Distan, while not being even remotely military in background, has been rendered suspicious enough by events that even before Bation or the big tank-armor guy specifically cite what the guards hand motion was, he fins himself tensing at said hand motion regardless. He makes sure his back is not facing a door, and as he darts his head around to inspect all possible entrances to the room, his motions become more fluid and sinuous.
All the while he keeps running his performance sotto voice, advising everyone to keep alert.
Perception
"Is there a problem sir?" Tika asks the man who just made the signal
Edit:
Perception =
Although Ancian did not notice the guard call for reinforcements, he soon realizes that trouble is possibly on the horizon. His hands move down toward the hammer's slung from his sides.
Ancian looks to his companions and then at the guard. "Reinforcements? I have spent many days around a barracks, and I can tell you, you will not be needing reinforcements. We are travelers simply looking to get out of the rain. We truly mean to cause no trouble"
Diplomacy =
Two more lightly armored knights descend from the staircase.
"If you would all follow these fine men down the stairs, we're going to take you to your chambers for the evening."
The guards make a show of placing their hands on their weapons, and begin to turn to usher the group of you all down into the lower part of the guardhouse.
Kaius makes eye contact with Vorik, signally he is ready to "go" if Vorik is.
Tika watches the guards to try and assertain if what they are saying is on the up and up
Sense motive
"Is that man going to be okay?" She asks indicating the unconcious man in an attempt to stall for a moment or two.
"I believe the plan for us was to stay at an inn for the night, but I suppose this will do as well."
"That's a good point, Tika. What will happen to this fellow?"
Ancian nods.
Although he does not believe his diplomatic advance was met well, he starts slowly walking toward the stairs. He does not, however, take his hands away from his hammers. He knows to prepare for the worst.
"It's certainly cheaper then the inn", he says, hoping to break the tension.
Distan blinks at his companions passivity. "Our... chambers for the evening? You mean cells? Because unless Thrane has suddenly adopted a policy of offering free hostel lodgings for any and all travelers, it rather sounds like you're arresting us."
"A necessary action in dark times like these, kind sir. Not everyone holds the Flame close to their hearts, and we must protect what is ours."
He gestures for you to follow one of the two guards that appeared from upstairs, who begins to move down the stairs - to the cells below the guardhouse.
"And rest assured signora, this man is safe with us. In fact, he is one of our number. Our finest healers will see to it that he is fully recovered from his injuries in no time."
What do you do?
Tika weighs her options for a moment before deciding to follow the guard "No point getting into a big ruckus over this." She does how ever keep a close eye on the guards
Perception
sense motive
"Very well."
Bastion will follow the guards downstairs.
"I'm sorry, but i refuse to go any where, especially to a holding cell area, when I have done nothing wrong. If you will not listen to me, perhaps you will listen to the Paladin of the Silver Flame whose life we have saved a few times now" With the Vorik calls upon the holy power of his pantheon and unleashes a burst of positive energy.
Distan looks torn; one can almost see him running calculations inside his head on how difficult it might be to break out a Thranish holding cell. But, seeing his companions (and thus, potential back-up) comply, he slumps his shoulders in defeat and follows them down. "Can't be worse than the week I spent in a cell in Black Arch..." he mumbles.
"Dosent seem so bad" Tika mumbles to herself as she looks over the room "So uh any chance of getting some food and water?" She asks the guard
Vorik will very reluctantly head downstairs. "I can not begin to describe how much I do *not* like this. I am a Paladin of Dol Arrah, and while the Silver Flame may be dominate in this land, they are tolerant of my Lady and her brethren. This is utterly unacceptable"
"Some cheese and bread will be brought down for you. We'll make sure water is brought down as well." the guard says to Tika, eyeing her with some distrust.
Turning to Vorik, "Dark times call for drastic measures. One does not welcome visitors when skeletons are bursting from the ground in the neighboring country."
Kaius leans in, and whispers to Vorik, "Rejoice, Knight Kessler, for the Host and the Six protect us. We have not been found out, and our present location gives us the power to mobilize an entire nation against our "king"."
Perception
Tika seems slightly put out by the guards distrust of her but that seems to quikly fade as her ears pick up a more interesting conversation. She turns to face Kaius and Vorik
"Well since we are going to be hear for a little while we may as well get to know each other. I'm Tika Swiftclaw" She makes an overly dramatic bow as she cheerfully introduces herself."former street urchin and pickpoket at your service."
Kaius, locking eyes with Tika, returns the bow (although it is shallow ). "I am Klaus, of Karrnath, formerly a servant to the ir'Wynarn line of Karrnath. A pleasure to meet your acquaintance."
"While your right, and I understand your desire to get back what was yours, until we find out more about the current situation back home ans why what went down did, we can't just take it by force. But our location is an advantage, which we need to put to our use. We need to talk to somebody in power, perhaps even the Power, and see if, should our attempts at diplomacy back home fail, we have a powerful ally to assist us." The Paladin sighs. "None of which we can do while sitting in this stupid cell! He says much louder, making sure the guard outside can hear him.
Knowledge nobility (Untrained but If I recall right I can still make up to a Dc 10 check
Tika dosent really notice much about the bow distracted as she was by Vorik's sudden outburst
"......and you are?" She asks Vorik
Perception:
Between the sound of the door closing and his own banter, Distan fails to hear any whispers.
"Do you think it was my bit about Flamekeep feeling like coming home that got us locked up? I need to learn when to quit..." he says, throwing himself down on one of the benches. From his seat, he nods at Klaus and Vorik after Tika finishes her own introductions. "I'm Distan Baccini, pleased to meet you. Forgive me if I don't rise and bow like my friend here, but it's been a day." His greeting is said in a fairly hearty voice, loud enough to carry from the cell; following that, however, he lowers his voice considerably. "So... I'm just going to throw this out there. I'm not at all sure that I trust 'we'll take you out of these cells in the morning' doesn't actually translate to 'and then we'll move you from these small garrison cells into a much more secure prison'. So... not to put too fine a point on it, but does anyone fancy breaking out?"
Bastion stands in a corner, with crossed arms, and a passive look on his face, as warforged tend to have.
"Name's Bastion. It's a pleasure." He nods towards those he doesn't know, aka Vorik and Klaus. Lowering his voice, bending over, and speaking directly to Distan:
"I am Sir Vorik Kessler, Paladin of Dol Arrah and worshiper of the Nine, Six and One." Vorik says, standing up to his fullest. The spiked, blood red armor he wears, coupled with the spiked shield in the same color, cuts the most frightening image of a Paladin you have ever seen. In fact, were you not witness to his healing upstairs, you would be positive he was lying about being a member of those holy warriors.
Tika attempts to put on a brave front trying to stand to her fullest but still being a full head below the armoured figure. "So what brings you and your manservant to these parts and what happend to your friend upstairs?"
Perception:
Knowledge Nobility:
Ancian has been quiet and complacent since he first joked about the situation. He followed the guards without question and has been leaning up against the wall of the cell until now.
I am Ancian of Aundar, it is a pleasure to meet all of you. I am sorry I have been so quiet, but I did not want to say too much; for I fear that I am the cause of us all being here. I used to fight for the Aundarian army, and I foolishly made mention of it to Tika earlier.
Ancian nods his head at Distan,"but I can help get us out" and turns toward Vorik and Kaius. "If we were to attempt a break out, are you in?"
The solid clunk of Bastion's face hitting the palm of his hand brings a chuckle to Distan's lips. "Relax, friend. The paladin and his squire are in the same boat as us, after all. I doubt all that fuss upstairs was staged just to put informers among us. Even contemplating that kind of deception would have your average flamehead dropping to his knees and ripping his shirt off to whip himself for such wicked thoughts." He scratches his chin, glancing at the door. "Besides, what can they do to us for discussing an escape? Arrest us and throw us in a cell?"
"To be honest if they were planning to keep us prisoner I doubt they would have left us with our weapons, armour and other belongings."
"I am no friend of the Silver Flame nor the country enslaved to it. I am Karrnathi, and on top of that, my family has a bad history with Thrane. I do not trust them to let us free in the morning, but I am also unsure if attempting to break out is such a good idea." The Paladin looks to Klaus "What do you think? If we don't escape, we may not get to see Her but if we do, that could potentially weaken our position"
"Tika does bring up a good point, perhaps I spoke too quickly. I am sorry for being so indecisive, but if we escape now we will surely be discovered and will have to fight our way out. However, if we wait until morning we may be released; and if not, still have to fight our way out."
Ancian lays down on a bunk bed, upset about being so impatient. He has been in trouble while traveling before, but has never had to think of an entire group.
"As I said, I will help if we choose to escape, tonight or in the morning. As for now, I am wet and tired, and in need of a rest."
"Very well. I suggest you all get some rest, as long as we are stuck here."
Bastion stands vigilant in the corner, completely unmoving, unless roused by anyone else.
Distan sighs. "Alright, fine, we'll sit here like good boys and girls. Honestly the main reason I was calling for it now was that it would probably be easier to do it stealth-style on the night shift. Can we agree, though, that if the guards come in the morning and start talking about 'transferring' us, or the equivalent, as opposed to releasing us, that we won't go quietly?"
"Sounds adequate to me."
The night slowly shifts into dawn, and soon you can hear the chirping of birds somewhere outside the guardhouse walls. A guard comes by and gives you another portion of water, cheese, bread, and some wine. He states that later in the day you will be transferred to another facility within the city.
"......Okay so I have been known to be wrong on occasion." Tika admits with a shrug before turning towards Vorik and Klaus "So whats the plan? you two want to see someone in the city right?"
"We don't need to speak to a somebody, we need to speak to the somebody here in Thrane, the Keeper of the Flame herself." The Paladin says a bit ominously
"Whoever you need to speak to, he or she's outside these bars. it's also not looking like we'll be getting out of here free without a fight. Distan, Ancian? It seems our decision is clear, does it not?"
After spending the past few hours dozing on the bench, Distan is woken by the guard delivering breakfast- and the expected promise that the group wasn't being set free anytime soon. Nibbling on a piece of cheese, he nods at Tika and Bastion in turn."Well, a fight is gonna happen, I'm sure, but I hope we can minimize it and find less bloody ways to get out. Right now we're actually innocent; I'd rather not wind up killing a bunch of guards in breaking out and become really guilty of a crime. For instance..." He fiddles with his hat and mutters something under his breath; a moment later, Distan's form blurs and becomes a reasonable facsimile of the guard outside the door. "If we could knock that chap outside out without raising a stink, we might be able to get upstairs, at least, with him 'leading' us." He flicks the corner of what is now his helmet and reverts to his normal scruffy looking self. Turning to Vorik and Klaus, he replies, "Once we're out, we're definitely gonna need to lay low for a while; I was thinking find a room in some dive inn, but... do you really got the clout to get an audience with the flamey kid? 'Cause if we can actually swing that, that probably trumps any book that might get thrown our way for a breakout."
Sitting up on the edge of the bed, Ancian turns to Bastion. "It couldn't be clearer." He moves closer to Tika and leans in, softly saying, "Can you pick that lock?"
FInally he turns to Vorik, "It is quite a great mission you are on. I have met my fare share of travelers and you are perhaps the most intriguing. I'm not sure what to make of you just yet."
"I could give it a try......"Tika begins her eyes focusing on Vorik and Klaus "....but and I mean no direspect but with a plan that relies on the keeper of the flame being willing to see us after we broke out of her prison and beat up some of her guards I think you two are going to have to give us some explanation on why she would want to do that."
The lock is a basic lock that is not magically warded.
There are no guards in sight, but you know there is one nearby.