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Studying the traces left behind, Indo (with Bedu's help) is able to estimate that four humanoids, likely wearing light armor, were present. Nothing in the room seems to be particularly broken or damaged; the room is in disarray as a result of their search for something very specific.
The tracks lead out into the catacombs.
[b]Samir, if you believe that is all that was missing, four men raided your home and left this way. Shall we go after them, or do you have a better idea?[b]
[ooc]Any chance I can get an estimation of how long ago Samir's place was raided?[ooc]
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Lotus:
Here, the passages are smaller, only about 6 feet in diameter, crudely cut by hand into the solid rock. The damp air is thick and heavy, and the walls are filled with bones and scraps of rotting grave goods. In the flickering light of your torches, shadows dance and skulls leer out of the shadows. An almost palpable feeling of dread fills the cramped tunnels.
In the twisting corridors of the catacombs, you got lost, and have only just now found the adventurers' again, which has led you to a plain wooden door set into the web-shrouded walls. In the shadows near the door, something moves.
SargonX
Then dread overcomes (DC 10 Will save to overcome the lingering sense of unease. (1d20-1=3)) her as she approaches the plain wooden door.
I've got a bad feeling about this... she thinks as her eyes dart back and forth as if sensing approaching doom. Then she spots the shadows moving and quickly pulls out her sword in defense. Who's there? Lotus almost whispers.
"Of course you should go after them!" Samir shouts. "If you want the map, that is. They stole what I rightfully found! I'm sure it was the buyer I was negotiating with. I can tell you the way to his excavations."
"Who's the opposition, Samir? We'd like to walk with our eyes open when we go into the dragon's mouth."
"Let us hope that the dragons mouth is closed! I shall keep my eyes wide and feet ready to run, if there are dragons about."
Bedu grins at the cleric.
Indo steps to the door, where he kneels and picks up bits of splintered wood from the floor.
Samir, my friend. When were you here last? This wood is not yet saturated from the moisture on the floor. They were here today, I think.
If we are to go now, grab only what you need. If they are hiding or sending out the item, every moment is precious.
"Let us hope that the dragons mouth is closed! I shall keep my eyes wide and feet ready to run, if there are dragons about."
Bedu grins at the cleric.
"Touche."
"But seriously we need to know."
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"I was here yesterday," Samir says in answer to Indo's question.
"Unfortunately, I can't tell you much about who they might be. The buyer was an aristocratic fellow, and he had a few locals working on his excavations. Maybe a handful of guards, thuggish types, I only saw two or three. But I never went into the excavations myself. He may have had more people there."
"And...I don't think I'll be going with you. You're better suited to that task than I am. I'll draw you a map to where these excavations are."
Perception check (sound) DC 24
Perception check (sound) DC 10
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SargonX
Lotus makes an unconscious sound in reaction to the cat-like rodents coming at her. Run along now little rodents. You don't want to mess with the pointy thing in my hand.
With that she leaps forward to attack the closest rodent. (Attack: 1d20+2=12, Damage: 1d6+2=7) Even if she misses she let's out a big roar and shows her teeth to scare the creatures away. RRRHHAAAAARRRRR!!!
//OOC Lotus designates the one she attacked as her Dodge target (unless it immediately dies).
Perception (sound) (1d20+6=25)
Bedu waves at everyone and points to the door. He draws his scimitar and prepares to spring.
"Footsteps outside the door!"
Indo draws his big sword at Bedu's words, and takes up the other side of the door.
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Lotus:
You draw your sword and leap forward to attack the nearest mongoose, roaring, but your shaking hands cause you to just miss.
The mongooses themselves leap to attack, but you are able to avoid their teeth. Your roar doesn't seem to faze them.
Through the door, you hear shouting and the sounds of movement. This could turn ugly very quickly. Someone shouts "Who's there?" through the door.
In the room:
You suddenly hear the sounds of a scuffle outside the door.
"That's my mongooses!" Samir cries. "Who's there?" he shouts.
A loud roar RRRHHAAAAARRRRR!!! comes through the door.
SargonX
HELP ME!!! GET THESE CREATURES AWAY FROM ME. She cries in desperation.
//OOC Full Defensive
Skittle looks up from where he has been sitting quietly on an upturned box, watching everything unfold. Seeing everyone else draw their weapons and taking defensive positions seems to have little impact on him, and he calmly stands up and says, "Hey, Liet, may be it's your halfling girlfriend, come for another kiss!"
Indo grips the pommel tightly and delays - Not knowing how many of 'them' there are, he waits for an adversary to enter the room.
Liet defers to his more robust companions on how to handle this possible threat.
"I'm behind you, guys!"
Bedu moves against the wall, near the door, with scimitar raised above his head.
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Lotus:
The room is dimly lit by candlelight, and is filled with a mess of items on the floor, as if it has recently been turned upside down in a search. Five people stand around the room: a grizzled, burnt man in leathers, a fat dwarf, a man with a large sword, another man in chain mail, a woman, and a gnome. The gnome and the man with the big sword seem a bit savage-looking, as if more at home in the jungle than the city.
Samir, is this a friend of yours?, he says in his thick accent, I think your pets do not like her much.
Indo has pulled in a small teen-aged girl with black hair tied in a ponytail. Some hairs have come loose and hang slightly in her face. She wears tight clothing and has a leather armor wrapped around her torso, slightly hiding her budding womanly features.
The young woman, as she thinks of herself, tries to pull free from the big man holding her. Let go of me. Lotus wimpers to Indo when she doesn't have the strength to get away herself.
With her short short still in her hand you can see her eyes dart back and forth trying to take in the room and its occupants. When she spots the big dwarf she appears to think of something. You are the barber Bedu! she exclaims. Amik Shah sent me to help you in your job.
Bedu puts the scimitar away as soon as Indo brings in the girl. He then moves round to check the passageway for any more intruders.
As the dwarf turns back a wide grin spreads across his face.
"Of course! Amik sent you. You are here to help. That is wonderful. How did you know of this place, my fresh flower? And what did the estimable Amik Shah tell you, my dear?"
He comes closer until he is just out of reach of that short sword. The manicured thin beard and gently wobbling chins underneath add to his harmless geniality.
Still trying to pull free from Indo's grasp, she defiantly responds to the barber's query. Well obviously I followed you. Not like it was difficult with you making so much noise. And now of course you won't believe me. Well I'll show you. I have a letter from Amik proving that I am here to aid you on behalf of the council. She finally pulls free from Indo and grabs quickly within her pouches to produce a folded piece of parchment.
Here, you can read it yourself! she tells Bedu when she tosses the parchment to the fat barber.
Bedu grabs for the parchment... and misses as it hits his stomach.
He attempts to pick it up with a flourish and proceeds to read it aloud for everyone's benefit.
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To Master Bedu bin Bakandar:
I hope this missive finds you well. I have found someone whose skills might be of use to you in your investigation and so have sent her to find you. The bearer of this letter, one Lotus by name, has been hired, as were you and your friends, by the Khemair District Council to investigate the assassinations which we spoke of. Please cooperate with her and accord her all respect as a member of your band, etc. etc.
I have no further information for you at this time, and I hope the investigation proceeds apace.
I remain your obedient servant,
Amik Shah
representing the Khemair District Council
"What is so special about you, other than you can frighten mongooses?" asks the dwarf.
"What is so special about you, other than you can frighten mongooses?" asks the dwarf.
Lotus has never been questioned like that and can only reply with defiance. What's so special about you? After all, you are a barber! At least I have certain skills that can come in useful in a situation like this.
The young woman puts away her short sword and crosses her arms awaiting the group to continu with what they were doing. Well... how far did you get in the investigation?
Trying to break the tension, Skittle loudly declares, "Wait a minute, she's not a halfling!" HE quickly follows this with a little elbow to Liet's ribs, and says, "Waddya say, priest, wanna give her a wack?"
Bedu turns the others.
"I do not trust Amik or this one. She will not answer me. I say we can do without her, what do the rest of you think?"
The dwarf grins at the obstinate woman.
"Your piece of paper is kind of worthless until you tell us why we should take you. I may be being paid by Amik Shah but that doesn't mean I have to take his underlings into service. That was not the agreement."
"Of course, if you become a friendlier animal and start telling what we want to know then who knows."
Bedu turns back and opens the catacomb door, "choose."
"I'll follow your lead on this one, Bedu."
The woman scoffs at the barbers notion to not include her. You may not trust Amik and that is your right, perhaps you might even find me in agreement. However he does represent the Council. That Council has hired me for when you need one that has, how shall I put this delicately, good hand-eye coordination and has complete control of her body.
To emphasize her point she nimbly makes a cartwheel and somersault to come up behind the dwarf. She then whispers quietly into his ear. Like so... ending it with a quick kiss on his cheek.
"I see. That kiss is all I need. Seals it for me."
"Indo? Pindara? Skittle? are you all happy to have another willing adventurer. She is talented ...." adds Bedu, touching his cheek.
The dwarf looks around to see what the others are thinking and feeling over Lotus.
Skittle makes a show of counting on his fingers, and says, "I dunno . . . six way split instead of five . . . but then again, we originally had six before the, um, paladin walked away. Ah, what the hell. Welcome to Bedu's Misfits & Outcasts, miss."
Skittle makes a show of counting on his fingers, and says, "I dunno . . . six way split instead of five . . . but then again, we originally had six before the, um, paladin walked away. Ah, what the hell. Welcome to Bedu's Misfits & Outcasts, miss."
"We had a paladin in our midst? Oh...."
Lotus nods with her head in acknowledgement from both Skittle and Liet. Well then. How are we faring?
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"Congratulations to you all," Samir says sarcastically. "May your lives be filled with happiness and joy, and many fat children."
"I'll draw you a map to the place in the catacombs where my 'buyer' has his excavations. You can't get there direct from here - you'll have to go up to the surface and back down again. Justs make sure you get the map and the amulet."
Samir turns and goes into the other room.
"How do we get you your share, Samir?" asks the pleasantly plump dwarf, ignoring the fat children comment.
Bedu follows Samir into the second chamber to wait.
"Misfits? Outcasts? let us aim for warriors and adventurers, perhaps," he murmurs to the rest as he walks through.
"Does your buyer have a name?"
"Hey, Bedu makes a damn good point. Clearly, you won't be staying here anymore . . . or at least I wouldn't be if I were you," Skittle says. "Then again, I wouldn't have stayed here to begin with . . . " he trails off, before snapping back. "So, where can we find you when we need you?"
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Bedu and Skittle, in the other room:
"I don't see why it should be a problem to stay here," Samir says in answer to Skittle's question. "It's still safer than anywhere else topside, and you're about to deal with the only other people who know where this place is. Just come back here with the map and amulet once you've taken care of business. I'll be waiting right here for-"
Samir stops and runs a hand across his brow, his face suddenly covered in a sheen of sweat. A confused look comes into his eyes, which suddenly widen in terror, and his mouth opens in a silent scream. He convulses for a moment and then bursts into flame.
DM/Skittle
Initiative roll (1d20+4=16)
DM/Bedu
"What the #@*^ . . . bloody hell," Skittle exclaims before he grabs a blanket and tries to smother the flames.
Lotus looks to the others in the room as Bedu and Skittle move to the other room. When none of the others moves to follow, she shrugs and moves to the other room where Bedu and Skittle are talking to Samir.