"You're right that we're not likely at risk of imminent death from the elves here -- they likely could have killed us if they'd wanted," Calla says. "But will they leave us here to rot? The drow could be on the mood and we're stuck."
She paces impatiently as she waits.
"Just try to keep an open mind," Anklebiter says to Bruendor. "That's all I ask."
While the others reconnoitre and attempt to smoulder, Anklebiter investigates the bookcases and the laboratory, making an inventory of the materials available to him.
"Maybe you guys should ask the wasp statues what's what," he calls over his shoulder.
"We should stay productive, if possible. Anklebiter, is there anything else that I can help with in the lab?"
"I'm sure there is. Let's see what we have to work with."
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anklebiter
kelendra
bruendor
calla
lefrik
The rest of that day is spent working in the lab, resting by the pool, watching the fish swim and listening to the birds, eating from the fine foods that magically replenish themselves, and generally being comfortable. In fact, this is likely the most pleasurable place you've ever been in.
It takes almost the entire day for this last fact to trigger something in Calla's mind. She grabbed Kelendra and the two of them talk things over. It was too nice here. Calla was happy here...and she's never happy!
"I'm telling you, it's a prison. Not the type the drow use, but exactly what we should have expected from these elves," Calla grouses. "We need to wipe the smiles off our face and get out of here!
"You must have some spell that can help us do that, Greenie!"
"I might. But none of them memorized," Anklebiter replies. "Let me analyze the situation, and I'll give it a try as soon as possible."
Anklebiter casts Detect magic and starts scouting tne enclosure, doing his best to learn what he can about the place's strengths and weaknesses.
The entire place radiates a strong magic, nearly blinding Anklebiter with its intensity.
"Right. Time to think," Anklebiter declares, and he sits down cross-legged, muttering and frowning as he tries to puzzle out a way for the party to get out of here.
"I was afraid of this," Bruendor mutters to himself, rubbing his tired eyes. "But for the meantime, the elves are in no hurry to kill us. AB, set your mind in motion. This is a mystic threat we find ourselves in, and you're our best hope of getting out. I'm going to grab some more rest while you study - I'm still exhausted from that assassination attempt. If you need my skills, you know where to find me."
Anklebiter continues to ponder ... and at some point, he attempts to cast Summon monster III as an experiment, hopefully bringing in a lantern archon.
Kel lets Calla shake her and grouse about things being too nice. She knew this moment was coming, mostly because Calla had looked like a baby learning to smile for the last day, but she hadn't wanted to hurry up the process. I wonder if this place would survive the next starfall? Kel wipes the horrible thought from her mind and comforts Calla. "There, there, just focus your hate on the smarminess of the elves, there's no magic that can block that."
Kel considers the implications of the planar dilemma...
...and suggests an option for figuring out their path forward.
"Let us ask Desna what we should do, but her attention is fleeting and our questions must be direct."
Duration 1 round/level
You contact your deity—or agents thereof—and ask questions that can be answered by a simple yes or no. (A cleric of no particular deity contacts a philosophically allied deity.) You are allowed one such question per caster level. The answers given are correct within the limits of the entity's knowledge. "Unclear" is a legitimate answer, because powerful beings of the Outer Planes are not necessarily omniscient. In cases where a one-word answer would be misleading or contrary to the deity's interests, a short phrase (five words or less) may be given as an answer instead.
The spell, at best, provides information to aid character decisions. The entities contacted structure their answers to further their own purposes. If you lag, discuss the answers, or go off to do anything else, the spell ends.
Anklebiter's spell fizzles out. He felt the magics coalesce, but where they should have formed a planar passage, instead they dispersed. He and Kelendra agreed that most likely there was a planar barrier spell of some sort in place. Likely a teleportation block as well.
"It's just as well I didn't cast my best summoning-spell," Anklebiter says, philosophically.
"That sounds like a grand idea, sister Kel! Some questions I'd like to suggest are:
#1: Can we get out of this place?
#2: Have the Elves betrayed us?
#3: Are the Elves going to release us from here anytime soon?"
Calla nods.
"Greenie's questions sound good to me, though the second one will certainly be yes," Calla notes. Everyone betrays you, and we already know the elves have betrayed us. Instead ask, 'Does the queen plan to betray us again?' Then we might ask the same about any of her minions, though that will probably also be yes, considering Villastir. Ask specifically about Lady Kyleen and that captain of the Light Guard ."
She ponders for a moment.
"It might be nice to get some idea of who this Jieroth was that the assassin mentioned. Perhaps ask if he or she is part of the queen's court too. And if the Winter Council is working with the drow..."
"We don't know the queen's betrayed us," Bruendor says, stifling a yawn. "The only mention of the queen has been from Lady Kayleen, and we're going on her word that she works against the Winter Council. Honestly, right now, I don't care who she works for - we're trapped here, and if we don't get out, then the drow win. I'd ask 'did Lady Kayleen knowingly imprison us here?' if we care about her intent, and whether she's trustworthy, and definitely 'are there any other exits from this place other than the way we entered?'"
"I caught a fish with my bare hands" He says excitedly then pauses, "Which has nothing to do with the subject. Sorry, I think this blasted place is getting to me."
Kel sits down and unfolds a square of dark cloth. It looks like nothing more than a worn, spotted handkerchief, but the patterns of dots and faded regions represent much more to her eyes. She studies the patterns intently for several minutes, the closes her eyes and lets her fingers trace the patterns as her mind connects to her god.
In Kelendra's mind, the darkness of her closed eyes gives way to the bright pinpricks of light scattered across the black nothingness of the cosmos. Before her floats a comet, frozen in time, with its tail of dust and gases stretched out behind it like a wispy veil blowing in a nonexistant breeze. In her mind, an echoing voice says, "Welcome, Daughter. What is it you wish to know of the Heavens?"
Carefully, Kelendra brings forth the questions she and the others have prepared. She knows that despite the all-knowing nature of the Heavens, the stars' ability to share that knowledge is limited - not by them, but by the fragility of the mortal mind, and its limitations.
As she framed each question, the answer echoed in her mind.
1: Did Lady Kayleen knowingly imprison us here? Yes
2: Does the queen plan to betray us again? That is unclear
3: Are the Elves going to release us from here anytime soon? That is unclear
4. Does the (Light Guard Captain) plan to betray us? That is unclear
5. Does Lady Kyleen plan to betray us? That is unclear
6. Does Jieroth intend us harm? Yes
7. Is the Winter Council working with the drow? No
8. Can we get out of this place? Yes
9. Are there any other exits from this place other than the way we entered? Yes
When she had finished with her questions, the voice said, "And now Daughter, you must go from this place, lest your mind reside among the cosmos forever."
Kelendra felt a falling sensation, then she was back, kneeling on the floor with the square of cloth before her. Her skin was cold and covered with a thin layer of frost.
"Hmph," Calla grunts.
"The important thing is there's another way out of here." she says. "Let's figure it out. It's probably magical, considering I couldn't find anything the old-fashioned way."
She approaches the two sentinel wasps.
"I am a friend to Iadara, and I seek to leave this place."
There was a strong pull in Calla's mind as she strode for where she though the golden curtain should be. it is only with the strongest act of Will that she managed to pass through it and demand answers of the wasps. They, however, had no intention of voicing their opinions of her heroic efforts.
Her arcane sight revealed the same as Anklebiter's that the entire area is saturated with magic.
Lefrik moves to Kel and puts a cloak about her to warm her for a time.
The barbarian is annoyed, greater still when if he is told of the answers, but he does say "Glory to Desna for her gifts," He does honor the lady some though he's never been devout.
"If magic has us trapped, can anti magic save us?" He looks to Anklebiter "Focus it on a wall? Or one of us? Otherwise all I can thinkm to do is bang away at a wall that seems at the edge, brick by brick, tearing it down."
"The way is hidden, this we know, but it does exist," Anklebiter says, musingly. "Perhaps it has been rendered invisible. Let us try to find an existing exit before we try a brute-force approach."
The Goblin rises from his seated position and clicks his tongue, calling Minky towards him. "If you will all agree, I will cast See invisibility, first on myself, next on Minky, and we will go around, looking for a hidden exit. I will use the rod to extend the spell's duration, one of my pearls of power so I can re-cast the spell. At least one of you has to accompany Minky while she searches.
Is it agreed?"
"Perhaps it is illusion that tricks us?" Kel suggests. She starts another investigation of the chambers, this time searching for sources of trickery rather than trusting her immediate senses.
"Now they begin to understand!"
The voice rang out from one of the trees near the pool in the center of the rooms. A lithe form slid down from the canopy and gave a little curtsy. It was a female half elf, obvious from the shape of her ears and the high cheekbones, wearing a crushed velvet halfcoat over well-tailored pants and a linen shirt. On her back was slung a lute and a case for a flute or set of pipes. She stood from the curtsy and smiled a big smile.
"I'm sorry I didn't introduce myself earlier, but I was unsure as to what manner of people Queen Telandia had sent in here with me. Things must be rough out there with the Winter Council if she is willing to interrupt my solitary confinement like this. I am Quilindra the Golden tongued - and they don't just call me that for my singing ability." She made an exaggerated leer at Lefrik.
"And what did you do to piss off the Winter Council enough for the Queen to put you in here with me, for your own protection?"
"Apparently for most of us, we merely existed," Calla replies acerbically. "And then we compounded that by speaking the truth, much to everyone's amusement. And what did you do to be kept here?"
Calla grits her teeth as she realizes the woman was in here all along, undetected despite their best searches. She could have killed them all in their sleep.
Blasted elves!
"Thank you, Quilindra, you must have some considerable skills to avoid our attention so completely. I am Kelendra, though I expect you know all our names by now if you've been observing us for a day. I'll also assume you don't know the way out if you're still here?"
"I'm sorry I didn't introduce myself earlier, but I was unsure as to what manner of people Queen Telandia had sent in here with me. Things must be rough out there with the Winter Council if she is willing to interrupt my solitary confinement like this. I am Quilindra the Golden tongued - and they don't just call me that for my singing ability." She made an exaggerated leer at Lefrik.
"Well, hello there," Lefrik says, and his spirits rise then he wonders if maybe, just maybe, this is another illusion. He's not sure how to bring that up to to the others
"I am a political prisoner, as it sounds you are. There is a shadow government in Iadara known as the Winter Council. They are a bigoted group of old-power nobles and they are using the elven people as pawns and puppets against Queen Telandia. I attempted to organize a rebellion, to drive them out of their stronghold and into the open, but they sent their thugs - the Shin'Rakorath - after me. I've been imprisoned here ever since. I'm pretty sure this place is protected by strong illusions and enchantments, but I'm not very good at magical theory. I can use a few cantrips and spells to enhance my bardic talents, but that is aout all."
"I am a political prisoner, as it sounds you are. There is a shadow government in Iadara known as the Winter Council. They are a bigoted group of old-power nobles and they are using the elven people as pawns and puppets against Queen Telandia. I attempted to organize a rebellion, to drive them out of their stronghold and into the open, but they sent their thugs - the Shin'Rakorath - after me. I've been imprisoned here ever since. I'm pretty sure this place is protected by strong illusions and enchantments, but I'm not very good at magical theory. I can use a few cantrips and spells to enhance my bardic talents, but that is about all."
"Wait, the Shin'Rakorath work for the Winter Council? But they've been our allies against the drow," Calla says, immediately suspicious ... suspicious-er.
She turns her stern gaze on the woman, weighing her words, knowing that as an admitted bard, she'd be an accomplished liar.
"I'm confused as well," Bruendor admits, squinting as he tries to follow the woman's story. "You tried to raise a popular rebellion against the Winter Council and their Shin'Rakorath loyalists, but the Queen imprisoned you here? If they're working against the Queen, why did she imprison you?"
"And do any of them, the queen, the winter council, or the Shin'Rakorath care that the drow would like to drop a star upon them?" Kel takes a moment to let her stress diminish as she pours a glass of wine. "At this point it seems all of them are blind to the real threat."
"Oh dear, it seems you have been deeply involved in the Winter Council's plans all along. Yes, the Shin'Rakorath leadership is firmly in the hands of the Winter Council. Their leaders may be Winter Council for all I know. As for allies against the drow, what makes you think that they are not playing one group against the other? You really are novices when it comes to politics, aren't you? Have you heard the saying, 'The enemy of my enemy is my friend'? The elves don't think that way. The enemy of my enemy is my enemy's enemy, no more and no less."
"The Winter Council hardly wishes to see the drow wipe the elves from the face of the planet, any more than they'd want tales of one of their own leading the drow to become popular knowledge amongst the elven people. They aren't blind to any threats, I assure you. They had my lover killed to prevent his objections against Lord Villastir's appointment as Royal Chamberlain becoming widespread. Killias was looking into the Winter Council's influence on the Queen. I think she might have imprisoned me here under pressure. I don't even know how long I've been here. After a while the days sort of blend together."
"But, maybe with you here, we can get out of this place. Killias told me some things before he was murdered. Weaknesses he found in the Winter Council's defenses. Where their leadership is staying. Some of their plans. If they have decided you are their enemies, then they will not stop until you are dead. But, maybe together, we can stop them, free the Queen from their influence, and I can get my vengeance on Killian's killers!"
Quilindra's voice took on a fevered pitch at the last, her eyes shining with a hard light.
"Your voice has the ring of sincerity, but clearly you're also hoping to use us for your own ends. Still, just as when we were used against the drow by our apparent enemies, I'm happy to let this Winter Council understand the error of their ways by trying to assassinate us," Calla replies.
He looks to his friends "At this point, I'm all for just getting out. So we're back to 'how do we get out?'" Lefrik is less concerned with revenge, but if the lives of hundreds, perhaps thousands, weren't on the line, once he got out, he'd wipe his feet of this place and never return.
"I'll not stop you from avenging your lost lover. Let's escape this prison and bring the fight to our enemies." Kel finishes her wine and continues searching for the illusionary exit.
"I think I know how to break the compulsion that keeps us here in this illusory paradise, but those wasps out front and the arcane lock on that door are what have defeated me at every turn. If one of you can dispel the lock enchantment, we can either sneak past the wasps or destroy them. I have a list of the iadara network nodes to use to get to Thorn's End, and the activation codes for each. We can do this!"
Calla will again investigate the wasps, hoping their may be some religious way to deactivate the divine guardians, though she expects Anklebiter will also examine them for his own attempts.
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Calla will ask Quilindra's methods for breaking through. She glowers most of the time.
Despite his misgivings, Bruendor listens to Quilindra and takes a few moments to clear his mind and meditate. He finds it quite calming, and when he opens his eyes, there's an obvious shift in his demeanor, as though a weight had been lifted from his shoulders that he didn't know he was carrying.
Kel practices the meditation for a bit, then attempts to walk from the chamber to investigate the wasps with Calla.
The wasps do not react as those who are able to penetrate the room's enchantments move into the foyer. It is only as you approach the double-locked doors leading outside that they turn their insect heads to stare at you through faceted gemstone eyes.
Lefrik looks dubious. Oh yes, this woman is goregous, perhaps..TOO gorgeous, but they've been tricked so many times he's unsure.
Still, his group needs him, and he will try to trust enough to at least learn...meditation? "So.. I think of NOT hurting people or not drinking or... not ah.. right. Just show me and I'll give this a try."