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Having the creature pointed out to him Variel looks to Tiny with a shrug. Gator, croc, dragon or other I don't think it makes a difference. Whatever it is Laria will not be happy that it is down here. We are going to have to get rid of it if we are using this as a base as well. Those that have ranged weapons can use them while the rest of us provide a defensive front.
If there is room Variel will cast enlarge person on himself to give him reach.
Beorn lacks any special magic but draws his blade as he steps up with Variel.
Borgan falls in besides Variel to put up a united front against whatever this thing was.
"Let's not dawdle too much. That thing is too dangerous to not take care of now and here."
"Yeah, I'm not sharing my secret base with a gator," Litsy takes aim. "I'll shoot at it, you get it after."
"It'll make good target practice, at any rate," Malgar mutters. "It seems my aim is slightly off."
"What you say Litsy. Let's start."
Group is first.
Beorn moves. Litsy, perhaps you should be in the back rank so you can use your bow while shieled by the front line.
"Beorn dear, there's no need to tell me twice. You deal with it," the brave Litsy quickly retreats repositions herself strategically, knocking another arrow.
Malgar moves to a better location and fires his bow! "Cayden... let's liven this place up!"
He frowns as he seems to score a glancing hit at best.
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Borgan moves up towards the frontline and waits for the creature to come forward to attack him.
The massive reptile surges forward its vise like jaws open to reveal dozens of fangs. It turns towards Borgan simply looking to snap on his leg. The group is ready though. Borgan crashes down on its head forcing the jaws to shut as various arrows slam into it. Finally Variel's meat cleaver descends down and hacks a grisly wound just behind the creatures head in a spurt of gore. Its spine severed from rhe rest of it the head twitches for a brief momwnt before all is still again.
"Hah! Not bad, Borgan. Not bad. Could've used more like you a few decades ago." The aging dwarf grins and walks forward, rapier drawn just in case another croc showed up."Of course, the question now is: if this is supposed to be our hiding place, how did this thing get here, are there more, and can we do anything about new ones getting here?"
"Hah, years of training, chopping wood mostly. It's all in the last bit of swing with your forearm." Borgan replies to Malgar, before inspecting the creature more closely.
"Cut it's head clean off Variel, nicely done. Anyone an idea if this is indeed some sort of crocodile? Perhaps this water basin connects to a larger water source outside, a river, lake or ocean? Sewers?"
Perhaps we can get some fine boots made from it's hide! I fear I know little about how the sewers connect this city.
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Variel looks at the crocodile with surprise. He did not expect it to be dispatched so easily. The praise heaped upon him from Borgan seemed out of place. Thanks Borgan but I am not even sure how I did that. That was more luck than anything. Variel then moves deeper into the water looking for any other foes while he still has the benefit of his enlarge person and shield spells up. Hopefully nothing else is down here but I agree we can’t be having holes in our possible safe house. We need to fix that problem immediately.
Perception
Detect magic as he goes
"Maybe it was some kind of pet?" Litsy suggests, stepping out of her hiding place behind Variel's back. "You know, like a big, oversized lizard. With pointy teeth."
The mans body remains shoved beneath the pier.
Two holes to the northeast have been knocked out of the wall to allow for easy crossing from.one room to the next and to the south the room leads to a set of stairs going further down.
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Thatbis a possibility Tiny. The croc could have been a pet before sent down the drain and had lived in the sewers ever since. Continuing his searches Variel eventually finds the 3 holes in the walls and calls out to the rest. We may have to reconsider our original thoughts of boarding this place up. Think about it for a moment. There is a pier here. Why would that be the case unless there was an intentional pathway in an out for a boat to use. We need to find this entrance and put a grate over it to still allow boat use but to keep crocodiles and other unwanted pests out.
Variel will haul the body out from the pier in the last moments of being enlarged.
Shall we check out the northern room first before we head down?
"Might want to check the body too. Maybe there's something on him worth using. Never leave gear behind, we used to say. 'Course, that was before there were legions of devils teleporting around so quickly we couldn't rereat properly," Malgar states, then moves forward. "Anyone good at swimming or climbing?"
Not particularly, such physical pursuits were not part of my classes. I suggest north.
"Swimming, climbing, and a corpse? Yeah, that's a big no for me," Litsy grimaces. "Anyway, Nan was a homeless guy who had to squat a baker's basement, and if he's really not-quite-dead, I'd rather not get my hand chomped off for nothing. Borgan's a better fighter than me, he can go and poke him, see if he stands."
I think i got my checks mixed up. Oh well. But magic does ping off the mans body. Specifically at least from where you are off his boot.
"Swimming, climbing, and a corpse? Yeah, that's a big no for me," Litsy grimaces. "Anyway, Nan was a homeless guy who had to squat a baker's basement, and if he's really not-quite-dead, I'd rather not get my hand chomped off for nothing. Borgan's a better fighter than me, he can go and poke him, see if he stands."
"Aye lass, but I look like a beggar too, and am for the rest of the world. But I have weapons and a cloak on me worth more than the average house. If Variel detects magic on it, I say we wait and help him reach it. Might be worth something. Then we can go explore further," Malgar reasons, and moves up to support Variel.
"Aye lass, but I look like a beggar too, and am for the rest of the world. But I have weapons and a cloak on me worth more than the average house. If Variel detects magic on it, I say we wait and help him reach it. Might be worth something. Then we can go explore further."
"Oh? You do?" Litsy replies, affecting indifference. "That's interesting. I mean- I'll cover you, Variel. Can't do much else." She readies her bow.
Borgan shrugs in regards to Tiny's question. "I am quite strong, but I haven't had much use for swimming. So it would still be difficult, certainly in the armour I'm currently wearing."
Looking around, the half-orc nods in regards to Variel's question. "It would be best to check everything on this level of the hideout before we venture forth below. North seems fine with me. Hopefully not any other unwelcome guests have made their residence in here."
Yes. The Dc is relatively low.
Only one boot? Might be in the gullet of the lizard.
Rhe boot is a boot of the daredevil and is supposed to be part of a pair. The other leg looks to have been chewed and torn off. A gruesome sight made more grisly by the absence of blood.
Malgar grins and steps closer. "Just think of it like a really big fish. With scales. And legs. That can eat you. But once you get past that, same difference! ...You DO know how to gut a fish, don't you youngsters?" If no one else steps forward, he sighs and grabs his knife. "So the trick is that their skin is much softer on the underside, with less to no scales to boot. So you flip 'em on the back and just-"
He takes a massive swipe along the length of the soft underbelly! "-open it like that."
As malgar casually dissects the dead reptile the contents of the things stomach spill out onto the flooor including several small animals, assorted trash, a boot with foot atill attached and a smell that is at once unique and gut wrenching in its stomach turning wretchedness.
Ugh! I suspect that we will be smelling such things with distressing frequency in the future.
"And I thought the sewers f~##ing stinked. Urgh!" Litsy wrinkles her nose and mimes a dry retch convincing enough that it might not be entirely faked. "No way I'll put these on without a good wash."
She puts away her bow and arrow and goes to inspect the nearest hole in the wall-if only to get away from the smell.
"Eh, I hope we don't HAVE to fight that many crocs, and I don't suspect the Damned house of Thrune has taken a liking to them. Just have to make sure we have some underwater grates in place and it'll be fine."
The arguably (?) insane inquisitor looks down at the partically digested loot. "So what do these things actually do?"
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These boots are amazing for someone lithe and agile. They help one move past an enemy without leaving themselves open to attack. Further once you do move past one successfully it helps distract them so you can hit them easier. Quite an impressive bit of magic.
"Seems like Litsy would be the prime wearer of such an item, she's the most agile of our group."
"I'll move over towards that hole in the wall to the north, let's not separate in two uneven groups."
Borgan goes over to Litsy and peers through the hole in the wall into (presumably) darkness.
The more Variel describes the boots, the harder it is for Litsy to hide her interest in them.
"You serious? Is today my birthday or anything? You know what-maybe I misjudged that poor guy. Great job, guys!... I was dead serious about washing those boots though."
Stepping closer to Beorn, she tries to peer into the hold but sees nothing but darkness.
"See anything?" she asks the half-orc.
She tilts her head slightly to the side, relying on her hearing to detect whether the hole is occupied or not.
Beorn peers with his Darkvision.
Looking inside the room it appears to be a bunk house. A good number of the bunks appear to have been trashed or ripped apart their various contents spilled onto the floor. Some latrines lay to the south with a curtain over the door to provide some privacy. A door to the north of this room offers further exploration into the nest.
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"Sounds like the boots do suit you, Tiny. I know there's simple magic that removes filth and smells and the like, but the name of it always sounds like some smartass puked up his lunch in the middle of a speech. Maybe Variel knows better." Malgar comments before joining Beorn and Tiny herself at the peering hole.
"Looks messy," He comments with his brilliant respective dwarven observation and commentary skills. "Let's check behind that door up north first. No sense cleaning anything until we're sure the perimeter is clear, recruits!"
He confidently strides forward and heads for the door to the north, studying it just in case.
If he finds nothing, Malgar opens the door.