Take two.
Dot.
"Hi friend, you want me to tell you more of myself? Very well then, I am a young man from Winterhaven, a small farming community tucked away in rolling hills far from here. I am a magic user of sorts, the earth speaks through me and I can see the future on the winds and in the clouds. I am a wanderer and a healer, but what drives me is a need to explor the larger world that is known as Greyhawk."
Wintershaven? Never heard of it. But then again, I don't get away from Greyhawk much. Just up and down this old River Road when the need arises, and sometimes out to Dyvers. At least you're willing to talk. I haven't had much luck with anyone else in the caravan. I'm Malkus...say, do those militia men look a little...off...to you?
Darkness.
You hear the sounds of the scared - panicked breathing, crying, praying, mumbling. Where are you? You're not sure how long you were out. Why are you so weak? It's like you haven't eaten in days. Your head hurts with dehydration and hunger.
The conversation seems so long ago. Where is Malkus? What about the score of people with you? You begin to remember flashes of the attack. The Greyhawk Militia, no...they were disguised orcs...attacked from the sides. The other ones, you shiver as you think of them, came around after you were already wounded. You did what you could. You remember Malkus attacking one but you're not sure what happened. The unnatural creature with the foul breath got to you, and all you remember after you began to fall is the woman in the background with the glowing red eyes.
Your eyes begin to adjust to your surroundings. There is a faint amount of light, and you begin to see shapes.
Hedrick lays still, what was the surface under his hands. He listens for movement before daring to open his eyes.
His ears rang telling him he had probably suffered a head injury, that would explain the black out . . .
Am I still injured? Why would they capture me? For the stew pot? That woman . . . The one with the red eyes . . .
<<<Uhhhhhhhhgh>>>
A moan escaped his lips before he could stifle it.
Am I still in my armor? Clothing even?
The faint light doesn't do much to help, but you manage to get an idea of the room you're in. It's probable that you're underground, but you're not positive. You are in a room that you guess is around 20'x20', with one entrance, which is where the light is coming from. The floors and walls are stone.
"Easy, lad. Ye've been ou' a couple days now. Tha ghoul fever jus' broke las' night. Jus' take i' easy 'til I get ye some food." The voice isn't familiar, and you don't recall any dwarves being in the group you were with.
Your eyes focus on a gruff looking dwarf near you. You scan the room some more and see what looks like five other dwarves and a human male, though it doesn't look like Malkus. You realize that you are still in your armor, but you don't have any of your other belongings.
"Ghoul fever?"
"My party was attacked, by orcs and a woman with . . . glowing red eyes."
Hedrick feels his stomach growl at the mention of food.
"My thanks to you, but where are we?"
Your training as a healer helps you recognize what you've just been through. The pieces begin to come together and you realize that the unnatural creatures were ghouls. You must have been paralyzed after a bite, and the ghoul fever could have turned you into a ghoul. The weakness you feel, aside from being hungry, comes from the fever. It saps your vitality and dexterity.
"Aye, ghoul fever. Ye be one a' tha lucky ones. A few were lost. As fer tha orcs, they be workin' for tha' woman. Lady Sabina they call 'er. She has some men wuth 'er, wut she calls 'er Ghost Knights. She be tha new mistress of Castle Sulafrae , wur ye find yerself now."
Hedrick rolls over to his hands and knees and struggles to get up.
"Castle Sulafrae? Near Pascorel . . . right? I was traveling near the Selintan River Road looking for . . . well I was there for some reason. . ."
"Last I heard Castle Sulafrait was back under control of the Orcs. So great, now we are prisoners to a mysterious woman whom employs ghouls. Thanks be to whatever power prevented me from becoming one myself."
"I had a companion with me, Malkus, anyone know of what became of him?'
"A lot of effort went into getting me here. Any idea what this Lady Sabina wants with us?"
"Forgive me my rudeness friends, I am Hedrick, of Whitehaven, though i doubt you have heard of it."
Hedrick reaches out to see if his spells still remain prepared.
Near Pascorel is correct, and the so-called Cockatrice Riders who protect it and keep it free. They're not exactly a group of benevolent people, but they have no love for the orcs, and in fact have taken this castle from them once before before being driven back out. Presumably this group of orcs either beat them for it, or was just the next in a long series of owners.
"If he is alive, it is likely that he can be found in the next cell," says the human, showing himself for the first time. "If we are lucky," he continues, "we will remain as slaves and be sold in Elredd or somewhere farther south. If we are unlucky, we will be amusement for the Lady's...hungers."
You recall the man from your trip. He only joined the group a few days before the attack. You don't recall his name, but he quickly extends his hand and introduces himself.
"I'm Jekku," he says. "Jekku Lockswell. This is Oskor Ironstriker, though I don't know the names of all of his associates."
You recall that the Lockswells are nobles within the Domain. They hold lands in the Gnarley Forest off the Yarpick Creek, as well as maintaining a household in Greyhawk.
You used a couple of spells during the attack, so you're down a few, but you sense that your spells are otherwise still prepared.
"Aye. 'tis like he says, lad. Whate'er else she may be, she's a slaver. My folk are put ta work clearin' out debris and fortifyin' tha castle. We'll be goin' back soon, I s'pose, an' I'll smuggle ye some food."
Hedrick takes the man's offered hand. As he shakes it, it dawns on the druid who this man is.
"Lord Lockswell, I have heard of your family, though I have never shook hands with nobility before. I am honored."
Hedrick gives Oskor a nod and offers him his hand before addressing Jekku and Oskor in a hushed tone.
"Do we have any hope of escape? As a lord I am sure you have arms training and we have four stout dwarves with us. If I can get a hold of a stick or piece of wood, I can provide our captors with a surprise. I am a Druid of sorts. I just need some time to rest and regain my powers."
"I have some abilities as a healer as well. Do any of you suffer from serious injuries?'
Hedrick looks around to get the layout of the cell and the area beyond if there is a window or bars to look out of.
"An easy mistake, to be sure. My brother is Lord Lockswell. I merely run the family holdings in the City, but my thanks for your courtesy."
"Thar is always hope, lad. What we don't have is a plan."
"None o' my dwarves are in need, and Jekku here is treated well. Most likely for a ransom."
"And I'm afraid my time with arms has passed. I'm better equipped with a quill and ink these days."
"I do occasionally hear sounds from the other cell. I think your skills in the healing arts could still come in handy."
"Well titles are nice and may confer nobility Jekku, but I have always believed what makes a man truly noble is his actions."
"Glad you have ties. The most they could get from my family would be a couple of pine cones and a jar of clover honey . . . darn good honey though."
<<<Sigh>>>
"I suppose we can't count on a valiant rescue attempt by the Cockatrice Riders, hum?"
Hedrick chuckles lightly.
"That was a small attempt at humor."
The room is about 20' x 20'. Near one of the corners is what appears to be a gate of iron bars. Straw lines most of the floor, and a latrine has been made in the corner opposite the door. Chancing a glance through the iron bars, you see a door about 15 or 20 feet away, and what appears to be two passageways leading off from the hall leading into the cell. You can view it here.
"Well said, Hedrick. My brother embodies that sentiment. He is a man of wisdom and vision, and far better suited to the title than I. I've always been more comfortable in the City than the forest, though it will always be my home. You would fit right in."
Oskor laughs with you.
"Valiant? No. I dinnae think they've e'er been called tha'."
"Oskor, where did they capture you from? How many of your people are here with us? Actually, since you've been working up top, how many orcs and ghouls are there?"
Hedrick casts light on a piece of straw and shields it with his hand to control the light. He begins inspecting the grate and walls.
"I had better start working on a plan right away then. I am no rock mason , no one is going to pay a ransom for me, and I still have some meat on my bones. That makes my value to the enemy limited. I'm not keen on becoming a ghoul's toothpick and I am similarly averse to serving as a torture plaything for Lady Sabina."
"My folk an' I are from Thunderstrike, in Ulek. Thar's me 'n tha five ye see here. Our ship was boarded in Safeton, an' we were taken in tha wee hours o' tha night."
"Couldn'ae say how many ghouls thar be, bu' a' leas' 20 orcs or more, an' 3 o' those Ghost Knights."
"You are alive, Hedrick, and someone somewhere is willing to purchase you. Therefore you have value to the enemy, though we might all still be somewhat expendable."
You use your light to inspect the iron bars and walls. If there are guards posted down here, you do not see them. There is little of note anywhere, though.
"Yes, but I am like a river and not content to live damned and diverted from my own course, if I can avoid it. It doesn't hurt to at least try to make a plan. Preservation of ones life must be top priority. . . If nothing else I can add value by revealing myself as a healer."
Hedrick confirms there have been no guards anyone has seen so he calls out as loud as he dares, just loud enough for the next cell to hear him.
"Hello . . . In the other cell . . . How many are you in there?"
"Who are you? Do you have any wounded inside?"
"Do you know of any other prisoners besides us two cells full?"
"HEY! What's that light...HUH? WHO IS THAT?! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!"
A light begins to come closer as the voice gets louder.
"Don't make me blow this horn! They told me to blow this horn if anybody tries anything!"
A short humanoid stands a few feet from the cage door, peering inside.
"Not trying anything, just talking. It must be boring for you sitting in the dark with a horn."
"Sitting in the...I wasn't sitting in the dark! I was on my way to the other cell when I saw a light! Sitting in the...you're a real smart guy, huh?! Maybe I blow this horn and the orcs come down and see how smart you are, huh? Is that what you want?"
Roll a d20, Sense Motive.
[occ]Whoops
"Well to be honest not really. Do you want them to think you can't handle a few prisoners locked in their cells? I just woke up from a fever, you can't hardly blame me for calling out. Do you have anything to eat?"
Hedrick wills his light spell away.
"Oh no you don't! Nobody gets ol' Nabbit Lusterfitz with the old 'I just woke up from a fever' routine! I know better than that!"
He lowers the horn.
"Oh, so you know I was the one that had ghoul fever then. These dwarves in here warned me to keep it down I guess they knew you were on scene."
"Ummm, so when's food coming? And what is this place, some kind of plague ward?"
He stares at you blankly before turning around.
"Keep it down, smart guy," he says as he walks away.
"Like you're the only one who had it..."
New map.
He kept a healthy distance from the door, standing in the middle of the two passageways at square B4. He doesn't appear to have any keys or weapons. You're not sure exactly what his role is here.
As he leaves, he turns to walk to what would be B3.
"Okay, I think I got it. You don't want me to talk too loud and get us both in trouble with the orcs."
A loud gong is heard and you see the gnome scurry back through the passageway running from right to left.
"Alrigh', lads. Time ta werk."
Oskor and the dwarves begin to line up in front of the gate.
"Thar's time, lad. I dinnae know wha' 'e does, bu' I think 'e'll be a par' o' our plans."
"Oh, an' I'll bring ye back some food.'
Jekku lies belly down on the ground and puts his arms out in front of him. He suggests you do the same.
"They'll be here soon, Hedrick, and they don't tolerate disobedience. Best if you lie down as well."
He turns his face away from the entrance.
"Uhhhh, yeah, right m'kay."
Hedrick gets back into the position he was in when he first woke up. The Druid hoped to be able to catch a peek at his captors.
"Alright, Jekku. Showtime."
A commotion announces the arrival of the gaolers. You see an orc unlocking the gate, and two orcs enter the cell. Each has an axe and seem to be watching you and Jekku. You can't tell if other orcs are out of your line of vision.
The orc who opened the door, presumably speaking Orcish, barks out orders and the defeated looking dwarves begin to move forward. Heads lowered, they march out of the cell to what are most likely insults yelled by the orcs.
Once the dwarves are out of the cell the two orcs back out, and the gaoler locks the gate, leaving you and Jekku alone in the cell.
Hedrick lays on his back in the hay for a bit listening to make sure they are alone before speaking.
"Any idea how long the dwarves have been down here?"
The Druid thinks on what spells he should prepare, first for survival, second for escape.
He checks to see what the floors are made of.
You check the floors and realize they are made of stone pavers. Not quite as thick as the walls, but still stone. You find one that is loose under a particularly thick patch of straw. Lifting it up you find some crudely made daggers. There are 3 of them that look like some type of rock or stone with torn cloth to cover what makes for the handles. There are also two clay pots with drinkable water, and 1 small flask (labled in Common as a potion of cure light wounds.
Your roll is good enough that you notice that the orcs don't have good quality weapons. You're no smith, but you can tell good items from bad. They wore simple hide armor. You also noticed that they don't look well fed.
Jekku isn't sure how long the dwarves have been here. He arrived with you and the dwarves were already here. From conversation he guesses they've been here a while, but most people have lost track of time. He sleeps when the dwarves go to work, assuming that they work at night, and he keeps a mental record of how long you two have been here. By his estimates you've been here for four days.
He bids you good night and he goes to his spot to sleep for the "night."
Let's switch to the discussion thread, and we can discuss what you want to do.
Weeks pass in the same way. The dwarves are taken nightly and return weary from work the next morning. With Hedrick's suggestion, they begin to make mental maps of the castle, which they begin to describe to you.
Food and water are brought once a day, so the water you are able to create helps prevent people from starving.
They see Lady Sabina very little, but they say they only see her at night. She always has a knight by her side, a man they call Dragos. Two other knights come and go, leading platoons of orcs who usually return with more slaves. The knights have a coat of arms on their black shields of a red ouroboros that the dwarves do not recognize.
You see the gnome only occasionally, but you speak to him when you can. Roll a d20, Diplomacy check.
Oskor confirms that they did put the gear under the stone paver. You learn the names of the other dwarves - Hangrim, Holfyar, and 3 others . The dwarves describe to you the way they think would be easiest to go.
Jekku is a talented politician and merchant, but he doesn't seem to have any special abilities that could help out otherwise. He is older, in his 50's, and doesn't have any skills with weapons. His company is very pleasant, and he tells you stories of life in the Gnarley Forest. He begins to enjoy your company very much, and constantly tells you that you remind him of his home in the forest. He ultimately confides in you that he is not welcome back to Lockswell Manor, and that he and his brother had a falling out. He misses his home, but has always been more comfortable in Greyhawk. He continues to serve his family even though they don't acknowledge him.
The orcs do indeed come the same way every day, from square B5. They take prisoners to and from the other cell as well.
Occasionally you think you hear the door at A4 open or close, but you never seem to catch it happening. Looking at it from the cell's cage door you see that something has been chiseled away from the top of the door. It looks as though there was an inscription in the stone that has been hacked away.
With the bonuses from the spells factored in, roll Diplomacy.
"So how does a gnome come to be a jailer in a place like this? I mean I know everyone has to make a living in this world, but there has to be a story in it . . ."
What does he think of this? Is he a true believer? Or is he as much a prisoner here as we are?
Initially ignoring your questions, persistence pays off and the gnome, over the course of two weeks, begins to converse with you.
Through 5 minute snippets of conversation here and there you learn a little bit about Nabbit. He's here looking for his sister Brinx. She was kidnapped by a tribe of goblins known as Dust Diggers over a month ago. He followed her familiar here until it was killed and he was captured. He managed to ingratiate himself with his captors, and when he was given to the castellan he retained much of his freedom.
He's learned that the Dust Diggers were attacked and destroyed by Sabina's orcs, and a few of them were taken captive. He thinks one in the other cell knows where his sister is, but he can't get any solid leads. His sister isn't in the other cell, and he's beginning to lose hope. He obeys the orcs and Ghost Knights out of fear he will be killed. For now he performs any tasks necessary, and when he has time he comes down to question the goblin in the other cell.
If you were interested in learning about the other cell or more of a layout of the castle, he might be willing to help, but you'd have to change his attitude from friendly to helpful with another Diplomacy check, DC 10.
"Gee Nabbit, you must really love your sister if you followed her all the way out here and have been through all that."
"Wish I could help you somehow . . ."
"I do, indeed. I'm really worried about what's become of her.
Now that you mention it... I was thinking about trying to get some prisoners moved around so I can get more information. They won't put the dwarves in there with the goblin, but they might put you if I suggest it. There are more slaves coming in today, and I can convince them to spread them out between the cells. If you can find out more information and relay it to me, I'll help you try to get out of here. These orcs come and go a lot, and not all of them always come back. It's pretty easy to get around when they're mostly gone. It's about time for me to be leaving this place anyway."