him sap one and then jump the other.
You manage to knock the two Tower Girls unconscious.
Moving on you come to another chamber. The eastern wall is buried under an ancient pile of rubble. Sitting near the entrance is a wooden crate and a dull gray amphora.
Moving on again there is a set of stairs leading down (to the Third Floor)
"This place twists and turns more than a acrobat." Devlin rumbles down the stairs to the third floor along with everyone else. He continues to keep an eye out for any additional traps as well as magical auras.
Memnosyne also casts detect magic on the crate and amphora. "Should we pop this open?" she asks the others as they near the crate.
"Yes indeed!"
Oster examines the containers foe traps, ready to disarm any he finds before opening.
You do not fine any crates and nothing shows as magical. Oster realises that the Thassilonian coins are actually worth 486gp as they are so old, the statue is worth 300gp.
Moving on down the stairs you come into a large empty room. Several passageways branch off this chamber. To the east you can hear a loud squeaking sound. To the south you can hear soft conversation. To the north you can hear more squeaking together with occasional chuckling.
Xango puts it in the community loot bag and nods to the others. "Lead on Oster!"
Devlin whispers "Lets go East and deal with the loud rat." Devlin gives a wry smile as he finishes speaking. Who would have ever thought that such a ragtag group as ourselves would be tasked with a mission like this?
Oster smiles and sneaks ahead, seeking a soft target, sap at the ready.
Oster sneaks forward. A dozen bedrolls occupy this large chamber, and a few pieces of crude wooden furniture have been set up between them- a couple of scavenged chairs, a bench, and a short table. Torches mounted on brackets in each wall burn merrily. There are 3 Tower Girls in here and 2 Donkey Rats. You'd be able to get the jump on one but not all.
Oster decides to even the odds a little.
He sneaks behind the nearest tower girl, and whacks her on the head.
In a soft, quiet voice, he says:
"Get down."
Memnosyne assumes that will start a combat.
The Tower Girl that Oster jumps sits down cowering in one corner.
Initiative order:
Menosyne:21
Oster: 18
Xango: 14
Devlin:13
Donkey Rats: 7
Tower Girls: 4
Figuring the donkey rats may actually be lycanthropes, Memnosyne slashes at one with her silver dagger.
Oster keeps moving, swinging his sap at another enemy, with a menacing air about him.
Menosyne misses the rat but only just.
Oster knocks the Tower Girl unconscious.
Xango it is your turn.
Moving in Xango attacks the rat, too.
Xango also misses the rat.
Devlin you are next.