Kithian looks down at Sayniek after she touches him and shakes his head. "Sorry. I ain't in to short chicks, so hands off the goods short stack. "
The half orc continues to move out into the hall. "At least not when I'm sober."
The champion of Gorum turns at Vidar's words and blinks as if he is confused. "You buy the goats a meal and kiss 'em before you bed 'em? Just tie them to a post. They are goats! They don't need no womanancing!"
"Oh, forgive me, I thought you were just being your usual clever self and gave a new if rather unflattering nickname to Ms Shalelu.
Well, I am glad that is not the case, I fear that she may have put an arrow or two in certain areas of your anatomy in return, or at least she would have tried.
As excellent a markswoman as she is, I doubt she could have hit such a small target."
"At the same time, I now know why certain farmers asked me to make sure you would not go near their farms when you were drunk..."
Sayniek looks confused at the two men's interaction. Once they finish discussing alternate uses for goats, she moves over to Kilthan and stretches up to her full 3'+ height.
Kilthan, how do you know there is a call from your parents? What evidence? You had a vision in a haunted mansion. If this thing told you to flee from the ghouls would you?
Now, stand up like a man and quit running away to your mama like Vidar's goats.
She then crosses her arms and continues to stand in Kilthan's way seeing if the warrior will once more attempt to pass her.
Kithian looks down at the the paladin for a moment with his moth open before he shuts it with a clomp. "Uh, because Gorum sent me a vision? Why else would I see them fighting in my tribes camp? I could smell the smoke and I know they fight to the death. Ghouls smell like poo, not smoke. Every body knows that."
"My father was an the leader of orc raid and my mother is the daughter of our clan's chief. Mom had a torch. Stupid to fight with a torch. My father the orc fought with a long knife. Must have been time for dinner, why else would you fight with a knife? Well I guess you could fight with a long knife. 'Bout the size of your sword anyway."
"Any way, I am not running from no girls. I had a vision from Gorum, so, be a good peck and get outa the way. I got some skulls to crush."
"Hmm, it may be as you say, but I still question the timing.
We enter a haunted house, looking for a foe, and suddenly you get a vision that tells you to abandon your current quest?
I do not know the tenants of Gorum, or the way of the Shoanti tribes, but it seems...odd.
Leaving all the people of Sandpoint at the mercy of undeads, running towards a battle you cannot possibly reach in time to make a difference.
It just seems...wrong to me somehow."
I tried anger, humour, camaraderie and now reason, if nothing works I will just have to try and stop him physically.
It will be painful, humiliating, but, hopefully also mercifully short.
Rullis slowly moves around to join Vidar and Sayniek in the doorway, his force shield now turned towards Kithian. He moves there more to be ready to provide aid to the wizard and paladin that to truly try to block the big man. He wishes that he had prayed to Gorzeh for Calm Emotions this morning.
"Kithian, we are here now. The time for decision about where to go was back in Sandpoint. We've been through a lot together. Are you really going to abandon us now to fight this necromancer on our own? Without our big strong Kithian, we'd be killed for certain."
Trying the guilt angle...
Frowning, "Wait. Describe this vision again. If Gorum was going to give you a vision, it would be true, but there's a lot of stuff in that vision that sounds odd. Are you sure it's not someone trying to fool you? I don't think Gorum would have you run from this fight to another. You need to take a moment and pray to the Lord in Iron and ask him if this vision was truly from him."
Kithian looks around at the group and puts his hands to his head"Uh...huh? Slow down everyone I no run from fight. God gorum tell me go fight I go fight! Who else tell me fight? Gorum no tell me run ! Why you all no go with me? Me..I... need go...to go.. fight. Always fight. Why friends...my friends no...not help me?"
Sayniek continues to stand before the huge warrior, arms crossed and looking up. Her eyes blazing out from her nearly full helm.
Your father was a great orc warrior. How often do orc warriors put down their weapons? I thought most slept with a greatsword in hand. Why would he just have a knife?
My Lord Ragathiel seeks vengeance for wrongs, and if your tribe needs help, I shall be the first there next to you. But, as Cam has said, even if you were to leave us and run at your full speed, how long would it take for you to reach your parents? Days? Weeks? The battle would be long over. I do not think that this is a vision from Gorum. I believe it is a vision designed to trick you into leaving or betraying your comrades. Are you going to let this happen? Gorum does not condone running from your duties. Look within and see if this was truly a message from Gorum, or more likely one from the Dark Lord attempting to somehow trick you.
"I no know! They stupid! Stupid to fight with a torch! Mom knows better! My father used big axe! It does not make sense! But why Gorum tell me this? Stupid place! I do not know why! Someone help me, I don't know what is going on now."
Sayniek shakes her head and reaches up comfortingly to the big Shoanti.
It is magic. Evil magical trickery. If Gorum had sent this message, you would have seen true fighting. Fighting with great axes and swords. Polearms and earthbreakers. Not torches and knives. I tell you now, it is designed to get you to leave this place. Someone, or something, here is scared of you and your great power. Now, buckle up you great warrior. Grab your weapon and be prepared, for undoubtedly we will need your prowess before long.
Kithian frowns down at the little tank a thinks for a minute. "OK, but then we figure this out."
"Right, then! Next door?"
"Hold just one moment, what has happened once may happen again.
We should we wary of this place attempting to pervert all of our minds if given a chance.
Insidious is it not? Attacking not just our bodies but our minds as well."
"What do you suggest?"
Sayniek looks to Cam:
Ragathiel has blessed me with resistance to many magical effects. It is not that I cannot be harmed, but I tend to be able to shrug off many. Perhaps you should check for traps about the door, and then I can enter to see what is there. If I believe all to be safe, then the rest of you can follow.
"Yes, we must attempt to use our resources to the best of our potential.
We are dealing with a foe that has potentially had a lot of time to plan ahead, so we cannot underestimate what he or they will be able to do here.
Does anyone possess a spell or blessing to help defend against attacks on the mind?"
Camillo lets those versed in magic work up a plan while he takes time examining the next door for traps.
No one really answers Vidar leaving the hanging answer to be "no" but Cam feels confident that the door is free from traps and Sayniek opens the door relying on her supernatural robustness to aid her. A small set of stairs is all that can be found in the room, going down. Perhaps intended for servants so as to be out of sight?
Sayniek scratches her head:
Just stairs. Looks like they are for servants or something. Should we go down? Or finish this level? I prefer checking this level first and making sure nothing is behind us.
"I am in agreement, one floor at the time, unless circumstances change of course."
"The crying was up here. They might have gone down the stairs, but let's assume not for now."
Cristiel nods as she points down the hall at the next set of doors, "Lead us to the next portal, Camillo."
"Stupid house."
Once Cam has checked for traps, Sayniek will move into the room, sword in hand and prepared for almost anything, although having no clue what anything might be.
"Stupid house..."
Vidar barks a laugh and then directs a rare grin towards Kithian.
"For once master Darlock, you and I are in complete agreement."
Sayniek then looks up to Vidar:
Interesting. Are you inferring that this house is somehow intelligent? Albeit of low intelligence?
"The possibility does exist...it would not be the first recorded instance of such a thing."
Well, I certainly hope that it is not. With the strange evil that I sense within this place, if it is intelligent, then it is as though we just walked into the mouth of the beast.
"Oh, there is THAT kind of house as well...."
It is Cristiel who hears crying this time though it is closer it is hard to place exactly.
There is dust in the house but more in the shape and form of poor cleaning rather than disuse, which makes sense since at least for a while, there was someone who was supposed to be keeping up the house.
Cam comes to the first set of double doors, checks them over and feels confident they are safe.
Yup - the mini-tank will go in first.
Cristiel tilts her head as she listens again to the sounds of sobbing. She glances to the left and right while the others are barging into the next room, "Again someone cries but now it sounds as if it is coming from no where in particular."
Sayniek looks back over her shoulder at Cristiel:
Whatever it is, it is not good and needs to be sent to a final resting place.
Kithian plods along behind the mini-tank. "My head hurts.
"Normally, I would attribute that to your habit of over consuming alcohol, but in this instance, I do not think you are in any way to blame.
But I believe a chance to use that big blade of yours will prove to be...cathartic for you."
Sayniek leads into a large gallery room that has two padded chairs and a long couch facing a wide alcove lined with stained glass windows overlooking the water out the eastern side of the house. These windows depict a diverse array of animals and plants. From north to south the windows show: a large pale and ghostly scorpion, a gaunt man holding out his arms as a dozen bats hang from him, a moth with a strange skull-like pattern on its wings, a tangle of dull green plants with bell shaped flowers, and a young maiden sitting astride a well in a forest while a spindly spider the size of a dog descends along a string of webbing above her.
Cristiel glances around the room near the doorway, "Someone has a fixation on vermin it would seem."
"Allow me a few moments, I would like to consult with a..."friend" of mine."
Normally I resist, the book and I would make an excellent team, but only if it accepts me as an equal, never as a subservient...but this is too important, lives are at stake here...
Vidar retrieves the book, holds it up and whispers to it.
"This is your chance, fill in the blanks...but no funny business, we do not have the time to play!"
"ENOUGH! I understand what you mean, there is no need to belabour the point!"
Vidar slams the book shut and shudders with distaste.
"It would appear we are dealing with a very dangerous man indeed, more so than we had initially believed.
These components here are used in a ritual meant to transform a person into a Lich, the highest form of undeath known to most.
In addition, it would appear that one can then use certain repellent and horrific acts to increase ones power."
Clearly shaken, Vidar takes a deep breath and mumbles quietly.
"He must be stopped, no matter the cost..."
Sayniek raises her eyebrows at the wizard's sudden outburst.
Are you saying that these windows are components to create a lich? It seems that these windows have been here for quite some time, are you sure that it is the necromancer that is attempting this? Not that I would not put it past him.
Confronted with an intellectual challenge, the volatile arcanist finds his calm once again.
"No, the windows however describes the process that allows a person to transcend mortality and become a lich.
It is...macabre...it is made so simplistic, like a mockery of a children's book.
It is...it is the most perverse an unnatural magic of all, rendered down into a series of colourful "how to" instructions..."
Shaking his head to clear his mind and avoid another burst of anger, Vidar goes on slowly.
"However, you make a valid point, these windows may very well be old, this mansion has a dark history according to rumours after all.
Perhaps...perhaps it was Foxgloves ancestors who had them installed...and he himself has not had a chance to remove them?
Or, and this is a most terrible thought, he and the necromancer may be in league with each other.
Foxglove has the resources, the necromancer has the knowledge..."
Cristiel frowns at the windows, "We should destroy such a foul manual before we leave this place. But until we are sure our prey does not lurk somewhere inside, let us be quiet and move on to the next room."
"Agreed, as distasteful as this is, at the moment it only serves to raise question we do not have the time to answer.
Lead the way..."