Staying in character, Lucien says, "I just hope the accommodations are up to our standard. The charm of the open road ended after about an hour of our travels." In case Gray is watching, Jon wants to be seen as a spoiled noble so that Gray will be less likely to expect trouble from them.
A couple questions to random citizens clarifies that the principal keep near the center of town is called Miner's Keep. They say that it was built on the foundations of the keep of the bandit lord who once terrorized this land. The keep is named after a Dwarven miner who had been an adventurer with the Five in the early days, and who was killed by the bandits in the battle.
As they where walking towards the keep, echoing Jon's sentiments Kage muttered, "I could do with a bath, a hot one assuming they have such luxuries..." Glancing at the others he asked, "How shall we do this? Leave a note saying we have urgent news or should we wait at the keep and leave the delights of an inn and civilization till later?"
"This news is important and dire. It should be delivered in person, in case Gray needs some comforting."
”And pressing our luck going openly to the tower would likely tip our hand. If we are doing the tricky plan, then let’s do it wholeheartedly. Send him a missive requesting audience...”
Kage nodded as he strode towards the keep, "OK then lets see if we can't get ourselves an audience."
Once they approached it, Kage tries to find somebody in authority starting with the nearest guard. "Hail! We have an urgent message for Lord Grey and seek an audience. Is there a captain of the watch or somebody who can contact him in an emergency?"
There's bags under the eyes of the guard captain that finally arrives after Kage's summons. In a rather weary tone, he asks, "What is it now? Giants? Owlbears? Witches? More of those tiger-shagging barbarians?" He waits, looking like he's been used to hearing bad news of late.
In hushed tones Rubins replied a little embarrassed, "You'll forgive me I hope but it's something of a delicate matter, involving the Fae and ahem Lord Maxwell... I think Lord Grey would appreciate our discretion."
The tired guard captain sighs wearily. Shaking his head, he says, "I'm going to need more than that. Lord Maxwell is known to have several 'delicate matters' and it's all very cute and amusing when the bloody kingdom isn't coming apart at the seams!"
Getting a hold of himself he holds up his hands. "I'm sorry. I just don't have the time to go using euphemisms and innuendo. Out with it. Or leave a message and we'll see it delivered to the tower."
”He’s dead! Is that delicate enough for ya?” “Alizee” whispers scathingly to the guard. ”Now go fetch that prick of a wizard so these guys can fill him in with what they saw. Or you want me to say it louder and cause a panic?”
The man pales, but becomes skeptical for a moment only to realize the serious expression on "Alizee's" face. After a few stutters, he nods his head. "Right away, miss." He hurries out.
Kage nodded slightly to Alizee, all this was for her and he'd follow her lead in things although he had a sinking feeling that they'd need to attack Grey more or less on sight.
Eris hangs in the background in an unobtrusive form. Uncharacteristically she wanted to stay out of the spotlight for this one to ensure the team had the best change of success. She was also keen to stay in the back, predicting that Grey would have undead allies that she couldn't do much about.
The soldiers take the Mantises into a formal chamber where it's clear members of the Council meet with supplicants. A small retinue of guards follow, taking up positions at the entrances. The Mantises count four guards stationed within the hearing chamber.
"Word's being brought to Lord Gray," one of the guards explains.
"Very good." replied Rubins who ostensibly sat there waiting quietly. In deed he was waiting patiently, but his mind was racing, as he weighed up the various options for the potential battle ahead. He wasn't entirely sure how much Alanaya wanted to play with Grey before killing him, neither was he sure that was a particularly good idea. It was best to deal with a caster who might teleport away directly. Still Rubins made a small study of the guards and the environs while he waited.
To Sa'Kage's eyes, the guards were most definitely human or half-elven. They have a level of nervousness, as it must be grave news indeed for their captain to rush off to get Lord Gray's personal attention.
After a wait, the Gray Mage shows up, entering from a different direction than the Mantises had arrived. He's as gaunt as they remember, though his circles under his eyes are more pronounced.
"Hi," he begins flatly. "Um, good to see you again." He deliberately avoids looking at Alenaya. "So, where's Yallah? She travels fast. She should be here by now."
"Hello, Gray. Yallah won't be coming." He shows him the jewelry he got from Maxwell's body. "Neither will Maxwell."
"We think they were ambushed. It looked like it was brutal."
Rubins momentarily studied Grey as he walked in, noting the way he walked, the bags under his eyes and the edge in his voice. Open handed and seemingly unarmed, Rubins walked towards Grey as if greeting an old friend. After Jon-Wyn spoke, Rubins added with a shiver, "They where hacked to pieces, more bits of meat than people... Of course we got here as fast as we could to tell you. What will you do now? There has to be some response surely!? We can't just stand by let this happen, how can we help?"
Rubins risked a glance at Alenaya...
Without warning, Kage suddenly slipped behind grey and snaked an arm round the man's head!
Alenaya gives the nod to Sa’Kage, keeping a hand near her vials of explosive liquids prepared to toss one at Grey should he attempt a spell:
Kukri, mw, cold iron: arcane strike, flank
Sneak Attack: dagger, bleed 2
Eris prepares to hit Grey with a Hold Person spell, hoping the successful spell would let someone Coup de Grace the spellcaster.
It happens quickly. Alenaya produces a bomb and readies her throw. Eris casts her spell.
He freezes in place, letting Kage effortlessly grapple him.
Nasty things start happening to him.
Aaand, he fails to break free from the hold person.
”Knock him out!” Alenaya says before looking to the guards. ”This man is a rapist, murderer, and a necromancer. He has been doing unthinkable things to your deceased loved ones. Leave him to us, and he will see the justice he deserves, and you can go home and give your living loved ones a warm embrace in peace. Try and do anything to stop us, and you will have to wait to see them in the Boneyard.”
”You are good men. The rest of your honorable leaders will see to it that that your people endure and prosper. He is a cancer on Emeraldvale, and we are here to heal it of him. Please, let us do this for you.”
"Alenaya, his death will be your vengeance. Your sacrifice to the Mantis God. There is nothing else." Jon stands ready to finish off Gray.
”Maybe for you!” Alenaya snaps back at Jon-Wyn. ”I have other plans! And if you think you will rob me of this, know that what I have planned for him will transfer to anyone who deprives me of it!” she adds with an icy tone that carries with it the weight of her intentions.
"Don't make me your enemy. Only together will we complete our mission." Jon moves to strip Gray of clothes and magical accouterments. "Slake your thirst for vengeance, but do not take long. I'd like to see if there's anything here that we can use and I fear our time grows short."
”Don’t make yourself my enemy, then,” she replies as she moves over to the unconscious Gray. ”No...this will take some time...”
__________
Jon will use Disguise Self to impersonate Gray and fire any other guards or servants. He'll leave word that he is not to be disturbed for any reason by anyone until he says otherwise.
This should give Alenaya the time she wants and allow us to properly loot the place.
Kage glanced at Alayna, "Take your time, make some art out of him, but don't underestimate him. He is dangerous. I'll be right outside if you need help."
Noting Jon-Wyn disguising himself as a guard, Kage nodded and took the clothes from one of the guards, a man about his height. He put them on and waited outside.
Should have made a disguise check.
+10 with Disguise Self
”Don’t waste our time with trying to be fancy with spells. You don’t have any components, not that it matters. Because you don’t have a tongue or fingers to work the incantations with anyway,” she says with a maniacal grin. He looks down to find that he is bound at his wrists and ankles as well. Totally helpless.
Alenaya steps over to a table she has repurposed into a temporary work station. Various vials are carefully spread out along its surface, and she begins mixing chemicals together as she talks over her shoulder ”Somewhere, some god must surely be smiling down upon you, Gray. Because my associates are working on a timetable, and a prolonged death was not what they were hired out to do,” she says as she carefully pours out a measured pour of a green vial into a red one, the reaction creating a deep brown solution that smokes with a thick black vapor which she carefully makes certain stays away from her, collecting as much as she can into a wetted linen cloth.
”But...for what you did to me back at that stupid fair? For that I was able to somewhat convince them to let me do what I needed to do. Granted, at the time I was just casing you for an assassination anyway...but you had to go and make it personal,” she snarls in his ear as she holds the cloth forcefully over his nose. He tries to hold his breath, but eventually nature runs its course and he is forced to inhale.
For a few minutes he was able to resist the effects, but eventually he felt his muscles go lax, and found himself unable to move! ”The agent I just mixed up alters the balance of chemicals in your muscles, preventing them from contracting. Only the skeletal muscles though. You’ll still be able to breath. Just not able to put enough effort into it to scream. Don’t want any sounds coming past the gag, do we?” she says tauntingly as she shakes his head back and forth, testing how her mixture had worked.
She steps back over to her table, continuing her rant. ”Like I said...I had planned a much longer interlude with you, Gray. Days. Maybe even a whole week. But someone in the higher planes must have taken a fancy to you to grant you this mercy...” she says as she pulls a dagger from its sheath and steps back towards him. ”Instead...I only get a few minutes to play...”
After about thirty minutes, Alenaya emerges from the building, a dissatisfied look on her face. ”We should go. The acid has already tended to the remains.”
Kage nodded and filed out in silence. When they where away he spoke softly to Alenaya, "I regret there wasn't more time. Still we have the werewolf and the man mountain to deal with... They are a contradiction, the least and yet the most dangerous of the lot. We shall need to discuss our approach."
The Mantises have now slain three of the Council of Five. They're now holed up in the middle of Emeraldvale's capital, Stag's Fall, in the keep at the center of town.
The remaining Council members were last rumored to be dealing with the kobolds.
What will be their next move?
potions of cure moderate wounds (2), potion of displacement, potion of invisibility, robe of bones; masterwork dagger, amulet of natural armor +1, belt of mighty constitution +2, cloak of resistance +2, goggles of night, headband of vast intelligence +2, spellbook, crystal for magic jar (worth 100 gp), onyx gems (worth 300 gp), 623 gp
Catch up with the tiger nomads to see how things are going with Alecia?
Jon would like that spellbook. He'd also be interested in the headband, amulet, and cloak.
Kage was pleased with their progress, it was possible Ivorotti's riddle might be solvable by now with three out of the five stanzas. But he didn't entirely trust the little weasel so it was best to seal the deal by eliminating the other two.
Nodding at Jon-Wyn, Kage murmured, "Yes let's see how she's getting on..."
”Or I brew up enough potions to alter everyone’s appearance to the point that several of you look like the other leaders we’ve dispatched, and then we approach as if offering help...and then we ‘help them.’”
After running her mind over the possibilities, Alenaya’s face develops a very mischievous and unsettling grin.
Kage's strange crimson eyes lit up at Alenaya's suggestion. He could see it now, Jon-Wyn dressed as maxwell, himself perhaps as Grey with one of the girls - maybe Eris as Yallah. There would be a reunion followed by the devilish artistry of the betrayal. Of course the disguises would have to be good, they where lucky to know their marks well. Still it would be difficult, Kage rated himself as a competent if uninspired make up artist, so magical assistance would be required.
The ghost of a grin formed on Kage's lips as he replied, "Now that has possibilities..." He glanced at Jon-Wyn and Eris to see what they thought.
"We can do disguises but I wouldn't rely or expect them to get any sort of advantage. Respectfully, my disguise skills are probably superior to anyone here and the werewolf was still able to track down my location. My disguise was barely able to stand up to her inspection - and I had the advantage of being less familiar to her than her companions would be." Eris responds
Sighing inwardly Kage nodded she had a point, "At least Yallah is gone, her eyes saw too much. As for the warewoolf perhaps it was a smell thing rather than the way you looked? Come to think of it should we try to perform the ritual during the full moon? There are dangers to that of course but she won't be in command of herself."
"True, but we're supposed to have our Tiger allies with us."
"I'd rather we didn't temp fate and attack during a full moon. I want to limit the chances of receiving her curse which would make things...inconvenient for each other. We might as well attempt to strike her down sooner rather than later."
"OK. Let's go look. Our tiger lord ally may have already taken care of the situation."
Kage privately thought it unlikely the Tigerlords would have done much beyond attacking merchants and making a lot of noise although if they'd done more he wouldn't complain. "All right then." he said after a moment, "Let's go find the last two council members and plan from there."