Garrett fiddles with the lock for a bit before popping the door open. Inside, true to Talanaliel's report, is a splintered desk and gross, moldy straight-backed chair. On the floor is what could be a rug or could be a wool pad, the kind an animal might sleep on. There are four doors: one to the north, which led to the room with the gnome and the chute; two (not double doors) to the east; and one to the south. One to the east and the one to the south long ago fell off their hinges, and the entryways to them are both open.
To the south, the room includes a pair of bunk beds, one of which has a filthy quilt on it. The others are bare.
To the east, the more northerly door opens to a narrow hallway, about five feet by ten feet long. The floor is a bit creaky, but the building creaks in the wind, so it's unlikely to be heard.
Audria nods and does as Lina asks. She sneaks as carefully as she can manage to the double doors on the side.
Unable to get a proper shot off on the gnome immediately through the small crack in the window-boards, Shrike stops and listens to the conversation inside when it seems the child is being forced to do a filthy job, not executed or directly harmed. Another night sleeping outside? So no one will notice if we get the kid out, ask a few questions.
After a second, the gnome walks away and Shrike eases herself and her crossbow down from the the boards of the window. Looking at Abella and Audria, she points back toward the front double doors where the others are standing and creeps that way again . Here, she feels it's safe enough to whisper, though she won't be standing around just outside a den of criminals talking at normal volume.
"What else did Talanaliel see?" The masked elf waits for the answer before continuing.
"'Mister Hookshanks' the gnome was forcing a kid to unclog a chute full of fish and seaweed. The kid complained about having to sleep outside again because 'no one' will want to deal with the stink." The mask turns to Nicolai, then the ragged young woman who had never given a name, but whom Zellara had called 'Lina.' "We shouldn't split up. We can't cover all the doors. One or two people could be overwhelmed. Block some with wood maybe, but they'll have other bolt holes out of here. If they try to run we can't stop them. If they try to fight we're safer as a group. Right now as many kids as possible are here and alive. Tomorrow, who knows. This can't wait."
She skulks against the wall just behind the main door as the halfling man quietly works on it.
Talanaliel quickly, and sheepishly, relays the rest of what she saw.
The window next to the front door reveals a splintery desk, moldy chair, and a filthy cloth on the ground.
The other front window shows a mound of...something in a trough. There's also an angry-looking gnome currently shoving a kid toward a chute that's also filled with the same...something.The window by the slippery boardwalk shows a pair of bunk beds. At present, they're not occupied.
All of the furthest east (top of map) windows open onto the same room. A large vat of...something looms over dozens of children who lie on filthy bedrolls and hammocks, while a mangy dog and a half-orc step over, or sometime on, them. There are two flights of stairs leading down from the western rooms to this large one.
With the door open, Abella carefully and quietly enters the first room, drawing her sword as she does so. She taps herself with a guidance as well, feeling some of the spiritual protection of her sister.
Garrett will follow behind Abella, blending into the shadows as he goes.
Shrike steals after Abella and Garrett through the door and positions herself in one corner, with a clear view of all the other doors into the room, so that any thug who enters will quickly regret it. She has her crossbow up, loaded and ready.
Nicolai moves up to the door opposite Garrett and waits to see what reaction their intrusion brings.
There's a candle burning on the desk, but much more light is actually coming in from under the warped doors to the north and the east - more on the order of lanterns, perhaps. The party, at least those inside, sneak quietly into what's definitely the front desk where the proprietors would take on new clients and make business deals. Shockingly for Nicolai, there's no reaction to the party's intrusion - at least, not yet. Meanwhile, Audria and Lina wait outside their respective doors.
Behind this door, you can hear a child complaining and making gagging sounds, a gnome quietly berating the boy, and a squishing sound like someone stepping on gelatin.
Behind this door, all you can hear is a pen scratching on parchment and a man's smoker-rough voice whispering numbers to himself.
Audria, from her station by the outside door, can also take a roll at the North Door perception.
Shrike listens for the sounds of motion in the adjoining rooms. The gnome Hookshanks had said something about finding the chute clear in the morning; he might just leave the child to it for the night, and if he did, she would expect him to come through this northern door. But something about the east door pulls her attention away instead, causing her to be distracted from listening for his approach. She catches Garrett and Audria's eye, points at the east door and holds up a single finger to indicate one creature.
She considers the splintered table and moldy chair. The chair could perhaps be wedged under a door handle to provide a temporary choke point so one of the gang could not immediately come to the aid of the other, even if the situation became loud. Best to go for the eastern room's occupant first, as the child's alarm will almost certainly alert the others even if all goes perfectly and the gnome is silenced straight off. She tries to convey this idea silently by indicating the chair and miming, but is not sure it worked.
Garrett nods from the shadows that he has faded into as Shrike blocks the northern door and knocks an arrow as he moves to support whoever opens the eastern door.
Abella is already feeling the adrenaline hit, and she has trouble focusing her normally keen senses. She moves up near the door she thinks will mostly likely connect back towards Lina, pauses as she rests her hand on the door, then opens it.
After Shrike tilts the chair on its back feet and tucks it under the north door's handle, she crouches beside it and waits completely still and silent with her crossbow ready and her nerves on hair trigger for a gang member to be visible, either when Abella opens the door or when whoever is inside comes to check on the open door.
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Garrett and Shrike both succeed in making themselves as hidden as possible in the shadows of the candle's light. Abella pops open the door, revealing a man with a cruel frown on his face that alternates between disbelief and anger, who sits at a desk poring away over some slates and a ledger. He wears a red jacket which, though patched here and there, once bore the cut of a stylish noble fop. He reflexively starts to stand and reaches for a wand on his desk, but it's painfully obvious he didn't expect anyone at his door!
= = = = = Combat: Surprise Round= = = = =
17.3
11
Abella takes the moments of surprise to rush into the room to block their enemy from going anywhere.
Shrike steadies the point of her quarrel at the cruel-looking fop's center of mass and gently squeezes the trigger. Must be the numbers or confidence man for the gang.
Unaware of what is going on inside, and seeing no sign of Nicolai, Audria sighs and looks to Talanaliel.
"I guess we try the door," she says before trying to quietly open the door and slip in.
19
9
24
19
Lina tries to unlock the door.
Lina's attempt to unlock her door doesn't quite work - the last spring in the tumbler just won't click. Audria finds that her door, as well, is locked, and both find themselves stuck on the outside of the building even as the situation inside turns to violence.
The man is struck by Shrike's crossbow bolt in the stomach, but manages to stay up.
Nicolai will move to the Northern door and open it.
"It's locked," Audria quietly says when she sees Nicolai walking around the corner. "Got anything to unlock it?"
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Staying to the shadows, Garrett sends an arrow at the gnome hoping that it is enough to drop him without slaying the poor figure.
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Garrett's shot catches the man clean in the throat, driving him out of the chair and into the ground before he can make much in the way of noise.
With the man down, it's possible to open the door Lina's been trying to get open from the inside, letting her in. However, Nicolai's move to open the northern door reveals the same scene Talanaliel and those peeking in from outside saw. An orphan boy of perhaps 9 or 10 is squishing around in the fish/seaweed/brine mixture inside the trough, digging out the chute. The gnome, staring at the boy who's working, pauses in the middle of an "If you don't finish quick, I'll..." and turns toward the open door. "Bloo, Giggles, we got company!"
The gnome heads for the party, drawing a pair of wicked-looking curved kukris. As he gets there, he stabs at Nicolai once. His swing goes wide of the mage, armored as he is by the mage armor Lina cast on the wizard.
Garret moves to see if he can save the poor man who he just shot.
Abella opens the door for Lina and waves her in as a butler would. ”This way, Madame.” She then move back west toward the others and a potential second combat.
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Audria's blood runs cold when she hears Hookshanks calling out to Giggles. For a moment, she is back in the alley as the manic half-orc tore into her back again and again. Fear threatens to hold her in place, but whatever spark that led her to defy Lamm and his lackeys flares to life and Bartholomew's words echo in her head.
"Bravery isn't being unafraid, it's acting despite the fear. It's doing what you know is right even when you know it's going to get you killed."
Thankfully, he had also told her how to get through a locked door in a hurry. She takes a few steps back, then barrels forward to smash through the door as if she were a foot and a half taller and three times as heavy.
"Give up, Hookshanks! This time isn't going to end like the last one. You're outnumbered, and some of my companions will not hesitate to kill you. Lay down your arms," she calls out as she draws her sword.
Shrike feels a flicker of satisfaction as she lands a solid shot. If Garrett also lands, they may be able to silence him before he can even scream and alert the building. But immediately afterward, she stares in disbelief as Nicolai walks inside and removes her carefully placed chair, then simply opens the door to a room where he knows an enemy is before anyone is in position to do something about it. Naturally, the gnome yells, and their cover is blown. Is he trying to get us killed? Garrett does silence the first thug, with a beautifully placed second shot to the throat, but at that point, it hardly matters.
The crossbow will no longer be useful with so many people she will have to avoid hitting. Shrike slides back into the corner as silently as she can and lets the now-unloaded weapon slip from her hand to the floor as she draws the hooked and barbed spear with the other. The guisarme is still heavy and clumsy in her hands compared to the lighter, elf-made branch-spear she trained on, but that spear is hanging in the window of a shop in Eodred's Walk, and she has been practicing with this one. It will have to do for now. She takes it up in both hands and settles into ready stance, gesturing sharply at Nicolai with one hand to move back from the door. Get away from there unless you want him to gut you!
Nicolai takes a step back as the Gnome, Hookshanks, swings at him. He rises his arms and begins casting a spell "Conem Color" he says as a bright cone of coruscating colors springs from his hands and engulfs the Gnome.
As the door opened, Lina jumped back and raised her hands, lockpicks wielded like slim daggers ready to strike out. She blushed at seeing Abella, but nodded. "Thanks. Seems everything is okay so far..." The words trailed off as she noticed the body slumped at the desk, bolts and arrows sticking out of him. She approached, slowly, even the cut of his clothes still somewhat familiar. She kneeled down, slowly placing a hand on the body, noticing the fallen wand.
"You won't be needing this any more Yargin" she said, scooping up the wand and glancing around for any other discarded valuables.
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Hookshanks turns as Audria crashes through the door, only to take a color spray to the back of the head. Distracted, he's unable to mount any sort of defense against the colorful assault on his mind, and quickly crashes to the floor. A moment later, Shrike's guisarme smacks into him from around the corner, leaving a large gash in the gnome's shoulder and chest but not immediately lethal. Still, he's not going anywhere soon, thanks to Nicolai's magic.
The boy, shocked at the sudden violence, pauses to dry heave into the goopy, stinky mixture. Then he looks at Hookshanks and at the door to the north of him. "I dunno if Bloo or Giggles heard him. If they didn't, they're in there with the others. Who're you?"
From behind the doors to the north, there's only the sounds of a dog growling occasionally and children crying.
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Abella stride into the room and gives Hookshanks a clean, quick death. She turns to the boy, giving him a dry smile. ”We are the Korvosa Party Planning Committee, here to offer coupons. Schedule one party get the second half off.” She shrugs as she wipes off her sword on Hookshank’s shirt. ”Or maybe we are here because we all just really want revenge on Lamm for being a piece of…work.”
She picks up movement from the short hallway and looks up towards her new allies. She points her sword at the door in-question. ”A big one waiting.” She gives herself another guidance.
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"That would be Giggles," Audria tells the others before turning to the boy.
"We appear to each have our own reasons for being here, but I think all of use agree that getting you somewhere safe is one of the things we need to do."
Audria looks to Hookshanks and pushes back the urge to finish the vile wretch. He isn't a threat. Lamm and Giggles are.
"We still have Giggles, Yargin, and Lamm. Ready for the next fight," She asks the others.
Shrike moves quietly across the floor into the room with the gnome and the kid.
"Look away, kid," she advises gruffly, blocking the sight with her body as Abella finishes off the gnome. The voice that comes from the mask is still croaking, but low and calm as she can make it as she addresses the child. "Our fight's with Lamm and his bully boys. Not you or any of the kids. We want to get you out of here and back to your families. Or at least a better life. A place where you sleep warm indoors every night, always have enough to eat, and no one threatens you or beats you or makes you cut purses or gut fish. We don't need you to fight. We'll handle that. Just stay put, stay calm, and keep your heads down till it's over. Can you do that, and tell the other kids the same?"
She points her sword at the door in-question. "A big one waiting." She gives herself another guidance.
"That would be Giggles," Audria tells the others before turning to the boy.
"We appear to each have our own reasons for being here, but I think all of us agree that getting you somewhere safe is one of the things we need to do."
"We still have Giggles, Yargin, and Lamm. Ready for the next fight?" She asks the others.
Silently, under the mask, Shrike mouths to herself in incredulity, Giggles? Out loud she says, just barely audible, "Right. Stay put, kid," and moves catfoot to just behind Audria, preparing to strike at any new enemy that enters the range of her guisarme.
Garrett fades back into the shadows and moves to check on the door in the room.
Garrett's door is not, in fact, locked or trapped. In fact, it barely latches, the wooden frame is so old and water-warped. The gnome doesn't even give a death rattle as Abella finishes him off.
Audria doesn't recognize the boy, unfortunately. Based on getting the worst job, though, she knows he's probably new, and not trusted to be pickpocketing quite yet. From a small crack in the door, though, Audria can see a catwalk wrapping around the part of the room she can see. Below that, a trio of children that she can see sleep on filthy bedrolls set on pallets or low boxes to avoid the filthy, fish-blood covered floor.
The boy looks at Abella, a confused expression on his face. As Shrike and Audria talk to him, he nods slowly, though he keeps eying the knives. "Other Lambs're all in there with Giggles and Bloo. Can't tell 'em anything right now."
Abella gives a faux-bow to the child. ”By your leave. I am afraid there are others here who require our…coupons.” She strides back into the other room and taps Nicolai with the back of her hand, passing along a guidance. ”A little help for you, my dear little owl.”
Audria looks to the others behind her and nods as she sees they are ready. With a deep breath she pushes through the door and looks for Giggles.
"Give up Giggles! Hookshanks is already out of the fight, and you'll find this time won't end like the last time we meet," she calls out, putting as much steel into her voice as she can.
Unfortunately, her voice cracks as she sees the half-orc standing easily more than a head taller than she is. The cold numbness on her back is pricked by sharp sting of remembered pain.
Nicolai recoils as Abella flat out kills Hookshanks "But, he was out. No need to murder him." He steps back as she reaches out to touch him but releases a breath he didn't even know he was holding as she casts the Guidance spell on him. "I don't know what Lamm did to any of you but he didn't do anything to me that I didn't do to myself. He may have had his Lamb's out pushing Shiver but he didn't make me take it, that was on me. Anyway, I'm out of spells that will do any good now."
Nicolai recoils as Abella flat out kills Hookshanks "But, he was out. No need to murder him." He steps back as she reaches out to touch him but releases a breath he didn't even know he was holding as she casts the Guidance spell on him. "I don't know what Lamm did to any of you but he didn't do anything to me that I didn't do to myself. He may have had his Lamb's out pushing Shiver but he didn't make me take it, that was on me. Anyway, I'm out of spells that will do any good now."
"They took my brother." Shrike's low rasp is deadly calm at first, but then twists and cracks with rage: "He's ten."
Lina glanced around the room, taking a moment to search the desk as well as the body.
Garret moves silently through the door and readies to shoot someone who looks like they might take offense at their presence.
Giggles starts to stare at Audria. "I remember you! We broke you." He looks genuinely confused, not intimidated. Suddenly, his ears seem to perk up and he spins just as the arrow from Garrett's bow hits him right in the foot, punching in near his Achilles tendon. Very painful, but not so deadly. The orphans sit up in bed, blinking and trying to figure out what's going on.
= = = = = Combat: Round 1 = = = = =
17
Hoping she has been unnoticed thus far, Shrike steps forward and the point of her guisarme jabs suddenly from around the corner for the distracted half-orc's back. Unfortunately, she misjudges the angle and one of its hooks gets caught in the wall, causing the point to stop long before it remotely threatens him.
She yanks it out and tries to get ready for the half-orc to approach. "Get behind me," she says tersely to Audria, not really expecting the girl to listen. But she has to try: the girl's armor is leather, not steel, and she is clearly afraid of the half-orc due to some past experience. More importantly, Audria is barely more than a child herself.
Nicolai moves through the room with the pool of fish to stand behind Lina and draws his crossbow.
Lina ducked into the next room, moving past Abella. She glanced down the hallway, seeing no where to go so continued moving on to the next room with the gigantic fish trough, moving to the single door.
"You beat me bloody and left me to die," Audria says, whether it is adrenaline or faith, in Bartholomew's teachings or Shelyn's blessing hardly matters, that buoys her above the roaring tide of fear threatening to pull her under and prove Giggles right is immaterial as she steps up and ignores Shrike's command to get behind her.
"You're outnumbered," she tells the half-orc, his giggling echoing in her mind. "Give up!"