"I'm not particularly good with horses either," says Atronia as she searches the stables for any trapdoors or signs of where prisoners could be kept.
Daedin reaches out to the horse to touch it, and feels his hand pass right through it! As Rilmor stares at the horse and Gwerrment scans it with his magic detecting vision, it flickers, becoming hazy and transparent to the three's sight. It still acts as it did before, but now it is clearly an illusion.
Closer now, and with the once solid horse no longer obstructing his view, Daedin can see a cleverly hidden trapdoor underneath the fake image of the horse, right where its hoofs would be pounding and where someone would be least likely to try and get near. Daedin also sees something glint underneath the straw, and can easily pluck it out from under the fake horse. It's a hefty Iron Symbol of Torag, the kind that priests are likely to carry.
"I could try to see if I can notice anything."
As Coetis looks into the stall as well, his eyes are drawn upwards to the top of the stable. Shockingly, there seems to be many heavy stones perched and held above, ready to drop on anyone who tries to open the trapdoor.
With very careful care and skill, Daedin is able to find the thin wire that leads from the trap door to the pile of rocks above. With a little more care and a bit of sweat, he's able to cut the wire and tie it off to prevent the cleverly prepared trap from activating. The trap is officially deactivated.
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Daedîn breathes a sigh of relief, but glances at the rocks above, before looking back at his companions and smiles...
"Think I got it...heading down to see if anything awaits us...I'll let you know if it's clear...
Daedîn carefully opens the trapdoor and makes his way down it, keeping an eye out for other surprises. Once down, he'll draw his bow and observe...
A wooden ladder descends from above into this cluttered and dimly lit L-shaped room. Crates and bits of furniture are stacked against brick walls and oaken doors lie to the east and south.
"I agree too" says Coetis say after Gwerrmet.
This area is bare save for a rickety side table and chair set against the north wall. The surface of the table is carved with swirls and chipped grooves incised by an untrained hand. A set of keys lies on the table, alongside a browned, half-eaten apple, stale crust of bread, and dull paring knife. Ironbound oaken doors lie on the eastern and western walls, and a door-lined corridor stretches to the south.
As Daedin looks around the room, he catches out of the corner of his eye a brick that is slightly askew. Pulling on it reveals that a loose brick in the north wall conceals a small box that contains several locks of hair and a vial of blood.
The door to each jail cell has a small window at eye level,
blocked by three vertical iron bars. When he looks through the bars of the first door, Rilmor can see matted straw is strewn across the floor, and a set of manacles hangs affixed to the wall opposite the entrance. Two buckets sit at the center of this dank prison. As Rilmor goes to unlock the cell, he notices that the hinges on the outside are rusted terribly. They will probably make a fair amount of noise when opened.
In the next cell however, Rilmor can see a dwarf, manacled to the wall and wearing only scraps. He seems to be sleeping fitfully.
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Daedîn will remove the box and store it in his backpack. What in the Inner Sea can these be used for? I'll have to show this to Rilmor and Gwermett once the prisoners are free...
He'll then move back towards the table, keeping an eye on the corridor/doors for enforcers...if there's a spot where he can maintain his viewpoint and get a bit of concealment, he'll try to blend in there...
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Atronia follows Rilmor to what turns out to be the holding cells and sees the dwarf.
"I think now we can safely say they've been kidnapped," she says with a wry smile.
"I wonder who might show up when we open these doors. I guess we should stand ready for a fight in the end, unless someone has some great idea."
While Atronia says this, she goes to check the other cells, looking and listening carefully for anything amiss.
While Atronia says this, she goes to check the other cells, looking and listening carefully for anything amiss.
Two other dwarves are in the other prison cells. They are also sleeping fitfully.
After Rilmor carefully oils the lock and hinges, he's able to open the doors with only a minimum of sound. The squeak is still audible, but certainly not the shriek it would have been had they opened it without the oil.
The dwarven woman stirs and mutters as she sits up, rubbing her eyes.
Blast it all to the abyss boy, I don't mind ya sneakin' me sweets, but can't ya let a woman sleep before that thrice damned iron faced...
She blinks as she sees Rilmor and the crew and then smiles.
Forgive my presumption, but by chance woulda happen to be that backup that I sent for? Cause, not to be one to complain during a rescue or nothing, but I've grown quite tired of these accommodations and would love to go home.
The team can clearly that she is absolutely exhausted, as are her companions as Rilmor oils and opens their cells as well. Even with their manacles unlocked, they are barely able to stand on their own due to mistreatment, malnourishment, and sleep deprivation.
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Daedîn speaks softly. "Good job, Rilmor."
While the dwarves are gathering themselves, Daedîn brings forth the holy symbol he found in the stall along with the box found behind the brick.
Looking at the captives, he says, "I believe this holy symbol belongs to one of you. Rilmor, Gwermett...I found this concealed here in the walls. Do one of you, or perhaps one of our dwarven friends here, know what the Razmiri would want with hair and blood?"
Looking again to Rilmor. "Are they in any condition to travel? We need to leave quickly, and quietly, while we still have the cover of nightfall, as soon as they are able..."
One of the dwarves reaches out and takes the holy symbol reverently, with almost tear-filled eyes.
Aye... Torag thank ye, I... You don't know what it means to see this again. Maybe I'll see my home once again.
The woman pats him on the back in a gentle reassurance. She looks to the blood and hair and grimaces.
Aye, that blood is mine. Blasted iron faced torturer took it from me, and hair from all of us to. Said with it, we would never escape from her or her blasted god. Probably would use it to scry on us if we made for an escape...
She blinks as her sleep addled brain just realizes what she said.
Oh! By the Gods! If you didn't find that, they could have tracked us no matter where we went!
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Daedîn smiles grimly. "No worries. Glad to be of service. We'll make sure this box is burned once we're free of this place..."
Turning to his companions, and eying Atronia, he says, "With your permission, I'll head back up into the stables and check if it's safe...Gwermett's earlier words are still telling me it can't be this easy. Get the dwarves to the ladder and I'll let you know if the way is clear or not..."
Daedîn will climb back up the ladder and crack the trapdoor and peer out to see if it's safe to proceed. If so, he'll come through the trapdoor, leaving it open, drawing his bow and stealthily proceed to gain a concealed viewpoint from inside the stable to the inn and its grounds, looking for any movement or Razmiri...
Daedin carefully creeps forward, quiet as a mouse. Leaning against the well is a Razmiri priest, dressed in gray robes, wearing an iron mask, and carries an ivory wand as she leans against the courtyard’s well. Her wand seems to glow with light, illuminating the area around her. She seems to be tapping her foot impatiently as she waits. Two Razmiri enforcers stand by the front gate exit, also waiting, though they have stuck their torches into wall sconces at the gate.
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Daedîn quietly heads back down to report...
"We have a welcome party awaiting us...a Razmiri priest, by the well, and two enforcers by the front gate...I saw no others." He grins at Atronia. "For them to have brought so few, the sisters must've believed your story..."
Hearing Rilmor's words, he nods. "You know more of this scrying than I...but if they can scry from gear alone, not sure why they'd have collected blood and hair samples...we still don't know if they have guards down here, and searching might alert them...
I'm assuming the Razmiri have searched our rooms and may now know of our ruse. I fear we must strike quickly and get back to the ship, in case they've sent for more reinforcements. Whatever we decide, we must do so quickly..."
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Atronia can't help but smile back at Daedîn. She catches herself doing so and tries to put on a more serious face. "As much as I'd love to believe it is so... Let's not get ahead of ourselves. It looks like we'll have to face them now. I doubt we can do this quietly, but if they're waiting outside, they might not be sure about where we are. Everyone stand at the ready and approach as quietly as possible. We should at least try to take them by surprise."
Atronia waits for everyone's assent before going up the ladder and close to the stable's exit, at which point she'll do her best to stay quiet and hidden.
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Daedîn nods in agreement with Atronia. "I'll find a place to conceal myself and wait till everyone is in place. Just a suggestion...if I can get a clean shot, I may be able to take out an enforcer. If Gyrand can take out the other enforcer, that leaves the priest. Rilmor can provide support and the rest can attack the cleric. I'll fire once everyone's in place and that'll be the signal. Once the fighting starts we'll need to strike fast and hard, so everyone needs to have an idea on what they're going to do...
Coetis and Atronia will likely need the most protection, Rilmor. Gyrand and I can strike with ranged weapons...
The dwarves should remain in the last stall till the fighting is over..."
Daedîn will move stealthily back to his previous viewpoint, with his bow trained on one of the enforcers, and awaits till everyone's ready...
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"Maybe there's another, less obvious, exit?
There are three other doors we still haven't looked at … "
Gwerrmet points at the two nearby doors on the east and at the end of the tunnel to the South.
"They might not lead to a way out."
"But there might be weapons or magic beyond those doors,
"which we can use against the priest and goons."
"We might have to fight our way out regardless."
"But since we're here, we should have a quick look first."
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Atronia stops in her tracks. "I'll admit I'm curious to find out what's behind those doors. There may be something useful to us as well as their belongings." She points to the dwarves.
"I doubt any other possible way out will be left unguarded, however. As for your question, Rilmor, I will certainly fight any foe in melee, but I will probably not be the first to reach them. I have an habit of singing to embolden my allies."