Given the threat, Dumah will not take the readied action if he has that choice.
You can kill her, but then you know you will die. You can't defeat us and all of the summoned creatures I can bring to bear. What do you propose?
For some reason Rakara finds this whole exchange hilarious.
Such callous disregard for your companions life! I'm actually impressed. I didn't think you two would have it in you! Is it because she is half-orc? No matter, as you wish! The man raises his blade overhead...
Dumah delays.
In a cold tone he says "Slay her in this manner and there will be no place you can hide."
Such callous disregard for your companions life! I'm actually impressed. I didn't think you all had it in you! Is it because she is half-orc? No matter. I propose you leave this room. Take the priest with you if you wish. If you do I'll let her live and you can come back and get her after we are gone.
The smuggler reloads his crossbow and holds it at the ready.
The masked man on the couch jumps off and waits to see what comes of the discussion.
Myron lowers his slings staff a bit, but does not drop it.
I'm fine with walking away with the priest. With the undead plague, we have more pressing problems than you lot. But if you think we're leaving our companion here at your mercy, you're delusional. And consider this, before you harm her: We're working for the church of Pharasma. How hard do you think it will be to convince them to bring her back to life, if she is slain while rescuing one of their own?
Myron lowers his slings staff a bit, but does not drop it.
I'm fine with walking away with the priest. With the undead plague, we have more pressing problems than you lot. But if you think we're leaving our companion here at your mercy, you're delusional. And consider this, before you harm her: We're working for the church of Pharasma. How hard do you think it will be to convince them to bring her back to life, if she is slain while rescuing one of their own?
[dice=Bluff]1d20+4
Rakara finally chokes back her laughter but continues to just lay there. As she gasps for breath she manages. Leave me. They will kill me or they won't. The whole town is in danger.
Not being able to gamble with Rakaras life he dismisses one of the elementals.
I can't control them once unleashed but I can remove them
One at a time . Release her and we will leave with her and the cleric, otherwise we will have a standoff.
With a word and a gesture from Kheled, one of the elementals vanishes. The other hesitates for a moment...
...before flying down to batter the enemy in the pit...
...pummeling him twice.
That's a start, now the other one and start backing out of the room. She is dead if you stay. I can kill her before any of you can stop me. If I intended to kill her it would be done already, the Master warns as his weapons remain ready to strike a lethal blow. At his feet Rakara ceases her laughing and the pit spell ends, lifting all those below up ground level once again.
The battered man regains his wits fully but remains prone.
Got any rope or spells that can help get the priest out of the hole? Let’s secure him quickly while we figure out how to get all of us out of here safely. Myron says softly to Elrisiel.
El indicates the now-solved pit problem.
Rakara catches her breath but lays still, mindful of the blade hovering inches from her throat.
While the others retrieve the priest I will rest here awhile.
She winks at the master.
Just so you know, we didn't kill your guards above.
She continues to recline and chat in a nonchalant manner. So if you don't have anything to do with the chaos going on in the temple right now do you have any idea who does? What are you doing with that priest anyway?
The Master does not react to Rakara's joke, his focus on the others, but he does reply to her eventually, Hmmm? Good to know.
I have no idea who or what is responsible. We are just trying to survive like most others.
To be honest, I have no idea what we were going to do with him.
Elrisiel is reluctant to leave the fight or let her flaming sphere dissipate. Eventually, she backs out of the room and retrieves a scroll from the case at her hip.
Myron moves with Elrisiel, ready to help haul Ptemenib clear of the well
As she lays there Rakara muses, mostly to herself. I wonder what that priest was even doing here?
Kheled will dismiss the other elemental and have him and Dumah slowly back out of the room but be in a position to block them leaving quite yet.
Once we have the priest we will collect our friend and be on our way. We have bigger camels to fry than continuing this fight with you. You have my word on Pharasma's holy symbol that if you free her we won't continue this fight and leave to be onto our next task.
Dumah stands ready with his blade, glancing back and forth between The Master and his new friends. Unwilling to risk his oldest friend Rakara in this way, he is nearly paralyzed. When Kheled waves his back, he hesitates, but slowly steps away. He doesn't lower his weapon, and he starts muttering a prayer.
You'll have to ask the priest, the master replies. As the other elemental disappears, along with the ball of flame, and the group starts to retreat to the door the master instructs Rakara to divest herself of all of her weapons and then move to join her companions.
The master follows closely behind Rakara as she moves, ready to strike her down should someone break the truce. Reaching the doors, the master exclaims, You can show yourselves out! before slamming them both shut just as some of the men behind him attempt to extinguish the flaming sofa.
Once Ptemenib is out of the well, Myron cuts his bonds and offers him a potion of CLW. If he is unconscious, he will carefully pour the potion down his throat.
Kheled also heals Rakara while we get the priest conscious.
The next time we get separated like that, don't try and be a hero and take all of them on, you nearly got yourself killed! he scolds her.
Brandishing her scroll of levitate, Elrisiel reads the incantation aloud. As she finishes, the scroll crumbles to dust, and with a gesture, she causes the bound priest to rise to the top of the shrine. "Quickly- secure him," she says, attempting to reach out and pull him from over the pit. Once the priest is recovered, she lowers him to the ground gently via the spell.
A quizzical expression on her face, she looks around at the other party members. "What was that about?"
I am guessing we stumbled upon some foul gang members who had injured and taken this poor priest captive. We should wake him and hear his tale, maybe he know something about what is going on around here or above...
With the slamming of the doors, the Delvers turn their immediate attention to Rakara and the priest. Rakara's wounds are mended by the healing magic of the wand as Elrisiel lifts the priest with magic from a scroll.
She lays the badly beaten and bound Pharasmin upon the floor and Myron cuts off his gag and bindings before offering a healing vial. The cleric looks around through swollen eyes, relived to be free of the pit. His voice is labored and quiet but he offers his thanks. Truly I am blessed. My deepest thanks for rescuing me. How did you find me? Clutching reflexively at his chest he murmurs, My holy symbol?
His features then flash with recognition and memory, before coughing out a warning, The Silver Chain now serves a new master, a man in a golden mask, who dwells in the next room! He has a few followers with him! They are no ordinary smugglers and thieves!
We will give it back to him in that case.
Unfortunately we won't dealing with the silver chain today. One of our friends was captured by them during the battle and we had to negotiate for her return. We must be on our way.
Taking his holy symbol back, Ptemenib says a prayer and a pulse of healing magic washes over the group...
As his own wounds heal somewhat as well, he gets to his feet. You already confronted him? Where are they now? I don't believe they really are the Silver Chain any more. I suspect they have something to do with the undead scourge that is ravaging the city! We can't let them go!
Myron indicates the closed door and puts a finger to his lips.
We should probably discuss this somewhere else...the locals have sharp ears and hot tempers. he says quietly.
Rakara eyes Kheled a bit incredulously, Rushing in to fight wasn't my plan. I attempted to negotiate. she mumbles to herself, obviously I'm not that good at it.
She agrees that it is best to get out of the area before having an in depth conversation.
Ptemenib lowers his voice but insists that the party not let the masked men go. At least hold them here until I can return with some of the city guard.
He then prays again, sending forth another wave of divine healing...
Just outside of this room with the door cracked so we can keep an eye on anyone trying to leave.
I have a shortspear and two alchemists fire and two acid you are welcome to?
Dumah also has that Earthbreaker on his back I am sure he will let you borrow.
"Unless you prefer the blade." He lets his grip on his falchion slip so she could take it if she wants.
If you are sure you don't mind, I do prefer the blade. She accepts the falchion with thanks as they make their way back through the nearest door.
I'll be getting mine back soon enough hopefully.
She privately asks Kheled to surreptitiously cast detect evil on the cleric then turning to Ptemenib she demands answers.
What were you even doing here? What do you know about what is happening above? Who are the silver chain? Why do you think something is up with them? They weren't particularly keen to fight.
I was at an antiquities auction earlier and recognized a member of the notorious grave robber gang, the Silver Chain and decided to follow him in the hopes of discovering their secret hideout. Qasin and I were, obviously, successful, but then that pulse washed over the city and unleashed the dead.
A couple of zombies gave away my position and the gang noticed me spying on them. Between the undead and the gang, bolstered by the men in the masks I was overwhelmed and captured.
While they debated about what to do with me, it became apparent that those in the masks weren't the slightest bit surprised about the undead. In fact, they seemed almost happy about it. I dare say that I would be before Pharasma right now if the actual gang members hadn't insisted that killing me would be bad luck.
The men in the mask relented and beat me before tossing me in the pit. I'm afraid I don't know much about what is happening above, but I suspect the men in the golden masks do! That is why we must aprehend them!
How is it that you came to be here? Didn't I see you at the auction tonight?