Smack! The devils head spins (literally), and he holds his little hands to his face. "Oww! Eh, yu shaid I wuldn't git hhurt!" The devil says through a bleeding lip. Tiasar shrugs "I owe no allegiance to Asmodeous, if he sees fit to come up and punish me for this than so be it. It's you own fault for being a smartass anyways". The creature turns back to Bjorkus, finally understanding that he should fear and respect this man. "No. He shaid he washn't shure if he p-put the wrong thing in. He shaid it was an acchident"
Gabriel glares at the creature, but forces down the power that let him see the things true nature. Suddenly the air seemed so much cleaner, the tunnel so much less disgusting. His stomach stopped turning the moment the creatures hateful aura winked out of Gabriels sight. He breathes easier and watches the rest of the group work until a question occurs to him "You did know he was sending you to speak to a paladin, right?"
"Of courshe. I wasz going to show up aszz a little kid. Only reashon I wasz in true form ish becaushe it feelsh good to break it out. I thought since I wasz leaving the area I could shpare a few minutesh. He shaid he doubted Geofffffrey would shushpect I wasz evil anywash."
"How familiar are you with your master's resources? Have you noticed any missing scrolls recently?"
The creature straitens up, licking away some of the blood. "Yesh. I know more about hish shtock than he doesh. My main job ish keeping everything organized. Actually ishn't a bad gig. Jusht know where anything ish when he ashks for it and the resht of the day I have to myshelf. Shcrolls..." He frowns, looking down in concentration. "Yesh, two were ashked of me today. One wasz a shcroll of floating dishc. He wasz moving shome thingsh today. The other wasz" He hits himself in the head "Ah yesh! A shcroll of fireball! Shaid somebody needed one. Washn't told what for, I promishe I washn't" He casts a fearful look at the figure holding him, scared that his lack of knowledge might get another cuff.
Gabriel glares at the creature, then walks over to Dalton and Lindale, "Do either of you still have one of the daggers?"
"Did you see who he gave it to? What you are told and what you may know can be distinctly different things. Have you seen or heard your master meeting with anyone that might suggest he has non-Andrilin sympathies?"
Lindale steps out from where he was hidden and uncovers one of the daggers, "Don't cut yourself," he says and hands it to Gabriel.
Gabriel nods and carefully takes hold of the dagger. He sheathes his long sword and walks over to where the bull was staring down the little... imp... thing. Gabriel made a note to find out what this thing was after everything was said and done. "Another question, perhaps, is does he recognize this?" Gabriel levels the dagger at the creature, much as he had the sword earlier. Though he wasn't exactly a fan of the smaller blades Geoffrey had been quite exhaustive in teaching Gabriel how to handle a variety of weapons. "And if it doesn't, would it mind testing the edge for me?"
Turning to the elven mage, Toramin inquires, "What kind of evil spirit is this?"
The devil taps a finger against his head, concentrating. "I remember he left the tent with it. Whoever needed it didn't come here, he delivered it to them. He shaid..."A favor hasz been called in, and I am every sho glad to get it off my plate. Fetch me a ffireball schroll." Sho i ashked him which one, he had a few. He waved hish hand and said "Oh jusht grab the weakesht one, I don't use them anywaysh.""
"Your master is concerned with his funding. Do you have any knowledge of him ever looking outside of Andril for this money? Have you any knowledge of his financial concerns? Do you know to whom or what he might owe favors?"
Despite being made to walk the fine line, the creature still has a glimpse of hatred for Gabriel. "Fenrir keepsh exactly two daggersh in hisz tent. One ish for cutting ingredientsh, and it ish a large shilver knife. The other ish a very pointy dark knife used to pierce thingsh you do not want to cut open widely". He gives the Tiefling one last hatred filled look, then turns to the dwarf. "I'm afraid I can't help you with those problems. He handles his own money (had a problem with an imp fudging the numbers a few years back) and I don't know about his relations."
Tiasar responds to Toramin "An Asura, beings rooted in rejection and destruction. Also known as divine mistakes. Although this kind in particular is one that Asura's create to use as ingredients or to corrupt mortal spellcasters. They make awful familiars as they are always trying to get you surrender your soul to their masters. They technically don't have a plane of their own, but many of them spend much time with Asmodeus."
Not so simple as we first thought... Who do you have in your past Fenrir?
Lindale begins to get the feeling that only the surface of some huge intrigue has been scratched. He stays silent, watching the little devil.
"Curious. Why would a being antithetical to divinity be swearing by or serving a god -- even an evil god?"
Bjorkus snorts. The little fiend's master was involved, even if he didn't know it. The question was, who was it that wanted the scroll.
"Did your master say anything 'bout the one that called in the favor? Anything at all? Maybe mention if it was a man or a woman? He or she?" the bull rumbles with a continually stern gaze.
"I think we have sufficient cause to bring Fenrir in for more detailed questioning. Can you impound this spirit, so that it may testify at a later time?" Leaning in closer to whisper, "What capacities does this army have to contain but not kill a rogue caster?"
Gabriel sighs. It seems like they had found their 'traitor', if the man even knew he was such. A criminal, perhaps, and at worst simply an idiot. Though the fact that he consorted with such things as this little devilish creature certainly disturbed him. He turns to Lindale and walks over to the drow. Then, whispering low enough to make sure the imp couldn't hear him, and choosing his words carefully, Gabriel says, "It's your call what we do now. I would suggest going to the last stop anyway, both so we don't leave Alice waiting and just in case this is more then we suspected. Then bringing our information to Geoffrey."
The creature searches its brain frantically for any knowledge that will stay the hand of Bjorkus. "I...I am sorry. I really don't think he mentioned he or she." He looks up in fear. "He mentioned it was an old favor, said he forgot about it entirely. Please. If I knew anything else I would tell you, honest I would!"
Tiasar turns away from the creature. "They gotta have some place to spend their spare time when they aren't on the material plane. Creatures as insignificant as this one would be crushed in the tide of things on the multiplanes without shelter." His brows furrow. "Fenrir has always been an eccentric one, but having evil familiars is new. Yes, I shall bind him, I doubt Fenrir could take on my take on my binding abilities even on his best day." He looks down, seeming a little worried. "Of the three casters, Fenrir would probably be the most dangerous in an open fight. Shen is theoretical and alters things, Alice studies magic itself and specializes in protection magic...Fenrir is an evoker. We'll have to outnumber him and counterspell anything he tries."
Alice
As you wait in the dew covered hills, eventually you see Alice approach from the direction of the camp. She walks like a soldier, strait and uniform. Eventually she manages to see the fake Geoffrey, and from a distance waves to show her presence. Once she closes the gap, she says somewhat quietly. "Hello Colonel, I am glad to see you on your feet. I heard your wound was rather serious and that my studies may be able to help with it."
Lindale nods his agreement to Gabriel, "We shall wait for Alice just in case, though I doubt she is a culprit in this. She may have useful information for us however."
Lindale will lead the way and once again stay and watch in the shadows.
"Do you know whether he can cast spells in a Silenced area? If he cannot, I would suggest silencing his tent and then arresting him with counter-spelling backup. A strategic alpha strike might be safest for all involved. Do you think this is a wise plan?"
Lindale, do I have your permission to take Fredrick and a squad to bring Fenrir into custody? If we wait too long, he may grow suspicious about his familiar's absence."
As Dalton walked with the group along the tunnel, three things were clear. Firstly, never get tea from Fenrir again. If I didn't know better, I'd say the damned fool was trying to poison me... He suspected the drink was cause for the sharp aches in his side. While it wasn't acute enough to stop him from realizing the relative power of the scroll or recalling precisely what sort of creature they espied was, it did distract him from the assault which came:
A sharp tongue.
"AUGH!" screamed the caster, unfamiliar to being stabbed, certainly not with extraplanar oral bits. The jab dug into his belly, and now there was a shooting pain. "Ugh ... after that PEST!" Dalton wasn't the best at shallow insults to those injuring him; it didn't happen often.
******
With the creature in hand, he kept a silence for the first bit of the interrogation, not the least. Only a minion. He should be squashed once he's served his use! But they still weren't any closer to finding the true traitor. His money was still on Alice, even though Fenrir did poison him.
"I'll tell you that's the last damn tea I have from him." He didn't buy the imp's claim Fenrir was unknowing of his concoction's ingredients, but that was probably more due to anger clouding his senses.
"We should head to Alice yet." They needed to find what the deal was with her still. "Remember - keep your tongues close to you."
********
And meet her they did. She looked very put-together, and her lack of (displayed) recognition of the fake Geoffrey was a point to their credit. But would it be enough to winnow her out as the culprit?
Psotheos clears his throat and returns Alice’s greeting. ”Serious wounds.” He slouches as if weary then straightens his back with a grunt. ”Abadar gives. Strength.”
Gabriel nods to the woman, but moves a bit away from the fake Colonel. His instinct was automatically to trust her, but he found that was instinct with all three. As he does this, his eyes begin to flash with a myriad of colors once more and he sweeps the area (including Alice briefly) to see if she was evil. He prayed she was not, and if his prayers were answered and she wasn't he would move away from both her and the false Colonel even more, as if he were looking for clues at the mans direction. If she was an assassin here to strike out at Geoffrey she would wait until she had the perfect moment to do so, and Gabriel was trying to give that to her.
Alice nods, seeming to believe the accent. "Indeed he does sir. With your permission I would like to inspect the wound. I may not be a healer but I heard the problem was arcane in nature."
Psotheos pats his shoulder, the gauntlet clanking against the plate armor. He brushes the cloak from his shoulder, as he kneels on one knee, turning his back to Alice. ”Please. The strap.”
She undoes his strap, then casts detect magic and begins examining the wound. "Hmm, they're right. It is based in abjuration magic. Perhaps...I think I could dispel it. It wouldn't take away the wound, but it might make it curable. With your permission sir."
”Given,” he says with a grunt. He keeps as still as he can, half ready to leap away from a dagger thrust at any moment, expecting a wand to blast him at any moment. Yielding to the Andrils at the Battle of Drunken Giant Hill hadn’t made him feel as vulnerable or scared. Sweat poured down his forehead. Despite the words of the imp or devil or whatever it was, Alice seems very threatening.
Alice nods, then begins casting. Suddenly she stops mid sentence. "You...this is a fake wound. Who are you, who do you think you are to impersonate the Colonel?" She jumps back and raises a hand threateningly "Explain yourself!"
"I think the better question," Gabriel growls as he returns to the pair, drawing his sword as he does, "Is why you didn't realize it was fake right away." He moves as quickly as he can and attempts to level his sword at her, ready to strike if she tries anything. "And how you were so sure you can dispel it when you didn't actually see the magic that afflicts sir Geoffrey.
Psotheos springs to his feet when Alice demands to know about the deception. He turns to face Alice, reading her body language and the surprise on her face at not finding the magic she apparently expected. Before he can answer, Gabriel is there, sword drawn, asking his own questions.
"You impersonate the Colonel, draw steel against a superior officer, and you demand answers of me?" Her brows lower dangerously. "The penalty for treason is death. I would recommend you remember that. And if I feel my life is threatened I am authorized to use deadly force."
Bjorkus bursts from his cover with his weapon in hand.
"Don't try anything woman", the bull rumbles. "Powerful mage or not, you're outnumbered. It's over."
She looks around darkly. "You'll find me more than a match for a few cannon fodders." And she raises her hand.
"We act with the authority of Colonel Geoffrey and have been charged with the responsibility of catching the traitor suspected of attempting to assassinate him. Not only do we have you caught in a trap he authorized, we have you attempting to 'help' him after having pretended to see magic that wasn't there. Answer the question now, or I ask Tiasar to silence the area and we forcibly detain you. There's no running, there's no lying, and there's no pulling rank here Alice." He glares balefully at her, angry that he had almost trusted her simply because of how prim she had been acting, and angrier still that it seems they had found their traitor. "You have 10 seconds or I ask him to do it anyway and take you into custody."
The tieflings eyes continue to flash, quite literally, with the prismatic light of his ability to detect evil. His pointed ear and tail both twitch in agitation. But the warrior himself remains almost relaxed looking down the length of his sword, ready to strike out at the sign of any suspicious behavior.
[ooc]I forgot I rolled initiatives. New development anyways
She glances at the elf. "I wouldn't believe you'd be a part of this Tiasar." He glares darkly back. "I'm not, but we have ample reason to charge you with a crime. If you're innocent then there is no problem." He places his hands out, palm down. "Do you really want to fight me?" After a moment, she lowers her hands. "Fine. I have nothing to hide"
Gabriel glances between the two, surprised, but relaxes a little more. He was still ready to attack if she tried to cast a spell, whatever that might look like, but it appeared that they wouldn't be fighting. He had to push down the slight irritation at that fact. There was no -guarantee- yet, but all the same... "Our friend Psotheos there was not wounded by one of the enchanted blades, yet you were confident upon 'studying' it that you could help him all the same. Why would you say that? How could you help someone who is not harmed by magic in the slightest and be so confident about doing so as well? Any why did you want a fireball scroll from Fenrir?"
That last one was a hunch, but he had to ask it. His tail twitched again, this time with nervousness as he stared down at the woman. 'Cannon fodder. That is what she called us. Its... scary to admit that I think I believe her in that.' He shook away those thoughts. He was going into battle tomorrow and would be facing a great many people who likely thought him as such. He couldn't let one unnerve him, especially one they were so well prepared to deal with.
A fireball scroll request? Dalton was unaware of this development. Maybe it was a ruse. In any event, he was glad the mage didn't resist them; he'd no desire to see a battle earlier than he had to.