The trog sitting on the thrown stands and rubs his eyes trying to see. He screams in his lauguage for what must be help.
Stepping over the Trog leader, Daubeny hefts his bardiche like an executioner. Silently, the knight lifts his weapon high, before letting it fall. "May Pharasma judge you truthfully."
Iraonar continues to play as he walks to the top of the stairs.
After a quick and messy finish you find little of interest but set at the top of the throne is a white gem that looks to be your target.
Well I do appreciate the swift victory brought to us by means martial, alchemical, and magical. Let us procure the needed item and return to our unconventional patron post haste.
The alchemist eyes the gem with great interest, attempting to determine if it would be safe to remove from its setting and how to do so.
The milky white gem seems to have a slight glow to it. The setting can easily be pried open to remove the gem.
Lysander draws his thieves' tools from his remarkably handy haversack and pries the gem from its setting. He then hands it to Sir Daubeny.
Lacking a clearer chain of command, I estimate your position as de facto leader of this spontaneous group qualifies you to carry this artifact.
He looks around once more for any hidden compartments or other items of value.
Our objective completed, I, for one, am prepared to seek egress from this structure.
He looks around to his companions to hear from them.
Taking the gem in his cestus covered hand, Daubeny's helmet dips in surprise. "I would hardly call myself the leader of this group. Why not yourself or Alexandria as a leader?" Gently setting down his bloodied green weapon, the warrior removes his cestus. Taking a moment to breath, the knight passes the gem alongside the tattoo on his arm. Afterwards, Daubeny places the gem gingerly in his haversack, before rearming himself.
Once it's done, the knight glances about. "Let us hope our master has a way of bringing us back as easily as he brought us here."
Lysander nods in acknowledgement.
I believe neither the princess nor myself would be as willing or as qualified to led this group. As previously observed, my social capacities are unorthodox and do not lend themselves to leadership. The princess, while undoubtedly of great social competence, seems disinterested in leading us through such unsightly locales.
"I'm social and can stand swampy environments. I could lead us if you don't want to."Iraonar says to Daubny.
He then starts to head down the stairs. calling up. "I'm going to collect that shock lizard. Goodby Mr.Forsend I hope your walk back to town is safe now that the troglodytes are gone. If there are no magical shenanigans we will join you."
"I think it could be said that as Royalty, any of us should be able to take the role of leader, but I believe that we should instead appoint Sir Daubeny our combat leader, as he seems to have the most experience, seconded by me. It might be fair to say that I would be the religious leader of our group, where as you might be the diplomatic leader, and Alexandria would likely be the arcane leader of our group. Any decisions that would effect the entire group should be voted on by the group, but having a leader in each arena will allow us to make snap decisions and determine the best immediate course of action. What do you all think?"
Lysander nods, seeing the value in Amelia's words.
Division of responsibility according to specialty may prove useful indeed. My skillset does not lend itself to a specific or iconic role but I will take responsibility when stealth or mechanical or alchemical expertise are required. In the case of unclear jurisdiction, I do believe we should appoint a unified leader to make snap decisions if necessary and I esteem Sir Daubeny as most suited to that task. In the majority of situations, one of our expertises will clearly be applicable. But if the need arises for a quick decision in an ambiguous area, we must place our lives in the hand of one intellect.
As Amelia voices out her plan, the knight prince dips his helm. "I can understand being placed as a combat leader, it was my role as a knight to lead small bands and help locales tame any issues that arose. It only makes sense for those skilled and knowledgeable in a field to make the decision"
Taking a moment to wipe his blade off on the ugly cloth of one of the dead trogs, Daubeny starts moving after Iraonar. "Let us discuss the virtues of leadership on the move. I would prefer to not leave Iraonar alone in this dilapidated tower. That leader appeared to cry for aid, which leads me to believe more hostile creatures lurk about."
As he nears Lysander, the engraved rose meets the alchemist's eyes with a quiet whisper.
Lysander follows along behind Iraonar and responds in a low tone.
As royals, our privileges have placed most of us in a mental framework far removed from pragmatic living and action. Alexandra is far too concerned about her personal aesthetics, Iraonar seems incapable of difficult decisions, and I am more interested in my studies than leadership. Amelia is the only other candidate for the task besides yourself but I believe your seniority weighs in your favor. If we are all to survive this perilous and involuntary undertaking, we will need pragmatic and authoritative leadership.
"Just because I'm not as ruthless as you doesn't mean I can't make tough decision.", Iraonar says acidly. then walks faster down the hall in a huff.
Lysander replies to Iraonar's hot assertions:
I am a man of science. I rely upon empirical data rather than intuitive speculation. And my empirical data leads me to conclude that you are ill-suited to lead in belligerent and life-threatening engagements. I do not have a personal bias against you. I'm simply making a data-driven observation.
"How about we table this discussion when we're not in one of those 'belligerent and life-threatening engagements?' By the way Prince Lysander, I'm guessing you didn't mean to say something that might cause a war between your two nations, right?"
Slamming the hilt of his poleaxe against the floor of the castle, Daubeny growls out his response. "Amelia is correct, let's have this discussion civilly once we're no longer in a trog squatter village."
Shaking his heads, the knight adds, "This is why I took up my knightly vows, at least partially. No man's words should have the weight to start a war."
Lysander shrugs his shoulders and replies in confusion
My apologies. I do not understand how a factual statement of observation could lead to hostilities but I will endeavor to refrain from provoking unpleasant encounters between allies.
He follows along quietly as they leave the tower.
Iraonar looks back at Lysander and thinks for a second "I suppose you probably didn't mean any harm, so I can forgive you. We will need to talk about your idea of facts later though. For now do you have anything in your bag to safely handle a shock lizard? My ring of lightning resistance is still on my dresser back home."He then turns to Amelia,"And you don't need worry so much. No one is so vain they would start a war over something so trivial as this. Besides what nation lets there court minstrel declare wars.
Lysander nods at Iraonar's amiable reply then thinks for a moment.
I don't believe I have any items that are particularly helpful except for perhaps this silken rope. Without sacrificing any tensile strength, it may provide an improvised leash that produces less friction against the lizard's neck than a typical, hempen rope would.
"Cool, so the plan is we tie a rock to the end of the rope. I slide the rope under the lizard. Daubeny throws the rock back so the rope is around the lizards middle. Amelia distract it with this peace of chicken."
"Out of curiosity, why do you want this lizard so bad? Also," the knight taps his helm with his poleaxe, "you do realize I'm covered in electricity conducting metal right?"
Amelia let her companions debate the lizard and the external meanings of their political faux paus while she searched the room with the throne in it for any secret compartments or hiddent switches.
Lysander shrugs.
It is indeed a fascinating zoological specimen worth preserving alive before the eventual dissections. In this manner, one is capable of observing both its living, external properties and its internal organs at a later date. I will help with the retrieval of this creature if I may study it upon its death by natural causes.
After throwing a concerned look at Lysander, Iraonar Quickly turns to Daubeny and says,"The rope's not conductive and the electricity can't kill you anyway. It will just paralyze you."He thinks for a second and muses," It might knock you out."Then waves off such pety details and explains,"Anyway these guys can't survive without tender love and care and lots of friends and we...just...yaknow... gotridofallhisfriends."He then declares firmly,"So we owe it to him to take him with us and be his friends now!"
It is at this point Iraonar notices that Amelia is missing. "Wait were is Amelia? We need her for the plan! I'll go get her you guys wait here."He says and after a few steps adds,"And no killing the lizard while I'm gone." He looks at both with suspicion but Lysander more so. Then runs off back up the stairs.
Placing his head in his armored fist, Daubeny groans. "A giant undead lizard owns me, and now I'm wrangling abandoned thunder lizards." Shaking his head, the knight locks his view port with Iraonar. "Don't burn yourself to illuminate the path for every creature along your path. That leads to an empty wick, and an empty wick burns."
The Thoreand warrior manages to look slightly offended, despite none of his skin showing. "I don't kill everything I touch I'll have you know."
Grumbling, he looks at Lysander. "You know, I don't think this is what Vix'thimus imagined his slaves would be doing getting the gems." His words are followed by a dark chuckle.
Iraonar is dismayed to find that the creature has fled the tower.
The group continues down until they are standing where they started in front of the building.
Daubeny begins to be feel a tingling sensation on his are where his new tattoo is. The feeling seems to be increasing, like an itch that cannot be reached under armor.
As they walk out of the building, Lysander remarks
A marked disappointment. I sincerely hoped for a chance to study that fascinating creature in a more controlled environment. Not feeling an itch on his arm, Lysander begins studying his book of puzzles for his own amusement.
Trust me, My sisters and I learned the hard way you need electrical resistance first. It may be better this way. We can only hope he finds some good companions soon.
Having searched the Throne room more thoroughly, Amelia returns to the group and says "What did I miss?"
Peeling the cestus off his arm, the knight runs his still armored fingers over the mark. "Any of you know why a magical mark would begin to itch?"
Lysander considers the question of magical itching carefully.
"Mana leeches, or an arcane infection, or the stone could have been cursed.",Irionar chimes in offhandedly.
Daubeny stares at the tattoo. It blinks and says to him, "Give me the gem."
He watches as the mouth opens on the tattoo.
Lysanders blinks at the tattoo.
I suppose that is somewhat of an answer from our atypical employer.
No one to ignore requests from his master, the knight rummages for the gem, before producing it. Hesitantly, he places it in the mouth of his tattoo. "So what comes next?"
The mouth closes over the gem. As you watch all of you feel your tattoos tingling. You look and see that the eye of the drawing are now colored white.
A wave of nausea hits you as your world goes black. Moments later you realize that you are lying on a stone floor. The room in pitch black around you.
Iraonar stands up quickly and brushes himself off. Then he looks around in the blackness.
Rumbling with anger, Daubeny leverages his poleaxe to lift himself up. As he fastens his cestus back into place, he glances about, hand gripping his weapon tight.
"Ummm....Guys?"
Lysander jumps to his feet and glances around for signs of danger, though he suspects that he has merely been recalled by his employer.
Better secure than regretting suboptimal decisions.
Iraonar notice a very slight glow on the eye of his tattoo.
"O mighty and majestic Vix'thimus even the effigy of your eyes is lovely to behold. When we see them in the flesh surly we shale gaze at the height of what a soul can be. But might you shine them brighter that I might see the world around me and truly know how great you are as I see its beauty pale to yours.",Iraonar humbly requests of the tattoo on his arm.
The young alchemist furrows his brow in confusion at exaltation of the undead dragon's beauty. The extremely literal thinker cannot fathom how Iraonar developed his unique sense of aesthetics.
After hearing Iraonar's speech the others notice the glow in the eyes of their tattoo.
After hearing no response Iraonar taps the tattoo a few times. "Hello, Vix'thimus?"
"O wait, I forgot I'm magic." With those words he reaches into the front of his shirt and pulls out a lit candle on a stand.
He then looks around the room as he asks,"Are any of the rest of your tattoos glowing oddly?