rockdeworld
 
 Spoiler: Interlinking Threads 
Recruitment thread:  https://forums.giantitp.com/showthre...om-levels-1-20 

OOC thread:  https://forums.giantitp.com/showthre...de-OOC-Group-A 

Dice rolls thread:  https://forums.giantitp.com/showthre...-Rolls-Group-A 
 

   
Vanderboren Manor is located in the eastern section of the Merchant District. The seven-foot-high stone wall that surrounds the estate is impossible to miss, as is the towering, gothic, three-story house that dominates the grounds within. Leering gargoyles and capering nymphs festoon the eaves of the manor's roof, and several trees give the manor grounds a nice buffer from the bustle of the city.

 
 Spoiler: Merchant district map 
 
 


The front gates have been left open, you've knocked on the front doors, and been led into the atrium by a wizened halfling woman.

"Thank you all for coming." She says with an old but lively smile. "I am Kora Whistlegap, the caretaker of the Vanderboren manor. I will inform Lady Vanderboren of your arrival, and she shall see you shortly."

As soon as she steps through a door to what looks like a dining hall at a glance, four figures emerge and head toward you. They include a jaunty male half-elf dressed in leather armor and armed with a half-dozen daggers of different shapes, a dark-skinned dwarf with a sour expression dressed in green and brown robes and clutching a large curved spear, an attractive but haughty-looking woman dressed in dark purple robes and with a tattoo of a crescent moon on one cheek, and lastly a tall and handsome man dressed in polished breastplate carrying a bastard sword.

"Ho there!" Says the man. "I am Tolin Kientai, and this is Zan Oldavin-" he gestures to the half-elf, "Kaskus Kiel-" this time to the dwarf, "and Liamae Telikaria." This last gesture is to the haughty-looking woman. He glances at each of you, apparently sizing you up, then continues.

"You must be the help Lavinia's bringing in to do the chores. Best of luck to ya! I'd love to stop and chat, but we've got our own task and must be on our way."

So saying, and with a wave, his group walks past you and out the front door.

Then the door to the dining hall opens again, and Kora ushers you inside.

The dining hall is comfortable and cozy, soft lit by wall-mounted lanterns. A window overlooks the manor's central courtyard and the carpet is thick and soft. A large portrait hangs on the wall, a fine work depicting a handsome young man with a short beard. Standing before the portrait is an attractive human woman wearing a long, flowing blue dress. She smiles at you as you enter, but her eyes give you the impression that she, just as Talin did, is sizing you up.

 

"Welcome. I am Lavinia Vanderboren, and I am pleased to see you accepted my invitation."

The lady has a way of talking that is neither slow nor rushed, as though she has complete confidence that her words are worth hearing.

"As you may have heard, I recently inherited my parents' estate. Along with this fine house, unfortunately, came a fine amount of debt owed the Dawn Council, the harbormaster, and quite a few guildhalls. It seems my parents, for all their success as adventurers, were not as skilled at finance as one might expect. If I'm to get these taxes paid, I'll need to access my family's vault under Castle Teraknian.

"And that's the problem, you see. The vaults are magically locked - keyed to special signet rings. Both of my parents had these rings, at least, until recently. My mother lost hers a few months ago. She arranged for a replacement, but it won't be done for another month or so - too late for me. Which leaves my father's ring. He never wore it. He kept it hidden somewhere on his ship, the Blue Nixie.

"The problem is that the harbormaster's seized the ship until someone pays for the last four months of mooring. I've paid the fines to the man the harbormaster's put in charge of my ship, a brute named Soller Vark. Yet when I went to claim my ship, Vark's men wouldn't let me board, claiming that I hadn't yet paid the fines. I spoke to Vark again and he denied ever receiving my payment. My complains to the harbormaster have fallen on deaf ears - he's a doddering old fool who trusts his men and won't relent.

"I suspect Vark and his men are up to something on my ship. What I need is to find out exactly what it is. Unfortunately, Vark's not the type ot react well to diplomacy or logic. I need someone who speaks his language... which is where you come in. If you can find out what he's using my ship for, or even better, recover the money I paid him, I'll pay each of you 200 gold in return once I've access to my vault."
JNAProductions
 "Thank you for asking us, Lady Vanderboren,"  Lonnie replies, a small smile on her face.  "I'm sure we will prove ourselves every bit as competent as you hope,"  she adds with blind optimism in her new companions.

She turns to face the group alongside the lady and introduces herself.  "I am Lonnie, from the temple of valor. I might not be the best in combat, but I can keep everyone up and fighting. My skills are primarily in the healing arts, unless we happen to run into any undead or fire creatures." 
 
 Spoiler: OOC 
I've got the following general abilities:

Two casts of  Vigor , Persisted. So that's 24 hours of Fast Healing 1, that works even at 0 HP.
Beyond that, I've got one other first level slot (Domain, so  Chill Touch ) and 3 uses remaining each of Turn Undead and Turn Fire Creatures.

As for actual proper fighting... Hoo boy, I ain't so hot there. I'll be BACKLINE, thank you very much!
 
Yas392
  "So, you want us to kick their asses and nab info on their operation? That is something we can do, lady!"  

Slick smirks and he points at himself.

  "The name's Slick. Good at being a major pain in the ass, unlocking your paths and whatever that is locked, sneaking."  
Metastachydium
Daar ambles through the house, making sure to stare at everything at length, forget the weird and complicated names of the five people they pass en route immediately and try not to think too much about how she might be ruining those funny carpets just by way of stepping onto them. The lady herself receives a bow she thinks should count as formal, as well as the same attention the statues earlier got. Daar has only ever seen someone so rich once or twice (not counting some of the merchants, but it's not like those are nobility!) and she's saying the kind of things that catch the ear. She has to stop herself from rising to an excited tiptoe when sig-net rings are mentioned, which proves to be a good thing, because these turn out to not be in the water. But a ship in the harbour is close enough; she'll take that.

Another detail that stands out is the offered the recompense. Mustering all the focus she has in store, she tries to figure out how much that even is, actually, beyond being  a lot , but she has to give up. It really  is  a lot. And so she just nods, as though she fully grasped it.   I like ships. I'm happy to help!   she smiles ta the lady dreamily.  I'm Daar, by the way.  she adds for the benefit of the other three, then.   I swim! But the Lady…   with the very long name; the sentence is left to hang in the air for a moment.  …probably already knows that. I think. 
 
 Spoiler: OOC 

I decided Daar has a horrible name memory.
 
Canuberon
Elara makes a little bow and speaks clearly:   Thanks for having us Lady Vanderboren, we'll perform this task as quick and able as possible.  

Turning to the rest of the companions she continues  Pleased to make your aquintance. Lonnie, Slick, Daar.   she nods courteously as she greets each by name.
razorfloss
Ali bows  Greetings lady Vanderboren. My condolences about your family It's never easy to lose family but we will get this solved for you. If You don't mind can you remember anything that might have stood about the harbor master when you went to pay him? Anything you remember could help us solve this  Muttering to himself  Well well sounds like the Vanderboren family has had some finical problems this is an amazing opportunity 
JNAProductions
Looking to the others entirely now, Lonnie says  "If we're going to be fighting together, we should figure out what'd work best. Who fights in front, who sticks to the back, all that." 
 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Whoever wants to be tanky up front can get a  Vigor . Keep our front line intact.
 
rockdeworld
Lavinia smiles in soft amusement at the party's jokes, then looks at Ali.

"I can tell you this: the Blue Nixie should be docked at pier five here in the Merchant District, but it is instead moored to a float about 100 feet from the pier's end."
Yas392
Slick keeps smirking.

  "Front for me. I can act as doorman or meat shield, but I am better off as co-doormen with another meatshield. I am, after all, doing the distracting as well being in their faces with my knife."  

He turns to Lavinia.

  "Do you know how many men Vark has?"  
Metastachydium
  Ah. Sorry for your… The… That.   Daar interjects somewhat flustered when Ali's comment reminds her the lady just told them about a string of deaths in the family. Maybe she's part Darfellan, taking it so easily. Daar wonders if it was sharks.

Thankfully, though, Lonnie and the lady are quick to plow past the issue, and she lets the stream of the conversation carry her along.   Off the pier? That's also good. Do you swim?   she asks the others.   I swim!   it's nice that people keep paying other people for swimming.   And I can take punches to the face, if you don't want to.   she helpfully offers.   Though I'd rather there weren't too much punching. So, good question, with the harbour guy's people. Are they the scaredy sort? A lot of sailors are afraid of water, it's so weird.   she remembers to add a little commentary of her own. People truly are weird, she muses internally: the sea is the best of things. But if there's many harbour people, scaredy harbour people are better than confident harbour people.
JNAProductions
 "If you two are going to be our front line, I can cast a spell now that will keep you hale and hearty all day,"  Lonnie says.  "As for swimming... I'm not worse at it than I am other athletic activities, but I'm not  good  at it." 
razorfloss
  The back all the way in the back. I'm good with a bow and if the situation calls for it,    He shudders as he says this   I can fight with a short sword although I very much prefer not to. Fighting in the front is very much not my idea of a good time. I'm also a decent scout  
Yas392
  "I swim so that I don't sink. It is rather fun when swimming from the sharks though I almost died from it."  

Slick winks at Darr, incisors showing baring his excitement.

  "Welcome, Partner. We are going to have fun times pissing off those who stand in our way."  

He shifts his head slightly to Lonnie, whistling.

  "Self-Heal? Nice. That way we don't have to repot ourselves or keep coming to you."  

Slick returns back to Lavinia, awaiting her answer.
rockdeworld
 
 Originally Posted by Yas392 
   "Do you know how many men Vark has?"   
 

"I counted 3 on deck, but I wouldn't be surprised if there were below." She answers.

 
 Originally Posted by Metastachydium 
   So, good question, with the harbour guy's people. Are they the scaredy sort? A lot of sailors are afraid of water, it's so weird.   
 

"I couldn't say. Aside from Vark, I didn't have the chance to talk to any of them."
 
 Spoiler: OOC 
So you're familiar with One Piece... 😏
 
JNAProductions
Lonnie approaches the two beefcakes of Slick and Daar are, and motions for them to receive a blessing. She incants a short prayer and touches Daar first, then Slick. They feel a brief burst of positive energy that settles in their chests, thumping through their veins along with the beat of their hearts.  "Let's hope that's enough." 
 
 Spoiler: OOC 
For the next 24 hours, Slick and Daar heal 1 HP at the start of each of their turns. If at 0 or below, you automatically stabilize and continue to heal till you get to 1 or more.
 
Yas392
  "Three, huh? That is a great number for an endurance test. One way to find out if those flunkies are water-adverse is to toss them into the sea and see if they scream."  

The cleric hovers a hand over him. Golden light emits from her hands and absorbs into him.

  "Thanks, Lonnie."  

Slick beams at her before pausing.

  "Vark, hmm..."  
 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Knowledge (Local) roll on Vark in roll thread. Writing in third person objective so no inner thoughts. More of a show, don't tell kind of narrative.
 
razorfloss
 Hmm the Blue Nixie ehh The stories that ship could tell. Shes a buet. Hmmm    he rubs his chin as he thinks   When you went to pay the harbor master did you have anyone with you or better yet a neutral third party witness the payment being paid? Also, assuming that we can't talk this out or sneak our way aboard how do you want us to deal with the prick?  
Metastachydium
 
 Originally Posted by Yas392 
   "I swim so that I don't sink. It is rather fun when swimming from the sharks though I almost died from it."  

Slick winks at Darr, incisors showing baring his excitement.

  "Welcome, Partner. We are going to have fun times pissing off those who stand in our way."   
 

  Sharks are bad!   Daar nods sagely and with more seriosity than she thus far appeared to have in her. She's not quite sure if Slick meant pissing off people's fun or  as fun as sharks , and she thought  they  were going to stand in other people's way so other people don't punch Lonnie and Ali and the wizard with a slightly longer name, but that bit gets a somewhat more ambivalent nod of its own.



 
 Originally Posted by JNAProductions 
 Lonnie approaches the two beefcakes of Slick and Daar are, and motions for them to receive a blessing. She incants a short prayer and touches Daar first, then Slick. They feel a brief burst of positive energy that settles in their chests, thumping through their veins along with the beat of their hearts.  "Let's hope that's enough."  
 

Even then, getting not-healed (healed in advance?) is certainly a welcome development as far as she's concerned; it's very clearly a good thing, at least.   That feels warm!   she comments. Warm's a good thing. And maybe it can even help with what happens to her muscles if she spends the whole day in the water busy. Who knows.


 
 Originally Posted by Yas392 
   "Three, huh? That is a great number for an endurance test. One way to find out if those flunkies are water-adverse is to toss them into the sea and see if they scream."  

Slick beams at her before pausing. 
 

  And that's a good idea!   she adds, with much more enthusiastic nodding. Worst case, she can always fish them out afterwards.
rockdeworld
 
 Originally Posted by Yas392 
   "Vark, hmm..."   
 

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
I dig it. Also I see I was unclear - please link your dice roll posts in this thread so I can click the link to check the roll. I saw this one was 19 though, so that's just next time.
 

Despite Slick knowing quite a bit about the area, nothing about Vark in particular comes to mind. It seems he has no reputation to speak of.

 
 Originally Posted by razorfloss 
   When you went to pay the harbor master did you have anyone with you or better yet a neutral third party witness the payment being paid? Also, assuming that we can't talk this out or sneak our way aboard how do you want us to deal with the prick?   
 

Lavinia raises an eyebrow. At her gesture, Kora brings her a hand-sized case, from which Lavinia draws out a cigar. She trims the tip, giving Kora time to put away the case and draw out a lit match, holding it for Lavinia. Lavinia puffs, then continues.

"Allow me to give you more details. I went alone to pay the harbormaster's fines. I... admit it was foolish, in hindsight. The harbormaster, Lord Islaran, is a dedicated man, and I thought nothing of handing the money over to his dock hand. But it seems poor health and high standards have left him with little in the way of legitimate help. As I understand it, they have had their hands full keeping the city harbor under control, and have been forced to hire out for certain tasks. Men like Sollar Vark are the result. I gave him 100 platinum to cover the fines before I knew his true nature, and only learned my mistaken when I returned. He is a base thief, and I could care less what happens to him. Lord Islaran can always find more help like him. I just need my parent's ship - that is, my ship back."
Yas392
  "Nothing comes to mind what we don't already know although it is nice to have more information."  

Slick stands up from the cozy cushion he is sitting.

  "Let's get this show on the road before these swindlers get away with their crimes. See you when we are done, Lady Lavinia."  

He waves at his employer and exits the dining room.
Metastachydium
Being near the water is always better than not being near the water. Unless one gets to be  in  the water, but that's a likely outcome of getting near the water the way they are to now.   Because we'll do this!   she says, ad though Slick's  when  needed to be more explicit, backing out of the room trying not to bump into anything. That's much easier under water too, now that she thinks about it.
rockdeworld
 
 Spoiler: The Blue Nixie's dock 
 
 


Through Lavinia's help or their own local intelligence, the group finds their way to pier 5. In the light of day, men and women move about the harbor - some hard at work loading and unloading shipping supplies, others simply passing through. Thanks to the hustle and bustle, the group is able to approach the harbor without drawing attention.

Alas, as Lavinia said, the impounded ship floats about 100 feet form the pier's end. And there are indeed 3 people on deck, though Vark is nowhere to be seen.

The pier itself holds several smaller boats that sailors might use to commute to larger ships in just such a situation.
Yas392
Slick stretches his head sideways so that his ears are closer to the three men while being unnoticed.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
 Listen (Take 20) to listen to any useful information leaking from those three men  - 25
 
JNAProductions
Lonnie sticks in the middle of the group. She's excited and nervous, the feelings plainly written on her face.
Metastachydium
Perfectly oblivious of Lonnie's assorted plights, entirely unsure why exactly Slick would do all the weird nec-twisting and very fine with someone else devising a plan in her stead, Daar just silently half-lowers herself in the water, letting her elbows carry whatever weight the water won't yet lift for her and waits. If anyone, she's got time this once; by the time the others'd board a boat, she can just close the distance and pop up past the Nixie, no effort involved.
rockdeworld
The three men seem mostly to be standing watch on different areas of the ship, but occasionally do pass each other and talk.

Despite the general bustle of people moving around the docks, Slick is able to hear talk about exotic animals below deck, and a job later tonight.
razorfloss
Looking around Ali keeps his head on a subtle swivel keeping an eye out for any sailors that seem drunk and look like they are about to pass out or other sailors who look like won't be missed.
Yas392
In conjunction to leaning his ears sideways, Slick also surveys the men on the ship with careful eyes.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
 Spot (Take 20) for patterns of patrols/watches, weapons and weaknesses  - 25
 
rockdeworld
 
 Originally Posted by razorfloss 
 Looking around Ali keeps his head on a subtle swivel keeping an eye out for any sailors that seem drunk and look like they are about to pass out or other sailors who look like won't be missed. 
 

It appears all the sailors are sober enough, but they aren't watching all sides of the ship. The party could climb it unseen, provided they could get to it without being spotted.

 
 Originally Posted by Yas392 
 In conjunction to leaning his ears sideways, Slick also surveys the men on the ship with careful eyes.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
 Spot (Take 20) for patterns of patrols/watches, weapons and weaknesses  - 25
 
 
 

Slick can see light crossbows and rapiers on each of the men. No obvious weaknesses, but their patrol is lacking.
Yas392
  "Animal smuggling using someone's ship. What a naughty boy. Let's ruin Vark's operation before he damages Lady Lavinia's reputation."  

Slick tilts his head, closing his eyes, planting his cheek onto a fisted hand. He opens his eyes after a brief pause and faces the party.

  "Me and Daar will sneak up on them by swimming underwater, searching for an opening we can slip in or climbing up the hull to surprise while the rest of you move to attack them when we attack them which is the signal. How's that for a plan? If anyone wants to revise or make adjustments to it, feel free. I am itching to jump right into the action."  
Metastachydium
Daar slides into the water fully, only to emerge the same instant, now facing the shore and beaming at Slick like a child who's just been treated to some sweets.   Meet me under the thing, or should we stick together while under?   she asks, her full assent to the plan quite plainly clear.   I'll…  See  you the whole time either way if you don't stray  very  far.  
Yas392
  "Together."  

Slick submerges himself near the barbarian.
rockdeworld
Staying together, Daar and Slick take a few rounds to get to the ship, staying well below the surface to avoid detection. When they arrive, they're able to climb up the side. Slick slips and almost falls, but they make it without being spotted by any of the crew.

 
 Spoiler: The Blue Nixie 
I took the liberty of having yall climb it and rolled for you, but yall are free to decide what to do from here. There's one sailor each on B1, B2, and B3, and Slick and Daar are currently looking over the railing of B1.
 
 
Yas392
Slick unsheathes his cold iron dagger. He whispers to Daar to flank or attack from the side by the guard on their level by surprise once he ambushed the patrol. Once Daar is in a clear position to charge and in position, Slick maneuvers through the covers to avoid the vision of the guards above and attacks the guard.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Attempt to sneak up to the guard for surprise round which his attack will follow through.

 LINK  to the post with rolls for surprise round.
 
Metastachydium
Hanging rather low and letting Slick do most of the work it takes to assess the ship's defenses, Daar nods, nods again and pulls her feet high up, bracing herself against the side of the vessel in an odd crouch of sorts, ready to propel herself over the side at whoever's going to have Slick's attention first. She doesn't bother with drawing a weapon; the spear would mostly just be in the way, and it's not like she doesn't have a perfectly good set of teeth if it comes to that.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 

An Initiative of  0   has been rolled in the Dice Thread !
 
rockdeworld
 
 Spoiler: Combat 
0 initiative - ouch. With an initiative of 4, Ali will go second.

 

Slick sneaks up to the sailor on B2.

Ali succesfully flanks the sailor.

Daar remains hidden behind the wall.

Surprise round:

Slick attacks the sailor. 18 (24) hits for 3 damage.

Ali attacks the sailor. 16 (20) hits for 5 damage. The sailor is staggered.

Seeing no way to escape, the sailor drops to the deck and puts his hands together behind his head.

"Please spare me!" He cries, lying face down.

Daar climbs up onto the deck.

Round 1:

Slick moves down the stairs to B1 and takes cover behind the boat. Hide: 11 (16)

"We're under attack!" The sailor on B3 calls. He has turned around and seen his comrade. He pulls out a light crossbow and fires at Ali, but misses.

The sailor on B1 pulls out a crossbow and fires at Ali, who has partial cover. He misses.

Ali runs up to the B1 Sailor. As they pass the holes leading into the hold, they spot two dozen cages of sickly exotic animals here, and another sailor standing guard over them. The sailor locks eyes with him, and draws her rapier, but doesn't move.

Daar is too far away to charge so runs across to the B3 sailor.

Round 2:

With her allies' cover blown, Lonnie grabs a boat to approach the ship, intending to contribute via crossbow if nothing else.

Slick charges the sailor on B1. 5 (9) misses.

The B3 sailor drops his crossbow to draw his rapier. He attacks Daar, but misses.

The door behind Slick bursts open and two sailors rush out brandishing light crossbows.

The sailor in front of Slick and Ali drops his crossbow to draw his rapier. He attacks Slick, but misses.

Ali 5' steps to flank and attacks the sailor. 14 (18) hits for 2 damage.

Daar draws his spear and stabs at the sailor in front of him. 4 (10) misses.

Round 3:

Lonnie approaches 30'.

Slick attacks the sailor in front of him. 3 (9) misses.

The B3 sailor attacks Daar, and almost hits a critical spot, but barely misses. They hit for 6 damage. (Daar 6 HP)

Sailor 3 fires at Slick and hits for 3 damage (Slick 5 HP).

Sailor 4 fires at Ali but misses.

"I'm not getting paid enough for this!" The sailor between the two adventurers says. He drops his weapon and dives over the side. Slick could take an attack of opportunity, but decides to save it. The sailor begins swimming for shore.

Ali charges the sailor that hit them. 6 (10) misses.

Daar heals 1 (7 HP), and attacks the B3 sailor with his spear. 14 (20) hits for 5 (12) damage. The sailor drops. Daar begins moving back to the B1 deck.

Round 4:

Lonnie approaches 30' (40' away).

Slick heals 1 (6 HP) moves up to sailor 3 since he is unable to flank. He attacks 18 (20) and deals 3 damage.

Vark and a female sailor burst out the same door as the previous two, both weilding light crossbows.

"I'm not getting paid enough for this either!" Sailor 3 shouts. He drops his weapons and throws himself over the side of the ship as well.

Sailor 4 drops his crossbow to draw his rapier. He attacks Ali, but critically misses.

Daar heals 1 (8 HP), then charges sailor 4. 8 (16) hits for 13 damage. The sailor drops.

Round 5:

Lonnie approaches 30' (10' away).

Slick heals 1 (7 HP), then moves between the one remaining sailor and the stairs, setting up a potential flank. He attacks 8 (10), but misses.

Vark pales at the sight of the battle turning against his crew. He shrieks a command.

"Burn them! Burn them all!"

Vark drops his crossbow and draws a masterwork rapier. He 5' steps toward Ali and attacks. He hits for 4 damage (Ali 6 HP)

The sailor drops her crossbow to draw her rapier. She attacks Slick, but misses.

Ali attacks Vark. 5 (7) misses.

Daar heals 1 (9 HP), then 5' steps beside Vark and stabs with his spear. 3 (9) misses. He follows up with a bite. 8 (9) misses.

Round 6:

Lonnie reaches the boat and climbs up. She gains initiative 8 (7).

Slick heals 1 (8 HP). Now flanking the sailor, he attacks. 17 (23) hits for 4 damage.

Vark attacks Ali again. He hits for 7 damage (Ali -1 HP). Ali drops and begins bleeding.

"Vark, I'm sorry!" The sailor cries. She drops her weapons and jumps overboard.

Daar heals 1 (11 HP), then 5' steps over Ali's body and attacks Vark. 5 (11) misses, but 17 (18) hits for 6 (8) damage.

Ali stabilizes.

Smoke begins to rise from the hold. The sound of shrieking monkeys nad parrts wells up from teh hold below.

Round 7:

Slick flanks Vark and attacks. 1 critical miss.

Vark turns to his new foe and attacks Daar. He hits for 5 damage (Daar 6 HP).

Lonnie draws her crossbow and fires on Vark. 6 (5) misses.

Daar attacks. 2 (10) misses. 17 (20) hits for 5 damage.

Round 8:

Slick attacks. 18 (24) hits for 3 damage.

 
 


Vark, having multiple wounds, has had enough. He eyes the side of the ship, but knows he can't escape from his position. He throws down his weapons and begs for his life.

"I'm sorry!" He cries. "Please spare me. This is just a job for me!"
Yas392
  "You have to answer for your crimes. I think someone is very thrilled to interrogate you."  

Slick knocks the ringleader and the remaining sailor unconscious.

  "Lonnie, can you patch up Ali? He took a nasty blow on the side."  

The acrobat strips the beggars of all possessions and ties them up. He rounds them up and gathers up the weapons on the floor left by his underlings, handing it to Daar to burden.

  "What do you know? Looks like some of the mutinous flunkies have the balls to abandon ship and jump into the water when it comes to their lives. There's your answer which seadogs are pussycats, Daar. Now, let's give the ship a checkup for stragglers, anything important we missed and deal with loose ends before we report back to the Lady that we secured her ship."  

Slick opens a door and begins to walk inside.
JNAProductions
 
 Spoiler: OOC 
I helped! :P
 

 "Right away!"  Lonnie says, and channels her domain power into a healing spell.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Casting  Cure Light Wounds  on Ali, using my last slot for the day.  Rolled max ! 9 HP healed.
 


She looks a little sheepish as she helps Ali to his feet.  "I'm sorry I didn't do more,"  she says.  "I hope the spells I cast earlier were useful." 
Metastachydium
Lonnie gets an appreciative, silent tap on the shoulder. Whatever the warm magic something she did was, it sure helped a lot. Daar is still too busy chuckling at Slick's comment to make the sentiment more explicit, however, for the moment.   Worked great!   she tells the healer (and everyone else, for that matter), at last.   Is there a fire, though? Should we do something about that? Or should I  go  after them?   she motions towards the open water with the "pussycats" still somewhere in it, presumably.   Y sh-d w-sh th-s ff,   she bares her no quite bloody teeth for a moment   maybe anyhow. Blood tastes funny.   she explains. The sea is rather good for that, in her experience.
rockdeworld
The one remaining conscious sailor puts up no resistance as Slick ties him up.

From the sailors, Slick gets: 3x leather armor, 3x buckler, 6x rapier, 6x light crossbow, 20 bolts, and 15 gp.

Vark turns out to have a masterwork rapier, a light crossbow with 10 bolts, masterwork studded leather, a masterwork buckler, an earring worth 50 gp, a silver ring worth 25 gp, and 2 elixirs of swimming.

The door Slick enters turns out to be to a wardroom, and he spies through open doors an officer's quarters and captain's quarters.

Ali regains his feet and thanks Lonnie for her healing.

Just then, a terrific crash followed by woman's high-pitched scream flies out of the hold. Then a strange, shrill keening. Those on deck see cages on fire below, and a strange monster biting in half the sailor who stayed below deck.

Despite their knowledges, no one recognizes the spider-like creature. It's dark brown with yellow stripes, with furred and spindly legs. The front pair of its ten legs are clamped onto the woman, flat discs against her body. And its head is horrifically oversized, dominated by immense mandibles that clatter and clack.

It tosses the woman aside like a rag doll, then begins on the cages as though enraged.
JNAProductions
Lonnie has a moment of shock, staring at the creature. When she recovers her wherewithal, she's still at a loss of what she can do-out of spells, save for the most basic, and hardly equipped to fight some monster like that.

Making a snap decision, she bends next to the tied sailor, frantically undoing the knots binding him.  "Just get out of here!"  she says.  "We'll do what we can to fight back, but I don't know what all we can do!" 
Yas392
Slick chuckles.

  "Daar, you had to jinx it."  

Slick moves to peer at the spider thing and steps back.

  "Woah, that is one ugly vermin. Out of the frying pan and into the fire. Let's stop it before it destroys the ship. Plan's the same. We, frontliners, distract and fight it in melee, those on the rear back us up."  

Dagger in hand, he jumps into the fight.
Metastachydium
  That's bad.   Daar expertly summarizes Slick's conclusion. She's not sure why he finds this so funny, but it  does  seem like the current coating of her teeth is their smallest problem. Slick's very much on point, even. There really  is  a fire now. But he goes in, so she goes in, as does her vague bad feeling about this.
rockdeworld
While Slick, Daar, and Ali jump down into the hold, Lonnie and Elara determine they can contribute just as much looking down from above.

As the group drops down, the monster focuses on them. The front pair of its legs rear up threateningly, their tips flattening into terrible discs studded with dozens of hooked suckers.

 
 Spoiler: Combat 
Round 1

Elara casts Enlarge Person on Daar.

Lonnie fires her crossbow. 20 (19) - critical threat - 15 (14) - critical hit for 2+1 (3) damage.

Big as she is, Daar can't reach the monster with a 5' step, so charges. 9 (17) hits for 7 (16) damage.

Ali moves in and punches the beast. 14 (16) hits for 5 damage. The beast collapses.

The start and end were almost the same, so one picture this time:
 
 

Despite its appearance, the party was able to make short work of the creature.

Now the only problem is the fire. Luckily, the ship is properly equipped and the party is able to put out the fire (and save some of the animals).
Yas392
  "Well, well, that is quick. Fuzzy is not much of a threat after all and the ship is equipped for dousing fire."  

Slick cleans his dagger.

  "As we were rudely interrupted by an unexpected spider before we can do what we previously planned, let's search for loot, find and round up cowering sailors we can find, find Lady Lavinia's stolen gold and ring before some of us report back to her. We'll need to leave some of us guard dogs on the ship to prove that we secure our objective when we lead our boss woman here."  
 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Search for loot and cowering sailors, check all rooms for ring, stolen gold, anything noteworthy.

 Spot (Take 20)  - 25

 Listen (Take 20)  - 25
 
Metastachydium
Pleased at first weith getting all big, and especially with not being bitten in half by "Fuzzy" or being on fire, Daar nods along until Slick gets to the part with  report back . It's not that she wouldn't volunteer to stay anyhow, but, rather…   Hey…   she looks at the Wizard (what was her name again? Something with an  E …)   How do I get  out of  the hold now?  
 
 Spoiler: OOC 

Daar's perception-related abilities are still abysmal (khm, unless we sink the ship, khm), so she'll just busy herself mulling this for now.
 
JNAProductions
 "The spell is dismissible, I believe,"  Lonnie says.  "So as long as we're not in any more danger..."  she waits a few beats, allowing any  other  menacing monsters to rear their heads,  "Elara can simply let the spell go." 
 
 Spoiler: OOC 
I have +4 to Spellcraft and Knowledge Arcana. Taking 10 would be a 14, which I believe is enough to know about a 1st level spell.

If it's not, lemme know, DM.
 
rockdeworld
 
 Spoiler: The Blue Nixie 
 
B1: Main Deck
B2: Quarterdeck
B3: Forecastle
B4: Sail Locker
B5: Chain Locker
B6: Wardroom
B7: Officer's Quarters
B8: Captain's Quarters
B9: Galley - Contains a small stove and storage for all kinds of foodstuffs.
B10: Hold - Contains a bit under two dozen cages of sickly exotic animals.
B11: Crew Quarters
B12: Brig
B13: Bilge Access
 

Slick's search of the captain's quarters uncovers a large trunk, within which is a leather pouch of 100 pp - Lavinia's missing payment to the harbormaster. Lavinia's father's signet ring is hidden in the headboard of the captain's bunk, in a secret panel. A scrap of rolled-up parchment has been threaded through the ring.

 
 Spoiler: The scrap of rolled-up parchment 
 
 

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
For recapturing the Blue Nixie and finding the ring, the party gets 330 XP each!
 
Yas392
  "We can distribute the loot sans key items later. But first..."  

Slick copies the message to another parchment and pockets it then takes the signet ring, scroll and leather pouch.

  "I'll report back to Lavinia and act as proxy for our group while the rest of us guard the ship and animals. If anyone wants to be another proxy, say so now. Let's keep it to a 3:2 ratio in terms of people guarding the ship to people going on behalf of the group to report to Lavinia."  

Once it is decided, Slick skips to the mission with whoever decided to accompany him to act as representative of the party to the manse. After being granted audience with Lady Lavinia again, he waves at the noblewoman.

  "Hey, Lady Lavinia. We secured your ship and got your items back."  

Slick hands over the key items (original scroll, leather pouch and father's signet ring) to her.

  "We found out what the unruly sorts were doing. They were smuggling animals on board your ship to somewhere. We captured them for interrogation if you want more info. Some of us remained back on the ship to guard it until you return to reclaim it. If you want to see proof of our words, you might want to come with us to the Blue Nixie with some of your peeps to take over my companions' roles. They have limits on how long they can play sentries."  
Canuberon
 
 Originally Posted by Metastachydium 
   How do I get  out of  the hold now?   
 

  Elara was it. And I'll let it go, not that it would last very long.  

Nodding to Slick
  Sure, go warn her. We'll wait here.  
Metastachydium
   Elara .   Daar repeats it before she'd forget. She'll really have to try and  not  do that.   And thank you!   she adds with a sigh of relief.   Would've been weird to stay like that.   Leaving the hold now that she's sure she's able to, she walks over to the edge of the ship and looks down into the water.   Will stay  here , though!   she informs Slick. The closer to the water, the better.   Be safe, get back fast!   With the money.  All  that money. Being rich is bound to feel nice.
JNAProductions
 
 Originally Posted by Yas392 
   "We can distribute the loot sans key items later. But first..."  

Slick copies the message to another parchment and pockets it then takes the signet ring, scroll and leather pouch.

  "I'll report back to Lavinia and act as proxy for our group while the rest of us guard the ship and animals. If anyone wants to be another proxy, say so now. Let's keep it to a 3:2 ratio in terms of people guarding the ship to people going on behalf of the group to report to Lavinia."  

Once it is decided, Slick skips to the mission with whoever decided to accompany him to act as representative of the party to the manse. After being granted audience with Lady Lavinia again, he waves at the noblewoman.

  "Hey, Lady Lavinia. We secured your ship and got your items back."  

Slick hands over the key items (original scroll, leather pouch and father's signet ring) to her.

  "We found out what the unruly sorts were doing. They were smuggling animals on board your ship to somewhere. We captured them for interrogation if you want more info. Some of us remained back on the ship to guard it until you return to reclaim it. If you want to see proof of our words, you might want to come with us to the Blue Nixie with some of your peeps to take over my companions' roles. They have limits on how long they can play sentries."   
 

Lonnie volunteers to go with.  "I'm pretty much spent, so I shouldn't stay where it might get dangerous." 

In the manor, she lets Slick do most of the talking.  "Good luck for yourself and your people in the future,"  she does add to Lady Lavinia at the end.
rockdeworld
From the last sailor's body in the hold, the party finds leather armor, a buckler, a rapier, a light crossbow with 10 bolts, and 5 gp.

---

Slick and Lonnie find Lavinia once again in her dining hall, though rather than dining, she's puffing a cigar while looking at the painting on the wall. When they enter, she turns and her jaw relaxes on seeing them. And after getting their report (and the items from Slick), she looks positively overjoyed.

"Well done! You've all done justice to your reputations. As for the platinum - you can keep it. I think it's time I had a talk about Lord Islaren about the sort of men he employs. If I'm not mistaken, he'll owe me after seeing the Blue Nixie. If you wouldn't mind, please join me. I owe you your pay, and perhaps more. Kora!" She calls to her caretaker. "We're going out."

"Yes my lady." Kora answers, and shortly thereafter the group is headed down to the docks. Once there, Lavinia steps into a building, and emerges a bit later with a haggard old man and no less than 6 broad-chested dock hands. The group takes a dinghy out to the Blue Nixie and rejoins the party members occupying the ship.

Once aboard, they take in the state of the ship, its occupants (standing and not), and the hold. Lord Islaren appears first shocked, then furious.

"Lord Islaren," Lavinia begins, "the state of my ship is as you see it. Given your reputation, I can only conclude that a band of brigands stole the ship away from your docks in the night."

"We will soon see." The old man answers. He orders his men to surround Vark and the remaining living sailors, and wake them up one at a time, leaving Vark for last.

On interrogation, the sailors know only that their boss, Vark, was going to pay them 20 gp apiece to help load crates of animals on to the Blue Nixie and then a few days later onto another ship in the middle of the night - tonight, in fact.

When at least they bring Vark around, he pales. He tells the same story as the sailors, but refuses to say who the customer was, no matter how Islaren's men threaten him. Finally, looking disgusted, the harbormaster makes his decision.

"Men," he says, "get these thieves off Lady Vandorboren's ship."

They take their prisoners to the dinghy, and Islaren turns to Lavinia.

"Lady Lavinia, I cannot apologize enough for this terrible theft of your ship. I will of course send men to clean it and remove these cages. I could not have imagined... Well, in any case, please allow us to make amends by preparing the Blue Nixie for its next voyage. I hope the Vanderboren house will continue to favor us with its business with us in the future."

"Of course, Lord Islaren." Lavinia replies, and after a few more pleasantries, the harbormaster takes his leave.

That done, Lavinia turns her attention to the group.

"You have all performed excellently. Kora, if you would."

At her gesture, Kora gives each of the party members the promised 200 gp.

"If you wouldn't mind staying a bit," Lavinia continues "I'd like to make you a job offer. I need capable men and women like yourselves. Would you consider staying on as my personal troubleshooters, agents, and bodyguards? I could offer you each 100 gold a month for your services, and my family's status could provide you with advantages and rewards beyond that wage.

"If you're interested, I already have a task in mind. Now that I have this ring, I must travel to Castle Teraknian in the Sasserine Harbor to check my family vault. I have never personally been inside, so I don't know what it may hold. But rumors say that some family vaults are quite extensive and guarded by traps or construct guardians. So I would like you to accompany me for protection and to aid with investigating the vault's contents."
Canuberon
A bit of doubt is seen across Elara's face when the servant offers her the bag of gold, deciding to graciously accept it.

She nods while Lady Vanderboren is extending the offer to work for her.
  I would be honored to serve in this capacity.  

Turning to her companions she continues
  Are you all comming along as well?  
Yas392
When the Lady offers employment as her bodyguards, Slick's smile is as big as a banana.

  "Count me in. That's what I am here for. The taste of danger and adventure."  
razorfloss
Ali bows  It would be our pleasure to be your bodyguards for this mission 
JNAProductions
 "I'll keep everyone working their best,"  Lonnie says with a smile.
Metastachydium
Daar makes a silent effort in the bcakground, for a while, to get a measure of how much that 200 gold really is;  and it is a lot . At the offer of getting half again as much,  regularly , for doing easy things like this, and apparently near the sea still, for now at least, she just gives up on the counting business, looks up and gives a vigorous nod.   That sounds good! I'll do it!   she states, simply. The company it'd seem, won't be half bad either.
rockdeworld
"Good." Lavinia smiles. "Take the rest of the day off. Then meet me at my manor tomorrow morning. We'll go to Castle Teraknian together."

Kora withdraws another 100gp pouch for each party member and hands it to them.

Lavinia turns to a dock hand that stayed behind.

"I trust my ship is safe in your capable hands." She says.

"Yes my lady!" He salutes.

Lavinia and Kora both grin, and head to the dinghy. They depart with the party.
Yas392
After separating from Lady Lavinia and her entourage for the day, Slick turns to his companions.

  "All well that ends well. We got our first pay out. 400 gold each upfront is pretty good for a first job I must say. All that is left now is cash out the other loot we don't need and divide among us."  
rockdeworld
When the group assembles at Vanderboren manor the next day, Kora and Lavinia are already out front with a coach. She invites the group to join her, and they're ferried first over the streets, then across the water, to Castle Teraknian.

 
 Spoiler: Map 
 
 

Once there, they spend little time in the castle itself. Lavinia stops only to speak to a clerk, who verifies Lavinia's identity and her signet, and then escorts them down a spiral staircase into a large circular chamber under the castle.

Over a dozen five-foot-wide hallways radiate out from the central vault chamber. Each of these halls is ten feet long and ends at a single iron door - the entrance to a family vault. Once the clerk leads the group to the Vanderboren vault, he goes no further - instead bidding them good day and returning up the staircase whence he came.

The iron door is emblazoned with a simple rune - an eight-pointed star. Above the door, inscribed in flowing script on a polished silver plaque, is the name "Vanderboren." A single handle protrudes from the door, just below a circular depression bearing the mark of the Vanderboren signet.

Lavinia frowns at the star on the door.

"I don't recognize that rune, though it does seem familiar."

Having said that, Lavinia doesn't hesitate to step forward and set her signet ring into the handle. The door flashes once with blue light, then slowly swings open on creaking hinges. Lavinia then steps back.

"Now it's your turn. Make sure the vault is safe."

Beyond the door the party can see into a domed chamber whose floor is made of polished green marble. Two fifteen-foot-wide alcoves have lower ceilings and feature marble pillars carved to resemble coiling snakes. In the center of the room, five similar pillars are embedded into the walls, rising up thirty feet to a dome overhead. Looking up, the dome bears a huge representation of the same eight-pointed star that was engraved on the door.

 
 Spoiler: Vault map 
 
 
Yas392
Slick looks at the rune.

  "I saw this at a building at the Merchant's District on the western edge. I think it is occupied by a global organization of treasure hunters and adventurers called the Seekers. Your family were members from the looks of it."  

When Lady Lavinia orders the vault to be sweep clean of traps and whatnots, the acrobat nods.

  "Got it, boss lady."  

He flips into the room and looks around.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
 Spot (Take 20)  - 25

 Listen (Take 20)  - 25
 
Metastachydium
Although she makes a point of ferrying herself, so to say, rather than take the boat to the castle island, Daar otherwise sticks close to her endlessly generous new employer, as well as her peers in being generously and newly employed. The castle itself fails to impress her as much as the lady's manor did; it's really just a bunch of weird tight places and even smells worse than the big house. That not even the vault is flooded as she hoped it'd be doesn't help build up her enthusiasm either; but with all the confidence of wearing a freshly pilfered armour better than her own was, she just strolls inside heedlessly the moment the lady tells her to. It's not like they all didn't agree her job is to walk in first wherever and bite things.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 

The Barbarian goes in looking for traps  with her face !
 
JNAProductions
 "Wait!"  Lonnie says.  "Let me recast the healing spells." 

Once the spells are active on Slick and Daar, she steps back.  "If you find any arcane traps, I've got some experience with deciphering them." 
 
 Spoiler: OOC 
 Lesser Vigor  on the frontliners.
 
razorfloss
Upon entering the vault Ali sees the snake construct and watches it waiting to see if it comes to life and draws attention to it.  Excuse me Lavinia do you recognize this construct  
rockdeworld
"The seekers - of course!" Lavinia replies. Then quieter, to herself, "but why did they keep it a secret?"

Once the party steps into the room, the cobra quickly and quietly slithers out from its hiding place under the alcove on the right. Thanks to Ali's warning, the party isn't taken by surprise.

"No, I don't recognize the construct!" Lavinia says. "Destroy it!"

 
 Spoiler: Combat 
 

Incidentally I'll assume Elara cast Mage Armor before anyone entered the room, what with the known traps.

Lonnie recognizes the medium construct for what it is, and that it has damage reduction and a poisonous bite.

Round 1

Ali is first to act. She draws her bow and fires at the cobra. 13 (16) misses. She steps back.

Lonnie draws her crossbow but isn't able to move into a good position in the cramped quarters so waits outside.

The cobra moves forward and bites Daar. It hits for 6 damage (Daar 5 HP) and injects poison. 18 (20) - Daar saves.

Daar heals 1 (6 HP) and counterattacks with her spear and bite. 18 (24) hits for 7 (9) damage, and 1 misses.

The party realizes the construct has DR 5/something, and that only Daar and Elara have a realistic chance of damaging it.

Elara casts Enlarge Person on Daar.

Slick double-moves into a flanking position, dagger out.

Round 2

Ali fires again. 2 (5) misses.

Lonnie moves behind Daar and readies an action to cast Cure Light Wounds if he falls.

The cobra turns to attack Slick. It hits for 3 damage (Slick 5 HP) and injects poison. 1 - critical miss. Slick is poisoned and takes 1 strength damage (9 STR).

Daar heals 1 (7 HP) and attacks again. 2 (10) misses. 10 (13) misses.

Elara casts Slash Tongue on the cobra. It takes 1 point of damage and takes a -1 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks on the following round.

Slick heals 1 (6) and attacks defensively. 7 (9) misses. He gets +2 AC until his next turn.

Round 3

Ali fires again. 19 (22) hits for 1 (0) damage.

Lonnie repeats.

The cobra moves toward Ali. Daar attacks. 20 hits. 4+4 (15-5=10 damage). Slick attacks. 1 misses.
The cobra attacks Ali. 15 hits for 2 damage (Ali 8 HP), and injects poison. Ali rolls 9 (14) and resists the poison.

Daar attacks with spear and bite. 16 (24) hits for 6+4 (17-5=12) damage. The cobra breaks.

A minute later, Daar rolls 4 (6) and fails the second poison fortitude save. They take 4 STR damage (16 STR).

Slick rolls 20 and succeeds the second poison save.

Ali rolls 4 (9) and fails the second poison save. They take 1 STR damage (11 STR).
 


The party destroys the cobra, but Daar has sufferd 4 STR damage from poison, Slick has suffered 1, and Ali has suffered 1. Nothing else emerges. A search of the room reveals no traps.

What the party does find is that the snake patterns on the pillar recessed into the chamber's walls are different than those of the other pillars. They find a hidden switch. It does not appear to be trapped. When triggered, it causes the snake designs to animate. They writhe aside like living creatures, forming a coiling archway that allows access into the next area.

 
 Spoiler: Map 
 
 


This octagonal room is supported by a single large pillar with dozens of deep grooves along its sides. The seven walls of this room each bear fantastically detailed bas-relief carvings of exotic monsters in threatening poses. Starting at the wall immediately to the west of the entrance to the room and moving clockwise, the carvings depict a tentacled monster with a glaring red eye and am outh full of pointed teeth, a looming dragon, a fish-like creature with three eyes and four tentacles, a two-headed giant wielding a pair of immense clubs, a spherical creature with four eyestalks and a bulging central eye over a drooling maw, a gorilla-like beast with fanged maw and six eyes, and finally a towering black spider with seven eyes.

Each monster's eyes consist of a glittering red stone. The ceiling above is only ten feet high, with the now-familiar eight-pointed star pattern radiating out from the grooved pillar. The arms of this star are black, save for the one pointing south toward the entrance, which is red.

Once Elara dismisses Enlarge Person, everyone can enter.

A search of this room reveals no traps, but the stone tumbler in the center can be rotated in both directions. It doesn't rotate smoothly, but rather "clicks" in its socket as it rotates - eight times in the course of a single revolution. As the pillar rotates, the eight-pointed star in the ceiling rotates as well, the red arm pointing to a new wall with each click.

Once she receives the all-clear, Lavinia and Kora join the party in the room. They take in the surroundings, giving the party time to discuss.

Edit: slightly longer fight, fixed some typos.
Metastachydium
Daar scratches the itchy skin around her newly acquired wound, visibly displeased. She can feel both her arms and legs alright, but they feel odd. Like, weaker. Much weaker! Not a good feeling, overall. She has half a mind to ask the lady why her parents put wird snakes in here that bite people, but even she has to realize that she'd rather continue to get paid. She gets paid a lot, now. Not being paid a lot would feel worse than having gotten bit, probably.   Lonnie? It bit me! And now I feel  weird ! Can you fix me?   she inquires with the friendly healer as they amble into the next room, only just remembering to give, while at that, a thankful nod of acknowledgement to… E-… E-e-e-e-e… Elara! That's it, Elara, for making her big (and smaller) again. Getting bitten could have been worse if she was not big, she figures.
JNAProductions
Lonnie shakes her head.  "That's beyond my capabilities for now,"  she tells Daar.
Yas392
  "Me too. I feel like an overworked pack mule, and I don't like being sluggish. Well, Lonnie is unable to remove then we need a good night sleep to make the feeling go away."  

Slick takes out the waterskin from his backpack and hands it to Ali.

  "Hold on this for me until my strength reduction goes away, will you? I can't work and move with my current weight."  

Dagger still out, the acrobat looks at the stone tumbler, the creatures next.

  "A puzzle it seems. Can someone identify the monster carvings before I work on this thing?"  
JNAProductions
 "Second-to-last, the six-eyed simian... That's a Grey Render,"  Lonnie says.  "Not sure how much that will help, but it's knowledge." 
Yas392
  "We need to know which of the carvings match the monsters on the scroll we found. I have a feeling that this is a maze."  

Slick brushes his hand on the device.
Canuberon
Elara will cast Detect Magic to see if there are any more magical hints for the puzzle.

  The tentacle thing is a roper, I don't recognize the others.  
Yas392
  "So One-Eyed Tentacle Thing, Six-Eyed Gorilla and Seven-Eyed Spider are out. I haven't brush up on mythology. If anyone can tell me what a Chimera, Cyclops, Medusa, Umber Hulk and Basilisk are, please do so. Kind of important for this puzzle."  

Slick's pupils dart between the compass star on the ceiling, the carvings and the stone tumbler.
Metastachydium
Slick's own plight earns a sympathetic pat on the back. Maybe Dar should hand something over to Ali too. Those ropes are kinda heavy, maybe she'd feel better without! But for now, she refrains from doing that much, and instead just stares rather blankly at the walss around.   What scroll?   she asks, slowly. She doesn't remember that one!   All I know is a fish shouldn't look like  that !   she points at the tentacle fish. Speaking of, however…   Isn't  Medusa  just a fancy word for jellyfish, though?   she muses. Jellyfish are called fish and have tentacles! Someone really stupid could mistake them for tentacle fish!

 
 Spoiler: OOC 

I know what the scroll is, but I don't think Daar has much reason to remember it, so I'll go with the idea she doesn't.
 
rockdeworld
Detect Magic turns up nothing.
Yas392
  "I think that is not a fish..."  

Slick turns to Lady Lavinia.

  "Can you unlock this rotating device with your ring, Lady Lavinia? At my current ability, I cannot pick it."  
rockdeworld
Lavinia tries, but to no success. She can't find any place to put the ring.
Metastachydium
Not letting the jellyfish idea getting ignored dishearten her, Daar instead continues to try and grasp what, exactly, they are even doing in the room, and play to her strengths while at that. Which is to say, strength.   You need me to pull something hard? I can pull things hard!   she offers.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 

What? 16 is still a rather respectable STR score.
 
Yas392
  "Great timing, Daar. Pull this stone wheel thingy to the right if I can't."  

Slick tries to turn the stone tumbler to the right.
rockdeworld
The stone tumbler in the center rotates without resistance when Slick turns it. It doesn't rotate smoothly, but rather "clicks" in its socket as it rotates - eight times in the course of a single revolution. As the pillar rotates, the eight-pointed star in the ceiling rotates as well, the red arm pointing to a new wall with each click.


 
 Originally Posted by Yas392 
   "If anyone can tell me what a Chimera, Cyclops, Medusa, Umber Hulk and Basilisk are, please do so. Kind of important for this puzzle."   
 

"I've learned about those creatures." Lavinia answers. She relays the relevant information. In particular, a Chimera has 6 eyes, a Cyclops 1, a Medusa 2, an Umber Hulk 4, and a Basilisk 2.
Yas392
Slick turning right as in to east, rotating the star arm to the wall with the looming dragon.
JNAProductions
 "There's two with two eyes... Is that a hint?"  Lonnie asks out loud.
Metastachydium
  Or the Basilisk is also a kind of jellyfish! So they are the same!   Not that jellyfish have eyes. Daar hasn't seen a jellyfish with eyes so far, but maybe some have two of those. The Lady with the very long name probably knows what she's saying, in the end.
rockdeworld
 
 Originally Posted by Yas392 
 Slick turning right as in to east, rotating the star arm to the wall with the looming dragon. 
 

Nothing happens.

 
 Originally Posted by Metastachydium 
   Or the Basilisk is also a kind of jellyfish! So they are the same!   Not that jellyfish have eyes. Daar hasn't seen a jellyfish with eyes so far, but maybe some have two of those. The Lady with the very long name probably knows what she's saying, in the end. 
 

"You're saying the Basilisk and Medusa both simply have 2 eyes. And from the way this tumbler moves, that's the combination to this lock." Lavinia withdraws the note from her pocket to review it again.

"Brilliant, Daar!" Lavinia says. "So we treat this like a combination lock. 6 to the right, 1 to the left, and so on."

When the party enters the combination, the entire room rumbles as five alcoves rotate in place, revealing several coffers and 20 chests. However, Lavinia's mouth becomes a thin line as more and more chests turn up empty. Finally, in the last alcove, there's a reprieve - several of the chests here remain untouched. In all, there's a few thousand gp in coins and gems left in these along with a large number of ledgers and a small iron coffer containing a thick pile of documents.

Lavinia immediately steps to the ledgers and leafs through them. As she does, her face relaxes.

"These ledgers list debts owed to the Vanderborens from various guilds and noble families." She tells the group. "It seems my parents made a practice of doing dangerous favors for numerous organizations in Sasserine, yet rarely bothered to collect rewards. Instead, they allowed their patrons to keep the rewards with the understanding that they could collect at any time. Between the gold and these letters of credit, I now have more than enough to begin setting my estate back in order."

Then she turns her attention to the documents in the iron coffer.

"Strange. This is my mother's handwriting, but I don't recognize the language other than it being elven letters. Can any of you read it?"

No one is able to, though they can see included in the document several maps of jungles, coastlines, and other regions that seem to represent some unknown tropical location. The document also includes dozens of sketches of strange, exotic creatures.

"No matter." Lavinia continues. "I'll have it translated back at the manor. Kora, give these fine people 200 gp each. They've earned it for their help with this job. Then let's leave."

Kora does so, while Lavinia stows the ledgers and picks up the iron coffer. She hands it to Kora, then leads the group back out the way they came, stopping only at the clerk's desk.

"I have a question for you." She says. "Has anyone else visited my family's vault recently?"

The clerk pulls out a schedule, and turns through several pages before answering.

"Why yes ma'am. Your brother Vanthus visited the vault several times over the past month."

"Vanthus!" Lavinia answers, her face pale. "He has been missing for the past month!"

"What! You mean you haven't seen him at all? Nor know that he'd been here?" The clerk says, looking shocked. Lavinia shakes her head. "Well I can tell you he had the family signet ring, and the notes here say he recognized him as a Vanderboren."

"You must tell me immediately if he visits again!" Lavinia insists.

"Of course ma'am!" the clerk nods vigorously.

"Very well then. We're done here." Lavinia says. She returns to her coach, and drives the party back to her manor.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Mission complete. The party gets 300 XP! (If you saw another number before it was a mistake, sorry - I looked at the wrong chart)

Feel free to post any actions your characters would like to take up to this point, or any questions for the clerk, and I'll answer them in my next post.
 


Once she is settled in back at the manor, Lavinia leads the group back to the dining room.

"With our immediate financial problems taken care of, Vanthus is now my primary concern." Lavinia says to the group, and motions to the painting on the wall.

 
 Spoiler: Painting 
 
 


"That's him there. You must understand, the two of us were quite close growing up, since our parents were rarely around. We grew to depend on each other, and got into a fair amount of trouble together." Lavinia grins, but her expression is tinged with sadness and frustration.

"After one particularly complex prank involving several elixirs of love being emptied into the nearby water tower, our childhoods came to an end. I was sent to the Thenalar Academy to live the next five years of my life in study, and Vanthus was shipped out to work on a plantation.

"When we returned to live in the family manor a year ago, we had both changed. I learned much at the Thenalar. Vanthus, on the other hand, had developed a deep bitterness. He no longer had time for family, slept all day, and spent the nights with associates of doubtful character. Eventually, he moved out of the house entirely. I believe he took up with a lover in the Azure district, but I never learned the details.

"When our parents died, Vanthus returned to live at the manor for a week, but he had changed even more. The easy sense of humor he had as a child was gone, and in its place was a bitter cynicism and a morbid streak. We quarreled. He gathered his belongings and left. I haven't been able to find him since. Given the nature of Sasserine, I thought that meant he was dead.

"But now that I know he is alive, I must take action. My wish is for us to reconcile our differences. So your task is to find him and bring him back here."
JNAProductions
 "When you say 'bring him back here,' you don't mean by force, right?"  Lonnie asks.  "If you want to reconcile differences, that... Would not be an auspicious start." 
rockdeworld
"Given the way that fool has acted... But no, you're right of course. If you can persuade him to return on his own, so much the better. But if he refuses, at least find him. He has made a large withdrawal from our family's vault, in secret. I must know why. I suspect it was for his new acquaintances, in which case he might be in over his head. There are people in this city who would be happy to ransom a noble head, or simply cut it off after they've had their fun. So make sure he's safe, and that you can at least deliver letters to him. I must make him see reason."
Metastachydium
Thoroughly flabbergasted by how she's apparently brilliant now, and quite dismayed at finding out, on the way back from the castle, just how slow and clumsy she's become in the water, Daar remains rather quiet until after the Lady explains the whole situation with this sibling of hers who did… Something.   I don't knw, Lonnie. If you drop a big iron thing in the sea, it will sink unless you make it not sink, because it wants to. But seawater is bad for iron! So, sometimes it's good to force things!   she comments, trying to flaunt all that brilliance she has.   And if they will remove his head, that's also bad! So we shouldn't let them do that.   she concludes, most elegantly. It's not like she's not better at dragging stuff away from where it shouldn't be than finding stuff and talking to nobles, even.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 

I  KNEW  that hair is bad news!!
 
Yas392
Slick covers his eyes and his lips curl in disgust at the painting on the wall.

  "Gah, who is that haggard fellow? He looks like a mustache twirling villain or machiavellian."  

In a brief instant, he is over his dramatic reaction as he listens to the whole story.

  "So, he is not a mustache twirling villain? Aw. He stole your inheritance and your family ring. Wouldn't it be better if we steal the leftovers and the ring back for you under his nose? The fortune might be half-intact. It is a logical retribution. The missing items might lure him back to where he can have a proper conversation with you. I get that he is indebted to someone or has grievances towards your family for punishing him. Stealing from friends is not cool. He should talk this out with you."  
Canuberon
  Let's not jump to conclusions? Maybe the vault was like this and he's collecting the debt to help restore your capital?  
JNAProductions
Lonnie nods, hopeful.  "We should find him and ask him. I'm sure there's a good reason." 
rockdeworld
Lavinia nods.

"Thank you. All your ideas have merit. To get started, I recommend asking around about Vanthus in the city. From what I've heard, I suspect he's been living with a woman in the Azure District, but that's based only on rumors. Even if I'm wrong though, I doubt he's been hiding in Champion's or Noble District.

"That's all I have for you. I leave the remaining investigation in your hands."
Yas392
Slick nods. He stands as still as a statue with his head hung down then relays information about their target to the group. Once that is done, he will walk around town asking the inhabitants of Sasserine about one Vanthus.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Rolls are  HERE. 
 
Metastachydium
Daar stil feels like her hands might not be the best place to leave all that investigation business in, but she trusts Slick and Lonnie and probably Ali and maybe Elara to handle that in her stead, so she's, for the moment, mostly just mildly disappointed she doesn't get to have an excuse to stare at things in Noble District. Or to swim. If this Van…  Something  person is currently underwater, they might have a problem. Speaking of swimming and problems, however…   How very urging is this?   she asks the Lady.   That snake bite pain still hurts! Rest would feel good. But I don't want them to cut off your brother's head.   she goes on.   So if they can just cut it off anytime, I'll just rst later.  
JNAProductions
Lonnie looks to Daar, seeing the other woman still dealing with the effects of the poison.  "Daar has a good point-it'd be good to get some rest. I'm out of anything but the most basic of spells, and she's poisoned. Lady Lavinia, unless you have reason to believe your brother is in immediate danger, I think we should delay our departure a bit." 
rockdeworld
"Go ahead and rest Daar." Lavinia says. "The rest of you too. If my brother has been about for a month without harm, he can wait a another day. And I want you all in good condition no matter what happens. Kora, see about finding a healer for them."

Kora nods and departs. After a while, she returns with a healer who can provide long-term care to the party. After a day of rest, the group is back at perfect condition.

After a couple days of information gathering in the various districts of the city, Lonnie is approached by a man who offers to lead her to Vanthus's hideout for 5 gp.
Canuberon
Elara tries to quietly slip the 5 gold to Lonnie.
 https://forums.giantitp.com/showsing...5&amp;postcount=12 
The coins fall rather loudly in his coin purse and any subterfuge about her intention to hide it is out the window.

Elara stares up a bit before taking a few steps back from Lonnie.
rockdeworld
"Why, those 5 coins right there would do nicely." The man says with a grin. "Pass them over and old Sefton here will be your guide."
Canuberon
Elara sheepishly hands over the 5 gold.
She does pay attention to the guys hands now that he knows where she keeps her gold.
Yas392
Slick sneaks glances at the man to size him up and down and leans to Lonnie's ear.

   "You sure he is not lying?"   

The volume whispers to the cleric ears are for her ears.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Sense Motive check to see if the sus guide is lying which can be found  HERE. 
 
JNAProductions
Lonnie feels unsure. Her past in the temple has left her woefully unprepared for the potential trickeries and deceit of the rest of the world.  "Could you let us know where we're going in advance?"  she asks.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
DM, is there any issue assuming that, before we left for this excursion, I  Vigor ed up Slick and Daar?
 
Metastachydium
Daar is quite content looming in the background, meanwhile. Shef-somehting makes her think Slick must have been wrong; the Lady's brother can't be a bad person if he's friends with someone so down on luck! She doesn't quite understand why the Half-Elf's hands are so dirty, nevertheless. There's a lot of water around, he could just wash them. Or go swim some farther from the docks, and they would wash themselves, so to say. This latter thought makes it even more difficult for the conversation to hold her attention; now that her arms and legs are normal again, she could be in the water! If it weren't for how the Lady paid them all that money to be here, that is. But then again, Shef-something doesn't have one of those big swords or axes; he doesn't look like he'll cut off Vanth-something's head if they look the other way…

 
 Spoiler: OOC 

Daar will naturally fight off the tempattion and stay; I'm mostly just signalling her presence at the meeting here.
 
rockdeworld
 
 Spoiler: Sense Motive 
As far as anyone can tell, the man is telling the truth.
 


 
 Originally Posted by JNAProductions 
  "Could you let us know where we're going in advance?"  she asks. 
 

"Certainly my good woman. Vanthus has been living in an abandoned complex of smugglers tunnels below Parrot Island for the past few weeks. I understand he's been setting up a smuggling operation in the old tunnels, and he hired a number of poor men like myself to help with the cleaning and such."
JNAProductions
Lonnie frowns.  "That's, uh... Less than perfect. If you have a map, we can pay a little more." 
Canuberon
Elara frowns in Lonnie's direction, clearly not willing to give more money to the guy untill he has delivered upon his promise.
She remains silent however.
Metastachydium
  That's a lot of smuggling going on here!   Daar chimes in from behind the others.   Some sailor people stole our boss's ship briefly to do smuggling! It even involved parrots!   possibly islands too, one never knows. At any rate, no wonder Shef-something is wearing armour despite never being around sharks and doing odd jobs for stray nobles. Life must be dangerous with all those smugglers running about loose.
Yas392
   "So that's where the money went to."   

The murmur is soft that it is audible to Slick only. He nods and faces the party.

  "He is telling the truth."  
rockdeworld
 
 Originally Posted by JNAProductions 
 Lonnie frowns.  "That's, uh... Less than perfect. If you have a map, we can pay a little more."  
 

"Oho! You're a smart lady. For 5 more gold, I'll draw you a map right to a trap door he used to go in and out."

 
 Originally Posted by Metastachydium 
   That's a lot of smuggling going on here!   Daar chimes in from behind the others.   Some sailor people stole our boss's ship briefly to do smuggling! It even involved parrots!   
 

Sefton's eyes widen a bit.

"Do tell my friend! That is, of course, terrible. Whatever happened to those animals?"
Metastachydium
  We saved the parrots! And some of the monkeys too, even though the hold was  on fire !   Daar relates excitedly. She's never been that much into fire; (fortunately) it mixes rather poorly with seawater.    Oh, and there was this giant spider with fur we had to kill, because it ate a sailor! But we killed it, and it didn't eat any of us! I don't know what happened after. The harbourmaster Lord   with the  also  overly long name   took over from there, and we went home.  
Yas392
Slick winks at Sefton.

  "Animal lover?"  
JNAProductions
Lonnie fishes for some coins from her pack. Once she's drawn them out, she shows them without handing them over.  "Map first, please." 
rockdeworld
 
 Originally Posted by Yas392 
 Slick winks at Sefton.

  "Animal lover?"   
 

"Certainly." Sefton says, grinning back. "Especially exotics. The rarer the better."


 
 Originally Posted by JNAProductions 
 Lonnie fishes for some coins from her pack. Once she's drawn them out, she shows them without handing them over.  "Map first, please."  
 

"Right then!" Sefton says, pulling out some paper and charcoal. He plops down on the ground and sketches a map of Sasserine, and a path to Parrot Island. Then the island in more detail, with a trail leading up to a clearing that has a trapdoor at the southern end.

 
 Spoiler: Parrot Island's location in Sasserine 
Incidentally, it's common knowledge that Parrot Island is unoccupied, and derives its name from the exotic birds that live there.
 
 


"Boats to the island are easy enough to come by once you're close." He says, handing over the map in exchange for the coin. "Best of luck!"

Then if the party has nothing else to ask of him, he hurries away.
JNAProductions
Lonnie hands over another five gold in exchange for the map.  "Well... I guess we go to Parrot Island." 

She looks over at her friends, a smile tinged by worry on her face.  "We'll be fine! I'm sure it will work out." 
Canuberon
Elara seems sunken in thought.
First exotic animals on the Vanderboren ship, now Vanthus is in league with people who smuggle animals.
Despite her initial hesitation to assume the worst of Lady Lavinia's brother, these are to many coincidences in a short time...

However she keeps her thoughts to herself for now, if only to not alert the greedy smuggler.
Metastachydium
  If we see more nice parrots, we'll look you up and tell, then!   Sef-something didn't look like such a big connoisseur, all focused on rarities at first glance. If Daar read books, she'd be thinking of those and covers now. Instead, she merely misses all hints of uncertainty in Lonnie's voice and mentally focuses on a much anticipated chance to swim across a cleaner channel to a cleaner island.   And it will! Things keep going so well for us.   she adds. They have found the missing brother, are swimming in gold (and occasionally water) already, and there hasn't even be a single shark about yet. How could things not be fine, then?
Yas392
Slick nods, keeping his smile.

  "Ah-huh. How far is it from here to the island? How long does it take for a boat to get there?"  
 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Rolls for Diplomacy if needed is  HERE. 
 
rockdeworld
"Oh not too long I should say. If you started from here you'd get there in a few hours." Sefton says to Slick.

"And thank you kindly!" He says to Daar.
Metastachydium
Sef-something gets a parting smile; and the prospect of getting to swim around Empty Trapdoor Island and get  more  gold for it within but hours sees her excitedly rising on her tiptoes.   Do we need anything? Can we go now?   she asks looking from companion to companion.
JNAProductions
Lonnie nods.  "No time like the present." 
 
 Spoiler: OOC 
DM, I am good to go! :)
 
rockdeworld
True to his word, Sefton's map leads the party to the island, and they cross the water easily enough - by boat or swim. Aboveground, the island is little more than a rocky outcropping surrounded by 30-foot-high cliffs save from the eastern end, where a narrow beach affords an easier approach. The isle is thickly vegetated, the trees above serving as the roost for hundreds of noisy, brightly colored parrots.

The party notes a partially overgrown trail leading up from the beach to a small clearing at the center of the island. The map has them follow it, and when they do, they find a stone trap door hidden at the southern end of the clearing.

Once it's open, a five-foot-wide shaft leading down into the darkness below is revealed. A rope hangs from a hook in the wall, providing a relatively safe method of descent. The shaft itself is just over 30 feet deep, and opens into an empty room below.
razorfloss
Ali looks down the hole and seeing only darkness picks up a pebble and tosses it down the hole and listens to see deep it is  Well that's dark   she turns towards the party  Anyone brought a torch?  
JNAProductions
 "I've got a spell for that-though I only have one use of it. I can either light another pebble and we can drop it, or,"  Lonnie says,  "I can cast it on someone and they can be our beacon in the darkness." 
Metastachydium
Daar opens her mouth to propose that they could, alternatively, just flood the tunnels, but then she remembers the others probably can't hear what their surroundings look like underwater, and closes it immediately.   You could light me up!   she offers instead. If it feels half as good as what Lonnie does to make her not die in fights, it just  must  feel good.   Walking into bad things is Slick's and my job anyway!  
JNAProductions
Stepping towards Daar, Lonnie prepares her spell. She touches the other woman's forehead, and light begins to shine from Daar's dome. She doesn't feel anything particularly special when the light is placed.
Yas392
Slick pulls out an Angel Radiance with a band in which he loops around his neck.

  "My source is eternal. Don't sweat on light being snuffed out randomly if you are near me. Lonnie, you want to buff me and Daar with that regen magic before we go down first?"  

After Lonnie acted, he climbs down the hole with a thumbs up and a cold iron dagger in his mouth.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Spot &amp; Listen checks are  HERE. 
 
Metastachydium
Daar considers just jumping in, but ultimately concludes  that  would also be much easier if they just flooded the whole place (which they won't). And there  is  a rope too. So  climb  in she does instead, rendering the room below now doubly illuminated.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 

Daar literally can't fail the Climb check, so I'm not going to roll it.
 
JNAProductions
As Daar grabs the rope, Lonnie asks  "Could I, um... Get some help going down the rope? I'm really not that athletic..." 
Canuberon
Not that atletic herself, Elara checks the rope if it's knotted or not.
 https://forums.giantitp.com/showsing...0&amp;postcount=18 
She does know the right technique for climbing down and shows it to Lonnie.
Metastachydium
 
 Originally Posted by Metastachydium 
 Daar considers just jumping in, but ultimately concludes  that  would also be much easier if they just flooded the whole place (which they won't). And there  is  a rope too. So  climb  in she does instead, rendering the room below now doubly illuminated.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 

Daar literally can't fail the Climb check, so I'm not going to roll it.
 
 
 


 
 Originally Posted by JNAProductions 
 As Daar grabs the rope, Lonnie asks  "Could I, um... Get some help going down the rope? I'm really not that athletic..."  
 

…or, rather, she  would  just climb in, were it not for the golden opportunity to help Lonnie back some presenting itself!   Right!    We can do that!   she pronounces quite cheerily, simply picking the priest up and climbing down  with her  carried along , instead of wasting a moment more on so much as inquiring about the exact nature of the manner of help requested.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 

Lonnie is neither heavy, nor carrying much gear; according to my calculations, she puts Daar at a merely Medium Encumbrance, which means she can  still  not fail on the Climb check.
 
JNAProductions
 "Eeep!"  Lonnie lets out, and clings close to Daar until the two are safely on the ground.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
That's pretty much exactly what I expected. :P
 
rockdeworld
With the wall to brace off, the climb is an easy one, and Slick, Daar and Lonnie reach the ground safely.

The ten-foot square room seems empty. A shaft leads up through the ceiling in the northeast corner, and a brick-lined tunnel with a curved roof leads to the west before curving out of sight.
Metastachydium
  There!   Daar puts Lonnie back down, quite conspicuously  very  proud of her own performance.   So, tunnel, now?   she motions towards the tunnel, taking a few tentative steps in its direction, as though there were several options for them to chosse from.
Canuberon
Elara hopes her good advice sticks to herself as well and carefully climbs down.
 https://forums.giantitp.com/showsing...9&amp;postcount=20 

Safely reaching the bottom, she rejoins the group.
Yas392
Slick removes the dagger from his mouth with a hand and looks around.

  "My gut says shaft."  
rockdeworld
The hallway curves right and left, but almost immediately ends in a T-intersection.

 

Behind them, the group hears the smash of a stone trap door being shut, and then the muffled grinding of large boulders being rolled into place.

Anyone returning to the entrance finds the light of day gone, and the rope cut.
Canuberon
Elara sighs and starts casting detect magic.
  Be wary all, they're probably setting another trap.  
Metastachydium
Daar merely nods and follows Slick, contemplating how weird a thing it is to say "my gut says": if her own innards expressed any sentiment other than hunger or distress, she'd probably freak out; but the train of thought is cut short as the same happens to the rope. Daar turns around and wobles past the spellcasters to see what made the noise and be between them and whatever it was in case it might otherwise hit them in the face, but is met only with the sudden absence of the hole they got in through.

As Elara voices her warning, Daar is quick to append her own sagely assesment to it:   And I think we're locked in here too!   before pointing at the rope lying on the ground.   Anyway. Do we want that rope? I have a lot of rope already, but we can have that as well.  
JNAProductions
Lonnie mutters something foul-sounding in Draconic, and then louder, says  "It's useful, so we might as well take it. I just wish I had been smarter about this... We wouldn't've ended up here." 
Canuberon
Elara shrugs apologetically
  Don't worry, we all walked into that one.
We should have let the shady guy lead us up here, and even then a trap was a posibility.
Let's make the best of it.  
Yas392
Slick looks up.

  "Or we can punch some holes on the wall with Daar's strength to make some climbing ledges so that Daar or I can climb up to break open or unlock that sealed door unless someone has a spell that demolish the door."  

If Daar agrees, Slick directs her to punch holes on the wall the party's current level then above their head then holes above in even intervals until the climber can reach the top.
rockdeworld
 

Elara sees no magical auras in the area.
Canuberon
  I see no magical aura's around. We could carefully proceed instead of turning back?  
Metastachydium
  You're all very smart!   Daar reassures Lonnie with a pat on her back as she picks up the rope to stash it away (figuring "make the best of it" was mostly just further encouragement from Elara to do so). And case in point, Slick is quick to propose a plan of action and Elara  another ! Daar feels thoroughly vindicated.   And we can do both of those! Break the door, then go on through  another   door we didn't break down!   she adds her own brilliance to the pool.   Can I use this for the punching?   she digs a crowbar out of her pack.   I think it would be easier.   she goes on, grabbing the implement and shoving it into the wall.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 

ATTACKING THE WALL's been rolled for  here ; and for the record, if it's possible to somehow miss the wall, Daar just  did it .
 
rockdeworld
Daar climbs the wall like a gargoyle with a crowbar, leaving holes others can use as a ladder. When she reaches the top, she finds the door unlocked but weighted shut. Even using all her strength, she can't budge it.
Yas392
Slick climbs using the ladder-like holds created by the barbarian.

  "Daar, make some more holes on the walls above the door that all of us can climb to and then try destroying the door than pushing it so that the heavy stuff and boulders roll into shaft."  
Metastachydium
Daar only really begins musing about how much time flooding the place would have saved them when the door refuses to yield to raw strength. They could have just swum up and spent all that time hitting the door instead! Which is exactly what Slick  seems to  suggest, if with a few caveats that draw a flustered   …huh?   from Daar.
Yas392
 
  "We need climbing holds above door on walls near the door area. If we hit door now, big rock will roll down. Hurt us, smash us, kill us while we are climbing. We need everyone holding walls above door, make big hole on trap door, wait for big rock/s to roll down and go out."  

Slick directs Daar to create climbing holds on the ceiling and walls above door level (as pointed out on the picture in this post).

  If squares after the square adjacent to the door in 5 ft passage is lower than door level...  

Slick directs Daar to punch holes to make climbing holes in the area the group is at (10 ft radius area on map where E, D, S were) on the ceiling and the walls near the ceiling, tell the party to cling to the holds, punch hole to above door level to cling on before destroying the door and get out.

  If cannot...  

Slick will search the 10 ft radius area for any soft spot on the walls that he can tell Daar can create a tunnel for the party to get out or secret door on the walls for the party to escape.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
 Search (Take 20)  - 25
 
JNAProductions
 "Whatever I can do to help, just let me know,"  Lonnie tells Slick. This is far from her area of specialty.
Yas392
  "Everyone bar Daar try searching for soft spots on the walls that Daar can punch through to create tunnels or secret doors while Daar is creating more climbing ledges and following through the initial plans. That's the backup plan I can think of if we fail in our work in progress."  

Slick returns to search the 10x10 room after giving the barbarian instructions as she is creating more ladder holds.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Search rolls are  HERE. 
 
JNAProductions
 
 Spoiler: Rolls 
 They weren't good. 
 


Lonnie makes an effort to try and find what Slick's looking for, to little avail.
rockdeworld
Slick and Lonnie fail to find anything in the room.
Canuberon
Elara looks for a way forward instead of climbing back up.
Looking for a way to open the door, she studies the walls intently.
 roll 
Yas392
  "A tunnel? Where does it lead, I wonder?"  

Slick arms himself with his cold iron dagger and leads the group through the narrow tunnel while turning his head on occasion.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Spot and Listen checks are  HERE. 
 
Metastachydium
Daar occupies herself industriously lining the walls of the shaft with  more  footholds; but doesn't really brave trying to break the door for the time being. Falling boulders sound like… Well, unpleasant things to find herself under. Worst case scenario, someone else will have a lot of ladders to climb about on, which is a fair exchange for the free rope she pocketed.   Do tell if you find something you need me to walk into first!   she calls down between slams as the assorted noises of ongoing investigation reach her.
rockdeworld
Slick emerges into the 10 foot wide hallway to find nothing apart from a pair of closed doors on either end of the hallway. However, listening at the doors he hears muffled moans of inhuman things - though it's difficult to tell what or how many - behind both sets of doors.
Yas392
  "Some inhuman noises behind the door. Daar and I will open the door. You cautious types might want to stand back."  

Once everyone positions themselves to their ideal space, Slick, who is armed with his cold iron dagger, straps his silver dagger on his side before flinging open the door.
JNAProductions
Lonnie readies her crossbow to fire if something should attack one of her friends.
rockdeworld
Behind the double-doors, the party finds a large room containing two pillars from floor to ceiling and three zombies. On spotting the party, the zombies start moaning louder.

 
 Spoiler: Combat 
The party takes the zombies by surprise.
 

Lonnie recognizes the enemies as human zombies, with slowness and DR 5/slashing.

Slick sees no way to get cover or flank, so tumbles past the zombie. 19 (24) gets him through safely. He takes a position behind the zombie.

Daar charges in spear-first. 9 (17) hits for 8 (15-5=10) damage.

Ali fires on the zombie in the far corner, but it has partial cover from Daar and the column in the center of the room. 11 (14) hits the pillar.

Elara casts Enlarge Person on Daar, who now covers the room's entrance.

Lonnie continues to be ready.

Round 1

Slick attacks the zombie. 17 (23) hits for 2 damage.

The zombie in the near corner starts moving toward Daar. Daar attacks with opportunity. 18 (24) hits for 1+5 (15-5=10) damage.
Lonnie fires. 8 (7) misses.

Daar starts a full attack with her spear on the flanked zombie. 11 (19) hits for 1+4 (15-5=10) damage. The zombie is destroyed.
Then Daar bites the other zombie. 8 (9) misses.

The zombie in the far corner approaches Slick.

Ali fires on the zombie attacking Daar. 1 misses.

Elara fires on the zombie attacking Daar. 6 (4) misses.

Lonnie fires on the zombie attacking Daar. 2 (1) misses.

Round 2

Slick tumbles out of the one zombie's range to flank the other. 18 (23) succeeds. He attacks from behind. 8 (14) hits for 3 damage.

The first remaining zombie grabs Daar (succeeding on the grapple check despite Daar's size) and opens their fanged maw unnaturally wide, revealing row upon row of jagged teeth. He bites Daar for 9 damage. (Daar 2 HP, grappled). As he moves into Daar's space, Slick attacks. 10 (16) hits for 3 damage. The zombie is destroyed.

Daar heals 1 HP (3), then steps forward to attack the last zombie with spear and bite. Spear 12 (18) hits for 4+2 (16-5=11) damage.
Bite 1 misses.

The zombie moves toward Daar, who attacks with opportunity. 16 (22) hits for 2+3 (15-5=10) damage. The zombie is destroyed.

 
 


After clearing out the zombies, a damaged Daar quickly regains full health. However, the party's fight was noticed. Dreadful moans and the gnashing of teeth echo throughout the tunnels, making it difficult to estimate how many remain, or even from what direction they are approaching.
Metastachydium
Apparently not quite cognizant of all the new and apporaching moans, Daar plops down on the floor and stares blankly into the air ahead of her for a moment.   It bit me!   she says, at last. It bit her! With all those teeth! A  lot  of teeth, just like a shark.  She was supposed not to be eaten by sharks! 
 
 Spoiler: OOC 

Cheap drama!
 
Yas392
  "And it healed."  

Slick groans as zombies moaning reverberate throughout the tunnels.

  "Our guest of honor has given us the job as undead exterminators."  

The acrobat's voice is laden with sarcasm as he moves to the double doors.

  "Before your enhancement is gone. Let's get to it."  

Slick glances back at the enlarged barbarian, waits for the group to get into position before swinging open the doors.
JNAProductions
 "I can look over your wounds later, Daar,"  Lonnie tells her,  "But Slick has a solid point. We've limited magical resources-best to make full use of them." 

She continues to bring up the rear, after taking a moment to reload her crossbow.
rockdeworld
Behind the next doors are a long hallway ending in a shallow pool, and one zombie.

 
 Spoiler: Combat 
 

Round 4

Slick opens the door and spies the zombie. It's too far to reach this turn, so he waits to give Daar a clear charge.

Daar heals 1 (5 HP) and charges spear first. 14 (22) hits for 5+2 (16-5=11).

Ali fires, trying not to hit Daar. 7 (10) misses.

The zombie moves forward. Daar attacks with opportunity. 5 (11) misses.

Elara fires. 12 (10) misses.

Lonnie fires. 2 (1) misses.

Round 5

Slick double moves to try to flank the zombie, including a tumble. 16 (21) succeeds, and he avoids an attack. He can't move far enough to completely flank, but gets adjacent.

Daar heals 1 (6 HP), takes a 5' step back, and full-attacks. 17 (23) hits for 5+3 (17-5=12) damage. The zombie is destroyed.

 
 


It's now round 5 and Daar has 6 HP.
Yas392
  "The double doors on the other side!"  

Slicks urges the group to run to the other side and takes off to the other side. Once they arrived and positioned, he pushes the door ajar.
Metastachydium
Daar shoots a longing glance in the direction of the little pool, however ridiculously little water it might contain, given her current size, but manages (if still rather uncertain about this whole affair) to resist dipping at least a few toes in it and shuffles over to the opposite end of the hallway for the sake of the others, who are still right about this whole thing.   Why is the Lady's brother smuggling dead people that  bite  me with weird teeth?   is all the express complaint she squeezes in, meanwhile.
rockdeworld
Round 6

Everyone but Slick and Daar run to the other doors.

Round 7
Slick and Daar run to the other door.

Since Slick can't get to the door this round, Ali opens it, then backs away.

Four great wooden pillars rise up to support the ceiling of this large room, which sags dangerously in places and is thick with hanging strangs of fungus. Several doors line the walls - one to the west (from which comes a muffled sloshing sound), two to the north (the western of which is badly damaged and hangs askew on its one remaining hinge), and two to the east - including the door the Ali just opened. To the south, the ceiling has collapsed, leaving the southern part of the room choked in debris. A rippling pool of water reaches halway into the room from this wall of stone and rubble. It seems that a wooden pier once extended into this pool, but all that remains now are several rotting wooden pilings protruding from the water. A man's body floats face down among them.

Three zombies stand on the edge of the water, looking at the floating body.

 
 Spoiler: Combat 
 

Round 8
Slick attempts to tumble around the zombie. 13 (18) succeeds. He attacks. 6 (8) misses.

Daar heals 1 (9), moves to flank, and attacks with her spear. 3 (11) misses.

Zombie 2 (the top-right one) 5' steps up to Slick.

Zombie 3 (the top-left one) moves between Slick and Daar.
Slick AOOs. 16 (18) hits for 4 damage. He trades places with zombie 3 - giving up flanking to stuff the zombie between its fellows.
Daar AOOs. 4 (10) misses.

Ali fires on zombie 3, trying not to hit Daar. 1 misses.

Elara fires on zombie 3. 17 (15) misses due to soft cover from Daar.

Zombie 1 attempts to bite Daar, but misses.

Lonnie fires on zombie 3. 15 (14) misses due to soft cover from Daar.

Round 9
Slick 5' steps to flank zombie 2 with Daar. He attacks zombie 2. 7 (11) misses.

Daar heals 1 (10), and attacks zombie 2 with spear and bite. 3 (11) misses. 14 (22) hits for 5+5 (19-5=14) damage.

Zombie 2 attempts to bite Slick, but misses.

Zombie 3 5' steps between Slick and Daar.

Ali fires on zombie 2. 6 (9) misses.

Elara reloads and fires on zombie 2. 13 (11) misses.

Zombie 1 attempts to bite Daar, and hits for 4 damage (Daar 6 HP). It attempts to hold on (grapple check), but Daar shakes it off.

Lonnie reloads and fires on zombie 2. 14 (13) misses due to soft cover.
 

Round 10

  This round is dangerous.   Choose your actions.

Slick and Daar act first. Daar currently has  9  6 HP, and will heal up to  10  7 at the start of the round.

Then   zombie 2   and   zombie 3  .   Zombie 2   has taken 14 damage.   Zombie 3   has taken 4 damage.

Then Ali.

Then   zombie 1  .

Then Elara and Lonnie.

 
Metastachydium
Daar recoils  immediately  as the biting Zombies that really want to give the Darfellan a toothy hug are herded  right  at her by Slick, but ends up steeling herself enough not to just run away. That would not be particularly good for Lonnie's or Elara's or Ali's health. Probably not very good for Slick's, even. She's here to punch and be punched, so they don't have to! Which she does, in lieu of any plan more clever.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 

Daar 5' steps back into the hallway (it probably won't do much, but she might get lucky there depending on how the Zombies go about their business); and full-attacks Zombie 2, because while it's not the one that tried to hug her, it's the most damaged one;
please find the rolls attached   HERE  
 
Canuberon
Elara stays hidden behind a big Daar and shoots a crossbow bolt.
Canuberon
 
 Originally Posted by Canuberon 
 Elara stays hidden behind a big Daar and shoots a crossbow bolt. 
 

And rolls horribly doing it...
 Link to roll 
Yas392
  "That does not look good. Could use a helping hand here. Aren't you clerics supposed to be able to turn undead? Can you even the odds for us with your holy power, Lonnie?"  

Slick still flanks with Daar and continues to attack the zombie he targeted.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Attack Zombie 3. If Zombie 2 is destroyed by Daar Natural 20 attack, 5 ft step to its space and attack Zombie 3.

Rolls are  HERE .
 
rockdeworld
Round 10

Slick hits zombie 3 for 1 damage.

Daar heals 1 (7), and destroys zombie 2 with her spear. That allows her to bite zombie 3, the next-most-damaged, for a full 6 damage.
Enlarge Person wears off.

Zombie 3 attempts to bite Slick. It hits for 9 damage (Slick -1 HP). Slick collapses. The zombie maintains its grip on him (grappling), dragging him into the zombie's square.

Ali moves into the room for a clear shot and fires on zombie 3. 13 (16) hits for 6 (-5=1) damage.

Elara misses.

Zombie 1 moves toward Daar.

Lonnie turns the remaining undead.

Slick fails to stabilize and loses 1 HP (-2).

Round 11

Slick heals 1 (-1) and stabilizes.

Daar heals 1 (8), 5' steps to zombie 3 and attacks. 12 (18) hits for 5 (12-5=7 damage). Zombie 3 is destroyed. Daar bites zombie 1. 15 (16) hits for 6 (12-5=7) damage.

Ali fires on zombie 1. 3 (5) misses.

Elara reloads and fires. 20 (18) hits for 4 (-5=0) damage.

Zombie 1 attempts to flee.
Daar AOOs. 4 (10) misses.
The zombie noticeably avoids the water as it moves toward the opposite corner of the room.

Lonnie reloads and fires. 12 (11) misses.

Round 12

Slick heals 1 (0) and regains consciousness. He stands, dagger in hand.

Daar heals 1 (9), and chases the fleeing zombie. She attacks with her spear. 20 (26) hits for 7 (13-5=8) damage.

Ali moves for a clear shot and fires. 12 (14) hits for 4 (-5=0) damage.

Too far to hit the zombie, Elara reloads and moves into the room.

Zombie 1 attempts to flee.
Daar AOOs. 6 (12) misses.

Lonnie reloads and moves into the room.

Round 13

Slick heals 1 (1) and moves toward the zombie.

Daar heals 1 (10), moves toward the zombie and attacks with her spear. 13 (19) hits for 2 (8-5=3) damage. The zombie is destroyed, and all moaning in the room ceases.

Then the group hears the crack of a door opening behind them.

 

Round 14

Two more undead step out the door. The former wears the tattered vestments of a cleric. When he locks eyes with Lonnie, he cries out in rage, and casts a spell.

The latter seems to be the last pirate zombie, judging from the sounds coming from it.
JNAProductions
 "It's a Huecuva!"  Lonnie says, looking at the caster.  "I don't think I can turn that-and its nearly impossible to hurt with weapons without silver." 
Yas392
  "Ugh, did someone get the number of the zombie that almost killed me?"  

Slick sways in the delirium of his healing.

  "Huecuva...Silver..."  

He unstraps the dagger he straps at his waist and moves to drop something by Daar's side to drop the weapon into her hand.

  "Here Daar. Use this silver dagger to attack it if we want to fight it. Otherwise, we open a door and bail. I am not in the state to fight now until I am healthy."  
 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Uses all of his actions to open one door and drop the silver dagger on Daar.
 
Metastachydium
  A Hu… Hue… A  what ?   Daar looks at Lonnie, the little dagger she's just been handed and then Slick, with copious amounts of confusion on her face and in her voice alike.  And then  the words "impossible to hurt", that the thing has just did some magical something and that it looks  angry  finally registers with her. So she gulps. And she draws the one reasonable conclusion.   You two   she gestures with the shiny dagger towards Lonnie and Elara   get behind me, we open a door and run away  fast ?  
Yas392
  "Pick a door to slip into otherwise I will open one door."  
 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Roll for random door is  HERE .
 
JNAProductions
 "Whichever one, let's just go,"  Lonnie says.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
I have no preference.
 
rockdeworld
Round 14

Slick heals 1 (2). After dropping the dagger for Daar, he can't reach the easternmost door, but can open a closer one. Doing so reveals a small room, empty save for some broken pieces of wood that might have once been containers.

Daar heals 1 (11), and can move and pick up the dagger.

Ali takes their cue from Slick and moves to the door Slick indicated to open it. Beyond the party finds a small room with another door on the opposite side.

Lonnie is able to move and open that door, which reveals another small room with a door opposite.

Elara is able to move and open that door.

That reveals another tunnel with a door leading back where the party came from. That door is currently shut.

 
Yas392
Slick sighs.

  "Let's try the other two doors. One at the time so that we don't feel unprep to deal with threats that can jump on us. Can we shut the other doors to slow the other active zombie Lonnie knows?"  
JNAProductions
Lonnie nods.  "They can't phase through the walls or batter them down easily... I think." 
Canuberon
Elara closes the door she just opened.
  No way out through this side.  
She clenches her fists in frustration, silly she just let the team walk into a trap like that.
Metastachydium
  Can we just run around in circles until Slick can stab things again?   Daar inquires, moving closer to the door the Hue-thing is approaching with some  visible  reluctance, but evidently fully intending to shield the magic people from harm as well as she might be able.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 

Scooby-Doo style!

Also, I believe she should be able to double move to the square just to the upper right of the rightmost pillar near the dead-dead Zombies, which, if possible, she'll do.
 
rockdeworld
Round 15

Slick heals 1 (3) and opens the near door, which has another small room like the one he just opened.

Daar moves.

The Huecava and zombie approach. The Huecava seems to be keeping pace with its slower companion.

Ali moves down and shuts the doors the party used to enter.

After Elara closes the door, she and Lonnie have actions remaining.

 
Yas392
  "OK...I hope the remaining door does not lead to a dead end."  

Slick looks at the last door.
JNAProductions
Lonnie moves and opens the door, being careful to not place herself directly in harm's way if something malicious is on the other side.
rockdeworld
Unfortunately Lonnie and Elara are too far away to move to the last door and open it, so they get as close as they can.

(OOC: I'll post again in a bit)
rockdeworld
Round 16

The first to act, Slick is able to move to and open the last door.

A sloshing sound comes from the churning waters of a sea cave. Fueled by what must be powerful submerged currents, the water laps and splashes against the walls of the twisting natural cavern that leads to the west. A sandy slope descends from the door down to the edge of the subterranean tide. Dozens of purple and red sea urchins glisten in the shallow divots along teh ground and lower walls here, their spines glittering with water.

With the party preparing to run into the door, Daar moves toward it but stops in front of Slick - prepared to defend the party.

Ali runs into the new room. They call back to report that there's no enemies, and there's a door on the far side, but the water is slippery, and going any further requires swimming.

Lonnie and Elara have actions remaining.

 
Yas392
  "Elara, Lonnie, can you check the pool in the current room for the silver thing I saw?"  

Slick points to the spots where he spotted silver glistening through the waters.
Canuberon
Elara moves to the point where Slick is pointing, holding her crossbow ready for any other trap.
JNAProductions
Lonnie looks quickly, her eyes scanning the pool.

 
 Spoiler: Dice Roll 
 Here. Got a 15. 
 
rockdeworld
Lonnie too catches a glint of silver from the pool, though it'd take a search to find out exactly what it was.

 
JNAProductions
 "Slick, Daar-there's something silver in there,"  Lonnie says.  "If it's a weapon..." 
 
 Spoiler: OOC 
How deep is that pool?
 
Yas392
  "We need to decide who will search the silver thing while the half of us go ahead. Too risky if more than one of us stay behind and search. Super tough zombie can catch up to us at any time. I volunteer me and Daar as the door guard while the rest of you cross the other room."  

Slick goes into action after the decision if the party agree, search that spot of the pool he saw the glint.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Search &amp; Potential Swim rolls are  HERE .
 
rockdeworld
Round 16 continued

Elara

Lonnie makes it to where Ali is standing, but is unable to make progress swimming through the water this round.

Round 17

Slick heals 1 (5), and jumps into the water. His search yields success - he finds a masterwork silver dagger at the bottom of the pool. Unfortunately, he also finds 5 monstrous crabs, the size of dogs, surprised by his sudden entrance into their domain. He also notes tiny tunnels going into the South wall. Nothing larger than a tiny creature could fit through them comfortably though.

Daar readies an attack at any enemies that enter her threatened area.

At that moment, the doors open. The huecava and its zombie companion have arrived.

Ali defers, waiting on his companions' decision what to do next.

 
Yas392
Slick frowns at his enemies in the depths.

  If he can take the dagger without a problem...  

He swims to resurface and bolts into the opening behind Daar.

  If he haven't take the dagger...  

He swims to resurface and bolts into the opening behind Daar, going deeper into the room and looking around.

  If he already took the dagger...  

He swims to resurface and bolts into the opening behind Daar, going deeper into the room and looking around.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Spot and Listen checks for next room (if he can get into it in his current turn) are  HERE .
 
Metastachydium
As the dead begin to close in, and her own people make a point of all vanishing from sight, Daar can't quite shake the feeling that life's being unfair. Everyone else gets to swim in  actual  water, and here she is, pieces of dead people stuck between her teeth (that she's trying hard not to think about too much) and staring down the Hue-thing that still looks very angry and magical. But stand her ground she will!

…until such time as Slick gets out of the room; that should make for a reason good enough to just also run away.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 

I RETURN!

Also, if/once Slick gets around to bolting past her, Daar begins to retreat herself as far as she can get while still being fully between the undead and the rest of the party. She's serious about meatshielding like that.
 
Canuberon
Elara goes to the rest of the party, her crossbow still in hand for when the zombies inevitably come closer.
JNAProductions
Fervently wishing she had better physique, Lonnie keeps pace as best she can with Ali.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
With the Huecava's Turn Resistance, I'm very unlikely to be able to do anything to it.

Bravely run away! :P
 
rockdeworld
Lonnie swim rolls: 2. She goes underwater.

Ali swim roll: 10 - success. She jumps in and pulls Lonnie back to the surface.

Elara catches up to Lonnie and Ali. Swim roll: 16 (15) - success.

Round 18

Slick heals 1 (6) and is able to escape the pool unharmed and make it a little past the doorway.

Daar is able to follow and close the door behind her (if she wants) while still staying close to Slick. If she does, the last thing she sees is the huecava and zombie closing to 30 feet away.

Lonnie swim roll: 5. She goes underwater again.

Ali swim roll: 2. She goes underwater too.

Elara swim roll: 7 (6). She goes underwater.

 
 
 Spoiler: OOC 
I was going to continue the rounds, but due to the unfortunate swim rolls I thought yall might want to have some input. Otherwise I'll just assume everyone keeps moving toward the far door and through it.

And now that Slick is out of the water he and Daar can run.
 
Metastachydium
Daar  absolutely  does close the door, and put her whole weight against it for good measure. The Hue-thing and the other dead thing (that quite likely means to bite her) are rather uncomfortably near to the other side of it; and she'd rather they didn't get past.   Is the water good?   she calls back into the cave, figuring the various noises of splashing indicate an ample amount of water somewhere further in.   Tell me at  least  the water's good!  
 
 Spoiler: OOC 

Do I need to make a STR check to  Hodor  hold the door? Do tell if I have to.

Meanwhile, I'll aggressively metagame and try to check on all the PCs trying to drown in the background.
 
Yas392
  "Crabs!"  

Slick grins.

  "Too bad I can't make crab sticks out of them because we are chased by zombies. Chase is good though. No need to hold the door, Daar. Keep running or you will miss the fun the others having in the water."  

The acrobat follows the twisting water canals to catch up to the party.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
 

Red line is Slick's pathway. Deep blue circles are the areas he will make new spot/listen checks and 2nd blue circle is have swim checks in addition to listen/spot checks. Roll results are  HERE .
 
rockdeworld
 
 Spoiler: OOC 
I made a mistake on the rolls for last round - Elara should have failed to make progress but not gone under. I'll continue as though she's on the water's surface.
 


Round 19

Slick heals 1 (7), and is able to run to the edge of the water and into it. He spots sea urchins on the ground, but it's simple to avoid them with the water level so low.

Daar is able to follow and jump a little further into the water.

Behind them, Slick and Daar (being the only two above water) hear the sound of a door opening.

Lonnie swim roll: 14 (13). She resurfaces and swims toward the far shore. On reaching it she is able to move to the door.

Ali swim roll: 13 (14). They resurface and attempt to aid Elara. 17 (18) success.

Elara swim roll: 6 (7). She fails to make progress.

 
Metastachydium
Slick's suggestion is as welcome as it gets, and before he'd know, he has a Daar that looks as happy as one chased by dead people can be zooming past him and into the water.   No time to dive!   the Darfellan informs Elara and Ali (who seem to have chosen a poor strategy of escape into the water), throwing an arm each around them; and sticking her face into the pool, she begins to kick herself forward  at speed .

 
 Spoiler: OOC 

Assuming Ali's current "weight: YES" is not above 126 lb., Ali and Elara are within Daar's heavy encumbrance, meaning she can swim dragging them both along  at a speed of 60' , and still has a +8 to perform any special maneuvers while at that, after factoring in the -12 ACP for encumbrance.

She also uses her 20' Blindsense (whence "face in the pool"), so do tell if she echolocates something interesting.
 
Yas392
Slick dives into the pool and swims with strong strokes.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Spot/Listen/Swim already rolled on latest post on dice thread linked on previous post.
 
rockdeworld
 
 Spoiler: ooc 
Ali being a changeling with an elvish background, we'll say they are just under 126 lbs at the moment.
 


Round 20

Slick heals 1 (8) and swims halfway across the pool.

Daar is able to grab Elara and Ali and drag them both to the other bank of the pool.

Daar and Slick both notice the rock formation underwater is a bit unusual, but it'd take a full search to know more.

Ali moves to the door (passing Lonnie) and tries to open it, but is unable to.

"Stuck tight." They report.

 
Yas392
Slick swims halfway across.

  "Hang on, I am coming to unlock it. Wait for-"  

The acrobat submerges underwater when he proceeds. He resurfaces, throwing out water.

  "Daar, if I am struggling to swim to the door, help me across."  

Once he makes it to land, he takes out his thieves' tools and work on the door.

  "If I fail, Daar, we can take turns dealing with the door. You bash door, I play with keyhole."  
 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Drama since he rolled a 4 for swim on round 21.

Rolls for swim for subsequent rounds after round 21 are  HERE  and Open Lock checks are  HERE .
 
Metastachydium
Daar doesn't quite bother to wait for Slick to try and drown again, and,  strictly for the sake of his safety, of course , plunges back into the water immediately, surfacing just beside him, ready to grab and drag as needed.   Can I just stay in here?   she inquires with the man in the meantime, as he suggests taking turns with the door. She has been rather unlucky with doors so far, and all this water below her feels endlessly liberating.   I bet I'll do better against those things in here too!   she adds. It rings true to her, even. She'd watch those try and swim as she does!

 
 Spoiler: OOC 

Beyond how the familiare medium bolsters her confidence, I believe Daar has a point there. If the undead have no swim speed (and even if they have a  normal-sized  one), she can just dance about those two in full 3D, which can be a big advantage. I'm also not fond of having the squishies be between Slick/Daar and the Huecuve, frankly.
 
JNAProductions
Upon hearing the door is locked or stuck, Lonnie circles back to the odd rocks, desperately hoping for something good.

 
 Spoiler: Search Check 
 16  according to the dice roller.
 
Yas392
  "I think we should get our other friends past the door before we search the underwater rocks or fight the undead. Daar, can you knock down the door?"  

Slick points at the door.
rockdeworld
 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Technically since Slick failed his swim check, he didn't take any actions yet. He can delay until after Daar gets him to land. If you'd like to do that, go ahead.
 


Round 21

Daar is able to grab Slick and drag him to the other bank of the pool.

"It's not locked." Ali says. Then, since Slick and Daar are still getting through the water, they attempt to kick down the door. Strength check: 18 (19). The door breaks.

The smell in the chamber beyond is horrific, a cloying stink of rotten meat rising from the bloated, seeping body slumped in the middle of the floor. The corpse's dark, almost black flesh bulgest against its armor, ready to burst at the slightest touch. An intricate tattoo of a dragon clutching a flower is barely visible on his shoulder against the diseased flesh, and clutched in one hand is a crumpled scroll.

 
JNAProductions
Holding her breath, Lonnie moves for the scroll, very, very carefully extricating it.

Once it's free, she looks it over.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
 13 for the roll. 

Not sure what skill is most appropriate, but Spellcraft or Knowledge (Arcana or Religion) all use the same mod, and I'd assume it's one of those.
 
Yas392
Slicks opens his mouth as the male changeling kicks down open the door.

  "Ali, my friend! That is one powerful kick. I knew we can count on you when Daar is not there. We should rely on you and Daar from now on for strength related tasks."  

He extends his neck to peer around the corner.

  "Is there a path or dead end?"  
Metastachydium
  And is there a way to make that smell go  away ? It smells horrible!   Daar offers her own tactical insight from the water, not even bothering to look back and see what the source of the stench really is. If it was aggressive, she figures, the others wouldn't be so calm about it. She better just keep an eye on where the dead people may barge into the pool from any moment now.
rockdeworld
(Round 21 continued)

It turns out the scroll is mundane, but it is filled with writing.

 
 Spoiler: Scroll 

 

On another note, since Canuberon hasn't posted in 5 days, I feel like I need to post Elara's spot check result here rather than via PM.
 


Elara is ready for any enemies to appear, but she notices something strange about the back wall in that room - but it would require a search check to know more.
Canuberon
  Guys, somebody check that back wall please? There's something strange about it.  
She points at the wall in question but remains vigilant for anything following them.
Yas392
  "Daar, if you want to search underwater for rock formation, do it before the zombie comes. I'm checking the walls."  

Slick puts away his cold iron dagger and strides past the opening.

  "Looks like a dead end but may not be."  

He fans the room and pinches his nose with his free hand as he reaches the wall.

  "Aw phooey, this smells worse than dung."  
 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Roll for Search check for next round is  HERE .
 
Metastachydium
  RIGHT! I  heard  something there!   Daar confirms, largely unbothered by how counterintuitive the notion that she heard a stationary rock might sound to anyone but a Darfellan. Instead of engaging in pedantry, therefore, she merely goes under, taking the welcome reprieve from the smell of what she doesn't yet know once was the mortal shell of one Penkus and begins to examine the submerged floor with hand, eye and whistling unheard.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 

Alright, if she has the time, Daar searches (with  the roll attached ) the spot her echolocation told her is the weirdest;
if she senses someone entering the pool in the last flooded room (which is small enough that her Blindsense should cover all of it) from the wrong direction (i.e. from where she expects the undead), however, she obviously doesn't do that.
 
rockdeworld
Round 22

Slick and Daar move into position to search.

The Huecava finally appears at the edge of the pool, with the zombie partially visible behind it.

Ali doesn't bother attacking the Huecava with high DR, and instead 5' steps into the room to help Slick search. 4 (4) fails to find anything.

 
Canuberon
Elara readies an action to shoot the zombie if it comes into view.
Yas392
  "I could use another pair of eyes for the wall."  

He shifts his head to Lonnie and Ali.
Metastachydium
The pool continues to softly ripple as Daar goes on unabated within, still blissfully unbothered by the stench, and just as blissfully unaware of the current whereabouts of the group's pursuers, which means they aren't in  her   pool just yet. So far as she can tell, she's got her time and she'll  take  it.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 

Unless those two things have a pretty darn good swim speed, I believe Daar gets to do her little round of searching here.
 
rockdeworld
Round 23

Slick (with Lonnie's aid) finds a secret door in the back wall that leads to another small room. The air in this chamber is stale, yet unlike the other chambers in the waterlogged complex the place seems quite dry - even dusty. Cobwebs hang in thick sheets from the ceiling, and against the northern wall sit three large sea chests.

Daar likewise finishes searching but is unable to find anything this round.

The huecava moves into the pool and begins swimming across its surface. As Daar predicted, the huecava immediately falls underwater, unable to make progress. Being undead though, it allows itself to fall to the bottom 10' below and lands on its feet.

The zombie makes no move to enter the pool, instead moaning at its edge.

 
Canuberon
Seeing that the zombie refuses to go in the water, Elara lowers the crossbow and hurries towards the little room.
Elara'll search for traps or any other way out of the small room.
 Search for traps &amp; more doors. 
Yas392
Slick moves into the second room and upwards to another dead end. He touches the wall, put his head on the wall and looks around.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Since he has a move action this round due to Start/Complete Full-Round action from before, he will make listen/spot check this round and search the wall/area next round. Rolls for this turn and next turn are  HERE .
 
Metastachydium
Lack of success with the weird rocks doesn't dismay Daar much. In fact,  not  happening upon anything unforeseen and perilous would be something she finds comforting. She surfaces, briefly, to exchange (what shall here be termed) intelligence with a quick   Found anything? I didn't!  , only to plunge back downto lurk on below once an answer is received.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 

Nothing much here. 12 was a lucky roll; if that and Blindsense didn't help, it looks like any searching will have to wait until someone better at that has the time to spare. Until then, Daar will move closer to the center of the pool, so as to be sure she gets to detect the Huecuva when it enters the actual room.
 
Yas392
Slick continues palming the walls.

  "Ali, Lonnie, aid whoever who is better at finding the secret plate to open the secret entrance."  
 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Search checks for subsequent rounds are  HERE .
 
rockdeworld
 
 Spoiler: OOC 
I forgot to mention this last round but Penkus's body has a masterwork studded leather armor (that needs to be cleaned), a gold ring worth 120 gp, and a masterwork dagger in his boot.
 

 
 Spoiler: Combat 
Round 24

Daar spots the huecuva and moves in to attack at the corner of its space. 11 (17) misses due to its natural armor.

The huecuva attempts to defensively casts a spell, but fails.

Round 25

Daar attacks again. 9 (15) misses. Daar 5' swims up, away from the huecuva.

The huecuva casts another spell. Daar attempts a will save. 12 (8) fails. Daar is frightened for 3 rounds.
The huecuva attempts to make forward progress, but fails.

Round 26

Daar flees. She reaches the other end of the pool in one move action, and with the next rushes to the wall of the first small room.

The huecuva attempts to make forward progress, but fails.

Round 27

Daar flees into the treasure room.

Around this time Slick remembers that huecuvas are weak to silver, not cold iron, and swaps daggers with Daar.

The huecuva attempts to make forward progress, but fails.

Round 28

Daar cowers in the corner.

The huecuva attempts to make forward progress, but fails.

Round 29

Daar overcomes her fear and dives back into the pool, approaching the huecuva but staying outside its range.

The huecuva moves forward 15 feet.

Round 30

Daar 5' swims and attacks the huecuva from a superior angle. 20 (27) hits for 2 (7) damage.

The huecuva slams Daar for 4 damage (Daar 8 HP). Daar makes a fortitude save against huecuva blight, and 17 (19) shrugs it off.
The huecuva attempts to make forward progress, but fails.

Round 31

Daar heals 1 (9) and attacks. 18 (25) hits for 4 (9) damage. The huecuva is destroyed.
 


After Daar destroys the Huecuva, the group is under no more pressure and can take their time searching.

Daar finds a 5' tunnel under the water that stretches further than she can see with sight or blindsense, save for a speck of light at the end. The currents in it are strong but not overwhelming - she could do it even carrying passengers.

The group finds no more secret doors, but they also find that the chests, while locked, are untrapped. Slick is able to get them open, and inside they find:

 
 The first chest is filled with copper and silver coins worth 225 gp total. 
 The second chest contains a dozen bags, 10 of which contain 100 gp. The remaining two each contain a small handful of assorted gems worth 250 gp each. (1500 gp total in the chest) 
 The third chest contains three potions of cure light wounds, a potion of lesser restoration, a potion of invisibility, a potion of barkskin +3, a potion of cure serious wounds, an elixir of swimming, a wand of mage armor (that Elara and Lonnie deduce has 11 charges), and a small jade coffer worth 300 gp. Inside this coffer, resing on a tiny velvet cushion, is a light brown gemstone that a strip of paper under the cushion identifies as an earth elemental gem. 
 
Canuberon
Elara sighs, obviously relieved that nobody got more hurt and the greatest threat has been removed.
She cheers, uncharacteristically outgoing:  Good job Daar!  

Quickly she regains her more distant demeanor and helps sort and stash everything from the chests with Slick.
   Hrm, let me think what I know about such gems.   
Metastachydium
  It worked!   Daar enthuses along, striding out of the pool, forgetting, as it were, for a moment why she was even keener to stay under just a moment ago than she'd normally be.   This silver thing  is  good!   she grins at Slick and  especially  Lonnie, making sure to keep the dagger far away from them both (and the others as well, while at that; who knows what else it may be capable of, should she abandon caution?). Working with people who  know  what they are doing really is its own reward.   And we have gems now, too?   she tries to peek past the others into the treasure chests to have her go at marveling at another kind of reward as well, meanwhile; if, alas, her stature makes that a complicated task.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 

That HUecuva really was a good sport about it, dying like that. A real gentleskeleton.
 
JNAProductions
 "That was really something, Daar,"  Lonnie compliments her.  "Huecevas are serious business, but you took it down!" 

She then looks at all the loot and whistles softly.  "We can do a lot of good with all this. I guess the trick is getting however much we can out, huh?" 
Yas392
  "Finally, super zombie is down. I would hate it if one of us died and get zombified while fighting that thing then fighting a zombified version of ourselves."  

When Daar and Lonnie push the concern about getting the treasure out, Slick puts his hands behind his head.

  "Relax. I think we can get everything out if we share the load. Now, whaddya say we get rid of the other zombie and crabs on the other side and explore what we haven't explore like the door the Huecevavaca came from before we get out? We can gangbang each crab we try to fish out with our zombie lure. If not, each of us can carefully search the safe spot we passed plus each room and the other pool room outside of this chamber cavern before we move on. Beats me searching each room for the group and saves time."  
 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Other than getting rid of zombie and crab via fishing, Slick is telling the party to Take 20 on search on safe spot cavern (the area rockdeworld whether I want to make climb checks to explore/search) + each room + other pool room to cover grounds.
 
Metastachydium
  You're very smart and it helped! A lot!   Daar replies to Lonnie with utmost conviction. Slick gets a thankful smile too. He might be dispensing disturbing mental images right now, but his dagger is a  really  good dagger.

  Oh!   she then rises onto her tiptoes as the conversation proceeds to touch upon strategies of exiting the complex.   And the whole thing with the Hue-thing helped me find another tunnel! It's in the water, and big enough for  all  of us!   she motions towards the pool.   Can I see where it goes?   she asks, with hints of rather giddy expectation in her voice.
JNAProductions
Lonnie nods.  "You're best suited for exploring under the water-the rest of us will look through the dryer spots." 
Canuberon
Elara smiles at Daar's enthusiasm and nods along with Lonnie.
She follows the advice and starts searching the walls for more secret doors or a way out of this trap.
Yas392
Slick nods.

  "Not the other pool before this cavern. There are crabs in them."  
rockdeworld
The group finds no other secrets in the 2 small rooms or pool area.

 
 Spoiler: Combat 
Round 1

Daar moves in and bites at the zombie from the water. 9 (15) hits for 4 (11) damage.

Slick isn't able to tumble around but is able to attack. 7 (9) misses.

The zombie bites at Daar and hits for 7 damage (Daar 5 HP). It attempts to start a grapple but Daar wins the opposed grapple check.

The others fire their weapons but can't get past the zombie's DR.

Round 2

Daar bites again. 12 (18) hits for 4 (11) damage. The zombie is destroyed.
 


Having defeated the zombie, the tunnels fall silent. All moaning and gnashing of teeth is gone. The party is able to explore the rest of the dungeon, though they find no more secrets or items.

 
 Spoiler: Full dungeon map 
 
 
Yas392
  "Well, since we are done here, let's swim out of here through the tunnel Daar found unless we are going with my idea of fishing for crabs one at a time and fight them one by one."  

Slick waits for the party's response. If they don't bother with the crabs and Daar confirms the exit and reports back her findings, Slick dives into the underwater tunnel to get out.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
 Swim (Take 10)  - 11
 
rockdeworld
Slick is unable to progress through the tunnel due to the strong current.
Metastachydium
Words and nods are really all Daar needs and then some; she draws in a big breath and is already plowing past Slick into the opening, uncertain of, but unconcerned by whatever he may be trying to achieve there (probably finding things; he's good at finding things). She gets to cave-dive without anything she's aware of actively trying to eat her, and that's enough for her to feel ggod in her skin!

 
 Spoiler: OOC 

Daar zooms through at top non-running speed (180' per round) if she can, working her  sonar  blindsense (20' radius) all the way. If she needs a Swim check for anything special, do tell or do roll (she's got a +20).
 
Yas392
Slick resurfaces and takes one of the swimming elixirs.

  "A lil rough but doable. Each of us poor swimmers should take one. I am going to save this for extended underwater trips and down this as a last resort."  

He dives into the tunnel again to push against the currents. If he is struggling to hold his breath, he resurfaces and waits for Daar return to request her to ferry him to the exit.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Swim checks are  HERE .
 
JNAProductions
Eyeing the water with trepidation, Lonnie asks  "Daar? Can you escort me through? I'm... Not a strong swimmer." 
 
 Spoiler: OOC 
My Swim is poor as heck. If there's no objections from fishfriend, I'd like to just be dragged through.

I'm ready to go! :)
 
rockdeworld
Daar is able to make her way through the tunnel without trouble. After 70 feet, the tunnel emerges from the sea bed in the harbor between Parrot Island and the gate that separates Shadowshore from Cudgel district. From here, it's only a 20 foot swim to the surface, and then a 50 foot swim to the shore. She's able to head back and return to the party in the same turn.

From there, Daar is able to escort Ali, Lonnie and Elara. Slick makes it on his own.

Once back on land, Ali decides to part ways with the party. They leave behind 400 gp.

 
 Spoiler: XP 
The party gains 300 experience!

And since Ali is leaving the group, to make up for reducing the party size from 5 to 4, each character gains another 188 XP, which should put them at 1088, enough to reach level 2.

Now that yall are level 2, it's fine to stop keeping track of items that cost 1 gp or less (like crossbow bolts). If you need an item and it costs less than that, just assume you have it.
 
JNAProductions
On the way to the surface, Lonnie clings tightly to Daar, eyes shut. Once on the surface, she tries vainly to dry her hair.  "Time's like this I wish I was a wizard..."  she mutters. But, she does give a bright smile to her seaworthy friend.

When Ali decides to leave the group, Lonnie nods.  "It's been an interesting time. Fare well, and if we meet again, we'll swap stories!" 

And finally, she says  "We should report back. I feel like her brother is in with the wrong crowds by now." 
Yas392
Slick resurfaces with a gasp, doggy paddle to the shore. He hacks out the excess water in his lung, slants, slaps his head with a hand to get the water out of his ears. He then coughs some more until he is unable to while shivering. He hears Lonnie calling out a farewell to Ali and ignores the state that he is in, waves at his former companion.

  "Sorry if our group is not to your tastes or the adventure has been rough on you. I hope we see each other again sometimes. Maybe as a drinking buddy or chatting mates."  

Lonnie's suggestion causes the acrobat to turn his head at her.

  "I don't mind either. However, we are not going back when we are still at tip top shape? I could go for another round. Unless you run out of bolts and want to restock."  
Metastachydium
Daar smiles back at Lonnie and rubs the priest's closest arm. Apparently, that helps people without proper blubber warm up. Not that Daar will ever understand why people wouldn't develop proper blubber for staying warm. She's more understanding of Ali. The dead people were genuinely horrifying, and Ali didn't even have a silver dagger to just kill them back with. And Ali's being impossibly magnanimous here, too. Daar can't quite see herself ever just parting with  so much  gold with such casual ease. Daar waves Ali a friendly goodbye.

  We can always go back later!   she tells Slick, in the meantime. She would greatly enjoy swimming some  more  in the weird dark tunnel, of course, but she will get to swim much of the way back to Van-der-whatever-else Manor as well, a trip it rather looks like Lonnie would enjoy more; and the valuable things from the cave are already in their possession.   And the Lady might  really  want to know his brother's firends with weird dead people now!   maybe she'll even express her gratitude in liquid assets. That would be a pleasing turn of events.
JNAProductions
 
 Spoiler: OOC 

 
 Originally Posted by Metastachydium 
 Maybe she'll even express her gratitude in liquid assets. That would be a pleasing turn of events. 
 

Liquid, as-in money; or liquid, as-in, fluids? :P
 

 "You might be feeling well, but I could use some rest in case we run into more undead,"  Lonnie tells Slick.  "Besides that, I'd rather not run headfirst into danger again so soon. We could've died down there." 

She leans herself against Daar while the shorter woman tries to warm her up. What Daar lacks in height she makes up for in solidity, and Lonnie appreciates having someone there to support her.
Yas392
  "Fair."  

Slick shrugs.

  "Let's sell the loot we don't want and go for a shopping spree before stopping by the manor to update the Lady. Don't want you guys to suffer from lugging those valuables around all day. I could either use a handy haversack to help us carry more or a mithral chain shirt for more defense."  
JNAProductions
 "We should keep the potions of healing,"  Lonnie says.  "I'll do my best to keep everyone working in top shape, but if I can't, backup is a good idea." 

As the group goes towards the markets and discusses how to distribute the money, Lonnie adds  "I don't think we need to worry about the small things. We're a team, right? I'll happily donate some of my 'share' to Slick to get him better armor, and I think we should treat the money we make doing this as the  team's  money." 
Metastachydium
  I can carry things! And people too!   Daar points out, while at continuing to be very supportive, as though to prove the very point she's voiced, if mostly really just to help Lonnie who'd seem to need it.   But we can buy things! Isn't  mith-ral  just like silver, but fancier?   she, nevertheless, lends some support of a different sort to an alternate course of action proposed that doesn't involve anyone getting eaten. "Silver, but fancier", frankly speaking, intrigues her.
Yas392
  "Yeah except you can hit harder than silver and if you make an armor with mithral, you can fly like a bird than with normal armor."  

Slick nods at Lonnie's suggestion.

  "Pooling money so that we don't worry about our money issue is something I can get on board with. We'll need to do something about your offensive options soon, Lonnie. Can you use a bow?"  
JNAProductions
With a wry grin, Lonnie says  "I am physically capable of doing that. Not so much in terms of any actual use, though. My inclinations are much more magical-if we could afford a wand of  Spiritual Weapon  or something similar, I could use that at least." 
 
 Spoiler: OOC 
I believe that's 4,500 GP for a fully charged one at minimum caster level.
 
Canuberon
Elara will cast a disguise self to make herself appear dry and clean again.
  Thanks for the swim Daar, couldn't have made it on my own.
Concerning the wand, I could use it. To cast on myself or other party members if they don't wear any other armor.  
Yas392
Slick rubs the smuts off the studded leather armor with water.

  "So, keeping healing potions and mage wand armor, OK. I recommend keeping swimming elixir and invisibility potion. Invisibility might come in handy if you need me sneaking around to get that one item under someone nose or ruin someone's day unnoticed."  

Sometime after loot sale and gold distribution, he buys himself a mithral chain shirt and sells off his leather armor.  During that time, Slick suggests eastern armor masterwork dastana, chahar-aina to along with chain shirt masterwork or mithral for Daar to boosts her defenses. Once the gang finishes their purchases, he leads them to Lady Lavinia.
Metastachydium
   Any  time!   Daar beams at Elara, quite evidently meaning it, so long as actual swimming truly is involved. She's rather pleased with whole affair, overall. How she apparently managed to get the spellcaster through without water even getting around to settle on her is just an added point of pride.

 ♣ 
On the way, and at the shops, she listen most intently to Slick's advice. Having witnessed now firsthand that mith-ral  does  look like silver (but fancier), and perfectly confident he is correct regarding all the other properties of the thing and the assorted accessories one can enhance its wonders with further, now all she's hoping for is a vendor she can extract a firm assurance from that in no way will this new arrangement make her worse at moving through water; and a little help with counting the coins that are to change hands. That's a  lot  of coins, and she only has so many fingers.
JNAProductions
Lonnie, meanwhile, searches for any second-hand wands that might be useable. She eventually finds an odd trader, but with a good stock-lots of wands of  Lesser Vigor , partially used, but she can already cast that on her own.  "Anything that can be used offensively?"  she asks, and manages to trade some gold for a well-used wand of  Spiritual Weapon .

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
-900 GP, +Wand Of  Spiritual Weapon  at CL3 with 10 charges!
 
rockdeworld
While shopping, the group overhears the latest news that's torn through Sasserine - Lord Keltar Islaran, the harbormaster, has been murdered! Details of how the deed was done vary wildly - the only thing the rumor mill seems to agree on is that he was killed in his bed late last night and that the body was left in an especially gruesome state of evisceration.

On returning to Vanderboren manor, Lavinia is delighted to see the group, especially on hearing that they have news. But on being shown Penkus' note, her eyes widen in shock, then shut fast, eyebrows pinched. Her expression looks pained, and she slumps as her breathing becomes shallow.

Kora rushes forward with a cigar, and Lavinia takes it, allows Kora to cut and light it, and inhales deeply. When she looks up again, her eyes are steel.

"I knew this was possible, but avoided thinking about it. Now though, the truth must be faced. My brother has fallen in with a bad lot. I know nothing about the Lotus Dragons, so you'll have to learn more about them yourselves. What I can tell you is that since Sasserine threw off the Sea Prince rule, countless thieves' guilds have formed and fallen in a hidden underground war. The city watch knows, and for the most part they let these guilds fight it out with each other. In effect, they let them suppress themselves better than the law possibly could. It seems the Lotus Dragons are one of these guilds.

"Unlike this Penkus, I do not believe Vanthus is beyond redemption. He is a simple man, and is influenced by his surroundings. But most of all, he is my brother. If he can be brought out of this nest of vipers, I believe he will return to his senses. So your mission remains largely the same - find Vanthus, and bring him home. Convince him to return with you if you can, and capture him if not.

"Any questions?"
Yas392
  "One at the moment. Did he play with necromancy before you parted ways from him? If he did, he came a long way. He is a great necromancer. His undead flunkies' reactions are human-like. One seen a ghost when we are about to kill it and almost ran away."  

Slick puts a hand on his chin.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Knowledge roll about Lotus Dragons Guild is  HERE .
 
Metastachydium
  Yes! One of those  bit  me!   Daar chimes in from the background.   And there was a… A Hu… Hue- H-h-hue- something ! It did spells and scared me and we killed it with silver!   Daar recounts, having, uncharacteristically, just the prudent wisdom it takes  not  to pull out the miraculous silver dagger in question and start brandishing it to mime out its wonderworking capabilities, brandishing it about.   Lady…   Daar pauses, having forgotten in the intervening time that she never quite succeeded at actually memorizing the full name    Lady?  I know he's your brother and a Lord, but are we  sure  Slick isn't right? What if he really is a    ma-ki-a- villain   ?    she cautiously asks, adding a sudden   We have to warn Sef-… The nice guy that told us about the cave! He might be in danger too!   as the thought occurs to her.
rockdeworld
 
 Originally Posted by Yas392 
   "One at the moment. Did he play with necromancy before you parted ways from him? If he did, he came a long way. He is a great necromancer. His undead flunkies' reactions are human-like. One seen a ghost when we are about to kill it and almost ran away."   
 

"I should say not. He never showed any aptitude for magic, which may be why he's in this situation now."


 
 Originally Posted by Metastachydium 
    Lady?  I know he's your brother and a Lord, but are we  sure  Slick isn't right? What if he really is a    ma-ki-a- villain   ?    
 

"Makia...?" She looks confused for a moment. "Oh, Machiavellian. You have quite a way with words, Daar. But in answer to your question, I refuse to believe he's beyond saving. The Lotus Dragons, on the other hand, are a different matter. They're sure to get in your way. Destroy them."
Metastachydium
  Thank you!   Daar takes the obvious compliment with equally evident apreciation.   And we can do that!   she speculates on. At any rate, she realizes, they should have to, if the Lady is correct: it would appear that decapitations are off the table, their place currently occupied by undead-administered violent mastication.   And we can warn that other guy on the way if we can find him!  

As she steps further back, ready to leave, she recalls one last detail to add.   Oh! Right! Do you still have your ship?   she asks.   We heard there was a thing with the harbourmaster!   Daar is not even sure what answer she truly expects; while the Lady losing the vessel once more would not be ideal, recapturing it once more could prove a pleasant exercise.
JNAProductions
Lonnie stays quiet for their meeting with the lady. She's nothing really to add.
rockdeworld
 
 Originally Posted by Metastachydium 
   And we can warn that other guy on the way if we can find him!   
 

Lavinia raises an eyebrow.

"You mean the man who gave you the map? Given what you've told me, I suspect he is working for the Lotus Dragons in some capacity. If you can track him down, he might give you another lead on how to find them."


   Oh! Right! Do you still have your ship?   she asks.   We heard there was a thing with the harbourmaster!   

"Yes. Lord Islaren's passing was not a complete surprise, given his poor health, though the manner was. That's another mystery. Kora went out to check on the Blue Nixie after we heard the news. One of Lord Islaren's trusted men is acting as interim harbormaster, and he has ensured the ship's safety."
Yas392
Slick breathes out.

  "Oh good. As much as I want to play take back the ship if someone steals it again, part of me that wants to bash the heads of the mooks from the Lotus Dragon is stronger. I suspect they killed the harbourmaster out of revenge for us disrupting their shady operation by taking their smuggler away. If anything, it is not a mystery but a thread connecting back to them. I don't have any more questions. I am ready to move on."  
Canuberon
 
 Originally Posted by JNAProductions 
 Lonnie stays quiet for their meeting with the lady. She's nothing really to add. 
 

Dito for Elara, standing a respectful distance from the lady and waiting if anything is needed of her.
Metastachydium
 
 Originally Posted by rockdeworld 
 "You mean the man who gave you the map? Given what you've told me, I suspect he is working for the Lotus Dragons in some capacity. If you can track him down, he might give you another lead on how to find them." 
 

  …   Daar hasn't seriously contemplated this possibility so far.   …we can do that, too!  I think!    but she's not fundamentally opposed to the idea, amiable as Sef-guy appeared.


 
 Originally Posted by Yas392 
 Slick breathes out.

  "Oh good. As much as I want to play take back the ship if someone steals it again, part of me that wants to bash the heads of the mooks from the Lotus Dragon is stronger. I suspect they killed the harbourmaster out of revenge for us disrupting their shady operation by taking their smuggler away. If anything, it is not a mystery but a thread connecting back to them. I don't have any more questions. I am ready to move on."   
 

  Let's go, then?   she proposes as Slick presents his theory and the others don't seem to voice objections (or much anything, for the time being), beginning to back out of the room  very  politely.
JNAProductions
 "Thank you for your time, Lady Lavinia. We'll report back once we have found more,"  Lonnie says with a bow. She then heads out with the others.
rockdeworld
“Good hunting.” Lavinia says in farewell.
Yas392
Slick proposes to go back to Parrot Island to explore the other path. If the party agrees, Slick will lead them back to the island to go the path they did not take. If it leads to a dead end, Slick will lead the group back to Sasserine and reads the Penkus's notes to the party aloud at a secluded place.
Canuberon
Elara bows in farewell to Lady Vanderboren.

  I think everything on that island was a trap for us. But we might as well check it out so no other poor fools are trapped in there.   she says, agreeing with Slick.
rockdeworld
On returning to the island, the party fully explores the tunnels.

 
 Spoiler: Map 
 
 


However, they find nothing else there.
Yas392
Slick shakes his head. He leads the group back to the boat.

  "Now, let's get back to the mainland. This is an isolated enough of a place to read the note to see we can glean anything from it before we do so."  

He reads the note to the party before they take off from the island in their transport.

  "Hmm, lap of the Lotus below the Taxidermist's Hall? Where is that?"  
 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Knowledge (Local) roll is  HERE .
 
Metastachydium
Already knee-deep in the water, Daar turns around listens rather intently, insofar as she is capable of intent attention.   What's a ta-ksi-…  What-you-said ?   she asks. It sounds somehow vaguely ominous; but then, odd words of the sort often do.
JNAProductions
 "Taxidermy is the macabre practice of taking an animal's corpse and stuffing it so it's preserved,"  Lonnie answers.
Metastachydium
  Oh!   Daar loudly pretends that suddenly makes sense to her; even though she is now equally confused why one would  do  that. Unless…   …is that how you make those biting things, too?   she motions towards the tunnels, which is to say, inland and slighlty down.   Or! Can you stuff things like that thing on the Lady's ship that didn't kill us and weird people will buy them?   she muses on aloud. That's what she understands smuggling to entail, after all: some manner of lucre, but nefarious.
Yas392
  "Zombies make poor animals. Even when they act like them. They disgrace the animal name."  

Slick imitates a zombie moan and biting motion then wrinkles his nose and shapes his lips to almost a snarl. He uncreases his face, shows his teeth, give a half-baked growl.

  "I take the authentic stuffed animals over them any day. They are realer than the mockery of a living being. Do you like stuffed animals, Daar, particularly sea animals?"  
rockdeworld
Sreis knows the Taxidermist's Guildhall is on Water Street, with a service entrance from Dead Dog Alley, and is run by Nemien Roblach. If they travel there, they find the showroom open.
Yas392
While waiting for Daar's response, Slick still has eye contact with the barbarian, not in a stare down. His body is, otherwise, relaxed with the exception of one hand placed on a gunwale which fingers other than his thumbs are drumming the surface with lesser intensity and sound to the usual tapping.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Knowledge (Local) check on Nemien Roblach is  HERE .
 
Metastachydium
  Not really!   Daar has to admit, shuddering.   The funny ones are funnier alive and the scary ones would just be scarier dead!   She is suddenly not looking forward to visiting the hall. But apparently, the stuffed ones they neither growl nor bite; and that is something.
Yas392
  "I don't blame you for not liking or creeped out by those glassy eyes. I would shy away from them if they keep staring at me like that all day. It's creepy."  

As the boat arrives, Slick is the first to step off the wooden ramp.

  "Let's go. I know where it is and who to find for answers."  

The acrobat leads the group to the Taxidermy Hall.
JNAProductions
Lonnie follows, hoping that this will be a moderately creepy but entirely harmless excursion.
She doesn't believe that it will be. But she has hopes.
rockdeworld
When the group enters the showroom, they are confronted with dozens of expertly stuffed and preserved animals, ranging from parrots, monkeys, and bats to more exotic creatures like a monstrous centipede, a stirge, and even a black dragon wyrmling. A bell near the door bears a short sign - "Ring for Service."

Aside from that, the showroom is empty - Nemien himself is somewhere else.
Yas392
Slick yawns and rings the bell.
Metastachydium
Daar strides in herself, with confidence that  should  be outwardly evident, but likely isn't. Though how Slick insisted these former beings are neither mobile, nor capable of actually biting her is all she needs to believe that much, she is not quite free of sentiments not unlike Lonnie's. She even starts slightly as the bell sounds; but is quick to resume staring back at the lifeless occupant of the room that looks most dangerous, just in case.
rockdeworld
A smiling man dressed in fine clothing and sporting a green captain's hat with a magnificent white plume enters the room. His mustache curls up at the corners of his mouth, which displays his teeth behind the smile.

"Welcome, good customers. Interested in stuffed creatures, are you? As you can see, I provide the best. The dragon is a mere 500 gold - an impressive trophy to show your friends! But if you're looking for more of a group, bats are only 5 apiece. What catches your eye?"
Canuberon
Elara whistles softly while looking intently at the dragon.
She takes her time looking at everything else as well, but is clearly more interested in the dragon.
Yas392
Slick looks at the display, expression disinterest, and back at the Vendor.

  "You. We need to ask you some questions regarding one Vanthus."  
JNAProductions
Lonnie attempts to loom menacingly behind Slick. It's less menacing and more quaint or cute.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Intimidate check!

 I got a 5. 
 
Metastachydium
Lonnie is not the only one who has trouble looming properly. Daar has to, breaking eye contact with the stuffed beasts for that end, take an active effort to stick her head out from behind the taller others, as otherwise she'd have trouble  seeing  who they are dealing with. Mercifully, nonetheless, the sight of the fancy hat distracts her immediately and sufficiently that the gravity of the matter is not eroded any further.
rockdeworld
His smile immediately turns to a frown.

"If you're not here to buy, then I must ask you to leave. I'm a busy man, and I've no time for solicitors!"

He crosses his arms and stares the group down, Lonnie in particular.
JNAProductions
Seeing that their attempts to be intimidating aren't working so well, Lonnie pivots to something that she's been taught should always work.
The truth.

 "We have reason to believe there is a smuggler's base operating underneath your establishment. If you are unrelated to that, you have nothing to fear-we'll be happy to search the premises to locate it, with you along if you are concerned. As a reputable man, I'm sure you'd not want to anger Lady Lavinia or any agents of the law. We do apologize for our initial... Standoffish attitude, though,"  she says. In Aquan, she mutters to Daar...

 
 Spoiler: Aquan 
 "If he runs, grab him." 
 

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
I know Daar doesn't know Aquan.
But Lonnie is working on the assumption she does. :P

Also!  Sense Motive 6! 
I am so good at skill checks.
 
Yas392
Slick remains silent, letting Lonnie have the floor. After she finishes, he opens his mouth.

  "And our search for Vanthus who we believe is bunkering underground. You and your building have become targets of interest. We are not leaving until we get answers."   

He waits for the proprietor's reaction to their words.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Sense Motive check is  HERE .
 
Metastachydium
Daar blinks at Lonnie, quite quizzically. Her words are as water, which is good, but she has not the faintest notion what they mean to convey. But then, she figures it must be something apt and smart (this is still Lonnie, after all) so she then smiles, and nods, and hopes  whatever  it may be, it will never come up.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 

Can Daar make this worse? Well, of course she can!
 
rockdeworld
His frown turns to a sneer.

"Cream-faced loons!"

He puts one hand into his pocket, moves the other in a pattern, incants some words, and disappears.

"I'll teach you a lesson for your rudeness!"

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Roll initiative
 
Canuberon
 Spellcraft 22 to know what spell he cast. Init 10 
  Cream-faced loons? Where did you learn to curse? Please think before acting this rash sir.  

Elara won't cast Enlarge in the shop, she'll throw Caltrops (spell, not the real thing) in the square where the shop owner dissapeared.
Yas392
Slick smiles.

  "Eat your own words and learn some manners, you rude preacher."  
 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Initiative check is  HERE .
 
Metastachydium
Daar finds herself dumbfounded with this new an unexpected development. But she doesn't spend much time quietly frozen in place; that would, she has to realize, serve them in no tangible way. Instead, she remains frozen in place… But endeavours to shrae some truly scintillating tactical insight:   He disappeared!  
 
 Spoiler: OOC 

After a 1d2 mishap, I somehow managed to roll an actual initiative too.  It's a 10 .
 
rockdeworld
Round 1

The shopkeeper utters some more words, and the stuffed animals in the room come to life.

A wolf bites at Lonnie, but misses.

A bear slams at Daar, but misses.

The dragon roars and bites at Elara, but misses.

Two bats fly into Slick's space. He slices at one of them, but misses. They both bite at him. One hits for 1 damage.

Slick heals 1, then tubmles: 15 (22). He moves to the doorway to flank the bear with Daar. He attacks with his cold iron dagger: 16 (19) hits for 3 damage.

Lonnie and Elara both recognize the words of the spell as minor image, and inform the party. It turns out the damage Slick thought he suffered was only an illusion as well.
Lonnie fires a crossbow bolt at the space where Niemen was. 19 (18), she hits only the far wall.

Elara throws magical caltrops on the floor.

Daar ignores the illusions, moves up to the caltrops square, and attacks with her spear. 15 (22) misses.

 
 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Normally I'd continue but this is a bit of a unique situation so wanted to let yall decide what to do next
 
Canuberon
Elara will cast Color spray, making sure to include as many squares as possible in the little shop (without hitting her friends offcourse!).
Metastachydium
Though thoroughly horrified, Daar elects to trust her companions' grasp of the situation at (or well out of, so far she's concerned) hand, and pretends she's not actually wary of the dead beasts, inept as they indeed appear to be at actually hurting her or anyone, for that matter. This makes the whole affair no less confusing, however.   Can someone tell me what to poke at so I can poke at it better?   she pleads for some guidance.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 

This is probably not the kind of situation for Daar's ironclad logic to sort out. Feel free to autopilot her poking at things blind unless someone tells her to do something else.
 
rockdeworld
Round 2

The shopkeeper utters more arcane words, and his invisibility falls. He appears one square behind the caltrops, and expeditiously retreats into the back hallway.

Slick runs after him into the hallway and catches up.

Lonnie recognizes the spell cast as Silent Image, and relays the info.
She isn't able to pinpoint more than that, but moves to stand in the doorway - ready to attack if Nemien appears.

Then Elara blasts the bottom left area of the room and all the illusions disappear.

Shortly after that the group finds the invisible and unmoving body. Slick binds him with his rope.

Within a few rounds, the party hears rustling, then the shopkeeper starts speaking again.

"Alright, I'll talk. Yes, my shop contains an entrance to the Lotus Dragon guildhall. They pay me to act as their eyes and ears, and I let them come and go as they need. Vanthus joined up with them awhile back, and I hear he's been in cahoots with the boss lady. I don't know her name, but I do know she has a pet dragon - or something - that I'd love a chance to stuff. Not going to happen now though - even if you let me go, they won't. I'll tell you what - give me a chance to leave town, and I'll tell you something you and Lady Vanderboren will want to know."

 
JNAProductions
 "Tell us. We aren't here to kill you or anything like that-but that doesn't mean we have to protect you from your own foolhardiness." 
rockdeworld
"I suppose I don't have much choice but to take your word on that. Very well then. Lord Vanthus-" he sneers at the name, "needed to prove his worth to the Lotus Dragons before they trusted him. Being the lord he is, he tried to solve his problems with money. But at the time, there were 2 people standing between him and the family vaults: his parents. Well, he knew his parents had just purchased a new ship and were planning on taking a relaxing trip up the coast. So what happened next? He got a dozen barrels of alchemist's fire off the Lotus Dragons. Next we heard, the ship had burned to the waterline and left its crew - and the previous Lord and Lady Vanderboren - dead.

"Well, his plan to inherit the estate and use its resources to bolster the Lotus Dragons fell through when a reading of his parents' will revealed that the state was to be passed along entirely to his older sister.

"Now, will you untie me?"
Metastachydium
Daar,  slowly  getting around to stopping taking stabs at and (mostly) towards the stuffed creatures (that now appear truly incapabe of biting her), but eyeing them with undiminished suspicion internally takes stock of what has been said. And what has been said is not particularly what she would choose to consider pleasant to hear. Now, what the  Lady  would consider it is already trickier to anticipate. Daar would, no doubt, have reservations when it comes to reuniting with someone who set  anything at all  afire on  her parents ; but the Lady might, then, be vindictive enough to aim at settling the matter personally. A delicate thing, clearly…

…and so much so that Daar simply elects not to give it  any  further thought.   One more thing!   she speaks up suddenly, instead, as she realizes she really  needs  something clarified here.   Do you know a Sef-… And something else too? Half an elf? Very dirty? Smiles?  
rockdeworld
"Sef?" The man looks blank. "Never heard of him. There's always people looking to be recruited though. Might be one of them."
rockdeworld
Slick decides to leave the group, taking his rope and Niemen with him - but not before Niemen shows the party where the secret door is that leads to the Lotus Dragon hideout.

Around that time, another group of adventurers arrives led by Kora, Lavinia's caretaker. Kora introduces the two groups to each other, and explains that Lavinia has had them working separately up to now. But since the latter group just returned from a mission, and given what you've all learned about Vanthus, and she now wants your two groups to work together. After finishing the introductions, and unless the adventurers have any need of her, Kora returns to the manor.

 
 Spoiler: Map 
 
 
hustlertwo
Wilstaff is no shrinking violet, and the fiery hobgoblin is willing to be the first to break the ice.

 Ho there, fellow mercenaries.  I am Wilstaff, and this bag of bones is Bennett.  It's just what you always wanted: more people to have to split the loot with! 

He looks at the well-equipped and very silent skeleton beside him and chuckles.

 You think you merit a full share in addition to mine, Bennett?  Well, then we'd have to give one to that rodent, and then things will really get out of hand. 

The skeleton stands mute.  Wilstaff scoffs.

 I'm  your  sidekick?  Then how do you explain that when you die I bring you back, but the inverse doesn't work out so hot? 

Whatever the necromancer thinks the skeleton has said, it chastens him thoroughly.

 Okay, well...point conceded.  I guess if you get infinite respawns and I don't, that does kinda further the point of you being the main character.  I guess you'll get all the treasure here, and I'll be your badger.  So to speak. 

Wilstaff then looks around and takes in the taxidermist's office.

 I looooove this decor.  Sort of hunting lodge meets Rue Morgue.  And it appears to have a vacancy.  Anyone opposed to making this our new group headquarters?  I mean, after we kill whatever else is inside of it.  Might be nice to have a place outside of the Vanboring Manor in case we're ever on the outs with our employer. 
Metastachydium
 
 Originally Posted by rockdeworld 
 Slick decides to leave the group, taking his rope and Niemen with him - but not before Niemen shows the party where the secret door is that leads to the Lotus Dragon hideout. 
 

That the carrion-stuffer fails to clarify Sef-something's actual allegiance disappoints, if mildly. Slick leaving along is, indeed, more to Daar's displeasure: she enjoyed their cooperation while it lasted. His departing back gets a   Take care!   at any rate; and Daar only really considers that she should have gotten the spellcasters fancy hat drawn included in the price negotiated for his release after the two are too far away for it to matter. That is a pity, certainly; but then, one can hardly  swim  in one of those.


 
 Originally Posted by hustlertwo 
 Wilstaff 
 

The new arrivals are an odd lot, but the ranks of the assembled force swelling is not unwelcome. Daar is not against some company. But the Goblins ramblings do raise a number of choice questions.   …   So many, in fact, that Daar can only really just stare for a moment before she would hapen upon the right words. She looks at Wil-and-whatever-else…   What's a  rymorg ?   …and the dead person…   Does he bite?   … and  Lonnie, rising onto her tiptoes to get closer to the priest's ears.    Are we  mer-ce-na-ries ?    That's supposed to be a disreputable occupation!

The conveniently shorter-sounding name for the Lady's house she doesn't even  dare  to ask about.
JNAProductions
 "Technically, yes,"  Lonnie tells Daar.  "But, provided the jobs we take and our goals are noble, there's nothing wrong with being classed as such." 

With her companion's fears hopefully assuaged, Lonnie turns to speak with the newcomers. She addresses Wilstaff first.  "I hope we are able to work together. Um... You  did  get a volunteer for your bony companion, yes? You're not a graverobber?" 
Greenflame133
Amber and Ember walk around the room, cruise about the other band of thugs the noble lady employs.  "Headquarters do sound nice." "Yet this not wilderness" "Here, we have" "man of law." "No doubt they" "lay claim" "on an emptied building." 
Canuberon
  And the building is owned. Let's not forget that part. Nice to meet you all, welcome backup. I'm Elara Van-der-boren.  
The last word is punctuated very much, with a slight scowl towards Wilstaff.
Metastachydium
   That's very helpful!    Daar admits, from the background still and slightly more aloud than she intended; it truly  is  a long name. But she doesn't even have the time to consider the propriety of the comment before an excellent distraction would present themselves, as she realizes it's not that  she  is seeing double, in all likelihood. She looks at Amber and Ember, then Wilstaff and Bennett, then Amber and Ember again before trying to peek past them at the rest of the new ones.   …is there two of all of you?  
Postmodernist
A tall brass dragonborn entered the room, behind Wilstaff and the twins, his bulky frame blocking much of the doorway.

  Hello, all. I'm Drummunshtan, but you can call me Drum. I trust you're here for the same reason we are - to find this Vanthus character. And I prefer 'adventurer' to 'mercenary,' personally. Let's explore the place before we make any decisions about quartering here,"   the dragonborn cast a glance at a preserved vignette of a giant centipede battling a stirge suspended from the ceiling,   "I'm not sure I love the decor. Have you found anything?"   The duskblade began perusing the room.
hustlertwo
Wilstaff grins at his old (well, for a couple days, at least) comrade.   If you prefer to be considered an adventurer, Drummy dear, maybe I should lay claim to your share of the loot our slayings generate.  Hate for you to lose that amateur status by sullying your hands with our ill-gotten gains. 

Wil starts at Elara's introduction.

 Good heavens, how many of you Vanderfolk are there?  I suppose the rich have little to do but fall upon each other and sire more rich. 

He shoots Bennett a disgusted look.

 Of course you would be jealous, Ben-10.  You always were one to let some dizzy dame distract you from accomplishing anything. 

In response to Lonnie's question, the manic hob claps his hands over Bennett's...well, let's call them earholes.   That's how Ben and I came to hang out, you know.  He was a great hunter, but he got all twisted up with the prettiest whore in our village.  Eventually he challenged her boss to a duel and, well, Ben here came in second place in that particular contest.  Never mind that she didn't rightly fancy him anyhow, except when he was flush with cash.  He should have been content with the second-prettiest whore in town instead.  Which reminds me, we really do need to see how Ma is doing one of these days... 

Wilstaff then remembers what he was doing and unclasps his hands from Bennett's shiny skull.

 ...and yes, with his dying breath he did not only save the boatload of orphans, but every one of their puppies as well.  I heard there was talk of putting up a statue for him and everything.  He died a hero, ol' Bennett did. 

He shoots Lonnie and her company an exaggerated wink, then finally readies his gear.

 All right, enough gum flapping.  We've got pests to eradicate.  Hopefully of the two-legged variety, they carry a lot more shinies. 
Postmodernist
  "The hobgoblin is always like this. I have grown strangely fond of it,"   Drum says, his tone sincere. The dragonborn begins rooting about the room, looking in boxes and behind counters.

  "I must ask. There was a human chap Kora introduced us to briefly as we approached. Strapped with daggers, talkative. Nice boy."   The duskblade examined the mouth of the taxidermized wyrmling, regarding it with a gloomy air, its flaking black scales a grim reminder of his own mortality. He stepped back from the stuffed hatchling, and resumed his rummaging through the room.

  "He was leading someone with a preposterous mustache. Did he really call you 'cream faced loons?'"  
 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Drum Searches the room!  He got a 20. 
 
Metastachydium
  Thats's Slick!   Daar perks up and smiles at the Dragon-man as their now former companion comes up as a subject.   And the stuffing man with the fancy hat! And he  did  say that! We scared him  that  much!   she informs Drum.   Oh, and he also said the Flower Dragons have an  actual  Dragon! Like you! Or that!   she points at the stuffed Black Wyrmling that was mercifully spared of her frenzy of stabbing the furnishings of the room.   But it's alive and with  their  Lady! Her door is in the shop, the man said!   she imparts whatever other snippets of, for a perhaps welcome change, some relevance the newly arrived might have missed – only to then suddenly remember what she never bothered to share.   Anyway,   she amends that quickly   I'm Daar! I swim!  
rockdeworld
 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Since the taxidermist's guildhall is relatively empty, I don't mind extending Drum's search to all of it this time.
 


Drum finds nothing out of the ordinary at first. The guildhall rooms are filled with taxidermist supplies and tables with partially-completed works. Then in Nemien's bedroom (G5), he finds a locked chest under the bed.

 
JNAProductions
 "Anyone here good at lockpicking?"  Lonnie asks.
hustlertwo
 Not I, not I.  Probably ought to look into it one of these days.  But if no one has that particular set of skills, Gladys and I will be glad to take a whack at that lock. 

The hob hefts his morningstar for emphasis.
Metastachydium
 
 Originally Posted by JNAProductions 
  "Anyone here good at lockpicking?"  Lonnie asks. 
 

  We had Slick for that! And Ali too, I think? But now we don't!   Daar nods along with energetic enthusiasm, as though she actually helped clarify the matter.


 
 Originally Posted by hustlertwo 
  Not I, not I.  Probably ought to look into it one of these days.  But if no one has that particular set of skills, Gladys and I will be glad to take a whack at that lock. 

The hob hefts his morningstar for emphasis. 
 

The Darfellan perks up again.   I can hit things too until they break! We did that on the island! I still have the crowbar!   she wakwardly taps the pack on her back for emphasis.   …did you name your club?   she then has to, nevetheless, ask. The Hobgoblin raises many a question; and this at least feels proper to ask as she waits for the  other nine Bens  to drop.
hustlertwo
Wil is glad to have found a kindred spirit in utter ridiculousness.   I name everything!  Morningstar is Gladys, she's a crabby dame.  Got a couple of javelins, one is Glow for my propensity to cast Light upon it, and the other is Go because if the situation is so dire that I've had to throw that one too, it's time to go.
 And of course I always have my two favorite weapons: Hunt and Peck.   He lifts his scarred fists to his nose for emphasis.   Only thing I don't name is my fundead pals.  They get to choose their own moniker upon creation.  Seems only fair, given that whole binding their corporeal forms in unending servitude thing and all.

Say, you should name the crowbar.  Maybe get cerebral with it, call it Rabwroc. 

Wilstaff looks at Bennett, then frowns.   Ooof, fair point, my compadre.  Guess business at hand is more important.  Last call for any lockpickers to show before me and my new pal here just take turns doing the smashy smashy.  Drum can get in some rotations too, he's a deft hand.  We also lost some folks, but like my mama always said, quitters never prosper and still have to pay for the full hour. 
rockdeworld
With no one else objecting, Gladys makes short work of the chest. Inside, the group finds Nemien's savings: 740 gp worth of gold and platinum, and a small pouch with 600 gp worth of garnets and bloodstones.
hustlertwo
Wilstaff paws through the treasure trove, his eyes gleaming.   Ooooh, shinies! 

After a few seconds, his smile fades, and he stands up again.   Eh, I'm bored with them now.  Money's so mundane.  What's next on our docket? 

He then looks at Bennett, quite confused.   What are you on about, B-b-b-bennie and the Jets?  You already have my attention, I certainly have no deficits after we found this sweet bit of shiny, and as for disorder, nothing wrong with sowing a bit of chaos hither and yon.  Now stop with your psychobabble and let's get back to business, party people! 
Greenflame133
A&amp;E lean forward to take closer look at unfamiliar gems  "What are dose" "they could sale" "but the look different" "are they for magic?" 
Metastachydium
Daar herself is similarly enraptured with the sight of the new riches; still, while she hardly loses interest (that's a lot of shinies!), Wilstaff's new flood of commentary snaps her out of it for long enough that she can formulate a great and dire realization.   …that's not an entrance!  
Postmodernist
  "I know we're a bit late to the party, but did our friend with the interesting facial hair tell you where Vanthus was? What's our next step?"  
Metastachydium
  …   it suddenly dawns upon Daar.   Yes! He actually  did ! He's under a door, but it's secret!  I think?    Life without Slick on door duty might yet prove difficult; for the time being, Daar awkwardly shuffles alll the way up the corridor to show the new team what  they  were shown. Walking into dangerous things first used to be  her  job anyhow.
JNAProductions
 "Be careful, Daar. We might have a larger team now, but we still need to be safe,"  Lonnie tells her friend.
rockdeworld
A wooden ladder leads down from the trap door to a natural passageway. Moisture drips from the walls to pool on the rough floor, draining in tiny rivulets to the east. A wooden door beckons to the west.

 
hustlertwo
Wil directs Bennett to open the door and be the first one through.  Whether Bennett is bothered by being referred to as Captain Expendable will never be known.
Metastachydium
Daar  considers  Lonnie's words, of course (seeing how Lonnie is smart and should know what is best); but figures staying  behind  the odd dead companion of the Hobgoblin would count as her heeding the advice to a sufficient measure; so she lags behind "Ben", if rather  very  close behind. But nothing seems to try and bite her, not even "Ben". She calls out back up into the light.   I didn't die! There's a tunnel and another secret door! There's water too, but very little water!   sadly;   You can all come down!  
Postmodernist
Drum descends as stealthily as he can with his gear and armor. He takes up position behind Daar and Bennett, so as to cover them with his guisarme. The smell of damp forced its way into the dragonborn's nostrils, wrinkling his snout with displeasure.

  "Can we send a scout, either down the tunnel or past the door? I don't love the idea of walking into a place without any idea of what we're getting into. After the last fiasco with the undead, I wouldn't mind knowing who - or what - is down here."   Drum kept his voice at a whisper, trying to encourage the boisterous Darfellan warrior and the rest of the party to maintain a low profile.
hustlertwo
 It's simple.   Wilstaff touches Bennett's head with a finger and sets it to glow with an unearthly shine thanks to a Light spell.   Firefly here goes in front.
 He'll light the way and be the first thing any antagonist targets.  Likely it won't go well for them, given his bony self is surprisingly sturdy.  Then we swarm and dispatch.  Rinse and repeat as needed.
 Best suggestion I have; Bennett said he didn't mind going first.  He must be happy about it, because he called me Duck Shoe, a little nickname he has for me.  "Duck shoe, Wilstaff!" he shouted when he found out he was going to be our leading man. 

Wilstaff sticks one long-nailed finger into his ear and digs out something yellow and unappealing.   Or at least I think he said duck shoe.  Definitely something along those lines. 
JNAProductions
 "..."  Lonnie looks at the necromancer, and then speaks in a flowing language.

 
 Spoiler: Aquan 
 "Let's keep a close eye on this one, Daar." 
 
Metastachydium
 
 Originally Posted by Postmodernist 
   "I wouldn't mind knowing who - or what - is down here."   
 

  The Flower Dragons! And their Dragon Dragon!   Daar helpfully reminds Drum, instinctively lowering the volume of her own voice to just barely above what would be ideal…


 
 Originally Posted by JNAProductions 
  "..."  Lonnie looks at the necromancer, and then speaks in a flowing language.

 
 Spoiler: Aquan 
 "Let's keep a close eye on this one, Daar." 
 
 
 

…before giving Lonnie a positively conspiratorial nod. She has no idea what the friendly priest said, but she  feels  it must have been something that calls for one of those. At any rate, Drum's helping her recall the Parrot Island biting Undead gives her enough pause that she will also nod at the Hobgoblin and let, for the time being, his…  Sparsely fleshed  associate bear the brunt of her normal occupational hazzards.
rockdeworld
A large tide pool takes up this room, the waters thick with seaweed and its bed clustered with a veritable carpet of red and black sea urchins.

The waters aren't calm.

 
 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Yall can see the maps I've got recently still have room numbers. I don't think it's a big enough deal to remove them but I can try doing so if you prefer not to have the extra info.
 
Greenflame133
 "Sea urchins" "Again" "How very" "Annoying" "I do bet" "Bennett find them" "much less" "troublesome" 

Amber and Enber present thier glaves, ready to start the slow process of carving up a save path.
Postmodernist
  More godsdammed sea urchins,   thought Drum to himself, his feet still sore from the puncture wounds the insufferable barnacles had inflicted upon him while on Parrot Island. He approached cautiously, covering Ben and Dar with his polearm.
JNAProductions
Lonnie stays near the middle-back of the group. She grips her newly-purchased wand in her hand, ready for trouble.
rockdeworld
As the group prepares for battle, two creatures that look like rays swim in from the left passage. On seeing the party, they stop short and cry out.
Canuberon
  
Carefull, those are Ixitxachitl.
They'll try to summon allies and overwhelm us.
  

Thinking about the intelligence of her allies in the front lines, she adds:
  
They're evil, kill them!
  
JNAProductions
 "They're getting reinforcements-there's going to be more,"  Lonnie says, loud enough to be heard by her companions but no more.
Metastachydium
Daar approaches the pool as though fascinated, her mouth hanging slightly agape.  This is all she could hope for, and then some more.  All the extensive conversation conversation between her new and identical companions about the sea urchins breezes past her unhindered and unnoticed. Elara, nevertheless succeeds in getting through and the initial moment of confusion over what, exactly, the word she just uttered is even supposed to  be  quickly gives way to the clarity of understanding – and a welcome understanding at that.   I can do that!   she states with a proud simplicity, rising onto her tiptoes, briefly, even as she swivels about to jump straight into the water, going under for a moment to quickly chitter into the gentle waves below.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 

What it says on the tin. I've  rolled an initiative here  and Daar's not afraid to  use it . She goes straight in, putting her head underwater briefly on the way to Blindsense anything within 20'. The rest is stabbity stabbing.
 
rockdeworld
Round 1

The Ixitxachitl prove to be quick. Ixitxachitl 2 swims right up to Ben, focuses on him, and bites at him, but misses.

Elara is first to move in the party, and casts Enlarge Person on Daar.

Daar can no longer get to the water without provoking an attack of opportunity, so bites Ixitxachitl 2 first. 3 (10) misses. She attacks with spear. 5 (12) misses. She has to wait before she can enter the water, and 5' steps north to leave room for her allies.

Ixitxachitl 1 swims forward to attack Daar, who gets an AOO. 6 (13) misses.
Ixitxachitl 1 bites at Daar's vitals with a skirmishing attack for 12 damage (Daar 6 HP). Then it focuses on Daar.

A&amp;E are next. With their armor, they chance moving along the shoreline to get a better position to attack.
Ixitxachitl 2 AOO attacks Ember and hits for 6 damage (Ember 1 HP).
Ember attacks Ixitxachitl 2 with her spiked guantlet and Stone Bones. 16 (21) hits for 2 (4) damage, and she gains DR 5.
Amber moves behind Ember, recovers maneuvers, and attacks with her glaive. 13 (16) misses.

Lonnie activates her wand of Spiritual Weapon (9 charges left). A light crossbow made of pure force springs into existence above the Ixitxachitl and bashes into it. 7 (11) bounces off the creature's natural armor.
Lonnie moves forward to get a better view.

Ben attacks Ixitxachitl 2 with both claws. 7 (9) misses. 15 (17) misses.
Will activates his Arcanist Gloves and casts Magic Missile at Ixitxachitl 2. It deals 1+4 (7) damage. Ixitxachitl 2 is disabled.

Drum 5' steps forward and attacks Ixitxachitl 2. 19 (24) hits for 4+1 (8) damage, shredding the Ixitxachitl, who falls deeper into the water.

  Things get dangerous soon.  

Choose your tactics.

 
 Spoiler: Images 

Round start:
 

Round end:
 

The magazine also provides an image for the Ixitxachitls:
 
 
Greenflame133
Ember will withdraw towards Amber, moving far enough inland to be unreachable by Ixitxachitl's claws (Right bottom section of the lake seems like has enought land for it)

Amber will keep her distance and use StoneBones with her glave on the first Ixitxachitl
Metastachydium
 
 Originally Posted by Metastachydium 
 she swivels about to jump straight into the water, going under for a moment to quickly chitter into the gentle waves below… 
 

…and utterly fail to even get in a moderatly passable position to attempt so, what with suddenly increasing in size and everyone else swarming onto the shore. Naturally, she could still slide in, in theory at least, between all the flailing polearms, the flailing skeleton and the ray-fish with the thoroughly unpronouncable name – assuming she means to be bitten, again, in a manner equally thorough.

Visibly disappointed with her current lot she, consequently, contents herself with merely (and very morosely) stabbing and biting at the remaining ray, from the cold, hard, dry shore.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 

You didn't actually say we should also roll, but I like to roll things, so  I did that anyhow . Use or ignore that as you see fit.
 
Postmodernist
 
 Originally Posted by JNAProductions 
  "They're getting reinforcements-there's going to be more,"  Lonnie says, loud enough to be heard by her companions but no more. 
 

  "How many more?"   the mageblade asked as he withdrew his blade, now slick with Ixitxachitl ichor. His eyes shot toward tunnel entrance as he searched for movement beneath the waves. Maintaining his position, he prepared for combat.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
If Drum can still attack I1, he'll continue to slash at it. If it's dead or has sunk too deep below the surface to strike, Drum will draw a javelin and ready an action to hurl it at the first Ix guy to come into range. Positioning looks a little crowded at the moment, but if there are danger-free movements available (eg: no AOOs or slipping on urchins), he'll make them for positioning, using Jump if necessary. But it's looking like he's gonna huck javelins/shoot crossbow bolts if they're out of polearm range.
 
JNAProductions
Lonnie shakes her head, focus forward.  "I don't know-they didn't conveniently shout out how many of themselves there are." 
rockdeworld
Round 2

Three more Ixitxachitls come into view.

Elara fires her crossbow at Ixitxachitl 1. 7 (6) misses.

Daar heals 1 (7 HP) and skewers Ixitxachitl 1, which falls.

A fourth Ixitxachitl comes into view behind the new 3.

A&amp;E are next, moving and readying.

Lonnie directs her weapon to attack Ixitxachitl 3. It flies over and bashes the new target. 11 (15) misses.
She moves closer to Drum and Will.

Ben readies to attack anything that comes near.
Will moves behind Drum and readies to cast Sunstroke on the first target to come in range.

Drum is next, moving along the shoreline for a clearer shot and readying his javelin.

Round 3

Ixitxachitl 3 focuses on Daar and swims toward her.
Drum throws his javelin. 18 (20) hits for 1 (4) damage.
Ixitxachitl 3 bites at Daar with a skirmishing attack for 7 damage (0 HP). Daar is disabled.

Ixitxachitls 4 and 5 swim into the room, stopping in the center. They focus on Ben, and Drum.

 
 Spoiler: Map 

 
 
Postmodernist
Seeing the two strange creatures direct their attention to himself and Ben, Drum sidles toward the skeleton to draw the beasts together. He concentrates, steeling his resolve for the right moment.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Move next to Ben, ready an action to cast color spray when he can catch 2 or more in the cone area of effect.
 
rockdeworld
 
 Spoiler: Combat 

(I forgot this when Ixitxachitl 3 came closer)
Will casts Sunstroke on Ixitxachitl 3 for 6+2 (8) nonlethal damage. It passes the fortitude save.
Combined with the javelin damage, Ixitxachitl 3 falls unconscious.

Round 3 ctd

Elara fires her crossbow at Ixitxachitl 4. 1 misses.

Daar heals 1 (1) then readies to stab anything that comes in range.

Ixitxachitl 6 swims to the center of the room. It focuses on Daar.

Amber readies to attack.
Ember draws her sling and fires on Ixitxachitl 3. 3 (5) misses.

Lonnie's weapon continues to attack Ixitxachitl 3. 13 (17) hits for 2 (3) damage. The weapon vanishes.
Lonnie's moves to Daar's side cand casts CLW to heal Daar for 5 (7) HP (Daar 8 HP).

Ben continues being ready.

Round 4

Will draws his sling and fires on Ixitxachitl 4, which has partial cover from his allies. 12 (16) misses.

Drum moves next to Ben, drawing his greatsword, and readies to cast Color Spray.

Ixitxachitl 4 rushes toward Ben.
Drum attacks. 14 (19) hits for 5+5 (13) damage, shredding the Ixitxachitl. It falls.

Ixitxachitl 5 rushes toward Drum.
Daar's ready action activates and she attacks. 6 (13) misses.
Then Daar gets an AoO. 20, 19 crits for 6+4+6+1 (31) damage, shredding the Ixitxachitl. It falls.

Ixitxachitl 6 rushes toward Daar and bites, but misses.

A&amp;E begin moving toward the Ixitxachitl, but Amber can't get close enough to hit it this turn.
Ember fires another bullet. 14 (16) misses.

Lonnie moves back to let other allies in.

Ben jumps into the water to attack with his rapier. 11 (13) misses. He sinks 20 feet before touching bottom.

Round 5

Will fires another bullet. 10 (12) misses.

Drum drops his greatsword in favor of his guisarme and attacks. 5 (10) misses.

Daar heals 1 (8 HP) attacks with spear and bite. 4 (11) misses. 18 (25) hits for 5 (7) damage.
Then she 5' steps back to draw the Ixitxachitl closer.

Ixitxachitl 6 focuses on Drum, but then swims toward Amber.
Drum AOOs. 4 (9) misses.
Amber's ready triggers and she attacks. 6 (9) misses.
Amber AOOs. 19 (22) hits for 2 (5) damage. Ixitxachitl 6 falls.

 
 


After defeating the sixth Ixitxachitl, no other enemies enter the room. Daar is able to swim in the water, but finds no loot (excepting the Ixitxachitl meat).
JNAProductions
 "Everyone okay?"  Lonnie calls out, not too loud.
Metastachydium
  M'gd!   or somesuch emanates half from underwater in response as Daar, already straight in the middle of the pool and suddenly very pleased with her previously less favourable predicament, submerges her head for a moment.   Very good!   she surfaces once more, pulling up with her a dead Ix-it…  Evil ray  as she so proceeds.   Is this edible?  
Postmodernist
  "What in Wastri's froggy bollocks were those bloody things? Is everyone alright?"  

The dragonborn was relieved to see Daar swimming about, as the piebald warrior had saved his skin, shredding one of the demon rays to bits as it charged him. He was grateful, and impressed. He accepted the javelin the darfellan fished out of the water for him with a respectful nod.

  "If there's nothing else down there, let's keep moving. And stay as quiet as possible. I don't want us to alert anyone else."  

With that, the duskblade sheathed his greatsword, took up his guisarme, and made ready to follow the others through the tunnels.

 
 Spoiler: Statbock 
   Drummuunshtan Beljhan (Drum)   
M LN Dragonborn (Brass) (Human) (Humanoid Dragonblood) Duskblade,  Level  2,  Init  0,  HP  11/18.5,  Speed  30
 AC  15,  Touch  10,  Flat-footed  15,  Fort  6,  Ref  0,  Will  4,  Base Attack Bonus  2
 2 handed, reach, trip, MW Masterwork Guisarme (-)   +5 (2d4+3, x3)
   Javelin   +2 (1d6+3, x2)
   Light crossbow (50)   2 (1d8, 19/20 x2)
   MW Chain shirt ,    Light steel shield  (+4 Armor, +1 Shield)
 Abilities  Str 14, Dex 10, Con 16, Int 14, Wis 8, Cha 11
 Condition  None
 
Canuberon
 
 Originally Posted by JNAProductions 
  "Everyone okay?"  Lonnie calls out, not too loud. 
 

  I'm fine, thanks.  

 
 Originally Posted by Metastachydium 
   Is this edible?   
 

  They're aberrations, so I wouldn't eat them my friend.  
hustlertwo
 Don't be so negative.  Anything's edible if you want it bad enough. 

Wilstaff leans closer to one of the dead creatures and sniffs, then recoils.

 I, uh, just don't want it quite bad enough in this case.  Onward, comrades! 
Greenflame133
 "Everything is eatable?" "Wind berries currently aren't" "or are they" "I suppose that's a question of consequence" "or who's eating"  They gaze at the ray-like creature  "this thing tho" "too sentient for our likening" "especially when we have" "food at home"  A&amp;E also continue down the corridor, with Ember sticking to the middle of the group mindful of their wounds
rockdeworld
The rightmost tunnel leads to a small cavern, whose walls and floor glisten with thick, transparent ooze. Mushrooms protrude from the slop on the floor here and there, and a viscous puddle of green goo shimmers to the south. A large patch of mushrooms grows on the far side of this slime, and what appears to be part of a halfling skeleton lies in the sludge between them. A pair of rings are visible on the skeleton.

As Drum rounds the corner, he spies 3 rhagodessa - the large spider previously encountered on the Blue Nixie - in the corners of the cavern. As he looks at them, they look back at him.

 
 Spoiler: Map 
 
 
Postmodernist
  "Spider things! 3 of them! Come quick, it's a cramped space."  

With that, Drum rushes into the room, leveling his guisarme at the beast and charging it.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Charge the monster directly south of me.
 
Greenflame133
A&amp;E will step forward, just behind the frontline, reading an attack with glaves to strike down spiders should they approach. Ember using the stone dragon for a bit of protection
Metastachydium
Once the edge of the water is reached, Daar lags behind for a short while, just floating in the comfortable liquid that proves, indeed, not to contain enemy Dragons. She has a lot of things to contemplate, after all, such as… What is a  wind berry ? Does  Drum 's javelin (she was very happy to help retrieve) also have a name?  Why is everyone in such ahurry not to be in the water? 

…but alas, a cry sounds, calling her away! Whether this is simply Drum harbouring a great fear of arachnids or actual danger is almost beside the point. She zooms ashore and the long, laborious waddle through the tunnels and everyone within begins!

 
 Spoiler: OOC 

Daar should be able to reach the bottleneck with A&amp;E in a double move, so let's call that the plan for her for now.
 
rockdeworld
Round 1

Will wins the initiative, but can't get both himself and Ben into position in the narrow hallway, so delays.

Elara is next, and delays until the melee combatants enter the room.

Then it's Drum's turn. 17 (24) hits for 3+3 (9) damage.

Now Will and Ben can enter the area and Will goes first, slinging a stone at Rhagodessa 3. 4 misses.
Ben moves in front of Will.

Daar (now at full HP) is able to move into the room behind Drum.

Rhagodessa 1 5' steps toward Drum, and attacks with 2 pedipalps and a bite.
One pedipalp connects, dealing 0 damage and starting a grapple, but Drum wins the opposed check.
The bite hits for 11 damage (Drum 4 HP).

Lonnie sees the damage and casts Spiritual Weapon, A bow appears and slams Rhagodessa 1. 6 (10) misses.

Rhagodessa 2 moves toward Drum, who AOOs. 14 (19) hits for 1+1 (5) damage.
Rhagodessa 2 attacks with a pedipalp, but misses.
Rhagodessa 2 retreats back to where it started.

Rhagodessa 3 5' steps toward Daar, and attacks with 2 pedipalps and a bite.
One pedipal connects,  dealing 0 damage and starting a grapple, but Daar wins the opposed check.
The bite hits for 14 damage (Daar 4 HP).

Amber moves in behind Drum. As Rhagodessa 1 is already in range, she attacks with her glaive. 18 (21) hits for 7 (10) damage.
Ember can't approach without being the frontline this turn, so delays.

 
 Spoiler: Map 

 
 
hustlertwo
Seems like a good time for Wil to burn his last 1st-level spell slot.  He'll activate his Arcanists' Gloves to do a CL 4 casting of Kelgore's Fire Bolt on the critter targeting his old pal Drum.  4d6 fire damage, Reflex save DC 14 to halve.  If they have some kind of spell resistance they still take 1d6 even if it overcomes the spell.

 Order up!  Hope you want it well done! 

If there's space, Bennett will move in to rapier whoever's immediately available.

Damage roll here:
 
 Spoiler 
Short on time at work, rolling here instead of the separate thread:  (4d6)[ 20 ] 

Benny rolls:  (1d20+2)[ 3 ]   (1d6+1)[ 3 ] 
 
hustlertwo
Wilstaff clucks his tongue at Bennett as the skeleton badly whiffs the attack.

 Hang your head, Bennettjamin!  That was pathetic!  The only reason you don't skewer yourself on that pigsticker is because you can't even land a hit on yourself! 
rockdeworld
 
 Spoiler: Combat 

Round 2

Elara is first, but can't enter the room without getting in front of the others, so delays.

Drum trades his guisarme for his greatsword and attacks Rhagodessa 1. 10 (15) hits for 5+1 (9) damage, dropping the Rhagodessa.

Then Will's firebolt hits Rhagodessa 2, who fails its save, for 20 damage, incinerating it.
Fortunately for Ben's honor, he is unable to get to a good position to attack the last Rhagodessa, and readies an action to swap positions with Daar.

Daar heals 1 (5 HP) and attacks Rhagodessa 3. 14 (21) means the spear hits for 7 (14) damage. 7 (9) means the bite misses. Daar 5' steps back as Ben steps forward.

Lonnie's weapon attacks Rhagodessa 3. 5 (9) misses.

Rhagodessa 3 attacks Ben. The first pedipalp hits, and starts a grapple with Ben. It bites as a free action and hits for 13 (-5=8) damage (Ben 10 HP).
Then the Rhagodessa bites again, and hits for 8 (-5=3) damage (Ben 7 HP).

Amber being trapped drops her guisarme in favor of her silver dagger and attacks with Stone Bones. 1 misses.

Round 3

Elara delays.

Drum trades his greatsword for his guisarme and attacks. 7 (12) misses.

Ben attacks with a claw. 10 (12-4=8) misses.

Daar heals 1 (6 HP), moves around the now-non-threatening Rhagodessa, and attacks with his spear. 11 (20) hits for 8 (15) damage, killing the Rhagodessa.

 
 


After slaying the spider monsters, the group is able to explore the room.

The skeleton turns out to be the remains of a hapless thief who tried to infiltrate the Lotus Dragon guildhall and made the poor choice of investigating this part of the caverns first. Its leather armor and rapier are both rotted and rusted to ruin, but he still wears a gold ring worth 240 gp, a ring of jumping, and a brooch of shielding that the party spellcasters judge capable of absorbing up to 42 more points of damage from magic missiles.
hustlertwo
Wil's carefree facade cracks a bit around the same time Bennett's bones do the same from the creature's assault, and his pained shouts are almost perfectly timed to the abomination's blows.  When it is dead, he strides over purposefully and smacks its corpse a couple times with Gladys for good measure, then spits a gob of something unpleasant onto it.

Wilstaff then holds up the brooch a moment, considering it.   Could be a fun thing for a future magic show, Ben.  The Amazing Absorbatron!  But first there may be one among us who will need it. 

He then snags the ring and immediately begins bouncing around, shouting  It's a me!  and demanding someone find some turtles or ambulatory mushrooms for him to squash.  When none appear, he quickly loses interest and lets a more fitting team member utilize the ring.

 So, what's next?  I'm temporarily downgraded from reality bender to thrower of small stones, and Ben here could use some negative energy.
 And not the kind that comes from me talking about his eating disorder.  Are we withdrawing for the nonce or pushing forward and damn the consequences?  Just keep in mind that if Bennett goes poof, I'll need a full day to complete his regeneration.  He's meticulous like that. 
JNAProductions
Lonnie shakes her head at the ring.  "I don't think I've any need of something like that. I'm okay to keep moving ahead, but I'm not on the front lines, so..." 
Metastachydium
 
 Originally Posted by hustlertwo 
 He then snags the ring and immediately begins bouncing around, shouting  It's a me!  and demanding someone find some turtles or ambient mushrooms for him to squash. 
 

Daar quietly motions towards the patch of mushrooms the Halfling was found in; but she has to acknowledge herself  she  wouldn't, perhaps want to jump into  that .


  So, what's next?  I'm temporarily downgraded from reality bender to thrower of small stones, and Ben here could use some negative energy.
 And not the kind that comes from me talking about his eating disorder.  Are we withdrawing for the nonce or pushing forward and damn the consequences?  Just keep in mind that if Bennett goes poof, I'll need a full day to complete his regeneration.  He's meticulous like that.  

…there are, nevertheless, greater surprises to what Will has to say on the current state of affairs. Alarming ones, no less.   …he  eats ?   and in a disorderly manner? Ben receives a suspicious side-eye.


 
 Originally Posted by JNAProductions 
 Lonnie shakes her head at the ring.  "I don't think I've any need of something like that. I'm okay to keep moving ahead, but I'm not on the front lines, so..."  
 

  Right!   fortunately enough, Lonnie is still there to help her focus on the more important aspects of the mission at hand.   Can we go back to the water now?   …the  truly  important aspects, that is. She does feel the need to offer some insight on matters of possible relevance in the meantime, however.   The Flower Dragons must be here somewhere! We've seen a spider thing like that before! It ate a sailor! It was scary!  
Postmodernist
After some conversation and negotiation, Drum accepts the  ring of jumping.  As a sense of strength entered his legs, he also took a moment to regard his injuries.   "I'm a bit scratched up, myself, and wouldn't mind a rest or some healing. I'm not sure what the next step is. So far, we haven't seen anything that looks like a 'Flower Dragon,' or a regular dragon, for that matter. Just fish and spiders."   Drum took a moment to search the cavern, examine the mushrooms, and generally check their surroundings while they debated their move.

Remembering his recent purchase back in town, Drum  invoked the magic of his healing belt , and his wounds closed. After dusting himself off for a moment, he sheathed his greatsword, and took up the guisarme again, ready to move on.
rockdeworld
Drum finds nothing else of interest in the cavern.
Canuberon
 
 Originally Posted by Metastachydium 
   Can we go back to the water now?   
 

  I think it is time to go back to the water. Could you check around the corner of the path north we haven't checked yet?
We'll be right behind you.  
Metastachydium
Elara receives an  absurdly  serious nod, delivered with an  absurdly  serious face; and then, all thopse present are treated to Daar's back as she beats an unusualy hasty retreat towards the pool.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 

Daar is off to  swim  some and explore the passage to the west, as advised. She's happy.
 
rockdeworld
After swimming through a narrow winding cavern, Daar finds herself in the sloshing tidepool of a natural sea cave, whose chamber is filled with the sound of lapping waves.

To the north, a low sandy beach seethes with brightly-colored crabs. A large wooden door blocks the cave exit, although the waters flow unimpeded through the space under the door.

To the south, a larger sandy beach slopes up to a glistening wall. A short wooden pier protrudes from this beach into the pool.

 
 Spoiler: Map 
 
 
Canuberon
As promised, Elara follows behind Daar.
She can't keep up with our speedy swimmer but she tries.

Comming around the corner she'd like to  think  what the multicolored crabs could be.
Greenflame133
A&amp;E also follow. Seeing the passage and remembering taxidermist talk about stuffed dragon. They suggest that is best to not proceed without the rest of the group
JNAProductions
Lonnie, likewise, keeps pace as best she can.
Metastachydium
Propelling herself into the sea-pool with merry haste, Daar looks about and then goes under to do another round of the pool, scouring its depth with clicks and whistles most curious, in more than one sense of the term. Surfacing, she sees it fit to present a report, and quite aloud:   There's another pool! And a big door, and a little door and a pier! And funny crabs of funny colours! Nothing ate me!   she turns around to realize that Elara and the twins really  are , indeed, there.   …and you can see all of that already!   she rectifies herself accordingly, smiling none too disheartened.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 

A quick 20' Blindsense scan of uinderwater is performed. I'm aware she doesn't see the  actual  little door; she's referring to the narrow entryhole of the corridor leading there.
 
rockdeworld
With nothing impeding them, the rest of the group successfully makes their way to the cave area.
Canuberon
 
 Originally Posted by Metastachydium 
   …and you can see all of that already!   
 

Elara smiles at the enthusiasm of Daar.
  The crabs are normal ones, they shouldn't be aggresive.  
rockdeworld
Daar also finds a pipe with a metal cover, but no way of opening it.

 
 Spoiler: Map 
 
 
Metastachydium
The information relayed regarduing the crabs puts Daar's mind further at ease as she plunges back down.   Thrsp…   she begins, remembering to resurface midway   There's a pipe too!   she points underwater, completing her report.   But I can't get in! Where do we go now?   Truth be told, she is suddenly more amenable to the notion of idling in place for some rest. The water is really good.
Greenflame133
 "A pip underwater" "but what is for?" "secret passage?" "waste disposal?" "We are not that good at swimming" "not as good as Daar" "so then on land" "we do have the number to just force our way in"  A&amp;E pounder the situation outloud
Canuberon
  Maybe let's try the door at the end of the hallway? It might end up on the same location as the pipe?   Elara tries cautiously.

  Daar? Would you mind checking if there's a nice pond behind that door as well? But be carefull if anything wants to ambush us.   Obviously manipulating the barbarian but without any malicious intent towards her.
Metastachydium
After some looking at one twin-then-the-other in quick succession (Daar is still to fully grasp why there is two of them and how they are even communicating in that exact manner) on the Darfellan's part, Elara finally chimes in with words of wisdom she can fully comprehend.   You think…  There's another pond?    The second pond was already clearly superior to the first; what wonder may, then, the little door conceal? Daar plods ashore and disappears into the hallway as fast as her legs can carry her.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 

Insidiously Manipulating Daar is… Not complicated.
 
Postmodernist
 "I don't like this,"  the dragonborn said, his irritation growing.  "I'm guessing these docks are where the good come in and out. But we didn't see any boats, and we haven't seen any of these... Flower Dragons, which troubles me. Maybe they're out, maybe they're coming back, or maybe they skipped town. There's just,"  he wiped at a spot of ixiwhatsit blood from his sleeve,  "something  fishy  about all this." 

After determining the effect of his anguished pun on the party, Drum hoisted his guisarme aloft, and made ready to explore further.
JNAProductions
Lonnie rolls her eyes at the pun.
hustlertwo
Wilstaff frowns at the pun, and then frowns harder at Bennett.   Yeah, you would think that was funny.  Your sense of humor's as dead as your nonexistent epidermis, old top. 
rockdeworld
This room contains a single long bench pushed up against the north wall. A door to the north is marked "Lavatory."

It also contains four men, each of whom bears a tattoo on their shoulder of a dragon wrapped around a lotus flower, as well as a rapier, sap, and hand crossbow. For a second, they stare at Daar in surprise. Then they're all shouting at once.

"How'd you get in here?"

"They're intruders!"

"Get them!"

"What do you want? There's no sahaugin here!"

 
Metastachydium
The sudden appearance of such sizeable company startles Daar for a moment, but the reassurance that the room contains no Sahuagin  puts her mind at ease post haste. She calls back to her own associates over her shoulder in a tone rather conversational.   I think I found the Flower Dragons!   As well as the La-va-to-ry. That sounds vaguely like another pond, now that she considers in a manner more thorough. Seeing Elara's intuition confirmed is a sweet prospect. But first things first…   There's…  onetwothree Four! And they aren't Dragon Dragons!  
 
 Spoiler: OOC 

 A DOUBLE DIGIT INITIATIVE, I DIDN'T KNOW THOSE  EXIST  !
 
rockdeworld
"Get your head on straight, we're fighting!" The first thief says to the last one.

 
 Spoiler: combat 
Round 1

Thief 1 rushes Daar and attacks while she's flat-footed. She stabs with her rapier and hits for 8 damage (Daar 10 HP)

Will is up first, but he can't get a good position for a ranged attack, so delays.

Elara is next, and delays.

Then it's Daar's turn. She attacks with her spear nad bite. 4 (11) misses. 20, 14 (16) crits for 6+5 (15) damage. Thief 1 falls.

"Criminey!" Thief 2 shouts.

"She's a monster!" Thief 3 adds.

"We ain't food!" Thief 4 cries.

Lonnie delays.

Thief 3 draws his hand crossbow and douses his bolts in an unknown liquid.

Thief 4 attacks Daar with his rapier, but misses.

Amber moves in, drawing her dagger, and attacks Thief 2 with Stone Bones. 17 (21) hits for 2 (4) damage. Amber gains DR 5.
Ember delays.

Thief 2 draws their rapier, flanks Amber, and attacks, but misses.

Drum attacks thief 4. 11 (16) hits for 2+1 (6) damage.

Round 2

Will and Elara delay.

Daar attacks thief 2. 14 (21) hits for 6 (13) damage, dropping thief 2. Then she bites thief 4. 1 misses.

Lonnie delays.

"This ain't lookin good!" Thief 3 says. He opens the door behind him, 5' steps back, and fires at Amber. He hits for 4 (-5=0) damage. Amber fails the fortitude save and becomes sickened for 1 minute.

"I ain't stickin around to die!" Thief 4 says, and withdraws down the hallway.

"What! Don't leave me alone!" Thief 3 shouts, but it's too late.

Amber draws her glaive, recovers maneuvers, and swings at thief 3. 13 (14) hits for 8 (9) damage, dropping the thief.

 
 


3 thieves are down and one has retreated.
hustlertwo
Wil grumbles about missing out on so much of the carnage because of the infernal close quarters.  He calls out after the departing thief.   There's a survivor!  Let's chase him down and rip out his spine! 

He cackles, his mood improving.  Then he looks at Bennett reproachfully and speaks in a much softer voice.   What?  I don't actually mean it.  Probably too much work chasing down a little fish.  I just like listening to the pitter-patter of feet down the hallway as someone runs for their life.  Music to my ears. 

He peers at the fallen miscreants.   I'm mighty curious what The Poisoner here has on his person.  Don't usually see a toady like that toting stuff with enough potency to lay a proper merc low.  Shall we search them now?  Seems better than messing with that door that's keeping all the lava at bay. 
Metastachydium
  …   Daar contemplates the disparaging remarks and the corridor ahead for a moment.   I don't  eat  people!   she makes sure to clarify, shuffling into the little room past Amber; and case in point, instead of consuming the flesh of the fallen, she performss the one  important  action to perform: try and open the Lavatory door.
rockdeworld
It turns out the door hides only a toilet - one that smells mildly unpleasant.

 
hustlertwo
Wilstaff wrinkles his nose.   Well, we might as well head after the thief.  What say y'all, shall we loot and then pursue, or chase now and trust the stuff will be back to pilfer at a later point? 
Postmodernist
Drum dashes after the retreating thief, saying nothing.

 
 Spoiler 
Drum will run after the thief, trying to intercept him and get a guisarme trip in. Barring that, he'll huck a javelin at him.
 
rockdeworld
(Round 2 continued)

Drum catches up to thief 4, but the two of them ran too far for him to do an attack this turn.

Round 3

Will, Ben, Elara, and Lonnie move up. Daar explores.

Thief 4 opens the door, glancing fearfully at Drum.

"Hey, help us out will ya!" He shouts into the room. A howl answers in reply.

 
Postmodernist
 "Stern Alia's maidenhead, what the hells was that?"  Drum asks incredulously as he sweeps his polearm at the smuggler's feet. Unable to spare a glance behind him, but reluctant to shout, the dragonborn contents himself with muttering something about how this was just like the last time.
Metastachydium
Daar gives the odorous hole a look beyond betrayed.   It's not here!   she declares, not bothering to specify the obvious any further; but short a time as it might take to make such a pronouncement, it nevertheless proves sufficient to let Daar draw the one reasonable conclusion.  It must be the other way.  She swivels around and moves to hustle after Drum.
JNAProductions
 "That sounds like worgs,"  Lonnie says.  "Be on guard." 
rockdeworld
 
 Spoiler: Combat 

Round 3 ctd

Amber activates Sudden Leap. 1 (5) allows her to move 5'. Then she chases thief 4 down the hall. Unable to see any enemies, and heeding Lonnie's advice, she readies to attack anything that comes in range.
Ember double-moves to get behind Amber and draws her glaive.

Drum trips. 11 (16) trips the thief.

Round 4

Will and Ben follow, with Will drawing his sling and allowing Ben to stay in front of him.

Elara follows them.

Daar heals 1 (13 HP) and runs to catch up to thief 4.

Lonnie follows them.

A worg dashes out of the room and on top of thief 4.
Drum makes an AOO. 15 (20) hits for 1+3 (7) damage.
The worg bites at Daar, hits for 10 damage (Daar 3 HP) and attempts to trip, but Daar resists and stays standing.

"Yeah! How do you like it!" Thief 4 calls, somewhat muffled, from the floor.
Then he moves 5' into the room and attempts to stand. Daar AOOs. 13 (20) hits with a bite for 2 (9), and the thief drops back down, bleeding.

Amber and Ember are aware they can't reach the worg to assist in combat, and are cautious of the other closed door, so delay.

Drum attacks the worg. 15 (20) hits for 2+3 (8) damage. He encourages Daar to step back, and readies an action to step forward.

Round 5

Will and Ben move forward to the corner with Will in the lead. Will fires a bullet at the Worg, who has partial cover. 18 (22) hits for 4 (7) damage.

Elara follows.

Daar heals 1 (4 HP) and bites the Worg. 4 (11) misses. She swaps positions with Drum.

Lonnie moves up behind Ember.

 
 


The Worg, having taken so much damage in one round, bows its head.

"I surrender." It says in guttural Common. "Let me go, and I will not bar your passage any more."
JNAProductions
 "What guarantee do we have that you'll heed your word?"  Lonnie asks. She adds  "We don't wish to kill you-but we must assure our own safety as well." 
hustlertwo
Wilstaff holds up the thick rope they had retrieved from their time in that rather unpleasant smuggler cove.   Can we bind the critter, perhaps?  Assuming anyone's got skill with knots.  I can never remember which hole the bunny's supposed to go through myself. 
Metastachydium
  You  bit  me!   Daar nods along as Lonnie and Wil speak, and quite sagely, inadvertently answering the Lotus Dragon's question in the process (even as its intent succeeds in eluding her entirely). She is rather disinclined to trust things that bite her.
Postmodernist
  Worgs speak?   Drum thought in astonishment. He cast a quick glance around the room, taking in the scene. Perhaps it wasn't so strange after all.
JNAProductions
 "If you will submit to being bound, we will not attack you,"  Lonnie declares.  "And I trust that, after this run-in with justice, you'll reconsider your wicked ways." 
rockdeworld
"And you bit my friend." The worg replies, glancing at the body currently bleeding out on the floor. "But bind my jaws if you must, And I'll retreat the way you came, so you can watch me the whole time."
Postmodernist
Drum leveled his weapon at the worg, his face appearing unmoved by the creature's plea.  "Here's a chance to earn your freedom - tell us what you can about these thieves. We're looking for one called Vanthus. We heard a rumor that they keep a dragon. Tell us what you know." 
Metastachydium
Drum seems to have sorting the specifics of whatever deal is to be reached here under control, so with a couple nods most enthusiastic, Daar resolves to simply let him do so, especially since the Worg just gave her something to seriously consider and contemplate in the menatime. She pulls further back somewhat, towards the priest of the company, who should have the clearest insight on such matters; and whispers a bemused    Lonnie? Am I the bad guys here?    at her.
JNAProductions
 "It's okay, Daar,"  Lonnie says.  "You have to be careful whenever you use violence-but these aren't exactly ordinary circumstances. That being said, if someone surrenders in good faith, they must not be harmed. Which is what they,"  she gestures to the word,  "are doing. Speaking of which, I believe you were offering information to prove your good faith?"  she addresses the worg directly.

She approaches with caution, and adds  "If your wounds are too severe, I can offer a small healing spell. It can at least ease your pain." 
 
 Spoiler: OOC 
 Cure Minor Wounds  is something I'm willing to offer to a surrendering enemy.

Nothing bigger. :P
 
rockdeworld
 
 Spoiler: Diplomacy results 
(Lonnie is the highest at +8)
Lonnie: 10 (18)
Elara aid another: 5 (6)
Daar aid another: 5 (5)
Amber aid another: 7 (7)
Ember aid another: 12 (12) = +2
Drum aid another: 13 (13) = +2
Will aid another: 2 (-1)
Ben aid another: 2 (-3)

Total: 22, failure
 

 
 Spoiler: Intimidate results 
(Drum is the highest at +0, and we'll say a +2 bonus for hurting the worg)
Drum: 10 (12)
Lonnie aid another: 4 (7)
Elara aid another: 17 (16) = +2
Daar aid another: 10 (10) = +2
Amber aid another: 1 (1)
Ember aid another:10 (10) = +2
Will aid another: 18 (15) = +2
Ben aid another: 10 (5)

Total: 20, success!
 


The worg bows his head.

"Fine, I'll talk. Vanthus Vanderboren and Kersh Reftun are Lady Lotus's sub-commanders. We also call her the Dragon Mistress, but she's human and the lizard she keeps doesn't look like a dragon to me. A small one, if anything. That's all I can say about them. Vanthus comes and goes, and I don't know where he is right now."

He then proceeds to describe the guildhall in enough detail that the group can form a map.

 
 Spoiler: Map 

 

D1. Taxidermy Entrance
D2. Guardroom
D3. Barracks
D4. Rum Storage
D5. Cruncher's Pen (a black-furred worg)
D6. Cellblock
D7. Guestroom
D8. Kersh's Quarters
D9. The Crucible (a place they test new recruits)
D10. The Ring of Ruin ("C" marks trap doors lead into Dead Dog Alley above)
D11. Observation Room
D12. Visitor's Lounge
D13. Visitor's Quarters
D14. Cruncher's Guardpost
D15. Meeting Room
D16. Waiting Room
D17. Smuggler's Pond
D20. Mess Hall
D21. Kitchen
D22. Pantry
D23. Churtle's Quarters (the cook)
D24. Lavatory
D25. Training Hall
(rooms beyond that are restricted, so the worg doesn't know about them)
 


"Now will you let me go?"
hustlertwo
Wil's eyes widen as the map takes shape.   I think we have reached the tip of a very significant iceberg, my fellows.  Warg, do you happen to know how many others are rolling through these halls? 
rockdeworld
"22, not counting officers. Including my friend here and 3 more the way you came from."
Metastachydium
Daar is halfway through nodding thoughtfully at the insight offered by Lonnie; Cruncher's account, nevertheless, manages to distract her most efficiently.   There  is  another pond!   she beams at Elara triumphantly.   Can we go find it?   she inquires with the rest of their forces arrayed for the mission, blissfully ignoring the figure Cruncher gives for the nuimber of enemies still about and loose.
JNAProductions
Lonnie smiles at Daar, but says in a serious tone  "We've got to be careful. Cruncher says there's around two dozen more goons we might have to deal with. We'd be wise to figure out a tactic beyond rushing in blindly." 
Postmodernist
 "Lonnie's right. We need a plan. Let's hide these bodies. Dump them in the water or one of those storage rooms. Maybe we can steal their uniforms and disguise ourselves?"  He looked at the distinctive group. Ben stared into nothing. Daar stared into nothing. He sighed.  "Some of us, at least." 

Drum looked at the injured worg.  "Alright, let's escort our new friend out. No funny business, Cruncher, or we'll chop you up so badly you won't be able to join the Great Hunt with Malar in the afterlife. You should be free, anyway, not serving these bunglers."  With that, the dragonborn spellsword begins to pick up the corpse at his feet. He casts a glance at the necromancer's skeletal companion.  "No, don't bother yourself, I've got it,"  he says to the undead, winking at Will and extending a thin draconic smile.
rockdeworld
The group is able to return the way they came without incident. When they get to the smuggler's pond, Cruncher pulls a hitherto-hidden lever in the wall that opens the gate and swims away.
JNAProductions
 "Good luck, Cruncher,"  Lonnie offers to the warg.
hustlertwo
Wil watches the warg whip through the waves while he wipes at his eyes.  He was my best friend. 

He pats Ben on the scapula reassuringly.  Don’t get huffy. You’re my best  frenemy.   That’s a much deeper connection. 

He then turns to Drum to agree with the Dragonborn about what he said before the wounded worg went west through the waterway.  You are indeed correct.  Some of us are just not able to blend in. Let’s not beat around the bush: Bennett, you’re a bad actor. You couldn’t bluff a cliff. You can’t pull the wool over the eyes of an actual sheep. You’re more methadone than Method. And that means you should probably hang in the back this time. Stick to the shadows.  By the time they see you, we’ll have hopefully dispatched them.  Or perhaps the disguised ones can go on ahead and then get the legitimate guards to follow them into a room where Bennett and the bad actors… 

The hob pauses a moment, pulls out a tattered scrap of foolscap with the title Potentially Awesome Band Names, and writes down Bennett and the Bad Actors, then he continues.

 In any case, they could lure a small pack of them into a trap. If we get the drop on them we might dispatch them quickly. It might not be hard to convince them to come. Just say the worg escaped. That’s true enough. 
Metastachydium
  Right!   Daar pauses in staring into nothing (which was only neccessary insofar as it left her with more cognitive capacity to contemplate the other pond) to smile back at Lonnie in agreement.   We'll be careful!   she states quite seriously.   And we might need warmer clothes too! Because of   the iceberg  ! In the pond!   But she will let that be someone else's immediate concewrn for now; instead, she merely follows Drum (and his example) in picking up bodies and relocating them; making sure, nevertheless, that none end up in the water. She only takes the time, in the interim, to stare at the hidden spot of Cruncher's secret lever lengthily. It leads to the ocean. It is a useful thing to memorise.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 

Yes, believe it or not, Daar actually knows what an iceberg is.
 
rockdeworld
 
 Spoiler: Loot 
In addition to disguises, on the Lotus Dragon thief bodies, the party finds (in total):

4x combat gear
4x leather armor
4x rapier
4x sap
4x hand crossbow
39 bolts
4x thieves' tools
40 gp
 


(D12) The visitor's lounge is a room that feels a little drier than the others in the complex, and the air smells slightly less musty. It's furnished with a stuffed couch and low table.

(D13) The visitor's quarters is a room with two fairly comfortable-looking bunks. The sheets on them only sport a few spots of mildew.

With a bit of searching, the party finds a scrap of paper wedged between one bunk and a wall, on which a map of the Vanderboren vault is sketched along with row upon row of failed combinations.

(D2) Drum and Amber ready attacks while Daar opens the door.

 
 Spoiler: Combat 
 

Daar opens the door. Drum and Amber unleash readied attacks.
Drum attacks with his guisarme. 7 (12) misses.

Amber attacks with her glaive. 19 (22) hits for 1 (4) damage.

Round 1

Thief 5 (the one attacked) takes a 5' step back and fires at Daar. It hits for 1 damage. Daar rolls fortitude: 3 (6) - failure. Daar is nauseated for 1 minute.

Thief 6 drops their crossbow and draws their rapier, attacking Daar, but they miss.

Amber drops her glaive, steps forward with her dagger, and attacks theif 5 with stone bones. 18 (21) hits for 2 (4) damage. Thief 5 is disabled. Amber gains DR 5.

Ember delays.

Daar 5' steps back.

Drum 5' steps forward, drops his glaive for his greatsword, and attacks thief 6. 15 (20) hits for 1+5 (9) damage, dropping thief 6.

Round 2

Thief 5 pales, but looks at the weapons on the ground with greedy eyes. "No guts, no glory." He says, and drops his crossbow for a rapier, attacking Amber. He does nothing to her.

Amber counterattacks. 12 (16) hits for 4 (6), dropping the thief.

The party loots:
2x combat gear
2x leather armor
2x rapier
2x sap
2x hand crossbow
19 bolts
2x thieves' tools
20 gp
 


The roomed cleared, the party gets 2 more disguises.

Daar's nausea passes after 1 minute, and she makes a second fortitude save: 18 (21) passes.

The party drags off the thieves, and Lonnie and Elara don their disguises. Then they continue around.

(D25) The training hall turns out to be a large room whose floor is covered with thick padded mats. Throughout the room stand all manner of target dummies made of clothes and armor stuffed with straw, some of which wear bell-studded coats with numerous pockets, and others of which are draped with manacles and chains hung with cheap-looking padlocks. To the west, a wooden stage sits a foot off the floor. A padded throne flanked by potted plants sits on this stage - currently empty.

(D24) The lavatory is spacious, but empty.

(D20) A long banquet table fills the mess hall, leaving barely any clearance to the east and west. A large cage filled iwth listless tropical birds stands to the northwest.

The birds begin singing when the party approaches, but nothing else happens.

(D21) When Daar opens this door, a cauldron catapults out of a fireplace toward her. But it is hardly aimed, and hits the wall beside her instead.

A battered wooden table sits in this room, its surface covered with knives, pots, and other cooking implements. A fireplace to the south keeps the room relatively dry, if smoky. The cauldron that until a moment ago simmered over the fireplace has runs its contents along the wall, filling the room with a bitter stink.

It's not difficult to see what sprung the catapult trap, since a length of iron bends back toward the door to Churtle's quarters (D23).

(D23) Daar, Drum, and Amber prepare the same ambush as before. But, it turns out no one is behind the door.

A layer of sand and countless seashells covers the floor of this room. A small hammock hangs from hooks driven into the walls to the southeast, just above a heap of blankets and cushions.

(D22) Daar, Drum, and Amber prepare the same ambush as before. But, it turns out no one is behind the door either.

The pantry is nearly clogged with crates, barrels, and sacks of grain.

There's enough supplies stored here to last the Lotus Dragons for a month.

With a bit of searching, the party discovers a metal coffer that contains 10 vials of a milky fluid that no one is able to identify.
JNAProductions
 
 Spoiler: OOC 
I am assuming that you, DM, rolled the appropriate Knowledge or other checks for us to identify the fluids? If not, what check should I make?
 


Lonnie looks with suspicion and little distaste at the vials.  "We should leave these entirely stoppered until we know what they are. Could be poison, or worse." 
hustlertwo
Wilstaff follows behind the disguised party members, looking at the fallen fellows and their gear with consternation.   What a bunch of saps. 

As they come upon the mystery fluid, he examines one closer.   What IS this junk? 

He then gives Bennett a sideways look.   Gross.  I'm not even dignifying that suggestion with a pity laugh. 

Wil finally looks to the others.   I can't help but feel like, ideally, we'd have encountered more of them by now.  Hopefully they are not all congregated together or this could get real ugly real fast. 
Metastachydium
Only just recently done being rather more poisoned than she'd have liked, Daar would rather not even contemplate what  or worse  might imply in this particular contexts, so she doesn't. Wil's question strikes her as the easier one (and the one of a more immediate impact) anyhow.   Maybe they are all in the pond!   she opines.   I know I'd be in the pond!   – but then, the one that tried to stab Ember's (Amber's? (Ember's? (Amber's?)))  guts  to  sell  them wasn't terribly sensible; and one of their other opponents was a cauldron. Perhaps  the obvious  and  what is correct  don't coincide in this instance.
rockdeworld
(D4) Four large casks stand against the western wall. Judging from the scent int he air, they're filled with rum.

(D3) The walls of this long room are lined with dual bunks, eleven in all. The bunks sport sheets spotted with mildew, yet appear to be well-slept in.

(D15) A narrow table holds a pair of candles, and a chair sits to either side. Standing behind the table the party recognizes  Shefton  Sefton, who is surprised to see them.

"What are you doing here?!"
Metastachydium
Daar is equally surprised, if more pleasantly.   SEF -and-whatever-else ! You're alive! Parrot Island was horrible! But we got to swim!   she relates with evident enthusiasm. Still, something occurs to her.   …the Lady said you're a bad person!   she cursorily inspects their surroundings, which are still very much the headquarters of a major criminal organisation.   Are you a bad person?   she asks, her posture clearly indicating that her previous enthusiasm notwithstanding, she  might  stab him if the answer is yes.
Postmodernist
Drum puts a finger to his lips.  "Help us find Vanthus, or at least someone who can lead us to where he is. Maybe we'll even reward you if you help us." 
rockdeworld
 
 Spoiler: Diplomacy and Intimidate 
Time for more rolls.

Diplomacy
Lonnie: 17 (25)
Elara aid another: 13 (14) = +2
Daar aid another: 16 (16) = +2
Amber aid another: 16 (16) = +2
Ember aid another: 19 (19) = +2
Drum aid another: 5 (5)
Will aid another: 8 (3)
Ben aid another: 7 (2)

Total: 33, successfully made him Friendly
 


To Daar: "Of course not!" He answers with a smile. "Why old Sefton here is the soul of beneficence and generosity. Ask anyone - I'm always ready to lend a helping hand. Er, to the extent that a humble merchant like myself can! Speaking of which, are you looking to sell anything? I can get you a good price on most commodities."

To Drum: "Certainly friends! Well, actually I'm surprised you haven't found him already, but perhaps you haven't gotten any further than I have. I take it you're new recruits? Well, you'll see Vanthus before too long. He's highly ranked in the Lotus Dragons, and is often out and about. That's why I'm here in fact - I met Vanthus above ground, as it were. We got to talking, and he was interested in my services - the Lotus Dragons do a lot of shipping with exotic animals you know. One of the things he asked me to do was guide you all to Parrot Island, no doubt for your initiation into the guild, and I see you made it through! Congratulations!"
JNAProductions
Lonnie frowns at him, but doesn't try to dissuade him of the notion, if he even truly believes it.
Metastachydium
Daar is mighty pleased to learn Sef ton  (so  that  is the pesky syllable that keeps eluding her mental grasp!) is truly their friend and they were never meant to be eaten by dead people. She is somewhat more confused as regards the issue of when and why they switched sides. The Lady is paying them well enough, after all, and they  did  stab quite a number of Dragons here, which might not rest comfortably with the other Dragons. But then again, the Lady wants to reunite with Vanthus; perhaps the feeling is reciprocal and in fact, there are no sides to this. At any rate, she'll let someone else figure the details out.   Thank you!   she smiles at Sefton for now (she's been congratulated; it is only polite to say that much).   Are you two meeting  here ? Now?   she then asks. What he said vaguely sounded like it could imply that much, even as Daar is, once again, hoping for an answer in the negative. The other pond is still ahead somewhere. She would rather go on to the other pond.
rockdeworld
"Er, well..." Sefton hesitates. "I'm not sure. I was asked to come visit the guild, but not by Vanthus. I haven't seen him since a few days ago, and the note I got this morning was just signed by the dragons. I expect he's told them about my services and they're eager to do business."
Postmodernist
 "Go home, Sefton. Who asked you here? Think about it. You haven't seen him, but now there's a sudden letter, but just from 'the dragons?' Berei's wheaty minge, you're not that good at what you do, mate. Do you have this note with you? You made any enemies lately, buddy? This sounds like a classic set-up. We're happy to see what the sentiment is among the gang, make sure you're not walking into anything. You should lay low until Vanthus contacts you. And you should lemme know if he does, I've got a business proposition for him." 

Drum looks at Sefton insistently, hand outstretched, expecting the note to materialize like a skeptical schoolmarm. He claps a hand to his back, and nods sagely.  "It's gonna be alright, man. We've got your back." 
 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Happy to roll Bluff, Intimidate, or just have this be some friendly advice now that he's been Diplomacied to a sunnier disposition. You tell me.
 
rockdeworld
 
 Spoiler: OOC 
No bluff needed for that one, and you've already charmed him so...
 


"Well, when you put it that way, you make a good point!" Sefton says. "I think I'll head back. Have the note, and keep Sefton in mind if you come across any more exotic animals!"

So saying, he hands Drum a note and walks out, taking the taxidermist exit and passing by Sreis, who is still keeping an eye.

 
 Spoiler: Note 
Sefton,

Come to the guildhall to discuss business. Enter via the taxidermist's shop.

-The Lotus Dragons
 


The group continues through the guildhall, next coming to Cruncher's Pen (D5).

(D5) The floor of this room is cluttered with partially eaten bones and clumps of dark fur, giving the air the stink of a filthy wet dog.

Cruncher, of course, is absent.

(D6) Five prison cells line the western wall of this hallway. Each cell features a nasty-looking heap of straw, a wooden bucket, and little more. Iron bars close each cell off, with a narrow gate featuring a large lock allowing egress from each. However, no prisoners languish in these cells.

(D7) The purpose of this chamber seems obvious. A stretching rack dominates the northwestern corner of the room, and an open iron maiden its southeast corner. A sizzling brazier of coals sputters in the southwest corner, giving the chamber a hellish red cast.

When the party enters, they find one of the Lotus Dragons heating several branding irons in the nearby brazier to torment a man dressed in rags tied to the rack.

The torturer turns to the group, and apparently doesn't see through the disguise.

"What news?" He asks.

 
 Spoiler: Map 
 
 
rockdeworld
 
 Spoiler: Combat 
Surprise round

Drum attacks with his greatsword. 7 (12) hits for 5+3 (11).

Loot:
combat gear
leather armor
rapier
sap
hand crossbow
10 bolts
thieves' tools
10 gp
potion of Cure Light Wounds
2 doses of an unidentified substances
 


Drum drops the thief in a single blow. In the interest of taking prisoners, Lonnie spends Detect Magic (or another orison) to cast Cure Minor Wounds to stabilize him.

After the group extricates the man from the ropes binding him, he expresses his gratitude.

"Thank you all. I'm Balan, a silk merchant. I don't know how you ended up here, but you've saved me. These thieves kidnapped me from my room at the Bent Goblin weeks ago. I beg you, take me out of here. I have nothing on me now, but once I get back to my store I can reward you proper-like."
Metastachydium
Daar is, once again, somewhat unsure  whose  side they are on, but is, all things considered, rather inclined to agree that the thing with the rack was altogether quite excessive and the Flower Dragon deserved a concussive reminder from  their  Dragon Dragon. The prospect of being rewarded proper-like also has a ring to it, she must admit. Drum has quite the foresight, clearly!   You can put on his things! We did that too!   she motions towards the unconscious torturer and their own clever disguises in turn.   …but not with  his  stuff!   she quickly clarifies.   And that made us Flower Dragons, so nobody attacks us now! You can then go left-right-left-right-right… And… Right! And up! And you'll be out!   she offers some directions.
Postmodernist
It occurred to Drum that he'd simply have to become accustomed to all this.  "Lets keep quiet, everyone,"  he said, looking to release the man from his bonds, " "see if they have keys or anything. No need to reward us, til we're out in once piece. You seen anyone they call Vanthus, or anyone who looks like they're in charge? You can follow the slow fellow and the worg out." 
rockdeworld
 
 Originally Posted by Metastachydium 
   And that made us Flower Dragons, so nobody attacks us now! You can then go left-right-left-right-right… And… Right! And up! And you'll be out!   she offers some directions. 
 

"I, er, yes, well..." The man answers, head tilted.


 
 Originally Posted by Postmodernist 
 " "You seen anyone they call Vanthus, or anyone who looks like they're in charge? You can follow the slow fellow and the worg out."  
 

"Vanthus - I heard the name. I guess he's a big wig around here. But since they brought me here I just saw this guy." He points to the man laying on the ground. "Now which of you is the slow fellow?"
hustlertwo
Wilstaff holds up a hand.   Whoa there.  Let's not let this one go just yet.  Something doesn't smell right, and for once it isn't my feet. 

He closes in on Balan and has Bennett do likewise.

 What I want to know is, why'd they keep you alive so long?  What good were you to them to go to such trouble?  If you had something of value, why wouldn't they ask for ransom? 
Metastachydium
(Daar quietly sniffs the air in the background, as implicitly prompted to. Wil has a point, she has to concede; but she'd, perhaps, been more ready to just conclude it's sweat and  probably  a few hints of fecal matter. It certainly isn't feet, at least.)
rockdeworld
 
 Originally Posted by hustlertwo 
  What I want to know is, why'd they keep you alive so long?  What good were you to them to go to such trouble?  If you had something of value, why wouldn't they ask for ransom?  
 

“They were after the combination to my safe, of course! These Lotus Dragons aren’t just named that for show you know. They make a business out of kidnapping good people and stealing their gold.”

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
At this point most of the party can sense that Balan is lying
 
hustlertwo
Wilstaff smiles.  It is not a particularly happy smile.   Friend, you seem not to understand who I am.  Perhaps these ones here are reasonable sorts.
 You had better hope so, in fact.  Because I have no taste for being lied to, and I have precious little patience even under the best of circumstances, and being in a bandit den does not qualify in that regard.  So I am going to make you a deal.  You're going to tell me everything you know.  Or Bennett is going to pluck out one of your eyeballs.  Then you'll be very sad.  But not nearly as sad as you'll be if you still hold out and he takes the other one. 

He clamps a hand over Balan's mouth to muffle any screams, and indicates for Bennett to come close, putting a razor-sharp fingerclaw near the man's right eye.

 Now, nod if you agree, and I'll take my hand away.  But I must warn you, try to scream for help and it'll be my fist in your balls and Bennett's claws in both eyes before anyone can save you. 

He glances at Bennett a moment.

 Well, too bad, offense taken, regardless of you asking me not to do so.  Calling me a 'natural-born politician' is just low, even for you. 
rockdeworld
 
 Spoiler: Intimidate 
Wil: 20 (17)

However...
 


Despite his appearance, Balan turns out to be no weakling. When Wil grabs him, he responds in kind, and before Wil has time to intimidate him, he starts a bull rush.

Ben AOOs with a claw. 17 (19) hits for 2 (3) damage.
Ember AOOs with a spiked guantlet. 2 (5) misses.
Amber AOOs with a glaive. 9 (12) misses.
Drum AOOs with his greatsword. 14 (19) hits for 4+4 (11) damage.
Wil strength check: 1 (4)

"Calling me a liar, are you?" He says, driving Wil back, past Drum, and into the waiting iron maiden on the other side of the room. "Here's the truth then! I'm Kersh Reftun, and by the forked tongue, I'll make you lot sorry you invaded our guild!"

Daar AOOs with her spear. 1 misses.

Wil makes a reflex save to avoid the iron maiden's spikes. 9 (11) fails. He takes 11 damage, and falls unconscious. A second later, he stabilizes.

 
 Spoiler: Map 
 
 
Metastachydium
Daar is left increasingly confused with the situation that unfolds.   So we're  not  with you? But you  are  a liar? So that  could  be a lie?   she braves the herculean task of deciphering the matter. For good measure, she also appends another attempt at a better stab at this  Kersh  (that is, at least, a name of an entirely reasonable length, and it even reminds her of… Something?); even if they  are  on the same side, he seems to like being in pain. Or stabbing, clobbering and torturing each other is par for course among Flower Dragons. Either way, he shouldn't mind it  that  much.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 

I feel like this is combat, so I'll try and get proactive about it.  Made a few rolls here . Daar moves if she has to, and adds a bite if she doesn't have to.
 
Postmodernist
Drum was momentarily agog. He was an adventurer. He'd traveled the world. He'd shed his mortal form and been reborn in dragonflesh. He'd studied arcane mysteries, and adventured with variegated miscreants in pursuit of those studies. But something snapped within him in that moment. He'd just witnessed Wil, one of the aforementioned variegated miscreants of whom he'd grown fond, shoved into a torture device and horribly maimed. Blood oozed from the puncture wounds that tattooed the mad hobgoblin's body. Rage surged through his scales.

  "You're going to pay for what you did for my friend.  Take him alive. If he likes being tortured so much, I think it's our duty to oblige him. And by Beltar's cavernous backside, someone help Wil."  With that, he strikes the Lotus Dragon - Balan, Kersh, whoever he is - with the pommel of his greatsword.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 

Not sure if we're going into combat this way, but Drum is gonna try and knock this @$$hole out so we can  murderhobo  I mean  torture  I mean perform some enhanced interrogations on this guy. Taking -4 for non lethal.

 (1d20+1)[ 5 ]  for  (2d6+3)[ 8 ]  nonlethal damage.
 
rockdeworld
 
 Spoiler: Combat 
Round 1

Elara and Lonnie can't get to a good position, so delay.

Ben moves to the iron maiden.
Kersh makes an unarmed strike AOO, but misses.
Ben pulls Wil out of the iron maiden.
 


Daar's spear hits for 12 damage and guts Kersh, dropping him.
Postmodernist
Drum hoists Kersh's limp body and shoves it back onto the rack. He pats the brigand down, making sure he doesn't have any other tricks hidden up his sleeves. He grabs the restraints and tightens them around the Lotus Dragon's wrists and ankles. He shoves a rag into his mouth, and waits for the healers to stabilize Wil and Kersh. The duskblade then sets about sharpening his dagger in preparation for the interrogation.
Metastachydium
Daar, in the interim, stares absently into nothing, contemplating exquisite subterranean bodies of water, her heart content. She is  mildly  aware of Kersh, of course, but who is she to judge another heart's desire? This should be  fine .
Postmodernist
Drum uncorks a healing potion and pours it down Kersh's gullet. He shoved a rag in his mouth, just as he comes to.

 "You're going to tell us what you know. This is going to go  a lot better  for you if you do. If you shout, I have to kill you. If you struggle, I have to kill you. I am in the mood to kill you. But if you tell us everything, I will let you live. You have my word. Not that you have much choice in the matter. Now, you're going to stay quiet, and only speak to answer our questions, alright? Nod if you understand. 

Drum waits for the thief's response, the rag remaining stuffed in his mouth. He looks back at the crew he'd fallen in with.  "What do we want to ask him?" 
rockdeworld
The potion heals Kersh for 8 HP, and he becomes conscious again.

Kersh immediately attempts to escape the rack, but the bindings hold him in place. He glares at the party, and despite Drum being immune to frightful presences, he's still shaken.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
I gave Kersh a penalty on his intimidate check, but he rolled well. I don't think it'd be right to make yall treat the guy as friendly, so instead I'm thinking you get a -2 penalty on any checks related to him.
 
Canuberon
Elara doesn't know how far this'll go and she carefully goes to the little backroom (D8) to search for loot/ secrets/ ...
Mostly to not see the torture if it's going to get to that.
Metastachydium
 
 Originally Posted by Postmodernist 
 Drum waits for the thief's response, the rag remaining stuffed in his mouth. He looks back at the crew he'd fallen in with.  "What do we want to ask him?"  
 


 
 Originally Posted by rockdeworld 
 He glares at the party, and despite Drum being immune to frightful presences, he's still shaken. 
 

The quietly expressed hostility has such a palpable quality to it that even Daar's meager perceptive acuity is sufficient to identify its presence. Daar inserts a short pause into her regimen of empty staring to stare somewhat more pointedly at the man instead, and to ask the obvious question:   Why are you so scary?  We  should be scary!  
rockdeworld
 
 Originally Posted by Canuberon 
 Elara doesn't know how far this'll go and she carefully goes to the little backroom (D8) to search for loot/ secrets/ ... 
 

This chamber sports a large bed covered with furs. An iron cage sits at the foot, and a low table in the southeast corner is heaped with salted fish, bread, and bottles of rum.

The cage isn't quite large enough for a medium creature to stand or sit in, and is currently empty.

Elara finds a footlocker under the bed containing 234 gp and a set of silver flensing knives with ivory handles that she estimates are worth 200gp.


 
 Originally Posted by Metastachydium 
 The quietly expressed hostility has such a palpable quality to it that even Daar's meager perceptive acuity is sufficient to identify its presence. Daar inserts a short pause into her regimen of empty staring to stare somewhat more pointedly at the man instead, and to ask the obvious question:   Why are you so scary?  We  should be scary!   
 

Kersh stops glaring at Drum long enough to glance at Daar, and winks.
Postmodernist
Drum is taken aback by his captive's fury. He had expected this to be easy. Perhaps he didn't have the stomach required to perform such an unsavory act. Perhaps Kersh was madder than he had anticipated. The dragonborn cleared his throat, and attempted to adopt a ferocious demeanor despite his fear.

 "I understand you're angry. I'd be angry, too, if my... penchant for simulated torture resulted in the predicament you're in. Let me remind you that we'll have to kill you if you don't cooperate. Now, tell us how many Lotus Dragons there are. Tell us of any traps you know of. Tell us of any treasure you know of. Tell us where Vanthus and the other leaders are. And don't leave anything out, or you'll serve our hobgoblin friend like Ben here."  Drum gestured at the animated skeleton.

With that, he slowly pulls the rag from the mouth of Balan or Kersh or whoever he is. As the duskblade does so, he unsheathes his dagger, and applies firm pressure to the thief's throat to indicate he means business.
rockdeworld
Drum gets 17 (17) for intimidate, which succeeds.

"There were only 10 Lotus Dragons, and you already killed them all, save myself, Vanthus, and Lady Lotus. There's no traps here. You already found the treasure in my room. I'm the treasurer, so I keep it all myself. Vanthus and the others are gone on some errand."

He appears to be telling the truth.
Metastachydium
  I don't  think  he's dead!   Daar interjects, motioning towards their predecessor in being the resident torturer, currently positioned on the floor.   And there's the dog too! …but we don't  talk  about the dog!   In the meantime, mentally, she is trying to recount how many Dragons they have actually transfixed with bladed implements, brough down with weaponry one of their number is naturally endowed with or otherwise savagely murdered with magic.   And ten doesn't sound right, either! Even with the dog! …that we don't  talk  about!  
rockdeworld
The resident torturer  continues bleeding out  proves Daar's point by snoring.
Postmodernist
Drum realized they weren't going to get any more information out of Kersh, and shoved the rag back into the man's mouth. He then grasped him by the throat, and channeled enervating magics into him  "Be glad we're leaving you here and not doing worse." 

The dragonborn then moved over to his fallen hobgoblin comrade, touched the moonstone-studded belt at his waist, and suffused Wil with healing energies. They'd need everyone on their feet if they were going to have a chance of surviving.

 
 Spoiler: OOC 
Drum will hit Kersh with  touch of fatigue  for funsies. Then he'll heal Wil with his healing belt for  (2d8)[ 7 ] .
 
Metastachydium
Daar has some considerable difficulty grasping how leaving Kersh behind  doesn't  exceed carrying him along in severity (this is a rather dismal spot to loiter at, and there is  a pond  ahead), but she figures it is best not to contradict their own Dragon Dragon aloud and turns to do as he implied they should and leave. She (for the most part metaphorically) stumbles upon another matter on the way, never the less.   What about…   did the other Flower Dragon (peacably snoring on the floor, presently) have a name, she wonders.   …not-Kersh?   Probably not.
rockdeworld
Moving east to the room with a C, the group enters a domed chamber with a wooden ladder leading up to a trap door in the ceiling above. From there they continue east.

D11: This narrow room overlooks a larger cave to the south. A barely perceptible haze hangs in the air between these two rooms, almost as if some sort of membrane were stretched over the opening. Five wooden chairs are arranged before this "window." To the west sits a low table surrounded by more chairs, while to the east a large valve wheel protrudes from the wall.

Beyond the window, they see a circular cavern mostly consisting of a large pool of brackish-looking water, its surface greasy with filth and rotting seaweed. Dripping lead pipes protrude from the walls of the twenty-foot-high cavern, including one that's nearly two feet in diameter to the east. A five-foot-wide hole in the ceiling seems to lead up to the surface. To the west and south is a five-foot-wide beach of grit and gravel.

3 Lotus Dragons stand in front of the window, and they turn at the sound of the door opening.

"What's this?!" One asks. "We're on alert, ain't we? What are you doing?!"

 
 Spoiler: Combat 
 

Surprise round

Daar attacks Thief 8. 18 (25) hits for 6 (13), dropping him. Then Daar bites Thief 9. 7 (8) misses.

Drum attacks Thief 9 with his greatsword. 14 (19) hits for 6+2 (11), dropping him.

Round 1

Daar 5' steps and attacks Thief 10. 6 (13) misses. 18 (19) hits for 2 (4) damage.

Drum attacks Theif 10. 9 (14) hits for 2+6 (11) damage, dropping the thief.

Loot:
3x combat gear
3x leather armor
3x rapier
3x sap
3x hand crossbow
30 bolts
3x thieves' tools
30 gp
3x Potion of Cure Light Wounds
 


A few seconds later, the Lotus Dragons are no longer standing, or conscious.

Continuing around the bend, the group finds more domed rooms like the first. Then they're back in familiar hallways.

D3: The walls of this long room are lined with dual bunks, eleven in all. The bunks sport sheets spotted with mildew, yet appear to be well-slept in.

D4: Four large casks stand against the western wall, and judging from the scent in the air, they're filled with rum.
Metastachydium
The current state of the pond leaves Daar positively crestfallen. She dips a few toes in it, of course, but the  texture  of the viscous medium does little to disabuse her of the notion that this body of water (she would presume) is no good for swimming. As they move on and past, in between attempts to get some stuck Flower Dragon out of her teeth, a horrible thought occurs to her.   What's an alert? And why were they on it?   she voices some of it aloud. What if that is a ceremony to observantly identify pollution in the pond so they can clean it  and they disrupted it? 
hustlertwo
Wil remains a bit out of it even during the latest encounter, coming to terms with his most recent brush with death.

 I almost crossed over that time, Big B.  So close.  But I guess I can accomplish a little more as a meatbag before I finally achieve my true form as a skeleton. 

He then whispers to Drum.

 None of that's true.  Thanks for saving my life, I'd rather die than be caught dead looking like Ben here.  Just trying to boost his confidence.
 He gets a complex about his looks sometimes, probably because HE'S GOT NO SKIN!  NO SKIN AT ALL!  IT'S FREAKY, RIGHT? 

The last is almost a shout.  At a whispered command, Bennett turns to Wil to stare at him, hands on his hips.  Wil pales.

 Busted. 

He looks around the room.

 If we're about finished here, I want to double back and speak to that freaky dragon dude.  No, not speak.  The other thing.  You know, with less speaky and more stabby stabby. 