"I will gladly pay a copper to be returned to my orchids, beer, comfortable armchair, and shelves of rare curios."
Moving about this room the couches look as dust covered as the ones in the previous room. Though aged, at one time they were expensive pieces of furniture. Carrie moves to the closest cabinet and opens it up. It reveals a supply closet that must have been for the guards that served daily at the courthouse.
Opening the double doors is just like opening a treasure chest. Within you find:
- 2 Heavy Crossbows with 2 quivers of 25 bolts
- 4 Longswords with belt sheaths
- 4 daggers with belt sheaths
- 4 sets of Chainmail
- 4 Light Steel Shields
- 8 Potions of Cure Light Wounds
- 5 sets of manacles
- 2 Tanglefoot bags
- 2 Smokesticks
Zinli approaches the furthest cabinet as Carrie finds the supply closet. With the potential of more resources Zinli moves the latch that holds the cabinet closed. With turn of the latch, the door burst open, wooden shards and splinters flung across the room.
A wretched corpse of a man gives a hideous cry as it emerges from the cabinet. The faded blue uniform of a bailiff clings to its bony shoulders in rags and a hand axe protrudes from its chest.
The corpse’s veins and arteries have been pulled out through jagged gashes in its wrists and shoulders and now dangle like leathery marionette’s string. A childlike giggle issues forth in the darkness above and the veins float upward. The bailiff corpse begins to jerk about like a puppet at the whim of some malevolent force. The thing’s gaunt face is eyeless, and its two gaping sockets fixed on nothingness as it snarls and lurches forward and attacks.
The flesh of its finger tips have withered away and its boney claws rakes across Zinli's chest and neck leaving bloody gashes.
"SHIT!" Zinli cries out.
She takes a few shaky steps backwards, and shakingly aims at the corpse.
Backing up, Zinli’s shot goes off and echos in this chamber. The bullet rips through this corpse of a man as you see it also penetrates the back side of the cabinet.
Initiative: Round 1
Everyone
Creature
"Hey! Back off, corpse puppet!"
Diverting her attention from the contents of the cabinet, Carrie charges toward the undead bailiff, leveraging her momentum to deliver a roundhouse kick to his torso.
Hearing shouts and gunshots, Neronius walks to the doorway and peers around the frame to see an ongoing battle against the walking dead!
"Step lightly around the antique furniture!" he calls out.
Trevor screws up his courage and strike sat the creature. Leave Zinli alone!
Tobold moves into the room and seeing the undead fires a ray of acid at it.
This creature is called a coffer corpse. The person who has died is found haunting a place where it has been prevented from being delivered to its final resting place. It appears as if this bailiff was murdered with the axe and then shoved in the cabinet to die.
You know that the creature is tough against any physical attacks except blunt objects, you also know that if its boney claws attack’s are a front for what it really wants. The throat of its victim to snuff out its life too.
Carrie rushes up and kicks this undead creature and you hear its bones creek under the force of its blow. Trevor’s attack seems to find its way through the deaths clothing and through its ribs. He pulls free his rapier. Talbold’s Ray of Acid is a sniper shot through the crowd of friends. Hitting the undead, you see the Acid begin to deteriorate the bailiff’s clothing.
Rekkart sees this undead foe and charges in behind Carrie. His longsword lands with what should have been a mighty blow, but it doesn’t look as effective against this creature as it did against the giant leech from earlier.
Ebin moves into the room and sees this creature that is being attacked. Wanting to help in some way, he begins telling jokes; “Why are skeletons so calm?... Because nothing gets under their skin…” He begins to inspire courage
The creature reaches out with its boney claws towards the one who is closest and seem to hurt it the most. Clawing for Carrie’s throat, its first boney attack lands and almost feels as if it has a grip and its fingers begin to dig in. It lashes out with a second boney attack, but the attack misses. The creature’s grip loosens and did not get ahold of Carolynn’s young neck.
Initiative: Round 2
Everyone
Creature
.
.
With the creature now surrounded by his allies it is more difficult to throw acid at the creature but he tries after maneuvering for a better shot.
"Ah, a coffer corpse! One doesn't see those everyday. And, unless I miss my guess, which I never do, I surmise that must be the bailiff--murdered by an axe!"
Neronius waves his hands dismissively at it and speaks to the combatants surrounding it. "Continue the fisticuffs--you have it outnumbered and it will surely fall soon."
Hearing Neronius's advice, Trevor pulls his club and swings at the coughing corpse.
As the coffer corpse loosens its grip, Carrie rubs her neck, coughing and wheezing, "Bastard...!"
Leaning back to maintain balance, she aims a high kick toward the undead's jaw.
With a ray of acid flying in to the battle Tolbold takes care to not hit his new companions, but this causes the spell to go wide. Teaming up, Trevor’s club and Carrie’s kick causes this creature to crumple to the floor and the remains are no longer moving.
Rekkart takes his longsword poking and prodding for good measure. Sheathing his blade when he deems the creature isn’t coming back.
- 2 Heavy Crossbows with 2 quivers of 25 bolts
- 4 Longswords with belt sheaths
- 4 daggers with belt sheaths
- 4 sets of Chainmail
- 4 Light Steel Shields
- 8 Potions of Cure Light Wounds
- 5 sets of manacles
- 2 Tanglefoot bags
- 2 Smokesticks
Looking at the creatures remains you also find that the throwing axe that was stuck in the creature’s chest is of exceptional quality.
I really think we should have a quick rest and use these healing potions.
"Phew! Thanks guys! That bastard got me good," Zinli puts her gun back in its holster - wincing when her wounds smart. "Who would have thought there were literal skeletons in those closets, eh?" She winks at Ebin.
"Wait, healing potions?! Where?!" She heads to the other cabinet, and grunts "oh, thank the Gods" when she sees the stash. "Well, don't mind if I too! You too, sugar," she adds with a glance at Carrie. "You look like you need one!"
The gunslinger gives the contents of the cabinet an appreciative glance, particularly the cuffs and the alchemical items. "Wow, real manacles!" she takes out one pair, giggling. "Just like in the stories, eh? You have the right to remain silent until you can speak with your lawyer - hah! That sounds cool as hell." One set of manacles gets hooked to her belt.
"This shit can be useful too," she gestures at the tanglefoot bags and the smokesticks. "But it's less cool."
"Anyway, what was it? Oh yeah. Rest. Why not." Curiosity draws her back to the corpse and she whistles at the sight of the axe embedded in its chest. "Oooh - check that ouuut! So shiny!!!!"
With one foot holding the chest of the corpse pinned to the ground, Zinli attempts to pry the axe out of its ribcage. Little grunts as she tugs on the handle, as well as the sickening crunch of bone, echo in the room - followed after a minute by a cheery "haha!" of victory.
It appears that gnomes have a very different definition of 'resting' than the rest of the mortals - or perhaps it's just her.
Hopefully, it's just her.
I'm not good with any of the weapons. I guess I could use one of the tanglefoot bags if that is ok.
- 2 Heavy Crossbows with 2 quivers of 25 bolts
- 4 Longswords with belt sheaths
- 4 daggers with belt sheaths
- 4 sets of Chainmail
- 4 Light Steel Shields
- 8 Potions of Cure Light Wounds
- 5 sets of manacles
- 2 Tanglefoot bags
- 2 Smokesticks
- Masterworked Throwing Axe
Zinli looks through the supplies, seeing the curative potions, she drinks one . Seeing the gnome drink one Patrissa moves forward and takes one of the potions and clenches it tight. As Ebin moves forward he chuckles as Zinli’s skeletons in the closet, then he holds his stomach as he takes one of the daggers; “I could use one of these, all I have is this sap”
“Yes! Iomedae has blessed us. If there is anything we can use, use it. We should all be armed and armored. I hope we won’t need it, but if there are more creatures like these we will need the aid.” Rekkart says
Madge moves in and sits on one of the red couches; “Was that the plan for me… locked in a closet to die and turn into that?” tears begin to stream down her cheeks as she stares at… through the no longer moving undead creature.
“If rest is what we need, then we should close this door.” Killian is the last one to come into the room; “By the gods, what is that monstrosity… did I hear you say a coffer corpse?” he pulls a white handkerchief from his breast pocket and covers his mouth and nose as if he would catch something from it.
Halgrak approaches Trevor and lowers his voice to speak one on one
“That jar you took… I need those. I know who it belongs to.” Halgrak shifts his left foot to imply something he won’t speak of.
“Was that the plan for me… locked in a closet to die and turn into that?”
"Who can tell, sugar," Zinli shrugs. She notes the woman's ashen face, and her voice softens. "We didn't let it happen - that's what matters."
"Anyone wants this throwing axe? If not, I'd quite like to keep it."
"Hah! You're pretty upbeat for someone who just got clawed by a zombie," Carrie says with amusement toward Zinli.
Grabbing a cure potion from the cabinet, she pulls out the stopper and downs the liquid within, then tosses the empty bottle back onto the cabinet's shelf.
Looking over the rest of the contents, she comments, "Heavy armor like that'll just slow me down, and I've been trainin' to punch 'n kick harder than any weapon, so I'll pass on those as well."
"A rest, however, I will take," she murmurs, throwing herself onto one of the couches and sprawling out on it.
Trevor hands a jar over to Halgrak.
Tobold sees Trevor hand over the jar of toes and speaks up "Are those yours? What are your toes doing in a jar in the courthouse where we are trapped?"
I misplaced them. I tend to lose track of my bodyparts.
With the battle complete, Neronius enters the room fully. Scrutinising the surviving members of the jury carefully, he asks a seemingly innocent question: "Do you recall the names of those courtroom staff present during the trial: the barristers, judge, bailiff, and so forth?"
"Hah! You're pretty upbeat for someone who just got clawed by a zombie," Carrie says with amusement toward Zinli.
"Besides, These things happen!" Zinli shrugs with a grin and a chuckle. "Why would I be upset?! It's not gonna change anything!"
"I misplaced them. I tend to lose track of my bodyparts."
The gunslinger shoots Trevor an odd look. "That sort of things I've never heard happening. How do you lose them - like, like a hat? Do you forget to wear them?"
Carrie downs one of the potions and instantly feels significantly better . Whole Trevor passes the jar of five toes to Halgrak, this is the same jar that was found in the icebox in the lobby of this level. Halgrak puts them in his pack as Trevor continues with why Trevor’s toes were here in the courthouse…
Rekkart answers Neronius’ question; “There are only two judges, Silman Trabe and Rayndros Felgor. It was Trabe that oversaw the trial of Mord, It was his courtroom we all woke in.” looking to Madge; “most of us.” he adds softly. “We’ve already been to their chambers where we found that note in Judge Felgor’s chambers.”
- 2 Heavy Crossbows with 2 quivers of 25 bolts
- 4 Longswords with belt sheaths
- 4 daggers with belt sheaths
- 4 sets of Chainmail
- 4 Light Steel Shields
- 8 Potions of Cure Light Wounds
- 5 sets of manacles
- 2 Tanglefoot bags
- 2 Smokesticks
- Masterworked Throwing Axe
Tobold looks at Neronius with a look of incredulity and says "I wasn't asking if they were your toes, I was asking if they were HIS toes." Tobold then points at Halgrak.
I would forget my head if I didn't keep it tied down.
Neronius ignores Tolbold and Trevor and continues speaking to the jury members. "And was there a barrister named Alastir Wade present in the courtroom?"
Halgrak moves towards the door and goes to leave this room; “I just know who the owner is…”
Patrissa responds to Neronius; “Wade… yeah I believe you’re right. I think there was someone with that name in the courtroom.”
- 2 Heavy Crossbows with 2 quivers of 25 bolts
- 4 Longswords with belt sheaths
- 4 daggers with belt sheaths
- 4 sets of Chainmail
- 4 Light Steel Shields
- 8 Potions of Cure Light Wounds
- 5 sets of manacles
- 2 Tanglefoot bags
- 2 Smokesticks
- Masterworked Throwing Axe
"Ahem, I see. Thank you. Now then Halgrak," Neronius calls out to the figure, raising his voice to get everyone's attention before he leaves the room, "perhaps you would be so kind to confess that the forgiveness of loans extended to you by Barrister Wade was, as the Thassilonians from ten millennia past would have put it, a quid pro quo for your vote in the jury box?"
Trevor moves towards the door, having gotten all that he wanted from the cabinet.
"Ahem, I see. Thank you. Now then Halgrak," Neronius calls out to the figure, raising his voice to get everyone's attention before he leaves the room, "perhaps you would be so kind to confess that the forgiveness of loans extended to you by Barrister Wade was, as the Thassilonians from ten millennia past would have put it, a quid pro quo for your vote in the jury box?"
Zinli is so absorbed by her very cool throwing axe that she almost misses that conversation entirely. "Wait, whaaaat?! That IS sneaky!!!"
When Neronius raises his voice it draws Rekkart’s attention and he joins the collecting group. Madge stays sitting on the couch looking at the remains of the undead.
Halgrak pauses and turns towards Neronius; “I had a debt to Wade… work was slow and I couldn’t pay him back on time. That’s when Malgrim collected these from me for being late…” Suddenly you realize that Halgrak has a minor hitch in his step, a hitch of a an missing toes on one foot.
In shock Patrissa steps away from Halgrak, looking at the half-orc with disgust.
- 2 Heavy Crossbows with 2 quivers of 25 bolts
- 4 Longswords with belt sheaths
- 4 daggers with belt sheaths
- 4 sets of Chainmail
- 4 Light Steel Shields
- 8 Potions of Cure Light Wounds
- 5 sets of manacles
- 2 Tanglefoot bags
- 2 Smokesticks
- Masterworked Throwing Axe
Tolbold looks at Malgrim and says "Thank you for your honesty. How many others were compromised as well. Do you know?"
Well plenty of revelations here. It appears that Malgrim is no longer here to bedevil you so there is no more to fear from him.
"And did the debt influence your verdict?"
“No!” Halgrak snaps at Neronius; “My debt cost me parts of myself.” he pulls the jar out from his bag and flashes them before Neronius. The half-orc is clearly upset and walks out of this chamber.
“Debt makes a man do funny things. We must keep and eye on him.” Rekkart says as he moves to the storage closet and gets himself a shield; “If no one else wants one, I could use this.”
- 2 Heavy Crossbows with 2 quivers of 25 bolts
- 4 Longswords with belt sheaths
- 4 daggers with belt sheaths
- 4 sets of Chainmail
- 4 Light Steel Shields
- 8 Potions of Cure Light Wounds
- 5 sets of manacles
- 2 Tanglefoot bags
- 2 Smokesticks
- Masterworked Throwing Axe
Without sitting up, Carrie raises a hand into the air, rolling her wrist and gesturing as she speaks up, "So Wade hired Malgrim to act as a debt collector, then had him on the jury for a trial he was a part of. Am I hearin' that right? Seems kinda suspicious if you ask me."
"How many of the rest of you was he threatenin'?" she asks, pulling herself up to a sitting position and pointing toward the group. Concern fills her as she realizes that the half-orc is no longer in the room and leaps to her feet, "A-also maybe we shouldn't let Halgrak wander off by himself. That's how Malgrim, um, y'know..."
Tolbold looks at the jurors as Carolynn speaks and then adds "Or were bribed. There is a fire opal necklace in to notes. Anyone wearing one?"
I will go find Halgrak! Trevor goes out the door.
Trevor makes his way out of this chamber. The hallway is dark and difficult to see in without exterior windows. The air begins to get cool as he draws closer to the stairwell leading up . Did Halgrak go up stairs? Then suddenly the door at the end of the hallway creeks creaks and pulls his attention into the main room of this floor. Walking down the last leg of this narrow dark hallway he enters the chamber and the single window in this chamber allows a little moonlight in. Rounding the table Halgrak is sitting in the middle of the rug with his back towards you, head in hands. It appears as if the half-orc is crying.
Tolbold you do not see anyone wearing a fire opal necklace.
“You know what the magistrate’s biggest complaint is? The size of bribes not keeping up with the cost of prostitutes…” Ebin begins to burst out in laughter.
Killian rolls his eyes; “I for one would be ashamed to sell off my vote in such a critical case. What is the price of a life?”
Patrissa is playing with the collar of her red silk gown as she pulls it to. “We couldn’t have sent an innocent man to the gallows… could we?” she runs her hand around her throat where a hangman’s noose would fit.
You see Patrissa hiding a necklace under her gown. It is made up of fire opals
- 2 Heavy Crossbows with 2 quivers of 25 bolts
- 4 Longswords with belt sheaths
- 4 daggers with belt sheaths
- 4 sets of Chainmail
- 4 Light Steel Shields
- 8 Potions of Cure Light Wounds
- 5 sets of manacles
- 2 Tanglefoot bags
- 2 Smokesticks
- Masterworked Throwing Axe
"Oh, you absolutely could have. That's the whole point, isn't it? You can never be sure unless there's some pretty damning evidence."
"By the way, what was the evidence, 'side from the fact that he was the woman's hubby?"
Trevor slowly approaches Halgrak.
I don't really understand how you feel, but I can be a shoulder to lean on and a friendly ear to talk to. Trevor sits down next to him. The one who hurt you has gone to his judgement, but you still have a life ahead of you. I can help you if you want, I will speak up for you and I am sure my comrades will as well.
As Trevor approaches Halgrak he sees that he half-orc isn’t crying, he is laughing as the jar of toes sits before him; “piggies…” Seeing the man sit beside him he smiles; “I need to get out of here. My kids… I need to get to them.”
Hearing Zinli’s words Patrissa begins to shake her head. Tears begin to well up in her eyes and she buries her face on Rekkart’s chest. Rekkart closes his eyes and soothes the woman as he holds her close. “It all seems further away than it was, it’s so blurry…” Rekkart attempts to recall; “There was the weapon the murders were committed with. Only Mord had access to it, and he was the most familiar with it. There was also nothing there to defend Mord, he wouldn’t even defend himself from the accusations…” Closes his eyes and shakes his head as if trying to shake off dust.
- 2 Heavy Crossbows with 2 quivers of 25 bolts
- 4 Longswords with belt sheaths
- 4 daggers with belt sheaths
- 4 sets of Chainmail
- 4 Light Steel Shields
- 8 Potions of Cure Light Wounds
- 5 sets of manacles
- 2 Tanglefoot bags
- 2 Smokesticks
- Masterworked Throwing Axe
.
"Well, that seems a bit light, isn't it? I mean, Baby's quite rare," Zinli gives her pistol a spin. "But I'm sure as shit anyone who knows about firearms could make her work. Not as good as I do, of course, sweetie. You are in safe and loving hands," she adds in a whisper, stroking the cannon of her gun.
"But why didn't the man defend himself, if he knew he didn't do it? How was he like?"
Devoted to your children, am I correct? Going into debt for your children is tragic but it shows how deep your love is. Well let us rejoin The others and work together to escape so you can return to your children. I will certainly offer you whatever aid I can.
Tobold looks at Madge and then walks up to her and gently asks "You ok there? Is there something in the floor? You're staring at that floor awful hard."
"Let's be real, any idiot can pick up a blade and hack away with it against someone who can't fight back," Carrie says dryly. She gestures to the opened cabinet with its longswords and daggers, "And if this cabinet is any indication, it ain't exactly hard to gain access to one here."
"But whaddya mean he didn't defend himself? Did he say anythin' at all during the trial?"