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Our Heroes surprised the Snake Lady in her tower. After a tense battle and chase, involving demon illusions, magical despair, feather-falling, hidden faceless stalkers, much dazing, leaping across yawning gaps, lot and lots and lots of running down staircases, massive bells crashing down, acrobatic stunts, Kadar and Claws being knocked unconscious by the Snake Lady and her flesh golem henchman, invisibility shenanigans, and a final pounce in the night by a sabre tooth tiger out for revenge in the mean streets of Underbridge, they managed to defeat her!

They found a lot of coin and jewels in the tower, some magical artifacts, and a letter from the snake lady's sister, which revealed something about a *rising lord* and sacrificing greedy folks. In fat, the mayor of Magnimar, Lord Grobaras, was supposed to be the next victim!

Our Heroes steal off into the night, and sneak back to Foxglove Townhouse with their treasures to consider their next move.

Our Heroes have burned out the Skinsaw cultists from the Seven's Sawmill, including their leader, Justice Ironbriar. It seems the last of the cult might still be at large in Magnimar; crows in the rookery of the sawmill spoke of flying to "Snake Lady Tower" to deliver messages, somewhere in the shadow of the massive ruined bridge that dominates Magnimar's skyline.

Our Heroes return to the Foxglove Townhouse in the early hours, puzzling over the coded journal they found in Ironbriar's secret headquarters, and pondering their next move. What's the local penalty for murdering a local Justice?

In this case, it's a supernatural ability (Channel Energy for clerics) not a spell or spell like ability, so SR doesn't kick in. But keep it in mind, it will probably come up real soon...

Our Heroes rest through the night and part of morning.

Lizzie and Quilmop talk business. She leaves to get the morning coach up to Sandpoint, but soon returns.

"There's a message from Justice Ironbriar. Says he's caught anuvver cultist just outside town. There's a map and everyfink, you're to go there at once." she reports.

She hands over a hastily scrawled map. It shows the city of Magnimar, and a little village called Ameslow just an hour's march south. Slightly to the east of Ameslow, a hill has been drawn with the words "another cultist found digging around old barrow; curious magical items and strange developments; tell no one, come at once!"

The messenger who delivered the map has already run off somewhere.

Kadar will need to get within sight of the sawmill to send in his ant scouts. But you might want to discuss what to do about this message first.

Here is a really short summary of the hangout session; it was taking too much time to write it up blow by blow.

Our Heroes chased down one of the miscreants, and with help from the (corrupt) city watch, learned that he had some magical powers, was recently working somewhere with a lot of sawdust, and was devoted to some demon or god he called "Father Skinsaw".

Justice Ironbriar summoned Our Heroes to report at the Arvensoar, the massive stone tower that is the headquarters of the watch and militia in Magnimar. The Justice seemed unimpressed by Quilmop's loose summary of the days' events. He told Our Heroes to rest up for the night while he made inquiries; he would send fresh orders the next day.

Playing a hunch, Aeryc tailed the Justice back to the Pediment Building, where the Lord Mayor presides. After a little while the Justice emerged from the building, dressed incognito, and hurried off to the south of the city. He crossed over a bridge to a little islet in the river, and went into a large sawmill. It seemed like too much of a coincidence. The deed to Foxglove Manor mentions the Brothers of the Seven have a sawmill. And Our Heroes had seen nothing but ambushes and violence since they met the man...

Over a couple of hours, messengers left the sawmill, and slowly, in groups of twos and threes, many people in hooded cloaks converged there. Listening at a thick wooden door, Aeryc could overhear them discussing how best to set up traps.

Our Heroes decided to prepare themselves for a battle. They returned to Foxglove Townhouse, where Lizzie had done a fine job setting the place up as a pleasant brothel.

You all leveled up, so in the discussion thread post questions about leveling up. Also here you can post preparations and plans for the assault on the mill.

Sorry for the delay posting, it has been busy. I am going to wait for our session on the weekend to pick this up.

The dwarf pauses and eyes up Kadar warily. Taking in the hulking barbarian, the goo, the incipient rage, he looks thoughtful, then tosses an orange to Kadar.

"That way," he says, pointing to a long twisting alley leading south off the main thoroughfare. "Give 'em a piece of my mind, you hear? Bloody hooligans."

It would be good to know what Quilmop and Aeryc are doing, to see whether and how they keep up Kadar, who is faster than they are.

Kadar climbs out and charges off, still hampered by sticky wads of goo. He goes around the corner of the alleyway, which opens into a small sheltered square with a well in the middle. Then he hears a cry of protest from someone back towards the main thoroughfare. He rushes back that way.

No running except in straight lines, plus goo, so things are slower. Cheetah's Sprint is not used up; it's saved for when a clear running line is available.

Back in the main thoroughfare, Kadar scans the crowd and spots a muttering dwarf picking up scattered oranges from the street and packing them back onto a makeshift cart. Various passersby look a little startled as Kadar looms, obviously on the hunt. There is no sign of the ambushers, but there are many side streets leading away in all directions. Probably the ambushers knocked over the dwarf's cart on the way through somewhere.

Charles and Aeryc help each other out of the sewer. Picks-at-Scabs flutters out after them. Claws squawks from down below; those claws weren't meant for climbing.

Quilmop hops up the last couple of rungs and into the alley. It extends a short way in each direction, north and south. There is no one in it apart from a small cat, cleaning itself and looking unconcerned.

To the north the alleyway takes a turn to the west. To the south it opens into a major thoroughfare. Quilmop can see a few citizens of Magnimar wandering back and forth.

Quilmop has some trouble climbing the slippery ladder until Kadar lends him a hand.

No need for Spellcraft on this one; treating the roll as a Climb roll.

Reaching the top of the ladder, Quilmop incants briefly, reading from the scroll. There is a clattering noise from above, and the trapdoor springs open. Shaded daylight illumines everything. Quilmop clearly hears someone cursing loudly, and the sound of running feet. Peeking above the rim he sees a crowbar and a short empty alleyway.

Kadar thumps heavily against the trapdoor, but it is solid metal and barred on the other side. It does not give. He climbs down, returns to his normal form, and fishes out the scroll for Quilmop.

Kadar bites off a whole tentacle as the monster tries to flee, and spits it into the water. The rest of the creature sinks beneath the water level, leaking dark blood.

Somewhere in the walls there is the sound of metal grinding and squealing. A few seconds later, water gushes into the larger chambers from several pipes, making the water choppy. Waves spread out, and start lapping at the walkways where Our Heroes are recovering from the brief battle.

The water level starts - very slowly - to rise. Probably it would take twenty minutes or more for it to rise to the roof of the main tunnel. But it would be best to be rid of this place by then.

OK, we are out of rounds; post in any order you like.

The monster shakes itself to alertness. It pauses for a beat...

Aquatic Otyugh Intelligence: 1d20 - 3 ⇒ (15) - 3 = 12

...and flees into foul smelling chamber from which it emerged. It sinks further beneath the surface as it goes; it seems the water is deeper in there.

Kadar gets an AOO for the second step it takes.

Quilmop is within range of a bite; other options, or just wait until someone comes to the rescue?

Claws darts in, drawing the monster's attention. Water sloshes everywhere as Kadar surges into the opening, biting a savage chunk from the creature's tentacle, and slashing claws down the thing's middle. Its tentacles fall away from Aeryc as what's left of it sinks beneath the surface of the water.

The monster behind Kadar starts to stir sluggishly.

OK, it's Quilmop's go. There is one monster left. The stun effect ends at the start of Quilmop's go, so watch out for attacks of opportunity. (I forgot last time, but whatever, it fit with the story.)

The monster that bit Aeryc bites at him again as he lines up his shot...

Aquatic Otyugh Bite Attack of Opportunity: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (17) + 7 = 24
Aquatic Otyugh Bite Damage: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (1) + 4 = 5

... and gouges another wound in Aeryc's thigh.

Aeryc's arrow strikes the thing right in the center where the tentacles meet. It bellows with pain, and snaps again at Aeryc, trying to strike and grab at him with its tentacles.

Aquatic Otyugh Bite Attack: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (3) + 7 = 10
Aquatic Otyugh Tentacle 1 Attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (16) + 3 = 19
Aquatic Otyugh Tentacle 2 Attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21

Aquatic Otyugh Tentacle 2 Damage: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (3) + 2 = 5

The monster's second tentacle catches Aeryc on the back. Immediately it starts to constrict around his ribs.

Aquatic Otyugh Grapple Check: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (13) + 13 = 26

The constriction is powerful and painful; Aeryc feels something give (hopefully not broken).

Aquatic Otyugh Constrict Damage: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8

Aeryc has taken 18 points of damage this round, and he is now grappled; next up is Kadar and Claws, then Quilmop and Charles. It looks like the other Otyugh still standing is stunned for the moment.

Kadar's bite tears a chunk out of the monster's shoulder, close to where the tentacles meet. Spitting out the chunk with an apish roar, he digs his claws in too, heaves mightily, and pulls the thing completely apart in a spray of slime and gore.

The other two creatures hesitate for a moment in their advance on their prey. The smell of damp fungus suddenly shifts to a strong stench of rotting fish. It is as if they have had a sudden doubt about who is King of the Monsters...

Quilmop seizes the moment of hesitation, spreads his fingers wide, and sends out a spray of dazzling colors at the creature closest to him. Picks-at-Scabs squawks in protest...

Picks-at-Scabs Will Save: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23
Aquatic Otyugh Will Save: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10

... but manages to shield his eyes with a wing just in time.

The monster is not so speedy: it sags in the water, stunned for a moment by the dazzling display.

It is Aeryc's go: I will wait a day or two, then go ahead with a bow attack.

Aeryc casts Gravity Bow. Tentacles flail out from both directions, swinging just short of Aeryc's head.

It looks like these monsters can reach a long way with their tentacles.

In the cramped quarters, Aeryc studies the monster coming up the passageway towards him. Meanwhile, Picks-at-Scabs fusses at the monster grappling Kadar, pecking and scratching.

Picks-at-Scabs aiding Kadar's grapple: 1d20 ⇒ 14

Picks-at-Scabs provides a +2 bonus to Kadar's grapple this round.

The monster coming up the tunnel from the south surges forward and snaps at Aeryc. Its breath is enough to make one gag.

Aquatic Otyugh 3 Bite Attack: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (15) + 7 = 22
Aquatic Otyugh 3 Bite Damage: 1d8 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

The monster bites a sizable chunk from Aeryc's arm. That's probably going to get infected later...

Aeryc's save versus disease: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (17) + 4 = 21

.. but Aeryc's had worse before.

OK, Kadar and Claws, then Quilmop and Charles.

Aquatic Otyugh 1 Tentacle Crit Confirm: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23
Aquatic Otyugh 1 Tentacle Damage: 2d6 + 4 ⇒ (5, 4) + 4 = 13
Normal bludgeoning damage halved to 6 when submerged in water. Grappling damage does not suffer this penalty.

One of the monster's tentacles lashes against Kadar's back, then quickly tightens around his waist. There is a mighty struggle, and water surges everywhere.

Otuygh Grapple Check: 1d20 + 13 ⇒ (20) + 13 = 33

The monster's tentacle inexorably tightens until it starts to crush Kadar's ribs.

Otyugh constrict damage: 1d6 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

Kadar takes a total of 13 points damage; he is now grappled. Also, I believe this is the luckiest Otyugh in the history of Otyughs - 1 in 8000 chance? Though no doubt that luck's about to change...

The other monster snaps wide of Claws. The air around both monsters is filled with the pungent odor of damp fungus.

It is Aeryc's go: Gravity Bow, or something else?

Quilmop squeezes along the walkway, shuffling positions with Charles and Claws. There isn't much room to move on the walkway without risking slipping into the water again. Charles looks alarmed at the whole situation. Claws looks ready to eat something.

Just before Aeryc gets a chance to cast his spell, the water erupts in a froth of sewage and tentacles! Two more creatures emerge from the filth. These three-finned freaks are mostly mouth. Three tentacles, two tipped with barbs and one with eyes, extend from their sides. One surges closer, biting at Claws. The other emerges right behind Kadar, lashing at him with barbed claws, and trying to bite his head.

Kadar and Claws are flat footed against these attacks. I am not sure what Kadar's AC is (with tanglefoot penalties, wild shape into large ape, mage armor etc.) I will do the attack rolls and wait for more info before determining damage and other results. When the results are in, I'll let Aeryc decide whether to cast Gravity Bow, or do something else, given the surprising change in events.

Aquatic Otyugh 1 Bite against Kadar: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (5) + 7 = 12
Aquatic Otyugh 1 Tentacle against Kadar: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5
Aquatic Otyugh 1 Tentacle against Kadar: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (20) + 3 = 23
Aquatic Otyugh 2 Bite against Claws: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13

Kadar's roar echoes off the tunnels and chambers in all directions. He starts busily scraping, but quickly realizes it is futile. In the past, he has seen Aeryc's tanglefoot arrows in action: the stuff usually hardens and falls away in less than half a minute.

Kadar leaps off the walkway and into the water with a great splash, and begins swimming awkwardly to meet the tentacled monster, hampered by the goo. Kadar is able to touch the squishy bottom: it is a bit over six feet deep here.

Claws hops over the water channel, sending Quilmop and Aeryc stumbling back.

I'll count realizing futility of scraping as a swift action. That's one move action to leap and another to Swim at one quarter speed (so 5ft with goo hampering)

It's Quilmop's go; I am allowing Claws to move Quilmop and Aeryc out of the way, even though strictly speaking its against the rules.

Aeryc quickly lights a torch and leaves it burning at his feet so he can have his bow ready.

Just as the flickering light starts to illuminate the dank tunnel, Kadar and Aeryc hear a noise of splashing from the south. Glancing about they just manage to spy a large tentacle disappearing beneath the surface, not twenty feet from Aeryc. Something is in the water!

OK, Kadar and Claws, then Quilmop and Charles

Also, as Kadar is now Large, I am assuming he is squeezing, dangling with one hand on the ladder to keep from falling in the water. If Kadar doesn't want to squeeze he can have his feet in the water; your choice.

Oh right, thanks for catching that! Again, I'll wait until Sunday night for Josh to catch up, then post an action for him if he hasn't caught up already.

I forgot: Kadar is all gooey, so his movement is halved until he finds a way to scrape off the goo.

Claws hops back to Aeryc, ready for trouble.

With help from Charles and Aeryc, Quilmop scrambles out of the water and onto the walkway, dripping foulness. He stands up and wipes the disgusting crap from his eyes.

I'm going to say two move actions to climb out and stand. If you wanted to cast flaming sphere while prone instead of standing up then let me know.

At the top of the ladder, the thunderstone thrower stands up and yells to his accomplice: "That's it; close the trap, lock it down, quick!"

The tanglefoot bag thrower stands up too and kicks the trap shut. It closes with a loud metallic BANG. The light from above is cut off, leaving only Kadar's magical light to illuminate the dark tunnels.

OK, top of the round is Aeryc again.

The two silhouetted figures are about 25 feet up the ladder, peering down over the edge of an open metal trap door. Kadar sees shaded natural light coming from up there; perhaps they are just in the streets of Magnimar somewhere?

The ladder looks a little slippery, but not too bad; DC 5 to Climb. I believe that means only Quilmop is in danger of falling. Kadar can climb 10ft each move action, or 20ft each move action if he takes a -5 penalty on Climb (Unless he is magically speedy, or shapeshifts into a gorilla etc.). Each move action requires a Climb roll, and you lose your DEX bonus.

Aeryc moves to the edge of the walkway and reaches out a hand to Quilmop.

I assume Quilmop grabs helping hands; he can resist if he wants I guess

As the echoes of the thunderstone die down, everyone clearly hears the familiar clanking of rusty chains in the walls. The noise is coming from somewhere back in the sewer tunnels. Presumably someone is raising or lowering a gate or portcullis.

OK it is Kadar and Claws, then Quilmop and Charles go

Aeryc can move to the edge of the walkway and start a grapple this turn; next turn he can haul Quilmop out.

Initiative for Aeryc: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25

Kadar and Claws's ears ring, but they are not deafened by the noise. Kadar is covered in sticky goo, slowing his movement, but he is not immobilized by it.

Quilmop splashes back up to the surface, just managing to paddle his head above the water. He can't touch the bottom.

This round, when it gets to Quilmop's go, he can't move because he failed his Swim check. He is basically desperately treading water right now. But he can talk and yell (at Charles especially), and if there is an action apart form talking that isn't too hard while desperately treading water, he can try that too. Harder ones might require another Swim check, with the possibility of going under.

Aeryc is at the top of the round; I will wait a day or two for Josh to catch up and post, then I'll post an action for him.

Sploosh!

Quilmop slips as he launches, and skids right off the walkway into the water.

Just at that moment, there is a yell from the top of the ladder. "That's them; do it!" yells a male voice.

Surprised, Kadar and Claws look up to see two humanoid silhouettes peeking around the opening at the top of the ladder. One of them throws a small stone down at the sewer walkway, while the other throws down a bag at Kadar.

Thunderstone attacking the walkway: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10
Tanglefoot bag attacking Kadar: 1d20 + 4 - 2 ⇒ (20) + 4 - 2 = 22

KER-RACCKKK!!!

There is a deafening, thundering crack as the stone hits the walkway.
The bag hits Kadar square on the shoulder and bursts open, sending sticky resin and glue everywhere.

Quilmop needs to make a Swim roll.
Kadar and Claws need to make a DC 15 Fortitude Save to avoid being deafened by the thunderstone.
Kadar needs to make a DC 15 Reflex save to avoid being stuck fast. He has -2 to attack and -4 to Dex while covered in goo.
Everybody roll initiative! (if you fail the save against deafness, your initiative is -4)

Kadar and Claws nimbly hop across the gaps, and reach the base of the ladder.

Other folks need to make Acrobatics rolls too, or else tell me what you're doing instead. I'll wait for the rolls before proceeding.

After a bit of fumbling around with levers, and loud calling back and forth, the portcullis and sluice gate return to where they were and stay there. Kadar picks up the trail again.

The trail continues north, crossing a couple more slippery planks precariously balanced over small sewage channels. Several pipes let in sewer water on the right hand side in a steady trickle.

On the left hand side, there is an entrance to a large chamber, apparently empty apart from the water gurgling into it from three sides. Up ahead and again on the left, Our Heroes see the entrance to another similar chamber. The stench coming from these chambers is even worse than before.

Up ahead, Kadar can just make out two more planks bobbing gently in the water. There is also a ladder about fifty feet distant, with a very faint light illuminating it from above. The tracks lead due north towards the ladder, but there are a couple of small jumps to make before reaching it.

Explore the stinky chambers or jump across to follow the tracks straight to the ladder? Or something else?

If jumping, make an Acrobatics roll (mostly to avoid slipping, it is very slippery around here)

When Quilmop starts pulling levers, he clearly hears the grinding of metal on gears vibrating through the walls of the small chamber.

Back in the sewer chamber with many exits, Kadar and Aeryc are startled first by the portcullis to the north rumbling and then slowly rising, and then by the sluice gate to the west rumbling and descending to block the passage. A noise of clanking chain comes from the portcullis to the south for a brief while, but it does not move.

It's a bit unclear which lever does what, but no traps went off, and no one seems close by, so you could probably spend half an hour running back and forth to work out which lever does what if you want. Of course, the trail will get colder during that time.

Kadar pokes around in the water, but doesn't feel anything apart from slimy squishiness at the bottom. The water is at a depth of about six feet. The water flows slowly into this chamber from the east, west, and north, and the current moves towards the south.

The tracks lead west to a small chamber with channels running through it from the north, south, east and west.

There are rusty looking portcullises on the north and south channel; both are down. There is no obvious way to raise them, apart from getting into the muck and giving it the old heave ho.

The tracks stay close to the wall, and cross a narrow slippery plank to another walkway. It looks like the tracks head west out of the chamber.

As Kadar is about to head on west to follow the tracks, he notices two things.

One is a raised sluice gate on this west channel. It is recessed into the stone ceiling, and almost invisible behind a layer of muck and slime. Kadar only spotted it because of the slightly visible recess on either side, allowing the gate to block this passage entirely if lowered.

The other concerns the tracks. So far, Kadar is quite sure he has been following tracks of two humanoids, wearing boots, with a very heavy tread that is easy to follow. But beyond this point, only one heavy set of tracks seems to continue.

There is no obvious sign of where the other tracks went. Perhaps they fell or jumped into the water? Perhaps the other quarry carried them? Perhaps they are ... right here, invisible?

The stench of the place is particularly ripe to the west: the scent is a mix of moldy fungus with vinegary overtones. The quiet dripping in the sewers takes on an ominous tone as Kadar briefly ponders what he's noticed. The sewer water is opaque; one cannot see the bottom.

Aeryc also draws a blank concerning the room full of levers. Charles also shrugs his shoulders dramatically and frowns in comic puzzlement.

A voice calls out from above. It is one of the guards that escorted Our Heroes to the scene of the crime.

"Oi chief! It really stinks down there. Mind if we close the trap? I'll stay close and make sure no one puts anything on top of it."

Just to let you know, Josh is keeping up with posts when he can; Aeryc is assumed to follow along with everyone else being sneaky and looking for trouble as usual.

I think Quilmop is party leader? So can make decisions for the group about which way to go that I will assume are followed unless folks post otherwise. Also, if you just want to go ahead and follow tracks, or explore something you see on the map, just go ahead and post.

The door looks innocent enough, so Quilmop tries the handle. With a grating sound, the handle turns.

Inside, Quilmop can see a small ten by ten foot room. There is a makeshift stool, some moldy remains of food, several coils of rusty chain, a few rusted pliers and hammers, and twelve levers set into the walls. Some of the levers are down, and some are up, with no apparent order to them. There are no labels to indicate what the levers do.

There is no one inside.

Use Knowledge (engineering) for best guesses as to what this all is for.

As Kadar calls him back towards the tracks, Quilmop just manages to see a dark and moldy looking door a few feet along the slippery walkway. The door is closed.

Quilmop can see that the sewer tunnel continues north about fifty feet, and then bends to the east. Across the mucky water, another narrow tunnel branches off the east, starting about twenty feet to the northeast.

The whole sewer is very quiet, apart from the noise of dripping and gurgling water. Quilmop's footsteps echo.

Kadar manages to keep from gagging, but Claws begins a croaking dry retch upon landing. Aeryc climbs down, and also gags at the odor. It is truly rank down here. Picks-at-Scabs swoops down after Aeryc, and Charles climbs down to hang by Quilmop's shoulder. Neither of them seem bothered much by the stench.

Claws and Aeryc are sickened (-2 on most rolls, including damage). Quilmop needs to make a similar saving throw. I will post some proper stats for Picks-at-Scabs and Charles soon.

Aeryc doesn't spy anything close by, and has no clear sense of what's above ground to the west. There don't seem to be any obvious hazards down here, apart from the slippery walkway, and likely foul water.

Kadar's light shines brightly for 20 feet, and dimly for another 20 feet (and twice as far for those with keen eyes in the dark).

I have posted a map here: Sewer Map. Black areas indicate sewer walls; grey squares are walkways; brown squares are the filth and muck.

Kadar peers into the darkness below. A slippery looking moldy wooden ladder leads down. There is the sound of slowly dripping and running water. A stench wafts up; the dross of Magnimar is rancid enough to make one gag.

Kadar climbs down into the darkness. Down around 20 feet, just at the edge of the dim light coming from the room above, he reaches a narrow slippery walkway running east to west. There is a sewer channel just south of the walkway running in the same direction.

In the moss and slime at the bottom, it looks like the tracks head west. They are surprisingly deep tracks of two humanoids wearing boots, and easy to spot: perhaps they were carrying a heavy weight?

The current is slow here, and the sewer water thick and slimy with half decayed dreck. The stench is quite sickening.

Kadar should make a Fortitude saving throw to avoid being sickened.

Also, you will probably need a light source down here.

Also, advise what Claws is doing: Claws can jump down no problem, but jumping back up is too hard with the narrow ladderway.

Quilmop, Charles, Aeryc, and Picks-at-Scabs should also advise party order and any preparations. I will get a proper map set up in the next day or two while you post those.

Kadar carefully shifts the overturned table and turns the body over to inspect it. There are gash wounds to the neck and chest. Kadar's best guess is that the fellow had his neck slit from behind. He never had a chance to draw the fine looking rapier at his belt.

The chest of the victim has been carved up into the sign of a seven-pointed star. Given how the blood is still sticky, and slightly warm, Kadar guesses the deed was done recently; maybe an hour ago at most.

There are two other sets of footprints in the room, made easy to spot because of the blood. They are found mostly around the body and chairs, and lead directly to the open trapdoor.

From the back room, Our Heroes hear the owner of the Spit-In-Yer-Drink cursing vehemently at the city watch guards who are blocking entrance to his place. "This is discrimination! You think life's easy in Magnimar for a halfling businessman?!?" he shouts. "If I were human, you'd let me get in there and clean it up just like that, you f*%king corrupt-ass g%^t-f&&king th*&#rc*&ts!!"

Proceeding into the back room, Our Heroes see that the body under the overturned table is a young half elf male, dressed bloodstained velvet of loud colors (mostly pink and purple). The young fellow's jacket has been torn open, and it looks like has been carved into the victim's chest.

Amongst the coins on the floor there is a clay ocarina and a pair of yellowed bone dice and a dice cup. There is lots of blood on the floor; much of it is still sticky.

Make Perception rolls if you want to search the scene of the crime, and/or tell me what you want to do by way of investigating.

I think it's not quite on leveling up, almost though... I will check it properly near the end of July. Regular posting can resume after then.

Our Heroes leave Lizzie in charge of the townhouse; she looks quite pleased with the way the day has turned in her favor.

The two guards lead our Heroes quickly off to the south, descending quickly down narrow flights of stairs and through well guarded portcullises from the upper-middle class heights of Naos.

"It's another murder, chest all carved up, in a gambling den, right between Dockway and Lowcleft." says the first guard as they trot along.

"Justice said you're special investigators on this one." says the other guard. She gives Our Heroes a sideways, appraising glance."Better you than me, I say. Nasty business."

It doesn't take long before Our Heroes arrive at the scene of the crime. The guards lead them into the front room of a simple one-storey, two-room tavern. There is a painted wooden sign outside that reads "The Spit-in-yer-Drink", with an illustration of a ne'er-do-well spitting into a pint of ale.

A single guard stands on the street, hustling back idle passersby who are trying to peer through to the back room. The owner, a harrowed looking halfling, is wringing his hands at the lost business, and futilely pleading with the guard to let him re-open soon.

The guards stay in the front room and gesture towards the back. "Justice says we're to leave you to it and to keep the public well away." says the first guard. "Good luck to you, hope you get the bastard."

Peering through the door to the back room, Our Heroes spy a bloody body, lying underneath an overturned wooden table. The room is relatively small. It contains a couple of lanterns providing dim light, a side table covered with glasses and liquor, coins scattered on the floor, and an open trap door in one corner.

No problem with Alarm on the cache. Let me know any other preparations you'd like to make before heading to the scene of the crime.

There is a loud knock at the door. Quilmop is about to open it and enter into his well-prepared spiel, when a voice calls out.

"We have an urgent message for Quilmop, Kadar, and Aeryc! Justice Ironbriar says you're to come at once - there has been another murder!

That might change what you say? Maybe? Apologies for delay on response, traveling is making it hard to find time

Our Heroes carefully search the townhouse, from bottom to top. On the third floor, they find a fireplace mantel decorated with roaring lions at both ends. This twigs a dim memory, and they sort through their Sack of Treasure, until they find a keyring with two keys on it: one of which is unusually long and thin, and decorated with a similar roaring lion.

A couple of minutes' fumbling about is all that's required to find the key hole, cunningly hidden in the back of the left lion's throat. The lion swing back silently to reveal a small hidden cache carved into the stone.

The cache contains a purse of a 200 pp along with a shallow wooden case containing a number of legal papers pertaining to the townhouse, as well as the deed to Foxglove Manor. Under the case is a thin ledger.

Our Heroes are about to decide whether to look quickly at the deed or the ledger when Lizzie whistles from downstairs.

"Oi, it's the Watch!" she calls. "Just two of them. Different from the ones before. But they look like they're definitely heading this way!"

I'll go add these to the party treasure. Let me know if you want to examine the deed or ledger, or whether you're going to deal with the Watch, or whether you're going to turn into a bat and fly fly away, etc. etc.

Lizzie wanders to the receiving room at the front of the house, armsful of silverware that she has nabbed from the dining room table. On her way through, she pulls out a small, sharp looking dagger from somewhere in her woollens and slices the rope connected to the primitive trap at the end of the stairs.

"Your wish, my command, eggsetera." she says to Kadar on her way through, waggling her eyebrows suggestively.

Lizzie takes up watch at the window, using her dagger to loosen a board a little so she can see out. It is clear she has overheard Quilmop's stage-whisper. She looks to be quietly doing sums on her fingers, humming contentedly.

Claws and Picks-at-Scabs continue their grisly meal. Charles positions himself in the main hall and disguises himself as a piece of tasteless statuary, in the form of a idiotic looking gnome jester...

Charles's Disguise roll: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (15) + 9 = 24

...and does an excellent job. One would have to be looking carefully to see that he's not what he appears to be.

You have a choice about how to proceed with searching the house. You can take your time and take 20, upping the risk that someone else will show up while you search (although you have Lizzie on watch for the moment.) Or you can blast through quickly and roll so you can get out of there quickly. Either way, let me know who is trying to assist; they have to roll to assist, whichever option is taken, DC 10.

The guards, led by Sergeant Fidelio, happily accept their bribe. For form's sake, they give a cursory glance at the house Quilmop directs them to, mutter something about spikes and extensions, and then turn their patrol around and go back the way they came. Quilmop returns to the townhouse.

Claws-with-Lightning finds the faceless stalker meat *delicious*, as does Picks-with-Scabs. The meat is mostly filled with blood; entirely too much blood for a creature of that size. When Quilmop opens the door, he is confronted with a very happy dinosaur and a very happy large raven, up to their noses in it.

"Hell's bells! says Lizzie, peering in from the front door. "Someone had a party, didn't they?!" She chortles at the mess, and sidles inside, looking for silverware.

A quick careful peek in the other rooms on the ground floor reveals a sitting room, receiving room, kitchen and small wash chamber. What is left of the bodies fits nicely in the washtub, so in they go.

A quick search of the remains reveals: two masterwork longswords, a masterwork war razor, some (shredded, useless) leather armor, and a hideous mask carried by the servant that Kadar dispatched upstairs. The mask looks like a deformed face, with one bulbous eye, a grimacing mouth with long teeth, and a flat nose. Running over the loot with his magical detection cantrip, Quilmop realizes the mask gives off a magical aura.

I'll go add these to party treasure.

Aeryc heals his wounds and consults with his companions.

CLW wands are 1d8+1. Go ahead and roll until you are back at full.

Let me know what your plans are; fine to do party discussion in character here if you want, or over on the Discussion board

The faceless stalker is stabbed from one side by Aeryc. She lurches to one side, only to be viciously pecked by Picks-at-Scabs. Claws-With-Lightning seizes the opportunity, slashing off a tentacle, and then biting where the things face should be. It falls to the ground, twitching and spurting blood.

The yard is another bloody mess, just like the dining room. The dust quickly settles. Somewhere a bird can be heard tweeting, and closer at hand, Quilmop can just be heard talking someone into something.

Kadar drops his rage and peers around awkwardly, squashed as he is between the dining room table and the small chandelier. The only trap he spies is the hastily improvised barrel trap that he noted on the way down the stairs.

Meanwhile, out in the street, the guards stop to listen to Quilmop. Charles sidles up two steps behind Quilmop, this time disguised as an attendant. He doesn't say anything, but whenever Quilmop nods, he nods too, and whenever Quilmop asks a question, he makes a questioning face and shrugs his shoulders, as if to say "Who knows the answer to that one?"

Charles assisting a Bluff: 1d20 - 1 ⇒ (18) - 1 = 17

The sergeant eyes the other guards while listening to Quilmop, raising an eyebrow speculatively. After he has listened, he nods sagely.

"Yes, yes, I know what you mean citizen. Burglars, terrible nuisance. Of course, we have our patrol duties and there is customarily ... an inspection fee. A gold piece, if I'm not mistaken? To support the city watch you understand." The sergeant nods at the other guards, who after a moment, nod back. There are serious faces all round.

Lizzie loiters, observing Quilmop manipulate the guards. It is almost as if she is taking notes.

OK we are out of rounds for the moment... Post in any order what you would like to do.

Out in the street, another patrol of four city guards can be seen marching purposefully from the east. They are a couple of hundred feet away, but should be close by in a minute or so. In half a minute they will be close enough to easily hear shouting and battle.

Lizzie whistles through her teeth to Quilmop to get his attention, and idly sidles up the street to intercept the guards before they reach the townhouse.