"I'm thinkin' we go round the back then" the dwarf states quietly. "There's less light and possibly nae dog behind that one" He grins as the possibility of combat and vengence gets closer.
"Lets get this show rollin'" he draws his axe and readies his shield, finally willing to look the part now things were getting serious.
"So stealthy types, in ye go and signal when ye've got the lock picked and ye be needin the rest of us"
Ayedah quietly followed the rogues, maul in hand, trying to stay a bit behind them so she would not give them away.
Alandra is also with them.
Gern watches the first group head in towards the fishery with intent interest. Smiling, he turns to the others and quietly he says "A silver piece says we be headin' over in less than 5 minutes on account o' the alarm bein' raised" he looks questioningly, to see if any are willing to take his bet.
Anyway, with the info we have so far, I propose the party make it's way to the loading dock. The group waits just off it while Jillian and Zalen try to unlock the smaller dock door. If/when that opens, we have a quick peek inside and report back to the group. Thoughts?
Alandra will be at the back of the loading dock not far away form the two rogues.
The party approached the old loading dock as stealthily as they could, and clambered down the stairs to the lower part of the dock, where the back door they had decided to use for their entry was located. The dock was still stained with the slippery remains of the days delivery of fish. The smell was horrible, and the planks were probably stained beyond the ability of any broom in Korvosa to clean.
The lighting was bad, with the wooden structure shielding the group from the moonlight somewhat... and if they wished to avoid suspicion, they would need to be quick and stealthy while picking the lock that held the side door shut. A rather tall order, as it turned out when the rogues took the time to inspect the mechanism more closely. While not overly complicated, the lock was rusting, and even a proper key probably turned it but slowly - a delicate pick might well break off.
After listening on the door for a moment, there seemed to be no movement going on.
Disable Device=21 (14+7)
Ayedah moved up to Alandra's position, wondering what Zalen and Jillian were up to ahead of them and preparing to run to them at the first sound of alarm.
Alandra makes a coin light up and steps closer to the door so the rogues can better see what they're doing.
With Alandra's help, and the aid of the other, Jillian manages to open to lock. She glances over at Zalen. It seems he can do something, at least. With this she sneaks into the next room attempting to remain unheard or seen.
Alandra
Jillian
Zalen will 'Stealthily' follow Jillian in:
The hair on the back of Katryala's neck tingled in anticipation...
As soon as the rogues open the lock and before they open the door, Alandra extinguishes the light. She waits just outside the door while they go in.
After some prodding, muttered cursing and the casting of a light spell, the lock on the side entrance finally gave way, and swung open with a resounding creak, directly from the hinges. That alone would probably not have been enough to alert any sentries, provided they were not in the room itself, and not too interested in the going-ons. But it was a reminder the building was detoriating, and no care was invested into it.
Before the party, a large room opened. Now that Alandra had banished her light again, the room was almost dark. Still, the pugnent smell of fish became much stronger here, mixed with the salty aroma of seaweed and salt water. A large basin was built into the western wall of the room, while the eastern was cluttered with crates. Around the southern wall, a walkway led to the upper level, as did a stairway on the side of the wall the party was just passing. A second pit further south seemed to open directly to the riverwaters this precarious construction was stilting on. If this was the processing room where the fish slurry was made, then the river once more lived up to its dual purpose of cloaka and fresh water supply...
More interesting and relevant, however, was the forest of hammocks hanging between the Walkway and the floor. More than a dozen, surely. Some of them swayed lightly as their small occupants moved. As of yet, no cries of alarm were sounded, though several of the "little Lambs" seemed to stir.
Spot DC 23 (18 with lowlight or darkvision):
Listen DC 10:
Jillian motions to those following her, to keep quiet, pointing to the closest set of stairs.
Zalen taps Jillian on the shoulder, motioning for her to wait 1 min (whispering if necessary) He then quickly and quietly makes his way back to the group to explain what he's seen in the other room.
"It's a large room filled with hammocks of sleeping children. Katryala, if you wish to try and find your brother this may be your best chance. If you think you can do so quietly, come with us now. Those of you who think you can make it across the loading platform without waking the dead, do so and wait for us outside at the top of the stairs for our signal or any sign of trouble. Which may be soon as at least some of them are up and having an argument behind closed doors" He grins and quickly looks to Gern and Krek for confirmation of his plan.
He will then, mistaking her excitement for nervousness, grab Katryala's hand and whisper to her "You can do this! Think of your brother" and lead her by the hand quietly back to the hammock room. Once there, he will whisper to Alandra "Do you hear those voices? Is that the Bastard Lamm!"
Regardless of her answer he will whisper to the three (or four?) women gathered "Ok, this may be our only chance to spare the children. Do any of you see any adults? Or Alandra, do you recognize any of the more violent youths? Let's find them and kill them while they sleep. And keep it quiet! Oh, and if any of you don't have the stomach for this, now's the time to let us know!" Seeing the fierce look on the normally jovial face of Zalen comes as a surprise to those seeing it for teh first time.
If there are no objections, he will take Katryala around the room, helping her to avoid any noisy obstacles (aiding her Stealth), looking for her brother and aiming to kill any adults or youths Alandra may have pointed out.
Ayedah's throat tightened and eyes hardened as they prepared to enter the sleeping quarters.
She whispered to the others near her, "If the children turn on us and none of their overseers are left in the room, flee and I will guard your exit." She turned to Katryala. "If your brother is in there, I swear he will come to no harm."
She let those in the lead get ahead of her a bit before following.
Alandra follows Zalen and Katryala into the room.
"I can't see anything." she whispers to Zalen.
GM TerraNova:
Nayr's nose crumpled at the unpleasant scent of old and rotting fish, a smell he was not too fond of. The cleric patiently waited as the scouting team left, looked around, and came back to report.
Letting Alandra and Ayedah pass, the acolyte of the Eternal Rose walked in behind the two ladies, attempting to be as quiet as he could possibly be.
Gern watched patiently as the two rogues went over to the door. With his darkvision, he could clearly see them as grey on grey. Their movements were stealthy and he couldn't hear a thing over the sounds of the burbling river and other night noises, but he could see well enough in the darkness.
Presently, the door opened and Zalen came back to them. As he outlined his strategy, the dwarf nodded. He knew better than to believe he could make it over the docks with any stealth. Even as he was nodding his head his chain shirt clinked slightly against his readied shield.
Not wishing to make any more noise, the warrior waved the group over with his axe. He watched the doorway carefully as it began to crowd with people, his night vision picking out details where colourvision would be baffled by shadows.
To the half orc beside him he whispers "I'm wonderin' how they be plannin' to see in dark without lettin' on to the people inside? Well Krek, sooner rather than later I be thinkin' me axe'll be tasting blood" he holds out his hand, putting the axe into its belt loop first "Careful where ye swing that great sword o' yourn. Good luck to ye' " he holds the hand as a an offering of peace before the battle starts. No use having bad blood amongst those who he'd be fighting with.
He then redraws his axe and readies himself to dash across the small distance when his fighting prowess will be needed.
Jillian hears the plan, but has her own in mind. "I am interested in who is upstairs" she whispers. And begins to move up the closest set of stairs.
If there are no objections, he will take Katryala around the room, helping her to avoid any noisy obstacles (aiding her Stealth), looking for her brother and aiming to kill any adults or youths Alandra may have pointed out.
Katryala nodded and followed as quietly as she could manage...
If there are no objections, he will take Katryala around the room, helping her to avoid any noisy obstacles (aiding her Stealth), looking for her brother and aiming to kill any adults or youths Alandra may have pointed out.
Katryala nodded and followed as quietly as she could manage...
Alandra tags along trying to make out the faces of the sleeping children in the dark.
As the party started to split off and enter the room, there was a sudden motion close to one of the hammocks, and a horrible, high-pitched giggling started.
PC's who spend time with the Little Lambs:
"Hey, INTRUDERS-RUDERS... I'd put down them fancy weapons an' things, or the little guy gets it!" He began burrowing the point of his shiv into the neck of one of the little lambs, a boy of maybe eight years, possibly even younger.
The sounds from upstairs abruptly ended...
Seeing this, a sudden rage awakens in Alandra as memories of how she was treated as a Little Lamm surface.
"You better let him go!"
She sheaths her dagger, raises her her hands and lets out a high pitched scream that only Giggles can hear, channelling the terrifying presence of Pharasma into his mind.
Ayedah's heart skipped a beat. This man hides behind a child?! Not knowing how her companions were going to react, her mind raced to find a way to save the boy. Seeing Alandra put her dagger away, she eased her earthbreaker head first to the floor, keeping the handle only loosely in her hand. Clenching her jaw, she said, "You do not want to do that. Not with eight of us here. Running away right now is your best chance at living." Barely contained rage burned behind her eyes.
Jillian pauses half way up the stairs, whipping her head around to stare at the commotion. She then turns back to the door, where the voices have stopped, and prepares to strike at the first thing that comes through.
Watching the doorway from his position across the way, Gern wondered what was taking so long.
The dwarf couldn't hear anything from his location and was beginning to get edgy about the delay.
"Damned rogues are probably lootin' place like as not" he says under his breath.
Nayr's heart jumped at the sound of the high-pitched giggling, and after just one look at the maniacal half-orc, the cleric flattened himself across the wall. They were still going for stealth here, and it wouldn't do for the enemy to attack him now.
The acolyte watched as Alandra seemed to cast a spell on the foe, and Ayedah began to talk with him. Probably to try and talk him out of hurting the kid... Nayr did nothing more, trying to be as quiet as possible and waiting out until the action began.
GM
Is this spoiler material?? How far is Zalen from the half-orc(?)holding the child? And what obstacles etc. are between them?
Before deciding on an action, Zalen will look around the room to see how the other children are reacting so far. Are they awake? Still asleep? Also he will look to Katrayla to see if she seems to have recognized her brother yet?
He will though release Kat's hand and put it to his starknife in preparation of drawing it.
Everything was happening very quickly now, as the raiders sprung into action like a coil finally released. Giggles, as the half-orc enforcer was called, was just about to draw blood with his dirty shiv when the scream Alandra cast at him froze him for a second. His eyes bulged and he backed away from the crates he had hidden amoung, slowly up walkway since the other exits were blocked by the intruders. Back off, now! I swear I'll cut him! I'll make him bleed like a piggie! He giggled, as he dragged the small boy with him. Don't make me make a mess out of this! It'll be on your hands
The boy had begun to squeel, but the weapon biting into the flesh of his throat very quickly made him think better of it... he was bleeding, but so far, the blade had not hit one of the vital vessels. Just then, the door atop the stairs flew open, and light flooded the room. Get Bloo down there, now! I'll see what the ruckkus is about! And make sure Yarrin has something special for the troublemakers. Someone called out, and a figure ran down the stairs, a young man with ash-grey hair. In his haste, though, he missed the halfling skulking about the stairs, and when her scimitar dug into his sides, all that crossed his face was sheer... disbelief. Then, a gurgling scream, choking on blood. There was no way that sound was not audible across the whole neighborhood.
Perception DC 15, 10 for Katryala:
The young thug was rapidly losing his footing, and fell down the walkway gracelessly, coming to rest at the bottom in a heap of tangled limbs, now rapidly losing blood. Jillian had just begun to poise herself for the next attack, when a missile of flesh hit her, and the sharp teeth of a canine began burrowing into her shoulder. She could not maintain her balance, and the two of them rolled down the rickety stairs, coming to a rest almost atop their previous victim. What had assaulted her was a large, feral and utterly ill-bred dog. Scars all over its fur, both famished and mangy-looking, but with a ferocity of an angry wolverine.
Inside the hammocks, the "little Lambs" were stirring, some of them had fallen out of theirs, most were awake, but some seemed to either be unconscious or dead, not having reacted to the scream the slightest bit.
Zalen will quickly move into range and throw his starknife at the half-orc:
damn!
He will also yell out "Children! Tonight Gaedron Lamm DIES! Help us or Flee but either way you are Free!"
Bluff:=22
Diplomacy:=12
Only if there's time, he will also stage whisper to Katryala "Kat! Do you see your brother anywhere??"
Alandra sees the halfling and an ugly dog roll down the stairs. Thinking that between Zalen and Ayedah, Giggles is handled, she moves to help Jillian.
She moves as close as she can to the two (up to 30'), points her finger and and summons the cold presence of Pharasma in the form of an icicle that soots out of her finger at the dog:
The icicle flies wide of anything.
As the room burst into chaos and the screams of children and men filled the air, Ayedah could not restrain herself any longer. Everything went dark and dull to her except the boy and his captor.
She felt a red rage burning through her as she gripped her earthbreaker and ran towards the half-orc with a bestial snarl. She dragged her maul and scraped the floor behind her for a moment before bringing it through the air in a wide arc.
Gern moves the moment he hears the batle start. "Well guess I be winnin' that bet, cept no one would take me up" He says to Krek as he moves.
Reaching the doorway he sees chaos inside. Jillian is down at the bottom of a flight of stairs, a feral dog ripping into her and bleeding man at her feet.
Zalen and Ayedah are trying to kill a half orc holding a small boy captive. The others are starting to act amongst the rows of hammocks.
"I thougt we was gonna do this all stealth like" he shouts as he moves to the stairs to aid Jillian and try to protect the stair well.
Katryala gives a shout and makes a break across to the bloodied thug crumpling up at the bottom of the stairs.
At the scream from inside the lair, Krek starts at the entrance. The Dwarf moving slower than he, but taking up just as much ground, prevented his movement into the room with any great speed.
For the first time in a while, Krek felt genuine adrenaline rush through him; he loved it. Entering, he swept his gaze around the room, wanting to know friend from foe before doing battle.
Nayr saw how the Icicle flew past the ugly creature, and decide to step in himself before it could savage the halfling woman burried under its mangy fur. He took a swift step and with a sweep of his Glaive ended that threat for good... Allowing Jillian to take his outstretched hand, and at least move back to a sitting position.
At the same time, blind rage made all the difference in the world when Ayedah bridged the distance to Giggles. The half-orc was momentarily distracted by the nicking throw from Zaelen, and that was all the opening she needed. Her earthbraker shattered shoulder holding the shiv, and the wounded orphan slipped away with a frightened whimper. It seemed he had not expected someone to call him on the whole "hostage" strategy. Bad mistake.
The rest of the assailants burst into the room, finding the situation already mostly at hand. Katrylah had bowed down, and began tending one of the thugs. The youth was wounded badly, but with her frentic work, would probably live. Already she had slowed the bleeding down significantly, so he would last. Fast unconscious now, he posed no further threat to anyone soon, anyway.
Katryala:
She had found what she was looking for. Or had she?
Just after Krek and Gern had gained their bearings, an gnome opened the door atop the walkway. He was all sinew and pale-skinned, with hardly a blot of color to his dirty hair. "Zon-Kuthon's skewered stones! Wh..." His eyes bulged as he saw Giggles clutching his ruined shoulder, slowly collapsing one one knee. "Who ARE you?" He called out. His voice was nasal, and just a bit too high-pitched for comfort.
The final voice, the person the thug now being so carefully tended by the young wizardess, wasnowhere to be seen. Maybe he had taken a hint from the fates of his accomplice and the dog.
Zalen moves over to try and retrieve his starknife, as he does so he calls out to the Gnome "All we want is Lamm! Tell us where is he is and we'll let you live!"
Bluff=27
Diplomacy=11
Gern wasn't here for conversation. He saw the little gnome at the top of the stairs and moved immediately to confront the small fey. He wasn't about to let this little bugger get some form of spell off without having to deal with his axe.
Things had gone crazy in here faster than the dwarf had hoped for. One of the team was already down and bloodied. The wizardess was healing some of the thugs! and now a new opponent had entered the fray. This could turn ugly quickly with all the different factions playing out here.
"We're here for Lamm little man. And anyone who works with him" he ground out through his now bristling beard. The adrenalin was starting to pump through his system. He had to maintain control, watch his targets. MAke sure he didn't kill the wrong people.
ooc explanation of my turn
Ayedah's breath came back to her hard when she saw the boy slip away to safety. Everything else in the room was coming back into focus for her and it was a bit overwhelming, the halfling bleeding and hurt, the Chelish girl kneeling over one of the thugs, a gnome screaming at the top of the stairs and Gern running towards him, Zalen shouting behind her....
And the children on the hammocks...the ones that did not move...
Seeing the half-orc still breathing in front of her, she tried to ram the handle of her hammer into his face to knock him out. Things were moving to fast to leave this animal capable of complicating matters more than they were already.