"I'll tell you nothing!" the man shouts hoarsely.
Seeing the fair means are going to get him nowhere, Akahale rises to his feet, flanges erect and speaks coldly.
"You will do this. You may think you know what doom is and you may think you know fear. I assure you, you have no idea. I have powers at my disposal which will rend your mind into tiny screaming fragments of pain to be spread around the galaxy in eternal agony. Further, my companions are weary of your insolence and stupidity. Only I stand between you and messy demise. I have no doubt of their assistance should the need arise. Both mind and body may be flayed if that is your foolish desire."
The man quails at Akahale's sudden fury.
"Ah, uh, we, well, the rite, the rite takes place once a year, to the Father, to Dagon. We, that is the town leaders," (he looks at Sharallan) "hold it here under the church."
"An adequate beginning. More detail. Who else in this town is involved in this abomination? What does the rite do? What manner of passwords are used to enter the sacred places? You will answer. I am growing impatient."
Akahale remains standing and allows the dangerous dark motes in his eyes to whirl as a warning to the Alderman.
Seram sits quietly by the wall while the others interogate the prisoners.
"..."
The alderman looks baffled at Akahale, "Wuh, what? Passwords? What do you mean? The people who need to be here know how to get here."
The alderman looks baffled at Akahale, "Wuh, what? Passwords? What do you mean? The people who need to be here know how to get here."
It stomps over and lifts the man by his shoulders. "The alderman will answer Dragonborn Akahale's questions."
"Agh! Ughh... There are no- ack - passwords or any of that nonsense! Sharallan and I are - ugh - the most highly placed members of the faith -ack." he splutters out as he is seized by the warforged.
"Just - put me down. Ock!"
The man breathes hoarsely, "Huh, uh, alright, just keep that demon away from me..." he says, pointing at Seram Zal.
"You certainly made an impression Seram," Rowan says.
"Now what were they wielding and what is that well over there all about?" Rowan asks looking across to Manny as he nods towards the well.
It swivels It's head to Mandrake, without releasing the man.
Rowan spends half a minute wracking his brains and looking at the pool.
The fishmen are like nothing you have heard of or seen before. They don't look like sahuaghin, for a start.
Dagon is a demon lord, not a deity, and is closely associated with the sea depths and sea monsters.
The pool is large and made of stone; the rim of the font is carved with sea serpents devouring whole ships, and the water - despite the fact it cannot be but a few feet deep - is an impenetrable black.
Akahale circles the Alderman as he dangles in It's enormous fist. "Who else is a member of the faith in this town?"
"Urgh, urk."
"Urgh, urk."
Rowan is trying to fathom through all of the information he was trying to gather and in short has taken a moment to sit down before he gets a raging headache before returning his attention to where they entered this room.
The investigator sizes up the Alderman, trying to assess how much he is still hiding from them.
"Replace him on the ground if you please, It. He cannot speak at present. I wish him to speak." He nods courteously at Manny. "Forgive my request, but our prisoner is suffering undue pressure on the windpipe."
It drops him.
Akahale guesses that the Alderman is nervous that the secret shrine has been discovered so quickly, and knows he can now play upon this fear.
Grafire looks in the pool, and discovers it is only 2 feet deep and looks mysterious because the interior has been painted black. The water is brackish but normal.
Ok I'll start 1 sqr n of the southern corner of the pool areas back wall and work my way N. That should be about 4 rolls.
1d20+4=11, 1d20+4=21, 1d20+4=16, 1d20+4=13
Can I also take me healing during this time?
Whilst the others question the alderman or buff their nails, Grafire methodically searches for any secret doors.
DM
Akahale's nails click rhythmically on the floor as he paces back and forth trying to frame his forebodings into questions that the Alderman will answer. Finally he comes to a decision. Where direct questions get no reply, perhaps pretending to more knowledge than he has may be effective.
"The rot spreads deep within this town, of that I am sure. Your "Father Dagon" rules the deep. The steps upstairs lead down to another chamber; to the temple. Such a place will be guarded. You are not the only practitioners of these foul rites. There is a superior. Shall we stop this game now? I think you will tell me anything I have missed out.
Under Akahale's stern gaze and cool nerve at making out the group know more than the actually do, the alderman (Alderman Ritter) breaks down finally and reveals the following:
He and Mother Sharallan are indeed two of the highest ranking members of the cult of Dagon. There is indeed a rite that will go on through the entire day, but to Dagon, not Pelor and Melora; the rite is held once a year. The head of the cult is a man called Althanis, who is in the room down the next set of stairs.
Not only that, but... the entire town belongs to Dagon. Every single citizen is a member of the cult. He also reveals that there are hidden caves at the base of the cliff (the one that the church is built on) that are revealed at the lowest tides of the year for a few hours at a time.
The next time they will be revealed is in 24 hours or so.
Akahale turns swiftly away to hide his utter consternation that all his worst, most paranoid fears are not only confirmed but multiplied.
The large barbarian tilts his head up from where he's sitting, as the alderman begins to ramble
"One who, or what is Dagon? Is it here , and can it be killed? Two since we know everyone here is a member of Dagon's cult does that mean we can kill them?"
Seram gives a feral grin, and stands sword in hand.
"Hmm...not much to look at. That squid in the background is more 'frightening'"
"It, would you be so kind as to knock out the Alderman. I think we need to plan and I would rather he did not overhear such discussions."
Akahale fixes Seram with a stern eye. "Dagon is a demon lord. Judging from those of his servants we have so far encountered, I do not wish to meet him, whatever your own desires in that respect may be. Kinsman Grafire, how fares the search?"
By now, Mother Sharallan is dead.
It knocks out the alderman.
"Ah, my search...not to good. It would seem that it is not my thing. I would suggest that you give it a go around. If indeed the Alderman is telling the truth, I would think there is something here. Being that the Alderman and Mother Sharallan were both behind this curtain when we got down here. But at the same time I guess that doesn't directly indicate a secret entrance. Maybe we need to go back up stairs to the other door."
Grafire then turns to Seram "Indeed this plague of evil must be stopped or at least we must change this town for the better. If it means battling the Demon lord then it would be a noble fight indeed and one that legends are made of."
"Ah, my search...not to good. It would seem that it is not my thing. I would suggest that you give it a go around. If indeed the Alderman is telling the truth, I would think there is something here. Being that the Alderman and Mother Sharallan were both behind this curtain when we got down here. But at the same time I guess that doesn't directly indicate a secret entrance. Maybe we need to go back up stairs to the other door."
Grafire then turns to Seram "Indeed this plague of evil must be stopped or at least we must change this town for the better. If it means battling the Demon lord then it would be a noble fight indeed and one that legends are made of."
"I'll take a look if you want?" Rowan offers taking a look at the well.
[ooc] Perception check rolled an 8+14 for 22 will then take a closer look at the rest of the room whilst the others either search the bodies, discuss whats going on or keep watch, you can roll for me if that makes things easier and assume I continue until the others say they're moving on so Rowan checks the walls of the room that was behind the curtain.[/ooc}
Akahale turns his attention to the walls, particularly the area behind the curtain and prowls up and down, defying the innocent brickwork to withhold its secrets.
Examining the eastern wall of the room, Rowan and Akahale both come to the same conclusion - there is a secret door here!
>>>>MAP with secret door location<<<<
Akahale fiddles around hopelessly and can't get the door to open...
"But it is here. Perhaps Seram can kick this one down as well." He regrets the words even as they leave his mouth. "The suggestion is not a serious one," he adds hastily.
Seram, rested from the previous encounter, moves quickly to the wall. His eyes twinkle with thoughts of what may be behind it.
Seram Zal smashes into the wall, knocking a hole in it; the wall here was only a couple of inches thick. Beyond lies a corridor.
The dragonborn shrugs as Seram's unique method of approach reaps dividends yet again. He approaches the newly made hole with extreme caution and looks at the corridor thus revealed.
Akahale looks into the corridor...
Walls, ceiling and floor are covered with more images of marine creatures. Immense claws snap humans in half, while tentacles the size of great trees wrap themselves about shattered galleons. Winding through the centre of it all, along the floor is a series of impossibly long serpents, with heads on both ends, each biting the throat of the next. So real are the images, you can practically smell the salty tang of the sea.
So real are the images, you can practically smell the salty tang of the sea.
"Rwrarararar", Seram looks in the corridor his, stomach rumbles soon afterward.
"All this stuff is making hungry"
Seram Zal
"Rwrarararar", Seram looks in the corridor his, stomach rumbles soon afterward.
"All this stuff is making hungry"
"When this town is cleansed, we shall hunt shrimp Seram Zal. Hunt them and cook them."