Crimson Throne's Curse [IC]

[PersonMan]

Kat's assurance bears fruit quickly: Alika's mood improves visibly, like a ray of sunshine emerging after the last dark cloud passes by. She darts off, rejoining the child who'd helped her enter the room just as she reaches the door.

"Um, all the way down," the boy replies to Kamorkas, nodding. "It's, a special way. There's an, um, a trap-door, in Yargin's work-room," he explains. "He says it's hidden but it's not, he's just dumb..." he continues, pointing to one of the doors in the room where Yargin and the gnome are still tied up. "In there, right on, um, the right, of the desk."

[Gwynfrid]

"Interesting... Let's go take a look at that." Buoyed by the fast success of the group's bold approach so far, Kamorkas purposefully walks to the door the child is pointing towards, and opens it to take a look at the work-room.

[Ryton]

Astaria nods in gratitude to the child. "I was pretty sure I heard someone open some sort of trap door just a little bit ago. And I like your plan: if you can show us how to get in, we'll hit Giggles for you, and you guys grab your stuff and we can all take off once we're done." she says with a smile to the boy, still in the low squat so she look in their eyes.

"Let's get this over with."

[PersonMan]

The child nods, and leads the way into Yargin's office. The trapdoor within is easily spotted, and opened; the way down is a simple ladder, seemingly connected to the remains of some odd pulley contraption that's clearly been dismantled and is harmless. The room below is barely worth the name; the wooden floor creaks and seems visibly weakened, where it isn't broken outright, and only a foot or so below the wood is the water. The floor extends about five feet from the wall before dropping away entirely; a massive hole, perhaps twenty-five feet across, dominates the room. Off to the right, the walls pull away from the water and there's more space, three bedrolls lying on the more spacious ground.

Further along, there's a wall that sections off a room with a surprisingly sturdy-looking door, from behind which the sound of wood-on-wood emerges. Apart from the door to the room and the ladder, only a single door leads outside, a far less solid-looking one that seems to be ready to fall off its hinges.

[Miss_Adventure]

"Please fish me out if I go swimming. I don't float in all this iron." Kat gives the gaping hole a wide berth, following the wall, and stopping outside the heavy door and the rather obvious sound of their quarry. She holds position, hammer at the ready, until everyone's in their chosen spot. "Now that we're the ones picking the fight, how do we want t'do this?" she whispers, as though Giggles didn't hear her clanking across the room.

[Ryton]

"I'm wearing a bit much armor to be swimming myself, but I do have some rope if it comes to that." Astaria responds to Kat, as she similarly skirts it as widely as possible.

"Well, I'll try to stay towards the back of the room, though I'll probably try to sidle inside so Giggles doesn't just try to shove me into the water through the doorway. I'd prefer not to kill, but from what the kids said, I'm guessing Giggles won't extend us that courtesy.

Before we open the door though, I've got a spell I can cast that will help someone's hits land a little harder and a little more precisely. I'm guessing it'd be best served on Xen or Kat, if either of you have a preference...?

[Hazuki]

"I'll take it," Xen says as she follows the path towards the door. "I hope your casting is just as quiet as this whispering."

[Gwynfrid]

"I got nothin' to hide better, and the guy knows we're here anyhow", Kamorkas answers, surprised by his own boldness. "I say kick the door down, let's get done with it. I'll try to put him to sleep as soon as I see him, but no promises."

Spoiler

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Move in, and ready an action to cast to cast a Sleep hex.

[Miss_Adventure]

"Fair enough." With a shrug that made it clear she didn't have any better ideas, Kat shifts as much of her armored bulk between her new friends and the direction of danger, takes a deep breath, and... tries the door handle. Who knows, Giggles might be careless.

If that bit of optimism met resistance, an armored boot would swiftly follow.

Spoiler: OOC

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Kat will try to just open the door normally before trying this, but if it seems locked or blocked, she'll follow Kamorkas's advice and try to kick it open.

Strength check: (1d20+3)[6]

[Ryton]

"Spellcasting is rarely quiet. But with that kick, the time for stealth has passed, I think." Astaria says with bit of a laugh. She lays a hand gently on Xen's shoulder and casts her spell, then steps away, hoping to put some distance between herself and the door.

Spoiler: OoC

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Magic Weapon for Xen

[PersonMan]

The door withstands the first attempt to break through it, proving durable at first - but a second attempt breaches it, revealing a small room behind. The room is equipped with a messy bed, what could be called a rug (if one wanted to insult any proper ones within earshot), a table with a few papers and a small chest on it, and a stack of several wooden chests of visible quality. But the room holds more than simple furnishings and boxes; standing not far from the door is a grinning half-orc, facial scars and eyepatch doing as much as the flail in his hands to help make the lack of friendly intent clear.

The half-orc moves with surprising swiftness, stepping in even as the door comes to a stop after the forceful opening; his flail swings down at Kat, catching the paladin before she can move. Even before his attack connects, the scarred half-orc bursts into laughter.

Spoiler: OOC

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Combat map is up. I had to check, but Ready can't be used outside of combat, so I just went with a normal round of initiative, and he was able to win and get a first-round hit on Kat for 6 damage.

Your moves now, though.

[Miss_Adventure]

"Hellfire!" A wise man once said, "Everyone's got a plan 'till they get punched in the face." The sentiment applies to taking a morningstar to the hip as well. Unable to maneuver effectively in the tight confines, Kat limps aside as Giggles lives up to his name, and uses her hammer's length to shield Kamorkas and keep Giggles penned into the little room. "He's not gettin' a chance to do that again, I promise. Let 'im have it!"

Spoiler: OOC

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The map works fine now. Thanks, boss.

Movement: Five-foot step.
Standard: Activate Loyal Oath, with Kamorkas as the target. Grants him a +3 sacred bonus to saving throws and AC. Lasts for 1 minute, or until discharged; if Kat is adjacent to an enemy and they attack (and hit) the target of her oath, she gets a free melee attack against the enemy. This ends the oath.

[Gwynfrid]

Kat's interposed hammer to protect him is a surprise to Kamorkas, unused as he is to such displays of selflessness. "Er, m'lady, I appreciate that, but ain't you the one that just got hurt?" he mutters as he takes a step away from the swinging flail.

"Now YOU" - his voice rises - "you are going to pay. But first, you're going to SLEEP." His gaze locks with the half-orc's eyes as he tries to force his will against the enemy's. He wins the contest, and Giggles falls to the floor, snoring loudly.

Kamorkas flashes a triumphant smile. "Got'im! Now, this will not last long. Gotta take this flail away and grab him, quick!"

Spoiler

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5-ft step backwards.
Slumber Hex on Giggles, Will DC16 or fall asleep for 2 rounds.

(Edited following announcement of the failed save)

[Ryton]

Astaria winces at the blow Giggles lands on Kat.

She nods in assent at Kamorkas' suggestion. "Good plan, I like the way you think." She dashes forward and seizes the flail from Giggles grasp with a firm tug.

Spoiler

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I assume she doesn't need to make a combat maneuver check on a sleeping target, and her modifier is not great, but just in case:
Disarm - (1d20+1)[5]

[Miss_Adventure]

Kat brushes off the concern good-naturedly, not wanting to be fussed over. "I can heal up myself. He didn't do anything permanent. You lot aren't wearing iron."

"Speakin' of iron..." After some rummaging, Kat pulls a pair of heavy, slightly tarnished manacles from a side pouch on her pack and kneels with a grimace. "Let's get you a pair of shiny new bracelets, Giggles." She does her best to clap him in irons before the spell wears off.

Spoiler: OOC

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Not sure if we're still in initiative, but I'm going to be without internet for a couple days and wanted to get this up while I could. Should be back to normal on Wednesday.

Move action to retrieve manacles from her pack, Standard to try to restrain Giggles.

[PersonMan]

Once Giggles has fallen, it's a simple matter to disarm him and place him in manacles. A few moments after the latter, he comes back to consciousness, thrashing about with a loud shout but thoroughly incapacitated. "Spelly Chels!¹ You'll be in the fish for this!" He growls, breaking into laughs again. "In the fish! Gaedren will get ya, and I'll chop you up!"



¹: 'Chel' is a slur in Korvosa, originally referring to those of Chelish background but becoming a go-to insult in some of the city's poorer areas.

[Gwynfrid]

Kamorkas gives an approving nod to Astaria's and Kat's efficiency. "Comes to show, it's always good to have a copper by your side..." He turns to Giggles. "...To take care of scum such as you!" He barely resists the urge to kick the fallen half-orc in the shins. "Gaedren, hey? Just happens so, we like to have a word with him. Where is he?"

[Ryton]

A look of pure horror and disgust crosses Astaria's face, her usual demeanor vanishing utterly she pales, turning slightly green, as though she might be sick. "In the fish... Please, no... Have you... have you been putting people in the dumplings?!"

[Miss_Adventure]

"Get it right. I'm a Fronter, not a Chel." Kat deflects Giggles's venom with the slur for the poor and dirty from Bridgefront, but her mood matches Asteria's. It's just harder to tell when you're already green.

Was the threat of becoming a dumpling how they kept the urchins in line? Was he the one who'd hurt Alika? The thought brought something writhing and black to the normally gentle guard's gut.

"Best answer the questions. The kids asked us t'hit you, an' I quote, 'hard and lots." I'd hate to break a promise, Giggles. Play nice, or they'll fish your corpse out of the Jeg. Two choices." Unlike her fabricated threat to Yargin, the terse words have some bite behind them.

Spoiler: OOC

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Intimidate: (1d20+9)[10]

[PersonMan]

"Gaedren? Hah! Out of the fishery," Giggles says, grinning up at Kamorkas. "Haha! Good idea!"

The half-orc cackles at Astaria's horrified response, pausing only when Kat speaks her threat. "Scary!" He barks, breaking into another brief laugh. "Gaedren's out! Not comin' back. Living fancy, now, Midlands, better, didn't say," he shrugs. "But 'e still wants his share. Greedy bastard, hah!"

[Gwynfrid]

Seeing that his and his teammates' efforts to frighten the half-orc only make him more defiant, Kamorkas decides to switch tactics. "Just a minute, if you will", he says, with a light hand touch on Kat's arm. He focuses his gaze on the prisoner for a moment.

"Now, I'm sure we could come to an arrangement. See, she's a cop, sure, but I'm not. In fact, I would very much like to be your friend, help you out of here maybe..." His voice is silken, the words strangely compelling.

Spoiler

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1) Evil Eye on Giggles, impose a -2 penalty to his save. This lasts for 8 rounds if he fails a Will save DC16, and 1 round if he succeeds - that's all I need.
2) Charm Person, also Will DC16.

[PersonMan]

Giggles squints at Kamorkas for a few moments, one eye looking at him before he eventually shrugs. "Yeah. Fine. Heh!" He chuckles. "Better clear than locked up! Hah! Whaddaya want? Can't tell ya where Gaedren's sittin' now, exactly - 'e showed me one spot, but then moved and now all I know is where to bring th' earnings," he continues, nodding over at the stacked chests.

Spoiler: OOC

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And we're back! Sorry again for the long pause, we should be back for a more smooth, if slower, pace now.

[Gwynfrid]

"The place where you take the loot... Interesting... Might well be all we need", Kamorkas purrs. "Where is it? Tell us the place, and we'll take it from there. And I'm sure that will earn you some slack." He turns to Kat, gives her a knowing nod. "We'd want to be fair, if he's really helpful, right?"

[Hazuki]

Xen occupies herself by endeavoring not to glare a hole through the babbling stranger's head.