Yes, lets just start just start kidnapping and torturing priests. I personally would rather not start a religious war, thank you. Especially with guys who purged entire sentient species from the lands. Othan makes it very clear that he will not have anything to do with this crazy idea.
Othan doesn't actually oppose killing members of the silver flame, he considers them genocidal for slaughtering his distant relatives all those years ago. But kidnapping priests is a bad idea.
Interesting...as far as I know, the Dark Flame is an enemy of the Silver flame. Perhaps I am simply not as versed in the mythology as this cleric, or perhaps he has knowledge which the Eyes do not. Or maybe he is truly crazed. After all, if it were truly some secret lore he knew, why would he be revealing it out loud in the presence of an agent of a government he does not trust, and a follower of a faith he claims to oppose? Wouldn't he want to keep it a secret?
"Let us calm down. There are some unanswered questions. First, are there any hidden rooms or passages in this temple? I do not see any, but perhaps you would know if a temple of blood would be expected to have hidden rooms, or underground rooms. If there are any, then the problem may be greater than it appears.
In any case, we must decide what to do with the building. It seems wasteful to leave it abandoned. On the other hand, I do not believe it wise to turn it over to the hierarchy of the Blood of Vol, as they would be deeply suspicious of anything given or told to them by a group such as ours. It may lead to a line of questioning about why such a group would be working together, and I do not want to attract unnecessary attention."
We need not storm the church to get at the priests themselves Othan, I have a better plan in mind. For their is one thing that will lure the priests out with ease. Well assuming they are male and not too old that is...
As for any secrets rooms, their may be a basement and a few compartments scattered throughout the walls. However this temple is too small for anything other then that to have been included in it's construction. Unless those secret rooms and passages were here before the temple was built, it is best that we make sure. For I do not want a lack of information to doom us later on. As for your concerns about the Blood repossesing this temple you need not worry, bringing a few captured Silver Flame priests will show that are intentions our pure.
We need not storm the church to get at the priests themselves Othan, I have a better plan in mind. For their is one thing that will lure the priests out with ease. Well assuming they are male and not too old that is...
As for any secrets rooms, their may be a basement and a few compartments scattered throughout the walls. However this temple is too small for anything other then that to have been included in it's construction. Unless those secret rooms and passages were here before the temple was built, it is best that we make sure. For I do not want a lack of information to doom us later on. As for your concerns about the Blood repossesing this temple you need not worry, bringing a few captured Silver Flame priests will show that are intentions our pure.
"Do you...," Xov was startled,"do you honestly believe you would be able to convince this group, including Kyndril, to aid you in some scheme to kidnap priests of the Silver Flame? I don't think anyone here is intent on doing such a thing."
"I'm with Othan on this one. I don't want to get mixed up in your holy war, red man. You presume too much of my obligations to you. Let's clean this mess up and be done with it."
Danir finds himself summoning every last ounce of willpower he has to resist the urge to strike the insane cultist of Vol that had thus far been the source of all of the group's problems...
"Essar, the purges of the past, and your delusions aside, the Silver Flame does NOT summon the undead- this was more likely a purge from within the Blood of Vol themselves. I am no follower of the Flame but do not be mistaken about this- if you lay hands on the priests of the Flame in this town, the next skull I smash with my morningstar will be yours."
It is the only way I see to get the required information unless one of you can provide a more efficent solution. If you can however I am all ears, but whatever method you propose it must be quick. As the Flame even as we speak may be fielding more agents of this sort to strike at Blood temples. Information is key and I don't have enough of it to pinpoint what is happening.
And would you not want answers if a temple of the Sovereign Host was violated like this by the Silver Flame? I think we both know the answer to that question. Also remember Danir that if the Blood falls then the Flame will focus it's efforts on the Dark Six and when they fall there is only one target left for their crusade against all who are not of the Silver Flame...
"What you are forgetting is that I do not care if they are attacking the blood. I simply do not. I am headed back to shop. Do whatever you want here, but I am catching the train to Sharn, Blood-Flame feud be damned."
"As am I, I waste no more time on Essar's paranoia."
Danir walk back with Ebran once we've made sure the temple holds nothing else.
I would advise all of you except for Othan to leave me here then, I will see what can be found out and meet you in Sharn. I'll need Othan in the scenario that this place may have been built on catacombs of some sort or another. Once we are certain this place has given up all of it's secrets I then will head to Sharn's temple of the Blood. Do not attempt to meet me at the Blood temple itself however, as it is only for members of the Blood and those who have done right by the Blood.
Kyndril rolls his eyes, then starts laughing. There's little else to do, after all, at the priest's rampant paranoia.
"Sorry. But yes, the others are correct. No one here cares about your paranoid delusions, though I'm sorry you continue to be haunted by them."
A look of pity comes to the half-elf's eyes, before he turns and leaves the defiled Church, following Danir and Ebran as he wonders whether all Seekers are like this, and if they are, how they manage to gain any converts, save by the sword. He snorts, shaking his head. Flame help him, but the man seemed a trifle confused on the matter of the Silver Flame's chief tenant in conversions: force did nothing. After all, if they did not truly desire goodness, it was not worth forcing it upon them.
Good luck with searching Essar, but I am not wondering around alone with you espcially in an area you know well and I have no familiarity with.
to everyone
So when are we leaving for Sharn?
"I would like to get some trail rations, for I have no intention of being caught hungry without food. Other than that I have nothing left to do before going to Sharn"
"Well if we go by lightning rail, which costs us nothing we can eat on the train, or would you all prefer adventuring our way there?"
"I suggest we do at least alert the priests of the Silver Flame and the Host of this occurrence, though. It may be an isolated incident, or someone may be trying to take advantage of idiots like our red priest, and forment war between our respective faiths. I would like you two to accompany me, if that is alright with you." Kyndril looks to Danir, then Ebran. "Or at least the authorities of Crossroads."
Kyndril frowns, thinking of everything he knows of the Dark Flame heresy.
"I know we can eat on the train, but this is still a nice opportunity to get supplies for any unexpected events later."
He sighed.
"Maybe we should alert agents of the Flame. However, they may raise questions about how we found it in the first place--which we could not truthfully answer without explaining how we were working with each other and with Essar. Perhaps...okay, I'll go with you. But be warned that we may need to lie a bit to avoid revealing national secrets. "
"We could wait until we get to Sharn and when you contact the Church to find out how your mother is, you could also advise them of the possible Dark Flame temple- I would suggest you just tell them that we happened to be in Croosroads and the thing burst free of the temple so we stepped in and dealt with it- that way you don't really need to lie but it covers up the details we don't want known, sound reasonable?"
"Agreed. It would be wise to say that we simply happened along at a fortuitous time, yes? It's the truth, more or less." He pauses, then nods. "Yes. I do not wish to point fingers at innocent Purified, but the fact is, the Church here could be part of the Dark Flame that ravaged this... place." Kyndril glances back towards the Blood church. "So I will wait until we get to Sharn."
"Okay then. I shall go purchase supplies, and meet you at the lightning rail station."
Xov walks off, he attempts to purchase:
5 days worth of trail rations (2 g, 5 sp)
1 pair of scissors
He then heads towards the lightning rail.
Danir goes off to find and purchase anything off his shopping list that he was not able to get earlier due to this interruption.
Othan if you would, I need a chunk from one of the pews. As I'll need to take samples so that what happened here can divined at a later date. Also while in Sharn I need you to perform a job for me, it doesn't even involve combat just a little bit of recon.
Othan is on his way to the lightning rail station
Essar began muttering to himself in Infernal, the prefered lauguage used to code Blood documents and letters.
Essar examined the Blood icon just above the door and gently began feeling it with his hands.
perception check to find a compartment in the icon,
When Xov finds Othan, he tries to speak to him privately:
"I need a locket of Essar's hair. I could probably get it from him myself, but...I don't want him to know I have it. He seems to put more trust in you, for some reason. If you can get me a locket of Essar's hair, without him finding out what it is for, I'll give you some gold..."
Once Danir gets everything that he needs, he actually gathers the 4 others and makes an offer to them.
"I would be happy to help shoulder the cost of your lab, magic items are very useful."
"To clarify, are we speaking of magical items, such as those famed in your... family, or merely alchemical items, such as alchemist's fire, and so on. I am willing to throw a few galifars at it anyways, but I am curious." Kyndril avoids mentioning House Cannith by name.
"Alchemical items such as Alchemist's Fire or Frost or Spark, Tnaglefoot Bags, acid, Sunrods, smokesticks, etc. I am also able to currently scribe Scrolls as well. I am also curious what languages we all speak- it would be beneficial to be able to converse with one another in languages other than just the common tongue."
I will also contribute.
I speak the tongue of the elves in addition to common
"I am well versed in Undercommon and Elven"
replies Xov.
"I can throw a few your way. Also I speak Elven, like most others here, it seems."
"Elven, a bit of Goblin, from mercenaries, you understand, and a few words of Celestial." Kyndril scratches his scar absently. Flame help him, but those mercenaries had been vicious bastards, but had more honor than some of his supposed comrades.
"And I speak Draconic, Elven, Giant, and Gnome in addition to Common- so we all have Elven in common- good to know. The Lab was 200 Galifars to purchase but since it is something I would need anyways I feel I should pay half the cost- could the 4 of you cover the other 100 Galifars, or is that too great a cost right now?"
|
Essar began muttering to himself in Infernal, the prefered lauguage used to code Blood documents and letters.** spoiler omitted **
Essar examined the Blood icon just above the door and gently began feeling it with his hands. ** spoiler omitted **
perception check to find a compartment in the icon, 1d20+5
you did find something. a compartment.
"I have plenty of gold available, that is fine."
He paused, then turned to Kyndril:
"Goblin, interesting. My I inquire how you interacted with these mercenaries? I am curious"
"Yeah, 25 galifars is the cost of many common alchemical items. I can contribute that much."
Essar went over to the floor around to the altar and got on his hands and knees feeling for a slight depression in the ground...
perception check to find a trapdoor,
"So, it sounds like we are all ready to leave."
...
*sigh*
"I hate to say it, but we should probably go and fetch Essar. He is..difficult, but we were commanded to try to work together. He said he would meet us in Sharn, but...well, I don't really trust him. I'm worried that he'll try to betray us if left to his own devices. I'll go get him...maybe a couple people should come with me. Besides, I still need to get a piece of Essran's hair."
"So Xov and Ebran are ok with 25 Galifars- how about you Othan, and you Kyndril?"
Danir considers Xov's plan, "I think you're right that we need to keep him with us, but in the case he will not willingly come what shall we do?"
"If he refuses to cooperate, then...we'll figure something out. I've had to work with difficult allies before. Let's go."
He starts walking back towards the temple.
Kyndril shrugs in response to Xov's question, offering a small smile to the drow.
"I can contribute the same as Ebran. And yes, we should fetch the poor madman... and maybe get him some help from the Houses of Healing. Not that it would help... Well, it's either take him with us, or find some way to send him to Dreadhold." He laughs at himself. "Let us go, then."
Essar cursed silently at the lack of journals he packed what he had found into the pockets that were inside his robes and made his way out of the temple. He hurried quickly towards the Lightning Rail hopefully he could arrange to get a seat that was not with the rest of them...