"Before you leave, can you tell us a little more about the demon dogs and this Naulia? You have mentioned her several times, but what details can you tell us about her? Anything in particular you have noticed about her?
Sometime after Kern returns and Belril leaves, Sophy's eyes flutter open. "Oh!" she breathes with a smile, looking around the group. "I'm still tired, but I feel ... better." She notices Orik taking his leave and scrambles to her feet with concern. "Oh, you're not going, are you? Couldn't you wait for us? If we free Ameiko, you can come back to Sandpoint with us; I'm sure everyone will want to thank you for everything you've done. And if we ... don't come back out," she falters, "you could return to Sandpoint alone and tell them where Ameiko is so they can send someone else to rescue her. Either way, you'd be a hero back home. Or could you at least carry them a note from me to let them know where we are, if you're going that way?"
Orik answers Wren's question saying, "Those dogs are wicked, they don't have any hair and can fly. Their bark is the worst, it gives me the willies every time a hear them. As for Naulia, she is an odd one and sinking deeper into some kind of madness. She thinks she the chosen one of Lamashtu and is down there looking for something the Mother of Monster has charged her to find. She makes the goblins join her in the temple, as if she is some kind of priestess, I tried to keep myself busy during those times, it was not pretty. After her lover, Tsuto, returned from the raid on Sandpoint, she conducted a ritual with some bones he brought back. Her father's maybe, I am not sure but she sure has a sore spot for the town. Anyway after that she changed, physically, her left arm is now a demonic red claw. It goes well with the nasty scar on her belly that she proudly displays. It is a shame what she has done to herself for her goddess, with her silver hair and those gorgeous violet eyes you might even say she was born of an angel."
When Sophy comes to join them and pleads with him to stay he says, Sandpoint is charming and all, I passed through there a while back, but I am thinking they will not be to pleased with me after being with this lot. There is nothing for me back home and Magnimar brought me this trouble. I think I might head east and see what Korvosa has to offer." He takes a long look back at the stockade, his eyes going distant for a moment as his hand brushes the red welt on his neck where the mage's arcane bolt struck him. He seems hesitant to actually turn and stroll across the bridge.
Knowledge Planes
"People in Sandpoint might just accept you if they knew you'd helped rescue Ameiko," Kern says, heading over to Orik. "We'd certainly be grateful for your help."
Victor is caught by surprise as Sophy wakens. Thinking it nothing more than a quick nap, he listens while she and Kern plead for the man's help. "They are right. We would truly appreciate your help... um... what was your name? I guess I must have missed it."
Absolutely. If you can help us, we can certainly make the right introductions back in town. Believe me, if I can change my ways and walk a better path and be accepted, then anyone can!
Diplomacy aid another.
Orik eyes the group as they come and surround him, trying to encourage him to join them. He then sees Belril and says, "I am Orik Vancaskerkin... Look. I would love to help you out, but there is no reason for me to go and risk my neck in there, especialy with the little guy ready to stick a knife in my gut. I am not some righteous holy warrior with a code to avenge the poor and downtrodden. I will leave that to you all. I get paid to swing my sword. So unless you are ready to match what Naulia was paying, one gold piece a day, and promise that my personal effects abandoned in there are mine to claim...I am on my way. I will tell you this, east of that cursed temple at the end of a hallway there is a door with some kind of wriggly creature behind it. Lyrie..." He pauses very slightly at the mention of the woman's name and then continues, "lured some goblins in there once just to watch it eat. I have no idea what it is, but I suggest you stay away from there."
Hireling, Trained: The amount given is the typical daily wage for mercenary warriors, masons, craftsmen, cooks, scribes, teamsters, and other trained hirelings. This value represents a minimum wage; many such hirelings require significantly higher pay.
Sophy is a little taken aback by the reference to money under such circumstances but stammers, "I'm sure none of us would take anything that belongs to you. If we can succeed in freeing Ameiko, of course you can have back whatever that's yours that we find inside. But that would mean you'd have to stay here and wait for us. I'm afraid I don't have any coin to pay anyone with. I'm not getting paid myself." She remembers the one reward they did receive, the purse of platinum from the nobleman, and wishes she hadn't wasted it on the blue velvet dress and expensive earrings.
"Orik, I have two gold pieces to my name. They are yours if you help us take this fort. You can also have all your personal effects returned to you. If we are successful, and save Ameiko, I'll cut you in for another 20 gold, after we are able to sell all the weapons the goblins have been carrying," Wren negotiates with the man, pulling the two gold out, and tossing them to him, so he can tell how serious she was.
"I'll throw in an additional twenty...uh...just a sec," Kern says. He rummages quickly through a pouch and counts the coins he has. "Make that an additional 19 gold if we rescue Ameiko."
Maybe only Belril can see the calculations happening behind Orik's eyes but he smiles while taking the two coins from Wren. "This and forty more after rescuing the sister, deal. What now?"
"Well, I'm going to need 8 hours before being very helpful, but I doubt the rest of you are willing to wait for that. I think we are as healed up as we can get, so I suppose our course of action for right now is to open up those doors, and see what trouble we can get into." Anyone else have any better ideas?
Eponine shakes her head when Wren asks if anyone has better ideas.
Is there a roof over the area behind the doors or is it a courtyard? Could Eponine climb, drop on the other side and open them? Is there a gap between the doors wide enough for her to try and jimmy any lock or bar across it?
Victor shrugs. "No. Not me." He tests his bow, making sure the string is still taut. "I am ready as I will ever be. Let us go."
Sophy blushes unhappily as the others offer Orik their gold. She feels embarrassed not to open her own purse, but she is already so deeply in debt to Father Zantus. A quick check for the discarded wand's aura reveals that its magic has been totally drained. She picks up the slim baton unhappily and tucks it away, despite the fact that it's now worthless; returning it anyway, along with a promise to repay what is owed, seems more grateful than leaving it behind.
"Oh, my dagger," she remembers and starts to search through the bushes at the base of the tower where she last saw it flying.
The deal now struck with Orik, everyone prepares to follow after Tsuto and his minions to find Ameiko. Sophy takes a moment to eye the items Wren has collected from the goblin druid with her own arcane sight. Thirty minutes has passed since the fight ended and Belril eagerly leads you all into the stockade. Orik, pulls out his blade and takes a spot in the line near Sophy who upon seeing the weapon suddenly remembers her own. Darting over the piles of dead goblins she roots in the thickets and finds her dagger. Once everyone is ready, Belril pulls the doors open again and enters.
The floor of this room is hard-packed soil, as if the builders either ran out of lumber after building the walls and roof, or as if they simply never thought about building a floor. A number of poorly preserved horse and dog heads are mounted along the eastern wall, while along the southern wall hangs a pair of large batlike wings tacked to the wall with daggers. To the west a set of double doors is open reveling a short passageway to another set of open double doors that lead to a room under the tower. There is a closed door on the northern wall of the western passage. To the east a narrow hallway appears to head towards the other tower. The northern wall has several doors. The western most is open and the sunlight illuminates what appears to be a small courtyard. The middle doors are a closed set of double doors. Just past them, inside the eastern hallway, is another closed door on the northern wall.
Looking at the items, you feel your normal sight fade to the back as a more magically attuned vision moves to the fore. The wand is indeed magical, but you are unable to determine what exactly it does. The cloak is also magical, but it too seems to hide it's full nature from your magical eye. The armor is obviously magical, sized for a goblin it increases the protection the armor has on the wearer. The potions will will temporary allow the one who drinks them to take the form of a tree. As you look up you can also tell that the armor Orik wears is also magical.
Wand
Cloak
Armor
Green Potions
The description of the horrific dogs sounds familiar to you. As you remember your lessons, one about creatures from outside our own existence comes to mind. Yeth Hounds! They are evil outsiders that delight in hunting intelligent prey, harrying them with their frightful baying. They hunt only at night and fear the sun, never venture out in daylight. It is said that the gift of a yeth hound companion is sure sign of favor in the eyes of a demonic or divine patron.
As the group heads inside, Wren quickly gives them a warning about the magical hounds, Orik mentioned. "Yeth Hounds! They are evil outsiders that delight in hunting intelligent prey, harrying them with their frightful baying. They hunt only at night and fear the sun, never venture out in daylight. It is said that the gift of a yeth hound companion is sure sign of favor in the eyes of a demonic or divine patron. If this group is favored by demons, it's definitely not good."
Victor just shakes his head. "Great. Just great. Oh and look, more doors. Here we go again." Victor can't help but recall the last time they went into a building having to deal with goblins as well as other "interesting" creatures.
Sophy tentatively touches Victor and Kern's arms to get their attention as they enter the stockade. "Do you remember Father Tobyn's adopted daughter, the one who was so beautiful? I ... was always terrified of her, and Kern...," she trails off, as she remembers how the older boy was among those who played pranks on the girl whose supernatural beauty made her stand out, no matter how much she tried to blend in by wearing drab clothes and braiding her silver hair tightly under a cap. "I ... I think that's who he's talking about. Everyone said she died in the fire, but her name, and Mr. Vancaskerkin's description, and ... and what he said about stealing her father's bones...." She looks up at them in distress.
Before they go deeper in, Eponine will whisper in Kern's ear
"Naulia? That is the Naulia he speaks of? Nooo. She was so... good looking. Well, that and nice. It makes no sense. That is surprising."
Kern looks surprised as Sophy speaks to him. "Oh wow," he mutters. "I'd forgotten her. It's been so long since... I hope I didn't..." He trails off, looking concerned. He shakes his head and does his best to regain his composure.
As Eponine whispers in his ear, he nods, and whispers back with a smile.
"Naulia? That is the Naulia he speaks of? Nooo. She was so... good looking. Well, that and nice. It makes no sense. That is surprising."
"Well, she didn't really have any friends," Sophy reminds him. "All the girls were either jealous of her or afraid of her, and the boys...," she glances surreptitiously aside at Kern, "would do anything to get her attention. It wasn't just the children, either; I remember some of the old women used to follow her around town, saying she could cure warts with a touch or trying to clip off a lock of her hair for good luck or brewing medicinal tea. You remember she stopped going out at all for a while before the fires. It wasn't ... odd at the time," she falters, remembering the Late Unpleasantness; "so many things weren't ... normal then. But I suppose that's why everyone assumed she was killed when the old church burned; Father Tobyn said she was staying in her room and wouldn't come out...."
Victor ponders all of that for a moment. "I did not realize she was so... involved. I did not know her that well. It is amazing when you assume nothing terrible about a person, only realizing to late the darkness within. Truly a sad tale."
Sophy stumbles a little in her weariness and shrugs her pack off her shoulders. "I'm just too tired to carry this anymore," she sighs. "Do you think...? Is there somewhere safe to leave this?" she asks Orik. "Where the goblins won't steal it before we come back?"
"I will carry it for you, Sophy. Do not worry." He moves to retrieve her backpack from her.
Sophy blushes a little as Victor offers to carry her burden.
Orik takes the lead and heads directly to the eastern most door to the north. Opening it reveals a stairwell that heads down. (Upstairs Map.) He descends into the lower level as the rest of you follow. A single lantern hangs from a hook on the wall next to where the stairs enter this room from the north. Several rickety closed doors open into this room, and a few discarded dog pelt rugs lie forgotten in the northeast corner. (Downstaris Map.) Orik heads towards the western door without waiting.
"Remember, we are in and out. We get Ameiko, and then we head straight out of here. We can come back after resting up, if we want to explore the rest of this place," Wren reminds the others, feeling very self conscious about not having but a tiny bit of her normal power.
"You got it, Miss Wren." He nods as he looks back toward the front, waiting to see what lies behind the next door.
"Wait!" Sophy whispers ahead to Orik urgently. "What's in there? Just the cells, or is it anything ... dangerous?"
Orik hesitates upon hearing Sophy, "The prison is through here. The goblins do not have a jailer that I have seen, but who knows where Nualia and Tsuto are hiding. I already told you about the dogs, they are dangerous."
He opens the door and leads the group down a short hallway and through a second door into the next chamber. The southern wall of this room is a bank of cells with iron doors, six in all. The rest of the room is obviously a torture chamber; a rack sits against the far wall, an iron maiden stands to the north, and a fire pit smolders below a spiky cage dangling from a chain in the ceiling to the east. All the cells are empty except one. Inside it you recognize Ameiko, slumped against the wall with her eyes closed.
Two other doors exit north out of this room, but booth are closed. Belril is five feet from the the first and Victor is directly in front of the the second.
"They knew what we were coming for," Sophy whispers nervously. "Unless Tsuto's changed his mind and is willing to give her up...." She looks nervously at the two doors and even more unhappily back at the single staircase that is their only way out. "I'm taking my light back this way," she decides, turning around to backtrack toward the stairs. "If they come down behind us to cut us off, I'll try and give everyone a little warning."
Eponine crouches by the prison door. She checks it to make sure it is locked. Assuming it is, she checks it over quickly for any traps and then tries to pick the lock.
Perception
Disable Device
Eponine moves in front of the cell door and kneels down to inspect the lock while Sophy goes back down the short hall to maintain a lookout position. Eponine finds that the lock is ancient but still sturdy, confident it is not trapped she begins to work at it with her trade tools. Inside the cell Ameiko moans, barely conscious, "Tsuto? A large bruise covers half her face and her eye looked glazed over. After a few minutes everyone hears the stress releasing click of the lock sliding from the strike plate allowing the barred door to swing out.
Sophy slams the door and quickly retreats down the hallway. "They're coming! Tsuto and the mage! Between us and the stairs!" She looks at Orik without any real hope. "Is there no other way out?"
"C'mon Orik, time to earn your gold. Take us a different way out. Kern, Eppy, try to grab Ameiko if she needs help walking. Victor, get ready to cover us with arrows. We need to go now," Wren barks at the others.
Kern steps into the cell to take Ameiko's arm. "Not Tsuto," he says quietly. "We're friends here to rescue you." If she doesn't resist, he'll help her to stand. If she's too weak to stand, even with support, he'll carry her.
As Kern grabs Ameiko, Wren shuts the door nearest to her, hoping to slow down any pursuit that will surely be forthcoming. "Anyone have any caltrops on them," she asks hopefully.