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(the title refers to the store we are playing in Wonderland Comics)
Our group ( a wild elf scout, catfolk monk, elf swashbuckler and sword sage). Met in Lavinia’s waiting room, and were a little put out by the Jade Raven’s condescending comments. They accepted Lavinia’s proposal, asking only if any property not belonging to Lavinia’s family could be kept.
Approaching the side of the ship they asked politely if they could board as representatives of the owner and were refused by rude guards. So they borrowed a rowboat and ½ of them approached by sea and the rest from the dock planning to attack the pirates on the next tolling of the watch. Unfortunately the scout failed to skillfully climb from the rowboat to the ship and lost his footing on the slippery hull, his back skidding down the hull alerting the sleeping pirates, who in turn alerted Soller Vark and his lover. When the PCs attacked, killing the two posted guards outright, Vark and 3 of the other pirates were ready with crossbows, crippling the monk and putting a deep scratch into the swashbuckler’s cheek. In rataliation,the monk tried to tumble through the port-hole to the lower deck, and got stuck in it. The pirates then closed to melee range and were quickly overwhelmed, just before giving up Vark gave up he yelled to the last pirate to begin burning the animals.
The monk and scout sprinted to the hold just as the blaze began, witnessing the pony-sized spider break through a burning cage, trampling monkeys and parrots as it chased the last pirate. About ½ way down the hold it caught her in its mandible and clamped them around her, cutting her in two. Fortunately the Spider must have been full as it was slow for a few minutes (hitting itself with its first attack critically missing the second as well, tripping over itself and crushing a crate of exotic eggs). By now the swashbuckler had joined the fray, and the scout shot right in the uppermost eye of the creature. The swashbuckler nimbly avoided the slashes of his front most legs until he found a clear shot, killing the beast. Soller Vark was tied and his face thrust in the cage with the lone surviving monkeys until he told the group everything he knew about the operation and the Vanderborens.
While the rest of the party was dealing with the spider-beast, the sword sage searched the captain’s cabin, found the platinum pieces, ring, and note and left with them. He has agreed to visit the vault with her at noon on the next day.
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Day 2:
The Sword Sage spent some of the PP he found on magic Chain mail, claiming to the other PCs that a friend from the noble district gave it to him. The next day, the group goes with Lavinia to the Vault. The immediately admire the Serpent theme and after a few minutes find the switch to open the door. The Guardian surprises them and is very good at its job, poisoning 3 of the characters before Lavinia was reminded about the signet ring and forced it to cease attacking (it was at 1 HP)
Upon entering the vault everyone rushed to the bas-reliefs of the monsters and ignored the tumbler. Until the clumsy scout noticed the dust that he disturbed when tripping over himself went UNDER the Pillar that is. After 14 failed tries even after studying the note, they finally deciphered the code for the tumbler, and opened the vault. Crowding each chest as it was opened, the tension was visibly growing as more and more chests came up empty. When they got to the last alcove there was an audible sigh of relief. After getting paid, the Monk Identified the Writing on the journal as Sylvan. Lavinia thanked her, and told the group that she was worried about her brother, Vanthus.
The PCs agree to look for her and split up, each asking through a different district for any clues. The only one who finds anything is the female monk, who is asking the working girls at the 'Last Ditch Lovers brothel' one of these girls saw someone matching Vanthus' description leaving the boat store next door. The shop keeper begins to bark at her as it becomes apparent that she is not there to buy anything, but loosens up quickly as the cat-woman starts purring at him and playing with his hair and Long Dwarven Beard. The Dwarf finally gives up the direction Vanthus and his friend left in and the cat-woman leaves.
On her way to share this information, the Woman is stopped by a elf in tatters. "I'm told you are looking for Vanthus.. I know where he is, for a price." Using 10GP she has him tell her all he knows, and then has him take her to the Trap door before reporting to the group.
The group reconvened outside Lavina's manor and went over what they learned, and decided to explore the smuggler caverns that the Monk had found with the help of the elf. The Sword Sage volunteered to stand guard at the top of the shaft. Minutes later he spied the same elf who had approached the monk coming up the path. "I-I was just coming to pick up one of the boxes down there... I got yelled at that I brought the wrong set of crates into the caves and that this one might spoil." This seemed to alleviate the Swordsage, if the elf was willing to go down then it couldn't be too bad...
As they left the main room the scout and swordsage heard the rope and pulley clanging off the sides of the shaft and hitting the ground. As they rushed to the opening they saw Vanthus' head as he closed the trap door, laughing. Through the door they could hear him call down "Thank you, I was wondering how I was going to get rid of that meddlesome flunky of an elf and now He'll just die with you down there! Say Hello to the ghost of my 'old friend' when you meet him in the afterlife." the rest of the party was continuing forward and found the 1/2 submerged room. Groans and Squeals could be heard as the monk Went to prod the floating body with his quarterstaff... interrupting the feeding crabs and causing them to attack.....
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After locking themsleves in the fat west room of the caverns they listened as the crabs were slowly dismantled by the skeletal cleric and decided to swim for it. The monk nimbly dove over the sea urchins and swam under the wall to the other side, where he found 3 sea chests. Coming back around he reported this to his teammates, who jumped in with him and investigated these chests. No one could open the locks, so they had to smash them. In 2 they found jewels and coins, and the third they found they had not only smashed the top of the chest, but also 2 of the potions under it, they also found the Gem to control a small earth elemental.
Upon reemerging from the water, they found that the door they had barred from the zombies had been knocked down, but the zombies were back in the room feasting on the dead crabs. As they entered, the skeletal cleric attacked them, but everyone seemed to avoid being cornered, running through the room. they then called the elemental, and had it move the rocks on top of the door opening it as they climbed the slippery walls of their prison.
The party split again once they were back in the city, and the swashbuckler felt a note being slipped into his pocket while walking through the streets. He chased the culprit down an alley and watched him escape down a hole as 2 others appeared, one from each side of the ally, locked in on him with hand crossbows....