"Hurry up, the coward knows something useful, find out what and let's get moving." Bank says obviously frustrated with what he sees as sentimental weakness.
This man is a squire Vank.[b]Stanislav expains, playing Vank's impatience for another chance to gain more information about their foes. [b]That means that he likely of high birth and important in his own right, besides his service to his knight. He was unarmed and yet managed to escape and has eluded capture in the stronghold of his enemy. Hardly a coward. Turning to the boy, stanislav asks Tell us of your family son.
Vank bites his tongue turning away before voicing his own sore point. He should have died defending his knight, being captured is a mark of weakness.
Thomas just stood in a darkened corner of the room, watching and listening. Still wondering if finding the boy in this room was a coincidence, or deliberately planned.
Robert gesture of confidence brings a tired smile to the squire's lips, but it is quickly washed away by Vank's outburst. He recoils from Robert putting a few more paces between himself and the hobgoblin. "Is.. is that a bugbear you travel with?" he asks with horror in his voice ignoring Stanislav's inquiry.
"Certainly not. Vank is what is known as a 'hobgoblin,' a larger and more powerful version of the standard big-headed goblin monster. He speaks harshly, but honestly. Fear not, lad. We're here to help."
diplomacy to calm him down
Oh yes, fear us, young Timeon. But lead us to Sir Balin first. I'll show him what it is to hunt a Witch. It's almost a pity he's being so helpful. It would be delicious to see his young body on the rack. Perhaps the Cardinal expected us to do that, given the placement of the instrument. However, he also instructed us to reward those who were helpful. Until he stop being helpful, I suppose he lives. Nadine watches the young man's every move.
Robert words sooths Timeon's fear a little but he is still more guarded than before Vank's comment. "I am glad you are here to help," he says.
And you too must help Timeon. Stanislav encourages. right now we need information. Its hard to know what might be important, so tell us everything you can. You were telling us of your family and what is happening at present where you live...
Puzzled by your question he wonders: "How is my family going to help us here now?" But continues: "I am the third son of House Balentyne, our estate is near the watch wall close to Tower Balentyne, I have even have the privilege of meeting its commander Sir Thomas" The last said with a bit of pride in his voice. Returning to his normal more frightened voice he almost cry "But I am never going to see my family again, we are never escaping these chambers of death. Vicious metal snakes block our path and should we somehow get past our escape is hidden across a false flight of stair. A guard alerted by light and movement will alert the dead sailors." He begins sobbing.
Nadine rolls her eyes as the boy begins sobbing. "Oh my stars, you're certainly not going to get out of here if you act like that. And what would the famed Sir Balin say if he found his squire sitting there crying like a toddler? You think he will ever knight you then? What did you think being a squire to a Witch-hunter was going to be like? The Witches don't just throw themselves down in fear!"
"Now, if you want to have a prayer of getting out of here, you'll use that brain the creator gave you rather than abundance of tears he also seemed to bless you with. You already know many things about this place, it seems. Perhaps if you tell us more, we can devise a plan. We can find a way out and come back for you. If you're even worth of leaving this place."
She stares at him. "Or, you may return to crying and we will leave you here as a pathetic wretch." She continues only slightly under her breath. "And they say women are the weak ones. Irena was ten times the man this boy is."
Getting a little grip on himself Timeon answers: "I have already told everything I know about the cursed place."
"Really, so you have little more use to us?" She taps her lips in thought. "Or perhaps you can ask the Captain to take you with us. Prove your bravery in the face of these dangers."
Looking perplexed, not full understanding Nadine's chain of thoughts he wonders out loud: "But I already helped you?"
An idea occurs to Thomas. Stepping forward he looked the boy dead in the eye and said, "The doors to get in here were rather difficult to open for us. The question then becomes, how did you get in here? And how did you avoid the previous two rooms...hazards? Are you sure you're telling us absolutely everything?"
"Yes, I said that before, he is lying." looking around his eyes fall on the words burnt into the wood "'Cruelty is a tool not a pastime. Be ruthless to thy enemy but reward those who serve thee well.' Interesting place this."
"I am, I am. There were no such things when I escaped down here," he quickly answers.
Thomas' eyes narrowed as he scrutinized the boy. As far as he could tell, Timeon was telling the truth, but the Rogue couldn't shake the feeling that there was something missing from the tale.
We have to push on. Stanislav explains to the boy. It will be dangerous. I want you to wait here where you were until we can come back for you. Can you do that for us?
Nadine shrugs and pats the boy on the head. "Like the Commander says, stay here and be a good boy."
"If you think that is best," Timeon says moving cautiously away from you and back to his hiding spot. He closes the false wall behind him.
Onward then. Thomas?
Drawing his blades again, Thomas then moved to the exit and waited for the others to be ready before continuing on.
Once the boy is shut into the room again, Nadine let's out an exasperated sigh. As they move into the next room, she says, "What do you think about that? Maybe we should just kill the lad? I was hoping we could use him to test the Cardinal's dangerous lair here. And it sounds like Sir Balin could be nearby."
Walking back along the path you came and into the room with the red mist, you find the other door in the eastern wall unlocked. Opening it a corridor leads north before turning east again and presenting a door on which "The chosen are revealed by their might. The weak deserve no sympathy." is burned.
"I don't like the sound of that. Captain, Vank, this room sounds like it will require your talents. That said, these have been misleading in the past."
I stand ready to serve and defend Lady Nadine. Stanislav readies his weapon and motions for Thomas to address the door.
Thomas moved up to the door for examination.
Nadine cocks her head to one side. "Oh, Robbie, you're just a bright boy!" She refocuses on the others. "A moment, please. If you give me a few minutes, I may be able to help. My son has grown stronger and a few minutes of speaking to him will allow me to cast some more helpful spells."
If no one objects, Nadine sits in the hallway and cradles her grisly doll. She begins speaking to it softly and sweetly. Soon she is singing in a low voice, a common lullaby. This continues for some time until she finally looks up and smiles. "He's such a good boy." She stands and nods to the others.
Thomas turns his head as Nadine talks to 'Robbie'. She is strange. Shaking his head, the Rogue checks to see if the door is locked.
Vank also readies his weapon before putting it down and humming quietly and out of tune waiting for a moment. Then cocks his head listening to something no one else can here he sits and talks to himself in goblin for about 10 minutes.
Using Wisdom of the Ancestors revelation to find out if it would be wise to go back and torture the boy.
You have barely phrased the question in your mind before the council of your elders gather and suddenly you find yourself back in the main hut listening to their discussion. After a heated argument the eldest nods at you before they are whisked away and you realised you never left the cellar of cardinal Thorn.
Stepping off to one side, Thomas grabs the door handle, looks at Stanislav and nods, signaling the ready.
Ready. Stanislav breaths quietly grasping his reach weapon tightly.
Thomas then pushed the door open, and slipped to the side allowing Stanislav to go in first.
Pulling the door open, Thomas covers himself with the wood. Stanislav is the first to see what lies before them, a room like the ones before lit by an oil lamp hanging from the ceiling. Directly below the lamp in the centre of the room lies two piles of metal. They move as the door is opened, they are artificial snakes. Hissing silently, they bares their fangs and slithers forth. They both strikes at Stanislav's legs, but one fail to pierce his armour while the other succeeds. As it withdraws its fangs poison drips from them.
[ooc]The room is 30x30 ft, the snakes are in the centre 15 ft. away
Intiative:
Snakes 15
Robert 15
Vank 12
Stanislav 11
Thomas 9
Nadine 8
Robert moves to assist with a flank and fights defensively.
to hit; damage
"My Tribe says we can torture more useful information from the kid." He say matter of factly as he swings.
Stanislav takes a 5' step back in order to use his pole arm and so that someone can more easily get behind one of the creatures to flank it. He then slices down at one of the mechanical snakes, power attacking.
After the attack he pulls and readies his shield, still holding the glaive in his right hand.
Unsheathing his second blade, Thomas moves into the room off to one side of the metal monsters. If I slip in between the plates, I might be able to hit a structural weakpoint. He thought to himself as he stabbed one blade forward.