Szordrin looks around at the mention of a dark elf...
When he does not see anyone around he will look back at Timeon...then point at his own chest.
me..you are calling me a dark elf...me
Szordrin rubs his fingers across his chin in amusement.
oh yes, I am a dark elf young squire
He walks slowly towards timeon..letting his smile grow wider and wider..with a gleam of evil washing across his face
Now if you wish to see your beloved Mitra, I suggest you answer all the questions...truthfully. I will know if you are telling the truth or not
He continues walking forward till he gets about 15 feet away from him.
and if you do not do as we ask...well I would be very cross if that were the case. I do not like to be angry... I tend to do things that are not nice...we...dark elves love to flay the skin away from a untruthful person...lay it out on our palm.. He slowly licks his own palm Healing a person as the body is dying is an art the drow have perfected over the centuries. The agony can go on for years if need by. I can be very patient....so what will it be young squire....truth..or...consequences at the mention of the last words he lets his smile slip from his face to a serious stone face killer.
As much as you may enjoy that my friend, I believe the Mitran boy can be made to see the lies he's been fed by the priests.
Timeon hides behind Elisa and cries out "SO it is true the dark elves eat the meat of man! Gentle lady do not let him devour me!" and begins crying again, sobering over Elisa's back as he uses her as a barrier.
Child! Stop speaking of things you know not and instead ask questions. Like why the Mitrans blame children for their parents misdeeds. Saulric moves closer to the boy and puts his hand on his shoulder.
Szordrin steps back and laughs at the young squire..
Really child, you can not be that gullible. Szordrin turns away..smiling even more.
When he turns around again his face is of a neutral stance.
The Mitrans have you turned around. It is they that tell you these lies about anyone that is not like them. He holds his hands up in a disarming way..
but I do not want to force my point of view on you or anyone else. If your faith in Mitra is as strong as you say..then I suggest you just simple answer the questions we are asking. There is no harm in that is there, you have the truth on your side. The truth of Mitra.
The teenager succumbs to the wily charms of the wizard...
He sits dazed begins mumbling...
"I was taken when Sir Balin was captured...Why has Mitra deserted me?...Sir Balin put up a noble fight...put the evil man named Thorn had men who proved too crafty...I managed to escape when he put me in this dungeon...Why am I made to suffer so?...The foolish Thorn could not find me when I hid in here... He searched for me but never looked in here...I heard him talking to another woman...her voice was cold...I heard things about this place..."
It's very simple son. Mitra doesn't care. I loved the princess and she loved me. But her father didn't approve of my station and had me arrested, tossed in prison. Branded as one of the forsaken. The Talingarde of today was built on the corrupt lies of his priests. What kind of deity would hunt down the followers of another faith just because we didn't love him. That is true evil.
"Wait... what things did you hear about this place? Tell me now, or your new friend here won't be able to save you from my wrath..." If the boy things me a demon, I'll let him if that will get him to speak quickly and get to the point.
I look over at him trying to convey we don't need threats.
The squire begins to babble quickly on the floor clutching Elisa's leg tight "I dont know how you ended up in this miserable place but this is what i know and heard...there is no escape from here, accept your fate of death if need be. There are cobras that are metal in a nearby room, i know there is a secret door in a room past the cobras...i think...something screams in another room when it is not dark...and i think that causes some flesh eating zombies to rise up, i think...it is horrible regardless. I sure hope Sir Balin fought his way out."
Szordrin looks at timeon with fondness...
Young squire, you have been deceived just like the rest of us. I did not always looks like this...dark elf. My name is Szordin Silvertree and I and my sister came to Talingarde on a trade mission to a local wizard. I did not take kindly to the disrespectful words and gestures that were being directed to my sister. When I spoke up of my displeasure I was rewarded by the Lawful Government with this curse you see before you. I disagreed with a Talingarde and was punished for it. I did no wrong and now I am curse to roam the world like...like..like this. I do not wish this on anyone...it has made me and the others here a little jaded. So I apologize for my comments earlier. I still have not accepted my current appearance. His tone softens a bit
We all have been assaulted for not agreeing with the Kingdom and the tenets of Mitra. Because we are different..Mitra abandoned us, because we have views that are not what Talingarde want...Mitra abandoned us, because we chose to not conform to the demands of the Talingarde even if those demands are not lawful, Mitra abandons us. We each have our own stories as to how and why we are forsaken. Szordrin take a slight step forward and kneels down to look at timeon face to face...
I am sorry if we upset you as this was not our intent...you say you are from Balintyne...tell me about it what was it like when last you were there. Is your family still there, I bet your parents are worried about you. Perhaps we can help you get out of here and back home to them. Would that be something you would like. We can arrange it. szordrin tries to keep his voice gentle and calming
and after some pause....
What is your family name...My friend here he nods up at elisa has business associates she knows in Balintyne perhaps she knows your family?
"Tis a sad tale for sure but I cannot believe everything i have heard... everything i learned... everything taught to me... about Mitra and Mitrans is false... I know not what happened to my parents after I began working as a squire for Sir Balin. My family is old in Balentyne with estates near the Watch Wall. My parents are not rich or anything... but I have met Sir Havelyn... once... as a boy... a while ago...was in the tower even...Please do not kill me!"
Nidjena reaches out to the man with a caring expression on her face, and lays a hand on his shoulder. He might feel a strange tingling where she touches him.
"My dear man, just think. We found you in this place. We can rescue you. Has any Mitran even attempted to come to your aid? Do I look like I want to hurt you? Let us help you. We don't want your parent's money. We want peace. Equality. Freedom. Justice for the man who took so much away from ourselves and our families. Help us deal with those cretins, starting with the vile Sir Balin, and we can help show you a world where the just are rewarded. Where laws are for everyone, not just the devout followers of a false god. Let us work together, and you need not worry. Work against us however, and you'll regret it."
She visibly nods towards Saulric at the end of her monologue.
Alaric stands back in the opposite corner, his face turned away, since his mien was so distressing to the poor lad... no need to force the lad to contemplate the nature of a tiefling with this group while the others are trying to influence him.
"Sir Balin does yell at me a lot though... although he is a Lord and I am just a squire...I will help you get out of this place if I can... I need to think about some things though..."
Saulric pats the child's shoulder. Come child, while not as prestigious as your master, I would be happy to continue you're training if you'd care to travel with us.
Young Timeon, come with us...we will give you the information you need and then you can make your own decision as to what is right. Master Saulric with guide you to the truth but it is up to you to make your own choice.
Szordrin extends his hand towards Timeon
later when we have time I would love to hear more about your town, your family and what was it you called it..watch wall. I do enjoy a good story about history.
Timeon nods at Szordrins words, but still keeps his distance from the drow, electing to stay close to the females of the group. He stands with his shoulders slumped forward and with a distant gaze on his face as if lost in thought...
[b]Do you know of any other horrors that like within this tomb?[/i] Saulric asks the child.
Nidjena tries her best to comfort Timeon and promise him no harm will come to him under the guidance and protection of her and her friends. When Saulric asks his question, she smiles at Timeon and adds: "If you tell us all you know, we'd be better able to protect you.
When he answers, she'll tun to the others and ask, So where next? There appear to be no exits to this room other than the way we came in.
Alaric checks the other wall's anomaly to see if it's a way out.
Other than the oil lantern hanging in the center of the room and the torture rack there is nothing else of value in the room.
The only door and hallway leads to the dark room. In that room you remember a door leading to the east that is barred.
Alaric, though definitely not the leader of the group heads back to the previous room to see which way to go next. He sees the passage going to the east and waits for the others before proceeding with care, checking for traps along the way.
As Alaric approaches the room and sees the grate in the floor, he's reminded of the black mist and waits for someone with light to force it to stay down, before he enters the room.
Saulric looks at the room as they move. Then pulls out his tool and begins fiddling with it.
We still have the lamp and its oil, as I suggested originally.
Pour oil through the holes in the floor, pull back the light until whatever it is comes close to the oil and then ignite it.
Saulric looks at the torch and the makeshift sconce. Boy hold this from us. He holds the torch towards Timeon.
The squire hurries up and grabs the torch from Saulric and stands aside in a meekly looking posture...
Saulric steps into the room and moves towards the other door.
Best get ready with that oil, just in case Elisa. You might want to follow behind the rest of us too. Nidjena follows Saulric into the other room.
Szordrin follows into the room as well. Mentally going through his spells to find one that would help against this opponent if the need arises.
With careful tactics uncommon for a group of scoundrels the party makes it to the second door and Saulric manages to dislodge the bar...
The door opens and reveals a hallway that turns northward and then eastward where it ends at yet another door. An inscription is above the door which says “The chosen are revealed by their might. The weak deserve no sympathy.”
Timeon walks in a slow gait and seems to need prodding to keep up front. He asks aloud "What does that inscription mean...?" to no one in particular...
Alaric checks the door for traps and if any, disables it.
Then he stands off to one side while the door is opened.
Alaric detects no traps although feels pretty confident he would have countered any he did find...
I believe a Mitran would have said it a little differently but it measn the same in the end. Mitra helps those who help themselves? The people who do the work deserve the benefits. Those who prey on the success of others deserve to be punished. See, we're not so different from you.
Nidjena will continue Timeon's "education" while she waits for someone to open the door.
Indeed. We must work and fight to earn what we use.
"No time like the present... " Alaric opens the door and looks into the room.
Sauric steps in first, his armor hopefully enough to protect him while he teaches whatever's in the room the meaning of might.
Nidjena follows the two strapping gentlemen. What do we see?
Elisa follows the others
Szordrin enters as well
Alaric opens the door and begins to enter when Saulric shoves him aside to enter first. The others mingle in as Saulric stops and points to to snakes, one near the only door in the room to the south and the other along the eastern wall...Timean screams "I told you there would be snakes in here!" and goes to hide in the corner...
Alaric:
Elisa:
Szordrin:
Nidjena:
Saulric:
Snakes:
The snakes coil up and look as if waiting for someone to get close to striking range of them...
Combat 1st Rnd
Snakes
Alaric, Szordrin, Saulric, Nidjena, Elisa
Saulric takes a defensive stance. Anybody recognize them?
Alaric shakes his head and readies an attack if either of them gets close to him.
but obviously, if either of them moves, he's just off his game...
Elisa makes a Knowledge (Nature) check.
Any information?