The quarters are tight, but Konstiantina makes as much room for Rose as possible as she steps back and slashes her blade across the wall once more, feeling called to this battle, this single conflict, this microcosm of Iomedae's personal war against horror, chaos, and evil.
With a hissing shriek, the manifestation seems to melt under the paladin's righteous might, its remains absorbed back into the wall.
"Well that was dreadful," Lotti mutters as she lowers the indignant Wobblekins back down to the floor. "Oh, Your Lordship, it seems the undead horror has been struck down by the Lady Mokei!" She lets her voice rise higher than usual to imitate a hysterical tone, her stance shifting to that of someone unaccustomed to life-threatening danger. "Lady, are there any more of them?"
"Well struck!" Marius calls, though he keeps his blade in hand and glances around warily. When no new foes present themselves he moves closer to the voice that had called out before. "Lord Lymere, the second beast has been dispatched as Lotti says, and we thank you for the timely warning. It should be safe to emerge."
He gives Lotti a puzzled look at her posture and affectation, but does not ask the question on his lips.
Three figures appear from the left-hand corridor, two of them shuffling sideways against the outer wall to be as far away as possible from the haunted masonry that had manifested the horrific creatures earlier, while the third strides up to the splayed and bloodied form on the floor, going to one knee to more closely examine it. Rose and Konstiantina recognize this person as Junior Senator Amadorian Dou, unflappable as ever, while Lotti recognizes Lord Lymere as one of those who had gone along with her mock debate on the Senate Floor, what feels like a long time ago. The third person is a woman, dark-haired and dark-skinned, wearing a richly embroidered yellow gown, now spattered with blood and smeared with dust and cobwebs.
"Oh, thank you!" Lord Lymere breathes, eyes still darting fearfully at the wall. "We thought we were done for, with these creatures blocking the way and no help in sight." He takes stock of the group, his manner growing a little more reserved. The lady interjects coolly. "Let us not forget our manners, my lord. I am Lady Zariyah Clement, this is Lord Jericho Lymere and that is Sir Amadorian Dou. We are all members of the Senate. May we inquire who you are and how did you come to be here?"
"Well done indeed," Rose remarks, looking over the paladin briefly and not finding any injuries this time. "Think you can use those... special senses of yours on our guests, too?" she then adds, turning to the sounds of approaching footsteps.
The lady interjects coolly. "Let us not forget our manners, my lord. I am Lady Zariyah Clement, this is Lord Jericho Lymere and that is Sir Amadorian Dou. We are all members of the Senate. May we inquire who you are and how did you come to be here?"
Rose's eyes widen in surprise at the sight of Senator Dou, not quite expecting to run into him again, yet she recovers quickly. "I am Raesilia Talbot, daughter of Duke Talbot. The gnome and the dancer are servants. Lord Erallan and lady Mokei are here on invitation."
"No one has to know Martella is involved or that there's some special connection between the five of us."
"As to how we got here... I could ask you the same. We were seemingly teleported here during the attack. How did the three of you manage to escape?" Rose asks, lighting the scene with the lantern and studying them carefully for irregularities.
"Lady Talbot, Lady Mokei, good to see you again. Lord Erallan, a pleasure to make your acquaintance." Senator Dou rises from where he had been examining the body, delicately wiping his fingers on a handkerchief. "I am afraid that nothing can be done for Lord Manshum here."
Lady Clement inhales deeply, with only the slightest tremor. "Well." She breathes out, composing herself. "We were teleported to this room." She gestures to the door to the south. "When we emerged, we were attacked by- well, you saw them yourselves. We ran and hid in another room up the corridor." She tries to keep her eyes off the bloodied corpse of Lord Manshum. "By all appearances, your Senate badges were also enchanted with safety measures. My family has maintained such precautions for generations, but I had never visited the safe room assigned for such, and, by the look of things, neither has anyone else in a long, long time."
Lord Lymere interjects, nervously fiddling with the pommel of his (clearly ornamental) rapier. "And what of the attack in the Senate? Do you know anything?"
Marius nods in acknowledgement of the nobles' greetings but his focus turns to the departed Lord Manshum. Kneeling next to the fallen noble, he arranges the lord's hands across his chest and closes the man's eyes before standing again.
"We were caught entirely unawares by the badges' contingencies and know little to nothing of these safe-houses. Lady Clement, could you venture a guess as to what--or who--else may be found down here?"
"As for the battle on the Senate floor..." Marius hesitates, not certain what to reveal. "I can't claim to know any real details, but I believe the High Strategos was involved."
Konstiantina stands to one side, cleaning off her blade slowly as she listens in on the conversation, her mien solemn, a slender vertical line between her brows.
Lady Clement raises both hands, palms up, in an elegant shrugging gesture. "There must surely be others, but I don't know where they are. And considering the circumstances of our abrupt departure, they may not choose to reveal themselves." Lord Lymere snorts, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Yes, the current political factions are... clouded, at best."
Senator Dou interjects, looking down the corridor to the north, "We did not find food or water here, at least none that was fit for consumption. Lingering here is not advised." Lady Clement nods. "Indeed. I see that some of you are quite capable in combat. If you would escort us back to safety we would be very grateful." She lightly touches the jewelled necklace at her throat; she is not so crass as to offer money, but a substantial reward is nevertheless implied.
"You are very knowledgeable, Lady Clement. You do your family's legacy proud," says Rose, giving a respectful half-bow, and lowering her dagger. "And as far as 'political factions' are concerned..."
She steps forward and meets each of the guest's eyes in turn. "Lord Erallan speaks the truth. Information reached us that Pythareus was planning to attack the Senate, but it was too late to act on it. I have reason to believe he works with the assassins even now to hunt down supporters of the princess. Know that I speak true in these matters, and think on what it means. He serves the crown - the same Prince who condemned us all to death regardless of your voting preference. Would all these assassins really have made it into the hall, or block off the exits so effectively, if Pythareus and his guards hadn't cooperated with him...?"
Extending the silence for gravitas, she then decisively shakes her head. "I believe not. And to honor whatever bonds tie the possible remnants of Taldan nobility together now, I will, of course, offer the help you ask. But before we go, are any of you four capable of defending yourselves as well?"
Both Lady Clement and Lord Lymere look shocked at Rose's revelations, but nod in gratitude at the offered protection. Lord Lymere coughs embarrassedly. "Ah, well, I'm afraid I'm not much good in a- a physical fight. It's been... goodness, quite a while since I actually handled a weapon." Amadorian Dou adds, softly, "I am not a fighter, but I have some small knowledge of the medical arts."
Lotti keeps quiet, letting Rose draw the strangers' attention. I suppose I can always play nursemaid to them if more of those wall-dead start popping out, she muses, smiling on the inside even as her face maintains a frightened look. Won't be the first time I've been one.
Both Lady Clement and Lord Lymere look shocked at Rose's revelations, but nod in gratitude at the offered protection. Lord Lymere coughs embarrassedly. "Ah, well, I'm afraid I'm not much good in a- a physical fight. It's been... goodness, quite a while since I actually handled a weapon." Amadorian Dou adds, softly, "I am not a fighter, but I have some small knowledge of the medical arts."
"Thank you, Senator Dou, any aid on that front would be most welcome." Rose smiles at the good news, then shifts her gaze briefly to Marius and his shoulder wound. The obvious follow-up question dies on her lips. After all, if he needed more help, surely he'd ask for it himself?
...Unless he was too stubborn to do it, of course.
She suppresses the thought of irritation, redirects her attention to the nobles and offers Lord Lymere a way out. "There is no shame in admitting you can't fight. Is is far cleverer than endangering us needlessly and dying only for the sake of pride. However, if such is the case, perhaps you would gracefully lend me your weapon to fight with? I have some fencing skill and would greatly prefer a weapon with more reach."
Lord Lymere hurriedly unbuckles the belt supporting the rapier in its sheath and offers it to Rose. "Please, by all means." He still looks very embarrassed, despite her reassurances.
Elegantly poised, Lady Clement looks down the corridor. "I hope we find more resources here, or else a swift exit. Otherwise we are in danger of perishing by thirst and hunger as much as by the claws of creatures."
"You're correct, Lady Clement, we should press on. If the Emperor and High Strategos secure the Senate building we before we escape our situation will be dire indeed." He inclines his head towards the hallway and looks to Konstiantina.
"Shall we?"
"Lets," says Konstiantina, moving forward to take the lead, blade drawn as before.
Moving cautiously, giving the others plenty of time to keep up, she pauses at the corner to peer around it, and if the way is clear, lead the group farther down the hall.
Rose takes the rapier and dons the belt around her dress, then takes it out and gives a few experimental lunges. "A fine weapon. It is very well-balanced and pleasantly lighter than I expected."
Just as she sheathes it and sees Konstiantina round the corner with Marius in persuit, she calls out to them. "Lady Mokei? There are many doors surrounding us. Should we perhaps check any of them before moving deeper into this complex?"
"The rooms we've been in did not contain much, just some chairs," offers Lord Lymere. Similarly, the door directly east of Rose and Konstiantina contains a table and a couple of chairs, all dusty.
Rose suddenly holds up her hand in a stop sign. "Shhh. Do you hear that? Sounds from behind that door over there."
She points at the southern door with the rapier's point. "We can't risk leaving it be. Everyone who can fight, come closer."
"You, or whatever is behind this door, are you friend or foe? You have one chance to reveal yourself of your own accord before we enter with our weapons drawn."
Marius steps up to the other side of the door, ready to rush through or cast supporting spells as needed.
The door opens a fraction, a voice with a Chelaxian accent speaking through the crack. "Ah, please, noble heroes, we mean no harm."
"Idiot." Rose and Marius can hear a second voice.
The first voice continues. "I am a priest of Abadar, noble heroes, please don't leave us alone in these dreadful catacombs, to be massacred by horrible monsters!"
"We'd be fine if I still had my sword!"
Rose frowns on hearing the second voice and glances at Marius, not particularly liking the implications. "If you're a priest of Abadar and mean us no harm, why are you hiding yourself from us? We haven't exactly been subtle in fighting the monsters outside, nor in offering aid to those with us. If you did mean us no harm, surely you would have sought to grab our attention and joined us before we happened to overhear you?"
The second figure steps forward to yank the door open, looming over Rose. The familiar, although dishevelled, figure of Lady Malphene Trant, fists clenched and dress stained with blood, is angrily glaring at Rose.
"There are worse things here than those monsters! I also heard what you said about the High Strategos! Well, here I am, strike me down if you dare! After all, my family supports him! But you're wrong! It wasn't his plot, it was the Princess's!" She grows even more heated, swatting away the placating hand that the cleric - a bespectacled man with a shaved head and yellow robes - attempts to place on her arm.
"Why do you think the assassins targeted those who voted against her? My friends, cut down in front of me! My f-father, we were wearing the same badges, he should have been here with me!"
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Rose, blindsighted by the sudden apperance of yet another familiar yet very angry face, barely has the presence of mind to quickly take a step back and withdraw the rapier before Maplhene implayed [/i] herself on the way out.
"Lady Trant...? How-"
But the other woman's words already wash over her.
When she finishes and Rose has a moment to think, she sheathes her sword and looks at Maphene in sorrowful symphathy. "Then I am sorry for your loss. I imagine all those present here would have lost someone during the attack. My own father was upstairs and my brother might have been too."
"And I don't blame you, or anyone, for supporting Pythareus either. He is a very popular figure among all social layers, after all, and I don't think anyone could have foreseen him doing something this horrible," she continues. "However... try to calm down and think about this logically. Even if you don't believe me when I say we received word of his plan, Eutropia being behind this makes no sense. Between Pythareus and the Princess, who was in charge of security? It wasn't Lady Eutropia. However, she is the one who needs change to happen, as it's the only way for her to ascend the throne. Failing that, the one able to best seize power instead is Pythareus."
She opens her hands outwards in a questioning manner. "So why would Eutropia order anyone to attack the Senate which, overall, voted in favor of her? She has no motive to do so and alienate the support for her fledging reign. However, Pyratheus has all the motive in the world. I understand that it's hard to accept, but that is the truth of things. Both of us were deemed expendable obstacles."
There's a lack of deep emotional attachment when Rose dicusses the possible fate of her father or brother.
"Not to mention, the Grand Prince cut poor Kalbio's throat before the gods and a thousands witnesses. He and the Princess weren't exactly close. I've no idea why Pythareus expects to benefit from such wanton bloodshed but he is involved." Marius bows his head solemnly to Lady Trant. "I'm sorry to hear about your father. May Pharasma see his worth."
Malphene Trant frowns harder, shaking her head. "No, he... you... it's all a set-up!" She folds her arms, looking mulishly between Rose and Marius. "Fine, so you may not be involved. But I'll keep my eye on you, and once we're out of here I'll uncover the truth, mark my words!"
She deflates a little, her gaze not meeting anyone's eyes as she uncrosses her arms and crosses them again. "Well, what are you waiting for? Let's get out of this horrible place!"
The priest of Abadar nods vigorously at the suggestion. "Yes, my lady, a wise course of action. Er, noble heroes, should you be in need of healing I can provide spellcasting at market rates, merely ten gold pieces for a healing spell."
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"What a coincidence," Marius responds with an unimpressed look at the priest. "That's precisely my rate for escorting Abadarans to safety. Surely a sign from the gods, wouldn't you agree sir?" It occurs to him that the priest hasn't given his name.
He turns instead to Lady Trant. "What weapons do you favor? The more of us who are armed down here, the better."
"Fair enough, fair enough," the priest nods at Marius. "I am Jowuan Zubari, visiting your great nation from Sargava, here at, erm..."
"At my father's invitation," completes Dame Trant, a little more composed. "If you happen to have a spare longsword, that is my weapon of choice. If not, I can still pummel whatever bars our path." Rose and Konstiantina can see a shadow of the cocky noblewoman they had encountered a few hours ago in the Beldam II Waiting Room. Senator Dou takes an involuntary step back.
Rose grins at the verbal kick in the balls of the priest by Marius. She then throws a look of sympathy to Senator Dou but still decides to complement Malphene. "You certainly have spirit, Lady Trent. I hope it will serve us well in getting out of here. We should probably continue and see what, or who else, is behind the many other doors in this place."
As she walks past the woman to the closest door to the north, Rose lowers her voice, detecting more emotional distress in her than she lets on. "If you need a moment, just fall back and leave it to us."
Konstiantina stands to one side, allowing Rose to make nice with the strangers while she keeps a wary eye out for further trouble. Once the group has settled itself and decided to accompany them, she turns and moves down the hallway, blade held at the ready, to pause before the door at the end of the hall and listen in.
If she fails to hear anything, she cracks the door open, allowing the sunshine that still streams from the pommel of her blade to flow into the room beyond.
Lotti keeps to the rear, clutching her skirt with a fearful expression on her face. "Heavens preserve us..." she whispers, voice shaking slightly.
Joining the paladin at the far door, Marius nods his readiness.
Waiting behind the frontline but in front of the entourage, Rose stands ready as a second-line defender, Rapier drawn and lantern glowing over the surroundings.
Not hearing anything threatening behind the door, Konstiantina pushes the door open, the light from the corridor filtering into the darkened interior and illuminating a cowering figure in a corner, one hand raised to shield their eyes from the light.
"A-ah, p-please, don't kill me, I'm just a s-servant." The figure lowers their hand a little, revealing the visage of a red-haired halfling with long, bushy sideburns, wearing a simple shirt and pants and a leather tunic.
Konstiantina flashes the young halfling with a quick probe of her goddess's sense, and if the youth doesn't prove to register as evil, she opens the door open wide.
"Don't fear. I am Konstiantina Mokei, a paladin of Iomedae. If you wish, you can join our group as we make our way to the surface." Her voice is stern, but not unkind.
Konstiantina does not sense any evil in her immediate presence, although the briefly glowing eyes seem to instil even more fear into the target of her scrutiny. However, after her reassurances the halfling uncoils from where he was huddling in the corner.
"Oh my goodness, thank you, I was so scared of those things outside. Thank you, milady, please don't leave me alone here, I can't pay you gold but I can... I can carry things for you, shine your boots, anything you want." He pats his pockets frantically, pulling out a somewhat creased silk handkerchief. "Here, my favourite hankie, I swear it's clean, thank you for sav- I already said that, sorry, I'm babbling."
Rose moves up to the others when it appears there's no immediate threat. "If Lady Mokei judges it so then you are welcome. What's your name, though, and how did you get here? Whose servant are you?"
Konstiantina steps back so that Rose can enter the doorway, turning to face the rest of the hallway, sword once more at the ready.
The halfling bows obsequiously to Rose. "Sir Gryphus Plastion is my master, good lady, and Imistos Gulbend is my humble name. Have you seen him, perhaps? Older gentleman, grizzled, scar across his nose? If you would pardon my ignorance, I don't know how I got here. One moment I was by my master's side at the Gala and some awful people were swinging swords at us, the next... I was here." Imistos shudders. "I sure hope my master is alright..."
"Well met then, sir Gulbend. I'm afraid we haven't seen your master. However, there appear to be a lot of survivors here, and there are at least a few rooms we've yet to search. Join the others behind us and we'll look for him together."
Not detecting any ill will from the newcomer, Rose then exits the room and returns to the majority of the group back in the hallway. "Might as well check the room right in front of us when we entered. I don't want any surprises coming at us from behind."
She approaches the unsearched door west of the entourage, waits for the rest of the group to be ready and gives the door a brief inspection in the meantime. Unless something odd is seen or heard from behind the door, she then opens it.
"Come here dear - it's alright, let those tears out." Lotti produces her own handkerchief and wipes Imistos's face off. "Don't you worry, these are good folks who'll keep all of us safe."
Seven veils surround me, this is going to be quite the handful to keep safe, she thinks to herself as she works. I suppose a quick wall might keep them safe for a moment, but I'd hate for something else to jump out of the wall at them while the others can't see them. In her fussing, the older woman looks discretely for another badge on the halfling.
"Oh." Imistos looks a little crestfallen and a little dazed, allowing Lotti to fuss over him. The gnome does notice that he is wearing a senate aide badge, although the crest on it is unfamiliar.
Rose checks the door opposite the stairs by which they entered the space, and not perceiving any danger, opens it to reveal a rectangular chamber. A long, oval table, its surface covered in faded green felt, stands in the center surrounded by tall-backed chairs, holding a silver tray with a set of fine crystal glassware and a tall wine decanter, the liquid within long evaporated. A little to the side there is a mahogany document box.
Entering the chamber, Rose looks around and notices the expensive glassware and the box first and foremost. "We should probably take any valuables we find. I've been reminded that we may have to bargain with someone, or something, on the way out, as unlikely as that might have appeared."
She throws a very pointed look at the Abadarran priest, then moves to the document holder and studies it. "Lord Erallan? Does this, or anything else here, appear magical in nature?"
Rose watches Mirann carefully. "Your sister was with the senate guard and on duty tonight. Do you think she knew about this in advance, and that that was the real reason she tried helping us conceal our weapons?"
Mirann shakes her head in disbelief. "If my sister knew anything, she wouldn't have let me into the Gala tonight. I can't imagine that she is twisted up in this."
She pauses, hesitates before continuing. "When the assassins struck, I thought I heard her cry out, 'Lion Blades, to arms! Protect the Princess' and all that, but," she sucks air in between her teeth, looking away, "that could have just been a youthful fantasy. Me wishing that my older sister would come protect me in that moment."
For once, the dancer wears no mask. Her emotions are high, and plain to read. She is distraught, lost, directionless. There no confidence in the woman.
"We are going to die here," she swallows, holding back a tear.
Mirann helps Rose collect the dining ware, briefly polishing a spoon on her costume and examining her own reflection.
Rose and Lotti determine the crystal glassware and silver dining set to be worth considerably to a collector of antiquities, likely in the area of 700 gold pieces. How to transport them out safely is another matter.
There are multiple magical auras in the area of the document box, most of them conjuration. The strongest aura is also conjuration, and likely the strongest that Lotti has ever perceived. Should Rose open the box, six scrolls rest inside, neatly tied with ribbons of different colours - gold, light blue, white, and orange.
Lotti is able to identify most of them - the three light blue ones hold healing spells, the white one is an invisibility spell, and the orange a summoning spell. Marius recognizes the gold ribboned scroll as something that the regiment chaplain kept in a locked box for emergencies - a powerful spell that can bring someone back from the dead, if used timely.
When the others reveal the nature of the scrolls, Konstiantina lets out a soft exhale of amazement, reaching out hesitantly - and willing to desist at the slightest sign from the others that she shouldn't - for the gold ribboned scroll.
"To think," she says, turning it over gently in her hand. "That this has the power over life and death. That this scroll can..." Words fail her, and she simply shakes her head, her awe clear and unreserved. Carefully, she hands it back to Lotti, and then takes a deep breath, her expression clearing.
"Still, we've not found a way out of these halls. Does anybody know of an exit? A secret passage, like the one we entered through?"
If nobody does, she'll lead the others around the circular hallway, searching for another hidden door like the one they discovered at the top of the flight of stairs, rapping with the pommel of her blade, expression cast into a mild frown of concentration.
"When the assassins struck, I thought I heard her cry out, 'Lion Blades, to arms! Protect the Princess' and all that, but," she sucks air in between her teeth, looking away, "that could have just been a youthful fantasy. Me wishing that my older sister would come protect me in that moment."
For once, the dancer wears no mask. Her emotions are high, and plain to read. She is distraught, lost, directionless. There no confidence in the woman.
"We are going to die here," she swallows, holding back a tear.
Rose hestitates, then places a hand on Mirann's shoulder and fixes her with a determined gaze. "Don't say that! We're still alive, and I for one don't plan on just laying down and dying. At the very least, Martella knows we're down here. Maybe you're right about your sister, and then she could send aid, too. What we need to do now is to put doubts aside and keep looking for a way out on our own. As long as there's a path forward, we take it! And there should be one. Would anyone really spend all the and money of making these emergency teleportation devices if the saved targets got trapped underground and died anyway?"
Seeing some vulnerability in the other woman and seeing her about to cru, she then sighs and pulls her in for a hug. "Look... I don't really know who you are, as you're a bit... distant, but we all need you to keep it together - If you need to cry now, then cry. Because the moment we get out this room, we'll be depending on you. I... have this feeling you're a much more skilled 'agent' than I am, right?"
"To think, That this has the power over life and death. That this scroll can..." Words fail her, and she simply shakes her head, her awe clear and unreserved.
"Quite... it's clear no expense was spared to ensure the safety of those teleported here," Rose deduces, nodding slowly. "Which makes it all the more odd that there are no persistant supplies of food and drink," she then mumbles, her eyelids slowly contracting. "Unless..."
She opens her handbag and takes out the mysterious magical spoon. "I'm going to try to eat from this, even if it appears empty. If something goes horribly wrong and I die..." she hesitates and gulps but attempts to smile. "Then I suppose we now have a scroll to bring me back!"
The noblewoman puts the spoon to her mouth and drinks from it, imagining it was filled with soup.
The door north of the room with the table is evident enough, although locked. The knob and lock are both gilded, which reminds Konstiantina of the golden key found in the portal bedroom.
Rose puts the spoon in her mouth, but tastes only the metal of it. Noticing her attempt, Senator Dou steps forward. "My lady, it is dangerous to try and activate magical items without knowing what they do. If you will allow me..."
If he is allowed to examine the spoon, Amadorian Dou first removes a tiny vial from an inner pocket, which he uncorks, places in front of one nostril and swiftly inhales its contents. For a brief moment, silver motes dance in his eyes as he raises the spoon with his other hand, turning it this way and that.
In a slightly strained voice, he announces the result of his examination. "A sustaining spoon, very useful here. To activate it, place it in an empty container and speak the command word "manducare". It likely won't taste good, but it should keep four people well nourished." He returns the item to Rose as his eyes begin to water.