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"We were told the chains move by themselves. I would guess they are magical..." Samaeon casts a spell to detect magic to confirm this information. "If they are, and are meant to restrain rather then injure, I may have a spell that can aid one of us in slipping through to release the prisoners. Is anyone skilled at slipping bonds and restraints?"
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"It's not my specialty, but I have some talent in squeezing through small spaces."
"Is there a storeroom or somewhere else that these crystals are stored? It looks like those chains would make a lot of noise if they were accidentally triggered, plus it would allow us to communicate with our newly freed friends in peace to plan our escape thereafter."
The second document is a twine-bound set of instructions for activating the prison’s soundproofing mechanism. The manual notes that the prisms emit light when active, and they create a wall of magical...
The chains hanging about the room are spiked in places with small nails, as if meant to swing about and cause injury to anyone in the room....
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The Mother smiles cruelly as she is praised by Atanxi. "Finally, you are recognizing my superior intellect." she says to the man as she thinks on the matter.
She looks around the room for levers or any apparent way to control the chains. "Hmmm... Try slotting in the prisms around the room." she recommends to the rest of the party.
The chains start whipping around, hitting not only the Son and Zahaz but also the prisoners...
The chains around Zephiro and two of the other prisoners tied around the central pillar begin to tighten and all three let out a sickening groan. The fourth looks quite beaten up but hasn't been hit or squeezed yet.
The chains are dangling about the room, down to the floor. It seems any contact with them sets them off randomly, although the whole room doesn't whip about at the same time.
The Dandy Hobo tries to help Zephiro out but the chains are holding him tight to the central statue behind him. It seems the device will either need to be stopped-and Atanxi has not yet found the off switch-or they will need to be broken. Zahaz tries to break them free of the statue and Zephiro stumbles forward but the other three prisoners are still lashed tight.
Again the chains in the back corner don't seem to be hurting the prisoner over there but the chains in your part of the room are still swinging about.
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As Atanxi looks about the room, one of the chains catches him in the side of the head as it whips about. He falls to the floor, stunned as his head begins to scream in pain.
He shakily stands, holding his bleeding head and continues to look around for someway to lower the chains.
My dagger isn't going to do much and I would rather not charge all of these chains with electricity.....
Zahaz smashes the second chain on Zephiro and the man comes completely free! He is quite damage and sickened from his captivity but still alive.
Atanxi and the Hobo move the other way and Atanxi thinks he spots a way to unhook the chain, if only he had the skill to do it!
Luckily, the chains near Atanxi and the Hobo do not move just now and it seems that by smashing up the statue Zahaz has disabled the mechanism in the southwestern part of the room.
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The Son rematerializes once the chain passes through him harmlessly. "I will take him. " he says with a bow.
He deftly moves to the fallen Zefiro and drags him out towards his Mother. "He is retrieved, Mother. "
-Posted with Wayfinder
Moving to the second prisoner, Zahaz breaks the first chain free of the statue and Atanxi chips away at the stone around the second one.
Eventually, after getting hit a few more times, the party manages to pull Zefiro and the three Bellflower prisoners out of the interrogation room and into the hallway.
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"How do you lot want to do this?" asks the Mother. "Perhaps we can give these four some of those red cards we saw on the other prisoners and walk them out?" she suggests.
"Either that or we just walk them out as we have pretty much poisoned or knocked out all the guards." she says with a smile, letting her finger drift along the sharp blade hanging at her side.
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"Would someone heal this berk?" Zahaz gestures at Zephiro. "Before we give this place the laugh and make our grand escape, otherwise known as strolling out the front door, I think we should make sure that he hasn't left his wallet or keys, or perhaps a damning confession, behind."
Samaeon shuffles forth with his wand of infernal healing and applies it to the wounded.
Tamrin’s distraction provides you sufficient time to accomplish their goals inside the Bloody Nail, but it is not effective enough to afford you a clean getaway. Krima, unfortunately, does not know another way out and suggests that you bring the prisoners along and make a break for the streets as quickly as possible.
As soon as you exit the Bloody Nail, you spot the interrogator and his entourage on their way back to the prison, heading towards the door. Tamrin tags along behind, delaying the guards as best he can without blowing his cover; however, he is visibly reluctant to return to the site. The best he can do is draw the interrogator’s attention when he sees you at the door so that you and the prisoners you rescued can make a break for freedom through Ostenso’s streets.
In order to escape Ostenso, you must make your way to the rendezvous point at the southern docks before the interrogator mobilizes the guards to apprehend you and the escaped prisoners. Fortunately the Loyalty Day festivities are still in full swing, providing you ample opportunity to sow chaos throughout the celebrations and, by doing so, delay law enforcement’s pursuit.
Just ahead, group of Asmodean priests distributes free
food to pedestrians, emphasizing it as House Thrune’s
gift to the loyal.
Zahaz and Atanxi start stealing food while Samaeon flits from patron to patron, hoping to find some generosity. This only causes the lines to turn into a mob trying to get the food before anyone else can....
You will have to cross the path of a Loyalty Day parade, complete with floats, banners, and dancers.
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You come across a wagon loaded with supplies for the celebrations.
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An Asmodean religious rite is beginning at a major intersection.
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You pass a street-side band that has gathered a crowd by playing Chelish anthems. The name "Flesh Puppets" is prominently displayed about the area.
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With guards blocking the main streets, you can cut through a tavern that’s hosting a boxing match in its fighting pit.
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The final stretch takes you down Ostenso Harbor’s docks.
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Atanxi keeps running until he comes to another blockade. The parade slowly walks past his path. Hearing the guards close behind he quickly gathers enough power to have the floats torn asunder with a blast from his wind.
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Atanxi dashes across the parade and finds a wagon filled with supplies.
These may slow down those guards.
Atanxi tries to toss the supplies all over the place but the animals seem to panic and get in his way.
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Passing further down he peers at an actual ritual to Asmodeus. He rushes up to the clerics and points to the temple. Quick! Get the guards. There is a Cleric of Sarenrae loose in the temple. The b&!$% will destroy everything!
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Atanxi uses the 'flesh puppets' distraction to easily bob and weave thrugh the crowd.
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Seeing guards blocking the main street Atanxi dives into the nearest bar. Seems he chose the wrong one as it looks more like a fighting pit than a bar. Looking back he hurls a mug at one of the fighters.
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We've reached the docks! Atanxi waves to the others. We have to keep moving! He tries to stretch his strides out as he runs.
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Though Atanxi's kinetic blast does an excellent job of creating a diversion, Samaeon helps clear the way by greasing the ground beneath a float, causing it to slide into a group of dancers.
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At the supply wagon Zahaz reaches in and pulls out a pink flamingo and hurls it up onto the horns of a devil statue.
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At the Asmodean religious rite Zahaz shouts a few words in the infernal tongue.
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Something about the "Flesh Puppets" performance catches Zahaz' eye and he stops for a moment, chuckling.
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Dashing through the tavern Zahaz singles out the biggest man and bellows in his face. "Hey berk! That guy near the door said you were giving me a look. There a problem!?"
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At the docks, Zahaz makes straight for the boat at a brisk walk. He's tired, but pretending otherwise.
Samaeon, however, has no pride and dashes ahead, then stops to wait in a near panic. "Burry Master! hurry!!"
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Coming across the path of a Loyalty Day parade, complete with floats, banners, and dancers, the Mother scowls and bumps rudely through the group. "Make way for your elders! Make way!" she bellows as people nearly bowl her over every step of the way.
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Stumbling through, the Mother comes face to face with a wagon loaded with supplies for the celebrations. She makes a grab for the boxes of Loyalty Necklaces with Kung-Fu Grip (tm) to try and knock them loose onto the ground.
With a surprising movement, the 'woman' lifts a box over her head and chucks it back into the parade. The wood splinters as the collars leap and snap around, much like a box of snakes were released. Several parade goers and a few guards are snatched by the Loyalty Necklaces and dragged to the ground, forced to stay kneeling.
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Giggling like a school girl, Chrysalis makes his way down an empty street before coming to a large roadblock: an Asmodean religious rite. He glee turns to a scowl as she waves her hand and utters the phrase "Flee, false prophet."
The lackey in charge of this rite suddenly is overcome with fear as he bolts from the scene, upturning the stone basin of congregant's blood onto the nearby festival-goers.
The Mother easily slides through the crowd as they turn to disarray, some fleeing to clean their expensive clothes and others bathing in the blood on the streets.
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Coming upon the impromptu concert, the Mother grabs the microphone and loudly swears into it as Ace shrugs and smiles, happy to let a crazy fan do what she pleases.
"TURN DOWN THIS MUSIC! YOU WHIPPERSNAPPERS KEEP PLAYING THIS UNTIL ALL HOURS AND I HAVE TO WORK IN THE MORNING!" she yells, not quite sure what overcame her.
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Finding guards blocking the main streets, the Mother cuts through a tavern that’s hosting a boxing match in its fighting pit. A waitress nearly runs into her and spills her beers all over the floor as Chrysalis' scythe appears at the woman's neck. "Watch your step, missy. Would hate for your blood to spill out on the floor as well." she threatens.
A few men try to intervene as the 'women' argue, but the Mother deftly shoves one man into a crowd near the match with the butt of her scythe. "Respect your elders!" he yells before disappearing out the back door. The man stumbles and knocks another man into the fighting pit, sending the nearby groups into a frenzy.
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Seeing the docks, but none of her compatriots, the Mother shrugs and lifts her skirt, hustling to the ships. "I bet those bloody idiots got caught."
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Dandy moves with the others, running as they try to escape the interrogator and his henchmen.
"Let's take the dynamic route!", chirps Dandy as he leaps through parts of the parade floats.
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Dandy, although not versed with working with animals, tries his best to coax the draft animals to cause a scene. "You silly form of goblin mares!", he shouts as he slaps a donkey near its tail.
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Not a fan of Asmodeus, Dandy decides to take the opportunity to sow more chaos once he comes across the religious rites. "No, no, no!". he says with a surprising air of authority. "It's 'klaatu barada necktie'. I read that in the latest version 'Queen Thrune's Asmodean Bible', damnable rewrites."
However, even such a fib is easily noticed and Dandy decides to skiddaddle before it is too late.
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"Let's be a bit more discrete.", Dandy now moving through the crowd with quick, light steps.
But the thick crowds make it hard even for the agile man to make his way through.
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At the tavern, Dandy decides more is better and slips into the ring, taunting the crowd. [b]"Rigged! This match was rigged in an attempt to steal your bets! For shame, people, for shame!"
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Once again getting attention to himself, Dandy then decides to lead the former prisoners along dark alleyways as they make their way through the docks.
At the Loyalty Day parade Atanxi blows apart one of the floats like an oversized piñata, sending confetti flying through the streets and causing the guards to lose sight of you for a while.
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You then come across a wagon loaded with supplies for the celebrations. Zahaz and Chrysalis start tossing flamingos and other items about as The Dandy Hobo sends the donkeys cantering away.
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An Asmodean religious rite is beginning at the next major intersection. However, upon seeing Chysalis the man leading the rite suddenly loses his faith entirely and run away! His leaders turn to see the cause of his madness and likewise start panicking!
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You pass a street-side band that has gathered a crowd by playing Chelish anthems. The youngsters hopping to the music start rioting and shouting at the old lady's insistence that they calm down and lower the volume.
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With guards blocking the main streets, you can cut through a tavern that’s hosting a boxing match in its fighting pit. The Dandy Hobo leaps up and starts refereeing the match, calling out one of them as a cheat, which sends the tavern into a all-out brawl.
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The final stretch takes you down Ostenso Harbor’s docks. Finally here at the end everyone pulls together to keep the prisoners together and help them run over the last stretch. You have done well enough and see that behind you none of the guards have survived the distractions....
You board the Queen Gale, which sails them swiftly east. On the way, Zefiro thanks you profusely, inquiring as to the fate of his histories and how you managed to learn about his whereabouts.
Once in Andoran, you reconvene with Zarta Dralneen and Venture-Captain Dennel Hamshanks for debriefing. Tamrin joins the discussion partway through, having escaped Ostenso on his own under the cover of the chaos you sowed. He proudly recounts the Ostensons’ confusion, congratulating you on a job well done.
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The Mother bows to Zarta and Hamshanks. "Perhaps I have earned a day of leave from the institution? A Mother must spend time to take care of herself for her son, plus he speaks of needing to find another girlfriend. The last had such atrocious skin. Not a creature of beauty, that one." she remarks.
As Hamshanks departs, the Mother hands her purse to Zarta. "I believe you could use this." she says plainly, ensuring that she holds onto her scythe before departing with the men in white coats.
Her son dutifully follows her bowing to each and every person before taking his leave.