Round 2
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Phase 17: Dgrim
As the grinning Lotus Dragon thug comes at Dgrim again...
"Gonna CUT ya man!"
...Dgrim lunges at him with one hand open, keeping the other holding the concealed door shut against the pounding outside.
Grapple check: CMB+5--
...grappling him by one hand and pulling him into a bone crushing hug, doing points nonlethal damage.
The thug gives a strangled squeek and falls limp in Dgrim's arms.
Phase 12: Nemien Roblach
.
Bryson, Spinnaker Jon, Ravtahl and Bindlplotz (Annie still unconscious) all see the stuffed and mounted Dragon, Python, Wolf and Panther creak slowly to life, their dull glowing red eyes turning their attention to you; the ones on wires dangling from the ceiling gently swing towards your head...
Phase 11: Gull Street Annie
.
Unconscious 3 more rounds.
Phase 10: Thugs
.
The thugs ram the door to try to force it open against Dgrim.
Thugs strength check:
Dgrim strength check:
[Fail]
They rebound fruitlessly.
.
Next up:
Ghirrak-------------9
Spinnaker Jon-------7
Bryson--------------5
Bindlplotz----------4
Ravtahl-------------1
.
*CLICK* for the Map.
.
Ghirrak, as you were already in motion, you may use a Charge without travelling 10 feet first.
Charging down the alley Ghirrak jumps driving his knee into the faceof the first man.
Sword in hand, Bryson continues to struggle for his freedom.
Strength check DC 17
Phase 9
Ghirrak slams his knee into the thugs face as he turns around to face him, the thug flips backward out cold.
.
Phase 7
Spinnaker Jon shouts with fear as he rolls back then shoots an electric spark at the dragon wyrmling.
Ranged touch:
[Miss]
.
Phase 5
Bryson gives a mighty effort, and finally rips his body free! [Move action]
Unfortunately, the glue is still on him interfering with his actions somewhat.
Next up,
Bindlplotz----------4
Ravtahl-------------1
.Round 3...
Dgrim---------------17
I'll stand over Annie and fight defensively with anything that comes at us.
** spoiler omitted **
Attack:
Confirm:
Damage:
Critical?:
Zzzzzzzz...
Phase 4: Bindlplotz
Bindlplotz fixes a bayonet and lunges at one of the giant snakes that have come to life and are attacking you. Scoring a direct hit it flinches, but keeps on coming.
Will save:
Possibly with an animate object?
Phase 1: Ravtahl
[NPC'd]
Ravtahl, close enough now, attacks an animated black bear.
Greataxe attack: [Hit]
Greataxe damage: damage.
You note that when you hit the creature, it didn't react normally, even undead would react differently.
Will save:
Possibly with an animate object?
Round 3
Initiatives:
Dgrim---------------17
Nemien Roblach------12
Gull Street Annie---11
Lotus Dragon Rogues-10
Ghirrak-------------9
Spinnaker Jon-------7
Bryson--------------5
Bindlplotz----------4
Ravtahl-------------1
"Arr, thems snakes be not real..."
Climb up on a counter on my turn to get elevation, then butt check one.
Dgrim opens the door and attacks the fake drunk with his axe.
Phase 17: Dgrim
Even startled by the door suddenly opening, the fake drunk just barely dodges Dgrim's powerful blow.
Phase 12
Everyone in the Hall can see the proprietor break from cover and run right by Ravtahl, Bryson and Bindlplotz heading for the front door. He's close enough so that you may make attacks of opportunity if you like.
Make Will saves please.
At the same time Spinnaker Jon yells as the door behind the desk violently opens sending the birdcage flying back into and on top of Jon, flattening him. The proprietor appears there at the doorway as well as he hurriedly dissappears into the back.
That's right, you see the proprietor in two places at once.
Phase 11: Gull Street Annie
Status: Unconscious two more rounds.
Phase 10
The pretend drunk guy shouts "Gonna CUT ye sawed off runt!" at Dgrim as he lunges.
Shortsword attack: [Miss]
And the blade glances aside on his armor.
Next up:
Ghirrak-------------9
Spinnaker Jon-------7
Bryson--------------5
Bindlplotz----------4
Ravtahl-------------1
Phase 9: Ghirrak
Ghirraks flurry of kicks, punches and painful holds sends the last mook flying unconscious down the alley to land in a heap.
You hear some of your comrades shouting, dimly through the interior door opposite the concealed exterior door.
Phase 7: Spinnaker Jon
Jon throws the birdcage off and scrambles to his feet.
"He's gettin' away!" He shouts as he runs through the back door behind the counter.
Perception
Will save
"Should have done this first thing" Bryson spits out as he slashes at the passing taxidermist.
"...zzz..."
You realize that not only are the stuffed animals attacks illusions, the taxidermist that is running by you isn't making the wooden floor shake like he should.
Bryson feels the bindings that restricted him loosen and disappear as the tanglefoot bag glue turns white, crystallizes and flakes away.
Perception:
"Ghirrak, I can hear others on the other side of that door," he points to the other end of the room.
You hear running footsteps coming closer behind the inner door and fragments of shouted words.
"Get him..."
"...illusion!"
"Rikki!..."
"And roust up the boys..."
"...quick now!"
Bryson briefly leans down to check on Annie and is relieved to find no blood.
Bindlplotz drags the unconscious thug across the threshold, closes and bars the door and turns the "Closed" sign out on the store front.
Ravtahl follows Spinnaker Jon down the corridor and around the corner he sees a flash of light as Spinnaker Jon goes down unconscious from some spell.
Spellcraft: [Success]
You recognize a Color Spray.
Dgrim and Ghirrak see the inner door burst open an the proprietor appear and shout; "Dirk! Get the boys it's..." he trails off as he sees you. He immediately reverses course and shuts the door. It's your move.
Charging forward Ghirrak launches a flying kick at the door attempting to break it
Assuming that hit the defenceless door
The door shatters under Ghirrak's flying kick, and both door and Ghirrak crash into the body of the Taxidermist behind it.
Reflex save:
He rebounds off the wall, but doesn't fall.
Round 4
Initiatives:
Dgrim---------------17
Nemien Roblach------12
Gull Street Annie---11
Ghirrak-------------9
Spinnaker Jon-------7
Bryson--------------5
Bindlplotz----------4
Ravtahl-------------1
Will Save: "Oi, wassat?"
Feel free to GMPC some more, I don't want to hold up this swiftly tilting planet...err game. (speed is good, I just can't always keep up)
Dgrim moves next to Ghirrak.
_Desperately, the Taxidermist thrust out his hands, the multicolored light of a Color Spray forming when Dgrim's axe, Ghirrak's spear hand, and Ravtahl's greataxe combined attacks of opportunity kill him very dead. Ghirrak came within a half inch of losing a couple of fingers.
_With that, the Taxidermist's Guildhall is cleared of resistance apparently without any alarms warning the Lotus Dragons. The light traffic outside on Water street is unchanged. The Dead Dog Alley out back is dead and deserted. The (still alive but unconscious) thugs are dragged inside and bound in a storage room.
The Rangers and Druids can tell that there is light traffic during the day, but it quadrouples at night. It being just about noon now, you have about seven hours before more Lotus Dragons come.
You also find a hidden trapdoor in a back hallway.
When you search the place and the thugs you find...
3x Leather armor
3x Shortswords
3x Saps
3x Phial of 2 doses of Urchin venom
4x Potions of Cure Light Wounds
1x Rapier
1x Hand Crossbow + 10 bolts
2x Thieves tools
1x Masterwork Sickle
4x Pearls
Wand of Ray of Enfeeblement, CL3, 29 charges
Wand of Mage Armor, CL3, 20 charges
Locked chest
Spellbook
Level 0
All cantrips
Level 1
Alarm
Charm Person
Color Spray
Disguise Self
Identify
Mage Armor
Ray of Enfeeblement
Shield
Silent Image
Unseen Servant
Level 2
Arcane Lock
Hypnotic Pattern
Invisibility
Magic Mouth
Minor Image
See Invisibility
_With a little cajoling and the slapping of various cheeks, both Gull Street Annie and Spinnaker Jon come around with no other ill effects.
_Remembering, Annie hunts around on the floor and finds that news sheet.
_The moneylender that strongarmed her and her mother out of their rented townhouse has a face that is burned into her mind...
...And there is his face in the morning paper!
The article describes how the Dawn Council selected one Melchior Maeorgan, [pictured here] plantation owner, merchant factor and protoge of Lord Mayor Milton Drac, was confirmed as the new Harbormaster after the foul murder of Keltar Islaren. It also describes the controversy as Islarens's son Sandar was passed over for the position, in violation of aristocratic convention.
_You notice the article that has Annie so fascinated regards a man your clan has had extensive business dealing in town with.
_The article describes how the Dawn Council selected one Melchior Maeorgan, [pictured here] plantation owner, merchant factor and protoge of Lord Mayor Milton Drac, was confirmed as the new Harbormaster after the foul murder of Keltar Islaren. It also describes the controversy as Islarens's son Sandar was passed over for the position, in violation of aristocratic convention.
Survival
"We probably have the rest of the day before more them come by."
At the concealed trapdoor in the floor...
You feel a little draft coming up from the cracks in the trapdoor.
You can smell damp wood, burning whale oil, animal fur and the sea.
perception
It is also not locked or barred.
Annie swam up into conciousness. For a terrifying minute she was blind and deaf, but her visions soon cleared, and she realized she was lying on the ground staring up at a concerned Bryson. She blinked stupidly for a moment, then remembered her last thought before the colors overwhelmed her: the loan shark that took her home away as a child! Where was that?
Forgetting everything else in a frenzy to find the paper she'd seen before losing conciousness, Annie turned over and searched the debris on the floor for the paper. With a triumphant "Ah-HAH!" she found it and read the article. It wasn't surprising she hadn't heard of Melchior Maeorgan in Shandowshore - she and the other residents would have scant opportunity to run into a man like that - but having a name to put with the face was interesting.
She thought for a moment, staring blankly at the article. She'd been young when they'd been evicted - but old enough to know her mother hadn't been as careful with finances as she likely should have been. While she disliked the man - she couldn't even know for sure he'd done anything wrong. But...
With a start she felt a shadow loom over her and she turned and saw Dgrim scanning the article she was holding up with an interested look on his face. With an embarassed cough she waited for him to finish, then tucked the paper away in her belt. As she waited, she scanned the room.
"I don't know what happened," Annie admitted. "Is anyone hurt?" She looked at the items her friends were busiedly gathering from the thugs they'd defeated. The sap might be useful. "Could I take one of the saps?" she asked. "Do we see any signs of these Lotus people?"
And yes, if you look, all these guys except for the Taxidermist has the same Lotus Dragon tattoo on one shoulderblade.
I'll take 10 on Perception giving me a 25. Everyone can read the spoiler.
"Ah think there's at least one more way in by sea."
"Melchior Maeorgan..." Dgrim mumbles, going over to read the article in Annie's hand. He strokes his dense beard, with the tips of his forefinger and thumb, while reading. "I know this man! He's done business with my clan, several times before."
Annie turned to Dgrim with interest. "Really? What do you know of him? Has he generally been honest in his dealings?" Annie gestured toward the paper tucked in her belt. "It's odd he's been given the position of harbormaster - I'm wondering if there's something behind it..." Annie looked back at Bryson as he pointed out the trapdoor. "Ah...well...I guess we have more pressing matters to attend to."
Annie cast about for a small bauble to cast light on, and opted to snatch a copper coin from her own purse. She murmured a few words and gestured at the coin, and it began to glow faintly. "Just in case we need to see down there," she offered, then hid the coin in her shield hand. "Are we ready to go down and pay the Lotus Dragons below a visit?"
Dgrim racks his brain for what he remembers about Maeorgan...
Melchior Maeorgan was a somewhat chubby man, black hair and beard but otherwise ordinary of appearance.
He dressed a little beyond his means, almost dripping in unflattering jewelry.
He had shrewd, calculating eyes; it's like he assigned a price to everything he saw. You didn't feel safe around him.
He dealt with your uncle (the clan head) almost exclusively, because your aunt couldn't stand him and wouldn't socialize with him at all.
He was well connected in town, but not well known. He was a behind the scenes fixer.
The dealings were very profitable for the clan; He arranged purchase through your clan of an exotic clay from dwarfholds in the north.
He used it to make bricks at a brickhouse in the Sunrise district.
Bricks for that new lighthouse that Lord Mayor Drac is building.
Sealord Kellani was Maeorgan's particular patron.