A day passes. The maid brings in two more meals for you, and you eat. Warriors come and go.
No one pays much attention to you.
"This is really strange," says Robert, as he eats lunch, consisting of some sort of spiced meat wrapped in a flatbread.
"You're right," Orlon agrees. "It seems like we've been taken prisoner and they're deciding upon our fate. Or it might just be my paranoia talking."
Emm tries to pick the lock in the door in the east wall.
Before he has a chance to get too involved with it, though, Gonzo produces a key - evidently borrowed from a sleeping guard - and inserts it into the lock.
The door unlocks with a click.
Occa seems to wake up.
"Let's go exploring of this place!"
Opening the door, you see a 10' square room (doors in each wall). This small, plain room is unfurnished but for a stool in the centre. A warrior stands here, one of the guards whom you have spent many hours watching sleep over the course of the past day.
"Hey! They're trying to escape!" he cries. Then, he draws his longsword and rushes at Gonzo, who happens to be first in line.
The monk arms himself with his dagger and prepares for combat.
Jesse keeps watch, her magic wand drawn in one hand, her short sword in the other. If someone comes behind the group, she will blast them with the wand, and be ready with sword as necessary.
Gonzo mutters, "'Fade Away Jose'."
He begins to fade out.
Gilstrock draws Thawbreaker and steps forward to stand next to Gonzo.
"Hey! Watch it! We're not escaping from anywhere, 'cause nobody was holding us anywhere who ought to have been. We're just wandering a bit!"
He will, of course, defend himself and return the attack if he is attacked.
Darian moves to the back of the party and covers the sleeping warrior. If the sleeping warrior goes for any weapon, Darian will suggest he behave. If that doesn't work, he'll skewer him.
Gonzo does not fade out instantly, and the guard lands two quick hits on him with his glowing longsword for 19 hit points in all.
He then turns on Gilstrock when the dwarf is no longer to be seen.
The sleeping guard's eyes open, to be greeted with the sight of Darian's blade hovering over his jugular. He freezes.
Occa magic missiles the guard 3 times in order to aid Gilstrock.
The monk tries to hide in shadows waiting for one of the guards to come near And if one is in range, he will strike out with his enchanted dagger.
Emm moves into the shadows and awaits a good target.
Gilstrock and the warrior who just creamed Gonzo square off as Occa pumps a magic missile spell into him. Gilstrock connects as a second spell blasts into the enemy. The fighter connects easily with Gilstrock, though, for 10 hit points. Gilstrock swings again and cleaves an arm off as Occa's third spell finishes him off.
Gonzo starts to fade back into existence as the north door in the 10' square room opens, and a third warrior rushes in!
"Thanks for giving me a hand," Gilstrock says politely to the one-armed dead fighter, with a very slight Austrian accent.
Occa says to the latest arrival, "Surrender and we won't kill you too."
"PPPPPTH!" replies the fighter, and quite articulately at that.
Gilstrock turns, holds Thawbreaker before him, and quotes from Julius Caesar: "Yield or thou diest!"
"PPPPPPTH to you too!" the enemy replies.
He attacks Gilstrock.
Gonzo takes a look and gives a shout, "KARUMBA!" and will attack forgoing any fading this time.
"Uh huh," Lo says as he drinks the reddish liquid from a vial.
However, he does not have a clear shot at the newcomer.
Occa goes ahead and unleashes up to 2 magic missiles on this guy.
The melee starts up again as Occa's first magic missile spell burns into the warrior. Gilstrock chops into him easily as the enemy fans. Gonzo stabs him next with his flame tongue and the warrior is looking ill indeed. One more swipe from Gilstrock and he topples.
Orlon casts a couple of cure light wounds onto Gilstrock. Gilstrock is healed for 8 hit points.
Ruth, meanwhile, opens of the windows a crack, turns into a sparrow, and flies out.
As Orlon finishes his second spell the north door in the barracks room opens, and there stands the half-orc, Sammy Davis Jr.
"Hey!" he says, "Not nice!"
He rushes in to attack, aiming at Darian.
"Told ya thou diest," Gilstrock says in mixed dialect to the toppling body.
"Emm, watch the man I've been guarding!"
Potion in mouth, Lo steps up towards the half orc and breathes the fiery liquid on the creature.
Flames engulf Sammy but he suffers surprisingly little damage. Perhaps it is the nearby presence of Darian and his frost brand.
"Sleep!" commands Sammy at Lo. The monk obligingly drops. Sammy lashes out with his scimitar as he goes down, beheading him.
"You're next, asshole!" says Sammy to Darian.
Darian meets the half-orc with his shield and frost brand.
Emm moves to take Darian's place guarding the guard, but the warrior, seeing an opening, moves quicker, rolling off of his pallet and coming up with his broadsword.
Meanwhile, Darian opens a small wound in the half orc.
Jesse casts magic missiles at the singer. Two spells worth, followed by one from her wand.
All of her missiles blast into Sammy. By the time she is done, he is looking hurt.
"Hey, aren't you blind?" Gilstrock says, as he moves to assist Darian.
"Not yet, you stupid elf!"
Occa tries to polymorph him into a toy poodle...and succeeds.
"BarkBarkBarkBarkBarkBarkBark!!" says the poodle, sounding rather annoyed at this turn of events.
You have an angry poodle to deal with, as well as a naked warrior who is facing off with Emm.
"Think we can train him?" the bard asks, "And then show him? He looks so cute in that lovely haircut."
Occa magic missiles the naked guy right where it hurts the most!
"Let's see if you ever pleasure those sheep again!" he says.
"Baaaaaaa!!" the warrior bleats as the missiles burn into him! Suddenly his cry rises to a falsetto as his manly member is crisped to an ember.
Nevertheless, he perseveres, fanning at Emm, who reciprocates. The man's second swing connects for 9 hit points of damage, and Emm beats a hasty retreat.
"Damn," Darian turns and swings at the naked warrior. "Stupid, stupid, stupid. We wouldn't have killed you if you'd just behave."
The elf easily connects, amputating an ear.
"BarkBarkBarkBarkBarkBarkBark!!" says the poodle, running at Darian and cocking his leg against his shin.
"Gil, can you see if you can silence the poodle?"
An evil grin spreads across Gilstrock's face. "I've always wanted to do this," he says.
The tall blond warrior steps forward and delivers a very solid kick at the poodle. However, he misses, the dog bites his foot for 7 hit points of damage, and hangs on.
He then tries to carve it up with Thawbreaker, slicing into the poodle.
The battle continues.
Darian has another go at the naked man while Jesse watches. Another ear goes flying. The man swings at the elf but misses. Darian connects again, removing his nose, then takes a hit for 9 hit points.
Robert steps up and slices off an arm.
Gilstrock is still trying to deal with the poodle which has attached itself to his foot. Gilstrock is chewed for 9 more hit points as he lands two more hits on the resilient canine.
Darian sidesteps the naked warrior's broad sword and amputates a foot. The man hops after him, and cleaves into the elf for 10 hit points. Darian makes one more mighty swing, cuts him in two at the waist, and the warrior falls to pieces.
Gilstrock is gnawed for 7 more hit points by the growling former Sammy Davis Jr, before he too manages to kill his foe.
Peace and tranquility reign.
Darian heals himself. "Line up for healing! Oh, and what do we do about Lo? He's pretty much just someone for our foes to kill.""Aren't we all?" asks Robert philosophically.
Orlon steps beside Darian, ready to heal people. "We should treat him as if he were one of us."
"Oh, I know. But, he's like easy pickings. Can't we encourage him to stay back and live a little longer. Oh, and you're going to have to ressurect him, I'm afraid. Headless corpse and all, don't you know."
Orlon nods. "I agree about the resurrect, but do we want to do it, or just leave his corpse behind? What do the rest of you think?"
"Can you resurrect him just from his head? I'd rather not get all that blood on me if it's not necessary."
Occa looks at Lo and says, "What a pity. I guess I could wish him back, but that will have to be a day from now. Let's carry him out. Who has a portable hole?"
"You do, Occa," reminds Robert.
The remains - or some of them - of Lo are wrapped up and put in Occa's portable hole.
Occa cancels the polymorph on the dog. Sammy the half orc returns.
"Hey Bubba, any treasure around here?" Emm asks his wonderful sword.
"Naw," says the sword.
Searching the corpses, you find the following: on Sammy, 23 light bolts, a potion and a suit of full plate armour (human-sized). On the guard who came down the stairs, a suit of splint mail, 24 light bolts and a potion. On the guard in the foyer: a suit of full plate armour, a longsword and a morning star. Fiunally, the naked man had a suit of full plate armour and a shield.
"Get their gear." Occa says about the warriors. He casts wizard eye and sends it outside the room to watch. Once everyone is ready, he says, "Let's head out."
The group will head out the door.
Orlon holds up his charcoal and parchment, "Just getting the last details drawn."
Before the party heads out the east door, Orlon looks through the open door to the north that the guard rushed through.
He sees a 10' square landing. A flight of stairs heads up to the east.
You open the east door in the foyer. Before you is a cloak room (10' square). Only a few cloaks and robes are in here at this time. None look to be of any interest.
You open the south door, and find yourselves looking out into a sunlit street. A small crowd of people have gathered, evidently drawn by the noise of the battle in the townhouse.
You go back into your former prison and open the north door. This reveals a 10' wide passage running north. It ends at a door after 30'. There are two more doors in the last 10' sections, to the left and right.
Before leaving, Occa closes the door to the outside and casts wizard lock on it.
"Gonzo, you want to check these for traps?"
Occa casts invisibility and unseen servant.
Gonzo moves to check for traps. "Step back folks, lets da expert in."
Gonzo checks thoroughly.
"Hey deez doors be un-trapped. Doez we wants ta open any o' dem?" reports Gonzo.
"Let's check the nearest one," Occa says. He has the unseen servant open the door at the north end, east wall.
This reveals a laundry room, by all appearances (10' X 30': 10' east, 20' south). In this long room are a number of washtubs, barrels and scrubbing boards. You see a bucket of laundry soap, a second bucket of what appear to be ashes and a sack of clothes pegs. There is a drain hole in the floor.
When you have perused it to your satisfaction Occa has the servant open the door on the west side.
This reveals an odd-shaped store room (left wall runs south for 20', west for 20', north for 10', east for 10', north for 20' (opening in northern half) then east for 10' to close up). You have passed through here already: the opening leads to a flight of stairs going down to the dungeon level below. Sammy brought you up here on your way to the "guest" room. The room itself, though, is a store room, filled with boxes and barrels. Opening a few reveal that some contain foodstuffs and cooking utensils, others clothing, and others what appear to be personal articles. In all, nothing of interest or value.
Gilstrock investigates the foodstuffs.
He finds crackers, bottles of preserves (pickles, jams and pork hocks), cheeses, spicy sauces and bottles of thick creams.
"My vote is for the north door. What do you guys think?"
"Probably doesn't matter much," Emm responds. "By the way, now that we are out of hell, I prefer to use Bubba. Thanks for the loaner Gil."
He hands Hangnail back to Gilstrock.
"No prob!" Gilstrock says. He sheathes Hangnail in the scabbard he keeps across his back. (Thawbreaker, of course, being at his side.)
"Go ahead, open it."
Gilstrock tries to follow the song "Gaston" from Beauty and the Beast and avoid that pastime, but if forced to make a decision he would agree that it sounds as reasonable an idea as any.
Occa says, "That is a good one, but I prefer 'The Point Of No Return'," Occa says as he sends the unseen servant forward to open the North door.
"Like they used to say back in the fraternities, fools tread in where angels fear to rush!"
Gilstrock opens the door before the servant can do it.
The north door opens to reveal a good sized kitchen (20' X 30" 20' west, 20' north; door in north wall west end; door in east wall north corner). This is your standard kitchen: there are counters and benches along three of the walls and a large fireplace with brick ovens along the outer one. A large bench and a table take up the centre part of the room. Also in here are the usual assortment of barrels, and on shelves and in cupboards you see various packages of foodstuffs, utensils, pots, pans, plates and the like. A fire burns low in the fireplace. The north door is ajar, and leads into a small garden area outside.
In here are a cook and her assistant, kneading bread dough at the centre counter. They look up as you open the door.
Gonzo saunters in and says, "Hey mom, what's fer dinner?" grinning from ear to ear and trying to look as cute and hungry as possible for an ugly dwarf.
"Yeah!" Gilstrock says, walking up behind Gonzo and looking hopeful.
"AAAA!" says the cook, "The guests have escaped!"
They bolt for the north door. Orlon starts casting a spell.
"Don't go!" Gilstrock calls. "We'll eat here!"
"DA GUESTS? Escaped? Dats one oxymoroneeze iffin me eva heard one!" says Gonzo, giving chase.
Occa walks in and starts to fix a sandwich.
They keep bolting, with Gonzo in pursuit. Orlon realises that they will be long gone by the time he finishes his spell.
Out the door they go, with Gonzo right behind them. They make for the gate at the bottom of the garden, but Gonzo, with his booties, is able to get there first, heading them off at the pass.
They skid to a stop in front of him, not sure what to do next.
Meanwhile, back in the kitchen, Occa finds the fixings for a balogna sandwich.
Gilstrock says, "Occa, I like the staff of your house better."
"Mom! Youse should come back an fixes us some lunch an wez kin talk of ol' times..." says Gonzo, pointing at the open door.
"Don't hurt us!" wails the kitchen wench.
"No no no... we won't hurt you... we just wants ta talk about ol' times wid yas... comeon now lets go back in da kitchen and we'll soon be on our ways while youse can go back ta cooking food," Gonzo gives a cheery smile, trying to look as innocent and trustworthy as possible.
"AAAAAA! He's going to kill us and eat us! I've heard stories about dwarves!"
The women start crying and screaming.
Emm ambles out into the courtyard.
"Are you trying to scare these poor folks Gonzo? Hmmm," he smiles at the kitchen staff. "Come on, back into the kitchen folks. Raz told me to tell you not to worry. We were hired to test his security system. Apparently it's not very good."
The women do not seem any more trusting of Emm than they were of Gonzo.
"That's not what Sammy said!" the cook replies, starting to sound defiant.
Orlon asks, "Who owns this place, Raz or Sammy?"
"Raz!"
"That's right," says Emm. "So do you think Raz would have let Sammy know that he was hiring us to test Sammy and the rest of the security system? Of course not."
He stares at the help. "Please come in and fix us lunch. Security testing is hungry work."
"I am sorry you got scared by the test. Here's a gold piece for your trouble. I'll put it on Raz's bill."
Emm flips a gold piece towards the group.
"Good point," says the cook, the gold piece apparently mitigating her initial opinion of Emm.
She goes back in, the wench following, and they fix you lunch.
After a hearty meal of spicy cooked chicken slices with vegetables wrapped in tortillas and topped with salsa and sour cream, accompanied by refried beans whose aftereffects will be following you around for the rest of the afternoon, and washed down by copious amounts of cool, potent beer, you feel refreshed and ready to continue your exploration.
"My compliments to the chef!" Gilstrock calls. "This was new to me, but very and truly delicious."
He punctuates the sentiment with a burp, followed by a bean induced sound of similar quality whose origin will not be discussed further.
Occa says, "Ok. Good meal."
He looks over at the cook and says, "Can you give us directions around this place? We are looking for Raz's chambers next as he wants us to test the security."
"Upstairs on the top floor, sweetie," she answers with an attempt at an alluring smile, having had a beer or two herself.
"Hmm, maybe you and I could go up there and inspect it...interested?" he says with a leer.
She blushes and bats her eyes.
"He has a big bed..."
"All the better." He gets up and extends his arm. "Shall we?"
She takes his arm with a girlish giggle (quite incongruous coming from a middle aged woman), and they head out.
The rest of you follow, indulging either your quest to explore or your voyeuristic instincts.
She leads Occa out through the south door, down the passage, and back into your erstwhile guest/prison room.
"AAAAAAA!" she says, seeing the blood splattered room and the hewn corpses which you seem to have left there from your earlier visit, "Some security test! You killed them!"
The kitchen wench, who had been following quietly behind the rest of you, turns and runs back into the kitchen, slamming the door behind her.
Orlon tries to open the door, hoping that it has not been locked.
The door opens. The cleric sees the wench just running out through the door to the north, and outside.
"You beast!" says the cook to Occa, kicking him in the nuts for added effect. Occa drops to the floor, writhing in pain.
The cook rushes after the wench, exiting stage north.
"I think you'll be sleeping alone again tonight, Occa," comments Robert as he steps over the mighty arch mage. "Let's do some exploring."
He heads out through the east door and then heads upstairs.
Occa says, "Not good."
He gets up and says, "At least I didn't have to go through with it."
He looks around. "Did we check this room for secret doors or passages?"
Searching, you find no secret doors.
Occa sends his wizard eye up the stairs after Robert. The rest of you follow.
The stairs curve up and to the left. By the time you reach the top they are facing west, and are ten horizontal feet north of their beginning on the floor below.
At the top of the stairs is another 10' square landing, with doors to the north, west and south. There is a stool in the middle of the floor, apparently where one of the deceased guards sat.
You open the north door.
Through it you see an office (odd shaped: right wall runs east for 10', north for 10', west for 10', north for 10', west for 10' and south for 20' to hopefully close things up; door in west wall north section). In here is a large chest of dark hardwood, polished to a high sheen. A pen and an inkwell rest atop its otherwise bare surface. Searching, you find that its drawers are likewise empty, except for a key ring upon which hangs three keys. Behind the desk is a sumptuous padded leather chair. Hanging on the wall behind the chest are two framed portraits: one is of Razamataz, while the other is of a severe looking red-haired man in clerical robes. Also in this room are several overstuffed armchairs and a couch.
Robert points to the portrait of the red-haired man.
"I think that's Rockchin," he says.
Further searches of the room reveal nothing.
You open the west door which leads out of this room, and find yourselves looking into a passage running south for 20'. There is a door across from you in the west wall, a second door right beside you in the north wall, a third door in the south wall at the far end, and a fourth door in the last 10' section of this side. This last door obviously leads back to the landing at the top of the stairs.
You open the north door.
You see another odd-shaped room (right wall runs east for 10', north for 20', west for 40', south for 10', east for 20' and south for 10' to allegedly close up). A library, there are no other obvious exits out of this place. This room is filled with shelves containing hundreds, if not thousands, of old books. They do not like they have been disturbed in a long time.
Searching, you count 1571 books. Subjects range from fiction to cats to history to flowers and gardening. Occa estimates that they are worth an average of 1gp each.
You return to the passage and open the west door.
This reveals a dining room (20' X 30': 10' north, 10' south, 20' west; door in south wall east side). A sumptuously furnished room, dominated by a large table which runs down the centre of the place. Fourteen chairs encircle it. The table is bare at this time. Its polished oak surface gleams in the light. Against the west wall is a matching side board filled with bone china (7200gp) and silver cutlery (700gp). A dumb waiter stands beside the south door.
You open the south door, and see a passage running south for 20'. After 10' it turns west.
You go south and look west, to see that the passage ends after 10'. In the north wall is a flight of stairs going up. In the south wall is a door.
You open the door, and look into a small (10' square) room. It is filled with shelves. On them are folded table cloths, mats and cleaning rags. Several wooden buckets are on the floor.
You opt to complete exploring this level before going upstairs, and return to the original north-south passage. There, you go to the south door and open it.
This reveals another odd shaped room (right wall runs south for 10', west for 10', south for 10', east for 40', north for 20', then west for 20' to close up; door in north wall immediately to your left which obviously leads back to the landing). This pleasant room is tastefully furnished with armchairs, couches and tables. Three large windows overlook the street below. Rich carpets are on the floor. Otherwise, the place is uninteresting.
Looking out of the windows through the sheer draperies, you note that the street is now deserted. At this time of day in Casablanca that seems to be normal.
It looks like you have finished this level, so you head upstairs, Occa's wizard eye leading.
At the top is another 10' square landing with a door to the east. This opens into a passage running south for 30', ending at a door. There is also a door beside you at the north end, and more in the west wall, 10' - 20' section, in the east wall 10' - 20' section and 20' - 30' section.
You head down the passage and open the northernmost door in the east wall.
In here is a large bedroom (odd shaped: right wall runs east for 30' (door in centre), north for 20' (fireplace in south end), west for 10', north for 10', west for 20' and south for 20' to close up (door at north end)). This place is luxuriously furnished with a four poster bed, many chairs and tables, several chests of drawers and a dresser. There is a closet in the northwest corner near the door.
Searching reveals nothing.
You open the south door.
You enter a large laboratory (30' square: 10' east, 10' west, 30' south; door at either end of the west wall). In here is a large workbench and a number of counters. Cupboards line the walls. In the centre of the room is a large vat made of glass, about the size of a bath tub. It is filled with a slimy, yellowy liquid. At the bottom of the vat, totally immersed in the liquid is a form which vaguely resembles a human.
Occa examines the vat and its contents with interest, for he has a similar set up in the cellar of his own home. However, he concludes that this clone is already dead.
The cupboards contain many bottles of chemicals (4100gp).
You open the west door in the south wall, and look into a bathroom (10' X 20': 20' west, door in north wall east corner which leads back to the passage). There is nothing of interest here.
You open the door in the west wall, north end, and return to the passage.
Crossing the hall, you next open the door in the west. This is a linen closet (10' X 20': 10' west, 10' south). In here are towels and bedding.
You head north and open the door at the very end.
This is a balcony, which takes up the northwest corner of the townhouse (20' square: 10' west, 20' north, door right beside you in east wall which leads back into the bedroom). This sunny place faces north, and enjoys a commanding view of the neighbourhood and city. Planters of flowers and small shrubs line the perimeter. Furniture of white enameled cast iron are here and there. The southern portion of the balcony is shaded by a canvas awning overhead. A brass telescope sits over near the north edge of the balcony.
Looking down off of the balcony you see a warren of back alleys and lanes...all deserted. It seems to be very quiet.
Suddenly a sparrow swoops down from above, flies through the open doorway and into the passage, chirping urgently.
Occa says, "I believe that is our warning signal. They are coming I would guess."
Occa follows the sparrow.
The rest of you follow Occa.
Once you are all back in the passage, the sparrow transforms into Ruth.
She looks you over and shakes her head.
"You do like to cut it close, don't you? Our spies at BOPS have told us that they have decided to move against you, even though you are in Razamataz's house. You must flee Casablanca now! There is no haven for you here. Go back through his portal to Hell. From there you can teleport anywhere."
"Who is they?" Jesse asks.
"BOPS!" Ruth replies impatiently. "The secret police."
"Why does this smell of a setup?" the bard says to no one in particular. "Raz has something and someone we want, and I thought we were here to get it. Where is he?"
"We have not seen him for months," the druid replies. "You never said why you wanted to see him, just that you needed to get to his house. I brought you here."
She closes her eyes, then opens them again.
Turning to Occa, she says, "Billian told me to tell you that the time is almost here for him to make his move. He requests your aid, as Razamataz seems to have deserted him. When the heat dies down he would like to see you. But now you must leave."
With that she closes her eyes, turns back into a sparrow, and flies out through the balcony door.
While you stand in the passage pondering the mysteries and complexities of life, you suddenly hear a dull roar issuing from Razamataz's laboratory...sounding somewhat reminiscent of a fireball detonating.
The paint on the door leading into that room starts to discolour, blister and smoulder.
For what it's worth, Orlon quickly casts Resist Fire, hoping he can
complete the spell in time.
"Duh... looks like it's offta Hell again," says Gonzo.
Off you go, racing for the stairs as the door collapses in flames. You glimpse a room afire through it.
Reaching the second floor you hear a second explosion from the front of the house. Passing through the dining room and into the central hall you see that the living room is ablaze. You reach the landing at the top of the next flight of stairs to find the flames already licking the walls there. Orlon with his resist fire and the NPC-zombie elf Darian with his psionics protect you as you head down to the ground floor.
At the bottom of the stairs you enter the entrance foyer and head into your 'guest' room. Through the open windows you glimpse a mage with a wand outside. He spots you and takes aim, as you flee north up the hallway. A fireball explodes in your midst, but once again you are protected.
You hurry down to the dungeon level, through the secret doors and finally enter the room with the portal.
This time there is no LeBaron; nor is there a Volvo. Instead you see an enormous...hand basket.
Suddenly you are all sitting inside of it. It is about 8' in diameter.
You are getting to know the routine by now, as the north wall slides open, revealing stars beyond, and the basket launches itself out into the void...