On the way up to the deck, Biruta tells the others what she found.
"The cage door's lock was picked. There's no way the girallon's escape from the cage was accidental."
Dolgrym looks to the captain and says "It sounds like you have a traitor in your crew. We'll go "question" him."
He then heads up to the deck and looks for the crewman. When he sees him he walks down the deck on the opposite side to get on the far side and waits for the others to surround him before approaching.
”Oi, captain.” Kurgan said. ”Before I run off, be there any other places here that need to be watched? I’d hate for the saboteur to do something like sink the ship or disable the…steering? Whatever it be called on a ship. Ye know, the thing?” He made the motion of steering a wheel to get his point across.
"Yeah, don't be gentle I hate saboteurs. " replies the captain. "This is too dangerous a place to run a business to have internal threats as well. "
Grumpy will be furtively watching the suspect when members of his party approach to confront that guy...
the Bolt Ace will quickly call out if the half-orc makes a move for a weapon -- and he'll also draw his crossbow in that case!
(but if the other guy doesn't go for a weapon, Grumpy will try to continue appearing impassive, like he's still looking out to sea: he won't ready his weapon unless necessary)
my intent is to spoil any chance for the baddie to get surprise on us...
Kaalul finds the half-orc in question. As he approaches Gashnakh, he prays for Torag's guidance and observes the man. If he had released the four-armed creature, he surely had some idea of what had happened below deck. How is the man reacting right now, as some of the dangerous dwarven warriors are coming back up?
"Gashnakh? What's your job on this ship?"
Orthoon stays in with the oarsman, patching them up.
She has a 13 Charisma, so fetching for a half orc.
As for Gashnakh, he looks a touch nervous.
"Me, I'm just a generic deckhand. " he points to the UPC symbol on his white shirt.
"No, you're not", Orthoon smiles up at the half-orc. 'Everyone has their own unique story. Sure, traditions and family obligations are common among the same peoples, but no one can be Gashnakh, but Gashnakh. Why do you think the celestials and fiends keep warring over souls: because each one is unique. And powerful." Orthoon raises and sly eyebrow. "Some sexier than others."
"Ah, but you don't seem to grasp that beyond the name, I'm a token faceless, backstory-less, NPC with no personality other than being a link in an investigative chain. Chumming me up will avail you naught. "
"You were seen going into the hold where the girallon was set free and attacked your fellow crewmen. What was your business in there?"
Whatever Gashnakh's answer, Kaalul responds with, "Come with me down below."
"You're not the captain. I don't have to listen to you or answer your questions. " and he turns back to his duties.
Yeah, and you're not up there Orthoon, I shouldn't have even responded, though I did want to make the point that trying to plumb role playing out of mockingly generic NPCs will be like blood from a stone as I will not entertain it with any effort. I said beer and pretzels and I meant it. Role play among yourselves to your heart's content, but most of the rest of who is in here is for hack/slack or information.
"You're not the captain. I don't have to listen to you or answer your questions. " and he turns back to his duties.
"That's who we're going to go see. So you can come the easy way, or you can come the dwarven way, but you're coming. Your captain told us to not be gentle."
Kaalul rests his hand on his warhammer.
How about you try intimidate since that's what mr generic really is looking for.
"Let's go."
Gashnakh is now happy that he chose the brown pants this morning (ok, he doesn't own another pair of pants, so it was a practical general decision).
He breaks down (and stinks a bit) "It was all my idea. Though the idea seemed to come about after I talked to Melira down in the pump room on the lowest deck. She's a stowaway that I've been helping. "
Kaalul makes a sound halfway between a "Hmm" and a growl. He asks the captain where the pump room is. Making sure that Gashnakh is under watch (but cleaning him up is fine), the Toragdan Inquisitor gathers any other dwarven allies around and makes his way there.
Dolgrym follows Gashnakh as he is delivered to the captain to make sure he gets there. When pointed to the pump room he says"I'll take the lead to the room and be first through the door. You can do the talking and I'll eat the first axe to the face."
yeah -- pump room...
little Grumpy will follow behind the party as they go to lowest deck (I assume being last will leave him outside the small pump room when we arrive there); once the pump room door opens, Grumpy will hop up and down as high as he can, trying to catch a glimpse of Melira through the door -- and over the tops of his fellow dwarveses -- at the apogee of each jump up.
You will find a room which is covered on the bottom deck. That's the pump room.
Dolgrym stands in front of the door waiting for the others to settle themselves. Once ready he gently turns the handle and if it moves quickly opens the door.
Once Kaalul enters the pump room, he calls out.
"Melira? We know you're in here. Come out."
Kurgan stood by his comrade with shield/spear in hand. If this went as violently as he feared it would then he would be ready.
Crastor follows along and readies his shield and axe for whatever this Melira might try and do.