Fishery Floor - Round 6 - continued
Lenrelle casts a Heal spell which passes a warm glow over the wounds taken by Talindra and binds them closed. The champion is back to fully healed after the magic washes over her.
Sable continues her performance, knowing the effect it has on her allies is blessing during the end of this fight. She then finishes the use of her Biting Words spell casting verbal damage on Hookshanks who groans in pain.
Newly rejuvenated by the healing spell, Talindra steps to cut off Hookshanks from the little children before attacking the gnome with her long glaive. Her first attacks scores a hit, slashing the small target down the side, but her second strike misses, giving the rogue a chance to stay in the fight.
Now surrounded, Hookshanks tries to at least get away from being flanked. He slides over to the other stairs, and tries to leap up to get away, but his hand slips on the filthy floor, and he ends up back on the ground. Instead, he attacks Talindra again with his curved blade. "He'll have your guts for garters, fools! I'd leave here while you can!" This time the knife clangs off the champion's breastplate and no harm is done.
Perivolt continues to provide magical energy to the floating orbs.
Seeing the wicked gnome attempt to hop up and then fall back down reminds Perivolt of the game he and his sister used to play keeping a coin aloft with their magic. He stretches out his hand imagining the precise timing to get the 'coin' zipping through the air once more.
Billi knew he was so slow and the door was right there so he opens it just enough to see inside.
Fishery Floor - Round 6 -concluded
Perivolt continues to provide light to the room, but then also casts a different attack, sending an arc of electrical energy at the gnome. Hookshanks is quick though, and manages to avoid the full blast, taking just half damage.
End of Round 6
Fishery Floor - Round 7
27 Billi (17/23hp remain)
26 Ioca (15/16 remain)
22 Lenrelle
20 Lambs (friendly)
18 Talindra
16 Sable
11 Hookshanks Gruller (21hp dmg)
10 Perivolt(12/15hp; mage armor; dancing lights)
Billi pushes open the door from where Yargin came, making sure no more enemies are beyond. In the darkness, he is still able to make out a small unkempt office. A desk stands in one corner with a ratty chair, its side preventing the western door from fully opening. A table is heaped with dozens of slate boards covered with chalk marks. A cabinet slouches on the east wall. There is an exterior door to the south as well.
After opening door Billi heads 15’ to the other door along the steps.
Ioca steps closer to the gnome, almost feeling sorry for what has to happen. Almost. Then he tries to make it happen.
Fishery Floor - Round 7 - concluded
Ioca has consistently hit his targets, just not dealt a lot of damage. In this case, while not a critical hit, it's just enough to drop the remaining adversary, as the gnome hits the floor. The children give a rousing shout as another of their assailants is put down.
Looking about, for the first time in more than a minute of action, there doesn't seem to be anyone attacking you. You actually have a moment or two to catch your breath.
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Taking a breath as there are no longer any visible foes, Talindra first turns to the children. She kneels in front of them to get to eye level, and gives them an honest smile. "Hey. Is everyone okay? We can help if you were hurt during the fight. We've taken some injuries, too--" My legs will be killing me tomorrow... "--but I want to make sure you're all okay first." Then, to the rest of the group, "I don't want the kids waiting for us while we go upstairs and I don't feel comfortable sending them off into the night, alone, to find one of the temples. Thoughts?
"Pick your discomfort. I say we assume our success continues, and we ask them to wait here for us. Yes, if we all die, they will still be under Lamm's thumb, but they won't be chased down and punished for fleeing, either. Least risk, I think."
He looks about. "I see two closed doors and an open room. Why don't you see if these know which way leads to Lamm?"
Ioca is desperately trying to display a hard, uncaring front at the same time he's frantically scanning the children, looking for one familiar face in particular.
"Ioca is right. It's better for them to wait here while we explore the area and see what we can learn. Then we can take them to someplace safe as a group. The thugs might have some clues." Sable cleans her sword and puts it away, and then with a look of some distaste, she starts to rifle through the bodies of the fallen guards.
Billi goes back to the body of the effeminate man to search him and help search all the others.
Lenrelle looks over each child along side Talindra for wounds and such... dog bites. She speaks to the others "Billi, Perivolt, you both seem injured. Ioca too but not as badly. Give me ten minutes on each and I can tend without magic."
"You have healer's tools on you? I can loan you a set if you need one.
If we think we can afford to let Lamm have 30 minutes to make plans and probably escape instead of chasing him down now. It seems a fool's choice to me."
A brow lift "I have my own tools. And I suppose I can do a rush job." She sees his point , though she detests risking hurting the patient with haste.. in this case, the haste would not be undue.
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Talindra nods to Ioca, seeing the wisdom in his words. "Pick your discomfort" is indeed the right phrasing; she's not happy with any of the choices. Indeed, that's been her life of late. "You're right. I agree, it's best for the kids to stay here. If anyone else is up there, they've probably holed up and made themselves as safe as they can. Expect surprises."
She gives Lenrelle a worried glance. "Add rush job medicine to the list of things I'm uncomfortable with, I guess. Can I help? I have some training myself. Not as much as you, I'm sure, but I know a bit."
Some of the little Lambs have scrapes or minor abrasions from the dog's attacks, but none are seriously hurt -- they are toughened up lot after all. Looking closely, you see their eyes are still wide with fear and uncertainty, but there is something else there now also, a little spark of hope. "We'z alright, missus," says one of the older kids, probably no more than 12, thumbing his forelock in respect. "But we'z all 'ungry, an' the wee uns are a bit scairt. Wot's t'come of us now?"
Ioca does a passable job of hiding his side glances to spy if his sister is among the group of dirty children, but try as he might, he doesn't see her.
As Sable and Billi start looking at the fallen thugs, Lenrelle begins dressing the wounds she can. One Derrick, Sable finds only the club, chainmail, and a set of poorly-kept manacles. Hookshanks, the gnome, has his kukri, small-sized studded leather, a disguise kit, and a key on a thong around his neck. Giggles the half orc has his flail, chainmail armor, a crossbow and 10 bolts. Yargin, at the top of the stairs, has a brass key, and iron key, one flask of alchemist's fire, 4 lesser acid flasks, 1 minor elixir of life, a dagger, a garnet amulet, and a scroll that Billi cannot make out. Altogether the thugs have 1 gold and 18 silver pieces in change among them.
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Perivolt also anxiously peers at the small faces while trying to reassure them.
"You're hungry? You poor dears."
Perivolt gestures to the other members of the impromptu rescue team. "We're going to do everything we can to see you safely to your families, homes, or any other place which can provide your hope and succor. Please remain here and stay safe for now."
Billi adds the extra chain armor to his pack with no problem.
. He puts the rest of the weapons in a pile to get later if no one else can easily take them except for the club. After a ten minute healing break he hoped to lead them to the rest of the rooms above this place.
With a slight twist to his lips, Perivolt addresses his new found comrades. "The walking shiv is right. We can't afford to give Lamm any more time to prepare or escape than we already have." Acknowledging Ioca's words and agreeing with him appear to have left a sour taste in Perivolt's mouth.
"A little dog bite shouldn't kill me," the wizard rubs his rump where the dog's teeth tore his fine robes, "My sister has done worse during our spell practice."
As they talk about continuing without a healing break, Billi grabs the healing elixir if no one objects. "If ten minutes is too much, I can drink this and we can go. I will also take a quick field patch up over nothing if we want to rush forward."
Billi tries to help with his own healing, as he was trained to do it. He just didn't have a fancy first aid pack.
Billi will lead the way to the upper rooms, helping others explore if they want his help.
She tends to the children with Talindra's help. "Of course you're hungry. here." She gives up some of her rations to spread it about. "Share it. It's like Perivolt says. We'll do all we can.... Talindra and I know at least two temples that will help you too."
Respecting Billi's wishes, she moves to him to treat wounds with some battlefield healing, "Help me out folks who can, I don't want to wound him further."
And she may need the help,as the jagged wound proves to be frustrating to mend with haste.
As she works, she mutters to Sable "Sable, you know everyone in this town, just about. Any good folk looking to adopt?"
She considers some church goers she knows who might be.
But comes up empty. Come on, Lenrelle, focus. you're better than this.
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Relieved to hear the children haven't sustained any major injuries, she nonetheless shakes her head a bit hearing that they haven't been fed. Reaching into her bag, she shares two days' worth of rations with the Lambs. "We promised we'd make sure you have enough to eat, so here you are. Hey, hey, I know you're hungry, but you're gonna have upset tummies if you eat too quickly! And Lenrelle is right about the temples. About that..." Here, she turns to Lenrelle for a moment and grins. Returning her glance to the kids, "Which sounds more fun, a beautiful dove or a songbird? Don't worry, it's not a trick question, there's no wrong answer, but you decide while we take care of things here, okay?"
After fulfilling part of her promise to the kids, she helps out with Lenrelle addressing Billi's wounds. Academic stuff like this was always Elora's specialty. Talindra rarely had the patience for that kind of thing. But there's clearly merit to it. It'd be wise to refresh myself, given what we're getting involved in.
Then, she addresses the assembled adults. "It's probably best to check the boat first. If Lamm is on it, then we don't want him sailing away while we check the upstairs."
"They could have families looking for them. I think the temples or the Guard might be able to help with that before any other decisions about them are made." Sable says.
She then adds "And most of the people I know might not be great parents.". She smiles a little at that, in a wry and ironic way.
"We will sort that all out later," Perivolt says with an urgent tone. "Let's find Lamm."
Still not seeing Graykos among the current group, his impatience grows for finding the one man left alive who may know his brother's fate since any others with the knowledge now lie dead strewn around the fishery.
Turning to the Lambs, Perivolt speaks soothingly. "Do any of you know the way or how we can best find Gaedran Lamm?"
Billi speaks up;
"I would hate to disagree, but it would seem easier to move from a front room out the doors while we are on a boat without our notice, than to get a boat underway without our notice while we are in a front room. And access to the front rooms is much faster than access to the boat, I just opened a door."
As Tallindra and Lenrelle were talking to the children, Billi whistled to get the attention of Ioca, Perivolt and Sable and headed to door he was just near on the stairs.
Billi tapped a draught from his keg to his mug, set the keg on the ground. He poured some ale over his wound, drank the rest of his mug, then put the mug away. "All better, let's go!"
Billi prepared to open the door in the room he had discovered to get access to the easiest way out to the street and the dock to the boat at the same time.
"Left. Right. Up. Down. Whichever. We need to get moving." Ioca will move to go with Billi.
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"Normally, the Guard would be my suggestion as well. ... but my experiences here have shown me that they're not always as helpful as you'd hope. No, the temples would be best." Then, she nods at Ioca. "You're right. We've deliberated for quite a while. Let's do this." She takes a position behind Billi, ready to fight anything hostile on the other side of the door.
While the others are speaking to the children and sorting through the items taken from the dead thugs, Lenrelle attempts to tend to Billi's wounds, but whether its from her nerves after her first combat, anxiety trying to close a combat wound, or Billi's fidgeting, her ministrations really come to naught.
The children take the proffered food and split it up among themselves. The older one, who seems to be the spokesperson says, "Us'll stay put, missus. If you'ze gonna find us new clothes, we'z wait 'ere fer you. Can we keep t' lantern though?"
Perivolt does not see Graykos among the children. When he mentions Gaedren Lamm to the little ones, they seem to clam up and look uncomfortable, and no one answers him. Finally one of the older girls says, "They take kids to him sometimes, we don't see him much, or want to. I don't know what happens to the kids they take, but they don't come back. None of us wants that. He's a bad man, mister."
Billi and Talindra, at least, head up the stairs to the small office that Billi spied once before. A desk and a cabinet are the main features of this room. The desk blocks the western door, but it could be moved. An exterior door, which you imagine leads to the rickety boardwalk on that side of the fishery, is on the southern wall as well.
"Let's pick up the desk and move it out of the way, yeah?"
Billi leads them on opening the next door.
Lenrelle frowns at her failure, "Sorry, Billi." She looks to the kids reassuringly, or at least she hopes it is.
She nods at Sable...
The children take the proffered food and split it up among themselves. The older one, who seems to be the spokesperson says, "Us'll stay put, missus. If you'ze gonna find us new clothes, we'z wait 'ere fer you. Can we keep t' lantern though?"
"Keep it. We have light of our own." And she follows the others. No sign of Graykos. Oh Sarenrae, please let us be in time to save the lad.
Billi and Ioca move the desk slightly, allowing full access to the door behind. When the dwarf opens the door, he sees the front room of the fishery. A single desk sits in the middle of the room, with a moldy chair pushed up against it. Piles of ratty furs and straw lie heaped on the floor, and its clear those are the resting places of the now-dead guard dogs. What appears to be the front doors of the fishery, which you saw from the exterior, are on the west wall, while single interior doors are on both the east and west side of the entry hall.
There does not appear to be an threats in this room.
Billi then opens a door to the big room—the little room with one door in could wait.
Sable moves up to be in position to support Billi if there are threats in the next room. She doesn't think more than one person needs to search the desk, though she is happy that Talindra is doing just that.
"Stay safe little ones. Keep the lantern close, I'm going to turn off the lights."
Perivolt ascends the stairs to join the others and directs the dancing lights magic to end after reaching them.
"That paper won't move. Lamm will. Come back for it." After spending a second to think about known doors, "Let's go to our right first."
Perivolt climbs the stairs bringing the lights with him. In the office, Talindra looks at the desk first while the others move on. She finds the slates seem to be part of the fishery's accounting system. They have transactions, customer names and addresses, and other notes scrawled on them. The rest of the search of the desk does not turn up anything else useful.
With support from Ioca and Sable, Billi opens the door to the bigger area. It is dark in this space, so the humans have a hard time seeing, but Billi can make out the details wiht his darkvision. As soon as the door opens, the stink of this room, a mixture of fish, sweat, and river water, is enough to make eyes water. To the east, a large wooden trough holds a hideous amount of half-rancid fish, seaweed, and brine. Filthy river water and fish blood stain the floor around this trough. A pair of wooden chutes lead from this trough down through holes in the eastern wall into the larger room beyond. To the west, a desk and chair sit in one corner, while a tall cabinet sits in the other.
Sable casts a light spell on the scabbard of her sword to give the group hands free illumination.
Billi doesn't see any immediate threats in the room and enters to look for hidden things.
"The last room can't have any doors, so I think we can put Lamm holed up in there or on the boat if he is on the premises."
Sable waves her hand and says a magic word, and light floods the front room of the fishery. Now bathed in light, the room looks shabbier than before, if that's possible.
Billi is in the upper work room, looking for anything out of the ordinary. The desk is heaped with trash and littered with papers that seem meaningless to you. The cabinet in the other corner is locked. Other than that, and lots of smelly fish goo, there is nothing of interest you find.
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Not finding anything useful in the desk, Talindra takes up a position behind Billi near the final door. Her movements lack the usual practiced grace. She glances nervously at the door to the last room. He's probably not in that last room. Breathe. It's probably empty like everything else. Wait, why am I worried about confronting him? I've wanted this for so long... Waiting for folks to get into position before moving into the last room, she shifts her weight back and forth, irregularly tapping the bottom of her glaive on the floor.
Billi opens the door to the final room, there would be plenty of time to unlock cabinets later.
"Ioca, there is a locked cabinet back there. Maybe we get it later."
The last room of top part of the fishery is revealed to be a sleeping quarters, probably for the now-deceased thugs. Bunk beds sit against the far wall of the room on either side of boarded up windows.
No foes or items of value are included here.
The thief doesn't even acknowledge the comment about the locked cabinet, focusing instead on finding their quarry, who is not within the building as promised.
"We need to get on that boat before he casts off!"
”Out to the docks, let’s go with a safety line.”
Billi heads to the door leading to the dock while wrapping his rope around his waist. He tosses the rope to someone lighter on their feet. Billi provides a solid anchor in the doorway. Hammering pitons would be the plan if the dock is too unreliable.
Perivolt follows the decisive dwarf outside, ready to help.
Lenrelle also follows
The door to the outside alley is locked. It doesn't take much time for Ioca to come forwrad and discover the brass key found on Yargin's corpse will unlock the door.
The slippery boardwalk here clings to the side of the fishery, held together by barnacle encrusted pilings that have had half their thickness worn away below the waterline 12' below.
The first thing you notice as you open the outer door is the noise. The din from church bells ringing all over the city. Not sure that you have ever heard that sound before. Back over your shoulder to the city-side of the river, a loud explosion crumps a good distance away, but the sound and flare of fire blossoming to the sky gets your attention, for a second. None of those things are Gaedren Lamm, not matter what is going on.
Looking towards the vessel in the water, you see that, once the plank board walkway leaves the corner of the building, it descends towards the waterline, ending about 10' above the waterline, and even with the deck of the ship.
The surface of the rickety walkway is also quite slippery, covered with mist, spray, and slime from the river water. Navigating it is going to be a challenge....