Devon smiles as he slices himself and signs the contract.
"Ah, the old traditions are the best traditions."
Lyrysa smiles to herself as she reads over the contract. "It seems my gambit was the reasonable course. It is worrisome though, he believes himself to be entirely in control here. Which he may quite well be."
Reading through the document, she's amazed at the simplicity of it. She expected something a little more complex, something she would spend many nights attempting to manipulate. Instead these four simple loyalties were far more binding than she realized could be done. Certainly the first loyalty was a simple thing to swear. Her own step-father instilled this faith into her, though it was lip service at best. To formally bind herself to serve him was something different, though not anything she was unwilling to abide by.
The second loyalty however was more difficult to grasp. She saw ways around it, but at it's core, he had strength over her. A signature in blood ensured this. In the end, she knew it came to a simple decision. Die now, or live to find her way out. She was confident she would find a way.
This third loyalty felt odd to her. To bind herself to these companions? She truly only knew them from their combined desire to escape. They of course were in the same predicament as she. Slevin and Marius both particularly worried her, the first for his strange loyalties, the latter for his seeeming lack of such. But this too she felt she could use. After all, who amongst them but she was better suited to break them all free from this agreement. A freedom she might well blind them to as she binds them to herself. Pawns to be used, certainly.
And the fourth. The fourth she needed no encouragement.
Her decision made, she makes the cut, and signs the agreement in her blood. "It will be interesting to see what you have in store, Cardinal Adrastus Thorn."
Slevin once again studied the others, his face a mask.
THe loaylty shown to Asmodeus would make the eventual acceptance of Shar all the more poignant, and in doing Shar's work, a temporary submisssion to one who could not even begin to imagine true darkness was a minor inconvenience.
Smiling he swifly drew the blade across his arm and signed the document.
"Let the blood spilled here bind us all to this purpose. We shall bring the truth of Asmodeus to these idiots in a way that cannot be forgotten."
He signs the contract without hesitation, ready to do all he can.
Each of your contacts flares with the same bit of light and shadow as the first, and each of you feels a small tightening in your mind, as if a spell had set in there. "Very well, my new Nessian Knot, to The Knot of Thorns. The new believers of Asmodeus in this sickening land. My first command: Rest. Prepare yourselves. Enjoy my manor, and stay within it. You will be given all you desire within. If you have any questions you may ask a slave. They know little, but enough to help, and they will bring you any desire. You are still being hunted by the Mitran soldiery and I'm afraid that's not very useful to me. In three days I shall begin your training." He stands and bows to you, before sweeping out the room by a back door.
Three days? Dantes goes to town (figuratively speaking)! He eats, drinks and uses the slaves as he sees fit. He'll even get a little sleep here and there. It is going to be a good three days for our dwarf!
"By your leave, Lord Thron." Lyrysa offers the Cardinal a polite bow, though the intention is clear in her voice. She will serve, but always looking at advancement.
Over the three days, Lyrysa will covertly test how loyal the servants are to Thorn, assured that Thorn will expect no less. She also plans to begin the taming and binding of Grumblejack. If you need any checks, let me know. I know three days probably isn't enough to make him loyal, but a start if possible.
And if possible, a spellbook and scribe materials. I'd rather not have to make checks to memorize spells every day if I can help it.
Ezekiel is restless during the proscribed three day wait. My being calls for action. I must do something.
He spends most of his time retooling his gun as best he can. Without the proper tools, he can't fully repair it, but at least he can straighten it out a little bit. The damn wizard hadn't been kind to it either. "All of them, fools. Damn these Talingardians for their stupidity."
Slevin spends his days indulging in the luxuries provided, and his nights in communion with Shar,while at the same time coming to better know and appreciate those to whom he was now bound.
After three days of luxury and debauchery, Dantes will ask for his stolen armor and sword back.
Ah, now that's how you treat a condemned dwarf!
The servants cannot provide any previously stolen items, but they do provide any other needs up to 200 gp in goods (feel free to buy whatever you like). They will also sell or trade goods (remember that items marked with the symbol of Talingarde are worthless, as they cannot be legally sold). Tiadora drops by on the third day with more gifts, a silver holy symbol of Asmodeus, used to identify you as a member of the church, and an iron circlet of the type to be worn on the brow. "This will change your shape into that of another creature or person, though in seeming only. The circlet will transform to fit the new form you take."
Late in the fourth day you are summoned again before Master Thorn, who sits in his desk, seeming not to have moved in the time you were gone. "Have you enjoyed your gifts? The iron circlets will allow you to move amongst our enemies as one of them. The silver amulets will remind you of your loyalties, and the items you chose. Those you will need now." The Cardinal seems pleased with each of your choices of gear as he looks you over. "You have done well to escape from Branderscar and to accept my offer. However, you are still not ready for my service. Tiadora will lead you to the basement of this domicile. There you will find nine chambers each more dangerous than the last. Somewhere hidden within these chambers is a pendant of silver and sapphire. Recover the pendant and bring it to me. Let nothing and no one stand in your way." He stands from his desk and looks towards the window. "It is almost dusk," He says, looking at the setting sun. "you have until dusk tomorrow to bring me my prize."
He motions slightly, then disappears, leaving only lingering words: "Do not fail me."
Tiadora inclines her head for you to follow.
He motions slightly, then disappears, leaving only lingering words: "Do not fail me."
Tiadora inclines her head for you to follow.
Dantes chuckles at the notion of failure, then falls in behind Tiadora to go to the chambers, sliding his shield and war axe into readiness as he goes.
"This shall be interesting." Lyrysa ponders the situation as the group is escorted by Tiadora. "Are there any restrictions upon bringing the ogre with us, if we so choose?"
"You may bring whatever you like." Tiadora answers pleasantly. "Though I'll ask you not leave the house." She leads you down to the basement, and with a phrase and gesture a wall disappears to reveal yet more stairs. "Below you will find the Nine Lessons. Good Luck." She says, the smile on her face cruel.
The set of stone stairs leads through an archway. Inscribed on the stone above the arch is a message, Deception is a tool, but Self-Deception is Death. Deceive forever thy enemy but never thyself. Beyond is an unfurnished room and a door.
Lyrysa scans the room from the doorway after reading the message above the arch. Shen then proceeds to cast Detect Magic and examine the room, checking for all magical auras. "I do believe before we go much further, we should indeed bring Grumblejack with us. He is another tool for us to use. Can anyone check for traps?"
Perception
Dantes waits to see if anyone steps forward to check for traps, not having noticed anything of significance himself.
Edit: Actually, Dantes will walk right up to the edge of the stairs, shield and axe at the ready, and look down them. Dark, I assume? He use his darkvision to see down as far as he can for anything relevant.
Perception 1d20+7
Dantes waits to see if anyone steps forward to check for traps, not having noticed anything of significance himself.
Edit: Actually, Dantes will walk right up to the edge of the stairs, shield and axe at the ready, and look down them. Dark, I assume? He use his darkvision to see down as far as he can for anything relevant.
Perception
Slevin silentlyy studies the area with his piercing gaze.
"I don't know about traps, but that wall has a hidden entrance built into it, and the release for it is probably that miscolored brick." he says matt of factly, pointing out the concealed mechanism.
Perception
"You have a better eye than me, Slevin. Marius, perhaps you can tell which is the deception?"
Devon draws his rapier and prepares for any surprises.
Dantes looks at the supposedly miscolored brick, grumbling something about still not seeing what he's talking about, and asks So, you want me to push on it or something? See what it does?
Marius moves carefully into the room, scanning it for traps. "Looks clear..." He says, before stopping at about the halfway point of the room.
Lyrysa returns with Grumblejack, "Please stay out of the room unless I'm in danger. Or the others I suppose. We are companions now." She smiles slyly while saying it, as though a joke. "It would seem you have Marius's approval at least to go ahead and push it, Dantes." Lyrysa prepares a Daze at the first sign of trouble.
Dantes will push on the brick indicated with the edge of his shield, eyes scanning for any effect as he does so.
The brick falls, making the rest of the wall follow swifly, though all the bricks fall inward and away from the group. Beyond is a long niche leading to a small pedestal full of water, with a small blue octogonal gem floating in the water and emitting an icy white light. The water is ice cold, as is the gem. The inscription on the wall states Thou hast seen through deception to find a useful tool.
"Interesting, Alchemist's Ice." Lyrysa checks out the hidden chamber for magical auras, and if none are found, "Dantes, could you please fetch it?"
Wary of a trap, Dantes stows his regular axe. He pulls out his hand axe and uses its blade to gently force the gem to the side of the basin and out of the water. Once it is balanced on the flat of his axe blade, he'll carefully turn to Lyrysa and offer it.
"Thank you Dantes." Lyrysa says as she gingerly picks up the Alchemist Ice off of his axe. "And your bravery is quite unmatched. I myself would have been afraid of setting off a trap. But please do be careful. You held yourself well in our escape, a useful companion."
She turns to Marius. "Would you be so kind as to check this other door?"
Marius sneaks forward to check out the southern door.
"All clear." He calls jauntily.
Marius presses at the south wall and after a second slides it aside to reveal a corridor. The passage ends in another wooden door, this one inscribed Following the herd is for fools. Fear not their icy derision. Fear only thy Infernal Lord.
The room beyond is quite chilly, very dusty, and lit by a small oil lantern with frost on the panes. There is a door to the east, west and south. The door to the west is covered by some kind of strange, pulsating violet mass.
Survival
Hmm. Footprints going there and there Dantes says, indicating the doors the south and the east. He smiles and adds I say we go west. Any thoughts on what the purple stuff is?
Knowledge Dungeoneering
"The purple mold feeds on the heat of living things or fire, hence the drop in temperature. Harming it with cold will destroy it." Slevin says looking at his companions.
"Interesting." Lyrysa takes the Alchemist Ice found earlier and gently tosses it at the Mold.
The gem snaps easily as it strikes the mold, which makes an odd gurgling noise in response. The mold shifts and twists, obviously trying to withdraw, but to no avail as it withers and crumbles into dust. The door beyond is revealed. After a short passageway that twists around the room, it comes to another door bearing another inscription.
Know your enemy. Destroy that which would blind you and then burn thy adversary to ashes.
Whenever the door opens the room beyond is entirely pitch black, your light not managing to penetrate the gloom at all.
Dantes peers into the room. Hmm. Glancing back, he notes that the others may not be able to see what he can.
Its a stone room, I'm guessing locally quarried granite, with several holes in the floor about this big. He holds two fingers about two inches apart, demonstrating the size of the holes. There's a stand in the middle of the room. It's got a ball on it, made of a deep-mined obsidian polished by a craftsman of some skill.
How big is the room?
Destroy that which would blind you? Burn adversary? Does anyone have a source of fire?
"So odds are that each of those holes holds a spike or some other such pleasantry that will be triggered without the key element. I'm assuming the enemy that must be destroyed and would blind us is light."
Lyrysa utters yet anothe incantation to check for signs of magical auras.
Dantes will stand in the doorway at the ready, unless someone investigating the room asks him to step aside for them to do their thing. He won't enter until he thinks the others have finished their investigation.
So far the writing on the walls has been a pretty good teller of what to expect. Do ya think our enemy is the obsidian ball, or something else in there. Maybe in those holes. Bugs? Rats? Something magical?
"No kinds of traps here. Must be for something else."
"Burn to ashes. Burn to ashes..." Dantes mutters to himself.
He shakes his head. "The word games are beyond me. Does any one have a source of fire? A torch or anything? It may seem obvious, but it would be good to have handy. I'm willing to make a dash for the obsidian ball if the rest of you are ready to back me up."
"I'm afraid my natural talents are more subtle than others who practice the arts. I can provide you with a magical light, though if this force is magic as well it may repel it." Lyrysa casts light on whatever object Dantes prefers, then takes up the bow she still possesses. "Grumblejack, please be ready to back up dear Dantes if he should so require."
Dantes and Grumblejack step forward into the darkness. The light placed on Dantes' blade is dimmed to uselessness the moment it passes through the threshold. About halfway across the room, a flurry of motion.
A strange mist comes from the hole near Dantes and strikes out in a moment, it's amourphous form flowing around the dwarfs armor and pricking and stinging his skin where it touches.
Dantes can feel a small amount of his very life energy being siphoned away by the mist. The formerly sluggish mist suddenly moves much more quickly, and sinks back into the nearest hole in the ground in the blink of an eye.
Lyrysa readies the bow for the first thing to come out of the room that isn't Dantes or Grumblejack. "Dantes, what's going on?"
Initiative
"Gah! Mist going right through my armor! Like, its drinking my blood!
Grumblejack roars and raises his club, obviously readying himself to strike the mist if it rises again. Which it does in just a moment, emerging from a different hole to move toward Dantes once more.
Unfortunately his clumsy strike is off center and misses the mist, which moves in toward him, prompting him to strike again.
Grumblejack's second swing is a mighty success, though his club seems to do little damage in comparison to what it would have to a flesh and blood creature. Still, the creature compacts and warbles in pain before striking out at the ogre.
The ogre screams as his blood is siphoned away into the creature, who doesn't seem as animated and cannot seem to quite make it back into the holes.
Dantes runs forward and scoops up the orb, ready to spin about and charge from the room when he can.
I'm guessing it is a move action to get to the orb and a standard to grab it.
" I can see nothing! Do we have any magical light?"