Shipwrecked in Saltmarsh

Molo starts to make his way slowly across town toward the Temple of Procan. He gets about as far as the big industrial buildings in the center of town which reek of fish (#18) when a couple of workmen in an open shed call him over. "Hey guy! Hey guy! C'mere! Look at this!"

Meanwhile, Dain confronts the well-dressed (if slightly run down-looking) half-orc in the street outside Council Hall (#14). "Mr. Aubreck, the Merchant of Saltmarsh, would like t' meet with you an' your companions. Are you free today t' meet with him? I believe he has a lucrative proposition for ye'."

Fianna and Kelnan stand outside the Faithful Quartermasters of Iuz, after failing to acquire any useful items from the unnerving tiefling, Captain Xendros. An old man stares at them from across the street.

(Is Katernin with Molo? At the Snapping Line? Or back at her shrine?)

Dain looks the half-orc up and down.   "Hmmm, tis possible I suppose.   Would ye want ta come with me ta look for them all and ask them yerself?"

     Noticing the old man staring, Fianna will stare back.  She’ll try to get a bead on him to determine if he’s just a townie gawker, some kind of pervert, in the kind of shady business that happens in alleys or some combination of none of the above.

perception/insight: 4
(same roll for whichever you prefer...)

     Whatever her guess  about the man is, Fianba nudges Kelnan and starts them moving in his direction...

(I’m suddenly feeling a montage coming on, like when Pacino has all his enemies eliminated while having his child baptized...)

Quote from cbaer8 >>

Molo starts to make his way slowly across town toward the Temple of Procan. He gets about as far as the big industrial buildings in the center of town which reek of fish (#18) when a couple of workmen in an open shed call him over. "Hey guy! Hey guy! C'mere! Look at this!"

 Molo moves closer, unable to hold back his curiosity at the barest hint of something interesting.

It's a latrine. They seem to be excited about something at the bottom of it. They point with animation and invite Molo to observe it. "Look! Look!"

– – – – –

Noticing the old man staring, Fianna will stare back. She’ll try to get a bead on him... perception/insight: 4

He seems old and grimy. "You them freaks that been blowin' up stuff?" he yells at Fianna and Kelnan, much louder than necessary. His jaw hangs open, revealing red-stained, rotten teeth. 

– – – – –

Dain looks the half-orc up and down. "Hmmm, tis possible I suppose. Would ye want ta come with me ta look for them all and ask them yerself?"

The half-orc nods. "I would. Mr. Aubreck would like to meet with all o' ye'. For lunch, maybe. He asks t' meet with all five. He'll make it worth yer while."

– – – – –

Katernin relaxes. At least until she sees a familiar face on the street nearby. It's Oceanus, wandering through Saltmarsh.

     The ground shakes, Fianna sidles sideways away from Kelnan as much as she can, and her voice booms out saying "Be on your way, grandfather...  I'm in a rare mood."

((Who will be the first to sleep with the fishes?!?))

Molo narrows his eyes at the two but looks into the latrine anyways 

Dain nods in agreement.  "I should be able ta make that happen," he agrees.  "Where da ya want ta meet?"

Fianna: Intimidation check (with advantage due to thaumaturgical enhancements): 23

 The old man sneers at Fianna and toddles off behind the tavern somewhere.

– – – – – 

The half-orc replies to Dain, "Out on th' point, past th' Mining Company Headquarters. Mr. Aubreck's estate. You can join him for lunch. I should introduce myself. My name is Vertheg. I am Mr. Aubreck's butler and assistant."

– – – – –

As Molo peers into the latrine, one of the the thugs tries to shove him in, while the other pulls a long knife.
Pushing thug stealth:  6
Knifey thug stealth:  4
vs. 11 (Molo's passive perception)

The wary kobold manages to spot the knife and just catch the shove attempt from the corner of his suspicious eyes.

Intitiative:
Molo: 6
Pushy: 2
Knifey: 3

Molo gets the jump on the goons. He may act first.

– – – – –

Oceanus doesn't see Katernin yet. He is slick with water, but looks otherwise healthy. He is walking casually down the street, studying the town carefully.

     Fianna does a quick scan of the area for other possible threats (Perception: 13 ) and then tells Kelnan “We should find the others.  Now!”

     As Fianna starts heading back towards the tavern where she last left the gang, Kelnan hopefully with her, she also pops FinFin out of their pocket dimension and sends them into the skies.  “Get a birds eye view of us here, check for threats.  Then go try to find the others,” she directs her familiar.

Katernin is surprised, but goes to meet him, "Hello?" She says, though it sounds more like a question. "Still looking?"

Dain agrees with the half-orc to meet at the mansion for lunch.  He bows curtly to the man and heads off into town at a brisk walk, looking around to try and find his companions.

I wonder what this job will entail.  It feels like there is a lot of demand for mercenaries in the town.  Still, it pays better than blacksmithing I suppose.

Kelnan turns to Fianna and nods.

"Agreed. We seem to have more admirers than usual. Plus, work to be done."

Ducking into a quiet corner or alley as they walk, he taps his rod on the ground, calls out "Waja sulap" and draws tight a silvery field of Mage Armor about himself.

Arcane Ward: 12 HP

Fianna scans the area by the Empty Net. She sees nothing but staring eyes from nearby windows, clearly alarmed by the booming voice they heard moments ago. Nearby, Kelnan quietly prepares some protective abjurations.

Finfin flies high above the harbor, looking for the others. The sharp-eyed pseudodragon spots Dain first, walking back toward the inn along the main street, from the south.

– – – – –

(Where is Katernin, currently?) Oceanus seems pleased to see Katernin. "Hello," he says brightly in Common, before switching to Elvish. 

 – – – – –

"Push 'im in! Push 'im in!" goads Knifey (a gap-toothed scrawny guy who looks familiar) to Pushey (a fat, wall-eyed teenage boy with a baby face) as he tries to shove Molo down a toilet.

(FinFin was looking for potential threats first... But if none then Fianna will lead Kelnan south towards Dain.)

FinFin spots no obvious dangers as it circles above the harbor. Fianna and Kelnan walk toward the bridge.

Molo grabs knife guy and tries to shove him into the hole

Athletics 7 

The squirrelly guy with the knife tries to twist away from Molo. Dex check: 12

And in a flash, Knifey goes into the open latrine. It's about 8 or 10 feet deep, filled with waist-deep foul-smelling muck. It will not be easy to climb out of without help. He shrieks a searing string of expletives. 

The big guy gives Molo a look of fear and uncertainty, but then pulls out a metal rod and takes a pair of swings at him. He is fast and strong, if maybe young and scared.

Metal Bar Attack #1: 14  Bludgeoning damage: 4
Metal Bar Attack #2: 5  Bludgeoning damage: 6

 One hits Molo's arm with a painful crack.

((Why's it always Molo??  lol))