The Undying Dragons - Campaign Thread

Ethel is leaving for sure, grabbing a remaining bottle of booze on her way out.

Avaria nods to Jisthelek and figuring, what the hell and she was betting it was Gertrude..  opens the door wide and says in a soft voice, "Hello?"

((Since Jan still isn't feeling her best, can she and the boys provide helping hands to an Ula perception check instead?))

((Marrin was already on her way out, regardless of the state of the fire!))

"If you keep an eye outside here I can check the status of the guard house and come back to you. Or if you want to start working your way towards the harbor, I will find you there. Everyone is going to head there eventually."

She will then dash over to see what is happening around the door down to the lockup area, hanging near the walls to not get run into.

In the Amorous Octopus:

Ethel and Marrin race out of the now burning store room and into the Amorous Octopus. Aside from a few patrons left, the bartender is wiping down some tables. However when you open and close the storeroom door, the distinct smell of smoke wafts out and he looks your way.

"Is that a fire?" the half-orc bartender asks.

You don't see any guards at either entrance but you can hear shouting coming from outside; voices that sound like William and Gillian Hargrove.

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In the Arena:

Ula needs no help in finding the concealed door. She walks right up to the wall and shows everyone the outline of the door. Finding it and opening it are two different things. It appears to be just a flush doorway in the wall with no handles or obvious ways to open it.

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In Dodd's General Store:

Avaria steps into the store and her hunch is correct. Both Harry Dodds and Gertrude Hargrove are inside, gathering two packs and a couple of pouches. Dodds whirls around when he hears Avaria step through the doorway. He relaxes when he sees who it is. 

"Where are the others?" Dodds says. "We need to get going. The guards are all on alert."

"The hob tapped on the wall. If there's a catch that will open the door, we might be able to spring it, but if it was Godrick opening it from inside, we're out of luck." Jan will start tapping on the wall in the area the guard tapped before.

Pirate-Ethel looks at the bartender with an embarrassed expression.  "Arr... woops.  Must have been those beans I had with dinner." 

"Wouldn't go in there if'n I were you," she adds, waving a hand to clear the air behind her.

[Deception rolled in game log... 21]

If that seems to work, Ethel will proceed toward the docks.  She is loathe to separate from Marrin, having finally found one of the party again, but neither is she inclined to have to explain herself if she gets caught.

"Oh trust me, we know.  I need some rope, now."  Avaria says to Dodds, breathing a little sigh of relief seeing that it was Dodds and Gertrude.  She was glad that she at least knew where these two were.

Turning to Jisthelek, "Look, you're really good at slipping into the shadows.  Back at that T intersection, can you slip down towards the Octopus and see if you can find Marrin and Ethel?  Be careful, I think we have some Hargroves looking for us.  Send them here, I'll head back for Jan, Ula and the rest.  Ok?  Please hurry, I'm really worried about them."

Marrin gives Ethel a pat of encouragement before heading off to check the status of things by the guard house.

On the way she'll keep an eye peeled for a potential wardrobe change along the way as well as unattended lanterns that can be knocked over.

In the Amorous Octopus:

Whether the bartender believes you that it's gas or a fire, he steers clear of the store room and makes for the side entrance that leads to the "Inn".

Assuming Ethel follows that way out, she finds herself in the maze of sheets, sails, ropes, hooks, sleeping drunks, and gear that makes up the travelers inn.

It takes her several seconds to maneuver her way through the chaos of it all, but she feels like she's getting closer to an exit.

Marrin heads towards the opposite doorway and looking out she sees both William and Gillian Hargrove, along with three hobgoblin guards coming towards her and the entrance to the Amorous Octopus. To continue towards the stairs and the guardpost, she will need to get past them. They will be upon the tavern entrance in a turn at most.

In Dodd's General Store:

Jisthelek pats Avaria on the back.

"Just don't leave without me," the goblin says, as he slips back into the hallway and towards the Amorous Octopus.

Dodds rummages around in a crate near the door.

"How about this instead?" Dodds says as he pulls out a rope ladder, of the kind you see on the side of a ship.

In the Arena:

Jan keeps tapping on the door, and does eventually find a plate of some kind near the side of the door. But the activation of it is not readily obvious. Perhaps the hobgoblin guard did something Jan didn't remember.

Investigation Check please.

Investigation:1

((Marrin is still invisible, so she should be able to pretty easily sidestep them?))

Avaria smiles at the little goblin, "We definitely will not.  Thanks little guy."  hoping he finds their friends soon.

She looks at what Dodds is holding out and her face brightens, "That is perfect!  Thank you!"  Taking the rope ladder she dashes back towards the garbage pile door.

If Marrin wants to remain still and beside the door, that works. If she wants to move past them, please roll stealth with advantage (to see if they hear anything above the chaos).

Jan is completely puzzled by the door and how the mechanism might work. It's almost as if she's never seen a door before.

Ula takes a stab at it to as Jan appears to have shown what definitely, 100%, does not work.

For whatever reason, Ula manages to find the right pattern to press around the edge of the pressure plate, something that would likely usually take some practice to get right, and the door to the lab opens. The room is completely dark and quiet except for a low grunting/growling noise.

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Avaria make it back to the garbage pile, noticing the smell immediately as she steps though the broken doorway. Xanthe and the others are at the bottom not even trying to climb. A few goblins have given up and have joined them. A couple are still climbing the pile of waste, trash, and sewage, seeming to enjoy the slide down when they fail.

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Ethel is near the edge of the inn now, and peeking out, she can see the darkness of the arena directly ahead of her to the west. She's not sure, but she could swear she hears voices in the arena. To the north she catches someone waving at her - Jisthelek, barely noticeable at the entrance to the main hallway. To the south, she sees Gillian and William Hargrove, and three hobgoblins about to enter the Amorous Octopus.

In the grand concourse area, she sees the cooking fires smoldering, no meat cooking any longer. She also spots Captain Claudius Percival and First Mate Lozredak swaying as they begin making their way back towards the north hallway, likely headed for the harbor (as well as the doorway to the trash room and Dodd's general store).

Marrin will take a step to the side and listen as they go by, hopefully gathering some information as they go.

Marrin doesn't hear anything as the group runs past her. William Hargrove and two of the hobgoblins make for the bar and the storeroom behind. Gillian stops at the bar with the other hobgoblin and turns to survey the room, taking her time to look at everyone there.

William Hargrove gestures to one of the hobgoblins to open the storeroom door. When he does, flames and smoke immediately make him slam the door shut. William and the two hobgoblins then join Gillian and the other hobgoblin. They briefly confer before the spread out into a semi-circle of an arc and begin walking around the bar, waving swords in front of them - probing for something they can't see.

Jan will clap Ula on the shoulder. "I probably loosened it for you.", she quips.

She'll peer into dark room, and if she can spot a candle or torch, will light it up, fully expecting to see one of Godrick's creations, though hopefully one that is restrained.

Ethel gives a short wave to the goblin near the storeroom.  But then rat-sack pirate-Ethel saddles up alongside Captain Claudius and Lozredak.

"Errr... Arrr... didn't you lot once sail with a half-elf, name of Bigge?  I don't see him amongst your crew here.  I'd like to have words with him.  Arrr."