”We’re not going anywhere,” Felrin says to the guard in a surly tone, ”though I wish she would!” He gestures exaggeratedly with his chin at Tkaara as he says this, hoping to take the guards’ eyes off his manacles for a moment. ”The whore coughs and coughs, she’ll give us all whatever pox she carries. I know you mean to take my head, but I won’t go out a snot-nosed, wheezing weakling!”
As he speaks, Felrin rattles his ankle chains a bit to make some covering noise and closes the manacles firmly around his wrists, locking them once more. Such a final sound, that little click…I know I can get them open again, but how I want to have my hands free, to throttle this guard and make my way out of this damned place.
"Ah, here they go again," Erevan quips with an exasperated sigh. "The woman coughs and groans, the man swears and moans." He pauses for a moment before addressing the guard. "I do believe I envy you, you know. You may not be stationed far enough from this cell to have total peace and quiet, but at least you do not have front row seats to their arguing, do you now? Count your blessings then, that is what I say." Another brief pause. "Well, I do envy you for more reasons than just that, of course. Such as your considerably longer life expectancy, for one thing. Better living habits would be another..."
He seems to be going on and on, jumping from one subject to another, but there is a method behind the madness of what appears to be an inability to shut up, a reason. And that reason is to distract the guard, perhaps give him an incentive to finish the inspection quickly and get himself away from what appears to be a most tiresome group of inmates.
The lead guard comes into the cell and he begins to roughly check over each and every prisoners manacles methodically, he ignores the conversation going on around him. You can tell by the body language of the other guard holding the torch outside the cell that he is very nervous. The obvious shifting of his weight from foot to foot and the sweat growing on his brow are easily enough read. As the lead guard gets to Felrin he checks and then rechecks his manacles. He almost seems disappointed that he did not find anything. He then kinda pokes his club at Tkaara's manacles in an attempt to stay clear of her cough. Having been satisfied by what he found the guard leaves and relocks the cell. the duo continue their rounds and then disappear back into the guardroom and everything is dark once again.
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Current Location: Branderscar Prison: Cellblock, Date: Oathday, Erastus 24th,(Summer) 4714 Time: 6:00 pm (Day:Zero)
Felrin forces himself to rest some, hanging asleep in his shackles to conserve his energy for the ordeal ahead. He does stir a bit each time the guards come to change the torches, and after the agreed-upon torch replacement, he hauls himself into full wakefulness and runs through the plan in his head. Once the guards have returned to their station and settled in again, he waits patiently for another quarter hour or so, then takes a deep breath and rolls the dice.
Once again, his limbs shorten and his body shrinks down while his head balloons out. Moving slowly and deliberately, he pulls back a layer of filthy hay and collects the lockpicks. With a step to the side, he begins working on Erevan’s manacles, easily unlocking them with the fine tools provided by the peculiar magical veil. Once Erevan is free, Felrin hands him the veil and whispers, ”Get yourself a knife and be ready to fight. Keep an eye on the guards, and don’t move for now, we don’t want to alert them.”
He then turns his attention to the Doctor’s manacles, swiftly opening them. He steps down the line of prisoners, focusing briefly on each, his spare lockpicks held in his toothy goblin mouth as he opens each lock. When he’s done, he’s standing by Etna and ready to undo the lock that runs through all their ankle chains.
"Thank you," Erevan says politely, taking the veil from the "goblin" with a nod. Wasting no time, he does as he is instructed, moving to touch the dagger embroidered on the piece of soft cloth. And sure enough, no sooner has he done so than a real knife materialises in his grasp. Satisfied, he offers the veil to the next newly freed person, that being the good doctor.
"Dr. Wilken, if you would be so kind?" Despite the circumstances and the direness of their situation, his voice is calm and even, yet barely above a whisper so as not to notify the guards, at least not prematurely.
Etna lets a sigh of relief when Felrin unshackle her "Much obliged. Let's get to work." she close her eyes for a second, concentrating. "I mentioned this in the royal court, but if any of you expresses a 'wish' that I can grant with my one of my spells, it will be more powerful. One wish a person a day, but it can be as broad as you want. 'I want the guards not to sound the alarm' will do".
"I wish the guards wouldn't sound the alarm" Hecate jumps in. Gods, it's good to be free. And now... "Can someone please tell me what's on this 'veil' I've heard so much about? Oh, and thanks, Felrin. Good work. What now?"
"You might have to be more specific, Herr Cale. I cannot see a thing in here."
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When Tkaara's hands are released, she smiles, and then coughs once more.
I . . . I think perhaps now might be a good time for the medicine Doctor.
Once she is given the package, the former barrister is almost unable to constrain herself and greedily sucks in the substance.
Duration: hours
Almost the moment that Tkaara has taken the silvery (I assume) powder, her cough subsides, although she, if it is possible, appears even more emaciated than before.
Once she has finished the drugs, the pale woman looks to the others, an almost unnatural, one might even say oddly sparkly light in her eyes:
It is time we dealt with these guards and removed ourselves from this prison.
As the group of the Forsaken wait patiently and try to get some rest, the day goes by uneventful right up until the guards change shift at midnight. The new set of four guards are a little scruffier looking and a little more lacks about their duties as is evident by their first torch change at 1 am when they almost let the torches completely burn out before coming to change them and then only did a quick look in the cell before moving on back to the guardroom.
On the second change at 2am only one guard came in and changed the torches and never bothered to walk the cellblock. fifteen minutes later Felrin puts his plan into action.
Slipping easily out of the shackles and manacles once again Felrin retrieves the lockpicks and expertly and quietly one by one realeses everyone from their manacles. Handing the veil to Erevan as he continued down the line. Erevan removes a dagger from the veil and then passes it to the doctor.
Meanwhile Felrin hands the dose of silvertongue to Tkaara who greedily gobbles it down. As she becomes under the effects of the drug she becomes more alert and bright eyed but its almost as if her health failed worse underneath the false persona now displayed. She looked frail and very weak and dark circles now have formed under her eyes.
Now that the group had escaped the manacles how were they going to slide the chain through everyones shackles without making enough noise to attract the guards?
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Current Location: Branderscar Prison: Cellblock, Date: Oathday, Erastus 25th,(Summer) 4714 Time: 2:16 am (Day:One)
Hecate stays where she is for the time being, blissfully running her fingers through her hair, counting quietly in the dark while she listens to the others...
Not waiting for a reply once he feels the veil pressed into his hands, the Doctor runs his fingers along the stitching until he locates the second dagger by touch. Having done so, he plucks it out and breathes a quiet sigh at the reassuring sensation of steel once more in hand.
He then passes the veil to the nearest unoccupied prisoner. "Here, see if this holds any magical or alchemical reagents. "
Closing his eyes and letting out a soft sigh, Erevan's thoughts are a silent admonishment to himself; he has kept his eyesight a closely guarded secret for so long and now the enthusiasm that the prospect of escape brings, no matter how controlled, has almost let the proverbial cat out of the bag. Still, keeping his ability a secret under even such circumstances could prove a liability. With another sigh, he takes the proferred veil back once the doctor is finished with it and moves closer to Hecate.
"Without the two daggers and the lockpicks, several more symbols are left, embroidered on the cloth," the golden-eyed man explains to the younger woman. "A vial seemingly full of some liquid, a pouch or bag, an inverted five-pointed star, a window, a lantern, a sort of pyramid made of small parts, and finally some rope."
Etna eyes the cloth that Erevan is showing to Hecate. "May I?" she ask, before uttering a quiet incantation, focusing on the veil.
This item has proven useful thus far. Let's see if I can make out what else it does...
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Smiling and glad to no longer be feeling the continuous illness, Tkaara licks her silverish lips.
Etna. You said you could make the horn too slick to carry? Could you also make the chain slippery? If you can, then I am sure we could easily slide it through the manacles without making noise.
Despite her improved health, it is apparent that the barrister has little in the way of endurance to aid the party.
Also, unless we want to alert the guards with coughing, we need to move quickly. The medicine only lasts about an hour, and I doubt we will find more medicine in this prison.
After the single guard refreshes the torches and heads back to the guardroom, Felrin says very quietly, ”You were right, Tkaara, they’re getting lazy at this hour. I say a couple of us get out of the cell and wait by the guardroom door for the next torch change. When he comes through – and the door is unlocked – we take him out as quietly as we can.”
His grotesque goblin body then moves silently across the cell to the door, where he works carefully to get the lock open with as little noise as possible.
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Tkaara shakes her head.
Unless you want me coughing up a storm, we need to move quickly. Either see what the strange window does, or try to get through the door. My health will last not much more than an hour if this medicine works like other I am used to. The next guard change is not for an hour, if they are on time which this group does not appear to be too concerned with. If we wait until then, I will be much less useful in helping you all.
Hecate raises an eyebrow at Erevan's approximate location: darkvision, hey? "Well, Man of Mystery, that's another of your secrets uncovered!" she teases, referring back to their conversation at the Royal Court. "How many more to go? Or is that a mystery in itself? " She frowns, thoughtfully. "You mentioned a lantern - please would you tear it off the veil? I need to be able to see; and I doubt that the guards are going to make another round any time soon. In the words of another member of my profession, 'I think we can risk a little light'..." The young woman smiles to herself at this remark.
"I agree with Tkaara, by the way - let's make a plan and get out of here."
The foot chain drags through the shackles of Erevan as he moves toward Hecate. Freeing Erevan from the chain all together but no one else since he was at the end of the chain.
From the guardroom you hear one of the guards exclaim “Was that a rat I just heard?” which one of his fellow guardsman exclaims "Just put your money in the pot and show us your cards." followed by laughter from the guards in the guardroom.
Etna examines the veil trying to figure out more about it but she has never seen such a item before, her detection spell shows moderate transmutation magic at work but other than that she is clueless of exactly how it operates or what the different patches do other than what has been witnessed thus far.
Felrin moves to the edge of the darkness by the cell door. As he does he pulls the foot chain free of him and the doctor with a loud rattling of the chain.
One of the guards in the guard room then exclaims "No, wait. I heard the rat as well." to which the others exclaim "So they have a pet in there, the Ogre will probably eat it anyway. Lets quit all the talk of rats and get back to our game."
Felrin finds that the celldoor is a very similar lock to the manacles and unlocks it leaving the door slightly adjar so that it won't re-lock.
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Current Location: Branderscar Prison: Cellblock, Date: Oathday, Erastus 25th,(Summer) 4714 Time: 2:16 am (Day:One)
”Fine, if we need to go sooner, we can, though how we get that guardroom door open unnoticed is beyond me,” Felrin responds. He looks over his shoulder as Hecate requests the lantern, saying, ”No light yet! They’re sure to notice it! Just wait a moment longer while I get this door open, so we can get out of here. The important thing is that you can see where they are, we can lead you by the hand here in the cell.”
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Tkaara cringes as she hears the guards talk each time the chain clinks.
We need to muffle that chain. Etna's spell might do it. Also, we could use a shirt or two - She looks at the men as she says this. - to keep the chain from clinking as we move it.
The former barrister pauses and thinks for a few moments.
Or, we could get everyone out quietly and then make the same noise a few more times. Eventually whoever is in charge of the card game will send the low peon to investigate "the rat". When he does we drop him and will have an open guardroom door to cast or attack through.
"Now that is an excellent idea, Tkaara," Felrin says, his goblin face splitting into a feral grin.
"Oh, I am fairly certain I still have one or two more," Erevan retorts with a little smile. "I have to admit I would not have so easily divulged this particular one, truth be told, but considering the circumstances, keeping it a secret might do me more harm than good."
He pauses a moment, thinking. "Tell you what, dear lady, if we do manage to get out of this cell and this prison alive and well, you may ask me again about my eyes. And then we will both see whether there is a bit more to this mystery of mine or not, yes?"
Hecate smiles at - or at least in the direction of - Erevan: "Promises, promises! I'll hold you to that. But what brought on this sudden attack of loquacity, O Silent One?"
At Felrin's refusal to have the lantern extracted, she crosses her arms and looks mutinous. "Not keen on going anywhere without light - or spell components. If you won't let me examine the veil, someone's going to have to do it for me. The doctor's friend must have left something in there for me, mustn't they...?"
This last question has a pleading tone that she can't quite eradicate. Hecate is utterly helpless (and useless) without her spellcasting, and she knows it.
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Regarding the veil:
You all can pull whatever you want from the veil. But, if it creates a giant window with great magical powers, I ask how you all are planning on carrying it.
She then looks toward Hecate, who probably cannot see her.
I can be your eyes, at least temporarily. I do not know what else is on there, but it sounds as though there is a pouch of some sort. That might be something you can use. Otherwise, you are best to hang back until we can get you some wizard stuff.
"I can muffle the chain, but it will last only for one minute. Just tell me when you're ready to leave this cell and take position for the ambush." she says calmly to the other prisoners.
Etna smirks slightly at Hecate's pleading tone, before reaching for the veil to extract the embroidered pouch. "I just tried to detect what kind of spell was cast on this, but I couldn't find anything save for a transmutation aura around it. I'm afraid my knowledge of the arcane has rusted a little." she adds softly. Before handing the pouch to the young wizard, she peeks in to discern its contents.
Etna pulls the sack from the veil, once it is free she looks in it. It is a sack that is full of spell component pouches. Each one with a name on it. One for Felrin, one for Hecate, and one for Tkaara. You quickly realize these are your own spell component pouches that you were originally caught with. There is also a clean peasant's outfit for each of you, also labeled with each of your names.
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Current Location: Branderscar Prison: Cellblock, Date: Oathday, Erastus 25th,(Summer) 4714 Time: 2:16 am (Day:One)
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Not sure if it makes a difference, but Tkaara has never cast a spell and all her spells - Bless, Obscuring Mist and CLW - do not have any material components. I will take the pouch for future use, but don't really need it at this point.
Clothes. Ugly and made for peasants, but better than the rags we are in now.
Tkaara will quickly change her clothes, giving the rags to be used to silence the chain as it is pulled through the shackles.
Felrin looks over his shoulder and says to Etna, "If you can make an illusion of us all still in our cell, now might be the time." He cautiously opens the cell door a few inches and slips through it, then sneaks off down the hall toward Grumblejack's cell. As he passes the bars of his own cell, Felrin sees his cell-mates peeling patches off the veil and rummaging through a sack it has produced. The veil! In my haste I failed to grab the pentacle! I must have that holy symbol. I'll get it before we go for the guards, no point in shouting to them about it now, not while I'm out wandering the halls.
As he reaches the door of Grumblejack's cell, Felrin undergoes his strange transformation in reverse, returning to his normal height and build - though something about him appears slightly different, as if there was some understandable uncertainty about his true form. His hands seem even longer and bonier than before, and his ears have taken on an odd frilled edge, like the fins of some deadly tropical fish, though the frills recede gradually over the next few moments.
Heedless of this, or perhaps just accustomed to his body's odd turns, Felrin focuses on opening the ogre's cell door. As he works the tools in his long, nimble fingers, he speaks quietly and simply to Grumblejack, saying, "Can you keep quiet in there a bit longer? We're going to get out of here, and we're going to get you out, but we have to be quiet for it to work. And if it comes to a fight, we'll need you to kill these guards, but as quietly as you can. We'll tell you when to come out, okay?"
"Thank you!" Hecate impulsively hugs the flame-haired woman as she receives the spell component pouch.
She blushes suddenly as she realises Tkaara is undressing next to her - she can't see anything, but the sounds are unmistakeable. To distract herself, she carefully opens her new spell component pouch and sorts through it, trying to identify items by touch and guesswork, before realising... "Wait. This is my component pouch - the one Sir Balin took from me! Everything's sorted the way I left it. What's going on here?!"
She hears a slight clink as the chain at her feet moves slightly. "You'll need to remove this if I'm to go anywhere - I can't shift anywhere in the dark. Either that, or let me make some light..." The inability to see anything is starting to drive Hecate quietly nuts. Almost of their own volition, her fingers reach for and close around a dead firefly: the material component for a light spell; a simple word, and she'll be able to see again. The temptation is overwhelming.
Etna pats Hecate's shoulder when she hugs her "Why, you're welcome." she chuckles at the wizard's overreaction, before turning to Tkaara. "I'm sorry if I'm being blunt, but I don't think that now's the time for changing clothes. If we'll have to trick the guards, these clothes will only make everything harder. Beside" she points to her own prison rags "they may be not pretty, but they are very practical. If we're going to get out of here, I prefer clothes that won't tangle around.".
"It is done." Etna says when the others asks for the illusory image, as soon as everyone but Tkaara are free from the manacles. Uttering some arcane lines, she conjures 5 apparently sleeping copies of the other prisoners, still bound in the manacles. "Could someone close the cuffs? I'll be able to center the illusion.".
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I forgot that the plan is to have Tkaara still in the cell to sell the illusion. Thus, she would not have changed clothes. Also, Tkaara's manacles and shackles should be released, she will stand there bluffing the fact that she is still fastened. Since she is no longer sickened, she should have a +10 on the bluff, also she is will be +10 on the diplomacy.
If necessary, here are the diplomacy to charm the guards, and a bluff to convince them Tkaara is still bound and all is as it appears.
Diplomacy:
Bluff:
As Felrin reaches Grumblejack's cell door and changes back into his natural form Grumblejack seems to pull back from the door as far as his shackles will allow, muttering one single low word as Felrin approaches. "witchcraft"
Felrin begins to speak to the ogre in a quiet tone as he unlocks the celldoor with the same precision he has shown thus far. Grumblejack responds only with a nod and a toothy smile as he looks up at his manacles. "Grumblejack smash 'lil 'uns when Grumblejack is free. Grumblejack smash them good."
Using some of the clothes as a silencer the group removes the remaining foot chain quietly. As soon as everyone is free Etna concentrates and puts up the image of the other five inmates sleeping in their shackles beside Tkaara.
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Current Location: Branderscar Prison: Cellblock, Date: Oathday, Erastus 25th,(Summer) 4714 Time: 2:17 am (Day:One)
"I'm no witch," whispers Felrin, "but I do have a few tricks up my sleeve." Moving very slowly, he opens the door of Grumblejack's cell and steps inside, pausing as he considers what he's doing. I'm not only talking to an ogre, and opening the door to his cell, but I'm about to walk up to him and unlock him - while in easy reach of him. Dark Prince preserve me, but desperate times call for desperate measures.
He creeps across the cell, and just before he gets to where Grumblejack can reach him, Felrin pauses and says, "I'm going to unlock you, but I need you to wait until it starts to get noisy to come out and fight, okay? If you can stay quiet, we can get out of here. If you make noise, we won't get out. Got it?" Once the ogre responds in the affirmative, Felrin steps forward. Now I'm telling an ogre what to do - AND trusting that he'll do it. Such a slender reed to hang all this on, but we'll need him.
He unlocks Grumblejack's manacles and ankle chain, warning the ogre not to move his feet until it's time to come out of the cell and fight, because the guards will hear him for sure. With one last quiet admonition, "Remember to wait until you hear it get noisy, okay?", Felrin steps out of the cell, leaving the door very slightly ajar, and slinks down the hall toward the cell near the guardroom door.
Once there, he cautiously unlocks the cell and opens the door a finger-width. Letting out a quiet breath now that so many of the obstacles seem to be out of the way, he looks to his cell-mates and gives them a wave and a thumbs-up, clearly saying, It's time.
The Doctor steels himself when he sees Felrin give the signal at the edge of the pool of light, and slowly begins to stalk foward, dagger at the ready. He moves slowly and carefully, taking over a minute to reach his destination, where he crouches and waits.
Hecate blinks, irritably, but allows herself to be led to the other cell, trying hard not to stumble as she moves. "Are the rest of you there?" she whispers into the darkness.
A confident expression on her face, Etna moves in the cell Felrin has just opened, slowly taking her position. Despite the concentration required to keep the spell up, Etna moves as silently as she can.
I didn't sneak around like this since I was a little girl, trying to get in father's lab...
A faint smile crosses her face, disappearing soon after. "Now's not the time to reminisce..." the Ifrit says to herself.
As Felrin approaches the ogre to unlock his manacles he notices that the creature is not quite as big as he first thought. Grumblejack does not stand ten feet tall as usual for his kind, he only reaches the 7' 3" mark and looks to weigh about 185 pounds so he is very lanky and skinny even by human terms. He also looks very injured. After listening to Felrin's plan Grumblejack responds.
“Grumblejack have no problem with plan. Grumblejack quiet as death! One time, Grumblejack sneak up on a farmer to steal sheep. The farmer turned around and look me straight in the eyes. He so scared, little man make water. Grumblejack asked him if he saw anything. Farmer say no."
“See...Grumblejack VERY stealthy.”
Once Felrin unlocks the cell across from the group Etna takes Hecate by the hand and leads her across into the opposite cell as quietly as possible. Being at the edge of full light and being able to see somewhat in the low light Hecate breaths a sigh of relief as she is led out of the darkness.
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Current Location: Branderscar Prison: Cellblock, Date: Oathday, Erastus 25th,(Summer) 4714 Time: 2:18 am (Day:One)
Taking care to move slowly and silently and with the poor lighting conditions providing little to no problem to his eyes, Erevan, dagger held firmly in hand, moves to join the others, sparing the ogre a look of curiosity as he passes him by.
"Shh, dear lady," he whispers almost under his breath, "we are here. Do not worry."
Hecate squeezes Etna's hand as she's led into position. "Ready when you are, Dear Flame," she breathes.
She jumps imperceptibly as Erevan ghosts past, and into position. "Good hunting, Silent One..."
As Etna passes him to enter the cell where she will hide, Felrin gestures for her to hand him the veil and his spell component pouch, which was somehow hidden inside the veil. He ties the pouch to his belt, then lifts the veil and reverently pulls the five-pointed star patch off it. He holds the star to his forehead, then his heart, before slipping it inside his shirt for safe-keeping. I carry you with me, Master, in all I do.
With his quiet ritual complete, he looks around at his companions, assembled for this desperate plan. At least we're going at it together...we live together or we die together. He gives a questioning shrug, as if to say, Everyone ready?, then waits for someone to begin making noise to bring the guards in.
Etna handles the veil and the pouch to the Oni-spawn, observing him making a strange gesture with a symbol of a five-pointed star she had never seen before.
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Once everyone is in position in the neighboring cells, Tkaara begins to cough once more. After the coughing show, which lasts a minute or so. Then, she moves the chain with her food to make noises like before hoping that the guards will respond. If this does not work, she will do it a few more times.
Assuming that one or two guards are dispatched to investigate the noise, Tkaara smiles:
Evening good knights. You just missed the rat. Afraid your big guest in the next room got it.
She then licks her lips before continuing.
It must be very lonely guarding boring prisoners. She nods her head to her companions. But, I am sure you all know why I was send here. You should have seen the smile on the Magistrate's face. She pauses for a moment, as though thinking. Actually, I bet several of you would prefer seeing what caused the Magistrate's smile, rather than the rumors that I am sure preceded me.
With that, she gives the guards a rather wicked smile.
Bluff and Diplomacy rolled above.
Bluff: 23
Diplomacy: 18
Under cover of the noise created by Tkaara, Hecate reaches out toward Erevan. As her fingertips brush against him, the air around starts to shimmer. Concentrating, Hecate slowly expands the shimmering haze until it surrounds Erevan. She allows it to solidify, forming an armour of pure force that in no way impedes his movements but which will offer the same sort of protection as the guards' own armour.
Withdrawing her hand, she smiles slightly at her handiwork.
Tkaara begins to rattle her chains over and over again trying to draw the attention of the guards. She has to do this multiple times before the attention of the guards are drawn. In the guardroom aggravation seems to stir at the card game as the chains keep being rattled. "Timothy, go quiet that noise." One of the four guards says to another. You can see a lone guard approach the guardroom door, he reaches up to a peg and grabs a set of keys and unlocks the guardroom door before securing them on his belt. He then takes a fresh torch and lights it off of another just inside the guardroom. He prepares to enter the cellblock. Torch in one hand and his leather club in the other.
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Current Location: Branderscar Prison: Cellblock, Date: Oathday, Erastus 25th,(Summer) 4714 Time: 2:19 am (Day:One)