"The church of Sivanah took me in when I wanted to leave, but it's too hard to find to send you there. Tell us where to find Lamm and how many more of his adult thugs he has, and once we've dealt with them, and him, I'll try to help you all get on your feet."
Diplomacy:
Lily gestures for the group to huddle.
"Hey, listen - maybe we should give these kids a gold piece or two each? There's only a few of them, and we just forcibly took 16 shiny coins from the dearly departed. It might help them to feel a bit less hopeless... Just a thought, really. Would anyone object?"
"Oh, and either of those westernmost doors is as good as the the other for going ahead. The other leads out to the wharf." She shrugs to indicate her indifference.
Kovellus shrugs.
I care not for the coin my lady. If it will get these brats away faster, so be it. However, we're losing precious time and any element of surprise.
Let's do what we came here to do...the big man says, a low growl issuing from his throat after the statement.
Kovellus moves to one of the westernmost doors, and waits for the party to come to him and ready themselves before attempting to kick it open.
Strength Check
Andrezi easily remembers the nearest Desnan temple, and after Lily tosses each of the children a gold coin the children make a beeline for the door that leads outside. At the door, the oldest turns and says, "Bless ye kind folk. We'll not forget this kindness. And, oh, if ye want to find Gaedran, his quarters are underneath the fishery here. Ye'll need to go through the boat anchored on the river. Best go outside and around the walkway, but mind yer footing. The boards are pretty weak through there. G'bye! And thanks again!" With that, the last of the children flees the fishery.
Kovellus's booted foot breaks the doorknob mechanism and sends the northernmost of the two western doors slamming open. On the other side lies a small corrider ending at a door, which after a cursory examination proves to lead to the front office.
Backtracking slightly, the group moves to the other door leading from the chum factory's floor, and finds it opens into a small office. A wooden desk sits in one corner of the room, its side preventing a door to the west from opening all the way. This western door leads back to the front office where the party entered. The table is heaped with dozens of slate boards covered with chalk scrawls, while to the east a cabinet slouches against the wall. To the south, a few moldy boards have been nailed over a door. Daylight seeps from under the southern door.
Hmm... Interesting. A boarded up door? My Lady, could you take a listen while I search through the room?
"Certainly, Kovellus." Lily presses her ear against the boarded-up door, straining to hear anything other than the expected sound of water.
Lily hears the sounds of the wharf and the river, remembering that she saw the other side of this door abutting the walkway that leads around the outside of the fishery out over the water.
No items of any value are found in the room, but the slate boards detailing what look to be legitimate business dealings. As far as can be made out, the fish slurry is sold for several purposes, including bait, fertilizer, or even as the main ingredient for a dish known as "dock-dumplings," a local favorite among poor stevedores and dock workers who can't afford a fresh fish fillet. It appears to be the office of the blonde, weaselly man, who by all accounts is named Yargin Balko if the name on the ledgers and invoices is to be trusted.
Lily nods briskly to her companions. "Alright, then. Let's go get him. But remember, we were warned about the boards. Keep an eye out with me when we get there, it'd be just my luck to miss a loose board and have someone take a swim."
Tosk, anxious to hide his emotional state from his party, barely stays his impulse to take the lead in the route to Lamm. However, Lily's reminder of the boards stays his feet; his armor would not help him where nimble motion was needed. Hopefully, he could point out any pitfalls to her with his racial night-sight.
Relucantly, but decidedly, he fell in behind her as they made their way to the villain.
As they're moving out, Cardon takes out his wand and caresses is. He practices all the incantations and motions for his acid darts, save for the last syllable, savouring the thought of firing off a gob of the caustic stuff right in the man's eyes. A delighted (and somewhat wicked) twinkle appears in his eyes.
After several tense moments filled with cracked boards, creaking timbers, and a shark spotted swimming through the scummy water below the group round the corner of the building on the walkway and follows it until it abuts next to an old rotted ship that barely stays afloat.
The rotten deck of the ancient barge seems to be barely intact, its hull worn and thick with seaweed and barnacles. The ship is held together primarily by the layers of old rope that lash it securely to the pilings that support the fishery and the boardwalk on which the party stands. A single wooden door leading into the aft cabin bears a crude painting of a red fish on its surface.
Faded letters on the side of the barge proclaim it to be the Kraken's Folly.
"Watch your step, assuming the rest of this boat is in as poor of condition as the deck. Kovellus, do want to get the door, or shall I?"
"Watch your step, assuming the rest of this boat is in as poor of condition as the deck. Kovellus, do want to get the door, or shall I?"
Perhaps some subtlety is in order this time. Go ahead...
Andrezi carefully moves over to the door and listens and searches for any sort of trap that might be there.
Perception (Listen):
Perception (Search):
If no trap is found and the door is unlocked, Andrezi will open the door and proceed in as quietly as possible
Stealth:
Channel energy the first:
Channel energy the second:
Channel energy the third:
Can Kovellus stand to remain down three so that I may save what are sure to be two absolutely massive final channels for the day?
Channel energy the first: 1d6
Channel energy the second: 1d6
Channel energy the third: 1d6Can Kovellus stand to remain down three so that I may save what are sure to be two absolutely massive final channels for the day?
Tosk enters behind Andrezi, not as quietly as he did. His darkvision gives the room a quick once-over as he regains his composure.
Andrezi gingerly steps onto the rotten wooden deck of the Kraken's Folly. No sooner do both of his feet touch the weathered boards when they suddenly give way!
Reflex Save:
Andrezi throws himself backwards, narrowly avoiding falling into the hold of the ship below.
Andrezi grabs a rotten piece of wood and casts Light on it, and moves to drop it into the hold, unless someone asks him not to.
Andrezi grabs a rotten piece of wood and casts Light on it, and moves to drop it into the hold, unless someone asks him not to.
Kovellus watches, mentally resolving to enter the hold rather than risking the rotten boards in his scale mail.
How's it looking, Andrezi?
Dark and dank, the ship's hold smells of mildew. Several barrels, crates, and other containers lie stacked here and there, and a shallow layer of river water has collected in puddles.
Kovellus takes a look, squinting...
Hard to see much down there... Lots of barrels and storage. Bit wet too. Certainly preferable to the rotten boards Andrezi nearly fell victim to...
Emyralda takes a peek into the hold, trying to see what Andrezi's spell will reveal.
"Wait a second. Did you hear that scratching sound coming from behind those crates?" she asks, pointing down into the hold.
Perception:
Cardon shakes his head. "I just hear lapping waves and creaking boards. This ship looks like it's ready to fall apart any second. Maybe we should just try to scuttle the thing and let Lamm drown in the river...not as satisfying, I suppose."
Perception: 1d20+5
Cardon shakes his head. "I just hear lapping waves and creaking boards. This ship looks like it's ready to fall apart any second. Maybe we should just try to scuttle the thing and let Lamm drown in the river...not as satisfying, I suppose."
No. He has a darker fate than that...
Few men who cannot swim choose to reside in a boat. We would lose our chance and he might slip away from us.
"Down in the hold! Those are the biggest spiders I've ever SEEN! Did anyone else see them scuttle away when Andrezi dropped that board?"
Lily looks uneasily at the door, and emits an audible *GULP*.
"Nonetheless, it looks as though the hold might be the safe way in. I'd wade through Hell itself to bring vengeance to Lamm, a few spiders aren't likely to stand in my way," she says, steeling her resolve.
"If Andrezi can light up a few of these arrows, I'll gladly provide cover from above, and light up the enemy in so doing. No pun intended," she snickers.
Perception:
"If Andrezi can light up a few of these arrows, I'll gladly provide cover from above, and light up the enemy in so doing. No pun intended," she snickers.
Andrezi sighs, as if pained by the pun
"How many would you like?"
Andrezi then begins casting Light on as many arrows as Lily would like, within reason of course...
Kovellus holds up his massive hammer expectantly, and asks Andrezi to light it. Assuming he does so, Kovellus leads the way into the hold.
Cardon can also cast light spells on people and gives himself a light spell.
"If we come upon a large group of guards, I might be able to use Sivanah's Veil to disguise myself as that gnome and go in among the guards warning them of adventurers attacking the fishery, draw them out for us. I don't have much other use for the spell."
"Four arrows should do nicely, thank you. If I'm up here any longer than that, I'll simply block the doorway... Lamm won't escape this way while I have anything to say about it."
After the Light spells have been cast, Lily takes a deep breath and fires an arrow into the hold, aiming where she last saw one of the skittering arachnids (or at one, if she can still see in the dim light provided by the plank).
"That should give you all some light, if nothing else."
Lily's arrow thunks into one of the barrels, illuminating the dark hold and casting the matted webbing that cases the walls in stark relief. Though she misses with her arrow, the sudden light causes the spiders to shriek in an eerie, human-like cry and scuttle up the walls towards the open hole in the deck.
1d20+4=24
1d20+1=20
1d20+1=16
1d20+1=13
1d20+3=10
1d20+2=6
Round 1:
Attack with bladed scarf, readied for when the first spider comes within 10' reach: . Then he will add a 5' step to behind somebody else at the end of his readied action.
Kovellus eyes his giant hammer as he watches the spiders surge towards him, wondering if he has the right 'tool for the job'.
Ah well... he thinks to himself, as he brings the massive weapon down onto the spiders with all the force he can muster, in a heavy overhand swing.
Round One:
"Spiders!? Why did it have to be spiders!?" Emyralda thinks to herself, shuddering in revulsion. The young Varisian girl shouts a mystical word and points at one of the ascending arachnids, sending a small orb of acid toward its bloated body.
Ranged Touch Attack:
Damage:
Emyralda's orb of acid strikes true, splattering on the spider and quickly destroying it in a splash of acrid liquid and pale ichor. Cardon, Kovellus and Tosk ready their weapons and prepare to strike the oncoming creatures.
Kovellus and Tosk easily smash the vermin approaching them, leaving the remaining one approaching Andrezi. Cardon snaps his scarf in the direction of the final spider, but his attack misses by several feet and nearly gives Emyralda an unwanted haircut.
The remaining spider moves to sink his dripping mandibles in Andrezi's leg, but the Varisian is too swift.
Clearly disturbed by spiders of this size, Andrezi slashes at the beast's side with his blade.
Attack (Shortsword):
Damage: