"Are you seriously suggesting that we leave this woman on that alter? That is an overwhelmingly evil creature! I'm not sure I can accept this. Samal, what do you know of these events?"
Even evil has motives that we cannot forsee. I will not stop you if you choose to take her with us, and I will attempt to see the changing course of events and move our hands so they are not blown off by the ensuing maelstrom, but I am just saying that we should be wary.
The choice and decision should be clear to you, even though it is not to me. That is one of the benefits of being devoted to a god.
That's true! Pavok, you're the closest thing I have to a priest. Can you commune with the Forge Father for insight into this situation?"
"I can try, but I would rather wait and ask the women if she wants to be apart of this ritual if she says no then I will not send her back. Even if she's a criminal I will not send her back. Any god that needs an offering of an unwilling soul isn't one I will help." He looks to the women and does a heal check to see if she will wake up soon. If she's not Pavok will call upon his hidden talent and transfer a minor amount of positive energy in her.
Awakening from his paralysis, Mus'ad does not speak - instead moving to recover his blade.
You notice that she is in perfect health. She simply fainted from something. Fright is your best guess. You sprinkle some water on her to awaken her.
The sacrificial girl awakens and looks around a bit panicked. "Whats going on? Is it over?" She looks at her hands for a moment and then at you. A look of terror is on her face. "Who are you people? What happened to the ritual? Where are the mummies? Where is lord Pharaoh Sennesees? What happened?"
It is not our identity or purpose that is important. It is yours.
Jen hopes that another female presence will make her feel more comfortable.
What is the purpose of this ritual and to whom are you offered? If you answer these questions, then all of your answers will be answered.
Pavok waits til after she answers Jen question and then reply,
"I am Pavok Kor'tell and these are my friends." He gestures to the group. "I hope we weren't foolish but we saved you from the ritual. It appeared to us that you were in danger and we came to help." Pavok offers up with a calm demeanor.
She looks puzzled. "Ritual? Oh you mean the offering to lord Sennesees. " She looks around a little worried. "This isn't how it is suppose to be? I thought I would be in his lords chambers by now. Please. I need to know what happened. I do not know where I am or what is suppose to happen now. Are you attendants to our lord? I am a little nervous as I do not know what is expected of me from this point on."
Pavok explains himself to her. Her eyes widen in horror. "Oh no! You didn't? Oh this is not good. You didn't kill lord Sennesees did you? Wait, if you killed him and saved me you must be REALLY powerful. Please, with lord Sennesees gone, no one will be able to protect us. Please you have to save us."
Piping up from a short distance away "Protect you from what?"
Arik squats near the woman, gauging her responses.
Pavok stays quiet while waiting for her response on what her people need protection from before telling her about the Lord.
The girl looks really concerned. "From the Anubites. The have camps this far into Aradina. All the other settlements have been pillaged, destroyed, or occupied. People are killed or worse. I hear horrible stories that the anubites take prisoners and no one ever sees them again. Lord Sennesees protects us. So long as we hand over a young maiden from our village every two years. He also cares for the souls the the dead in this area. The mummies that live down here were members of our village wrongfully slain by anubites. Sennesees does more for us than the Sultans of Aradina ever have." She sighs and now looks lost. "With Sennesees no longer protecting us, it will only be a matter of time before the Anubites wipe us all out." She begins weeping. "Please. If you were strong enough to slay Sennesees then you are surely strong enough to protect us from the Anubites in this area. Please will you help us."
Arik's eyes roll in his head, clearly overwhelmed by the magnitude of the coming decision.
"What have I gotten into here? I just want to find my broth....wait! Sennesees mentioned other dwarves! I need to get him back out here. Tell me how to summon the mummy lord woman!"
The lady looks shocked. "You didn't slay him? How did you get me away from him?" She pauses for a moment and then looks at Arik. "The only times he emerges is to accept an offering or to fight against the Anubites. Neither are currently happening therefore he is not going to come out."
Pavok looks to the women, "Was it your choice to be handed over to him? It was my foolish pride that stopped your ritual but I would never let any innocent person to be forced to sacrifice themselves." He bows his head to the lady and tries to read her body language to see if her response is honest.
Mus'ad awaits the girl's answer.
She nods. "Many of my family have been taken by the anubites already. My uncle and his daughter slain, my father slain. My and and another of my cousins captured and my older brother captured. My mom recently died of an illness. No one would miss me and Sennesees would keep it from happening to someone else. So I volunteered. I understand your need to rescue me and I appreciate the compliment. However, if you are unable to protect us, this is the only other way for us to survive."
”My dear….” Pavok pauses as he realizes he doesn’t know her name. ”May I ask for you name my lady, I am curious what is the name of your village and where is it located? It just might be the one we were heading to liberate.” He looks to the group after he makes the suggestion. After he gets his answers he asks the girl, ”We aren’t familiar with this land like you are, do you know of a great seer in these lands?”
The woman nods. "I am Tristine and my village is about an hour or so from here on the surface. We are the only farm village left in these parts since the anubites set up a camp not far off and started raiding and pillaging. Our village does not have a name. We name it after our current Elder. Amagalere."
At the mention of the seer she looks surprised. "I have heard of a legendary seer once. The people of Umbab, which is two days south of here, tell stories of him. I don't know too much about it except what I've heard from travelers. Which is to say...not much."
She looks Pavok hopefully. "So, is my village the one you came to liberate? Sennesees is a wonderful protector but he only drives off the anubites, he never attempts to destroy them even though he has shown to be far superior to them. Our elder has potitioned that he go and deal with the problem but Sennesees demands we had over ALL our young maidens for that purpose. The village can barely handle even one of us coming here let alone all of us. So we simply endure."
Well, it makes sense. If there is nothing to protect the village from, then he will not be able to continue charging for his services.
Stated dispassionately "She is not unwilling and it is not likely that her village has anything with which to reward us. We should leave her here and move on."
Considering the conversation completed, Mus'ad already starts to move back to Al Gasreed.
Kneeling beside the woman:
"I do not fully understand this sacrifice lady, but I do know what it is to be removed of one's choice. I am sorry we tried to take yours."
Arik picks the woman up and carries her back to the alter. He lets her get herself back on it, then:
"Sennesees! Come claim your offering!"
Pavok shakes his head at his friend's haste, "Does she still wish this Arik? Also did you even try to ask her if she or her town saw a dwarf in the area."
"I am sorry Pavok." Arik calls over his shoulder. "I see no other way, and I need to find my brother!"
"Sennesees! Will you break your own rules?"
Sennesees reappears before Arik and Tristine. "So you've come to your sense young lady. Good, your village will survive another year." Tristine nods. "Yes my lord. Please protect and watch over us as you always do and I give myself to you." Tristine seems ready. Arik, Sennesees completely ignores you. He is reaching out a hand to Tristine's head.
If you are reading the map correctly. There is no village this girl speaks of. You are still two days out from Umbab, the CITY, not village, that you are heading too. Also, you would note on the map. The Anubite city you guys found is at least 4 to 5 days travel from here. If there are anubites this far into Aradina, they must be a small scouting or raiding battalion consisting of anywhere from 10 to 40 anubites. You know from prior battles that you are much stronger than your first engagement. You also know from experience that you could also handle around 12 or more. It is possible.
"Lord Sennesees, please." The dwarf sounds desperate now. "If you know anything about other dwarves in the area, tell me. I must find my brother."
Sennesees places his hand on the girl's head. A surge of dark power rushes through the air.
You Pally evil sense is going insane. This dark power is pure darkness.
Once the spectacle is done, the girl crumples to the floor, limp. Sennesees looks human now. He has a regal appearance about him. He breathes heavy and smiles. "Good. Now the village is safe another year." He looks down at the girls body with pity in his eyes. A wave of his hand and her eyes open.
She now radiates "evil"
She stands up. Her skin has turned paler now. She looks confused and then looks up at Sennesees. "Come with me." He says. He turns towards the pyramid and begins to walk towards it. Tristine follows without saying a word.
Sennesees seems to have ignored Arik completely.
Mus'ad is back with the camel by this point.
Pavok clenches his fist and jaw, trying not to get his friends killed. He thinks to himself, She is sacrificing her life for her village it was her choice. It was her choice that was forced on to her from her village, her choice more like there choice and he forces her to be his servant; I do not feel ill of destroying these poor creatures anymore, since I was liberating them. Torag you sent us here to motivate me, to gain strength and become greater so I can cleanse this land of fiends like him. As the Pharaoh ignores his friend, he puts his hand on Arik's shoulder, "His greed for power is all he knows, I bet he only fed that line to manipulate you into giving the girl over to him. Though it was her choice, even if her village gains this protection of evil she sacrificed herself for her people and we should find honor in that. Come we need to move on, we only have a year to stop this anubite plague." He turns away from the mummy lord and his newest slave, and says a prayer for both of them, promising he'll be back to crumble this unholy temple.
From being around the two of you for some time, I feel that what Pavok says is the truth. There is honor in that. Perhaps you can teach me what honor means sometime and I will try to apply it.
Jen exits the temple whenever the party is ready to leave.
When you return to the camels you find half of them missing as well as Faznir and Mhkyir.
Survival:
Both knowledges are untrained - so Int check:
** spoiler omitted **
Those who look back towards where the camel are can see Mus'ad waving to attract attention before bidding they come over to where he is.
Jen heads over to Mus'ad and looks quizically. Hey, what's going on? Why are our camels missing?
"Mykhir and Faznir are gone as well... look, there are signs of struggle." pointing them out "Arik, do your dark seeing eyes pick up any sign of the trail?"
Snapped from his depressed revelries by Mus'ad's voice. Arik shuffles up the path toward the camels. He looks half-heartedly for signs that would lead them to their lost camels.
As he looks, Arik's stare becomes more intent as it becomes clear that he has discovered something.
Pavok takes a look to see whose camels are missing while he waits on Arik's tracking assessment. And says a silent prayer for his missing friends.
You find anubite tracks. Several if then where just here not too long ago. They went back the way you guys came to the fork. If and when you get back to the fork, you will then notice the tracks leading down the tunnel yoh haven't been too.
Arik follows the tracks until the come to the fork in the tunnel. He stops and stands up straight.
"These are Anubite tracks. They go down. We have to follow. Faznir and Mykhir are in danger, and this is our way out."
Are you sure that the way that we have come is not the path out?
Mus'ad nods his assent and gestures for Arik to continue following the trail.
"I'm sure this is not the way we came. I am also sure that this is the way our Animals have gone."
Arik continues to track.
"I trust your eyes my friend, let us move to save them." Pavok says.
Sorry for the delay. Have been busy these past couple of days.
You follow the trail down the other passage you have yet to traverse. You travel a good ways, what seems to be near 2 hours. Finally you arrive at the surface. You are on the other side of the chasm nothing but rock,sandy grass, hills, and palm trees can be seen.
A little bit of searching and you all pick up the trail. You follow it a little ways further "North" (You were heading "East") Coming over a hill you spot the Anubite camp. A small fort containing fifteen to twenty five anubites. You see your camels being escorted in but no sign of Faznir or Mhkyir.
You see not far "East of your position. Another person scouting out the anubite camp. Oddly, this person seems familiar as though you've seen her somewhere.
As soon as Mus'ad is back into the open air, he wastes no time before remounting Al Gasreed.
Looking down at the anubite camp Mus'ad takes in their numbers...
Perception:
... eyes moving to the East, he spies the woman who is also regarding the camp "We are not alone" he states as he looks at the woman.
Unless restrained, Mus'ad will start to move towards the woman in order to better discern who she is...
I guess it's true that the grass is always greener on the other side. But Musad, we are in enemy territory. It might not be wise to approach someone, even if we do recognize them. It could be a trap or a mirage.