"Tamora, you are detecting some evil behind this door?" Kakrish draws his greatsword. "Well, I'm ready. Let's see what there is."
Kyzen stands ready... whispering...
"Everyone's ready!"
So if everyone is in fact ready and approuves, then kyzen before opening the door, gives a last look toward Hoga, kind of asking him if he's ready since he's the first front...
Tamora frowns.
"Do not open the door yet. We do not want to get maul by an army of unidentified creatures or get caught in the midst of a spellbound room. It feels the same as the other room except there are numerous faint aura of evil that is more controlled instead of chaotic."
She steps back and concentrate harder to see how many figures/spells in the rooms that give off such aura.
Kyzen stops just before touching the door and slowly retract his hand and step back as directed by Tamora...
Hoga waits, curious about what Tamora's magic will reveal.
Tamora spends a few second studying the evil aura in the room. After some time, she is convinced that there is only one source for the aura and that is is straight ahead on the other side of the door. She doesn't how deep is the room, but the aura is further than 30 feet away.
"I have good news. There is only one aura is beyond 30 ft."
Tamora steps back, armed with her crossbow and morningstar. She ushers the rest of the group forward with a simple handwave and imbuing someone's weapon with a light spell. If Kyzen opens the door, she will wait until the party ascertains the threat.
With Tamora's inspection over, she provides the group with some magic illumination. When everyone is ready, Kyzen opens the door. It moves about one inch before meeting resistance. It would seem that force will be required to fully open the door.
Tamora extricates herself to the side, to the corner of the wall, away from the facing of the door.
Kyzen puts all of his 4' and 140 lbs into it...
Hoga helps out.
He gets mad and tries again.
There!
Hoga first tries to help Kyzen but both fail to get the door open. Then, frustrated at the door, Hoga tries again. This time the door flies open, revealing the room beyond. There can be little doubt what purpose this chamber once served. The dank room stores an ancient rack, a fanciful brazen bull, an iron maiden, a cauldron, iron chairs with sharp edges and cruel protuberances, and a wooden table upon which sit various implements of torture. A bronze plaque affixed to the western wall depicts a crowing rooster above crossed spears. Underneath the spear, a short phrase is inscribed.
Above the plaque appears a raven looking curiously at you. To everyone's surprise it starts talking in a shrill voice. “Greetings, fine citizens of our glorious empire! So good to have visitors, though I fear I have no refreshments to offer. I assume you are here for the treasure. Well, I’d be happy to assist, provided that you give me what I require! It has been so long since I was able to ply my trade. I require only that each of you shed your life’s blood in this room—simply take a seat in one of my lovely chairs.”
Kyzen uses is Sift ability to try and read from a distance what's on the plaque...
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SIFT
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School: divination;Level bard 0, inquisitor 0
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Components: V, S
Range: 30 ft.
Area: one 10-ft. cube
Duration: instantaneous
Saving Throw: none; Spell Resistance no
You examine an area at range as if you were searching for fine details with the Perception skill. Make a Perception check with a –5 penalty, modified as normal for conditions. No penalty is applied for distance. Apply the result against the DC for any hidden features, such as secret doors, traps, or hidden treasure. You must be able to see the area you are attempting to search, and you only find details that can be perceived with sight or touch. Sift detects only objects and features, not actual creatures.
Who said that? I heard a voice... This place gives me the creeps!
Looking at Hoga...
"Hoga, we all heard the raven talk, I agree it's unusual, but creepy may be a bit too much. I don't see you being afraid of a small raven, do you?"
Looking at the group behind...
"I don't know about you, but I don't trust it, I don't like evil and I don't intend to shed any of my blood here, so lets get rid of it, shall we?"
Kyras considers the raven, wondering of its origin and goals.
And what would you do with our blood fair raven. It is a strange request, you must admit. Will you consume it? Or might you try to bind us with our own blood somehow? I do not refuse, but beg you tell us more of your plans before I consent.
Kakrish points at the raven then asks Tamora, "Is this the evil you detected?"
Tamora concentrates to see if the raven is the source of evil from the back of the room.
The raven looks at Kyras for a moment, then to Tamora. "Find what you are looking for a woman? I can smell your stench from all the way over here." It flies to the chair where the skeletons sit. His eyes once again glimmer with amusement as he looks at Kyras. "What else but power one gets from the blood. After all the years stuck here, maybe one of you would be a match to replace my old friend here." The bird taps on the skull a few times with its beak. "I'm missing the interaction that he used to provide. So what do you say? What is a bit of blood in exchange for power? Isn't what the orc over there do anyway. Tapping in the power of is blood to fuel is power?"
Ignoring the raven, Tamora turns to Kakrish and nods.
Speaking to the raving but addressing everyone Kyras declares. I find it strange that a raven would survive here for so long and do not believe you are as you seem. If you would have us treat fairly with you then you must at least show us what you are. Is that not fair?
You hear a weird noise coming from the bird. It could be laughing, but it's hard to tell. "Smart and curious! Yes, you might be a worthy replacement. It is true that I hide my true shape. But with the way some of your companion acts, I think they might use violence against me. What is to stop them? For I am alone and you are many!" The bird seem to think for a second, moving around on the chair with the skeleton. "Oh, I know, let's trade then. To show that I mean no harm I shall trade you a secret for a promise. You can ask me one single question and I will answer truthfully. In exchange, you make sure that no harms come to me. Do we have a deal?"
A single eyebrow raises on the half elf and he looks back to the others before adding You would have to promise not to harm us also, or work against our interests. Without that there can certainly be no deal.
Hoga nods agreement, watching the bird warily.
Kyzen doesn't seems to be very happy about making deals with evil, but will not go against the group's will...
Tamora takes the time to survey the room while the conversation takes place.
Once she is done, she lock gazes with the raven.
"You compare us to brutes. That is a poor comparison. The correct term would be cautious. To be fair, your safety depends on whether the waters of your offer can satisfy curiosity..."
She gesture at Kyras.
"Or quench the thirst to unravel those who hide themselves in the cloak of deceit."
She gestures to herself.
"Or provide assurance of security."
She gestures to Kakrish, Kyzen and Hoga.
"But that has yet to be seen. After the attempt with your witchcraft, I have to say that your guaranteed safety is worth more than one question. The package also includes the terms that my companion entailed. However, if you go against it, do not expect us to uphold our end."
If Kyzen can attack from where he stands at the moment, then he stays there and ready an attack action... Else Kyzen steps in the room doing a 5' step just in front of him and Ready is attack action...
Kyzen stands ready to attack, if he even sense that the raven become a menace he will blast its black feather of its back...
In case Kyzen makes his ready action
Kinetic Blast Attack
It seems you have swayed us raven, if just barely. We will not attack you, and in return you will not attack us or work against us in any way. Kyras walks boldly into the room as he continues And you will answer truly any one question we set to you. We know you are not a true raven and even no natural creature. and I have a guess about your nature. He stops 5' from the creature and as if delivering a final argument to a jury demands So I ask you my raven friend, what is your true name?
Tamora sighs.
"Of all the things you could have ask. You chose to ask that? There are other pressing concern to put forward like the cause of the tower's collapse. If this creature is the wizard's former familiar or a being from the outer planes, he should know what is going on around here."
Kryas' eyes twinkle as if he has no concern in the world, but he says noting, waiting for the creature to reply
The raven looks at Kyras, stunned for a second. "Smart, maybe too smart. But I did agree that I would answer truthfully. I just never said when! I'll give you this one. There is a secret door in this room, it is right next to the door you came in from. If you are persistent as you look to be, you will find a treasury. If the others didn't get to it first." He flies away from Kyras to the table to the south. "Your question might be valid woman, but he was smarter. When he will get the answer that was promised, he will be able to get a lot more information than you can even think of. I have no interest to attack you. My former employer died so long ago, that whatever plan he had isn't worth my life." Turning back to Kyras, it's piercing eyes showing no malice for now. "So, are we still negotiating, or are you planning to use violence now?"
As the Raven flies away from the north wall, Kyzen, not trusting the Raven at all, will go check if there is in fact a secret door where the Raven said there was...
whispering at Hoga...
"I'll check if there is in fact a secret door, you have my back!"
Kyzen moves in next to where the raven said there would be a secret door and assuming Hoga is right behind to protect him, he will look for the door...
Then look for traps...
If no traps detected, he will try to open it to be sure that it not just a fake door...
Tamora gives a quick glance before waves the dwarf to come closer.
"Well then, if we are properly negotiating, we'll have to get rid of anything that is housed in here that could be harmful to both party, don't we?"
Tamora whisper to Kakrish to ask him to help her overturn the chairs so that the raven's further attempts to lure them to seat on torture devices fail.
Kyras appears hurt by the raven's words. Violence is seldom the best means to an end. Still you have not yet fulfilled your obligation to us, so our agreement of non-violence is not yet in place. A pity really. Kyras, his pole arm in hand, again walks towards the raven slowly, looking like he has some duty he must perform but is loath to do it. There is still time to do so, you know. And once formal introductions are completed then we can get on to more interesting interaction, like if you will accompany us on our journey. I for one think I would like that.
Hoga stays close to Kyzen as he checks the secret door.
When Tamora beckons Kakrish steps closer so he can hear her whisper. He smiles and nods. He steps over to the chair in the center of the room. "This chair?" he says loudly to the raven. "You want us to sit in this chair?" Then with a shove Kakrish tries to push the chair over onto its side.
Kyzen moves to the spot that was indicated by the raven. He does indeed find a secret door. Both he and Tamora can't find any sign of a trap. At Tamora's suggestion, Kakrish moves to one of the chairs. Looking down, he notices that they are actually bolted to the floor. He test them to see if they are still solidly attached and it seems like they are. He could still pound the thing with his sword, but it could also damage the edge since they are made with a thick metal.
Kyras continues his negotiations with the bird. "You are pushing me in an uncomfortable corner here. Handing out the information that you ask is a heavy price to pay. I could always try an escape, which still has a decent chance to succeed." He is oblivious, still weighting his options, unsure about the group intention. When Kyzen and Tamora find the secret door, he looks at them. "See, just like I said. And I gave you that one freely, I'm sure that count for something, no?"
The raven looks from Kyras to the weapon that he is carrying. "Answer me those first. What are your plan regarding said information and would you promise to keep it to yourself and not share it with anyone else... ever?"
Tamora shrugs as the chairs are too adhesive for her and the dwarf to topple sideways.
"Which could be found if we take our time to survey this room. Thank you for pointing it out."
She proposes another plan to the dwarf to disable the mechanism of the chairs by hitting the gears.
Kyras smiles at the raven enjoying the verbal volley they were having. Yes you could likely escape, but there is no fun in that, is there. Better to join up with us I think. Kyras makes a decision and puts his weapon away. He mentions to his shoulder and says Come and share your secret with me. I shall not share it with any other creature unless somehow compelled against my will. And then I shall be your advocate for so long as you keep your word, not attacking or acting against our goals and intents.
Kyzen manages to get the secret door opened. Looking inside, he sees a dark corridor going north. Tamora and Kakrish are still looking at the chairs, seeing as they can somehow disable them.
The raven looks at Kyras for a moment. Then he looks at the rest of the group. Seeing them busy at another task, he flies to Kyras shoulder and whisper something in his ear.
Splended. Kyras states, happy with the world. Lets make a circuit around the room to see what might have been missed, shall we.
Kyras looks around the room. The only thing that could catch the eye is the heavy bronze plaque affixed to the western wall depicts a crowing rooster above crossed spears. The words “Confession Cleanses the Soul — Pain Clarifies the Mind.” are engraved in it. The entire thing must weight like fifty pounds and probably could fetch something on the antique market. But probably not enough for the trouble of getting it out of there.
In the secret passage, Kyzen gets whiff of a rather unpleasant smell. Similar to the one he founded after going through the crawl space.