As the door opens "Artued" stands there tapping his foot in a annoyed fashion, "Bout time, wwwweellll........ How goes your progress?" He moves in and starts to look around with judging eyes and dissaproving looks. Not explaining his company but will give them a stren look if they start to question them. As he looks at the corpses, he pulls out the loop earring "Do my lessers remember a large man that wore these, if we still have any of his corpse left I need it. In his body lies a great power, now get it for me!"
The two masked men look at one another. One seems unsure of himself and then walks around the corner and begins shuffling with something out of sight.
The other watches his friend walk away before looking at Bloody, then says "Lesser?! Kythra is the only authority here!" He takes a step towards "Artued" and holds out his hand, "Hand over your orders!"
,
"I just gave you Kythra's orders, we need that large man's body for a new ritual. So bring him fourth as the master wishes." "Artued" awaits the reponse.
Mishael follows Bloody Flag into the room, barely able to keep her hand from going to her cutlass with the cultists in sight. At last we are getting to the bottom of this...
Karsielle uses the cover of the doorway to prepare herself and as quietly as possible in eleven speaks the words to charm any man, as she watches the man in front of BF.
Suny moves forwards a little to peer into the room.
"If you don't have written..." one of the mask wearers starts to say, but when Karsielle begins casting he stops and yells "They're casting, kill them!!" He then begins to swing his morningstar but stops midway and looks innocently at "Artued". "Yes, me lady" he says softly.
Initiative order:
Bloody
Karsielle & Silas
Suny
Mishael
Cultist 1
Creatures with spines in their arms
Cultist 2
Seeing the people's attitude turn, Suny glances quickly back to Karsielle even as her hands reach to her waist and Suny begins to unsheathe her short swords.
"So...things be gettin' interestin'," She says, though more musing to herself than making a comment to any one else.
"Artued" gives them a look, "IF YOUR SMART YOU WON'T DARE ATTACK ME!"
Karsielle calls to BF, "That one you were talking to is there for you to command 'Artued'. He should protect you too, but will not do anything which will deliberately harm himself."
Karsielle continues saying to the man, "You may get hurt where you are, perhaps it is better if you moved directly back from any nastiness, you know it would help to keep you safe. It would be so much safer if you could direct you friends to desist from any aggressive action."
Round 1
The two creatures start towards the group but the charmed cultist commands them to stop. "Halt! I was mistaken," he says in a soothing voice, "these people are our friends." He then stands still in his spot, looking at "Artued" and the others.
From around the corner a door can be heard closing.
"Atrued" straightens his cloak, "Finally you realise it now bring me the large man's body so I can perform the ritual for our master." He bows his head in respect to his masters name.
"I am sorry, but I don't know of the body that you speak of. Lady Kythra has increased the amount of sacrifices recently and there have been many bodies, large and small." the cultist says to "Artued" in response.
"Well lead to your surplus, I know what this bloke looks like." He holds up his hand and waiting for the cultist show him the way.
Karsielle nods at Artued's fine performance, following the group as they take their lead from BF.
Silas grips his blades tightly, not taking his eyes off the cultists. How long can this magic hold him? I doubt it will last long enough to avoid a fight.
Speaking to 'Artued', he says "We had best move quickly sir. The client is rather...impatient."
The man walks over to a wooden door in the far side of the room and opens it, then motions for Bloody to inspect it's contents. The temperature of this room is below freezing. Within a copse of frost-dusted corpses dangle from meat hooks. Some have chunks of flesh hacked off their arms, thighs and other meaty sections of their bodies. Others bear actual human teeth marks, as if gnawed upon. In the corner of the room is a large stone cylinder filled with a clear viscous mixture.
"Artued" looks to Silas and Suny, "Yes you two can wait out here, I know how you feel about the cold." He whispers a few demonic words casting message on his four comrades. "Come on girls let's get looking before our Mistress gets angry."
Suny nods at 'Artueds' semi-command and moves to stand beside Silas, gently sheathing her swords and looking relaxed but alert.
Mishael shivers just looking at the room, but follows Flag to look for the body.
Outwardly stoic, Silas thanks the gods he doesn't have to go inside the meat locker they've built down here. Though it might prove a necessity in a bit. Something is...wrong here, beyond the obvious.
Suny stands resolutely beside Silas...though the cold temperature seeping across the floor has her wiggling her toes a tad more than normal...
Karsielle enters the 'fridge' she spends some time looking at what has happened to these cadavers.
Karsielle inspects the bodies. The cause of death seem to vary from body to body. One has had its throat slashed, another has his skull bashed in from some sort of blunt object.
Mishael and Artued look at each body carefully, but none here match the description of Captain Montrose.
Karsielle moves towards the cultist (charmed guy), "Is there any other way out of this store, than the door we entered by? "
You know these treasures should be better protected you know, perhaps you should call those two outside to come in here. Do they obey your commands, for it would be appropriate from them to remain in here to make safe your treasures.
"The cold room, no, just the one door." the charmed cultist says in response.
"They follow my commands, but they would freeze if they stayed in this room." he says to the cleric.
"Guard smhuard, I need them to collect every big toe and middle finger from these corpses! Our Lady commands this for ritual that will grant us power, I wish for you to supervise them so it gets done right. I trust you are up to the task?" "Artued" motions for the ladies to follow him out.
Mishael follows Bloody Flag back out of the freezing room, looking about in vain for the missing cultist.
Seeing the worried look upon Mishael's face, Suny as well looks about too, perchance see what is causing her friend distress.
"Geez! Me feet is gettin' cold!" She whispers, slightly distracted from her task at hand.
The cultist follows your orders and the three of them start cutting off fingers and toes.
"Quick, shut them in, haul over the cupboard and place it in front of the door, whilst Mishael makes sure the door stays shut."
At Kareielle's urging Suny too tries to help keep the door shut.
"C'mon Silas! Pull yer digit out!" Suny urges her companion.
Mishael shoves the door closed, but something is awry. Either the time in the freezing air has cooled her efreet blood or she slips on a patch of ice and the door does not move as easily as expected.
With Suny's help Mishael is able to hold the door shut against the rush of the surprised trio in the cold room. Silas then pushes the storage cabinet (cupboard) in front of the door and Bloody is able to place the large hammer across the floor wedged between the cabinet and the door. With this, the ladies move away from the door and watch as those inside beat and push with no success.
As they survey their work, Suny shivers as she wraps he arms around herself.