If Callie was engaged with Baldrago, she sidesteps to engage Malder. If she is already engaged with Malder, she stays there, further stepping over as needed to assist the warriors in flanking.
As she maneuvers through the fray, she speaks low but confidently to her comrades. "Remember ladies and gents, just a few days ago, the scoundrel Gaedren Lamm was out and about, terrorizing the young and innocent. It was your bravery that brought him down, along with your great skill. With these misguided fools, we may be more merciful, but just as steadfast! Swift victory to us!"
Roran feels the power and the chanting of his allies fill him with strength. He takes advantage of Callie's positioning, bludgeoning Malder into submission.
Ellie figures the two in the room are fairly well covered; at the last second, she yanks one of her daggers, sheath and all, off her bandolier. There! Now something non-lethal to throw at whoever opens that door! Eltanin is standing behind Valeria, readying her limited artillery.
Callie acts by inspiring you all. Eltanin uses her dagger sheathed by way of an improvised blunt instrument. Blunt or otherwise, it misses!
Roran manages to hit the second man - once more knocking him unconscious, before the door opens and two more men appear.
As the door opens, Valeria plants her shield in the closest man's chest and shoves with all her might.
One of the men manages a swing at Valeria as she attempts to knock him back. She does so and he literally bounces back through the door he's just come through.
The othe man swings what looks like a warhammer at Valeria and manages to hit her with a glancing blow.
Despite the noise down here, you hear the sound of footsteps on the floor above
[dice=Perception]1d20+2
Valeria grunts as the warhammer glances off her axe-bearing arm, delivering a blow that will be sure to bruise. The arm feels fine, though, and she decides to give as good as she got - flipping her axe hand to strike with the haft of the weapon, attempting to deliver a strong strike to the man's head.
As the two men make their attempt to break through the door, the old man raises the bag of goo he'd retrieved. After Valeria knocks the first man back, Gwernach stays his hand. Can'not risk hitt'n Valeria too...
My other option, would be to just aim for one of the occupied squares, but I'm not sure how splash would work with a tanglefoot bag...I'm thinking it would just make that square difficult terrain and not really worth the effort. What is your opinion on this second option?
Seeing the other man in front of him being dropped by Roran, Wilthorn dashes up to the side of Valeria, making a swing.
Roran continues his rampage, swinging at the closest foe.
Can'not risk hitt'n Valeria too... Just then Wilthorn raises his sword menacingly and rushes by the old man, Whoa! - an instant later the ranger's blade hits home. In the confusion of the unfolding melee, the old man's mind seems to freeze. Unsure of what to do next, his bright eyes watch on mesmerized by the display. But the sound of footsteps from overhead snaps him back to reality. Sounds like more com'n from upstairs! Spurred into action, Gwernach springs past the open doors and the remaining foe . Making for the stairs, the old man looks to see if anyone is coming down.
Anyway - in future, give me a rationale for why you're going for a specific action and I can always jump in if you're going to break the mechanics.
In a blur of action and started but paused action, Wilthorn manages to deal a particularly savage blow with his sap on the man that has just burst through the door. If it wasn't a sap, it would no doubt have taken his head off.
And to repeat what I said to Gwernach, it's best to go for what you want to do with a clear explanation rather than worry too much about my interpretation of the mechanics. Story always trumps over rules unless we're in danger of breaking the game. If you can explain it, the chances are you can do it.
Callie nods in approval as the last man is dropped unconscious, but she then hears Gwernach's warning about more coming down the stairs.
"Let's see about that." She moves into the hall while tucking her sap in her belt. With her now free hand, she gestures and incants a spell... and the middle of the staircase becomes covered in magical grease.
With a collection of unconscious bodies around you, you approach the stairs just as the sound of someone coming down them is apparent. The newcomer hits a stair about half way down and slides down the remaining steps.
The fall is heavy enough to knock the man unconscious. From the description you've been given, the man is Vancaskerkin.
Not wasting any time, Gwernach stows the Tanglefoot bag and takes out a pair of manacles. Turning to the bard, he solicits her assistance, Help me flip'm over Callie. As the old man carefully attaches the manacles to Vancaskerkin's wrists, he looks up to the others, We should 'urry ta tie up tha others.
Standing up, Gwernach stretches and rubs his face, dispelling the old man's veneer and returning the dwarf to his normal appearance.
Callie nods, making a quick gesture to make the grease on the stairs go away. She helps the dwarf turn Vancaskerkin over and get the manacles on him. While there, she rifles through his pockets with less hesitation and more skill than an honest bard ought to have.
"We should also probably give this place a once over and see if there's any records of what they've been up to."
Roran walks over to Vancaskerin, smiling in amusement at the man's clumsiness. Once manacled he picks up the man with a hand and throws him over his shoulder.
You scan the man for anything of interest. Other than carrying what appears to be a masterwork spear, he has nothing of note on him. It looks as though he was napping and rushed down the stairs when he was woken.
The other men are still unconscious but you haven't restrained them as yet. You manage a swift review of the building and men and find a selection of loot and information.
The meat locker air is stale, stinking of day-old meat and blood. Straw litters the floor, scattered to catch what drips from the meat hooks affixed to the walls and ceiling on metal rods. There are two barrels of salt for preserving.
The room that is clearly a killing floor is strewn with blood-stained straw, and the reek of slaughter is almost overpowering. A large hammer sits on the floor amid a permanent bloodstain. In the southeast corner sits a reeking vat of cast-off meat and bones (a cursory glance confirms your suspicions as a good number are human remains).
The cattle pen is open to the air, and the stink of manure, mud, and animal is strong, despite the breeze that wafts through the stockade’s wooden fence.
You also find a sleeping room for the four men (with bedrolls on the floor) and what must be an office where Verik must have slept. A single large desk stands in the corner of the room, transformed into a makeshift bed by a bedroll and several blankets and pillows. Unremarkable papers lie strewn over the table’s surface and a chamberpot sits under it. One of the papers is pinned to the tabletop by an exquisite silver dagger (25gp).
Once the other men have been secured and while the others search the building, Gwernach takes up some of the weapon items and examines them. He finds nothing of particular interest for most of the items, but starts nodding his approval with the master work items. Finally, the dwarf shows Callie the silver dagger, Wha'do-ya make o'this?
As the group searches the building, when the find the room with human remains, Wilthorn's face visibly darkens, and mutters under his breath "Animals...", then shakes his head and walks out of the room.
Once the other men have been secured and while the others search the building, Gwernach takes up some of the weapon items and examines them. He finds nothing of particular interest for most of the items, but starts nodding his approval with the master work items. Finally, the dwarf shows Callie the silver dagger, Wha'do-ya make o'this?
[dice=Heal Check to confirm the grizzly find of human remains...]1d20+7
The weapons show no obvious markings and can be used or sold without fear of being identified.
The silver dagger radiates magic, although it is unclear what its properties or powers are.
Finally, Gwernach is able to confirm a femur and ulna very quickly that show human meat was part of the daily supplies handed out by the Cow Hammer boys.
As no one else actually makes a move to tie up the other four men, once Callie comes from upstairs, she goes into the adjoining bedroom and tears up bedding to use to tie up the four men as best she can.
"Are we taking all of the men with us or just Vancaskerkin?"
As the others discuss their findings as they go through the area, Callie gags a bit when she hears the others have found human remains.
She will look over not only the dagger but also any of the masterwork gear to see if it is magic.
[dice="Spellcraft to ID the magic on the dagger"]1d20+6
It's magical for sure but you are unablee to tell what form the magic takes.
Sombered by the grim discovery, Gwernach looks to those present, Jus'ta be sure, don'na touch anything with'ya hands - disease and death of'ten run ta-geth'r. Use sticks ta poke around if ya must.
We should post a sign tell'n tha locals what's been found 'ere as well. Tha people aut'ta know.
Presumably they were tied up before Gwernach examined the weapons - he's not the type to leave them laying around...just don't think we RPed it past Gwernach's brief mention :)
The other men are still unconscious but you haven't restrained them as yet.
Eltanin walks onto the killing floor, sniffing as she goes; she doesn't seem to enjoy what she smells, but she doesn't seem too discomfited either. "Animal tissue in various stages of decay, badly cleaned, nothing exotic - I don't need any samples here." She raises her voice a bit- "If anyone finds anything magical, I have just the extract to nail down it's properties." Suddenly she coughs, holding her hand up to catch something that drifts out of her mouth and tuck it away surreptitiously - to be fair, if anyone is present they'd probably be more focused on how Eltanin was deflating as her mutagen wore off.
Just as she lowers her hand, she looks a little closer at what Gwernach is examining and takes in the nature of the remains. She looks as if the smell were finally getting to her. "Those are... people. There's people meat in the cow meat."
"Try your extract on this, then," Callie says, handing Eltanin the dagger. "It's got a magical aura, but I can't make heads or tails of what the colors present indicates."
As the others investigate, Valeria waits with the 'prisoners' - someone has to keep an eye on them, after all. She idly cleans blood and hair off of her axe-haft as she does so.
As Callie and Eltanin put their skills to work on the dagger, Gwernach moves to check on Valeria's arm, How's tha'arm of yours do'in?
The dwarf's expression is sympathetic as he carefully examining the bruised and battered arm, Aye, that'll leave a good sized welt, but no matt'r. Rummaging in his cloak, the dwarf pulls out a pale wand. Pointing the tip at the welt on Valeria's arm, Gwernach utters a few simple words in the divine tongue. The wand tip emits a brief burst of light covering the fighter's arm in a soothing glow.
Instantly the bruising and swelling around the fighter's arm fades then disappears, There now, that ought'ta help. Nodding the dwarf does a quick check on the rest of the party before returning to see what Callie and Eltanin have managed to learn about the dagger. As the alchemist holds the weapon up to the light, the dwarf has a sudden glimmer of insight and thinks he sees something.
You all thoroughly examine the dagger. It's silver. It's a dagger. It's magical in some way you can't tell. And that's it.
Scratching his head, the dwarf shrugs his shoulders, Nah, still got nothing. 'Old on ta tha Eltanin, am sure it'll come in useful. Still somewhat perplexed with the dagger, Gwernach heads up the stairs and looks around for some paper and ink. He glances at the piece of paper that had been pinned by the dagger.
Taking up a blank page the dwarf begins to write:
Pausing Gwernach takes the paper downstairs to confer with Callie and the others. Showing them the paper he's carrying he adds, Am mak'n a sign ta post out front. I want ta add, "Due ta tha discovery o'human remains in tha slaughter room" but thought I'd check with ya first as yar bett'r at this sort'o thing.
"Few of us have little connection to the law, I think, But... well, I think I'd just say something like 'closed until further notice' or 'due to lack of supplies.' Saying what we've found may incite panic... in a town recently prone to rioting, that may not be a good idea. And we don't want people storming this place in anger if the guard wants to investigate this place further. As it is, we'd best go back soon."
Ellie nods sagely as Callie speaks, despite the distracted look on her face and the dagger she still doesn't have a handle on, so to speak, in her hand. At last she says - "I'm sure you're right. Just something simple to keep people out of the building until it can be properly cleaned and the remains taken to a cemetery or temple or something. Umm... Callie, would you please hold these for a moment?"
With that she hands the bard the dagger and her satchel then suddenly dashes over to one of the battered men on the ground and begins kicking him in the slats. She is chattering and hissing, but fortunately the percussion of her kicks drowns out most of the pertinent details. "WHAT THE *boot* IS WRONG WITH YOU, YOU *boot*ING *boot* OF A *boot*!"
After a moment of this, she spies Roran with Vancaskerin over his shoulder and starts in his direction, clearly ready to have a go at another unarmed and restrained prisoner. "Just one, really, Master Roran, just one..."
Roran watches one boot kick, then yells "Oi!" He dumps Vancaskerin on Gwernach's arms, moving over to restrain the little alchemist. He wraps a thick arm around her chest, lifting her off the ground away from the prisoner. "What's wrong with you girlie??"
"Maybe something like 'Condemned: Keep out', so people don't go investigating? Whatever it is, we should put it up quick, oughta be out of here soon, while it's still dark. If the residents of the area see us hauling off the famous 'Cow Hammer Boys', their local heroes, we could start a riot ourselves. Korvosa's seen enough bloodshed for now. I-"
Interrupted, he looks on in shock as Ellie goes berserk on one of the prisoners. He begins moving towards the scuffle, but is blocked by Roran as he grabs her.
Right! Despite the impending commotion, the dwarf quickly scribbles the rest of the message on the paper.
Looking up, Gwernach sees Vancaskerin staggering towards him. Whoah! Barely managing to catch the bound man, Gwernach looks past Vancaskerin and sees Roran holding back Eltanin. Then he notices the bludgeoned men. Doing the math the dwarf chuckles, Hehe, Gav'em tha boot... Quickly composing himself the cleric chastises the girl, That's enough o'tha Ellie! Get ya-self tageth'r lass, it's time ta go!
Posting his sign in the window at the front, Gwernach looks back to the others expectantly, ready to leave.