Know (local)-Allevrah
Kaylayne wants to shake Lief, both for his unspeakable arrogance but also for being somewhat right, and shake the Queen for not having time to explain things that may help them stay alive and succeed. If the trip down to the Drowlands had proven anything, its that information could be useful. For the Queen to walk away when there are so many questions unanswered sends angry shivers down her spine.
Shaking her head as if she has no choice (or a choice that she refuses to fight), she moves to the room with the prisoner.
She looks at the Other Kaylayne, who waits by the curtain, beckoning her forward. Kaylayne shakes her head at the Other Kaylayne as well.
Ederin hesitates. The option to go home is there, right in front of him, and he takes a single step toward that direction before an eagle's screech fills his ears and the visions of a burning Riddleport flash once again through his mind.
His hands ball into fists and his jaw clenches tight, and he turns and follows Kaylayne toward the prisoner, hoping that all of his friends follow them in, but promising himself he won't pass judgement if they leave.
"I'll try not to anyway." He mutters under his breath.
Visibly torn and ready to have this end, Dimitrio hesitates.
He wants to go home and pretend everything is ok. But in his heart, he knew that this was like covering up with a blanket when there were real monsters under the bed.
He steps with Shorty and Layne, "Is this ever going to end?"
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"...though I cannot promise the Council will leave you alone with the knowledge you already possess.”
For what little information they have regarding the Winter Council, Lief still can not argue that the Council struck once. His paranoia fully honed, he begins to think on how he will possibly defend himself or others against a faceless, powerful cabal.
Watching the Queen head towards the doors, while his companions head towards the curtain, Lief gathers his things, and joins his companions. She gave us nothing. Not a name, even of the succubus. 'Head that way, over there, where you know nothing of where you go'. 'Trust me'. Heading into the Underdark was a more reasonable task. This. This feels like pure chance.
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Allarnon skips close to Lief. "How do we not know she is the succubus leading us to our deaths?"
He grows ever more nervous and frightful of the unknown as he travels through the veil.
Oh what he would give to go home, but he will not disappoint his Elders and give up on his pilgrimage just because it is a difficult one.
The Queen departs as quickly as she came, leaving rather more questions than answers for the group. Feeling quite in the lurch, you have two choices, depart back out the doors following the Queen, or enter through the curtain.
There does not appear to be any rush for you to proceed (just for the Queen to depart), and Kaylayne tells you there are no scry sensors here.
Lief's ramped-up paranoia is in no way lessened when Allarnon poses a very real possibility. "I have to believe that doppelgangers are all but a myth in Iadara, let alone the palace. Magics strong enough to detect any threat, and powerful enough to reveal imposters. Still, if the Queen is not a succubus herself, and we can trust her word for what lies through the curtain, there is a succubus waiting to lead us to our deaths, if we are unlucky here."
Lief begins to don his armor, before walking through the curtain. When he's ready, he is not the first to pass through. He waits, trying to suppress all the reasonable, cautionary axioms that continue to roll through his head, all the points that he needs to ignore for now, in order to take the plunge into a different darkness.
Dimitrio smirked, "Well, if our minds are made up as they appear to be there's no sense in delaying this."
He made sure he had all his gear in place, "C'mon. Follow me. I'm sure being miles under the sun and sky in a society where evil was celebrated can't be any worse than this."
He scoffed, "Hell, at least these elves like music..."
Dimitrio then stepped through the veil.
Dopplegangers? Those are a myth, like mind flayers, beholders, & slaad. The kid has been reading too many weird books.
With her armor on, Kaylayne parts the curtain and enters to see her first succubus.
She has neither questions for others, nor answers for whatever they may ask. All the answers to any question starts with the demonkin, and mostly out of Kaylayne's control.
Ederin finishes strapping on his own armor as the others talk. He's relieved to see Lief has followed them all despite his hesitations. When Dimitrio beckons everyone to follow him, he does, bow in hand, wondering exactly what a succubus could provide them with.
You all pass through the curtain into the large chamber beyond. Luxurious tapestries hang suspended from slim marble pillars, many of which are tied back to give the room an airy, open feeling. Light filters in from an opening in the ceiling, and softly glowing lanterns hang from several of the pillars. The center of the room is a wide common area, decorated with potted plants and a large pool and fountain burbling in the exact center of the room. Entrances to four smaller chambers mostly closed by thick green curtains surround the larger central area.
Kaylayne turns to the others, making the gesture that signals scrying. She makes it again so that others are aware of the 'issue'.
She casts Detect Magic, and looks around the area. She takes her time to identify auras in the room.
"Let's check the side chambers."
Lief doesn't migrate from the Curtain, assessing what he thinks he knows, and what he knows he doesn't.
As the succubus has been described as a prisoner, Lief immediately turns around, and tries to walk back out through the Curtain they just stepped through.
Lief turns back and calls out.
Tanglebriar is a section of the elven country to the south of your current position quite some ways away. One problem, it’s supposedly overrun by demons…
You’ve never heard of Thorn’s End, but from context it’s a settlement, manor house, or the like. Something small and unknown.
Succubus are CE Medium outsider (chaotic, demon, evil, extraplanar) beings. You get one additional question.
- - -
There is no response to Lief’s call.
The party lead by Kaylayne begins to examine the side chambers. The first three are empty though spacious with several large comfortable beds in two, while the third is a combination kitchen and dining hall for up to a dozen. As is typical of the elves, the sideboard is loaded with food and fine wine. Looks delectable.
In fact the chambers are so nice and relaxing, it seems a good place to spend a few days resting and preparing for the next steps, whatever that may be.
You could spend hours just disbelieving. In fact, you can no longer find the entrance - it’s just behind one of the curtains somewhere, but not immediately visible.
Mixed in with the Illusions, are a few more unsettling auras (enchantment and abjuration), but you must first pierce the veil of illusion to learn more…
- - -
The group moves on to the fourth chamber, which seems to be a sort of sitting room/lounge. Within is a young elven woman (link) looking sorrowful. She pays you no attention, and seems to be engrossed in some thought or other. She barely looks up at all when you enter and casually looks away.
Lief sets himself to find the separation in the Curtain.
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Allarnon is awestruck with the woman's beauty, as he finds his heart to be pounding. Licking his hands he pulls the thickest strands of hair out of his face and straightens his eyebrows. The woman's beauty makes him completely forget anything about a succubus.
Grabbing the front of his shirt he fans his cloths. A waft of sweat and the extreme smell of week old bear fill the small chamber as loose fur flies all about. He clears his throat and approaches the young elven woman.
"Hey! The queen bring you here for safe-keeping also? My name is Allarnon. Who are you?" He sits down beside her.
Lief is seen fumbling around in the curtains, but why you cannot fathom. Meanwhile Allarnon approaches the woman who more or less completely ignores him. Her nose twitches a little, but she doesn't seem to really take you in.
That said you seem to have little interest in actually leaving. There are far more important things going on inside - and it's so nice there, unlike the cold cruel world outside. Will save to walk back out please...
Lief marks the entry, displeased that it wasn't always obvious.
Dimitrio is wary of the elven girl and waits to see what response Allarnon gets from her.
He keeps detecting magic and wondering whether this place is real after all.
You failed the save and have no interest in leaving.
Succubus- 1 question: Special abilities?
Lief returns, finding the group surrounding what appears to be an elven woman. Having seen no one other than this person, Lief deduces appropriately.
"So, we've found the succubus? Not very engaging, is she?" Lief watches as Allarnon gets nothing but a wrinkled nose from the creature, so pulls a gold sail, and tosses it into her lap. "Do we need to seduce you back, to get your attention?"
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The archer snorts at Lief. "Not off to a great start then." He eye's the elven woman suspiciously, and a little angrily, given she is their only lead for whatever the hell it was they were supposed to be doing.
"Look, you can sit an' ignore us all day lass, and I can sit an' look at you. You're nice lookin' enough for that too, but we don't have the time. You know about the Winter Council, time to tell us."
He speaks firmly, glaring as he does, hoping to get some reaction from the woman.
Kaylayne pauses, examining each and every aura as much as she can. She shakes her head, trying to count, let alone understand ALL the auras.
"There are so many. So many. Layers of illusion upon illusion in here..." Kaylayne says as she looks around. "I cannot even begin to unravel one of them, let alone many of them. There are so many. Trust nothing you see here. Trust nothing that you touch...I'm not sure what is real and what is not."
Kaylayne can only be awed as she tries to think of a way to sense the truth of things.
Maybe if I gouge out my own eyes? That might work.
"I do not have the magical training needed here. But trust nothing."
My gods. There is more untruth here than what we saw with the drow.
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Dimitrio remembered the book and the Quasit's Promise in which an elven princess make an alliance with a quasit and then escapes a prison, even though the quasit betrayed her.
It was a parable very similar to what was told by Varisians around a campfire.
This tale involves a turtle and a scorpion.
Dimitrio related that to the others...
A scorpion wanted to cross the river so asks a turtle if he can ride on her back. The turtle refused saying that the scorpion would just sting her when she was busy crossing the river. The scorpion denied this saying that it would be silly for him to do that since it would mean that he also would drown. Convinced of his reasoning, the turtle agreed.
Sure enough, when they were in the middle of the river, the scorpion stung the turtle and they both started sinking to their deaths. When the turtle asked him why he did that, the scorpion replied that 'it was in his nature to do so'.
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Dimitrio scoffed, "So a similar tale but with a different outcome but the warning is there. Let's be careful when dealing with a demon lest we too sink to the bottom of the river."
"So, we've found the succubus? Not very engaging, is she?" Lief watches as Allarnon gets nothing but a wrinkled nose from the creature, so pulls a gold sail, and tosses it into her lap. "Do we need to seduce you back, to get your attention?"
When the gold lands in her lap, her head jerks up. She looks very confused, and then, carefully, reaches out with her hand and ruffles, gently, some of Allarnon's fur, in the most pleasant way.
"By Callistria, you are real!" she weeps openly.
When she has sufficiently pulled herself together, she says, "You're not elves, so you must be prisoners here too!"
She takes a deep shuddering breath, "I am Quilindra, and the passage of time is a little fuzzy here. What day is it? What year is it?"
Kaylayne realizes that she is ill equipped to handle the threats (both real and illusionary) in this room. Rather than overtly fight (and knowing there is work to be done here), Kaylayne draws a chair and sits. She listens to the words of Quilindra, trying to focus on piercing the veils of illusion and lies one by one.
While others interrogate, Kaylayne will weigh and judge the meanings as best she can.
Sense Motive
Sense Motive
Sense Motive
Sense Motive
Lief informs Quilindra of the day and the year, waiting until she's processed however long she's been with the elves. "From this knowledge, can you deduce how long you've been imprisoned here? We are not prisoners, ourselves, but have been encouraged to gain an audience with you. We need help infiltrating Thorn's End in Tanglebriar, and we have been led to believe that you are quite capable of facilitating our entrance. We understand your nature, succubus, and will avoid any draining of our energy, through acts of passion." Lief looks at his companions levelly. "Also, your profane gift. None of us will be accepting that either. Now, are you ready to talk?"
acts of passion?
Bedding a drow wench didn't work out so well for Dimitrio. Although he did remember a certain lap dance with fondness.
Was this girl the demon? Could this be the break he's looking for?
He bid his time and made a mental note to ask Lief what he meant by 'profane gift'. It sounded exciting.
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Lief informs Quilindra of the day and the year, waiting until she's processed however long she's been with the elves. "From this knowledge, can you deduce how long you've been imprisoned here? We are not prisoners, ourselves, but have been encouraged to gain an audience with you.“
She turns her eyes down and bats her long lashes at Lief, ”A few months now apparently. At least the prison has certain comforts. But not all.” she slides up to Lief and tousles his hair. ”You’re not prisoners? So you can come and go as you please? Well then, perhaps you can help me - for I am a prisoner here, and have every intention of getting out someday, though these magics are beyond me.” she pouts.
"A few months now apparently. At least the prison has certain comforts. But not all."
Lief steps back, uneasy with the demon's shift in position. He yelps when he's actually touched. "NO! No touching, succubus! You will keep your hands to yourself. We have plenty of time to talk, to understand the nature of this Chamber, but you are going nowhere. Fantasize all you'd like about leaving, as foolish as that sounds. Now, please entertain us with the story of how you ended up being captured by the elves. Hopefully you have learned your lesson."
Kaylayne continues to listen and tries to things that are discordant.
Sense Motive
Sense Motive
Sense Motive
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Allarnon whips his head around. "Lief! Be nice! She is a prisoner here as much as we are. She ain't no demon. Do you see horns? Wings? Hooves? Fire, Brimestone and smoke? No. She is just a beautiful woman looking for answers."
Allarnon's face turns a bright crimson as his eyes glance over. He liked it when she ran her hand through his hair as she didn't seem perturbed by his uncleanliness and greasy demeanor.
He holds his hand out to hers. "I apologize for his actions. Name is Allarnon. Nice to meet you Quilindra."
If she holds her hand out to shake Allarnon calmly grasps it and gives it a good lick as is only customary.
"Allarnon, make no mistake about what that is. Its very nature is deception and enticement. If you succ-umb, you only have yourself to blame, because you have been forewarned numerous times. You have no place to apologize for my actions."
Lief distances himself from further molestation, and grimaces as Allarnon loosens his loins over the she-demon.
"Well, we ain't prisoners here Al, so there's that." Ederin frowns considering what to do about the situation. He knows he shouldn't trust the young woman, but she certainly seems sincere on the surface.
He finds himself mildly jealous at the affections given to Lief and frowns further still. "Locked in here for a reason, yeah? What kinda trouble got you in here? Fancylads ain't too keen on us to begin with, I ain't so sure we can just let you scarper an' not catch some heat for it too."
"Still 'avn't answered my question 'bout the Winter Council either."
He holds his hand out to hers. "I apologize for his actions. Name is Allarnon. Nice to meet you Quilindra."
If she holds her hand out to shake Allarnon calmly grasps it and gives it a good lick as is only customary.
She shakes your hand lightly and giggles when you lick it. "Tickles!" she says with delight.
"Well, we ain't prisoners here Al, so there's that." Ederin frowns considering what to do about the situation. He knows he shouldn't trust the young woman, but she certainly seems sincere on the surface.
He finds himself mildly jealous at the affections given to Lief and frowns further still. "Locked in here for a reason, yeah? What kinda trouble got you in here? Fancylads ain't too keen on us to begin with, I ain't so sure we can just let you scarper an' not catch some heat for it too."
"Still 'avn't answered my question 'bout the Winter Council either."
"Oh, it's just too much really! My fiancee was killed by them, the corrupt beasts!" Quilindra explains that she learned about the Winter Council after her betrothed died under mysterious circumstances while voicing doubts about the appointment of Villastir to the post of Royal Chamberlain.
She used her skills as a bard, ("I just love to tell stories, don't you?") to infiltrate the chamberlain’s quarters, and found evidence revealing that Villastir took his orders directly from the Winter Council. She wasn’t able to usefully carry away any of the documents she found as there were pesky troops on the way due to some alarm or other, but she did manage to memorize a map that indicated the Winter Council had a secret headquarters called Thorn’s End in Tanglebriar, and that by using several elf gates one could navigate the route with some speed.
As she speaks, Quilindra grows more and more excited, pointing out that with your aid, she can certainly not only escape this prison but can make her way to Thorn’s End to confront the Winter Council. She glances at the flashy Dimitrio, "You will help me won't you?" then turns to the entire group, "Won't you?"
She glances at the flashy Dimitrio, "You will help me won't you?" then turns to the entire group, "Won't you?"
This was more like it. The damsel in distress seeks out the good-looking hero.
Dimitrio nodded vigorously, "Of course, I'll help you. In fact, we're going to Thorn's End ourselves, aren't we?"
He looked at the group, "We could probably escort her there, right?"
"Well, she did say that she's been here for months. I suggest we get comfortable, at least, and come to an understanding with this succubus, so our heads remain clear about her nature."
Ederin shakes his head while he thinks about the situation.
"Startin' to wonder if she ain't the succubus." He mutters out loud just before Quillindra divulges much of the information they need.
"Might as well give this a shot. Ain't exactly easy for me to get lost, so if she leads us the wrong way I can always get us back, we're more an' capable of handling her if she tries to give us the slip or attack us."
He shrugs and looks at everyone else in the party. "And we've got nothing else to go on. I don't like it, but we might as well let her guide us to the Tanglebriar."
"Ederin. Friend. Haven't we examined each and every partition of this Chamber? Didn't the Queen inform us that there would be a succubus prisoner waiting beyond the Curtain? Have you met anyone other than Quilindra in here, not of our group? Keep your head clear. All of you. Quilindra is the succubus. Stop speculating, already."
Clearly tired of educating his associates, Lief finds the nearest couch, and drops into it, before checking his Bag, and pulls from it a decently-titled book, and begins to read.
Kaylayne continues to sit and listen. She has no questions of her own yet, but is trying to get the measure of this 'elf'.
"Yes, I think we do want to get to Thorn's End."
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"Ederin. Friend. Haven't we examined each and every partition of this Chamber? Didn't the Queen inform us that there would be a succubus prisoner waiting beyond the Curtain? Have you met anyone other than Quilindra in here, not of our group? Keep your head clear. All of you. Quilindra is the succubus. Stop speculating, already."
Clearly tired of educating his associates, Lief finds the nearest couch, and drops into it, before checking his Bag, and pulls from it a decently-titled book, and begins to read.
"Though you are also speculating. What proof do you have that she is a succubus besides what the child queen said. She took our story as nothing more than one of the fairy tales the Elders used to say as a child."
Allarnon looks to the elven maiden with apologetic eyes. "I have touched her and she me and nothing bad has come of it. Quit being rude and let's clear this up."
Turning he sits next to her once again. "Would you mind escorting us to this Thorn's End?"
"By your logic, Allarnon, we should have abandoned Iadara altogether. Thorn's End could be another one of the Queen's fairy tales... oh wait. Quilindra here just backed the Queen's story, since she herself knows of Tanglebriar. So confusing. Who to believe." Lief doesn't bother to look up from his book.
Dimitrio nodded vigorously, "Of course, I'll help you. In fact, we're going to Thorn's End ourselves, aren't we?"
He looked at the group, "We could probably escort her there, right?"
She looks hopeful and very nearly claps her hands with glee.
"Might as well give this a shot. Ain't exactly easy for me to get lost, so if she leads us the wrong way I can always get us back, we're more an' capable of handling her if she tries to give us the slip or attack us."
He shrugs and looks at everyone else in the party. "And we've got nothing else to go on. I don't like it, but we might as well let her guide us to the Tanglebriar."
”…oh I’d never do that.” she says breathlessly.
"Yes, I think we do want to get to Thorn's End."
She smiles demurely at Kaylayne and nods.
Turning he sits next to her once again. "Would you mind escorting us to this Thorn's End?"
”Of course I will!” she jumps up off her seat and bounces.
”The first thing we have to do is get free of this prison. Damn illusions everywhere, I can never find the door.” she starts looking for the door, but is clearly having trouble amid all the sashes and curtains.
"The exit is right there. It's not going anywhere." Lief flicks his head towards the Curtain, but keeps his book propped for optimal lighting.
"Ederin. Friend. Haven't we examined each and every partition of this Chamber? Didn't the Queen inform us that there would be a succubus prisoner waiting beyond the Curtain? Have you met anyone other than Quilindra in here, not of our group? Keep your head clear. All of you. Quilindra is the succubus. Stop speculating, already."
Clearly tired of educating his associates, Lief finds the nearest couch, and drops into it, before checking his Bag, and pulls from it a decently-titled book, and begins to read.
"Right, didn't realize only you was allowed to think out loud mate." Ederin says with a snort as he rolls his eyes. "An' if I ain't mistaken, Kay checked the rest o' this place. Didn't she? What are you expectin' to find exactly?" He tries to be gentle, but Lief's superiority complex is shining through particularly strong at the moment and it's ruffled the small mans feathers.
Ederin turns to find the exit but makes absolutely no progress what-so-ever. After becoming tangled in a number of curtains he grows increasingly aggravated and after a string of expletives he gives up.
"Oh, you don't need my permission for that, though it does Allarnon no good when you suggest that Quilindra might not be a succubus. Look at him. He's already twitterpated." Lief only returns to his book when he's sure Ederin's offered a glance in Allarnon's direction.
Growing frustrated by not being able to find the exit, Dimitrio asked Lief, "So what's your plan? How long until you finish the book and we can all get out of there? I doubt we'll be able to do much good inside this place. And frankly, I'm not planning on staying here."