He grimaces and proceeds to take a closer look around the boat to see if there may be anything they missed, such as clues as to Gaerdren's whereabouts or useful objects.
Perception: 8 (I'm on a boat)
Though he gave the ship a second look over, his heart wasn't particularly in it and he didn't find anything outstanding that he may have missed the first time through.
With that, Mazour turned to take watch. Waiting for his back to be turned to the others, he wiped his eyes.
Perception: 13
Taking watch during the short break, Maz see much of note. No one walking or sneaking up the boardwalk, no jigsaw shark looking for seconds, and sadly, no surprised Gaedren either...
An hour or so passed without note or issue as the party waited - and hoped - for Redii to fully recover. Eventually, after a particular lull, the group hears a groan from the monk before a loud thump the lightly rocked the ship. Turning in her direction, they found the woman on her side with attempting - and failing - to lift herself off the ground. Though she was able to move, at the moment, it appeared that only her left side was working properly.
"I f*cking hate spiders. And I f*ckinghate Gaedren even more for leaving him around!" He exclaimed furious, barely holding back her voice from a full shout. "Give me a minute and I'll be good to go. I can almost feel my right le-..." she added as she tried to rise before failing and flopping back down on the deck with a scowl. She then preceded to mutter curses to herself as she reattempted to rise to her feet.
Hutton lumbers over and lifts Redii to a sitting position against the gunwale before standing back to regard her.
"Spiders aren't much trouble if you don't let 'em bite you," he asserts. "Finish resting up. If you're going to be with us, we'll need you at your best. The floating walkway down there is no place for wobbly legs."
Mazour followed Reddi and Hutton. Heeding Reddi's advise, he took long bouncing strides to move between piling to piling. With all the panache and elven grace he could muster he bounded along with no issues.
Crossing lightly across the Underpier without issue, Redii arrived at the door at the far side underneath the Old Fishey main floor. Seeing the others following behind, with varying levels of grace, Redii turned back towards the door and carefully checked the door to find it locked. As the others caught up, she pulled out a pair of Theives' Tools from her belt pack and got to work; the familiarity of teasing right mechanisms loose with her picks calming her nerves ever so slightly. She didnt notice in the moment, but being forced to sit and wait for her paralysis to fade with Gaedren potentially so close had injected her with a bit of frantic/ antsy energy. Though not as smooth as she typically was when working one of her jobs, she eventually heard the soft click of the lock releasing...
Though he does well to hide it, Brack let's out a small sigh of relief as Redii gets back up from her ailments. Despite the momentary respite, the dwarf pales again as the crew begins to make their way through the underpier. Looking across the worn and downtrodden dock, Brack audibly gulps. He takes time to watch the others meander across the wooden planks and takes note of where each individual steps.
Breathing deeply, the dwarf begins to quickly scuttle over the pier towards the others. Like earlier, he takes care to grapple each pylon and support beam on his way to the others. Reaching them, he quickly tries to catch his breath, saying nothing though looking visibly pale once more.
"It's open..." Redii signaled silently to the others as she returned her lock picks and pulled out (2) of her sai. Moment of truth... she thought as she put her hand on the knob and took a couple quick breaths to pump herself up. Pushing the door open, it groaned painfully loud, causing Redii to wince before an inadvertent laugh spilled out of her.
"Of course" Redii commented as she loosened up and pushed the door the rest of the way open. "Guess we're not gonna surprise him. Getting the drop on him just wouldn't have been as satisfying ..." she added before crouching down to fit through the small door (even for her) to the room beyond.
The party came a across a large room almost as large as the main fishery floor above that stank of Jeggare river below - thanks to a huge opening in the floor that dropped the river shore three feet below. Several pilings emerged from the waters to support the roof eight feet above the floor, with mossy ropes slung between them. In (2) places, rusty manacles hung from the ropes over the water. (2) five-foot-wide walkways cross the hole to the other side of the chamber, where a collection of old cabinets, lockboxes, and piles of clutter are strewn about. Chipped porcelain plates, a cracked goblet, badly rusted silverware, an old wooden shield with a crossbow bolt embedded in it, the odd dinged helm and other “treasures” litter the floor of this side of the chamber. In the southwest corner, a wooden door provides access to a walled-off section of the space. Three tables heaped with clutter and a rickety chair stand amid this mess. Sitting atop the chair with a crossbow pointed at the group and an annoyed look on his face was none other than the man the group had joined forces to hunt down: Gaedren Lamb.
For Redii, the sight of the man brought back a flood of terrible memories and the nearly all-consuming thought of revenge. For the others who had never seen the man in the flesh before, he was probably not quite what they had expected. Gaedren Lamm - the twisted thieving snake, a plague on Korvosa’s forgotten children, and all-around despicable wretch - was well past whatever prime he might've had, and by the looks of it, already had one foot in the grave. Jaundiced and a bent corpse of a man, his eyes are yellowed and his skin speckled from age. He seemed to be favoring his left leg as he rose from the chair at the party's entrance. Wispy, dirty and shoulder-length gray hair hung limply underneath a wide sunhat that matched the well-worn gray attire he was wearing. Though he looked - and was - a very old man, his voice was surprisingly still full of energy.
"Took you long enough." Gaedren began before spitting a gross colored phlegm onto the floor. "Been sitting on my ass for the better part of an hour. Couldn't find my 'secret' entrance? Or did the spiders getcha." A evil looking grin spread across his face as he continued.
"I'm guessing you're all here to kill me. The three of you I get," he starts, pointing towards the (3) men in the room. "Shiver," pointing to Mazour, "Shiver," pointing to Hutton, "Patsy. Nothing personal there, you were just too perfect for the role." he cackled. "Not sorry about your twos friends though, that was just good business and they knew what they were getting into. I'm just a humble business man performing a needed service for the community." he cackled again before going into a mild coughing fit and hacking another was of phlegm.
"Now, you little Miss Pretty, I don't recognize you. Did I kill someone you loved too?" he began to laugh again before pausing suddenly; his voice suddenly growing more serious. "Wait... shouldn't you be dead? Yes... you're older - and turned into a looker - but you're definitely that 'Lamb' I sold for a pretty penny way back when. What was your name again? R-" He rambled on before one of Redii's sai flew inches past his head to lodge itself in the far wall. The death stare he shot at the thief's direction was impressive.
Seemingly covered in a palpable aura of pure anger and disgust, Redii spit out "Do. Not. Say. My. Name!!" Her body trembled as she forced out the words.
For an instant, the room was quiet as the two sides stared at each other, the only other sound being lapping waves of the Jeggare below...
Silence seemed to stretch out for an eternity. The sound of the waves just lapping into the background. Mazour's eyes narrowed at the mention of Laina. His sapphire eyes rimmed with silver as he gazed across the room using the eyes of the Lady.
Silence seemed to stretch out for an eternity. The sound of the waves just lapping into the background. Mazour's eyes narrowed at the mention of Laina. His sapphire eyes rimmed with silver as he gazed across the room using the eyes of the Lady.
Action - Eyes of the Grave
Insight Check - 22 on Gaedren
Nothing undead pings in the vicinity as you scan the "lair" Gaedren Lamm now calls his home. Turning your focus back to Gaedren, you don't get the sense that he trying to cover anything up. He seems like a callous old man who enjoys putting others down and reveling in the painful of others, especially pain he had a hand in causing. What an a**hole.
" Drop the crossbow. It's over, and it's the only way you leave here alive."Mazour said calmly as he looked over the drab and wretched form of Gaedren Lamm
He moved over to Reddi and placed a hand on her shoulder. "May the Lady's peace be with you. Stay focused. He wants us angry. Please don't allow him the satisfaction."
Brack shoots a stare cold as iron towards Gaedran. Without blinking nor averting his gaze, the dwarf speaks up, "Careful now Miss Rabbit. We wouldn't want anything to come of this pribbling milk-livered canker-blossom. Especially if any sort of violence would lead to 'is untimely demise at our own 'ands" He pauses, then launches a particularly barbed query at the old man, "Isn't that right Mister Lamm?"
Hutton remains oddly silent through the exchange. After a lull, he murmurs, "Business," in his soft baritone. A little louder, he continues. "I've got a business of my own, you know. Think I've done a pretty decent job with it over the last umpteen years. Gave up a lot for it, but that's just as well. I'd lost my taste for my previous line of work."
He looks down at his palms and clenches then unclenches his fists. Without looking up, he says, "Seems the main difference between us, as businessmen, is that the needed service I perform for our community is one that helps build and strengthen it. Whereas yours," he looks back up to meet Gaerdren's gaze. "Yours is tailormade to break it down for personal gain."
Slowly, he inhales through his nose and releases the breath. A recognizable calming and centering technique.
"I can't speak for these others, but you should know that what I do, I do out of necessity, not because I enjoy it. Nothing personal; just good business."
With that, Hutton pushes Mazour against the wall with one large hand and sprints past him. Dashing around the hole open to the river below, he comes to an abrupt stop just inches from Gaedren.
A slight smirk tugs at one corner of the huge man's mouth as he cracks his knuckles. "The enjoyment is just a bonus."
Trashing around wildly, Gobblegut turned around in its watery home before landing on it's first target: the wiry elf Mazour! Charging forward, the crocodile opened its jaws and latched onto the lower body of the cleric before thrashing its head about violently.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Brack muttered a terse dwarven curse under his breath as he watches Hutton charge forward, then gives a resigned shout of encouragement, "Yeh better 'it 'im after all that grandstanding!"
Bardic Inspiration to Hutton!
Letting himself grin at his own clever little jab, his expression turns sour as he watches Mazour get swept into the jaws of the ravenous crocodile. Without missing a beat, he again misses the beat to the haunting hymn that he belts out once more, "DahnshOLL YEh!"
Vicious Mockery:Wis Save DC14 or 3 Psychic Damage and Disadvantage on Next Attack Roll
No one doubted the old geezer had some tricks up his sleeve, but a pet crocodile mere yards away from a jigsaw shark?? What other half-baked machinations has this kodger got waiting for them?
Pausing his charge in a moment of bafflement and briefly checking his torso to make sure there were no crossbow bolts going unnoticed, Hutton sneers and closes the gap between himself and his quarry.
"Of all the questionable decisions you've made, this may have been both your dumbest and last," the teeming, barely-controlled rage monster snarls before reaching for Gaedren.
Gobblegut roared momentarily in pain as it's mind was assaulted by the power of Brack's chant, though it refused to let go of the cleric's body!
Meanwhile just as it appeared that Gaedren would be swallowed up by Hutton, he moved with surprising deftness and avoided his grasp. "I didn't live this long by being slow," he taunted before pulling out a gleaming Dagger and ramming it into Hutton's side. He then extricated himself (Cunning Action: Disengage) from Hutton's vicinity and limped South away from him and towards Gobblegut (15ft straight down on the map)
Redii & Maz are up!
Rolls:
Gobblegut DC14 WIS save: 1(Fail!!)
Gaedren Lamm DC12 Acrobatics: 18(Suceed!!)
Gaedren Lamm attack on Hutton: Attack: 16 Damage: 4(Hits)
Zoldier's Curse of the Crimson Throne
Though he gave the ship a second look over, his heart wasn't particularly in it and he didn't find anything outstanding that he may have missed the first time through.
Taking watch during the short break, Maz see much of note. No one walking or sneaking up the boardwalk, no jigsaw shark looking for seconds, and sadly, no surprised Gaedren either...
Zoldier’s Curse of the Crimson Throne: DM/ Redii || Zoldier's Strange Aeon's: DM
Zoldier's Curse of the Crimson Throne
Zoldier’s Curse of the Crimson Throne: DM/ Redii || Zoldier's Strange Aeon's: DM
Hutton lumbers over and lifts Redii to a sitting position against the gunwale before standing back to regard her.
"Spiders aren't much trouble if you don't let 'em bite you," he asserts. "Finish resting up. If you're going to be with us, we'll need you at your best. The floating walkway down there is no place for wobbly legs."
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Neria Tallfellow (Halfling Rogue) - Curse of the Crimson Throne with Ashen_Age
Zoldier's Curse of the Crimson Throne
012 - The Underpier
Zoldier’s Curse of the Crimson Throne: DM/ Redii || Zoldier's Strange Aeon's: DM
Dex check (at disadvantage): 16
Characters currently being ruined on this forum:
Neria Tallfellow (Halfling Rogue) - Curse of the Crimson Throne with Ashen_Age
Mazour followed Reddi and Hutton. Heeding Reddi's advise, he took long bouncing strides to move between piling to piling. With all the panache and elven grace he could muster he bounded along with no issues.
Dex Check Nat 20
Like a hippo in a tutu, Hutton follows the group. Gingerly clomping from one piling to the next, he is very careful to avoid the filthy fishies below.
Characters currently being ruined on this forum:
Neria Tallfellow (Halfling Rogue) - Curse of the Crimson Throne with Ashen_Age
Zoldier's Curse of the Crimson Throne
Zoldier’s Curse of the Crimson Throne: DM/ Redii || Zoldier's Strange Aeon's: DM
Though he does well to hide it, Brack let's out a small sigh of relief as Redii gets back up from her ailments. Despite the momentary respite, the dwarf pales again as the crew begins to make their way through the underpier. Looking across the worn and downtrodden dock, Brack audibly gulps. He takes time to watch the others meander across the wooden planks and takes note of where each individual steps.
Breathing deeply, the dwarf begins to quickly scuttle over the pier towards the others. Like earlier, he takes care to grapple each pylon and support beam on his way to the others. Reaching them, he quickly tries to catch his breath, saying nothing though looking visibly pale once more.
Zoldier's Curse of the Crimson Throne
"It's open..." Redii signaled silently to the others as she returned her lock picks and pulled out (2) of her sai. Moment of truth... she thought as she put her hand on the knob and took a couple quick breaths to pump herself up. Pushing the door open, it groaned painfully loud, causing Redii to wince before an inadvertent laugh spilled out of her.
Zoldier’s Curse of the Crimson Throne: DM/ Redii || Zoldier's Strange Aeon's: DM
Silence.
Silence seemed to stretch out for an eternity. The sound of the waves just lapping into the background. Mazour's eyes narrowed at the mention of Laina. His sapphire eyes rimmed with silver as he gazed across the room using the eyes of the Lady.
Action - Eyes of the Grave
Insight Check - 22 on Gaedren
Zoldier's Curse of the Crimson Throne
Nothing undead pings in the vicinity as you scan the "lair" Gaedren Lamm now calls his home. Turning your focus back to Gaedren, you don't get the sense that he trying to cover anything up. He seems like a callous old man who enjoys putting others down and reveling in the painful of others, especially pain he had a hand in causing. What an a**hole.
Zoldier’s Curse of the Crimson Throne: DM/ Redii || Zoldier's Strange Aeon's: DM
" Drop the crossbow. It's over, and it's the only way you leave here alive." Mazour said calmly as he looked over the drab and wretched form of Gaedren Lamm
He moved over to Reddi and placed a hand on her shoulder. "May the Lady's peace be with you. Stay focused. He wants us angry. Please don't allow him the satisfaction."
Guidance on Reddi
Brack shoots a stare cold as iron towards Gaedran. Without blinking nor averting his gaze, the dwarf speaks up, "Careful now Miss Rabbit. We wouldn't want anything to come of this pribbling milk-livered canker-blossom. Especially if any sort of violence would lead to 'is untimely demise at our own 'ands" He pauses, then launches a particularly barbed query at the old man, "Isn't that right Mister Lamm?"
Hutton remains oddly silent through the exchange. After a lull, he murmurs, "Business," in his soft baritone. A little louder, he continues. "I've got a business of my own, you know. Think I've done a pretty decent job with it over the last umpteen years. Gave up a lot for it, but that's just as well. I'd lost my taste for my previous line of work."
He looks down at his palms and clenches then unclenches his fists. Without looking up, he says, "Seems the main difference between us, as businessmen, is that the needed service I perform for our community is one that helps build and strengthen it. Whereas yours," he looks back up to meet Gaerdren's gaze. "Yours is tailormade to break it down for personal gain."
Slowly, he inhales through his nose and releases the breath. A recognizable calming and centering technique.
"I can't speak for these others, but you should know that what I do, I do out of necessity, not because I enjoy it. Nothing personal; just good business."
With that, Hutton pushes Mazour against the wall with one large hand and sprints past him. Dashing around the hole open to the river below, he comes to an abrupt stop just inches from Gaedren.
A slight smirk tugs at one corner of the huge man's mouth as he cracks his knuckles. "The enjoyment is just a bonus."
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Neria Tallfellow (Halfling Rogue) - Curse of the Crimson Throne with Ashen_Age
Zoldier's Curse of the Crimson Throne
013 - Gaedren Lamm
Zoldier’s Curse of the Crimson Throne: DM/ Redii || Zoldier's Strange Aeon's: DM
Zoldier's Curse of the Crimson Throne
Trashing around wildly, Gobblegut turned around in its watery home before landing on it's first target: the wiry elf Mazour! Charging forward, the crocodile opened its jaws and latched onto the lower body of the cleric before thrashing its head about violently.
Initiative Order:
Zoldier’s Curse of the Crimson Throne: DM/ Redii || Zoldier's Strange Aeon's: DM
Brack muttered a terse dwarven curse under his breath as he watches Hutton charge forward, then gives a resigned shout of encouragement, "Yeh better 'it 'im after all that grandstanding!"
Bardic Inspiration to Hutton!
Letting himself grin at his own clever little jab, his expression turns sour as he watches Mazour get swept into the jaws of the ravenous crocodile. Without missing a beat, he again misses the beat to the haunting hymn that he belts out once more, "Dahn shOLL YEh!"
Vicious Mockery: Wis Save DC14 or 3 Psychic Damage and Disadvantage on Next Attack Roll
No one doubted the old geezer had some tricks up his sleeve, but a pet crocodile mere yards away from a jigsaw shark?? What other half-baked machinations has this kodger got waiting for them?
Pausing his charge in a moment of bafflement and briefly checking his torso to make sure there were no crossbow bolts going unnoticed, Hutton sneers and closes the gap between himself and his quarry.
"Of all the questionable decisions you've made, this may have been both your dumbest and last," the teeming, barely-controlled rage monster snarls before reaching for Gaedren.
Grapple: 12
Characters currently being ruined on this forum:
Neria Tallfellow (Halfling Rogue) - Curse of the Crimson Throne with Ashen_Age
Zoldier's Curse of the Crimson Throne
Gobblegut roared momentarily in pain as it's mind was assaulted by the power of Brack's chant, though it refused to let go of the cleric's body!
Initiative Order:
Zoldier’s Curse of the Crimson Throne: DM/ Redii || Zoldier's Strange Aeon's: DM