Sotha rushed into action, cursing himself for trusting a human to succeed in a task such as this. He promised himself he would not make that mistake again.
He hurried into the room, striking at the wizard, hoping to kill him quickly.
Targi spends a few labored seconds reaching the fray , after which she takes a quick look about to assess the situation and tries to close and slay the mage with her battleaxe .
Shalastar observes the effects of their handiwork with no small amount of breathless ecstasy. "Well done." he finally murmurs, then quickly makes for the Warden's closet before the fire can consume everything in the room.
Tragen nudges the head with his boot and nods before looking around. "Let's see if we can find anything useful here and the other floors. We can spread the flames to the other levels, once we're ready to take on the sergeant and his guards."
He then sets to searching the room.
Malak cut off the words and hence the power to his spell as the warden's head rolled...oh so poetically...these people are simply wondrous in their violence... His eyes widened at the sight of the bed burning and he heard the haste in Tragen's voice. He non chalantly cast Detect Magic and scanned the room for goodies.
Targi braces herself for the incoming spell.
Upon finishing her swing, she scowls at the fallen mage. "I fail to find your predicament amusing," she remarks to the limp body.
Shalastar giggles most unprofessionally.
"Well, it is.... just not that way."
Sotha scoffed, but said nothing. The warden had paid the price for his lack of vigilance, what more could be said? He immediately began searching for spellbooks, both his and the warden's.
Shalastar goes through the outfits quickly to find the purple/blue silk robe to his liking, and throws the rest to Targi. "Here you go. Have at." He retreats back into the wardrobe to dress without blinding everyone with his beauty, and soon emerges in a beautiful robe made more elegant and refined by his presence, if such a thing were possible.
"Ahhh.... no more itchiness. I am relieved."
Returning to his 'companion' Gordie, Shalastar mischievously asks, "How do I look?"
Tragen sighs. "The noble clothing may be of use once we leave this place, since it would be unlike a guard to be in uniform away from the prison. And it seems flexible enough to wear over armor unhindered," he says taking things in. "Still not much else of interest here. Perhaps his office..." he continues walking out of the bedroom and into the Warden's office.
"One can only hope," Sotha said,gesturing for the door. He wasn't overly concerned that anyone follow, so long as either the lockpick or the muscle did, someone who could open the door.
The bedclothes (and now presumably, also the bed) burning behind them, Shalastar gracefully flows into the hallway again. "I'm sure at some point I'll be able to seduce the doors into opening, but until then, we'll either need force or trickery."
After scanning the room with his spell; Malak cast an appreciative eye on the silks coming out of the closet and hopefully grabs a set before Targi gets her hands on it. He couldn't agree more with Shal's assessment of the itchiness of their current garb and was eager to get into something more comfortable. He quelched the fire with a pitcher of water and began searching the the now headless prison oversear.
Tragen tries the door to the office and finding it locked gives it a trial nudge with his shoulder . He then steps back and slams into the door with full force
While most of the others are busy watching Tragen break down a door, Targi changes into one of the other outfits, tucking extra length of trouser legs into her boots and making other such adjustments for the differences in size.
Shalastar peers into the office behind Tragen, gripping the doorframe (what parts of it didn't splinter) with a breathy sense of apprehension.
He casts dancing lights, summoning four small purplish blue lights to help the others search the room. They have an odd sensual feel to them.
Not wanting the silken robe to get spoiled during their daring escape; Malak folded the garment up and tucked it away...I can relax most deliciously in this when we are out and safe from capture and incarceration... He wondered if he should have left the bed burning but shrugged his shoulders and knelt down to search the dead man's body. He flinched slightly at the sound of a door being smashed in...ah, seems my cohorts have breached the office...splendid...
Once the door was opened, Sotha hurried into the room and began searching with a near mad zeal. He would have expected to find his spellbook in this room, but he would have been sure that the warden would have kept his own close at hand. "Find the books! He announced, a little more concern that he wished seeping into his voice.
Tragen surveys the room and begins searching.
...ah, well now; this could fetch a handsome sum... Malak thought as he slipped the ring onto his own finger. Straightening up he grabs the dagger and scrolls...lets see what the others have found in the office... Thought became action and he waddled his way towards where the others were ransacking the office.
Sotha grabbed his spellbook and quickly looked it over, hoping the fool hadn't modified it. After determining it was decent enough, he slipped it into a safe spot in hopes that no one else would see it. He also grabbed the map, because it would be helpful to have a map of more than just the prison. He wondered where the Warden would have kept his own spell book. "Look for another spell book, if you please. It could be a great boon to us if found."
Finding the drawers to the desk locked, Tragen looks around for a key. Not finding anything of use, and seeing Todin still occupied in the other room, I wonder if he is becoming a liability? he leans his glaive against the wall and draws his sword. Once Sotha had retrieved his book, he taps the desk once with the blade before raising it above his head in two hands. "We can sift through the pieces," he says and brings the sword down with a crash.
Malak grinned and leaned his bulk against the door frame.
Ah, well done Sir Tragen. I'd day you've found the late Warden's spellbook.
"Indeed," Tragen replies. "There Sotha. See if you can make some us out of it... We now have the luxury of searching this tower more thoroughly for other things of use before setting it alight and moving on to take care of our remaining business here."
Tragen then sheaths his sword, takes one last look around the room and then moves to go downstairs to the library, collecting his glaive on the way.
Sotha scooped this book up as quickly as he had his own, and seemed to shut out the others as he began to look through it. "It is odd," he said, apparently to himself, "that he didn't keep his spellbook close at hand, even while he slept. I would have."
He abruptly closed the book, and placed it within the same pocket as his own. "It will take some time to decipher. Every wizard has their own cypher, to prevent exactly what I intend to do."
Not so odd to one who obviously had a high opinion of himself. How could he ever think that he would be assaulted in his own tower?
Malak stretched and dearly wished they would find time to rest soon. He joined the search of the room.
"Can we burn the tower down now? It should be quite a spectacle!"
Shalastar can barely hide his excitement at the prospect.
With nothing else of interest in the office and the night growing long; Malak was thinking of a comfortable bed with writhing, warm companions followed by a long, restful sleep. His reverie ws broken by the owl hitting the window.
Now that was strange, very strange indeed.
The bald man shook his head not understanding the implications and answerd Shal.
I see no reason why we couldnt burn the tower down now. We should have an escape plan in place before hand. Now lets see...
Malak unfolded the map of Brandescar Prison and drew a finger around the tower.
Now if only we had a way to just exit from the tower...wasnt there a window of some sort on that kerchief? Maybe we could use that...or brave the front gates and the remaining guards there?
Sotha turned in surprise to see the owl bang on the window. his shock apparently turned into a smile quickly enough, however. "Ha! I guess it was the old man's familiar after all." He said. When Malak unrolled the map, Sotha looked on over his shoulder. "It seems that no matter what we do, we will have to make our way through the gatehouse, short of learning to fly, or daring to swim. I suggest we go collect our large friend from the larder before we set out for that."
"Although I wouldn't be surprised if such a window were possible, there is a certain sergeant that has a date with destiny," Tragen says from the top of the stairs. "There is some good kindling the level below here. We can set it aflame before our visit. With the stone walls, it won't be seen for a time yet. Particularly since the remaining guards are busy in one place, playing cards. Isn't that right, Gordie?" he asks the charmed guard before turning to Sotha. "Yes, having Grumblejack on our side would be most helpful. I expect he'd love the opportunity as much a we. Come. We have a fire to set and an appointment to make." With that, he heads down the stairs.
Shalastar follows Tragen down the stairs: a languid, sensual movement heightened by the dramatic purple robes he now wore.
"Continuing on, then. The fires will be lovely."
"It seems that there's little of value left in the library," Targi remarks before following after Tragen. "Besides, I wouldn't want to interrupt Sotha's tearful reunion with a paperback. Lead the way, sunderer of desks and igniter of of less worthy folks' belongings. So long as I have first pick of the spoils, count me in for whatever pillaging strikes your fancy!"
The books in this library will make excellent fodder for the fire.
Malak will start going through the books as he takes them off the shelf and arranging them for a blaze.
Sotha scoffed at the idea. "There's not a thing of value to be learned from a book bound in paper. Still, as someone who I've seen value riches, I find it odd that you would not wish to look through the library of a man such as this, whose wealth and interest surpass his ability. The books you might find there could go for quite a price, if we could find a buyer."
After a moment's thought Sotha came back to himself and added, "Regardless, whether we burn this tower or not, we should get moving, I tire of this place."
Puzzled, Malak shot the magus a questing look.
Really now Sotha, just minutes ago you were frantically searching for a book bound in paper. Without which you are next to powerless correct? Look here, these two books will fetch a handsome sum and further our cause against those Mitra bastards.
The priest slipped the volumes into his sack.
But you do have a point. Lets start this blaze and get moving. We are still within the walls of Brandescar and this makes me uncomfortable.
"Bound in paper, not written on paper. You will notice each book that we have taken from this place was leather bound, whereas these," Sotha grabbed a handful of the chapbooks from the shelf, "are exactly what I was referring to. Nothing but fuel for the fire."
He began gathering the paper books into a pile, readying it to be lit.
"Books are books. The bindings do not necessarily relate to their importance. Some have things of interest others do not. I have discovered many a dark works that were mere sheafs of paper, not to be discarded lightly. In any case, such works are not here but these will burn nicely," Tragen says as, with Sotha, he piles the remaining books against the bookshelves, and by the wooden table. Once the piles were completed, he grabs a torch and makes the rounds, lighting each pile and moving on to the next, finishing at the top of the stairs.
He remains standing, looking at their handiwork, making sure the fires take, before tossing the torch into the flames and moving down the stairs.
Malak's eyebrows rose at the sound of the horns balring in the night as they made their way down the stairs.
Well sirs, we have their attention now. No more skulking around. Direct confrontation will most likely be necessary.
The overweight priest wasn't too concerned in those regards despite having wished to maintain secrecy during their escape.