He goes down.
Daniel
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Astella continues to sing as she shoots at the last enemy.
(inspire courage)
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Taking another blow, Daniel swings for the fences.
Daniel takes out the last dwarf with a mighty whack on the head.
..
...
4 studded leather
4 daggers
4 saps
2 potions of clw
2 thieves tools
100gp in coins.
This very large hall is seemingly the main area of operations.
A large table stands towards the center. Four chairs and four crates surround it.
On the table, aside from empty drinking cups, two half empty, are a set of playing cards. It appears you caught them in a game. The orange guy was winning, looking at his hand of cards.
The crates look like sorting containers for finds, each divided through the middle. Some still have content, others are empty.
Some pouches of coins, worth a meager 75gp, but also quality tools, any craftsman would love to have. Another holds a sorted amount of expensive cutlery, vases, gems. Altogether an estimated value of 500 gold.
A further glance at the hall, shows some stacked heavy barrels near the door you entered from, some chests to the north wall.
A single door in the back to the west, and a staircase leading to the floor above.
Astella stops singing and starts clearing the loot out of any chest or barrel she thinks is large enough to hold a body, wanting to get at least the dead body out of the way before anyone else sees it. Perhaps Estelle could save the others, but they would still need to tie them up and gag them before moving on.
"Good day, sir. Ah've come straight from the estate of Lady Greenbriar, on an errand from Darius. Ah'm led to believe you know both of them well enough. Without explaining mah predicament in too much detail, the Lady would like a reproduction of a particular pendant that was created by yourself and Darius. She will naturally pay for the costs associated with production. Do you know of what Ah speak?"
"I know more than one Darius, but i believe i know the one you speak of. I am not personally acquainted with Lady Greenbriar, though. I had
someone in her employ come buy some things here, a couple of times over the years. Her i know of by name. Their family is an arms supplier, i recall."
"Ah, the pendant. A second one can be made, certainly.
It would merely require the funding, and mister Darius' participation in its creation."
"I'll hold off recurring until the ambassador's response comes in.
The initial surplus will be arranged."
Severa nods and heads back to the embassy. She tries to think when would be the least inconvenient time during the ambassador's day to bring an extra request.
"Ah was in such a rush to fulfill the Lady's request Ah forgot to ask her about the pendant. Might you inform me as to it's properties?"
Ambassador Elstar did mention he may want to speak with you in the evening anyway, but it would depend on him reading up on things.
You would know that he usually can be a little grumpy if disturbed, for trivial reasons. He would count trivial as topics which can wait until after work, which usually is after business hours.
Provided the reason for his pausing, is very important to his task or vital a topic, he would pay attention, as befitting his profession.
If you would like to talk milk to him during working hours, you hazard a guess it would need some effort.
"I am a bit surprised mister Darius has not informed you himself.
It can be used once per day, to discharge arcane energy to hold another in place, if they are not strong of willpower. However, mister Darius requested to weave in some druidic magic into it, to give it a particular visual effect. He told me it would look as if transparent vines would be holding the affected person. People design custom looks on all sorts of things, so why not in a magical effect?"
Zahfir smiles mildly.
"My university had an artistic oriented professor, who liked adding visual effects now and then. I am fortunate enough to have been taught that particular craft."
"You're quite skilled, Zahfir. It's been a pleasure to make your acquaintance. Now that Ah have confirmed your willingness, and the Lady has pledged to pay for the creation of the new pendant, Ah'll go find Darius and we can complete the transactions."
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When the final foe goes down, Estelle quickly looks over the fallen, finding one dead and providing emergency first aid to the other injured ones while Daniel and Astella hide the body. When she is convinced the bleeding of the other two is under control, she takes the weapons, money and potions and offers one of the latter to Daniel, as he was significantly hurt, and she was down to her last spell.
"I... wish we didn't have to kill that one, but it felt like we didn't have much of a choice," She then says, as her friends search the room. Getting an idea, she moves the unconscious dwarves back over to the playing table and wipes up the traces of fresh blood with conjured water before it coagulated. She fills their mugs with whatever source of alcohol they'd been using, wraps their hands around the cups and smashes another bottle for it if any for good measure, only to let it and its contents then fall on the ground. Hopefully this scene would look like they all passed out from a drinking game or such. "Maybe someone seeing this would approach them and announce themselves rather than run away..." She mutters, then begins aiding the search fully.
Severa waits until the evening then goes to meet the ambassador, as instructed.
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In the hall, there are two chests at the northern wall, and the heavy barrels to the east wall. The chests are not particular spacious for a grown dwarf to fit in....normally.
He's dead, so breaking some bones to fold him up, able to stuff the corpse in one, is a possibility. The barrel is sealed, and will require a strength check to break open.
During the search, no missing jewelry or items of monetary value are found. It would appear the finds in the sorting crates and the chests are the only places to put away things in. One chest contains non perishable foods of various kinds, and some simple camping supplies, for those long journeys on the road.
, and 3 torches.[/ooc]
The other chest is dusty inside, it has been some time since last it was used.
Walking near the stairs, Estelle hears the slightest sound of people walking up there. How many, she couldn't say.
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Daniel frowns. Theres always a choice... He thinks to himself but re-frames from speaking. He also hesitates at stuffing the corpse away. I'd rather not if possible... After finally relenting he thinks to himself. Ma was right, big cities change people..
Daniel will then drink one of his red potions
We could always bring one of them up from unconsciousness and interrogate them. Or, we just press on and hope. Either way, we don't know enough, so its likely to get messier.
If the barrel that Daniel broke open has more room, then Astella will use that instead. Otherwise she reluctantly breaks the body to hide it, and cleans up with prestidigitation after.
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The barrel has plenty of room to stash a body in.
Its contents are exotic looking clothing, neatly wrapped in fabric.
It is of design definitely not dwarven in style or design.
Estelle arranges the surviving dwarves at the sorting table, cups in hand, the last bit of drink devided over the cups, before tossing the empty bottle onto the floor.
From a distance, this could pass as intended. Only a careful close look might rouse some caution at best.
Astella puts the clothing in her pack, closes the barrel up again, and then they proceed upstairs.
Estelle heads up as well, either in front or staying a decent amount behind Astella, acting on the elf's wishes. She was a walking weapons rack and if whoever was upstairs had *somehow* missed the scuffle, there was no real way to miss the rinking of weapons and armor. "Let's hope the jewels *are* up there still..." She mutters to Daniel, and checks him over with a look of concern. "Hey, are you all right, by the way? You gave me quite a scare there; I thought you might just bleed out from those stab wounds."
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The dead dwarf is properly and carefully put into the barrel, closing it as best as the three could.
Behind the door, you now hear voices more clearly.
#1 "Boss augh' arrive soon fer the exchange. Make sure everythin's locked up tigh'. Tha' nitwi' down below was bein' a loudmouth like usual."
#2 "So wha' d'ye suppose happened below?"
#1 "Doesn' really matter. Don' come ou' until i say so, lock the door.
You, you, with me."
Aside from the short words exchange, things are silent.
Determined to explore, and take care of any remaining threats, one of the three opens the door....
The area here looks like an attic, but quite spacious. Some mechanism, with a pulley system, is in the far back, mounted on a platform.
Up ahead in front of you, you see three figures, and hear a lock getting locked nearby.
Two look like the sort you just took care of below. The third, wears a black leather vest of sorts, tattoos on his bald head and part of his face.
Picture
Arms crossed and giving you a once look over, "Goin' by how pleasantly quie' i' is below, i will assume you're here lookin' fer somethin', uninvited. I am no' wastin' many words on this."
To none in particular: "Subdue, we'll interrogate afterwards.
Maybe even ransom them off."
Warehouse, 2nd floor, round 1
The bald dwarf kracks his knuckles, grabs a greyish stick from his pocket, a smoke stick, and scrapes the meta coated tip past his belt buckle, causing sparks to ignite it. He drops it forward, shrouding the immediate area past the corridor in smoke. He makes a 5ft step.
---------------------
Astella & Estelle
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Henchmen
---------------------
Daniel
""Goin' by how pleasantly quie' i' is below, i will assume you're here lookin' fer somethin', uninvited. I am no' wastin' many words on this.""Ain' i'ironic, a thief blamin' others for tresspassin'"
Estelle retorts, unimpressed. Then she blinks. "Oh no, now I'm doing it too..."
Not knowing what to expect when the smoke comes up, Estelle casts Divine Favor after sheating her Sap. She takes a tentative step forward to the obscured area, holding her shield at the ready.
You dwarves have to stop smoking so much. It's terribly bad for you. says Astella.
Then she breaks into song and steps behind Estelle.
I can't move myself either. My character will move left after the smoke goes up and after Estelle moves forward out of that space.
As Astella and Estelle reposition themselves, all stays quiet in the smoke. Beyond the smoke, you hear the sound of gears operating slowly.
Daniel
Daniel steps 5ft forward, readying a strike for the 1st to pop out of the smoke.
==============================
The warehouse 2nd floor, round 2
Tattoo dwarf delays his turn.
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Astella & Estelle
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Henchmen
Tattoo
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Daniel
Not seeing anything, Estelle inches forward slowly, re-drawing her sap and taking a defensive stance, waiting for Daniel to join her at the front.
Astella takes one step forward, still singing, and starts casting summon minor monster, summoning
skunks
AC 20, +4 additional dodge bonus, not sure if these dwarves somehow invalidate the dodge bonus.
In the distance, you further hear gears turning, and something wooden is affected. Astella starts summoning more skunks. While this is going on, Estelle looks left to right, hoping for a sign of activity. As she looks to her right, is the moment the burly dwarf appears, his hand faster than she was able to react. Her sap is slapped out of her hand, followed by a heavy haymaker that leaves her seeing stars.
Daniel
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Daniel rushes up to aid Estelle, leading with a hard thwack aimed at his ribs. Hoping to knock some breath out of him.
Your type do enjoy skulking in smoke and shadows. Is it because you know you would fail in the light? He quips moving forward.
Severa spends the afternoon studying the embassies texts on import and export laws and tariffs, attempting to determine how much of a favor could be done for William's Imports without compromising Avlee's regulations or interests.
Daniel rushes forth, seeing the two vague shapes of the dwarven smugglers before him. His swing is solid, but misses him only barely, like just passing his head by an inch or two.
In response to Daniel's insult, he merely scoffs in a mocking manner.
"One on one? I'd whoop yer arse, lad. Utility fer sudden events is key, burglar boy." He boasts this with the confidence of one who's been in the line of work for some time.
==========================================
Warehouse, 2nd floor, round 3
Astella & Estelle
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Bald & tattooed & Henchmen
------------------------
Daniel
You dig through several records on trade agreements between Stone City and Avlee, copies of official documents now stored in the records back in the Tularian Forest, and with the trade guilds in Avlee.
Most of the information looks general, and reasonable in tax rates.
Stone City exporting ore and metal, importing woods, materials and foods not readily available to them beyond their concentrated effort within Stone City.
Nothing in particular stands out to you right now.
Two skunks appear. Astella asks them mentally to go spray anyone hiding in the cloud of smoke or beyond, then they are free to go.
She continues to sing, hoping that it will help Estelle and Daniel, but hearing the mechanism accompanied by the ever-present smokescreen, she thinks they are going to get away again. Another failure. Hopefully her message to Lady Greenbriar earlier means that another group will be ready to take advantage of the situation elsewhere, and recover her jewelry anyway. Perhaps the smell will help with tracking them down.
She shoots an arrow into the cloud, hoping to keep the pressure on, but has zero expectation that she will hit anything.
Maybe it will keep them distracted though, in case the party wants to retreat.
It's impossible to see them up here. You guys want to go back downstairs?
Feeling her neck almost break from the first swing and already disarmed for good measure, Estelle knew there was no running from this, or even a realistic chance of trying to take this foe alive. She'd be down or dead on the next swing, and then he'd go on to Daniel and Astella.
Instead, she drops her shield, drawing her greatsword and swings as hard as she possibly can against the enemy leader before going down, taking advantage of the moment he spent boasting to Daniel. "I'm... not... done with you yet!" she manages through the pain.
Two skunks appear behind Astella. Seeing her fire an arrow, they notice her enemies. That, plus they can smell the shady types.
They enter the squares of Daniel and Estelle, and open fire from their spray gland, at their northern foes respectively.
The bald dwarf makes a quick kick against the animal, which poofs out of existence, before it could spray him with its anti-deoderant.
The other skunk and the henchman both miss each other. Still, there is a pungent smell on the floor somewhere behind him.
Drawing her spear, Estelle firmly thrusts it forward, hitting the bald dwarf in his side, leaving a firm stab wound near his kidney. She moves to behind Daniel.
---------------------------
There is no further sound of a mechanism working beyond, but there is some sound of hurried footsteps approaching.
Tattooed & bald (-12), not completely untouched by Daniel's taunt, reaches out for the collar of Daniel's outfit, and his left arm.
"C'mere boy!"
Daniel's pulled into a leaning forward angle, held in an uncomfortable position with an arm lock applied on him.
The henchman makes a swing at the skunk, with his leader currently holding Daniel.
, however the creature is nimble, and dodges the attack at the very last moment.
------------------------------
Daniel (grappled)
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Daniel had received little training in this type of fighting, and figured attempting to fight the dwarf's way would be a losing battle. Instead, Grunting, He managed to twist his chest and legs enough to swing his sap at the man's stomach, again going for a blow to try and wind him.
And hit he does, as the dwarf's abs will get a bruising from the swing.
=============
Warehouse 2nd floor, round 4
Astella & Estelle
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Bald & tattooed (-12, 10nl) & Henchmen
------------------------
Daniel
Astella continues to sing.
She can see the arms of the man trying to grapple Daniel clearly, so she shoots at that man.
(inspire courage)