"I think he'll live, sure hope so. Let me look around for my holy symbol, those beasts must have put it somewhere."
At the goblin's lament, he does admit, "I can tell you that's not one of the goblins that captured me, not that I recall anyway."
Bydar's cursory examination reveals no traps on the box, just a simple latch. As soon as he opens it, he reveals the treasure the Ogre was probably hogging for itself.
Lying on top of the rest of the loot is some livery, sized for a Small creature. You might at first glance believe it to be the garb of a child, but although the cloth is almost obsessively clean, it reeks of unwashed Goblin.
Under the livery, you find several items:
A purse of coins, containing 500 gold coins in various denominations and 1000 silver coins.
A cloth bundle containing Bydar's gear.
A second cloth bundle containing Kezzat's gear.
Two chapbooks filled with magical writing. After a bit of puzzling, Pontia figures out that these are Riffle Scrolls! One of the booklets contains the spell Barkskin, whereas the other contains the spell Infernal Healing.
There is a bundle of bandages which Bydar identifies as Bandages of Rapid Recovery.
A pair of simple-looking gloves is quickly identified as Assisting Gloves.
Finally, there is a pair of translucent sleeves, which turn out to be Sleeves of Many Garments.
A silver holy symbol rounds out the loot. It is an odd symbol, shaped like a hexagon made out of six women's arms, bent at the elbow and seizing one another.
All in all, not a bad haul!
Bydar takes his bundle back, and pulls his goddess' holy symbol out immeditely. He looks at the OTHER silver symbol, and snorts, "Well, that is embarrassing. I'm not sure which power that honors."
Robert looks avidly at the coins and immediately offers to split it, or take his share.
"Haha, guess who will have some fun when he returns to civilization!"
The rest of the contents do not concern him that much, but he is ready to negotiate.
Arma looks up from Kyrax with her visor raised after the newly rescued man proclaims he will live. She gives a small, faint smile as she speaks to him.
"Thank you good sir. We are grateful for your aid, but especially I, for your work in saving my friend."
Her level and yet faintly pleased tone sounds quite oddly lacking in intensity of emotion but still perhaps seems sincere. But she remains kneeling near Kyrax waiting for the man to wake. Glancing over to Zhu who warns the strange goblin that was tied up as well she tries to meet the little beings eyes with a earnest curious but obviously trusting and apologetic expression.
She wonders if both of them could be allies? They certainly could use them, and now that she notes silently to herself, that they had lost Raina some time after entering she hopes even more.
Could the girl have fled due to cowardice? Fallen prey to some hidden fate? Or she now must wonder if the Lady Secunda may have said or done something to the poor girl? Perhaps it was that her uncles death while tragic, was not enough for her to risk her life on?
But she dismissed that last thought. She could not doubt her allies intentions or convictions. Lady Secunda had proven perhaps untrue or at least a danger, but she knew nothing of the missing girl or these new possible allies. She would perhaps ask the others after the situation had settled.
"My name is Arma Fili Sustinuit. May I ask your name sir? And of you as well?"
She offers her hand to the human man and speaks between the two of them wondering more of them.
After being healed, Mirandix returns to the fallen form of the ogre and begins searching the creature, taking note of the strange runes. As he squats there considering them, he absent-mindedly draws his dagger, slices off the ogre's left ear, pops it into his mouth, chews, and swallows.
His eyes bulge wide as if they are trying to spring out of his head land he gags scrambling back from the ogre until he stops with his back pressed to the wall. He gags again, hunches over, sticks a finger into his mouth, and is noisily sick.
After he stops heaving, Mirandix rinses his mouth with water, and begins cursing in Elven.
Slumped in the corner Kyrax stirs. He seems to be taking a slow inventory of his limbs and other vital parts. Then still breathing like the breath has been knocked from his body he stands. Well. he manages. That hurt. I do not recommend being kicked by an ogre into a wall. He seems to be looking around at the carnage. Is everyone ok? Looks like we found some new "people"? He adds the question mark as he notes the presence of the goblin. Anything you want me to check for traps? He seems to be breathing easier as the moments pass.
Kezzat groans and stretches, shaking lose the pains of her imprisonment.
She regards Zhu and his blade with trepidation, backing slightly away. A distracted look takes her for a long moment, and she snaps back, blinking.
"Yes, I help. I know things! I tell you things!..." Again, the distance, and the hesitant silence. She nods, as if hearing some conversation with someone or something not there.
"Things like... I know where Bangu-Bangu, head of Red Debbuls is! I know he go up the tower, Bangu-Bangu have angry swords for Xorshak! Bangu-Bangu say Xorshak folding out on him! Have what right pully belongs to Bangu-Bangu!" Kezzat nods emphatically, smiling a horrible and probably not at all convincing goblin smile at her rescuers.
Zhu slowly puts his sickle away and holds out a placating hand toward Kezzat. "No one here will harm you if you speak truth," he says calmly. "Can you show us the way to the tower? And what is your name?"
You can not help but notice that the livery bears the family crest of young sir Doritian, Valeria's Andoran fiancé... A tag in the collar indicates that the livery was made in Andor, just like the wolves' saddles. And, most sinisterly, that the livery should be washed in COLD water!
You've never been up the tower before Bangu-Bangu forced you to accompany him. Usually, Goblins who go up the tower are eaten by the Orcs and the Ogre. A Goblin woman managed to escape a few years back, but she was one leg short when she returned and settled down as the tribe's Bard and babysitter.
The Chelaxian examines the livery in more detail, after casting a quick cantrip to remove the worst of the smell. "Most interesting. I remember seeing this family crest before--it's the mark of Sir Doritian's house. And see here--the maker's mark is from an Andoren tailor." She sneers. "The maker can't even be troubled to use dyes and fabric that stand up to hot water. Useless."
Noticing as Kyrax wakes Arma smiles and rises to her feet with him waiting to offer her hand should he need help.
"It is good you are well Sir Kyrax! I gather the door ahead may need to be checked but otherwise I do not yet know."
Her smile while rather small and her tone while rather flat are for her clearly happy to those that know her.
But upon hearing Pontia speak, Arma's face evens out though her eyes go only the slightest amount wider than the norm. She turns her head quite quickly and moves near to the woman.
"Did I hear you right, Lady Pontia? Did... Did you say it was Lord Doritian's crest?"
Her voice while mostly stable has a hesitant almost questioning edge to it as she looks at the symbol. Her hand even tracing it through her gauntlet. She would know this crest anywhere but she seems unable to react to it. Her lips are only barely moving but she just seems to stand there with the same look on her face mumbling something under her breath.
"Why would this? No... It's just... Why? Doritian... He wouldn't... He can't! I won't accept it!"
Arma's whispered voice sounds both conflicted and yet resolved leading to clearly show she is in shock.
Robert, still close to Arma, looks at the crest that he also easily recognizes.
"Fear not, Arma. Those are not Doritian's personal arms, it is just the symbol that he imprints on his retinue: staff, household members and property. Perhaps that Goblin was his servant, somehow? That would be an interesting proposition..."
Arma looks up from Kyrax with her visor raised after the newly rescued man proclaims he will live. She gives a small, faint smile as she speaks to him.
"Thank you good sir. We are grateful for your aid, but especially I, for your work in saving my friend."
"Well, you folks saved me, so happy to return the favor."
My name is Arma Fili Sustinuit. May I ask your name sir? And of you as well?
"Oh right, you weren't in the same room when... ah, I'm Bydar, priest in service to the lady of omens, Pharasma."
While he's content to press the flesh and shake hands if need be, the bedraggled priest seems more focused on who else might be injured, "All that time in the bag has made me a bit dotty. Any of you need more healing?"
The wizard gives Bydar and the goblin an imperious nod. "Pontia Canario. Thank you for your assistance; we are in pursuit of Xorshak, though, so you may not wish to accompany us."
"My name is Zhu Katai," says the young Tian male to the two newly freed arrivals. "Yes, as Pontia suggests, there will be risk if you accompany us. Xorshak is powerful. We would welcome aid, but this is not your quest."
Kyrax Preyfar at your service. a somewhat foppish man says with an exaggerated bow. We are on a fine and noble quest and I strongly encourage you and your goblin friend to adopt it and to join us. Turning to Robert he asks You were gone from us before the fight. How did you er, quest with Lady" Secunda turn out? And where is the good lady?
"This as far as I got. Bangu Bangu was taking me to see Xorshak, but instead Bangu Bangu trade me for safe passage..."
A vicious glint shines in her eyes. "I will pull out all Bang Bangu's teeth and feed them right back. Yes. Yes."
Here again a distracted, far away, momentary look, before the goblin's attention snaps back to reality.
"I am Kezzat!" she fairly shouts in enthusiasm, while pointing at herself. She goes to each of the strangers in turn, and repeats the same, walking off immediately after to the next closest person after each proclamation .
By the time she's done, she's introduced herself to everyone at least once (some more like four times) and listened to exactly zero people introducing themselves back.
Once you have decided who stays and who goes and who gets what, the way forward is clear: the door that the only surviving Orc escaped through stands slightly ajar. Opening it, you see a stairway go further up the tower, the stonework going from rough granite to pale marble towards the top.
Recovering a little from his horror at his own actions, Mirandix rinses out his mouth and, somewhat more subdued, stands up and then cocks his head, "Quiet! There are creatures moving above us." He moves to the end of the room where a door is closed and listens at it carefully.
Kryax hears nothing but nods to Mirandix and moves quietly out of the room.
Arma to Bydar
Before Pontia's discovery distracted her she replied to the priest with her level tone and a faint smile on her lips.
"Thank you Sir Bydar... If you are inclined, then I am sure we could all use a bit of healing if you are able."
Arma to Robert
As Robert approaches her she only barely registers his words. The next words she speaks however sound low and calm even with the seeming confusion that barely plays across her face. Despite how forcefully they were spoken the low tone at which they emerge, makes them sound coldly angry beyond measure.
"But why and how Sir Robert? This... This is not the first Andoran object found here! First the saddles... Now this... If... If anyone has betrayed Doritian... Lord Doritian! If they betrayed the Lady Valeria! I..."
Arma shakes her head and then lowers her visor turning to the door leading to the next area with little further regard. She pulls her scimitar from her scabbard and readies her shield.
"Good to meet you all. And yes, I'm going with you folks, this whole thing can't be coincidence. Clearly the goddess has a plan, so I'll trust in it, and tweak it back on course if need be," He says.
As for some remaining healing, now that his symbol is back around his neck, he concentrates and lets loose a pale light that provides no warmth trying to engulf his rescuers
"Sir Bydar, I am Robert. And yes, I am very much in need of your services."
Turning to Kyrax:
"The good lady... erm, turned out not to be so good. She left me in this sorry state you see, after probably having murdered Horsehaw. She fled, she was in a clear state of madness, assuming all the guilt for Valeria's kidnapping, even if probably she had none in it. I did not want to kill her, so I'm happy she left, but I fear she might be in more danger than if she had stayed with us. Who knows what a maverick like her can do now..."
Then he turns to the goblin:
"Hello Kezzat. Have you ever seen or used any of the things in this box?"
"So she couldn't resist the temptation. Pathetic weakling--I thought her stronger than that. What, exactly, did she say?"
"I am Kezzat!" she fairly shouts in enthusiasm, while pointing at herself. She goes to each of the strangers in turn, and repeats the same, walking off immediately after to the next closest person after each proclamation .
By the time she's done, she's introduced herself to everyone at least once (some more like four times) and listened to exactly zero people introducing themselves back.
Bydar damn near jumps out of his skin as the goblin introduces herself what must be the third time , "Yes, yes, sorry... I know I may SEEM deaf, but I'm not deaf, just slightly over focused. Bydar of Pharasma in case you didn't hear me say it earlier to the group. Good day not to be eaten, eh?"
Sir Bydar, I am Robert. And yes, I am very much in need of your services."
"Temptation? What are you talking about, Pontia? I can't remember her exact words, she was trying to kill me you know. But it was something along these lines, how the queen would do unspeakable things to her if she found out Valeria had been killed on her watch. She seemed pretty confident there was no hope for Valeria. Does this make sense for you, Pontia?"
Pontia's mouth tightens. "No, I'm talking about killing the mongrelman. She didn't have to do that, and I warned her not to. As to the rest of her babbling, Valeria might well be dead or lost to us, but I will not go to the First a coward."
Arma remains in the same position facing the door waiting for the others.
"She's not dead until we see it!"
While you stand debating, you suddenly hear a rough voice call down from the floor above: "Foul, ugly, stinky, only-good-for-eating humes! You leave tower, NOW! Stick here says you go! So go! Don't make me come down there!"
Even I can tell that the orc seems to think he can take us. Hmm
Kezzat scoots back in the group, interposing the taller, better armed, and more capable members between herself and the source of the voice.
"Benedictio! she speaks in that echoing voice, and a wave of divine energy washes over the party.
Arma stares down the hall they are about to progress down. Hearing the shout from above makes her pause as she puzzles about it. Hearing Kyrax speak and then the shouted word from their new ally Kezzat though feels the surge of the spell and nods to the diminutive creature.
"Then they think they are ready for us. We should prove them wrong Sir Kyrax."
She turns to the others to speak.
"Everyone get ready to move. Those who would dare scout ahead, you are needed if you are ready! Those needing healing, speak up and get it done. We don't have time to wait. Sir Bydar, Lady Kezzat. I am glad to have you with us."
She looks to each of the others as her rather cold but confident yet strangely calm tone of voice carries through her helms visor. Things needed to get going if they were going to save Lady Valieria. So they would need to move forward.
To be honest, I was playing it that Arma did not notice it simply due to her being distracted by everything else. Kyrax being down, the prisoners they rescued and the mark of Doritian being found really would take up her attention. I really did figure someone else would mention something about it eventually though.
Nodding to Arma, the bard moves forward. Overconfidence might mean there are traps. he considers. Robert, you want to take point and look?
Mirandix draws his blade and prepares to move forward, waiting for the scout report.
Zhu says softly, "Be cautious. He could be goading us into a trap at the top of the stairs, as Kryax says." He approaches the bottom of the stairs and prepares to cast a spell at the first visible target.
Bydar says softly as much to himself as others, "Sir Bydar? I work for a living..." And now geared up again, follows. Pharasma, thank you for the rescue. I'm sure it was in your plan. Should you plan something like that again, please have a tub nearby so I can clean up a bit more before the action resumes. Sincerely, your priest.
Pontia follows the others, staff in hand.
Cautiously, you make your way up the stairs.
You have a minor scare when you hear a loud scraping and banging behind you, but when you spin around, it's only Kyrax' riding lizard, which has calmly slithered into the room and has knocked the table out of its way instead of going around it. The reptile crawls over the dead Ogre without missing a beat and follows after you, right up the stairs.
Up the stairs you go, to the next floor. Once again, you stand in a long corridor, which ends in a short fork; two closed doors are there, at the very end, one white and smooth and one made of rough, iron-bound wood.
Standing before the doors are the Orc who fled and...
...
The cruel-faced, Keleshite Wizard looks resplendent in robes of pure jet, accented with gold and rubies. A venomous smile twists his thin lips, and his ring-bedecked hands hold two fine wands. A particularly fine ornament on his black turban is crowned by a black pearl that winks and gleams in the light of four winking, strobing orbs of light. Two other wands are thrust through his belt.
"So," the Wizard says, his voice laden with menace.
His lips twist further in that evil smile.
"You dare to invade my abode," the Wizard says, his voice as threatening as a vuper's hiss. "To kill my slaves. Tisk. Tisk. Tisk. I shall give you measly worms one final change to depart. Refuse, and..."
The Wizard raises one of his wands, and a giant ball of crimson flame erupts. Crackling, reeking of brimstone and the foulness of the Abyss, the ball of flame slowly starts to roll forward. It reflects brightly in the gleaming, glistening floor as it heads towards you!
Behind the approaching fire, you can hear Xorshak and the Orc laugh; a raucous, jeering sound!
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@Kyrax: I regret to say, Kyrax, that I have specialized in a different set of skills. I am very lame at searching for traps, I'm afraid.
Before moving out to the attack, if any of the clerics can still dispense with magic for 4hp more, I would appreciate. If this is the boss battle, better to be fully healed before it starts.
For anyone who makes the Perception check:
Mirandix sees the glistening reflection of the ball of fire, "The floor is greased with something. Watch your step!"
He steps back from the oncoming ball of fire a step or two, remaining in front.
Kezzat notes the grease, but mostly just the giant ball of fire. She begins to back away slowly, hands in front of her.