The double doors to the south open up to a room that military veterns among you realize instantly was the guardroom that the Siswa you captured before were stationed at. The room is only 10 wide by 30 feet long. directly acroos the room is another set of double doors.
Ikvvy takes a quick look around in the room for documents and valuables, and is ready to proceed deeper south.
Arean scans the room with Detect Magic, then casts Enhanced Diplomacy.
"Stay spread out. We don't want to all get hit by that sleeping gas they use."
Furnok opens the south doors when everyone is ready
Searching the room Ikvvy and Arean find 4 more vials of the sleeping gas that the Swisa like to use, but nothing else of intrest.
Furnock opens the doors to the south.
A long, dark hallway runs east and west. Heavy wooden doors with barred windows line both sides of the central hallway. A similar roor stands at the east end of the hallway. A gate of iron bars blocks the west end.
Furnok will peek through the closest door with a barred window.
Furnok sees what lookds to a typical prison cell with the exception that this one is being useed for storage. From outside the cell he can't tell exactly all what's piled in the cell but he's able to make out several sets of armor, some weapons, and a few backpacks ... in fact it looks a lot like several sets of gear that an explorer or adventurer would carry.
He presses up against the cell door trying to see in the window and finds that this door at least is unlocked.
"Dear gods, look at the size of this! Quickly, spread out and look for Hasan or for anyone we could consider an ally!"
Ikvvy will use her dancing lights to check on the rooms, and moves to check the southwest cells.
"I'm on it." Brad quickly checks out the cells to the East.
Marcos heads over to the iron gate, sword in hand.
perception
stealth (if it matters)
"It's an odd temple, that has it's own prison...", Arean reflects.
She lets her hounds wander, though Sir remains beside her, while she opens her senses, magically.
Furnok stands guard as well.
There are a lot of cells, most are empty, and most are locked. The keys you took from the Swisa guards before unlock all the doors. Two cells however hold something other then old rubbish and bones, or miscellaneous equipment. These two cells, at different ends of the hallway, hold an elf, tall good looking, and a human who can only be a Medjai warrior from the far southern desert.
The human is dressed in flowing silks- tunic, trousers, and turban. When he lifts his face to look at Ikvvy when she comes to his cell, the tattoos on his face are clearly visible. His eyes widen as he catches sight of Ikvvy's necklace.
He says "I am a stranger traveling from the east, seeking that which is lost".
The woman seems lost for a second. Her mind rushed searching for a meaning for the man's sentence, and although google came up with the answer there was no relation to that with the present circumstance. Of the east she knew there was an oracle, and mindurians, and.... not much else she could remember. And certainly not tattooed guys. She swiftly detected magic on the man and decided to speak, instead of think. The cell will remain locked, for now, just in case. "Well, we're not in conditions to handle strangers right now, but perhaps you would like to introduce yourself and explain what you're doing here? Cause certainly you're not the lost one I was looking for..."
It is not well known but the Medjay, guard many sites in the deep deserts not against tomb robbers and adventurers but against vile things that have been sealed away.
It is also not well known that while seemingly loyal to the Empire since it's foundation, the Medjay swore obediance to Rodger the First not as Emperor but in three ways
- Overlord of the West
- General of the Order of Draco
- Head of House Rastar
"I'm sorry, milady," says the Medjay. "I thought for a momment you were someone else." He smiles. "My name is Baik Telor, a humble bowmen from the far southern deserts. I would be in your debt if could get me out of here."
Arean calls out, "Did you find what we were seeking, in your travels to the West?"
Ikvvy keeps no secret with the others about this (read the spoiler above), openly answering whatever they wish about the subject. She patiently waits for the answer to Arean's question, which she doesn't totally understand, while examining her necklace for a moment, but later proposes a quick deal with the man.
"If you are a good person, you will be freed, with no debt. But for that, we need to know more, and we don't have much time. So, Baik Telor, how did you came to be in this cell, and for how long have you been here?"
"And what does this necklace represents to you? Cause I caught your look at it..."
She watches him closely, although it's hard to judge one who you just met.
Brad busies himself chatting the other prisoner, the elf. "How come you're here? Why aren't you possessed like all the other elves? We got the keys, but we gotta know we can trust ya first."
furnok is still glowering, not being the chatty type.
"Your necklace is assembled in a pattern that is known to me. Much like the 'flower language' the 'language' of jewelry is more of a code unless one is a master of it. I interpeted your necklace to mean that you or your family had a connection of sorts to mine, says the desert dweller.
"As to why I am here," Baik continues, "The wise men of my clan read the signs and omens said that a great evil was arising in the North. A number of us were sent here to investigate. It is my misfortune to have walked around a statue in a roadside shrine to only find myself in a cell, after that sleeping gas and then waking up here."
Meanwhile...
"Thank you for rescuing me, have you come to help Rahasia?" says Hasan. With blonde hair and blue eyes Hasan stands just over six feet tall. "I'm afraid I didn't find out much before the Siswa captured me. I did hear the Siswa talk of how the Rahib had plans to govern the area, and how he had started demanding 'tithes' from the locals."
"Interesting." She touches the necklace gently. "You have to teach me this language, might be very useful in the future and reveal even more about ourselves. But don't throw away your interpretation yet, cause although destiny connects us at this moment, there may be more. Our families indeed might be related, and in that case we will find it out soon enough. For now, we seek to destroy a large part of this great evil your people have predicted. We're gathering all the help we can, but I'll understand if you don't wish to fight. Ourselves, we are not much experienced either" - She looks at Marcos - "Or so I believe. What do you say Marcos, can we release him, whether to let him just go or to help us?"
"Do you know the Grand Oracle by the way?"
"We have him outnumbered and I don't see any weapons on him. If he agrees not to harm us or betray us, under penalty of death, I don't see a good reason to keep him locked up."
Marcos stares the man dead in the eye as he offers his terms, waiting for him to make a hostile movement or try to weasel his way out.
"Oh, I'm sure these folks are fine," concludes Brad. "If they're here to stop Rahib, then let em at it!"
More allies are always a good idea. Let him out if he will keep his word.
Baik says"I think my gear may be in one of the other cells, I heard the guards say something about, a cell where they store things. He pauses "I've travel by the Grand Oracle, it lies along one of the main routes from my homeland into the Old Heartlands. I've never gone there to ask questions of the priestesses there, however."
Meanwhile...
Hasan says "I think my gear is down the hall in another cell, the guards where talking about it."
Ikvvy looks cheerful. "So you will fight alongside us? If you don't want that, we will let you leave by the same way you came here. So, you have a choice... Think about it while we find your equipment."
The sorcerer unlocks the cell and proceeds with the ex-prisoner to find his equipment at the first cell. While they wait for the others to decide what to do with the prisoner on the other end, she scans the room and stuff on it for magic, and also takes a look to see if there is no clever mechanism at the door.
Eldrian waits to proceed. He doesn't see these prisoners as a threat. They should be free to go if they wanted to.
"A choice? The choice is simple. Fight! We can't let that scum terrorize these folks. Let's get you your equipment, Hasan." Brad either unlocks the bars himself or gets Ikvvy to do it with the keys.
"Hasan, what do you know of this place? Were you one of the Siswa? Are you known to the Siswa? We are happy to deal gently with them, where we can..."
Hasan and Baik retrieve their missing gear, arm and armor themselves. Ikvvy looks around closely but sees nothing unusal about the prison cell's lock.
At the western end of the hallway you find a heavy iron gate blocking access to a well bottom. Also you find that one of the cells is filled with a lot of bones, elven, human and otherwise.
Hasan says "No, I've never been a student or teacher here, I grew up to the far south not far from the Dawn Stone."
So where to now?
"Trot these two before the Dragon Guard? Or trust our own sense of them? You two, we've plans to be gentle with Siswa, harsher with this Rahib. And we've already battled rats and bones, both unnatural, in size or motion. So there's a fair bit of risk, if you mean to be with us...?"
The sorcerer makes a mental note and looks for someway to open the Iron Gate if needed, although she does not do it, for now.
"We may try that door leading east on the previous room. Our numbers are better, now. I believe we've heard quite a lot about Hasan, Arean, and well, about Baik," - she turns and looks directly on the man's eyes for a couple seconds, before adding to his face - "Yes, he's alright."
On the way, Ikvvy will casually ask to Hasan: "What's this Dawn Stone you mentioned?"
"Hasan, Baik, any idea why there are all these bones lying in this prison?"
East sounds just as good
Baik says "Yesterday a pair of Elven women of great grace and appearance came and when they left a number of undead abominations followed after them at their bidding."
"Those would be the witches, or two of them, in their new shells. I do hope, we'll find the way, to put the girls to right, when we've done with the witches."
Let's get them out of here using those alcoves. Rahshia will no doubt be happy seeing Hasan again.
On the way, Ikvvy will casually ask to Hasan: "What's this Dawn Stone you mentioned?"
"Arean is probably right, although in that case the women are...." - she stops in the middle of the phrase, believing the consequences to be pretty obvious. "Hasan, did you see the elven women that Baik mentioned? Were they Sylva and Merisa?"
"Anyway, we need all the help we can get, Furnok. If Hasan wants to help us, we would really appreciate it. After all, this is not about the happiness of a maiden and its betrothed anymore. There's the live of countless elves at stake, and maybe the fate of the world is connected to this little seemingly isolated event. We need the stop the old ones from being reborn, or otherwise all will suffer. Will you help us, Hasan?"
"At the far southern end of Eleven lands lie a pair of ancient monoliths, one on each side the great river, they are the Dawn Stone and the Dusk Stone." Says Hasan.
The party moves back to the chamber of portals, then goes into the southern alcove as indicated by the Dragon Guard. The magic takes you away and you appear in a room that is 30 feet wide north to south, and 50 feet long east to west. Double doors stand in the center of the north and south walls. Smoking torches dimly illuminate the rows of dark, stained tables and benches that fill the room. Half-woven baskets stand on two of the tables. Two 10 foot square alcoves are cut in the centers of the east and west walls. Over the western alcove (in which you appeared) the word "KESINI" is craved, while over the eastern alcove is carved the word "KESANA".
"Remember we cannot go back by this way. That portal leads elsewhere outside the complex."
North or south? I'll take the lead. Furnok has his Luverne Hammer ready.
Eldrian is ready to follow Furnok. He has his bow ready again.
Arean and the hounds are slow to move out, finding themselves behind the newcomers...
As you look about the room you recall the Dragon Guard telling you that this chamber is the dinning hall and meeting room for the school. The doors leading out, both to the north and the south, open into a hallway that loops around this room. Along that hallway are the small sleeping room/personal areas for the students. Going thru the northern doors is the fastest way to the sanctuary where the Rahib has taken control of the ancient guardian of the school and where the Rabib spends much of his time. Going thru the southern doors is the fastest ways to the stairways up, one to the southeast and one to the southwest, which is where you need to go because the pendant is hidden on the level above this one.
So pendant or go bash the Rabib's head in?
"Imagine that your hammer lay with the pendant, Furnok. Or your shield. Would you not reach first for arms?"