Interesting as he's catchy or interesting as he's not? Searok asks as he glances at the knife that undid Ziranu's binds and wondering what he can use to sterilize it.
"Well, you know, just interesting."
”thank you whip mistress. ... you there, what can you tell us about how you came to this place? And what have you seen going on in here? We are under orders to put an end to any nefariousness.”
Searok looks confused, Nefarwhat? I thought we were looking for bad guys and then punch them in the nose!
Shaeda claps Searok on the side, as she just can’t reach his shoulder, ”it’s an obscure dialect of Taldane, but yes, that is what Tronar meant.”
Then why didn't he just say that! Searok huffs as he gives Tronar a sideways glance!
Ziranu’s expression remains carefully neutral as he glances back and forth among the three adventurers throughout their brief exchange, easing over to the corner of the chamber where much of his gear was strewn before he was lashed to the post and beaten. His eyes narrow as his gaze focuses on Tronar.
I can tell you zhat I came with intent, horc, a favor to a Varisian girl to find her lost family. Zhe trail ended here, but I have now seen far more zhan “Queen’s Physicians.” He spits harshly on the closest corpse.
Zhe false doctors captured me with magic...gave me to zheir guards to torture, to find what I knew. I can tell you zhat I have seen enough to hunt zhem, to end zhem, with zhis freedom. Zhe “orders” you speak of; well now, you have much to do, it seems...
Ziranu’s expression betrays the slightest smile at the observation, and he returns to watchfully gathering his gear.
Shaeda sizes up the new human, rubbing her chin, "hmmmm, tall, Varisian, unattractive, but stout. What did you say yer skills are?"
”Counting is obviously not one of them. There are four of us but that one...” Tronar points at Emma ”has been mute since the whip mistress interrogated our last prisoner. Apparently she doesn’t necessarily approve or understand the methods. But if you are here on a similar mission, then it might be good to join up .... that is as long as you answer the whip mistress that you have some sort of skills that are useful?”
Shaeda points at Tronar, ”clearly we set a very low standard for what skills are considered useful, so I’m sure you’ll qualify.”
Ziranu assesses his apparent liberators in turn, as he buckles and lashes the last of his gear’s strappings in place. His expression broadens into a smirk with Shaeda’s sarcasm.
Zhe standard is at least a strange one, halfling; I give you zhat. Hmmm; a tiny Calistrian, unless I miss my guess, just cute enough to be of service, but wizh a strange manner about her. As zhin as I am, zhat you possess zhe ability to perceive my stoutness is impressive.
Stranger still, a horc dressed up as a scribe, yet wizh words like zhe Chelish bureaucrats from his mouzh. Add to zhat a dwarven warrior wizh ready blades and fists - my zhanks again - and a mute Varisian woman, and you have zhe most motley band I may have yet seen, even in zhis wretched place. Zhat means almost anyzhing else would fit as well, zhough you might prefer zhe gnome or zhe goblinkind.
Aside from zhe “counting” reference zhat must be part of his administrative services to his mistress, zhe horc does have a good point on mission. My skills are zhose of zhe hunter, zhe tracker, zhe ranger, zhough focused on zhe cage zhat is Korvosa for my prey. I deal deazh at range, and wizhin zhis city, my marks can run, but will only die tired...
And what of zhese strange carnival band of yours, friends? What standard have you set for your acts? I zhink my own will prove of use.
”So I take your comment as a scribe as a compliment from your kind. And I will give you the benefit of the doubt that you saw the arcane fire that I used to help free you from your captors that you have a sense for my skills. Beyond that for introductions will have to wait until we get through with this information raid. “
Tronar looks for the next exit and pathway to the next room for inspection. And moves to take an observation position.
Ziranu nods once in affirmation, his focus returning to the dire hunt now clearly at-hand, his mission and perhaps that of his erstwhile companions.
You take zhe comment well enough, zhen; I have an appreciation for zhe use of such learning in our common interests. Zhere may come a time when we will put my own to zhe similar use. Let us learn zhe false doctors’ dark secrets, zhen...
There are four total exits to this room. The lift you came down, the small room Ziranu was imprisoned in, and additional doors to the north and east. The east one, you now know, is trapped by magic.
This place is fairly well illuminated by candle holders built into the walls to that they appear to be held by the carved skeletons. So far the people you've seen have been human, so it makes sense they would keep their facility lit.
Searok starts daydreaming at the exchange of all the 'words'. Bah, If nothin' else he'd make a good target fer the enemies while we kill 'em. Enough talk, Let's go!
Searok will head to the north door. Unless one of ye can disable that door, than this is our only way!
The north door is locked, but rather flimsy and Searok is able to force it without much difficulty.
Cabinets and low benches fill this chamber. From pegs on the opposite side of the room, the empty black eyes of two beaked plague masks glare with soulless, unblinking stares.
Dark leather robes, high boots, wide-brimmed hats, and solid canes fill most of the cabinets. Within one large, glass-doored cabinet against the west wall can be seen glass shelves covered in a variety of delicate doctors’ instruments, including containers of unguents, syringes, magnifying lenses, and the like, plus a medicine jar full of black gemstones. A small brass lock keeps these doors firmly shut.
"Well, we should grab anything valuable, right? And we should just destroy anything dangerous? Or keep it as evidence?"
”Evidence is always needed. And Ziranu, the dwarf speaks true of that door. The trap was triggered once a few minutes ago. if you think to can disable it, then we have another option forward. And in my experience trapped doors are the ones with valuables or important people behind them.”
Tronar will cast Detect Magic as usual looking for valuable loot and search for evidence.
Concur, zhe evidence is essential; we will need to justify zhese killings to zhe corrupt Korvosan authorities...
Is it worzh attempting disguise wizh any of zhese false doctors’ clozhes?
My skills may prove useful wizh zhe ozher door as you suggest, horc; I am willing to make zhe attempt. I will focus zhem first, however, upon zhe brass lock keeping us from much of zhis evidence.
I still don’t know your name, by the way, unless you prefer zhe racial or professional references...
Ziranu carefully approaches the large, glass-doored cabinet, assessing its structure before focusing on the brass lock. He kneels on one leg, and begins extracting his tools for the craft from his leather belt pouch.
"I go by Shaeda, and if you think you can pick that door open, then have it it!"
Tronar detects magic on the masks, almost certainly they are the same as the ones you've taken off the doctors.
Ziranu, roll Disable Device.
Ziranu gently lays his longbow on the stones, and brings his well-concealed tools to bear against the brass lock’s mechanism.
”Well-met, Shaeda. Let us see if my skills are suited to zhis first small task...”
Searok watches as Ziranu starts to fiddle with the lock. Iffn you get that lock open, then I'll tell ye my name is Searok, if ye don't I won't have to!
The fact that Searok told Ziranu his name is totally lost on the dwarf.
With a small click, the lock opens.
With the cabinet opened, you can see the contents better. There are four fully stocked Healer's Kits, 23 of the black gemstones, and four identical potion flasks that read as magical.
Shaeda points at the dwarf, "looks you'll have to pay up Searok!"
”You can call me Tronar or horc ...I’ve dealt with your kind before and have become accustomed to racial references since a higher intellect and appreciation of an enhanced dialect are rarely found amongst my various adventuring companies. “
All four potions are Cure Moderate Wounds.
looks you'll have to pay up Searok!"
I guess I do. He holds his hand out to Ziranu, The name's Searok
Again, the fact that Shaeda just called him Searok is totally lost on the dwarf.
”Well it would seem I’ve earned zhe dwarf’s name, zhen. Well-met, Searok. Tronar will suffice; your appreciation of your own scribe-speak will prove enough for both of us, zhis is certain, so it will be well. Your kind matters less to me zhan your usefulness; I take far more issue wizh some of my kind...”
Ziranu begins gathering one similarly-sized version each of the dark leather robes, pair of high boots, wide-brimmed hat, and cane, thrusting them into his haversack. He also collects an example of each doctors’ instrument from the cabinet, as well as the medicine jar of black gemstones and the four healer’s kits. He then pauses and looks to the rest of the company and finally Tronar before touching either the masks or any of the potions.
”What does your learning tell you of zhese? Are zhey of any use to us, or better saved as evidence, or even destroyed?”
The veteran members of the party will have no trouble recognizing the masks. They are Plaguebringer Masks, and the group has acquired a few of them today already.
Ziranu extends his own hand to Searok and firmly clasps the barbarian’s, nodding again in thanks for the dwarf’s instinctive actions earlier in cutting him loose.
"Well, let's take all of the stuff I guess!"
"Ziranu, grab all the disguise items you would like...as far as the curative potions, I have been leaving the collection and inventory to the whip mistress."
Ziranu nods subtly at Tronar’s suggestion, and also draws three other full sets of the false doctors’ garb into his haversack, as well as the two beaked plague masks and one of the curative potions. He lashes the pack closed, collects and conceals his specialized tools, and rises again at the ready with longbow in hand, an arrow casually held against the stave between two fingers.
The ranger heads cautiously back into the guard chamber, and begins assessing the trapped door from a small distance.
”Tronar,” Ziranu begins, never removing his eyes from the portal, ”tell me of zhis trap and zhe manner by which you previously set it off.”
Shaeda smiles, "better yet, why don't you show him!"
Tronar glares at Shaeda and simply says "I just walked forward to take a look."
Ziranu listens to the brief exchange, distantly once he perceives its value to this dangerous test of his skills, and redoubles his attention on the trapped door. Settling his longbow and an arrow once more within easy reach, he focuses his craft upon the subtle dismantling portal's arcane trap...
Shaeda watches intently, "are you sure you know what you're doing?"
Ziranu feels a spring move in the lock of the door, but is able to shift his pick just in time to keep it from triggering. A skeleton's scythe twitches, but does not swing at him.
Ziranu catches himself and corrects the mistake, opening the lock with a small click. The skeletons remain still.
That was pretty close! Searok observes.
Shaeda laughs, "for a second there, I thought you were going to demonstrate the workings of the thing just like Tronar did! Turns out you're pretty good at this business! Glad to have you along."
The skeletons remain still.
Ziranu at last lets a slow breath escape as the skeleton remains still through his more cautious second approach to disabling the trap, realizing how close matters came to ruin.
”Zhat was close indeed, Searok… I zhought as much myself for a moment, Shaeda; while zhis is a craft I could be said to have mastered, every encounter wizh a new trap is unique, almost like zhe rolling of zhe dice…”
The ranger slowly stands while sweeping his hand wide to gather longbow and arrow, nocking the latter upon the bowstring in one fluid movement. He frees his other hand and places it upon the door, looking once across his companions for signs of their readiness.