Tychus hurriedly makes his way up to the office, frantically refilling his empty casing with fresh bolts. He carefully tries to avoid the Grease patch on the stairs.
Once at the top, he leaves the interrogations to his allies (for the moment). Instead, he aims his crossbow out the shattered window, in case anymore guards end up wandering inside and raising further alarms.
Henrika swings up into the office and approaches Mr. Smiles with a very serious face. "I suggest you start talking now," she says in his ear, "or I'll cut out your tongue. You like talking, don't you master clown? You think you are funny? Your japes will never be as amusing as once we see that gray muscle torn from your mask." To emphasize her point, she holds the edge of her sword at his cheek.
Is that halfling, The Fantabulos here?
Should I roll Acrobatics?
Intimidate: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 15
Intimidate: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21
Is that halfling, The Fantabulos here?
"Of course she is. Is that really all you wanted to ask?" Mr. Smiles replies.
Charlotte makes her way up to the office and upturns her portable hole. Four Silent Initiate corpses fall out. ”While you were sneaking around the warehouse, I took out the remaining two guards outside. No one else should be coming for awhile.”
Altogether there were 16 Silent Initiates. Each one had:
Smoke Pellet (x2)
Leather Armor (x1)
Darts (x5)
Masterwork Dagger (x1)
Silver Unholy Symbol of Norgorber (x1)
Whistle (x1)
3 gp
Fair-Minded Efarni had:
Potion #1 (Identified as a Potion of Enlarge Person)
Potion #2 (Identified as a Potion of Hide from Animals)
Potion #3 (Labeled “Poison”) (Identified as a Potion of Neutralize Poison)
Antitoxin (x2)
Vial #1 (x4) (Labeled “Curative”) (Identified as Belladonna)
Vial #2 (x3) (Labeled “Styptic”) (Identified as Bloodroot)
Tanglefoot Bag (x3)
Thunderstone (x1)
Leather Armor
Dagger
Fine Wine (x2) (Worth 10 gp each)
Formula Book
Masterwork Fiddle
Poison Pill Ring (with a poison inside) (Identified as Oil of Taggit)
6 gp
You can also relieve Mr. Smiles III of his items. He had:
Thunderstone (x2)
Studded Leather
Buckler
Magic Sickle (Identified as +1 Sickle)
Entertainer’s Outfit
Identifying Items
Potion #1 - Spellcraft or Perception DC 16
Potion #2 - Spellcraft or Perception DC 16
Potion #3 - Spellcraft or Perception DC 16
Vial #1 – Craft (Alchemy) or Heal DC 14
Vial #2 – Craft (Alchemy) or Heal DC 12
Fine Wine – Appraise DC 20
Poison in Ring – Craft (Alchemy) or Heal DC 15
Magic Sickle - Spellcraft DC 18
"Of course she is. Is that really all you wanted to ask?" Mr. Smiles replies.
Henrika almost shouts into the fetchling's ear. "Where? Do not waste our time, for I promise you the consequences will be painful."
Icabhod will take the darts as he is sorely lacking in ranged weapons
Navia stands guard over Mr. Smiles during the interrogation, sometimes rubbing at the side of her head. The blood from her self-inflicted wound still stains her forehead. "Hey, if you don't mind...?" she says in the general direction of Trevor, not taking her eyes off of her charge.
Xallis keeps his crossbow loaded and at the ready, though not pointed at anyone in particular. "We're not just looking for the halfling clown. She fooled a friend of ours, lured her here. Tell me, what are your plans with them?"
Navia stands guard over Mr. Smiles during the interrogation, sometimes rubbing at the side of her head. The blood from her self-inflicted wound still stains her forehead. "Hey, if you don't mind...?" she says in the general direction of Trevor, not taking her eyes off of her charge.
Taking note that both summoner and summoned creature are guarding Mr. Smiles, Trevor sheaths his rapier to walk over and address the eidolon's wounds.
The aasimar then walks over to claim the two wine bottles and the masterwork dagger.
"Hmm?" The cleric said to himself while examining the wine bottles. "Good vintage."
"Where? Do not waste our time, for I promise you the consequences will be painful."
"We're not just looking for the halfling clown. She fooled a friend of ours, lured her here. Tell me, what are your plans with them?"
"Don't threatened me with a good time. We found a secret passage in the north pipe there." He points to the pipe next to him. "Wyssilka took Martella down there. We were hired by Grand Prince Stavian to assist in his massacre of the senate. Our group was specifically told to deal with Martella and her allies. If you're lucky, Wyssilka is still playing with her. But if Wyssilka got bored...maybe you're too late." He shrugs.
Checking the pipe that Mr. Smiles indicated, you find a secret passage. A hatch opens to the interior of the pipe and a ladder descends down.
For capturing Mr. Smiles and finding the secret passage, everyone earns another hero point.
In addition, searching the room, you find a locked drawer in the desk.
It takes Liraea a few attempts to get the drawer open but eventually, she does. Inside is:
Metallic Pellets (x2) (Unable to identify yet)
A silver cameo containing a portrait of Grand Prince Stavian I (Est. worth 80-120 gp)
A teak snuffbox (Est. worth 16-24 gp)
2,414 sp
288 gp
Identifying Items
Metallic Pellets - Spellcraft DC 22
Portrait- Appraise DC 20
Teak Box - Appraise DC 20
Tychus sets down his crossbow against the wall and retrieves some rope from his backpack. He holds it out towards Mr Smiles and addresses the rest of the group.
"Shall we? Think we've had enough bloodshed for one day."
"I agree", Trevor chimes in. "But make sure he's properly and truly gagged, less his bardic abilities return to the fore."
After tying up Mr. Smiles, Charlotte says, ”I’ll take this one to the authorities. You’re on your own from here on out. Go get Martella and bring her home.”
When ready, you climb down the ladder in the pipe which leads to a small cavern.
This excavated chamber links the warehouse above with the safe house below. The walls are embedded with several artifacts of a long-gone iteration of Oppara: bare scroll rods, broken pots, cobblestones, and various other bits of street garbage. The southwestern door is normally a closed secret door, but the door has been left open.
Beyond the ajar door, you see a small storage area. This area is primarily used to store food, water, and other supplies to wait out a siege or manhunt, but it also contains a few basic tools. The room branches off with hallways to the west and south. The ceiling of the room is lit with a continual flame spell cast into a stone in the ceiling.
Before you move through the doorway, Liraela holds out an arm for you to stop. She points out a barely visible tripwire across the bottom of the doorway. Then she bends down to disable it.
Liraela motions for everyone to stand back. Squatting near the ground, she carefully cuts the tripwire. A javelin harmlessly shoots out of the wall and head height. Liraela removes the javelin and tosses it to the ground. ”It’s safe to pass now.”
Once in the storage area, you can see that the hallway to the south goes 10 feet and ends at a secret door. However, from this side, the door is not hidden.
To the west, the short hallway connects to a common room.
The stink of spoiled food permeates this common room. Several plates covered in scraps of rotten meat and spoiled vegetables cover the two round tables in the center of the room. Shelves of preserved foods line the walls to the north and south. Additional passages lead out to the north, south, and west. The western passage is unworked stone.
Trevor enters the new level with a crinkled nose, due to the spoiled provisions. The cleric carefully motions the other members of the coterie forward.
Henrika proceeds into the common room and, holding her nose, she listens carefully for sounds of talking or movement elsewhere in the area.
She listens carefully for sounds of talking or movement elsewhere in the area.
The exits to the west and south are quiet, but beyond the door to the north Henrika hears the muffled voices of men having a conversation. They are discussing keeping the buried villa as their own headquarters once they complete this job.
"Should we take them by surprise while they are still talking?"
Sounds good to me
"Agreed," whispers Henrika, and casts another spell on herself before going over to the door and dramatically throwing it open.
Navia's face curls into disgust as she manages to not wretch, but not by much. "I'm getting sick of these nasty, dank places that make me regret having a strong nose..."
The eidolon creeps along with her frontline allies as they discuss a plan, one hand over her face. "If I breathe through my mouth I can taste it..."
Xallis checks his crossbow to make sure it's loaded, and then he takes up a position in cover.
Henrika throws open the northern door. Four human cultists are gathered in a small square room at the end of a 10 ft.-long hallway. They turn in surprise at the party’s entrance. The cultists are garbed in purple cloaks and wear silver holy symbols to Norgorber around their necks.
Initiative
Surprise Round
22 - Henrika (22/27 hp)
14 – Trevor (17/24 hp)
09 – Icabhod (27/27 hp)
09 – Tychus (24/27 hp)
09 – Liraela (27/27 hp)
07 – Xallis (27/27 hp)
07 – Navia (19/19 hp)
03 – Silent Cultist (Red)
03 – Silent Cultist (Yellow)
03 – Silent Cultist (Blue)
03 – Silent Cultist (Purple)
Active Spells:
Henrika (Heightened Awareness 30 min, Hermean Potential 3 min)
Xallis (Mage Armor 50 min)
Navia (Mage Armor 50 min)
All (Message 20 min)
Each of you gets 1 standard action in the surprise round.
Henrika charges!
Surprise Round
Trevor, finding the open area too ripe for a ambush, positions himself against the west wall of the meeting area, keeping his eyes of the western hallway.
"Not sure charging in is what I would have done, but to each their own." Liraela says, watching the much braver Henrika charge forward.
"I'll cover the other hallway, just in case someone comes this way."
Icabhod finds that the way to the foes is blocked and instead holds where he is.
Nearly punching his fist into the wall in haste, Tychus uses the nearby corner to stabilize himself before letting a quick shot off.
Navia scampers forward, shifting to the wall and climbing above Henrika to join her on the front line. Xallis decides to gamble on an opening shot from around cover.
Surprise Round
Henrika charges down the hallway and slashes the surprised guard. A gush of blood bursts from his chest and he screams out.
Trevor watches the western hallway. He can see that the unworked hallway goes on for 30 feet and then connects with another room. No guards appear to be coming from that direction right now.
Tychus fires a bolt past Henrika and nails the cultist to the wall. His body slumps dead but is held up by the projectile.
Liraela guards the southern hallway. At the moment it is quiet.
Xallis fires a bolt around the corner but it is deflected off the cultist’s shoulder pad.
I assume the ceiling is at least 10 feet high.
”They’re here!” one of the cultists shouts. ”How did they get past Mr. Smiles? No matter, Wyssilka will reward us for bringing her their heads.”
Initiative
Round 1
22 - Henrika (22/27 hp)
14 – Trevor (17/24 hp)
09 – Icabhod (27/27 hp)
09 – Tychus (24/27 hp)
09 – Liraela (27/27 hp)
07 – Xallis (27/27 hp)
07 – Navia (19/19 hp)
03 – Silent Cultist (Red)
03 – Silent Cultist (Yellow)
03 – Silent Cultist (Purple)
Active Spells:
Henrika (Heightened Awareness 30 min)
Xallis (Mage Armor 50 min)
Navia (Mage Armor 50 min)
All (Message 20 min)
First round. You all can act again, then the cultists will get to go.
From where Henrika and Navia are, they can see that eight doors line the sides of this tiled hallway beyond the cultists. The doors of several rooms are open, revealing ten-foot-by-ten-foot bedchambers, each with a single bed and nearby table.
Lightning-fast, Henrika steps forward onto the corpse of the fallen cultist and turns to fix her hypnotic stare on the one next to him. She doesn't bother addressing him, but lashes out with her sword as if she is going to do the same to him-- it's a feint low and she swings high.
Icabhod stays put since the hall is crowded
Trevor also maintains his spot as rear guard, due to the crowded hall. The cleric does his best to listen for any movement in the unfinished hall.
Allowing himself the briefest of smirks, Tychus reloads his crossbow and hurries after his allies. Cursing the cramped quarters, Tychus attempts to fire at one of the enemies.
From her position clinging to the wall, Navia looks back over her shoulder and back-kicks at one of the cultists.
Xallis marches forward and gives Tychus a friendly tap on the shoulder, blessing him with guidance.
Icabhod stays put since the hall is crowded
Round 1
Henrika tries to distract her target but he doesn’t go for it so she isn’t able to find the opening she needs. The cultist’s chain shirt protects him from her attack.
Trevor still doesn’t hear anything to the west.
Tychus fires at the cultist engaged with Henrika. The cultist turns to face Tychus just a moment before his head explodes like a pumpkin.
Nothing seems to be coming from the south so Liraela moves to join the fight.
Navia rakes the cultist below her from the top of the wall. The cultist raises his sword to defend himself but is unable to fend off Navia’s powerful claws.
"Shit! Shit! Shit!" Under heavy assault, the remaining cultists attempt to regroup. One cultist (red), withdraws and draws a wooden stick from his belt. With a twist, the smokestick begins to emit a thick cloud of black smoke; and he throws the stick down in the middle of the small room, filling the room with concealment. The second cultist (purple) takes a step back and throws down a second smokestick at his feet, filling the hallway around him.
Smokestick
This alchemically treated wooden stick instantly creates thick, opaque smoke when burned. The smoke fills a 10-foot cube (treat the effect as a fog cloud spell, except that a moderate or stronger wind dissipates the smoke in 1 round). The stick is consumed after 1 round, and the smoke dissipates naturally after 1 minute.
Fog Cloud
The fog obscures all sight, including darkvision, beyond 5 feet. A creature within 5 feet has concealment (attacks have a 20% miss chance). Creatures farther away have total concealment (50% miss chance, and the attacker can’t use sight to locate the target).
Initiative
Round 1
22 - Henrika* (22/27 hp)
14 – Trevor (17/24 hp)
09 – Icabhod (27/27 hp)
09 – Tychus* (24/27 hp)
09 – Liraela (27/27 hp)
07 – Xallis* (27/27 hp)
07 – Navia* (19/19 hp)
03 – Silent Cultist (Red)
03 – Silent Cultist (Purple) (14 damage)
*Active Spells/Effects:
Henrika (Heightened Awareness 30 min)
Tychus (Guidance 1 min)
Xallis (Mage Armor 50 min)
Navia (Mage Armor 50 min)
All (Message 20 min)
Effect (Smokestick 10 rd)
Back to you.
Round 2
Taking the initiative , Trevor decides to explore the unworked tunnel.
Trevor explores the western passageway on his own. After 30 feet, the unworked hallway opens up to a furnished meeting room. A long table occupies the center of this dining room, surrounded by chairs. Maps of Taldor’s many prefectures cover the walls here.
Sitting at the head of the table, a young human girl playfully spins in her chair. She stops when she notices Trevor’s approach. Then she timidly asks, ”Have you seen my daddy? He’s working upstairs and told me to wait here. But it has been a really long time. I want to go home.”
Judging from her size, Trevor can estimate that she looks maybe 8 or 9 years old.
(Huh? See! A joke!)
Henrika curses softly and then bravely steps into the cloud, following the initiates as they back away. Once inside the smoke, she can make out the hazy form of one of them in front of her, and she stares hard at them as if willing them to stand and fight. She swings upward at her mark with her sword, and again spins it away at the last second to bring it crashing down towards the initiate's head.
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Henrika uses the smoke to her advantage and the cultist struggles to follow the pathway of her sword. Henrika's sword comes down to split the cultist's head and his sword is way too low to block it.
She swings upward at her mark with her sword, and again spins it away at the last second to bring it crashing down towards the initiate's head.
Initiative
Round 2
22 - Henrika* (22/27 hp)
14 – Trevor (17/24 hp)
09 – Icabhod (27/27 hp)
09 – Tychus* (24/27 hp)
09 – Liraela (27/27 hp)
07 – Xallis* (27/27 hp)
07 – Navia* (19/19 hp)
03 – Silent Cultist (Red)
*Active Spells:
Henrika (Heightened Awareness 30 min)
Tychus (Guidance 1 min)
Xallis (Mage Armor 50 min)
Navia (Mage Armor 50 min)
All (Message 20 min)
Effect (Smokestick 10 rd)
Icabhod, Tychus, Liraela, and Xallis go.
This alchemically treated wooden stick instantly creates thick, opaque smoke when burned. The smoke fills a 10-foot cube (treat the effect as a fog cloud spell, except that a moderate or stronger wind dissipates the smoke in 1 round). The stick is consumed after 1 round, and the smoke dissipates naturally after 1 minute.
Fog Cloud
The fog obscures all sight, including darkvision, beyond 5 feet. A creature within 5 feet has concealment (attacks have a 20% miss chance). Creatures farther away have total concealment (50% miss chance, and the attacker can’t use sight to locate the target).
Icabhod follows Trevor since he might get himself shanked due to wandering off. Pausing at the sight of the girl Icabhod wonders if she is the same height as The Fantabulous.
Not having gotten involved at all yet, Liraela sees that Henrika seems to have this side of things handled and moves over to join Trevor and Icabhod.
"So she's obviously not what she appears to be. What is she actually? That's the real question."
Tychus takes a step forward into the smoke and almost lets out a yelp as he finds himself almost stumbling into Navia's feet. He composes himself, and waits for an opportunity to fire off a bolt should any cultists survive Henrika's onslaught.
Keeping her advantage on the walls, the eidolon spider-crawls through the smokey cloud until she reaches the other side, dropping to the floor just in front of the fleeing cultist. "Where ya going? The fight's over here."
Seeing no use in wasting more bolts and not wanting to stress test his leash on Navia's essence, Xallis decides to stay in this skirmish. He sets the crossbow across his back and steps forward towards the cloud, drawing a dagger as he does.
Round 2
Pausing at the sight of the girl Icabhod wonders if she is the same height as The Fantabulous.
Readying a shot should the smoke subside.
Navia swipes at the remaining cultist. Before the attack can hit, the cultist completely vanishes and in the blink of an eye, reappears on the opposite side of Navia.
The cultist steps back and weaves a spell. It suddenly appears as a frightful thing to Navia who has the overwhelming urge to flee.
Round 3
”Why are you looking at me like that? I’m scared! I want my daddy!”
The girl ducks behind the table and at the same time, the light in the room dims.
Darkness
All creatures gain concealment (20% miss chance) in dim light. Creatures with darkvision can see in an area of dim light or darkness without penalty. Nonmagical sources of light, such as torches and lanterns, do not increase the light level in an area of darkness. Magical light sources only increase the light level in an area if they are of a higher spell level than darkness.
Initiative
Round 3
28 – Girl? (Cover)
22 - Henrika* (22/27 hp)
14 – Trevor (17/24 hp)
09 – Icabhod (27/27 hp)
09 – Tychus* (24/27 hp)
09 – Liraela (27/27 hp)
07 – Xallis* (27/27 hp)
07 – Navia* (19/19 hp) (Frightened 1 rd)
03 – Silent Cultist (Red)
*Active Spells:
Henrika (Heightened Awareness 30 min)
Tychus (Guidance 9 rd)
Xallis (Mage Armor 50 min)
Navia (Mage Armor 50 min)
All (Message 20 min)
Effect (Smokestick 9 rd)
Fog Cloud
The fog obscures all sight, including darkvision, beyond 5 feet. A creature within 5 feet has concealment (attacks have a 20% miss chance). Creatures farther away have total concealment (50% miss chance, and the attacker can’t use sight to locate the target).
Round 3
”Why are you looking at me like that? I’m scared! I want my daddy!”
The girl ducks behind the table and at the same time, the light in the room dims.
Trevor coos. "Oh! Now that's adorable." The aasimar then touches the table and casts daylight, dispelling the darkness.
Heedless of the danger, Henrika races forward into the smoke down the corridor, past Navia and ending next to the fleeing cultist. She gazes at him and swings her weapon.
Icabhod drinks his extract of Keen Senses to help him against the 'child'
3 minutes
Looks like we have caught ourselves a naughty slip.
Navia's obsidian eyes go wide and she turns to run, screeching along the way. Xallis stands in her path, unphased by the display. Just as she's about to barrel through her summoner, the eidolon's body fades from this plane.
With a frustrated sigh, Xallis marches forward into the fog.
Tychus proceeds through the smoke, coughing and treading carefully as he bumps into Xallis.
"I can't see anything through this blasted smoke!"