Morthos takes the key and unlocks the door, commanded undead standing by.
As the door opens, the room behind is revealed to be slightly different than the others. The floor is sunk by 10 ft. with a ladder by the door to enter and exit. The walls around the room are also lined with deadly iron spikes.
In the middle of the room you recognise the man that captured you and sent you to Branderscar not too long ago. It's not a face you would ever forget. He wears around his neck a sunburst of silver and sapphire -- a holy symbol of Mitra. This matches the description of the amulet the Cardinal wanted you to retrieve. The one from the room with the goblin must clearly be a fake. He is heavily armoured, perhaps even more so than the cobras, with full plate and a shield. He is armed with a longsword that looks to glow slightly.
He seems to recognise you too. "Your abominations will not stop me from dealing Mitra's justice to you a second time Forsaken."
"Sir Balin! Help me! We must get out of here. I know the way!"
Narrowing his eyes as he stares daggers at Balin, "No, Timeon, I am not a necromancer. Far from it. But that's the least of your concerns, boy."
Morthos confidently steps inside, all the while staring hard at Balin. "As for you, Sir Balin," the venom in his tone obvious, "the only justice that will be done on this day is our revenge upon you, fool!" Looking back at his undead sacrifices minions, "You three, kill him!" He points to Balin with his longsword and moves in with his undead.
"My dear Sir Balin," Demian says with a smile, "I wanted Timeon to be able to see you again."
The frail looking elf then turns to Timeon, "Timeon, Sir Balin is in need of your help! It is only with your aid can he prevail! Go to him!"
"Well, isn't this an unexpected surprise. The fool looks to want to die in battle, let's not disappoint him."
Barnabas will let the undead thralls lead the way, and take a moment to to down an extract of Shield, before entering the fray.
"Well, isn't this an unexpected surprise. The fool looks to want to die in battle, let's not disappoint him."
Barnabas will let the undead thralls lead the way, and take a moment to to down an extract of Shield, before entering the fray.
As he keeps his focus directly upon his enemy, "Yes, let's not. It would be an utter shame to do so."
The dominated draugr hop down into the spike-rimmed arena and shamble towards Sir Balin.
Timeon looks around like he wants to run away, perhaps in the same manner that got him separated from Sir Balin previously. Razmir isn't having it and grabs the boy so he can watch.
"The might of my God's wrath be upon you!" Sir Balin smites the evil Morthos as he cuts at the draugr.
Barnabas swing round the undead to engage the knight.
Barnabas rushes into the fray, unleashing his grafted pseudopod:
It slams into the knight and grips him tightly, allowing Barnabas to sink his fangs into his neck:
Morthos heads in the opposite direction Barnabas traveled, setting up a flank for himself with the undead and striking at the holy warrior.
"Timeon, would you abandon Sir Balin again? Really?" Demian taunts.
He then gathers his will.
He grunts as the tentacle wraps around his arm.
Ivy hexes Sir Balin then cackles, evilly, envisioning the Knight of Alerion lying in a puddle of his own blood before long.
It does not effect the knight who has a very strong mind.
Razmir casts Hold Person.
Sir Balin is paralysed.
Eowithe studies Sir Balin momentarily also hops down and surrounds Sir Balin ready to pronounce judgement.
Lady Sophia calls forth magic missiles that make him barely flinch.
With great effort he regains control of his body. You sense holy energy fill him, closing his wounds. "You fools should have kept running."
Barnabas attempts to maintain his grip on the paladin.
"You are outnumbered, fool. It is only a matter of time before death overtakes you." Morthos strikes again at the paladin.
Eowithe raises a hand , as if in a benediction, stating forcefully, "The power of Hell is nigh, your destruction assured!"
She then brings her falchion to bear upon the besieged man, after taking a quick moment to study her foe
Demian releases the gathered power, sending a wave of intense of drowsiness washing over the undead and catching Sir Balin in the edge before it dissipates.
He then turns to Timeon with a smile. "Timeon, Sir Balin will not last much longer. You are running out of time."
Ivy casts blindness/deafness to blind Sir Balin.
Razmir scorches Sir Balin.
Sophia hits him with 2 more magic missiles.
Barnabus holds onto the knight as a wave of drowsiness passes over him but does not overtake him.
With his free hand Sir Balin heals himself again then swings at Morthos, the target of his smite.
With a successful attack he uses the momentum to attack the next target.
As the sword aims straight for his face, Morthos manages to just angle his head to avoid a nasty slice from the paladin. "A well-placed attack, fool. Unfortunately for you, not well-placed enough." Morthos swings again at the surrounded warrior of light.
"You had your chance Timeon," Demian says as he gathers his will once more.
More magic missiles wear the knight down.
Razmir sends a scorching ray wide.
Morthos' minions continue their attacks and finally Sir Balin is felled by a heavy swing from the drowned captain which drives deep into his neck, spurting blood. Sir Balin falls, a whispered Mitra escapes his lips as the armor clatters on the stone floor.
"Nooooo!" Timeon screams and finally moves, running to Sir Balin, ignoring everything else around him.
Demian allows the focused magic to dissipate and follows Timeon at a walk. Once behind Timeon, he leans down and speaks softly.
"What have you done Timeon?"
He lets some moments of silence pass.
"Why didn't you help Sir Balin?"
"Why would you just stand and watch?"
"Did Sir Balin mean nothing to you?"
"What have you done?"
Morthos looks over at Demian with a raised eyebrow before cutting his focus to Timeon, wondering if the elf's words will have any effect on the boy. "Timeon, I'm going to need you to step away from the pompous fool. We need to confiscate anything of use upon him. And just to be clear, I am not asking." He states clearly and calmly while sporting a look of complete confidence.
Assuming the squire wisely moves away, Morthos will inspect the armor and the sword, and anything else of significance upon the paladin.
Barnabas lets go, as he feels the paladin stiffen in his grasp. "Pity. I was still hungry."
He move away, stepping lightly, surging with blood fueled vigor. He smiles a wicked blood-stained grin, watching Demian play with the food.
To Morthos, he says, "Make sure to grab the amulet for the cardinal."
Cutting his vision toward the item around the dead paladin's neck, "Yes... the amulet. Let us not forget that," he says as he reaches over and takes it.
The repeated questions from Demian cause Timeon to flinch and squeeze his eyes closed as if to not see it would make it not be.
He finally opens his eyes and scuffles back at the threats from Morthos. "You were supposed to help us escape. You promised we would get out of here." He is clearly in shock at what has happened. "Are you going to kill me too?"
Sir Balin wears a suit of masterwork full plate, holds a masterwork heavy steel shield strapped to his arm and wears the holy symbol of Mitra (the amulet Thorn tasked you to retrieve). On the ground lies his masterwork longsword, a dagger is sheathed at his side and a potion of cure light wounds is in a satchel pouch.
"Now, now..," Demian begins in a matter-of-fact tone as he steps between Timeon and the rest. "Timeon. Do not misrepresent the situation. Sir Balin chose combat before we could talk with him. He made his choice and they defended themselves. You also made a choice. You chose yourself over helping Sir Balin. A choice that has resulted in you being still alive, as opposed to Sir Balin. That is the lesson, Timeon. You are selfish. It is who you are. Sir Balin would have you try to be otherwise. But it is a lost cause." he places his hand on Timeon's shoulder. "You cannot change who you are, Timeon. As well you shouldn't. Take control of your life Timeon. Focus on yourself. What do you want?"
Morthos relieves the dead paladin of his longsword and sheathes it. He also snags the potion. "That armor could prove quite useful. And seeing how he is no longer in need of it..."
Morthos rises and looks over at Timeon. "Yes, Timeon, what is it that you want? Think on Demian's question while you remove the paladin's armor and carry it. If you comply, I will allow to live. If you do not, well, I gather I will have to kill you for your insolence." He tells him plainly.
"Be wise, Timeon. Let not the dead paladin fool you into believing in any of his tenets. You see where it got him." He explains in a matter-of-fact manner.
Eowithe crosses her arms and watches the drama with Timeon unfold, with a look on her face as if to say, Are we really doing this right now?
Then seeing how intent both Morthos and Demian are, she gazes intently at the boy and allows her aura of fear to wash over him, trying to give her two companions a silent assist.