Runt bolts awake from her fitful sleep and leaps to her feet.
"Well best we check that out." he says as he calls forth his fiendish raven familiar Kree. He appears to talk to the raven for a moment with the raven talking back before it takes flight and heads downstairs flying stealthly.
I would assume you had some sort light on since you were maintaining a watch. The two room had a couple of reading lanterns if nothing else. You may decide how much light you were maintaining.
The noise is enough to wake Kizzy. She stands, ready to help her friends.
The raven sees something interesting and dangerous coming in the front door.
Forest awaits the word of the dusky raven.
Camil awakens to the noise, and stands up. shaking his head. What was that?!?
Lavanor and Scout awaken but Isabella remains in slumber. Zherxikas' raven soon returns to report on what he saw that gave the impressions of danger and interest. "Hellknight's in plate armor carrying flails. awwk! Order of the chain. awwk! Four knights."
ROUND 2
Raven done
Heroes
Unknowns
"Sounds like we have company, some Hellknight" he says, "Perhaps Kizzy you might be able to persuade them to leave?"
Runt looks for any of the group that is still asleep and gives them a vigorous nudge (starting with the closest of course).
Back me up, if I need rescued. Kizzy whispers to Zherxikas as she grabs a lantern and heads for the first floor.
Lord Foxglove? Have you returned sir? she calls out loudly as she walks down the stairs.
The knights are not trying to be quiet. You hear them speak to one another as they confirm the direction of the voice after you call out. Then the steps creak under their weight as they ascend. You meet the lead knight on the second floor. The knight says, "It has been reported that you have kidnapped Justice Ironbriar. Turn him over and your punishment will be swift." You see the others on the steps behind him.
Kizzy lets out a visible sigh.
I am happy to see you Knights! Our group recently uncovered some creatures masquerading as Lord Foxglove and his staff, we turned one in to the authorities, but another escaped. We have been here waiting for the other creatures to return and have not left. Why on earth would we kidnap a Justice?
"You make a fair point but our business is to rescue the justice should he be here so we will search the house. You will be flogged if you have lied to me on top of any other punishment you get for kidnapping. I give you this moment for leniency, are you lying to me? Our search will find the truth." From the bottom steps, two of the knight break off as if to search the lower floor.
"Psst. Anyone have an invisibility spell or a bag of holding or some extradimensional spell?"
Pulls a scroll out of his case, and moves over to the justice and gesture to the group to open a window and the casts a spell on the creature turning causing it to levitate.
He then pushes the justice out the window just after casting invisibility from another scroll. Then gestures to close the windows.
He whispers, "we need them gone before 6 minutes are up!"
I like it too.
Camil looks down at the magical ring on his finger, and concentrates a moment, shimmering and suddenly looking like Justice Ironbriar. He straightens up, discarding his weapons, to look more the part of an undercover elven magistrate/Norgober cultist, and fumes his way down the stairs...
Assuming the role of the haughty elf, he waves Isabella after him with a wink, breaking character for just a second, before storming into the chamber and addressing Kizzy,
Kizzy, its fine, you've done the best you can with these men, I'll handle it from here...
Rounding on the Hellknights, Camil continues his charade, You dolts! I've hired these Varisians and other out-of-towners to break open a murderous cult laying within the city! They've infiltrated members of the Justicar, and I had to resort to outside help! You Hellknights are in real danger of blowing the operation. Kizzy, Isabella, explain the operation to these numbskulls; I'm done talking to these morons
Kizzy simply gives as respectful bow to Justice Ironbriar.
As, I was saying, why would we kidnap a Justice, we are aiding him. But in truth, the less you and your men know of this insidious infiltration, the more like Justice Ironbriar will be able to completely disrupt their plan. We have already dispatched the stalkers here, now we are waiting for contact, something the rest will not do with you stomping about - however noble and well intentioned.
The hellknight considers for only a brief moment before bowing, "My apologies magistrate. We were following up on a report from a pair of citizens who saw you with these people, supposedly against your will. I recommend you notify Minister Faust next time you pursue an investigation. Good evening magistrate." The hellknight says and then stomps on down the stairs. The one behind him tromps down as well. Then you hear them call for the other two. Shortly, you hear the four of them depart the house.
Zherxikas' raven punctuates the moment, "Door's broken. Awwk, door's broken."
Runt breaths a sigh of relief as the guards tromp back out.
There is only an hour or so before sunrise after the affair with the knights. There are very few kinks to work out of your back or neck as Foxglove had some very nice beds. You bring Ironbriar back in and after Zherxikas takes an hour or so to memorize his spells you are ready to try breaking the enchantment.
You get the party started early and right away start trying to crack the spell controlling Ironbriar. The first two are unsuccessful, hinting at a powerful caster on the other side of this thing, but luckily the third manages to free him, or so it would seem.
Ironbriar had been sitting with his head down just waiting. With the casting of Zherxikas' last spell his head shoots up and anger flashes in his eyes (assuming you have not removed his gag other than to give him water periodically). A detect magic check shows no current spell on him.
"Ah. I see you are free of the spell now. Sorry we had to manhandle you."
Not!
What will you do with him now? Speak with him? Keep him gagged? Free him? Keep him tied up?
Runt definitely ungags him and lets him speak before she unties him.
Kizzy smiles, after the Hellknights depart, takes a deep bow, herself then with a flourish turns to Camil,
And in his debut performance as Justice Iriorbriar; …. Ladies and Gentlemen; Camil D’este!
Once he is freed,Kizzy comes and sits on the floor in front of Irionbriar, Justice Irionbriar; we mean you no harm or disrespect, in fact we seek only to help, and in turn; we need your help to deal with a growing evil. We are going to remove the gag; and I hope you will talk with me. We believe that you were enchanted; tell me what you remember…. Please.
Kizzy nods to the others to loosen the gag.
"Yes," he spits out the word as the gag comes off, "I remember her. The Wanton of Nature's Pagan Forms, who also calls herself Xanesha. How dare she enchant me. She came to the city looking to murder certain individuals. She never revealed how she determined the targets but she required those so murdered to be inscribed with a star type of rune. She's been using me, us, the brothers. Can you stop her?" Ironbriar finishes.
Kizzy smiles and looks to her companions, Yes, we can stop her. Undo the Justice’s bonds, so he is comfortable. We need to know everything you can tell us about Xanesha.
Kizzy will get all the information she can and allow the others to ask questions.
"She is holed up in the clock tower in the shadow district, a crime infested area that needs to be purged. Nevertheless, she is there. She has brought in several shapeshifters from the swamp and has some large brute of a fellow who acts as her bodyguard. She is obviously a sorceress of great power. I have seen her fly and she carries a large nasty looking spear she calls the Impaler of Thorns."
The shadow district is the area directly beneath the old Thassilonian bridge so named because it only gets 3 hours of daylight and is otherwise in shadow the rest of the time. As mentioned, it is a seedy place with rampant crime.
The Impaler of Thorns was a Thassilonian guardsman's weapon used to control crowds. It caused despair upon the crowds subjected to it.
Huh, the Impaler of Thorns was a Thassilonian guard weapon, its said it caused despair in crowds subjected to it. We may need Kizzy to keep our spirits light.... Camil muses.
The shadow district, huh? That's absolutely the worst part of town. This should be fun. The Wanton of Nature's Pagan Forms, we found that in the notes from Aldern? I know I've heard that before. Shapeshifters, and she can ensorcel a mind... I think we can handle this, right?
Runt cracks her knuckles.
"There are enough of us that if she does ensorcell one of us we should still be able to do all right. But it would be nice to find some scrolls to protect ourselves from that."
And I will be prepared to utilize my bardic song to counter the affects of an enchantment; I will not be able to inspire you if I do that, but you are formidable enough that I would rather keep your minds clear. Shall we head for the Shadow district then?
And what of those two? she asks Ironbriar, indicating with a nod to the other two captives.
"The poor wretches were merely following my orders. I can straighten everything out. It may take a day or so, but I can straighten it all out." The elf says shaking his head.
"Well, speaking of those shape shifters, they ambushed us in this house. We took them down and even captured one of them which we delivered to someone who was to take it to the district sergeant, though I doubt they were able to keep it. With their being able to shift shape, I doubt the guards will be able to fend off an assault or a good bluff. Another mess for you to sort out."
"I thought she kept them close to her. If she is sending them into the city proper then they could be anyone." Ironbriar says. "This gets worse by the minute."
"Yea, I would not like to be in your shoes. At least our job is pretty straight forward. Your brotherhood? Can't they do something about the threat?"
"We can try to track them down but a shapeshifter can be near impossible to identify without direction interaction. Perhaps we can devise a spell of some sort that will allow us to identify them and root them out."