Book 1, Part 3: Investigating the Fires

[Toraka_Stormheart]

Title

Temperance - Character Sheet

---

AC: 19 Fort: +6 Ref: +10 Will: +4

HP: 24/24 Rebel Points: 2/3 | Perception: +6

Ammunition: 20/20 (40 Reserve) | Alchemy PreparedAlchemical Cartridges: 20 | ConditionsNone

---

Following along, Temperance paused at the edge of the collapsed pier, peering intently over the edge into the ruins below. Pursing her lips, the tiefling glanced to the pseudodragon, shrugging a little and glancing to the rifle slung over her shoulder.

"Could. Not ideal though. I'm limited with this powder down there, but I'll remain on standby."

Show Mechanics

Action 1: Perception from the surface, 12 result

Action 2:

Action 3:

 

[Fletcher]

Kjersti Volden

AC: 19 | Fort: +8 | Ref: +4 | Will: +7
HP: 24/24 | Focus: 0/1 | Hero: 0/3 | Perception: +5
ConditionsNone

---

The meandering journey to the docks finds Kjersti (and perhaps Maria) gawking a bit more as they see all of the new, expansive districts and places that the city has to offer. If anyone were to doubt that they were from the outside, it's banished by how excited (and nervous) Kjersti is to travel over the largest bridge she's ever seen in her entire life. She is, admittedly, a little wobble-knee'd by the time they reach the far side, but at least there were pleasant distractions along the way.

When they reach the empty quay formerly known as the Thrashing Badger, the farmgirl peers down into the sunken wreckage and gives an uncertain hum. "Not gonna lie, I ain't too experienced with swimmin', sides a dip here or there in a shallow crick," she admits, also unsure that she would be much use down there with the hammer. On the other hand, the thing could be an awful valuable lever if there was something that needed shifted. Before she can decide, she's given a thorough dousing by Deadman's face-flop into the water.

"Well. I s'pose that's one way to go 'bout it." She shrugs to the others, watches the dark shape of their dead companion merge with the rest of the mucky bottom. "Guess I'll make sure he don't get stuck or somethin'. Make sure nothin' sneaks up on us down there," she says with a wink, directing that last bit toward Temperance and her sharp-eyed shooting. How well bullets fly underwater, well, that's physics she doesn't rightly know.

She takes a deep breath and takes a firm grip on the hammer haft, jumping in boots-first and sinking rapidly to the sunken wreck. Better two sets of eyes than one, and they might make short work of prying something free, between the two of them. She starts toward the most intact section of the Badger, hammer in tow.

Edited September 11, 2023 by Fletcher (see edit history)

[ccanary]

Maria Callus

Maria Callus — Human Monk (medic)

At the sunken remains of the Badger

Maria saw Kjersti and Deadman go in and shook her head a little. "I taught Kjersti to swim. I thought I taught her better than to go swimming with heavy armor and a gigantic hammer, but I suppose not."

Then she stripped off her coat and any constricting garments down the bare minimum stopping before attracting any more attention from gawkers than they already were.

"I guess I should explain it to her."

She took a deep breath and dove in to follow the others down.

 

 

Mechanics

Well she can swim ok but she isn't going to notice much! (20 athletics and 10 perception)

Action 1:
Action 2:
Action 3:

 

 

 

Edited September 13, 2023 by ccanary (see edit history)

[theredshirtwholive]

 Kyla

AC: 19 | Fort: +7 | Ref: +7 | Will: +8
HP: 28/28 | Rebel Points: 3/3 | Perception: +10 | Stealth +7
ConditionsNone

---

Kyla frowns. "I can...sorta swim. And by that, I mean not drown..."

OOC

 

 

[MicZeSeraphin]

Bequanite	HP: 30/30 Fort: +7 Ref: +6 Will: +7 AC: 18 Per: +5	Languages: Common, Gnomish, Sylvan
	Trained: Deception +8, Diplomacy +8, Intimidation +8, Lore: Hell +4, Nature +5, Performance +8, Religion +5 Class DC:18 Speed: 25ft Hero Points: 1	Spell Slots: Lvl1: 3/3 Focus: 3/3 Curse status: Minor

 

Bequanite looks at all of those who chose to go swim and quickly pnders wheter to join them. Their small stature would mean they would lose footing very quickly and Beq wasn't known for their feats of athleticism.

"I think it's better if I stay here for now somebody has to... er, guard Temperance, yes, for security purposes.", Beq mumbles, very clearly not fooling anyone nor trying to.

[ripleycat]

"I'm not much of a swimmer. I'm afraid I'd be more of a liability than an asset splashing around in the water." Rexus adds his own rationalization to the growing pile of feeble excuses stacked on the dock.

The Yolubilis meanders slowly as it reaches the harbor, and none of those who elect to take the plunge are troubled by the gentle currents. On the other hand, the waters here are heavily silted, dark and cloudy. Those searching underwater experience little more than vague, charred shapes in a brown miasma. The Thrashing Badger's collapse has broken the building in half, forming a rough "V" on the riverbed. Enough remains intact that there may be interior rooms and passages left to explore, but for the moment, the scene remains a muddy mystery.

[Mister Doctor]

Dead Guy - Character Sheet

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KAC: 18/17 Fort: +8 Ref: +4 Will: +5
HP: 23/23 THP: 0/4 Hero: 1/3 | Perception: +5

---

Somewhere between swimming and simply plodding along the silty bottom of the river, the corpse begins moving deeper into the ruined structure. Picking its way through the destroyed walls and waterlogged halls, it racks what little of its reanimated brains it can to try and figure out where someone might hide something important in such a place.

 

Athletics Check to Swim: 16

Perception: 16

 

[Toraka_Stormheart]

Title

Temperance - Character Sheet

---

AC: 19 Fort: +6 Ref: +10 Will: +4

HP: 24/24 Rebel Points: 2/3 | Perception: +6

Ammunition: 20/20 (40 Reserve) | Alchemy PreparedAlchemical Cartridges: 20 | ConditionsNone

---

Standing at the edge of the collapse, Temperance turned her gaze back towards Beq, a brow slightly arched with the faint hint of a smirk on her lips. "My hero."

Turning back towards the depths, the tiefling frowned, having a hard time discerning where the trio that descended ended up. Yellow eyes unblinking, she kept peering for a sign of movment.

Show Mechanics

Action 1:

Action 2:

Action 3:

 

[ccanary]

Maria Callus

Maria Callus — Human Monk (medic)

At the sunken remains of the Badger

Maria did her best to catch up to Kjersti then moved into the structure, swimming and searching as she went. There wasn't any way to communicate with words, so they just tried her best to stick close to Deadman and Kjersti, keeping mindful of her limited air supply.

 

 

Mechanics

And the reverse this time, she can barely swim with a 12 but can see stuff if she can get to it with a 21!

Action 1:
Action 2:
Action 3:

 

 

 

Edited September 18, 2023 by ccanary (see edit history)

[Fletcher]

Kjersti Volden

AC: 19 | Fort: +8 | Ref: +4 | Will: +7
HP: 24/24 | Focus: 0/1 | Hero: 0/3 | Perception: +5
ConditionsNone

---

Kjersti is the opposite of Maria, despite her humble comments about her ability. Maybe she had little grace or skill with swimming, but really she was just strong enough to force her way through the water, like Deadman was doing. She squints into the murky depths as the hammer assists her descent and lands in the corpse of the Thrashing Badger with a muffled 'boom'. She peers around for her companions, but decides her limited breath is more valuable if used while searching.

For what? She has no idea. Unopened chests, water-proofed bags or scroll case? A keepsake stein that the poor little dragon would appreciate? Whatever it was, she was prepared to use the hammer as leverage and break some stuff open before having to surface again.

[ripleycat]

 

It takes time for the swimmers to get their bearings in the soupy water, but eventually dark, foggy shapes become objects, recognizable in their form if not their location. An entrance into the Thrashing Badger, half crushed door, half hole torn in the wall, is large enough to let a human fit through.

Charred bits of furniture and barrels and all manner of wood float around in the water. The angles are all wrong in the broken building, but at least some of the familiarity remains. This is obviously the main room. The remains of tables and chairs are littered everywhere. There's the large fireplace where Vendalfek mentioned curling up with the owners' daughter. Thankfully, there are no bodies floating among the debris.

The bar itself is intact, up against the northern wall, the sturdy bolts that once resisted stumbling brawlers and drunks still stubbornly resisting the crashing timbers and flooding waters. A display of now-broken bottles and the knick-knacks of those who’d been working that night lie in small drifts behind the counter. If Kjersti wanted to fetch a stein or something for Vendalfek, this seems like a promising place to look.

Next to the bar, a dark passage, heavily canted to the side, tottering under broken beams, offers somewhat suspect access into the Badger's back rooms.

---

Those keeping watch on the docks see little of this exploring beyond a few bubbles rising out of cloudy brown water. It's hardly gripping, and attention begins to wander. To good fortune, as it turns out. It's Beq who notices the movement out in the shipping channel, something gliding through the small, choppy waves, heading for the submerged ruins.

It's... what is that, anyway? Oh, it's some sort of sea creature. It's a fin.

...It's a very large fin.

OOC

The fin is a considerable distance (~100 ft) out in the river. Range penalties apply, if anyone makes an attack.

 

[ccanary]

Maria Callus

Maria Callus — Human Monk (medic)

At the sunken remains of the Badger

Maria wasn't quite sure what to do next, and she wasn't quite sure even what they were looking for. Oblivious to the danger headed their way, she felt like she had the air to make it to the back room so swam that way. Along the way she tapped Kjersti on the shoulder, and then pointed to the bar.

 

 

Mechanics

 

Action 1:
Action 2:
Action 3:

 

 

 

[Toraka_Stormheart]

Temperance - Character Sheet

---

AC: 19 Fort: +6 Ref: +10 Will: +4

HP: 24/24 Rebel Points: 2/3 | Perception: +6

Ammunition: 20/20 (40 Reserve) | Alchemy PreparedAlchemical Cartridges: 20 | ConditionsNone

---

Standing by the edge of the wreckage, Temperance's attention was still directed. The seconds seemed to drag on as she watched the intermittent bubbles coming to the surface in the murky water. So much was her focus that she didnt initially feel the small finger poking at her waist. Looking down, the tiefling saw it was Beq poking, and she immediately went from their concerned expression out to where the fin was surfaced. It was a split moment more for her to gauge the threat.

"Not good."

Her next movements seemed reflexive. Unslinging her rifle, she brought it up to her shoulder in one fluid motion. Adjusting her iron sight for range, the tiefling let out her breath and let out a shot, electricity sparking down the barrel as the bullet pierced the exposed fin with expert aim. Immediately she started reloading, glancing to the others on the surface. "Any magical messaging here? Our people need out. Now."

Show Mechanics

Free: Energy shot. This also allows an Interact to draw

Action 1: Steike, hits for 4 damage (1 electricity)

Action 2: Reload

Action 3:

 

[Mister Doctor]

Dead Guy - Character Sheet

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KAC: 18/17 Fort: +8 Ref: +4 Will: +5
HP: 23/23 THP: 0/4 Hero: 1/3 | Perception: +5

---

Hearing the report of Temperance's musket, even distorted and warped by the water around it, was enough to have the corpse hauling around and swimming into the front of the group. The dead thing had always had something of a perternatural talent for violence to match its supernatural vitality.

Unflinching, steadfast, the corpse threw its arms wide, making itself the largest target of the three and snarled into the unknown. Kill the enemy, protect the living. Far simpler directives than searching for clues, far easier for the necrotic brain to grasp.

Athletics Check to Swim: 21

Readying a grapple... why grapple? Reasons: 25

Edited September 24, 2023 by Mister Doctor (see edit history)

[Fletcher]

Kjersti Volden

AC: 19 | Fort: +8 | Ref: +4 | Will: +7
HP: 24/24 | Focus: 0/1 | Hero: 0/3 | Perception: +5
ConditionsNone

---

Following Maria's pointing finger, Kjersti gives a nod to her friend and begins to kick her legs towards the darkness below them. Of course, what they will find in there with such limited visibility is hard to say. She is just grasping the crooked doorframe to thrust herself into the space when the dull sound echoes down to them. Temperance's firearm, she bets. Her brow furrows. She points up with a questioning arch to one of them.

Then with simple gestures, she indicates a very small amount (presumably time) to look inside the wrecked backroom. Maria can choose whether she wants to push onward or see what's going on up top. It would feel a bit useless to have made such an effort and come up empty-handed. At least a cask should have survived, right? Watching their dead companion turn and take up a position of defense gives her a little more confidence that they have a moment.

She plunges herself into the dark space for a quick look-and-feel.