The secret door Ary found is most assuredly not glowing - what is she talking about?
Radiance hums in your hand, its grip warm. Images flash unbidden in your mind - the dream the night before you found it.
However, there is a faint raised outline of the door frame around the holy symbol of Iomedae. There is no obvious locking device.
Irabeth moves to Ary to see what she has found. Her face hardens at the sight of the stitched together corpses.
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Val is no stranger to hard work and she's more than ready to spend the time cleaning up the chapel and even the rest of the building. She stops as Ary calls out to them. "Yeah, I can go take a look. Secret tunnels are always interesting. It's just a question of whether it's a good interesting or a bad interesting." She heads over to Ary and looks at the wall she's examining. "So, what do we have here?"
Val frowns. "Uh... I don't see anything glowing. There's totally a secret door here though. Let me see if I can do anything about that..." She fishes out her tools and begins to examine the wall more closely.
It takes her a few tries, but a victorious grin crosses her face as a solid click echoes through the room and she pops the locking mechanism.
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"Hm." Ary says as they look about, and then she winces and her body reels slightly as she remembers the other room suddenly, as it was. "I... might be dumb..?" she says as she tries to puzzle things out.
"תן לנו יירשו זרועות נפשך , Iomedae" Ary says, feeling a little sheepish about the entire thing. Magic words were all she really had... and if that didn't work, other people's wiggly fingers would have to do. She calls forth the light of Radiance as she speaks the words in the other room aloud.
Valaria fidgets with the door mechanism for a moment, and is about to get it, when Ary murmurs in Celestial -
Suddenly, the door shudders and creaks open from the center, dust falling down from the walls as it does so.
The door opens, revealing a small chamber free of dust. A holy symbol of Iomedae hangs unmolested on the wall above a weapon rack filled with swords, crossbows, and spears. Three wooden dummies wear pristine suits of armor. A shelf holds several leather quivers, each stamped with a golden sun. Two silver shields hang from pegs on the wall.
The walls are covered in beautiful murals of crusaders fighting off hordes of demons. They are utterly unharmed.
On the floor in the corner, is a trap door.
Val steps back from the door as it opens only a few moments before she manages to pop the lock on her own. "Or that could work too." She peaks inside and smiles. "Neat. Looks like an armory or something. Why they'd hide their armory behind a secret door in the chapel, I have no idea. Maybe it was a back-up or an emergency stock or something. But it looks like the cultists never found it. Good luck for us. Funny how it's so clean though."
"Because it's also the way in from outside... and they don't want people to know about it." Ary said, pointing out the trap door. "It only makes sense that if the place were under attack, they'd usher the innocent out and hold the line until they made it to safety... I'd think." Ary said as she looked over everything in the room.
"Take what you'll use... and I'll try to carry what I can. No such thing as too much good metal. Annabelle, we may have a way out!" she calls.
Armory Contents:
- Four cold iron longswords
- Two cold iron shortswords
- One adamantine morningstar
- Two heavy crossbows
- A composite longbow (+2 STR)
- A masterwork cold iron heavy mace
- Two cold iron longspears
- 50 cold iron crossbow bolts
- 100 cold iron arrows
- A masterwork breastplate emblazoned with Iomedae's holy symbol
- A masterwork heavy steel shield.
You find that, hidden among the mundane things, there are five holy arrows, an arrow of evil outsider slaying. One of the heavy steel shields on the wall is a blinding shield.
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Isilme peeks back in when she hears the door open in response to Ary's words in celestial. "Irabeth, look at what they found!" she says to the commander as she looks in on Val and Ary. She lets her flute vanish into the thin air she'd called it from and steps forward to investigate the armory and trap door with them.
Markus' eyes comprehend far more than the simple physical nature of the items they find - he points to several of the arrows and the shield. "There is magic here. Arrows that wound and slay demons and a shield that blinds attackers."
Irabeth smiles at Ary. "Great work, Bishop. I wonder how long this has been here...? Does anyone need any of this?"
Annabelle prances in, grinning. "Oh! This is great! This place is so much nicer than the rest of the castle..." The steel shields catch her eye. "Ooooh. Shiny..." She heads straight to one of them and attempts to peer at her reflection. She scowls in confusion as she finds herself missing from the room reflected on its surface. She presses her face closer to it, as if that would help matters, but there is no use. Finally she gives up and spins around, sighing.
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"I could definitely use a longbow." Ary says after a few moments. "It doesn't look like it's the right pull, but I can manage to not break it, I'm sure." she says, offering a grin. "And I could probably manage to wiggle into the breastplate, if no one else needs it. I'm definitely taking everything that someone else doesn't claim, though. If I can figure out a way to carry it. The Adamantine Morningstar is pretty awesome, too. But not for me."
"Nope," Val says calmly. "I've got plenty of knives. If anyone finds more daggers, I'll take those, but otherwise I'll be alright."
Irabeth's eyes skim over their find. "I don't think we'll have any issue finding willing hands to carry this. I just wanted to make sure you had a chance to claim something before I hand it over to the quartermasters for redistribution," the Commander says.
She looks at the trap door. "I wonder where that leads to...?"
Annabelle wanders over to the weapon rack and grabs a cold iron longsword, wrapping the belt of the scabbard around her waist. Once she's done, she moves over to the other shield, the magical one, and stares into its surface. It is no better. She runs a hand over the holy symbol of Iomedae that is engraved into its surface.
"Is it because they're holy? Is that why I'm not in the reflection?" she whispers to Markus. She looks bothered.
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"No, the arrows are what's holy. The shield is blinding. And you're no more evil than you were before.", explains Markus. "Vampires cast no reflection and no shadow. Naturally running water and the direct hit of daylight are anathema to them. Lastly, holy symbols can repel you and garlic will be...bothersome." He pats her on the shoulder, giving her a small smile. "As I said...there are many adjustments to be made. Even I'm unsure of all of the implications of your transformation."
"Oh." Annabelle replies. "So...I can't use a mirror. What have you done to me, Markus? How will I ever put on my make up again? You've cursed me to a lifetime of hideousness!" She presses her hand to her forehead in mock anguish. "I would rather be a zombie," she jokes, smiling at him, though it does not reach her eyes.
She turns partially away from him and unconsciously runs a thumb along her fangs, feeling their length. Clearly, make-up wasn't on her mind.
Markus sees her thumbing her teeth self-consciously and pokes her. "Hey, look." he says, and opens his mouth to reveal his own fangs. They're not quite as long, but they're pretty sharp and they're much longer than a human's. "I've had them pretty long, and I can tell you... people hardly notice."
It was mostly a lie. People did notice the differences between Markus and a normal human, though it was also true that there were a lot of people who didn't care.
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Val can't help noticing Annabelle's distress. "Hey, don't think your so special. It's not like vampires are the only ones with fangs." She flashes a toothy grin, very obviously displaying her own sharp teeth. "Trust me, people are going to notice someone like me before they notice someone like you. I've got horns for gods' sake. At least once it's after dark, no one's likely to notice a difference in you unless they get close. Someone can tell what I am from half a block away."
Annabelle looks bashful, though unlike before, her cheeks do not flush. She looks at Markus in the eye and gives a small smile.
"....Okay. If you say so..."
Annabelle looks at Valaria and gives her the same, tight-lipped smile she offered Markus. "Hmmmmm. You're so pretty, though," she says, honestly. "I'd just.... like to know what I look like." She stares at her feet and mutters, "You guys keep bein' weird around me, makes me feel like I must look hideous... when we were fighting those demons people kept sneaking me looks...."
"Also, my hair is probably abhorrent," she feels along her intricately braided hair - parts of it are indeed half-undone, giving her an unkempt appearance.
"You haven't gotten any uglier," Val points out. "We were staring at you because we had no idea Gloomy could make someone a vampire and we were a little shocked. I think Markus was shocked that it happened. Your hair kind of a mess right now though."
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"I have an idea. Illusion magic should be able to replicate the image of you. Maybe when Isilme's not busy for a bit we can get her to create an image of you." muses Markus. "Unfortunately illusion is not one of my specialties, or I would help you myself."
Ehren admires the pristine armory and the art within, but shakes his head when Irabeth asks if he needs anything from it. What was forbidden for him aside, the gear seemed far more suitable for one of Iomedae's faithful, or at least a dedicated warrior. It seemed unlikely that any cultists had passed through the chamber, but that only made him more curious about what lied below.
Ehren sinks into the ground, swimming into the stone like a fish in water. This time, there is almost eight feet of stone foundation - the trap-door leads into a narrow, five-foot wide, vertical tunnel that leads to yet another trap door. Beyond there, it leads into the sewers. On the sewer side, the trap door has been carefully blended into the stonework so that it is almost invisible to the naked eye.
It is dark in the sewers, but Ehren can hear the sound of foot-steps echoing down the sewer tunnels.
Annabelle looks up at Markus and smiles widely. "Really? You think that would work? That's really smart!"
She winks. "Can you braid hair, too?"
Irabeth sheathes her sword and waits for Ary to wriggle into her new breastplate.
"Right. Well I want to get moving so that I can see the state of the conflict outside. We can worry about transporting the weaponry and armor once we understand the situation better. Isilme and Ehren are coming with me... Ary? Valaria? What about you?"
Once she has gotten a response from the two women, she moves over to Markus and Annabelle. "Markus, Annabelle," she says, her tone serious. "A moment." When she has Markus' attention, she continues, "When we reconnect with the larger Crusader force, I am going to report what happened to you and Annabelle to Inquisitor Wardsev, of the church of Pharasma. I am going to try and do this quickly. " She pauses to address Markus. "Please don't discuss what happened to anyone else. Do you understand?"
Annabelle frowns slightly and fidgets with her glaive. "....Yes, Commander." She looks worried.
Ehren sits there in the dark with his head poking out of the ceiling, listening to the sounds of the sewer. He tried not to think about how awkward - though successful - his little experiment had turned out. After a minute he sinks back into the stone, "swimming" up and back into the armory. Thankfully, he had a good sense of direction. His elemental body breaches the stone floor, yet leaves its surface unmarred.
"The trapdoor leads right down into the sewers. Some kind of escape route, perhaps. I thought I heard footsteps, but I couldn't see anything."
Val thinks it over for a minute. "If we're satisfied with the state of things here, I'm not opposed to leaving. I don't think that we're going to find much more here, but I certainly wouldn't mind taking the time to clean this place a bit. It feels... wrong to leave it like this."
She turns as Ehren rises out of the ground again. "Wait, sewer tunnels? I don't think the cultists found their way in here, otherwise it would have been wrecked, so if there's footsteps in the sewers, who's down there?"
"Annabelle, Ehren and I can check it out if the rest of you are leaving to reconnect with the crusaders." Markus volunteers, taking a break from his conversation about allowing Annabelle to see herself again. He couldn't braid hair - he'd never been able to make his fingers do delicate motion well - but he didn't really want to have that conversation now when there was time-sensitive matters to take care of.
"Or perhaps Isilme or Valaria should come with instead of Ehren, considering we won't need light that way."
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Isilme listens quietly for a while as the group goes over the gear in the armory. There wasn't really anything she needed, so she let them worry about it. She found it quite interesting that Markus had been able to spot magic items amongst the armory without even needing to rely upon detect magic. It seemed he barely even needed to think about what the items were either. "Quite a trick," she thinks to herself.
Annabelle's discovery that she cast no reflection, and attempts to understand it are... Nostalgic isn't the word for it, as there is no happiness associated with the memories. Still it makes her think of that first week or so after they'd escaped Minagho and returned to Kenabres. She had grappled with the transformation for quite a while, trying to understand what she was. Being held before a mirror for the first time probably felt much like what Annabelle was feeling now. She had seen no reflection of herself there in that pristine metal surface, just Elan and his blade. The outpouring of support for Annabelle from everyone is heartening, though, and makes her smile despite her own memories. Looking back, Elan had been as unable to comprehend the transformation as she had; it had taken him many days to begin to interact with her properly again. Aravashnial, on the other hand had changed little superficially, though she could read the pain on his face quite clearly when they talked. She supposed he'd blamed himself even more strongly than Elan for not having stopped her.
Isilme starts to sigh, but catches herself as she returns to the present. "I may never have known what it is like to be judged by my appearance, but I do know what it's like to be before a mirror and see nothing, Annabelle. It is quite troubling, isn't it? I do admit that I didn't have any hair to worry about though, so perhaps I got the better deal," she says, trying to lighten the mood, although she was not nearly as jovial as she had been earlier with Ehren.
Smiling sympathetically, she continues, "Markus is right though, dear, I can work illusions, and I would be happy to help you see yourself as you are now. Also, if we need to deal with Liotr and his ilk, I can help disguise you. With a little work you could easily pass as a dhampir when needed. Perhaps even as a different person if we need to keep others from recognizing you."
"Being able to explore the tunnels without light would certainly be an advantage..." she responds to Markus when the conversation turns back to splitting up. "But I think Hinagiku intended to stay with Annabelle, and either Ary or Hinagiku should be down there with you in case something happens, so you'll likely be unable to avoid using a light."
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Ary works the buckles and straps, expertly moving them, even before she takes them off of the stand; she'd been trained in heavy armor a loooong time ago... but years without it had lead her to feeling awkward in much more than clothes. But really, a breast plate wasn't much harder than a chain shirt to pull off. Well, not literally. It was lot more work to put on and take off, but that wasn't really an issue; she had been trained to sleep in her armor, so she'd be ready no matter where she was.
After getting all of the straps adjusted most of the way, she slips off her backpack and then the muleback cords are slipped off like the straps of a pair of coveralls. Off came the chain shirt, with a little work... and on went the breastplate. With quite a bit of wriggling, she made her way into the armor, painfully aware of everyone watching the awkward display of Ary climbing into the armor. But worse, aware of the fact that everyone was talking about a multitude of different things that were going on.
Once the breastplate was on, she moved the muleback cords back up, over her shoulders, her hair looking a terrible mess, and then adjusting everything back into place. Then, finally, she started strapping things to her backpack.
She takes the morningstar and places it into a hoop, the longbow goes through another one, and finally, one of the quivers is strapped into place. She doesn't leave the magical arrows behind, either. "Gloomy, you should grab a crossbow. Just in case, maybe. I'm sure you know how to point it and pull the trigger?" she suggests, "Do you want the magic shield, Ehren? Or maybe Irabeth should wear it, at least for now?" she adds as a suggestion.
She had been pretty certain that she wanted to go down into the sewers with the others and guard them. But Markus raised a good point... she'd only hinder the darksighted individuals if she went, giving away their position, and weakening them as a whole, with her stupid humanity. So, she leaned back, and waited to be assigned to a group... but still had a comment to make. "I can braid hair, for what it's worth. Probably no where near as well as you're used to. And you can probably find other Shelynites that would love to exchange braids with you, maybe. And maybe there's a Shelyn ring out there that makes you look your best, and spritzes you with honeysuckle or something." she offers her a small grin.
"Wait, can she see in the dark now?" she says as what Markus had said registers.
"I still feel that you or Hinagiku should go down there. Darkness is an advantage, but if they're moving through cramped tunnels down there, having someone to stand in front and hold back the enemy is more important. And anyway, I can see it written on your face that you'd like to be down there," she says with a wink to Ary.
Isilme looked a little confused that Ary was surprised about Annabelle having the ability to see in the dark. "Vampires can see in the dark. That's precisely why Markus is able to do so. Although, from what I understand of dhampirs, their sight is slightly better. Perhaps due to the way human and vampire blood mix?"
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Sight. Hinagiku did not expect Ehren to simply leave her alone. After taking a second look, the Tian woman returns to the door which separates the hall with Radiance's room. There, she stands guard, making sure that no one will take them by surprise.
Taking advantage of the short interlude, Hinagiku unties her shawl from her waist and starts separating the two intertwined strands which make it up. One is blue, and clean, the other is white splattered with dry blood and contains a single embroidered daisy. Without looking at her movements, as if she had done it thousands times, she starts folding the white cloth. After, she reaches within her "kimono", and draws out the exact replica of the white cloth, this one covrered with fresh blood. As she does, light seems to shine from the inside of her clothes, highly similar to the one emitted by the wardstone when it was destroyed. When she puts the dry one back inside her clothes, the light disappears. The woman then starts intertwining the blood covered cloth with the blue one. Once done she attaches the intertwined materials around her back and shoulder, effectively pulling up her sleeves and improving her freedom of movements.
Master of masters, help me find the way to perfection. she prays mentally before grabbing her holy symbol.
When someone approaches, she turns around, seemingly not disturbed that anyone might have witnessed what she just did and simply smiles. The gentle and faint one.
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"Hinagiku!" Ary calls, straining to get all those syllables out. "There's plenty of stuff in here if you want it! My old armor, long spears, lots of different weapons! You'll be incredible once you're geared up!"
""Miss Ary, I would rather not." she answers, in a soft tone which carries surprisingly far. "My master and the Master of masters would not approve if I donned an armor again. It would be like ... breaking an oath. Also, I have never trained in the use of weapons, I fear I would simply be more dangerous to myself or to the group if I wielded one in battle." she finishes, looking at the scimitar hanging from her belt.
Commander Irabeth gives Isilme a look when she mentions disguising Annabelle. "I appreciate the offer, but try to keep in mind that lying to an inquisitor is ill-advised. My intention right now is to be open and honest about what is going on." She pauses for a moment, looking at Markus, continuing the train of thought that he did not respond to. "Undeath is a Pharasman concern and if they are fine with.. this," she gestures weakly at Markus, then Annabelle, not really knowing how to describe what it is that he does. Weren't all necromancers evil by nature? Vampires too? But here was this pair, a "living" contradiction. "...then the Crusades should have no cause to investigate the matter further." She tries her best to sound authoritative, but she looks more like the stunned woman the heroes saw in the vision of just a year ago. Was all this ultimately her fault?
Annabelle mostly ignores Irabeth all but suggesting that when she reunites with the Crusaders she could easily be tied to a stake and burned alive. Or maybe just shoving her out into the sunlight would do the trick just as easily?
She instead stands there, beaming with pleasure at all of the warmth being aimed her way, tearing up a little. It seemed that her worries were needless. She could worry about what was going to happen later... later.
She nods at Isilme. "It's okay. You don't have to disguise me." She thinks for a moment. "I... I shouldn't have to hide. She sure doesn't! Why am I so different?" She looks at Valaria with admiration. "But I would like it if you could .. illusiony mirror me up! I think I'd feel better. ...Knowing for sure. Once everything isn't so go-go-go that is!"
Finally, she looks at Markus, then at Ehren, then at Hinagiku. "No. I want my friend to stay with me. Is that okay? I haven't had to be without her for a whole week... I don't want to start now. is that okay?"
Annabelle rushes out of the armory and to Hinagiku's side. She grabs her by the hand, lightly this time, afraid that she would jerk her hand away and grimace like last time. "Senpaaaaaaaai," she whines. "Please stay by my side. Let's go check out the sewer with my necromancer!"
Commander Irabeth nods, regaining her composure. "Right then. Isilme, Ehren, Bishop. With me. Valaria, Markus, Kir, Hinagiku - investigate the tunnels and defend the Garrison in our absence." She glances at Markus. "Remember that if someone is down in the sewers,it is likely that they can see in the dark regardless of if you use light - darkness against demons is ultimately a false security." The half orc taps at her temples. "Believe me. I know." She heads towards the door.
"When you're ready to leave, let me know."
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"At least take a longspear." Ary suggests as she moves out of the room. "It's a really long pointy stick that you poke people with... if you manage to hurt yourself with that, we'll have to start calling you Rocky II." she grins, having no idea that the two are actually quite so linked as they are.
"At the very least, it will give you options... if it won't actually break any vows." she said, understandingly. Even though she didn't really understand. Demanding that she not equip herself? That was... really stupid. She could understand her needing to be capable without the objects that would enhance her abilities, but to ask that she hinder herself when she did have them was just... confusing.
"Miss Ary, I will. It should be safe." Hinagiku finally says, seemingly giving in.
If that makes her more trusting toward my capabilities, than I shall take it. she thinks as she speaks.
Before paying attention to Annabelle's arrival, Hinagiku looks once more into the room where Radiance use to be displayed. At the same time, she mentally prepares herself for Annabelle's touch. This time, when the woman reaches for her, Hinagiku reamains stoic. After making sure that no one was sneaking on them, she turns toward the cavalier.
"If commander Irabeth asks me to, I will stay with you with great pleasure." she says, before Irabeth gives her orders.
"See. I will be staying with you. We can clean the desecration together and inspect the sewers too."
"Miss Ary, we will take care of cleaning the temple when you are gone."
Ary nods to her, with a smile, as they pass in the hallway as Ary moves to the door. The smile didn't really reach her eyes, as thoughts bubbled up from beneathe the surface. "Thanks." she offered in passing.
She didn't like leaving half of her group behind. It just... didn't feel right. There was a war going on, and splitting up could have devastating consequences. She didn't feel right about it... but orders were orders.
"Ready when you are, Commander." she calls as she moves to look through the doors.
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Val looks over at Irabeth. "If the Inquisitors are going to be... well if your Inquisitors decide to act like they usually do, point me to them before we bring Annabelle somewhere in arms' reach. Maybe a boot up their collective arses will remind them to stop being self-righteous pricks."
She turns back to the newly born vampire. "That's the spirit. No need to let those bigoted arses cause you problems. We'll prove without a shadow of a doubt that you're still a good person. And we can smash the faces of the ones that are too stubborn to listen."
"Alright. So we're going spelunking in the sewers below a creepy desecrated fortress recently abandoned by cultists with a vampire, a necromancer, a monk, and yours truly while the rest of you go back and make sure that the crusaders survived our little suicide mission. Sounds like a horror story. Or maybe an average week down in Ustlav. Alright, I think I'm good to go."
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"It is a fine-looking shield, but I have my own oaths to keep up with, I am afraid," Ehren says to Ary, glancing at Hinagiku with a grin. After seeing her topple that minotaur and pulverize those demons with her bare hands, he wondered if she truly needed weapons and armor at all.
Looking to the group intent on exploring the sewers, Ehren nods his head. "Be careful down there. If there's any trouble over there I'll hurry back to let you all know."
With that, the druid walks over to the door to join Irabeth. He pauses for a moment, looking down at his body. Ah, I had almost forgotten... Strange as it was, he was quickly getting used to being in his current form. It was tempting to simply stay that way for as long as he could, but there were certain limitations it imposed on him that he could not ignore. With a sigh he visualizes his human body, and in the odd space of a second, stone becomes flesh and blood once more (and he grows taller again, thankfully).
"I'm ready," he says to Irabeth, slightly disoriented by the sudden change back.
When Ary offers him a crossbow, he shakes his head. "No, I've never been very good with precise aiming. I'd be more worried about hitting my allies than hitting my enemies."
"An average day in Ustalav indeed." says Markus. "Don't worry Ary, we'll be safe. I can make sure they don't get hurt that badly."
He looks back towards the stairs, "Should I bring a few recruits so that we have the extra manpower - in case we're outmatched?"
"Of course, whenever you like 'belle," she says with a smile, promising to provide her with mirror-replacement services.
"Having just revisited Hulrun and Liotr's spectacular job running witch hunts in the third crusade, Commander, you'll forgive me if I'm wary. If this can be sorted out officialy, then I am happy to see it done so. But I won't lie, Irabeth, I'm of a like mind with Valaria," she responds to Irabeth in a respectfully.
"Lets get moving then. We'll need to figure out where everyone disappeared to first, before we worry about administrivia like who will be inquisiting whom," she says as she heads towards the main exit. Turning back briefly, she looks at the others and says "Be careful down there. I want to see all of you here when I return," she says, her concern for them all clearly evident in her tone. "And in the state you're currently in! That means no more risky last-second life saving rituals, Markus!" she adds as a probably not so tasteful joke. "Even if Anna did manage to break every rule in the book and somehow turn out perfect." she says, giving her a smile and a wink.
Ary/Ehren/Isilme
Commander Irabeth salutes Annabelle and Markus before she leaves with her half of the group. "Stay safe. Bar the door behind us. We will use the password Segruchen upon our return."
Once they are outside, Irabeth turns to the group. "Would you prefer to have Isilme scout ahead, or would you rather us stick together?"
Markus/Valaria/Hinagiku
Annabelle smirks at Isilme before they leave. "Oh, I was just so perfect and awesome to begin with! So there wasn't much left for Markus to do."
Annabelle hugs Ary around the waist, whispering in her ear:
She lets go, salutes her Commander, then prances back to Hinagiku's side, away from the foyer. After the other half of the group has left, she turns to Markus as she walks back to the trap door. She grabs a lit torch from a sconce on the wall as she does so. "Hmmmm. Do you think you could have some guard the door? Or is that too complicated for zombie brains?"
She looks at the secret door that leads into the armory. "Should we close this behind us or leave this open?"
She then moves over to the trap door and kneels down to pull it open. It leads down into a narrow, vertical shaft into the darkness. There is a rolled up rope ladder nailed into the wooden frame of the trap door. She unties it, releasing the ladder down into the darkness. She peers down into it with her torch, seeing that the sewer below is filled with water approximately a foot deep. "Oh boy. Markus, we're gonna ruin your nice pants! Unless you can levitate!" She jokes, then pauses. "Wait. ....Can you?"
"Anyway once you guys are ready to go... I am!"
"I can scout ahead. I'll keep us in touch via message. If something bad happens I can always go invisible," she says. Isilme casts the spell on the four of them and then moves ahead stealthily, putting 60' between her and the group to make sure she can spot threats early enough.
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Val walks over to the trap door and looks down into the water. "Eh, we've been through worse. I just hope this stuff comes off of my boots."
She turns to Markus. "If you can leave them orders to keep an eye on this place, that would be helpful. Maybe close the door and leave them in the room. That means that if anyone finds the room, they're in for a nasty surprise."
Ary/Ehren/Isilme
Commander Irabeth chuckles. "Ah. Invisibility. Of course. I forget what you're capable of. I'm glad my wife isn't here, she'd be jealous."
Outside, it is late in the evening. It is eerily quiet, and there is no one alive nearby that they can see. There are the shriveled, empty bodies of former Prelate Hulrun Shappok, and the other vermlek husks.
Isilme moves ahead of the group, heading back to where they split off from the main force. After moving ahead for fifteen minutes she comes across the Crusader force marching in their direction, lead by a small contingent of mounted crusaders. The force is much smaller than what they had left behind, about fifty soldiers. Almost all of them are Eagle Watch crusaders. Except for Hrut Ingvarson, leading the way on horseback.
Ary lofts a brow to Annabelle. "You are the second most sunny person I know. And that's really saying something." Ary doesn't bother to keep her voice low. "All is forgiven on my end... I don't expect everything to be clear on yours." She looks over to Irabeth, "I'm not really sure of how it will all turn out, honestly."
As they begin to move off, Ary listens to the lighthearted conversation before Isilme slips away. Her mind jumps through several things; like how she'd wished Anevia had come with them. Then straight on to what had happened to Annabelle... then leaped forward once more. "How was it that you survived the wardstone exploding, Commander? What happened to us when it did from your view?"
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Commander Irabeth looks at Ary with confusion. "What do you mean?" She thinks for a moment. "Ehren touched the wardstone with the rod of cancellation. The wardstone exploded....there was a lot of light, and noise. I could hear the stone shatter so I ducked behind my shield. I got a little cut up, but by Iomedae's grace I pulled through. Annabelle... Annabelle had on that leather armor. She was ripped through." She looks distant. "I tried to save her. I prayed to the Inheritor, but it was not enough. Meanwhile, you six, you were...paralyzed in mid-air, and glowing with the same light from the explosion. I called out your names but you were unconscious. Then.... Vorlesh." She scowls. "She appeared and I charged at her... but I ran right through her. Some sort of illusion. But somehow, her illusion could cast spells... she tried to suffocate me... I went unconscious. Then I woke up when Markus revived me."
She pauses. "I had assumed you came back to consciousness, and saved me from her spell. Markus said that the wardstone's magic saved you from Vorlesh, correct? You were all glowing. It was incredible." She looks at Ary. "When Ser Albright returns from Nerosyan, I need you to provide him with a full report of what happened."
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As she walks along, Isilme listens to Ary and Irabeth talking about the events when the Wardstone exploded. She wasn't terribly surprised to hear it had taken no time at all, as she'd surmised as much when still inside the vision. "From our point of view, we were all sharing a vision. I'm not sure how long we were there, but long enough to relive major events in the crusades and in all our lives. Might have been half an hour or an hour even," she explained.
"Crusaders coming, fifty or so, Hrut leading them. Will wait for you all to catch up and keep an eye out." Isilme stays hidden, in case the crusaders are being observed.
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As Irabeth, Ary, Ehren and Isilme walk toward the gate, Hinagiku follows them and salutes them as they leave. Once they are out of sight, she finds some wooden boards and bars the door as best she can.
Only after she has secured the place does she join the others in the secret armory, accompanying Annabelle there. As she picks up one of the longspears, she hears Markus plan of animating some of the bodies.
Strange how he treats death, does not worry that he might bring others back in the wrong way, like he did for Annabelle.... it is good that he brought her back, but I fear her new nature might draw her away from her own self. Hopefully, he has learned from his mistakes now. she thinks, her expression not betraying any of her thoughts.
She tries a few moves with the spear, betraying of her of skills before answering to the necromancer.
"Mr. Markus, maybe raising the beast with the wolf head would prove less disturbing to the reinforcements that will be coming soon. If you do raise it, I think Annabelle has the right idea about how to use it. If it is consciouss enough to open the gates for commander Irabeth when she comes back, it would make for a good guard." she turns toward Valaria.
"Closing the door seems wise, although seeing as though none of the followers of Deskari found it, I think we would be safe by simply closing it." she says, clearly uncomfortable with the idea of animating too many crusaders.
Commander Irabeth stands to attention.
"Isilme, stay hidden, until it is clear that it is safe," she says, unaware that Isilme was one step ahead of her on that front.
As the crusaders come into sight of Irabeth, Ehren, and Ary, two of the frontmen break off from the rest of the group to catch up to the Commander. As they come closer, it becomes clear that they are Hrut Ingvarson, riding on a skewbald horse, along with Cavalier Indisy, the halfling girl riding on an enormous shaggy black mastiff.
Indisy's eyes light up upon seeing Irabeth. "Oh! Praise the Inheritor! You're alright!"
Irabeth grins. "Likewise."
Hrut rides a little behind Indisy, he is not as graceful on a mount as the halfling. The enormous Ulfen man removes his helmet and beams when he spots Ary and Ehren. He is still coated with sweat from fighting in the sun in his armor, but otherwise appears unharmed.
"Ary Bishop, in one piece!" he exclaims. "Did all of you make it out alright? That explosion. Was that you? Were you successful?"