Seeing the ones closer to the fire relax and hearing the light skinned elf sound relieved, Seljak realizes the fire was out and drops the two buckets he was holding. Reacting to Iryani's question, the orc shakes his big bald head no, but quickly follows after the two differently colored elves, assuming since there so old they know what their doing more than he.
Arriving at the door about the same time as the short legged dwarf, in just enough time to see Jixxe trying to unlock the door, he hears the dark elf volunteer to freeze the door. 'The instructors said we should try and avoid destruction of property.' Scratching his head as he looks from Lazastrahd to Agent Bones, he says sheepishly as he gestures towards where the ratfolk is picking the lock. "I'd rather not destroy the door if we don't have to."
When Jixxe stops for a moment asking if anyone else wants to give it a go, Seljak breaths a heavy sigh, "I will try." Embarrassed by the fact that he knows how to pick locks, Seljak kneels before the door, and attempts to open the lock. Realizing he failed he starts to turn even redder, his temper starting to get the better of him. "Come on you dumb thing, open for me," Unwilling to offer to let someone else attempt it, he tries again.
"I've heard good things about Dwarven lock picking." Warlock Bones offers, drawing his pistol. "No offense," he says glancing at Khardon.
You get the door open and charge on after the footsteps, but what you find next is an image of horror, in two rooms you find 4 acid zombies, but unlike the others, these seem to have large acid bombs built into their frames. You know this because in the 1st room you find one acid zombie has broken its bomb and at its feet lays the half acid melted body of a housemaid. She must have died in great pain screaming as the flesh melted off her.
See map
To your horror, you see in the next room three more of the acid zombies but these three hold tightly to themselves three noblewomen. Unable to move for fear the acid zombie will pull tighter and shatter the glass acid bomb in its body. Each of the ladies looks at you wide-eyed with fear, having witnessed what befell the maid.
And footsteps can be heard from the other side of the room, where a door swings closed.
Q: Will you enter the room with the 3 trapped ladies?
"Go after this foul ruffian! I'll see what I can do to help these fair damsels!"
Warlock Bones enters the room, and dropping the bravado for a second, whispers to Khardon, "Would you mind giving me a hand with this? I know you're not quite as... fast as the others when it comes to chases, and I nearly failed my structural engineering class." Assuming that nothing terrible happens, begins inspecting the acid zombies. In particular, he looks at their arms, what are they made of, does the acid base run through them, do they support the acid bomb, etc.
Lazastrahd is momentarily stunned by this turn of events. The drow wracked his brain for a solution he could put forth and found none.
"Go after this foul ruffian! I'll see what I can do to help these fair damsels!"
"I-if you say so, Bones. Good luck."
The drow wizard rushes toward the door to open it and continue the chase.
The moment Bones enters the room, the Acid zombies start to squeeze the noble ladies. They scream, just as Lazastrahd follows.
Right behind you Laz. Jixxe shouts as he moves into the room mace in hand.He begins to move across towards the door on the other side, trusting his compatriots to eliminate the physical threat.
As Seljak moves into the first room, he pauses looking at the half melted housemaide. Realizing there were three more 'hostages' in the next room he slows down trying to remember what the instructors had taught them about hostage situations.
'Think, think, think.' stopping in the doorway, he looks around "Hell...hello ladies, were from the agency." he points at the things holding them. "Anything you can tell us about these things that will help get you free, hale and whole?"
Not sure what he was looking for. The other wax clockwork machine had been controlled by someone. Did that mean all of these were being controlled as well or were the just clockworks wound and set to their task.
Shaking his head, he turns back towards the 'exploded' acid wax zombie machine and inspected it, looking for clues as to how the others worked.
As Warlock Bones is walking up to one and Lazastrahd is just about to pass him. You realis if the still intact Acid Zombies seem to be triggered by vibrations.
Warlock Bones and Lazastrahd have entered the room with the Acid Zombies holding victims ready to melt.
Seljak can stop Jixxe from entering the hostage room with them.
If you make the save Warlock Bones and Lazastrahd, and if not stopped Jixxe
your freeze on the spot and it seems to stop the Acid Zombies from Exploding acid and killing their held victims.
One of the women whispers
"Please don't move! they go off if you move! we don't want to die!!"
the others look pleadingly at you.
"Fook. Hate hostage situations." Khardon muttered. "Right. Someone explain to me what these things are and how we deal with them. Will sound make them go off and do they explode when they're shot?"
His eyes widen as Seljak realized that the agents own movement could kill the hostages, turning to Jixxe, he chimes in with the woman. "She's right, Jixxe their triggered by vibrations."
Having moved near the fallen zombie, Seljak scratches his head, trying to figure out anyway to give Khardon the information he's asking for.
Iryani will thoroughly answer any questions Khardon had about the zombies.
He studies them carefully looking for a solution to disable them while standing behind the much smaller dwarf. "I wonder..."
waiting on Bones save.
"Vibrations eh?" Warlock Bones sighs. "I hate doing this. Ladies, if you wouldn't mind closing your eyes..." At which point Warlock Bones opens his mouth. The thing that comes out is far too large to be his tongue. Right? It just keeps going and going. How does he fit that inside of his mouth without choking? A mystery to be solved at a later date. The tongue is 10ft long, and fully prehensile. "Path me a thortch." Warlock Bones says, a bit muffed. "We can melth them thrategically."
Jixxe, upon hearing Seljak stops where he is and waits to see what the rest of the party decides. He laughs a bit at Bones as he extends his tongue. Drawing a tindertwig, he swiftly and carefully lights the torch that is passed to bones.
Haha what a great use of his tongue.
Ok I will need 3x assisted disable device attempts DC18
If each player can describe what they do to help and roll I will add +2 for each success of a skill you think will aid.
If you succeed then all three ladies will have to run for it at the same time, as the Acid bombs will still be active.
A ref saves for them DC14 But again if you think of a way to aid them please describe and roll on the skill you think will help.
Thinking quickly, Jixxe looks around for possible neutralizers to the acid. Chunks of carpet, water to help dilute, and even dirt to help cake and coat. He even tries to determine if reducing them with magic would decrease the vibrations they cause.
He sees several cushions on nearby chairs and rushes to get them. Maybe if we can cover the zombie's after they are separated from the hostages, we can cover them and reduce the splash of their explosion.He thinks as he rushes to get the cushions. He also keep his eyes out for anything like a loose carpet or tapestry.
You think water is a good idea, and you know where it is all you need to do is run and get buckets of the stuff.
'Glad I brought my pack.' Responding to agent Bones' request, Seljak carefully lowers his pack to the ground and taking out a torch, lights it. Trying not to think about how agent Bones was grasping the torch he hands it to his fellow investigator,
Having taken off his pack, Seljak lightens his load even more by removing his shotgun sling and belt, then the great cloak. Looking carefully at the floorboards he marks where the joints in the boards are as to make sure he doesn't walk onto any spots that may create vibrations. Carefully nearing the first of the three ladies, he observes how the acid zombie is holding her. He then tries to adjust the arm so she might be able to squeeze out when they give the signal.
Khardon looked away. He just couldn't get used to Bones' tongue, it was just so unnatural. He busied himself with making sure that his firearm was loaded and operational. Should everything go south, he'd at least try to shoot the zombies down before they could explode.
Lady 2 screams as Bones's tongue touches her arm. The Acid Zombie starts to crack its acid bomb but Selajk moves fast, around the door frame, and with one hand janks her out of the arms of an Acid Zombie, as the acid bomb breaks. Pulling her into the safe room.
1 down two to go. Map undated.
Jixxe returns with in tow full of water. He proceeds to throw it on the lead "living" zombie. hoping that the dilution effect will weaken not only the hold but the damage of any mishap.
Lazastrahd stays completely still, getting slightly damp from Jixxe's splashes. "What should I do? What can I do?"
Realizing he still had hold of the womans arm he releases it once the get into he outside room where the other victim lay. Nodding to the lady, "I'm glad your ok."
Seeing Jixxe return with the water, he points to the floor where the puddle of acid lay. "He jixxe wash that..." As Jixxe throws the water onto the nearest acid wax zombie thingy, he shruggs. "Um, never mind." Entering the first room as carefully as he can. Again attempting to walk so as not to bother the floor, he moves to the north west corner of the first room.
Nodding at the woman with the blue hair. "Ok, now we get you out of here." He rest one hand on the zombies arm, he other on hers. "On three ok?" He counts slowly ready to gently move the arm, while he jerks her loose. "One..Two...Three..."
Water sloshes around and Bones works,
Seljak tries another time to get in and out without vibration but this time fails. An acid zombie bomb starts to crack as he yanks the acid zombie arm off and pulls the lady to him. Spinning around she is protected but he takes the full it of acid on his back.
Seljak you take 3 points of ACID DMG,
Bones there is one left, you have 3x disable device attempts to get the lady free.
"Fooking hell...quick, Laz, get some water on him!" Khardon called out. At the same time he moved forward, a prayer to Kols upon his lips. He put a hand onto the half-orc, causing his acid-caused wounds to vanish.
The two saved ladies move to the other room and hug each other in fear, happy to be free but worried what next?
Lets time this one. Khardon when they pull the next lady free, shoot the zombie. Lets see if we can drop it where it lays so we can get through.Jixxe bellows over his shoulder as he rushes to grab more water. Rushing back with two buckets he pours them over Seljak.
Daniel gets a bucket of water and says "When you release her I will throw the water on the zombie to try and keep the acid from exploding outward."
"There. Goth her!" As Warlock Bones returns to a marginally less horrific state of being, he focuses back in on the situation at hand. "Oh Seij! Sorry about that, I hope it only stings a little?" Turning towards the freed ladies, he does a strange half bow, half curtsey motion. "I do hope that you're all safe and sound." Addressing the one that screamed, "It's natural to be afraid, and this must have been a very stressful situation, but I did warn you not to look... it's very hurtful, and I'm rather sensitive about my appearance." He absentmindedly adjusts his hat.
He steps into the room, seemingly ignoring the acid, or at least the first 5 points of damage from it, and attempts to open the door that the fleeing figure went through.
Before the others could move for the last lady, Bones has her out and free.
Then going to the door her hinds it bard, there seems to be stacked furniture on the other side.
Combined STR of 50 to push past it.
Acrobatics or Ref save 13 to get past the acid to the door or take 2 points of acid DMG. Bones you're ok.
The drow struggles against the door. "Nicely done, fellows."
"This is all so stressful... yet exciting. Oh no, I am bleeding. Must be from that shrapnel."
The wound closes only a little.
Elegantly, as expected from an Elf, Iryani avoids the acid puddles and joins the others at the door.
Jixxe amble as ever, dodges the acid. Pulling strength from a fountain of inspiration, he pushes into the door.
'I'm glad I took my greatcoat off!' Burning from the acid, Seljak nods to Jixxe as the ratfolk tossed the water on him, washing away the acid. "Thank you." Remembering they should interview any witnesses, Seljak Turns to the ladies, telling them, "Wait here a moment, I'm sure someone will interview you." Quickly picking up his coat and bandoliers, he notes that some of the others are working on the door. Feeling incensed that someone would block a door, which is an obvious fire hazard, Moving carefully into the next room, he almost roars. "Someone interview these Ladies; I'll help with the door!"
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Having found the door locked, Warlock Bones says to Seijak, "Well, I suppose if you insist." And then proceeds to tromp back through the acid puddles to talk to them. Remembering his training, he promptly decides to ignore it, and skip right to the chase. "Hello, my name is Warlock Bones. Here's a card if you need to need to get in contact with me later. I'd love to learn each of your names, and all about you at a cocktail party sometime, but now is the time for business. Is there anything useful about this situation that you can tell us, say about suspicious figures, people who might want you harm, or any personal items, hairs, or other body parts that you might have snagged from them?"
He gives a wink and a charming smile to put the ladies at ease. The more discerning of them may notice that his tongue is completely out of sight when he smiles.
Khardon hurried over as quickly as he could, and put his back into helping his comrades.
The door gives and you can see the space beyond, its full of smoke, thick white smoke, but not harmful, how ever viability is reduced to 5'
The lades seem in shock but one, an elf talks.
"I am lady, Riverbow this is lady Camila and Rutland, We came to the party, it was meant to be fun, some master crafter was to show off his wax-works. Our husbands had been asked to be investors in a new venture, a house of wax. They went of with Lord Catlalke and some others for a meeting in one of the towers. We came her to look at the waxworks when there was a sound of a bell and they came alive, scooping us up in their hurried arms. The housemaid there fight her attacker and... well we all kind of kept still after that."
The others nodded.
The gears in Warlock Bones's mind spin as he takes careful notes. If he didn't have his face scrunched in concentration, one might have been able to see his mind shift from flirtation with the noblewomen to the prospect of a possible reward. Further back in his mind is the idea that these ladies could be lying, but he usually shoved that paranoid part of him deep down.
"Very good. Thank you for that. Now correct me if I'm wrong, but this Lord Catlalke was not the master craftsman? Do you know the name of the craftsman? And could any of your husbands do any kind of magic, and if they could, do you have anything of any of your Husband's that I can borrow? It may prove essential to finding them quickly."
They shake their heads,
"No, we don't know his name he was a human-looking, tall with a coat in and glasses"
She reaches into her bag and brings out two cufflinks.
"I took them in case he lost one of the others."
Having helped knock the door down, Seljak released the rage. Catching his breath, he heard the conversation between Agent Bones and the women. Turning he asks the ladies; "Do any of you know Lord Willowwood? We found his children hiding under a bed, we left them outside with a servant. When your done talking I can show you where they are."
Jixxe watches from the sidelines as others talk to the "witnesses." I hope we don't keep getting these "hostages of time" or we wont be able to catch the bad one cuz they'll have to much time to get away. he t hinks
"Danke Schoen frauen. I'll do all that I can to return your husbands to you safe and sound."
Warlock Bones takes the cufflinks, and places them on top of a compass that he produces from a pocket, blowing lightly on it. The compass stops pointing North, and instead will start pointing towards the owner of the cufflinks, assuming they are within a mile of here. In addition to the obvious uses, it grants +10 to survival checks to find the individual.
Warlock Bones starts wandering in the direction that the needle points. After bouncing off a wall, he remembers that looking up is important.
It seems to point into the magic mist.
Ok to move 10' you will need to roll
Perception DC20 or REf save DC 16, to get past the magic mist you need 4 successes each. That is unless someone has the means to remove the mist or get across safely.
Having helped knock the door down, Seljak released the rage. Catching his breath, he heard the conversation between Agent Bones and the women. Turning he asks the ladies; "Do any of you know Lord Willowwood? We found his children hiding under a bed, we left them outside with a servant. When your done talking I can show you where they are."
"Is that all?" Khardon said, looking at the mist. "Might as well take a look. Ensure that the civilians are safe, and if I am alright going in, then follow after me." He finished, knowing that time was of the essence so dallying was not an option.
Jixxe will take the time to lead the ladies outside to the remainder of the guards and safety
Iryani begins to study the magic mist rather than try to get through it. "strange magic"