His anxiousness getting the better of him, Bjorkus gestures toward the wall of fog.
”I don’t like it”, he rumbles. ”It’s been too long. He’s gotta be in trouble. I’m goin’ in.”
Having no idea what to expect, the bull puts a meaty hand up to shield his eyes and stomps through the mist.
The tiefling's tail whips back and forth as he goes back to the rope, now sticking out of the wall oddly. He starts pulling on it again, this time intent on finishing and hopefully warning the others. "The fog is like a wall on this side. This trap is creepy. If I'm right we need to fill that hole with something liquid. I have no idea if its magical or not, but I think those last caught here used blood."
Gabriel briefly gestures to the knives he had set on the ground to the right of the door, then turns his attention back to the rope.
Bjorkus steps through the mist the same as Gabriel did.
Bjorkus steps through the mist and sees Gabriel, uninjured and alone while he holds the rope with a deep thinking face on. The room is 30 by 30 feet. In the middle of the room is a 10 liter hole that has faint bloodstains around it, the line near the top that says "10 liters" being an obvious marker. There are two apparent no-longer-secret opening in the floor on the north and south walls that each have a rusty, blood stained dagger in them, and in Gabriel's hand is clutched an old and bloody scrap of parchment.
The fog has now become as solid as a brick wall. Gabriel and Bjorkus can pull the rope further in, but any piece of rope that comes in doesn't go back out. They are completely cut off from the party and unable to communicate with them in any way, including tugging the rope.
”And you think we’ve gotta bleed in here?”
The bull snorts and studies the scene.
"I have no idea actually! I'm only certain thats what we're supposed to do. Could be that filling it with water would work but I didn't bring ten litters of such with me, you?" Gabe stops pulling on the rope for a moment to look to Bjorkus. Hopefully the man had more experience with this sort of thing, or maybe a spell or -something- they could use. The alternative could cripple both of them. "I wouldn't use the daggers I found though. The first thing I'd do with a trap like this is poison the 'key'."
Bjorkus looks at the hole for a bit and detects abjuration, necromancy, and transmutation magic. To the best of his understanding the hole will repel any substance that is not blood, and once it is full enough something else will happen.
”Nope. It’s warded to keep anything that isn’t blood out.”
"We're gunna need more people. All of 'em and then some."
"With the entire group, we should be able to do it with only a few whoozy people. It means being very careful, and probably putting one or two temporarily out of commission, but its possible. The trick is getting them all in here.... What a malicious trap. That said with the healer friend you made, Jamie, it might not be quite so dangerous either."
”Let’s send a message”, he says before reeling more and more of the rope in.
About one minute after Gabriel disappears into the fog, Rilka says, ”Four Tooth, do you know Wrmech Fire Tongue?”
The lack of response after Bjorkus’ shouts makes Rilka feel a bit of unease. As he decides to retrieve the young paladin, she says, ”Bjorkus give the rope one tug every twenty steps if you can.”
Dalton knew better than to argue with Bjorkus, but after they encountered this wall and had nothing to go on but some riddle, there was an unnerving feeling in the back of the wizard's head.
"Damned soothsayers' quibble. One can't make heads nor hooves what it might mean. But if someone of his strength can't give it a tug? I don't think going in is my cup of tea."
While having no clue what was on the other side, the lack of hearing was troubling: No sound came from them, not even that of a skirmish. Either what they encountered was deadly silent, deadly intimidating, or soundproof. Dalton expected the former scenarios, though the latter was possible. None were inviting.
"Surely there must be some way of circumventing this mist."
He hunkers down and studies the wall of fog looking for a single flaw or opening, something that the tiniest stream of air could squeeze through.
Bjorkus believes that he could get his spell through their, if only because it's nature is similar to the door's.
This is Bjorkus. The fog is a one-way door. Complex lock on other side. Bring everyone through. It will take everyone to open.
As Dalton is considering the wall he hears this message whispered in the wind
This is Bjorkus. The fog is a one-way door. Complex lock on other side. Bring everyone through. It will take everyone to open.
"Oh! A message." After listening to the short words, Dalton conveys the gist to the party. "They seem to be in a stable enough place to cast magic and speak sentences; being in no danger, they've requested us to meet them as they need our help to open a lock. I see no reason why we shouldn't comply."
Without further ado, the wizard steps into the fog.
Toramin follows.
Is it authentic? she wonders. What an excellent idea for a trap. Send false information telling people it’s safe, well in any case it probably is a valid message. Little I can do about it now, seeing how Dalton and Toramin have left.
Smiling, Rilka turns to the escapees to make sure they are ready. ”You might want to hold hands or keep hold of the person’s shoulder in front of you.” She nods at the others.
Once the others start filing in, Bjorkus flags Dalton over to the depression in the otherwise empty room.
"We gotta fill this with blood to get out of here. It's gotta be blood - it's warded to keep out any other kinda liquid. Gabe found a couple hidden knives but it'd be safer to use our own blades for the bloodletting. From what I figure, we'd all only need to give a little to fill her up."
Gabriel nods, having stopped pulling at the rope when Bjorkus cast the spell. Gabe didn't even know the man knew such complex magic but he was once again impressed. He quickly added at the end of what Bjorkus said, "In fact, if we spread it out precisely, and with Jamie here to hopefully help, the only real danger should be mild hunger and the need for some rest, which you lot will be getting the moment we get you free of here and to Jamie's fellows in the masked healers order."
Bjorkus calls Jaime over to loop him into the discussion.
"I'm no stranger to bleedin' but Gabe figures you'd be able to help keep us from bleeding' to death. That good by you?"
Dalton was none to eager to bleed himself, but the situation was dire. He looked to the healer. "If that's the case, you can take the bit from me first. I feel I've had to sacrifice the least of us so far, so it's only fitting."
”Ten liters of blood?” Rilka says in shock once the situation is explained to her.
She nods in agreement as Dalton speaks. "He took the words out of my mouth,
”I’ll be second. You’ve given too much blood to Targ already,” she says addressing the escapees and Bjorkus and Gabriel. ”I hate asking for more but it appears we have no choice. ” She motions for Dalton to take his position near the basin. Freeing her obsidian dagger, she checks the veins on his wrist. ”Are you ready?” she asks, dagger poised.
As soon as the situation becomes apparent the rescued prisoners go green. "We-we don't want to be cut open!"
Gabriel looks at all the prisoners, and he came to a sudden realization. "You've been kidnapped, beaten and tortured. Now, once again, you are being asked to bleed for one of the tyrant's monstrous actions. That it's a trap, a trap he may have set long ago, makes no difference."
Gabriel looks too Rilka and holds out his hand for the knife, hoping she'd take his cue this time and give it to him. "The difference is we're not going to make you do it. This is entirely your choice. Perhaps it won't be an easy one but it's still yours to make. For those of you that join us in this, we apologize for the necessity. For those of you that don't... I would think closely about what you're willing to give for freedom. Another man might bleed so you can be free, but you yourself won't?"
Gabriel takes a moment to look into each of their eyes, noteably skipping over the three prisoners that Bjorkus had been locked up with. They had earned his trust already and he was certain they'd do it if Bjorkus asked. "In the end, the more people who help, the safer it is. And the less people who help, the weaker those who did will be. Right now, we know of five who will be giving blood so that we can all be free. Will anyone else be joining us?"
Gabe looks at the other four. Bjorkus. Toramin. Rilka. Dalton. People he trusted with his life. The same people risking their necks for these prisoners. Then he gestures for Jamie to come over to him and assist him, also doing his best with his own knowledge.
Jaime steps up timidly, very green at the thought apparently. "I...um...have much anatomy training, but I don't know if I can do this. I could cast a small amount of healing magic afterwords, but not enough for everybody..."
There were several lines Gabriel would never bend. He would never condone taking an innocent life, he would never force a man into chains, and he would never -make- these prisoners do this. But that didn't mean, for the safety of others, he wasn't willing to encourage them. Ironically, this didn't make him feel any better. Was it a slippery slope? One immoral action after another? Was that how Heff got to where he was? He pauses for a few moments and then adds, "Please. We need your help. We might be wrong, but we're doing everything in our power to make sure all of you get out of this. Please help us."
Gabriel looks to Jamie and gives a small nod. "I can do a bit of healing, and it seems my friends have a wand or two capable of it as well. What I need is your skill. I only know a few basics myself, even with the lesson I had last night with your colleagues."
He pauses for a moment, the blade an inch above his skin, and he looks right into Jamie's eyes. "I realize what I'm asking you to do. Its morally and... honestly physically repulsive. But unless there's another way through this maze it's the only way to get everyone free. Bjorkus trusts you, so I trust you. You can do this."
Rilka hands her dagger to Gabriel and moves aside for Jaime to start the bloodletting on Dalton.
”What are the other options here? We can starve to death.”
Rilka trusts Bjorkus and Gabriel, but she wants to reassure herself that there are no hidden means of egress that they didn't see. She explores the room, looking for any signs the maker of this maze gave himself to bypass this trap.
Bjorkus nods at the healer in agreement with Gabe.
"You survived time in Targ's torture chamber; This'll be like nothin'. We need your skills if we're all gunna walk away from this", he explains. "You're more than your magic."
I hope my blood counts.
Toramin offers his arm.
As Rilka studies the room, she finds a marvelously hidden trap.
Once the blood reaches the 5 liter mark in the hole, an invisible odorless gas will start leaking into the room. The effects of the gas start with lightheadedness, but after aome exposure it causes unconsciousness and lung failure. Since blood loss also easily causes lightheadedness it's easy to not notice the difference when it begins happening.
However, when the blood reaches the ten liter mark something else happens. Whatever it is is mechanical in nature and extends out of the room to the southeast. Since it goes out of the room Rilka is unsure of what it does.
Jamie looks nervous, but finally nods. "I understand the necessity. It goes against my vows, but it is for the greater good. Let the complative one forgive me. Gabriel, I will need your assistance." Most of the slaves also grumble and nod, moving forward. Four Tooth refuses as well as the injured slave and a spiteful looking tiefling. The crazy slave...doesn't respond.
Gabriel, of course, nods. With him assisting Jamie the pair should have little trouble keeping things from getting worse. The tiefling didn't have much on him, so he looked to the rest. "Does anyone have any alcohol or cleaning solutions? Keeping this dagger clean will go a long way toward making things safer for everyone else."
Bjorkus gets the prisoners in a line while Rilka sterilizes the blade and Jaime handles the actual bloody act.
"I know it's gruesome but the sooner we get this over with the better", he rumbles.
"I know it's gruesome but the sooner we get this over with the better", he rumbles.
"Agreed." The wizard lets out a snicker. "Come now, don't let an old man's bit of courage go unused!"
”We can wipe the blood off the blade on the hem of my dress,” Rilka says, ”then use a small flame on the end of the rope to sterilize it. Or Dalton can use a cantrip to clean it.”
She looks up from the southeast corner of the room. ”Now this is interesting,” she says and describes the extra devious nature of the trap. ”Let’s see if I can prevent this from happening.”
After some time Rilka believes she has blocked where the gas comes out of.
Gabe didn't know nearly as much as Jamie, but between the little medical training he had received as a soldier and the tips he had gotten the night before, the tiefling was at least semi competent. With someone as skilled as Jamie at the wheel, the blonde haired man would serve quite well as an assistant.
”I’m confident but not fully certain the trap has been disarmed. I think you should wait until we pass the halfway point before giving any blood,” she says to Bjorkus. ”Your inspiring songs may make the difference in bolstering any of us feeling weakened from blood loss, if there's a situation we need to deal with.”
She retrieves the small amount of alcohol from her alchemical kit. ”This will probably be better than fire. Ready to sterilize,” she says as if this situation is nothing more unusual than cleaning dishes or dusting a room.
Jamie and Gabriel do a great job, the tiefling's assistance making up for the lack of supplies. However, at the halfway point it becomes apparent that Rilka didn't quite disable the gas trap as two of the slaves pass out.