Dakvor assumes a countenance a bit similar to Darius's "somber, almost scared expression" but more of a prisoner not really scared but just resigned to his fate.
Stumbling along after the huge beetle, Darius uses his sharp eyes to pick up anything he may have missed on his way across the valley first time.
Perception -
Vorik leads the group to the main gate, whereupon he produces the House Sivis papers to gain entrance. While those around him may be bored, or scared, the Paladin has a quite confidence about him, knowing that he has divine right to be here. All traces of the semi dark persona are gone, replaced by the typical Paladin aura and demeanor.
As Vorik produces the House Sivis paperwork for the four dwarven guards to look over, the rest of the group stands nervously, with the exception of Bones. The Kundarak guard that appears to have the most authority steps forward and eyes up the paper, the your group. His eyes visibly glitter with greed.
"Alondra d'Sivis, eh?" he mutters through his thick, braided beard. His dragon mark shines in the moonlight.
Turning to a guard who is presumably younger (as hinted at by the length of his beard), the older guard says something in dwarven, then turns to the group.
"Welcome to Dreadhold. I will assist you in escorting your prisoners to their cells."
With that, he gestures for you all to follow him into the dark opening of the iron gates, into the supposedly inescapable prison-fortress.
___
Darius, you make out the basic shape of the harbor in front of the prison, noticing several ships anchored some distance away from the fortress. Drawing your eyes upward you make out something you missed before, the large elemental ring of a House Lyrandar airship.
Catching sight of the Lyrander airship Darius begins laughing softly to himself, till it takes over completely and the laugh becomes high and almost manic.
Perception check to see if I would have caught what was being said by the older guard
edit:That should be a 22. I only have a +5 to perception, not a +6.
___
As the Dwarven guards listen to their superior, Bones picked up what the leader of the group mumbled to them in Dwarven, "You stay here, I don't need any help with this. I don't care what the code says, I will escort them myself. Stay at your posts."
___
The guards all turn and stare at the laughing elf. The older Dwarf turns, and clobbers the elf in the face with the haft of his axe.
Now bleeding from an apparently broken nose, the elf is momentarily silenced.
Groaning softly, Darius grins, exhaling sharply through his nose, spraying blood down onto the cobbles before his feet, his mood not dampened in the slightest.
Loche taps his companions shell with his Scythe twice to get it to amble forward again.
'Let's go you worthless dogs. The boss wants you in your cages so we can get drinking.
As you walk into the yawning entrance of the great fortress, you feel a strange sensation wash over you.
The old Dwarven guard doesn't seem to notice. As he notices each of you shudder, you smiles and says, "Invisibility purge, can't have anyone sneaking in can we?"
The tunnel you are entering has obviously been constructed by fine Dwarven craftsmanship, at is 10 feet wide, by ten feet tall. The hall itself is lit by small floating globes of yellow light, each placed 5 feet apart .
As you walk further and further into the prison, you notice that you know longer know which way was the way you came in. Your brain wrestles with the obvious fact that you have been walking in the same direction the entire time, but you feel as though you don't know.
Fear washes over you.
Will save for Disorientation
Will save for Fear
Desh's mind continues to wrestle with the fact that he was given an assignment with this crazy, eclectic crew, from its pragmatic druid to the surprisingly dark-seeming paladin to the mouthy-but-now-bleeding. And whoever heard of a skinny dwarf?! The thought is cut off as a wave of disorientation slams into his mind, giving him just enough time to fortify himself against the growing dread.
Mind back on the task, his eyes remain moving, seeking out any threats.
This whole place is a threat. he thinks as he's marched deeper into the prison-fortress.
As the group was led inside the huge prison, Dakvor stilled his resolve and made some mental exercises in preparation of whatever this mission will bring. He was vaguely aware of the elf suddenly laughing cut abruptly by a blow from a different dwarf this time. "I'm not joining that Cliffside fun, elf." Dakvor thought. "It's time to get sober. We've a different kind of fun coming up!" as Dakvor suddenly felt some kind of magic at work as they got deeper and deeper into Dreadhold's interior. He smiled as he remembers one of those magical mind assaults Aznak used to play on him as one of the numerous lessons for the young monk. Well, bring it on then!"
While lesser folk might succumb to the fear this prison exudes, Vorik is shielded from such an affliction due to the grace of his goddess. While fear fails to grip his heart, disorientation appears to cloud his mind, though the resolute champion of Dol Arrah refuses to let it truly bother him.
Will save for Disorientation
1d20+5
Will save for Fear
1d20+5
Now I should have an 8 and a 14(which becomes an 18 if I am close enough to the paladin)
---------------
Bones, Desh, Darius, Vorik, and Loche (and the beetle) all feel the overwhelming construction of the fortress make them lose their way. They are now disoriented, and fail to know which way is which.
All of you shake off the growing dread inside of you.
___
You continue to follow the dwarf further into the prison. Thus far you have only turned a couple times, and have yet to see any cells. This strikes you all as unusual. The farther you go into the prison, the damper and thicker the air grows.
You all notice that the gray stonework is slowly shifting to a greener stone as you continue further into the fortress.
"Stay close friends," says the Dwarven guard, "We're entering the Cyran cell blocks now."
Loche, 'Hmmph'
"I hope you(in reference to all friendlies) can remember the way out of here."
Darius, you do not catch anything that may be helpful on the way out.
____
The dwarf guard appears to be immune to the effects of the fortress.
After some more time walking down the corridor, and watching the walls slowly fade from gray to green stone, you approach a wall. Stepping forward and placing his arm on the moss-colored stonework the Dwarf guard mutters something, his dragonmark flashes for a brief second, and the wall fades from existence.
"Watch your step boys! The prisoners tend to get a bit roudy, and the Cyrans are some of the most dangerous, lot of 'em were sent here after the Mourning."
When you step into the hall, you don't see any cells, but you can hear the inmates. Screams, shouts, and other horrid sounds, are accompanied by the rattling of chains.
"In case this is your first time here, it's about 30 more minutes of walking to the Karrnathi Block, or the "Red" Block," the dwarf says, "What are these worms in for? War crimes? Murderous rampages? Magical experimentation on corpses?"
Dakvor welcomed the waves of overlapping magic that sought to confuse and scare him; it’s been so long since he pitted his mind to such assault and was glad that he still remembered well enough his stepfather’s lessons to overcome this one.
Realizing the magic’s purpose, the half-orc monk tries to remember everything that could help them find their way back and/or any other avenues of escape that could be promising as well as the changing “scenery” as it were.
[ooc]Sense Motive check: (+3 wis,+6 rank,+1 trait)
Dakvor looks around, noticing nothing until they enter the Cyran cell block, here, he notices that the cells are sealed with secret doors. The hall is a continuing line of cells, but the prisoners are kept behind hidden doors, unable to see or harm the guards in anyway. The guards likely have a way to view the prisoners behind the walls.
'Two of these are war crimes. Working for the wrong side. But the elf, he's special. He's going deep. To the Red Block and beyond. They want his walking corpse buried so deep that even the worms will forget his name.'
The Paladin continues the walk in silence, preferring to let Loche do the talking since he seems to be enjoying his role. Vorik isn't much for talking anyways and at the moment sees no point in opening his mouth. He does however keep an sharp eye out for any trouble.
"So Mr.Guard(talking to the dwarf that works for the prison) where did you get your training? Considering the reputation of this place I am assuming they only take the best."
The old Dwarf grumbles a reply.
"Name's Barik d' Kundarak. Guard Barik to you. And nah, no special trainin' here. Every House Kundarak dwarf has to do a 'tour' here. We consider it a punishment, but I suppose everyone has to do it. I happen to enjoy it, and have been here for 30 winters now. Not many know the prison better than me. Of course, I got a couple o' trinkets that make the job easier. We all do."
Desh keeps his mouth shut and eyes open, doing his best to keep his hand away from his holy symbol tucked in his shirt.
They won't believe I'm Karnathi if they see that…
"...couple o' trinkets that make the job easier. We all do." This strikes a chord with Darius and he grins softly, thinking with glee of the host of treasures and useful items within the walls of the Prison.
"Oi, short arse, when the hell are we getting there? I may be gifted with long life but I don't have all damn day!"
"...couple o' trinkets that make the job easier. We all do." This strikes a chord with Darius and he grins softly, thinking with glee of the host of treasures and useful items within the walls of the Prison.
"Oi, short arse, when the hell are we getting there? I may be gifted with long life but I don't have all damn day!"
Loche lays the edge of his scythe on Darius's neck, 'They said bury you. They didn't say what condition the body had to be in.'
"Stick me in a bloody hole already so you clowns can go get drunk!" Daris bared his teeth viciously at the Druid and grinned. "Sir!"
Barik continues to lead your group through the halls of the prison. The hike continues for what seems like an eternity, the walls shifting from the green-tinge to a deep gray, and eventually it fades into a deep, dried blood red-brown.
"Well, here we are, the Red Block, or more formally, the Karrnathi Block," says Barik, "What cell do you want them thrown in? Your employer never said."
Screams echo throughout the hall, but as with the Cyran block, no cells are actually visible.
Loche kicks the Elf missing the head and hitting his upper shoulder.
He doesn't even bother to look as he scratches his head and tries to remember where they were headed.
'C..M..X.. now what was it? C something... I was it?'
'That might be the right spot. Well when you get down to it one cell is going to be pretty much as good as another when a hundred years have gone by and this thing is more mildew then mortal.
"I wanna get settled in already", Dakvor muttered to Loche. "The shifter here had the right idea outside...I should've taken a piss, too. Well I gotta go now so if I heard you, Sarge correctly before, we're supposed to bunk at Red CMXCI at cell KR-III...and this place here seems red enough."
Then continuing the ruse of having to piss already, the half-orc said to Barik, "And 'Guard' Barik, sir. Is it ok to have a piss here in one of them 'wailing' walls?"
I assume Barik's not aware of what Dakvor's gonna do hence he'll be 'flat-footed' but in case an initiative roll is still needed, here goes:
For the stun attack (no need for Dakvor to 'shrug' off his bindings as he could still attack with his other extremeties):
Darius collapsed against the wall, propping himself against it with his forehead. Panting softly he twisted his wrists discreetly.
Initiative -
When/if things start going pear-shaped, Darius will draw his hidden dagger and lash out at the Guard.
And if the Guard is flat-footed...Sneak Attack Dmg
The trip down has made Desh more and more uneasy. Lost in this place... not knowing my 'allies'... what have I gotten myself into.
He begins looking around, hoping to find something to use as a club if things should get messy.
Perception =
edit:I hope the dice gods start being nicer to me once we have to fight something.
Before Guard Barik can respond to the monk's taunt, Dakvor notices the elf untying his bindings, and sees what is coming in the rogue's mind. He lashes out at the Kundarak Guard, catching him off guard and hitting him square the back of the skull.
In the next few seconds, Darius manages to slide out of his bindings as if they were coated in grease, slashing the guard from behind with a dagger he pulled from his body. The dagger finds its mark in Barik's left shoulder.
Desh, slightly confused as to how he missed seeing his companions preparing to attack, looks around for a impromptu weapon. Seeing a brick on the ground, he quickly bends down and grabs it.
The remainder of the group takes a moment to compose themselves, both frustrated and shocked that they missed their "prisoners" preparing to attack the old dwarf.
Sounds of the scuffle echo down the stone walls of the fortress, accompanied by the muffled rattling of chains coming from the hidden cells.
Loche looks down at the mayhem his companions have wrought.
'Oh, that's just great. Sure, destiny had the Dwarf's number and the weak are better dead but could you have waited one second. One second. Until he had told us where in this mixed up place is KR-III?'
'Unless one of you has actually been here before or know how to work whatever magical device he was talking of using to help him navigate. Again, that is assuming it doesn't require the correct Dragonmark to get get the device to work.'
Did any of you? Any one of you? Think! For just one moment before killing the one lead we had to getting to our objective and not leaving us lost forever in this crazy prison.'
'I'm not saying you have to be flower girls or anything but could you have tried just knocking him unconscious instead of putting a knife in the back. A pommel on a blade is more then a style decoration piece. It has a function when you don't want to kill someone.'
Loche seems very upset at the sudden burst of violence and is doing his best to react to the situation.
He slides off the Stag Beetle and goes to check if there is any hope of saving the dwarf from final death.
Desh, brick still in bound hands, mutters to Loche, "Keep yer shirt on, big guy. I don't think he's dead, and we can keep him that way. We'll just have an easier time ropin' him up now. Darius, you seem good with ropes. Wanna rope him up and gag him while we try to bring him 'round?"
"I know how the pommel on this here dagger works quite well thank you Druid but to be perfectly honest he is one big Dwarf and I am without armor. Id rather he wear a cut than me! Darius moved to Dakvor and slit the bindings on his wrists before doing the same for Desh. Nodding softly to the Shifter Darius moved to the unconscious Dwarf and began to bind and gag him.
"While I do this would someone grab my gear? I think we may need to suit up again for this next stretch!"
Loche continues to grumble as he unties the lashing that held the gear to the stag beetle and tosses it at the feet of the elf.
"Well done gents, let's hope we can find something useful on this guy to get us to our target and then back out again. I also wonder if we can find a way to open these cells, could be useful to gain access to these guys for a number of reasons."
Having bound and gagged the Dwarf, Darius stands and begins to don his armor.
Loche uses the handle of his scythe to stab into the side of his beetle.
'Back you over grown inch worm. No eating the dwarf. Probably just give you a tummy ache if you did. Besides, we still need what may be on his corpse but and you reducing him to a dinner slurpee won't be helping.'
Loche starts to pad down the dwarf looking for any items.