Yasala stops just at the gate opening, signals the group to pause for a bit, and does a visual search of the interior without squeezing through.
She then backs away from the entrance and whispers to the group "The light is coming from the left side of the room, but whoever holds it seems to be hiding behind some fallen masonry. There are spots for us to hide on the opposite side if we are quiet enough upon entering, but if everyone hides then nothing will get figured out."
She looks at Paten "I'll head in first, but what are your thoughts? A stealthy entrance, hail them before entering, or just walk in?"
Patenhemheb replies quietly to Yasala:
"We have come this far while attempting stealth. A little farther, if only to ascertain whom is there and in what strength, could be helpful. Please, be our eyes."
Nodding, Yasala slowly creeps into the room, squeezing carefully through the entrance to make as little noise as possible, and hugs the right wall to try and stay out of view of whoever is behind the rock to the left.
As she circles the room, she tries to get a view on whoever is behind the rubble.
Yasala moves forward slowly and stealthily in to the room.
The light to the left of the party is not hidden; it is obvious - anyone attempting to hide behind the rocks would surely know that the light itself is not veiled.
Thus, it comes as little surprise to Yasala, the only one of the company that would not be known by the woman Sabiha would know and - consequentially - be judged as a potential spy, threat or assassin, would be utterly suspicious of the mysterious southern woman seeking to prowl the tombs.
As you move forward the few steps to round the corner of the masonry you see a single torch resting on the stone floor. The light is bright enough that it illuminates the room by the entrance you came through, but you see no one standing there.
"Begone, woman! Or you shall die quickly," you suddenly hear from the shadows to the right of the room, even as you now stand by fallen masonry to the left of the doorway.
She is clearly trying to scare Yasala away without trying to fight her. Even though she's hidden from Yasala's view, she wants to scare Yasala away rather than trying to attack her, though you're not sure why...
However, more importantly, although she whispered, her voice echoed. Even whispers will echo in the stone tunnels. If you talk in the hallway to each other and don't want her to hear, it is a good idea to talk with as much Stealth as possible...
The lantern lights the room; anyone standing by it can be seen with ease, but the sides of the room are dark and easy to hide in.
You think she did the trick with the torch because it's likely she is not eager to begin any sort of discussion with people she does not know; which is why she is remaining hidden until she sees who she does know appear.
She is clearly waiting for people she recognizes. She doesn't recognize Yasala. It's probable that she assumes that Yasala is nothing more than newly arrived traveler seeking to try to rob a tomb (newly arrived as locals would know that this tomb has been plundered long ago).
Better to scare this would-be thief away rather than attack Yasala and get in a fight which could cause complications if whoever Sabiha was waiting for showed up and found a dead body.
Sabiha doesn't know Yasala, or if Yasala has come by herself. No matter who Yasala is, it is possible that Yasala is not alone; better to wait until her companions have also come forward and shown themselves completely before moving in to the light...
Sabiha is a woman who uses her skills as an assassin to fight dangerous men. But based on the story you heard at Temple it is likely she relies more on her skill with charm and seductiveness to get men in to places that she can kill them without hard fighting between them.
That said; you recall whispers of a strange man that seemed to be following you; she may have a bodyguard to help her during hard fighting - it is probable that she may not be alone...
Having been seen, Yasala abandons the concept of stealth and studies the room to the right where the voice came from, both to identify the source and to understand its intent.
She addresses the darkened area to the right of the room. "Peace, my lady. I am not here to harm you or disturb this place."
Realizing that the woman is probably staying out of sight until the group shows, and that she is also probably not alone, Yasala decides not to risk frightening or angering her. She takes on a subservient tone of voice and demeanor, while making sure she is ready to draw her weapon if necessary.
"I am merely scouting for my masters who are meant to meet with someone at this location. Would you be the woman known as Sabiha? If so, please hold for a moment."
She then calls back towards the entrance, softly enough to not be heard by bystanders but loudly enough to ensure the woman (and any of her potential allies) hears her. "There is a woman here, probably the one you are here to meet. I cannot tell if she is alone; there are potentially others but they are staying out of sight. No one has attacked yet, so I think it is safe to enter."
Patenemheb whispers:
"Be watchful for companions, but let us advance. I will lead."
Patenemheb begins to quietly move forward, not yet stepping into the light.
She addresses the darkened area to the right of the room. "Peace, my lady. I am not here to harm you or disturb this place."
Realizing that the woman is probably staying out of sight until the group shows, and that she is also probably not alone, Yasala decides not to risk frightening or angering her. She takes on a subservient tone of voice and demeanor, while making sure she is ready to draw her weapon if necessary.
"I am merely scouting for my masters who are meant to meet with someone at this location. Would you be the woman known as Sabiha? If so, please hold for a moment."
There is no answer at your words; no response, only the guttering flicker of the torch on the stone floor.
Even so, no sudden arrow or assault leaps from the darkness as you turn and hurry to your companions.
"Be watchful for companions, but let us advance. I will lead."
Patenemheb begins to quietly move forward, not yet stepping into the light.
"Who is there? Show yourself..." you hear from the darkness.
Yet, as you are not fully in the room, you cannot be sure where the sound is coming from, only that the voice is certainly female.
Yasala remains standing in the middle of the torchlight, to show that she is not dissembling or trying to hide in any way, and looks towards the right side of the room where the voice is coming from so that Paten and the others (hopefully) can infer where the woman is.
Talar moves forward very slowly and quietly, hoping to spot any backup the woman brought before they spot him.
[dice=Sense Motive (wi/ Ramul)]1d20+9+2
Talar moves forward very slowly and quietly, hoping to spot any backup the woman brought before they spot him.
[dice=Stealth]1d20+12-2
[dice=Perception]1d20+11
Patenemheb decides to take a calculated risk.
I know that my movements are less than quiet. I shall reveal myself and perhaps draw out our quarry with easy bait.
Patenemheb steps out into the light and speaks in a low tone:
"Saibha. It is I, Patenemheb."
He glances around, as if uncertain where exactly he is looking.
But he does see Yasala's movements.
At the presence of Paten moving in to the light you suddenly see a figure rise and step out from the shadows.
It is indeed Sabiha - she is armed with a pair of kukri's at her hips and a shortbow over her shoulders.
She moves forward to Paten, a pronounced limp obvious as she advances, as if in pain.
"Ah! You have returned," she says with an eager voice, her eyes glancing passed Paten to study Yasala with thinly veiled suspicion.
"Other than this one, did you come alone? Where are the others?" she asks.
Talar freezes, watching from the darkness.
Hearing this words Bjoern carefully stays still, hoping he will go unnoticed for the moment.
While Saibha speaks, Patenemheb glances over her, trying to ascertain truths.
He replies, regardless of what learns of her apparent injury:
"They are near enough. Tell me, what befell you, that you now limp?"
While Saibha speaks, Patenemheb glances over her, trying to ascertain truths.
[dice=Perception to spot anything hidden on her person which might be visible from a slight distance]1d20 + 14
[dice=Heal to determine the authenticity, severity, and freshness of her injury]1d20 + 17
[dice=Sense Motive on her future words]1d20 + 12
He replies, regardless of what learns of her apparent injury:
"They are near enough. Tell me, what befell you, that you now limp?"
[dice=Diplomacy to keep her speaking]1d20 + 8+4
The woman looks at you suspiciously.
"Aye - it may be that they are near by to you. Yet we are all friends here, why should they hide?" she says, somewhat cagily, her eyes turning to the tunnel that is largely blocked by the ruined gate.
Then she shrugs.
"As for the limp? Surely your confederates may have noticed it earlier when last we spoke? I was injured several days ago when I did a task, the wound was painful, yet it is not so bad that it keeps me from doing that which I wish."
She studies you through lidded eyes.
"I am ready to conclude our business arrangement. Yet before I do I must know what occurred. Did you reclaim the gem? Did you defeat the upstart? Tell me; what happened?" she presses.
"Aye - it may be that they are near by to you. Yet we are all friends here, why should they hide?" she says, somewhat cagily, her eyes turning to the tunnel that is largely blocked by the ruined gate.
"I am not privy to what your business arrangement might have been, so I will stay out of that...but I do have one question. I am sure that you did not come to this dark out of the way place alone, which implies you might well have allies hiding from us." She looks pointedly towards the rocks to the side. "Let us make you a deal. If we are to speak openly, your companions should show their faces, and when they do ours will as well. As you said, there is no need to hide."
"I am not privy to what your business arrangement might have been, so I will stay out of that...but I do have one question. I am sure that you did not come to this dark out of the way place alone, which implies you might well have allies hiding from us."[/b] She looks pointedly towards the rocks to the side. "Let us make you a deal. If we are to speak openly, your companions should show their faces, and when they do ours will as well. As you said, there is no need to hide."
She glances at you with a wry smile, but her response is for Paten.
"You bring armed mercenaries to a private meeting with me and wonder if I come alone? Assuredly I am able to defend myself; as it seems it is only you" she says somewhat sardonically "yet it may be that I have help, should things go awry."
"What, then; the northman you traveled with, or the nomad of the deserts - or perhaps that Yar-Ammonite girl - did they all perish in the wastes?"
She shakes her head.
"You were promised coin upon the completion of a task. I have never heard of anyone who begins a business arrangement in which they come to collect a debt refuse to ask for or acknowledge the demand for it."
"I can only assume you failed to collect the gem; likely you let him escape."
"Very well; if you have no other business then we may conclude this meeting."
Patenemheb does not interrupt Yasala, or Sabiha's response. But then he speaks.
"The task is complete. We possess the gem and Osan...fell victim to the dangers of the temple."
A slight smile crosses the Yar-Ammonite's bearded face.
Tairin has the gem and Osan certainly did suffer in the temple.
"There were, however, a few details that you did not convey to us. Osan was guarded and equipped far beyond a mere thief. Thus, the gem remains elsewhere for now. At least until we have a conversation about your true intentions, and ensure payment. Why did you truly have us take arms against Osan?"
dice=Sense Motive (wi/ Ramul) 1d20+9+2
Talar moves forward very slowly and quietly, hoping to spot any backup the woman brought before they spot him.
dice=Stealth 1d20+12-2
dice=Perception 1d20+11
Yasala remains quiet while Paten speaks with the woman, but pays close attention to the situation in the room.
"There were, however, a few details that you did not convey to us. Osan was guarded and equipped far beyond a mere thief. Thus, the gem remains elsewhere for now. At least until we have a conversation about your true intentions, and ensure payment."
"I did not realize he would be guarded, yet I am not overly surprised," she says, somewhat dismissively.
She notes Talar's presence absently, clear that she can see him, but doesn't regard him as a threat.
"It seems that you do not have the gem... then there is nothing more to discuss," she adds, and then turns to leave, pausing somewhat and asks, in an abstract way -
"Did this Osan fellow survived the fight? If so, he may lead us to the gem..." she prompts.
"Why did you truly have us take arms against Osan?"
"We have already discussed this..." she responds.
"You are not surprised that a common thief would have guards? And many of them? I do believe that, since I believe that you have not been forthcoming with answers. Are you now attempting to cheat us of the gold also? I have no further interest in discussing the matter of Osan until that is resolved."
"You are not surprised that a common thief would have guards? And many of them? I do believe that, since I believe that you have not been forthcoming with answers. Are you now attempting to cheat us of the gold also? I have no further interest in discussing the matter of Osan until that is resolved."
She looks back at Paten, pausing a moment, as if debating something internally.
"The gold was to be paid for the gem itself? If you have the gem I was to take it and fence it for you after offering your cut. Do you have the gem?" she says, obviously ignoring your comments about Osan's guards.
Patenemheb turns to her, to absorb her attention from her encirclement.
"You will *not* depart before you give satisfactory answers to my questions.", he says sternly, ensuring that his companions can hear him clearly.
Yasala, already frustrated at the woman's endless talking around subjects, nods when Paten makes his ultimatum and moves to place herself in front of the doorway so that Sabiha has to move her in order to leave.
Before the conversation can proceed any further, Bjeorn squeezes past the bars and moves forward.
He pauses and hears Paten's words and notes that woman sees him, but now has her attention focused on Paten.
He shakes his head with disgust at this time.
"Enough talk," he growls out, tears out a dagger and flings it at the woman.
At this, the woman Sabiha moves up fast to strike out at Paten.
At the same time, standing from a prone position from behind the rocks, a dark figure rises and fires an arrow at Yasala -
The blade of her second Kukri has a strange substance on it; you'd wager that her off-hand weapon is likely coated with poison.
Ignoring the archer for now, Yasala moves in to attack the closer, and more important, target. She steps in towards Sabiha and swings at the treacherous woman.
Talar launches into action, bow already in hand as he skids across the ground and looses an arrow at the enemy archer, knowing he's the only party member able to easily put pressure on him. The arrow lands and erupts into a cloud of smoke, destroying his visibility. "I have the archer!" He cries.
Patenemheb does his best to ignore the pain of the slice as he calls out:
"Her second kukri is envenomed!"
As he calls, he manoeuvres, trying to make himself a tougher target.
I should have purchased thicker robes at least!, he thinks, lamenting the disintegration of his prior silken armour.
Knowing that his armour would not protect him, Bjoern still has his shield.
Moving forward and using his blade he attacks the woman.
"Poison is for wimps!"
Ignoring the archer for now, Yasala moves in to attack the closer, and more important, target. She steps in towards Sabiha and swings at the treacherous woman.
"I have the archer!" He cries.
Even with the partial cover, the shot still hits him and the archer hisses out in rage...
Knowing that his armour would not protect him, Bjoern still has his shield.
Moving forward and using his blade he attacks the woman.
"Poison is for wimps!"
Bjeorn's strike hits hard on the woman, but - despite the brutal attacks of both and Yasala, she's still standing...
In a voice unlike her own (lower and huskier), her body and head covered by the dark, common, long hooded cloak, Tairin sought a private audience with Mother Jelah once she discreetly/quietly entered the temple grounds.
Once she was assured they were in private chambers, Tairin pushed back her hood and shook out her long ebony hair; untying the ribbon about her neck and revealing herself. Smiling up at the head priestess, Tairin explained her artful entrance in quiet voice, "Good eve, dear Mother Jelah. I wish for the city to believe I am dead for the present time. Thus my apologies for this simple disguise. I thank you for the audience. May we sit and speak? Perhaps privately bathe, if that is your wish?" Tairin gave the religious woman a warm, cordial smile, hoping the request would be happily granted/accepted.
Still in lowered voice, for their ears only, "Most recently I have come across a malevolent creature possessing great power and I wish to know more. It appears to have been summoned by a dark sorcerer and his faithful and can move from its realm into our world through an opened portal in a desecrated temple. I have done what I can to remove a perverse idol head from this once sacred place, yet there is a taint which lingers and displeases the primary god. If I describe the creature to you, could you tell me if you have heard of such a creature and how I could be rid of it or close the portal between worlds? If the portal cannot be closed, I must know of a way to destroy it or imprison it for good..." Tairin's low voice faded to silence as she waited for Jelah to say something or show she would aid her.
Tairin then began to carefully and quietly describe what it looked like to Jelah, "A shapeless congeries of protoplasmic bubbles, faintly self-luminous, and with myriads of temporary eyes forming and un-forming as pustules of greenish light all over its tunnel-filling front..."
"My people and I slew its dark master and yet it remains; hidden for now within its endless, cold portal. It may rise again and we cannot permit this to happen. How can I stop it, be ride of it or imprison it for good, dear Mother Jelah? I seek your wise counsel at this juncture." Tairin dutifully and reverently bowed her head toward the elder priestess in an effort to win more favour with the beautiful woman and gain greater knowledge.
While the woman clearly is unsure as the nature of Paten, Yasala and Talar, she is quite clear that Bjeorn is a Barbarian, and it seems she has a particular issue with Barbarians in general...
Thus, while Yasala did do more damage to her, she elects to make a Full Attack on Bjeorn...
]
The archer, crouched in the shadows, takes a shot on Yasala to disrupt her -
At this, the man drops his bow, as a Free Action and uses his move action to jump with Acrobatics from his position to land near the ground and help his companion -
The shots were brutal and bloody; yet now it is your turn...
- Regarding Your Meeting with Mother Jelah -
Mother Jelah is certainly open the idea of Tairin electing to use her charm and seduction with her, and responds in kind, with equal enthusiasm, clearly enjoying the presence of this young beauty before her.
She gives you a knowing smile when you suggest you wish the tales of your health to be hidden from the public, and does not seem to be overly concerned as to why you should wish this, indeed, she does not even question you about it.
However, when talk turns to the creature, much of her sexual playfulness evaporates.
"I do not wholly know the powers of such a beast; yet it is said that dark gods have walked the earth before the dawn of man, and demons as well..." she says with a grim, distracted voice.
"Yet such creatures have powers beyond the lot of mere mortals. To slay such creatures with steel alone all tales claim to be false; for only weapons enchanted, blessed - or cursed - by great power can hope to overcome such a threat..." she added, as if unsure.
She looks hard at you.
"I fear you may not have not have slain the creature at all. For unless your weapons had the help of some benign sorcerer or some powerful god, I do not believe it was destroyed..." she adds.
Feeling the sting of the archer's arrow, Yasala begins to turn around but when she sees the man prone next to her decides to continue to concentrate on her original target (the woman)
After a brutal swipe, she continues to keep an eye on the man behind her in case he tries to stand up.
Talar narrows his eyes, arrow on the string as he waits for the former archer to get back to his feet.
Seeing the fight grow far more dangerous for Bjoern, Patenemheb lashes out with his fine staff at Sabiha.
...
Bjoerns AC without armor is 10 +1 Dex +2 shield +2 Combat expertise = 15
So three hits. Damage reduction /1 means 21 damage
Bjoern looks down at the puny wounds and swings his blade again.