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"Way I see it, you’ve got two paths forward. The first one is that you make a break for the house across the square. It’s owned by Aldivur, the theater’s operator, and is also used to store costumes and props from the theater. You should be able to lock it up from the inside, keep the zombies out while you look for anything useful. The other is maybe a bit trickier, but also safer." Martelle gestures to the window along the west wall. "That clothesline is bolted in pretty good, and the Thuss’s are good folks. If you can shimmy across there without falling into the alley, they might be able to help you out some. Rickard is a gunsmith and is likely to have some extra ammo on hand, maybe even some weapons. If you fall off the line, you can still make a break for Aldivur’s house, and if you get in there, well, they’re closer to the theater than we are, so maybe they’ll have an idea on what your best next move is. Whaddaya think?"
"I like the line idea...." says Booker.
"Style. But I think maybe I should go last... just in case me weight be a bit too much for the line."
Nothing to do with more ammo. Nope. no way.
Amara nods to Booker, and then turns to Martelle. "My friend is right. Sneaking across the clothesline seems the best option." She pauses and adds, "It's certainly the most fun. And if the good folks can help us with strategy, or better yet, ammo and supplies, even better." She heads to the west window.
The Doc carefully opens the window and tests out the line. "Seems stable enough. I'll go first." She starts across.
If she makes it across, she steadies the line from the other side to aid whoever makes the next attempt.
Booker gives Doc a push to help her fly down the line, turning to the others as he does she. "She's been needin a push outa da window for a while now." he tries to explain.
The line sways ominously under his weight...
"I wouldn't mind meeting a fellow gunsmith."
ZakZak is a bit more cautious as he tries to cross.
Once he crosses he holds the line taut for the others.
Soooo .... I take it that taking head shots at the zombies roaming the streets first is not an option? Zinderel asks
"Maybe with more ammo."
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Doc, you make it across to the other building. As you make it to the window, a tall, balding man with an ample belly and a thick, curling moustasche that hasn’t yet succumbed to the encroaching gray already claiming the fringe of hair around his pate. He extends his hand and helps you through the window.
ZakZak starts making his way across. He's about halfway to the gunsmith's store when he loses his balance.
ZakZak slips and catches himself.
Doc, you needed to hero point the roll.
Crossing the clothesline, Doc is unsteady at first. She catches herself and attempts to make it the rest of the way.
When the old man helps her through the window, she nods to him and smiles. "Thank you. You must be Mister Thruss. Martelle asked me and my friends to help with the zombies. What can you tell us about them?" While he responds, she holds the line for the others.
Zinderel sighs and starts to make her way along the line. Still she had to admit Zak-Zak had a point. A gun without ammo is just another unwieldy club.
"Everyone forgets the big guy also knows stuff." grumbles Booker.
"Me cartridges don't *always* explode ya know. That was a once off."
She recovers as if she was born to it.
Catching himself, Booker tries to finish descending the line..
Before falling into the street below...
Zinderel makes it over as if she was a circus performer ..... maybe she was.
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Booker drops to the alley below with a loud clatter.
The noise attracts the attention of some zombies who start shambling towards you. Immediately, Rickard extends a rope ladder from the window and urges your forward. After Booker scrambles up the ladder, Rickard slams the window closed, leaving the moaning undead below.
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Rickard addresses you. "Well met! You lot must be making your way to the theater to see what this nightmare is all about, eh?" Stomping down the stairs to his shop, Rickard can be heard hushing a large dog with a muttered "Quiet, Rosie! You want to bring these things to our door?" He returns with an iron lockbox. His wife, Maggie, follows him upstairs.
Pulling a matching iron key from a leather cord around his neck, Rickard quickly opens the box, revealing that it has been stuffed to the brim with pre-packaged ammo.
"Take what you need. I’ve got more to spare, and anything that gets through the front door will have to deal with my cannon first! We had tickets to the next showing and were just changing out of our work clothes when the screaming started. We saw the first wave of those undead blighters come pouring out of the theater shortly after the first yell."
Maggie turns to you, "Now, mister and missus Scothwel planned to be at the first showing of the play; I’m afraid I might have seen Mr. Scothwel lumbering up the street chasing after some unfortunate people a few moments ago. That means there shouldn’t be anyone in their home. If you can shimmy out the window and into their house like you did ours, it’s a short hop across the street to the theater. If you’re quick, quiet, and lucky, you could probably scoot in there without attracting the attention of the undead gathered in the square."
Doc smiles and introduces the group. "Well met, Mr, Thruss. Forgive our manners. I'm Amara Featherton. You can call me Doc." Indicating the others in turn, she says, "This big guy climbing up your ladder is Booker. He likes doing things the hard way." She grins as he makes his way up. "And here we have the capable ZakZak and Zindarel. We appreciate your help." When he brings out the extra ammunition, Doc sifts through to find some rounds for her pistols. She turns to ZakZak and grins, "Hope you collected your own flatware, my friend!"
When Rickard describes the situation with the Scothwel's, Amara gasps. "So the good townsfolks are becoming zombies themselves???" She shudders.
Looking across the 10' alley to the Scothwel home, she thinks she can make it, and she leaps across to the building's ledge.
ZakZak examines the contents of the box.
"Very good. Doc makes a good point. Got any spare steak knives or forks maybe?"
ZakZak shows off his not so fancy gun.
Booker offers a somewhat battered smile as he crawls through the window.
"Ugh... Say Doc, you remember when you bad mouthed those card-sharps about four weeks ago"? I feel more beat up than after that rumble."
He takes out his hip flask and has another tot from it.
Then, seeing it empty puts it on the table for the couple.
"Been a lucky flask for me that one." he says "Might bright you two some luck if we survive the night."
He offers a hopeful look at Doc "Got any more bandages? Think I twisted ma ankle falling offa da clothes line."
Zinderal starts stuffing her pockets with ammo.
Hi ... and thank you she replies.
Since she doesn't have thievery, she waits until someone has picked the lock before crossing.
Booker also helps himself, although he carefully checks the ammunition as he takes it. Quality here is okay. Maybe I shouldn't keep making it myself... But then, I won't always be here... I hope.
ZakZak walks across the tightrope with a great deal of confidence but maybe not enough skill.
Booker watches with horror and gets ready to let down the rope ladder to save Zakzak.
"I thought that goblins bounced..."
When Booker asks about more healing, Doc gently reminds him, "My dear friend, you remember how it works. Unfortunately, those bandages need to set for an hour before I can re-dress them." She shrugs apologetically.
Immediately upon making it across, Doc pulls out her thieves tools and sets to work on unlocking the window.
Once the window is open, Zindarel slides across.
((Hero Point))
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Zakzak drops 20 feet to the alley below.
The noise of Zakzak's landing attracts the attention of some of the undead.
Booker unrolls the rope ladder drops it out the window for ZakZak to climb. The zombies shamble forward but Zakzak is close enough to the window that he scrambles up the ladder to safety before the zombies get close.
Doc manages to pick the lock on the window and open it.
Zindarel tries to slide across but loses her balance as well.
Booker, noting the ease with which Doc leapt the gap, suggests.
"Afta me last high-wire exhibition, I'm a thinkin that this time I'll be joining doc in duh Human Cannonball show."
He backs up, waits for Zindarel to finish climbing up and then jumps the gap himself.
ZakZak climbs up the rope.
"Thanks."
He waits for the window to be open then climbs inside.
He starts looking around for anything of... interest.
With the window unlocked, Doc carefully stows her thieves tools. As she's about to climb inside, ZakZak scurries past first. Smiling, she spryly hops in after him.
When she sees him looking around, she nods knowingly. "More silverware, huh? One can never have enough. I'll help." She grins and helps him look ... for silverware, or anything else of interest.
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A simple two-story building stands at the end of the street.
While its first story is brick and mortar like the other buildings
in the area, its second floor is made of expensive imported oak,
dulled by age but still sturdy and possessed of a dull polish that
indicates the owner must have taken great pride in caring for
the precious material.
Doc finds a locked gun safe hidden in a cubby behind a false panel next to the Scothwels’ bed.
Booker continues to look around the cafe/bra.
His own "hip flask" empty, he's especially searching for something that might pass as a first aid kit, complete with healing potion for emergencies.
When Doc discovers the locked safe near the bed, she calls out, "Over here, gang." Since she just used her lockpicks for the window, she finds them conveniently near the top of her pack, and retrieves them.
As she is about to work the lock, she realizes a bedside safe could be trapped. Before she begins, she carefully examines the safe and lock mechanism for any traps.
If she finds a trap, she attempts to disable. If not, she attempts to pick the lock.
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No trap. Doc manages to unlock the gun safe. Inside you find the following:
3 bottles labeled "Healing Potions"
About a dozen cut garnets in a pouch worth about 18gp
A beautiful firearm, Piercing Wind +1 which appears to be the Scothwels' prized possession.
You're about 20 feet away from the Theater. From the window, you can see the occasional zombie shamble from the theater door.
Doc takes extra time with the safe, to be safe. When she hears the satisfying click, she pulls it open.
After marveling at the red gemstones, she hands the loot to the group. When Booker grabs the Healing Potions, she puts up a hand. "Let's not drink those all at once, big guy. And definitely not yet...." After stowing her thieves tools, she unpacks her healer's kit. "It's been long enough, so I can re-dress those wounds. This won't hurt a bi...well, it won't hurt much." She grins and sets to work on Booker.
Satisfied, Doc packs up her kit. Then moving to the window, she looks down at the theater. She suggests, "Seems like we can shoot a few zombies from up here, but they're gonna keep coming. Besides, aren't those former townspeople? Maybe they can be saved?" She pauses and continues, "We need to get to the theater and stop them at the source."
Doc turns for the stairs and calls back, "I'm gonna try to sneak across. If you wanna stay here and shoot, it'll provide a nice distraction. Or you can join me." She heads downstairs, hoping the others follow. She peeks out, waits till it's quiet, and attempts to sneak across to the theater.
ZakZak watches Doc closely wondering why he bought tools for such actions but never learned how to use them.
"Pretty gun."
After examining it.
"I think it might be magical. Maybe I can borrow it for a bit, Return it after we deal with the zombies."