"Wait, Apsu? Is Apsu a dragon? Where have I..."
"The fath...!" Cecily's color deepens slightly and she swallows hard, but takes a moment to compose herself. "Do...dragons worship Apsu? What do you know about him?"
Ahmose looks up at both Thawm and Cecily as they discuss dragons.
The Blue-scaled Kobold shrugs and keeps walking....
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"Do...dragons worship Apsu? What do you know about him?"
Tandyn's ears perk up. "Apsu was by far the biggest greenest dragon toy at the temple, and I'm pretty sure Iomedae and Apsu have promised to defend one another. But you should have seen it, there was this entire wooden castle that the clerics had made with little knights, angels, dragons, and siege equipment that really worked all over the place... even a little white flaming wheel... I forget his name. Anyway, if things were looking grim we could roll in Apsu to save the day. Oh, Peace Through Vigilance! Great painting. Well, he was a much smaller gold dragon that could be attached to the ceiling with a string. He's always at the castle because he's a servant of Iomedae! It's kind of strange to find his picture here though... unless... oh."
Tandyn quietly resumes directing the cleaning motes.
Dining Hall
Three stone tables stand in this room, and their wooden benches lie broken and half-rotten around them. Leather straps with restraints stretch across their surface, buckled tightly in place. Nearby, a knotted rope descends through a tiny hole in the ceiling.
Dorek grins as his friends expound on the dragon-god Apsu. "The t-toys you had at the temple sound like s-something impressive, Tandyn, that's for s-sure. I d-didn't have quite so many t-toys growing up as you, I t-think, but I remember making an i-image wheel for my b-brother Huresk - you k-know, where you l-light a candle in it and spin it? I f-filled it with all the t-tales I knew, of h-heroes and beasts, b-battle-lords and traitors - he l-loved it." He furrows his brow at the carvings of Peace Through Vigilance on the wall. "You k-know, come to t-think of it, I think we had a d-dragon god. Or s-something like that. I can b-barely keep all the gods s-straight in my head, but I t-think there was one - Argent V-vyrlis, who k-killed the dark god Tanavir." He shrugs. "W-who knows? Perhaps it's this d-dragon on the walls here!"
As the group moves into the ruined dining hall, Dorek glances up at the knotted rope stretching up to the ceiling. "It s-seems someone was here since the temple's f-fall. Want me to c-check on the roof, see if there's anything t-there? We might be able to see D-drezen if the w-weather's not too bad - maybe even s-spot a way into the c-citadel."
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"Argent V-vyrlis, who k-killed the dark god Tanavir." He shrugs. "W-who knows? Perhaps it's this d-dragon on the walls here!"
"Silver, I take it? Perhaps they're friends..."
"It s-seems someone was here since the temple's f-fall. Want me to c-check on the roof, see if there's anything t-there? We might be able to see D-drezen if the w-weather's not too bad - maybe even s-spot a way into the c-citadel."
"Oh, I think that's a bell rope - the kinda thing you ring when you're under attack or under-supervised. With a temple this high who knows how far the sound will carry. Unless we want to meet every curious foe in the area at the same time, we really should leave it alone. Let's keep moving..."
Tandyn proceeds to the next door.
"That does sound quite grand, Sir Tandyn."
"You k-know, come to t-think of it, I think we had a d-dragon god. Or s-something like that. I can b-barely keep all the gods s-straight in my head, but I t-think there was one - Argent V-vyrlis, who k-killed the dark god Tanavir." He shrugs. "W-who knows? Perhaps it's this d-dragon on the walls here!"
"Oh, you worship a dragon as well, it's not all just demons?" Despite her words, her tone is genuinely interested. "What is your story of this Argent Vivverlis? Perhaps you can tell me once we are ahoof again."
She briefly glances at the pull-rope. "I believe there was one of these in our servant's kitchen, it would ring early in the morning and late at night. I don't think we should wait around for it to ring."
Ahmose is seen staring silently at the bell rope.....
Kitchen
Wisely you do not ring the bell.
The ripe stench of decay chokes the air of this room, emanating from the bodies of two deceased soldiers hanging from the rafters. Various cabinets and tables stand around a fireplace in the south wall, and doors lead east, west, and north.
"Dinner for the ghouls, I expect. Let's give them a proper burial afterwards." Thawm suggests.
Cecily gasps for air, manages to avoid retching, but does get out her handkerchief and holds it over her mouth and nose. She stares at the bodies for a moment. Hanging is just so undignified. And soldiers deserve a burial with dignity. And though it might take time to bury them later...
"Tandyn, cut them down with me. And then clean us off." She moves over below one of the bodies, steadies it as best she can, and readies to catch it and lay it down once Tandyn cuts the rope.
Tandyn nods and begins carefully cutting the bodies free from the rafters and lowering them to Cecily.
"I wonder where they found these crusaders... and if there are more who need help."
He directs the requested cleaning and places Hermean Potential on Cecily.
"There must be more around here somewhere." He approaches the eastern door.
Dorek blanches as the door opens to reveal the mutilated corpses. The spindly tiefling stands by as Tandyn and Cecily cut down the deceased soldiers, unsure of how he can help, but he follows close behind Tandyn as the paladin approaches the eastern door. "I agree, T-tandyn - there might be m-more around here somewhere. We should p-press on."
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Aroden assists with lowering the bodies, saying prayers to Iomedae as he does so.
"May these soldiers be rewarded for their devotion and valor."
The broken frames of several beds lie scattered about this large room. Two of the more serviceable ones have been pushed together to make a larger sleeping pallet. A table and several chairs also occupy the center of the room. Standing next to the table, the whisper of magic just leaving their lips is a demonic humanoid with wide bat-like wings. Its wide mouth spreads into a grin revealing sharp fangs. Red eyes stare at you as it holds a battle aspergillum dripping with brackish water.
Four ghouls interpose themselves between you and the demon.
Round 1
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Thawm begins casting Summon Monster I.
Cecily ducks in through the door, weaving her way across the wall and lashing out at the blue ghoul.
Shaking his head, muttering under his breath about no fun, as he takes one last look at the bell rope and follows along after the rest.
Peering into the Kitchen, the Alchemist seems a bit more empathetic than bored, as the corpses are taken down from the rafters.
Stretching his Reptilian neck around those in front to see ghouls inside the large room, Ahmose giggles.
(Ultimate Magic pg. 17) A creature that takes a direct hit from a tanglefoot bomb must save against the bomb’s DC or be entangled and glued to the floor as if it had failed its save against a tanglefoot bag. Creatures in the splash area that fail their saves are entangled but not glued to the floor; those who make this save are not entangled at all.
An entangled creature takes a –2 penalty on attack rolls and a –4 penalty to Dexterity.
Dorek scowls, springing through the door - as he goes to dart through the wall of ghouls, they move to block his path, and he glares at the offending undead, slashing at the one in front of him. "W-what were all of you even d-doing in here? We were having a b-battle not two d-doors away - I t-thought we were fairly loud!"
"A half-nabasu! Resists energy and magic."
Aroden uses INSPIRING SWORD, for a +2 sacred bonus to attacks, saves, and skill checks for allies within 30' who can see him. This does not include Cecily at the moment.
Cecily moves through the ghouls without any trouble as she catches the room off guard, her claws tear into the nearby ghoul ripping it nearly into six pieces, ending the foul undead’s existence. Ahmose flings his bomb at another nearby ghoul, sending it up in a blazing inferno and lighting a nearby ghoul on fire briefly. Dorek just barely manages to push his gladius through some sort of magical barrier ending a third ghoul's unlife. Sosiel takes a step to the side to get a better vantage and a blinding ray of light shines directly on the remaining ghoul, burning it to ash.
The half-demon steps forward grinning at the challenge, ”I am here to end your wretched existence.” His eyes flash red and as does his aspergillum, right before cracking Dorek’s skull open. Dorek keeps enough presence of mind to dodge out of the way of the creature’s claws and vicious teeth.
Round 1
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”I am here to end your wretched existence.”
"Our wretched existence?" Tandyn chuckles.
As Dorek takes a nasty blow, Tandyn narrows his glare at the half-demon. He raises his shield as he repositions.
"Have you seen this disgustingly filthy floor?"
Tandyn advances into the room and takes a strike in his side, denting his armor enough to fracture two ribs. A bit of the brackish water from the aspergillum splashes onto Tandyn’s face, burning him like acid. Tandyn fights through the pain enough to crack wise pushing the menacing demon onto the filthy filthy floor.
Aron pulls out a potion and vanishes from sight.
Round 2
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Cecily skirts wide around the half-fiend, joining Tandyn behind it. The crushing blows against her companions fuel her rage! "You'll stay as low as your morals, brute!"
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Dorek staggers as the half-nabasu's aspergillum cracks into the side of his skull, and his vision swims as he tries to focus on his allies ganging up on the prone cultist. "T-tandyn? He's on the f-floor - you don't have to g-get all..." He blinks, his crimson eye trying and failing to focus on the paladin. "...bendy."
Turning his gaze to the fiendish warrior with some difficulty, he begins stabbing the prone figure. "Just d-die already!"
The Alchemist peers frustratingly at the prone demon cultist.
We are not a fan.
Ahmose seems to be Delaying for it not to be in that condition....
The blue scaled kobold sighs.
Dorek, you look like shit.
He decides to toss a Draught of Bear's Endurance at the skinny rogue!
Thawm conjures a Celestial Eagle, bursts into positive-energy fire, and walks through Dorek into the room.
As Sarenrae's fire flows around him, Dorek feels his concussion improve.
The celestial eagle appears and then attacks the prone half-demon, pecking and clawing while balancing with its wings.
Aroden takes a 5' step and uses INSPIRING SWORD again.
"For Mendev and Iomedae!"
Cecily wades in after Tandyn rending flesh with her claws at the vulnerable half-demon, stunning him. Dorek hesitates while trying to slice into the party’s foe worried about retaliation but brings his gladius down into the creature’s gut multiple times. The eagle tries to join the fray but is warded off by some magic. Sosiel advances into the room jogging under his heavy armor to try to get into position to attack with his glaive.
Round 2
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"We have the upper hand. Interrogate or kill?"
"I say kill. He did not choose surrender."
Thawm tries stabbing first and voting second.
"Obviously we execute. Do we even have a way to check for lies?"
Blinking and shaking his head as Thawm's spells cure the worst of his massive concussion, Dorek furrows his brow. "W-why are we even having this t-talk? He tried to k-kill us, he's shown n-no sign of repenting, and he hit me v-very hard - we should r-return the favor, yes?"
To demonstrate his point, he continues vengefully prodding the prone half-demon with his gladii, fishing in the wound in search of a vital organ. "L-look, if he wanted to s-surrender, he'd s-say something - like 'I s-surrender' or 'stop s-stabbing me' or 'AARGH' or s-something like that. L-look at him - he's barely even t-trying to get up, much less s-stop fighting."
With the deft motion of his blade Dorek ends the Kabriri worshiper, leaving you safe for the moment.
Sosiel takes Tandyn aside and asks, ”Sir Tandyn, why did you hesitate? With a demon as dangerous as that, hesitation will cost lives. Please use better judgement next time.”
Ahmose feels himself powering down a bit...
The Alchemist rushes to catalog the Loot!
Crap...crap ..crap...crap....cash money!!....crap....
The Blue Whisper then stalks by Sosiel, speaking with Sir Tandyn. The small Blue-scaled Kobold kicks the Paladin.
What she said.
Sosiel takes Tandyn aside and asks, ”Sir Tandyn, why did you hesitate? With a demon as dangerous as that, hesitation will cost lives. Please use better judgement next time.”
Tandyn gives Sosiel a strangely heart-felt look. "Normally I'd agree, but that was restraint. The entire time I was taking those crusaders' bodies down in the next room I kept wondering where they came from, if there are more, and if they need our help. Are there other lives also on the line? This half-demon knew, and he didn't seem so intimidating on the floor and dealing with whatever amazing thing Cecily did to him. Perhaps we'll still find the answer. Perhaps it's nothing. Though as unsettling as it sounds, I'm starting to understand our inquisitors."
Thawm stands there huffing, radiating light, and casting healing magic for a few moments longer as Tandyn and Dorek's injuries continue to heal.
Thawm returns to normal, then showers herself with a few more sparks.
She lets out a contented sigh before suddenly straitening her back and pointing her spear towards the next door.
"I think we go that way next."
Cecily looks over Tandyn and Dorek's wounds as Thawm heals them. "You strike true when you're wounded, Dorek. Many would have run after a blow like that, but you stood with us. Well done."
She heads to the door in the room that Thawm pointed to. "I agree." She'll open it when everyone is ready.
Meditation Chamber
The stained-glass windows lining the ceiling of this quiet chamber have all been shattered, leaving colorful broken glass scattered across the stone floor. When you enter the chamber you hear nothing and cannot make any sound. The north door is locked.
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His ragged breathing slowing as Thawm heals the worst of his wounds, Dorek cleans and sheaths his gladii, nodding in thanks to Cecily. "Your words are k-kind, Cecily - though I'm not s-sure what it says about my fighting if I'm m-more accurate when I can't see s-straight." He raises his eyebrows, grinning at the other tiefling. "B-besides, that was n-nothing compared to what you did! Hitting him that h-hard, I don't think he was g-getting up ever again, r-regardless of what I did - and that's saying n-nothing of Tandyn!" He glances over at where his paladin friend is speaking with some of the others. "H-how did you even d-do that, Tandyn? L-last time I tried to k-kick someone in the k-kneecap, I nearly d-dislocated my ankle!"
"Normally I'd agree, but that was restraint. The entire time I was taking those crusaders' bodies down in the next room I kept wondering where they came from, if there are more, and if they need our help. Are there other lives also on the line? This half-demon knew..."
Overhearing Tandyn's talk with Sosiel, Dorek ducks his head self-consciously. "Did I d-do something wrong, T-tandyn? I'm s-sorry - you wanted to s-see what he knew, if there were more p-prisoners." He grimaces, avoiding the paladin's gaze. "I should have t-thought of that - I'm s-sorry."
As the group enters the meditation chamber, Dorek looks up at the shattered glasswork, sorrow written on his features. Glancing over at Tandyn, he opens his mouth to speak. "-------." Startled by the lack of sound, he blinks, glancing around in alarm. After a moment's thought, he reaches into his locksmiths' kit, blowing experimentally on one of his polished tools to verify he still draws breath and furrowing his brow when his impromptu test shows nothing out of the ordinary. "-------- - -------?" The lanky locksmith turns the tool over in his hands as he contemplates his situation.
Shrugging, he moves over to the door, trying its handle experimentally - finding it locked, his eyes light up, and he kneels in front of the door as he fishes in his tool kit again. "-------!" His clawed hand emerging with a handful of picks, he goes to work on the door - the air might not transmit vibrations, but his spindly fingers still pick up the feel of the lock through the picks, the satisfying shifting feeling as each pin slides into place.
After a few moments of work, he gets to his feet, dusting off his hands, and steps back, stowing his tools in his bag again. "-------..." Realizing himself, he clears his throat, opting instead for a fang-filled grin and a nod towards the now-unlocked door.
"Did I d-do something wrong, T-tandyn? I'm s-sorry - you wanted to s-see what he knew, if there were more p-prisoners." He grimaces, avoiding the paladin's gaze. "I should have t-thought of that - I'm s-sorry."
"I'm not sure we'll know. I thought they might be picking off members of another group of crusaders somewhere out here. And Thawm's right about their lies... Perhaps we'd see through them, but we can't just take the information. It's why I asked. And yes, you did a great job. He needed to die either way." Tandyn let's out a frustrated breath. "Oh... a pennon!" His tone shifts violently. "Here... I think they tie on like this."
As Dorek tries and fails to talk, Tandyn's eyebrows raise a bit. He takes a step into the room and immediately notices the sounds of his armor cease. He does a small, normally noisy jump. He smiles at his other companions and shrugs. As Dorek skillfully tinkers with the lock, he helpfully produces the key that they had found just in time to be irrelevant. He silently pats Dorek on the back. He takes his typical position in front of a door, nods to his companions, and opens it.
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[Dorek easily pops the lock eager to test his skill even though he knows full well Tandyn had the key.
High Priest’s Quarters
This room is mostly barren except for two people shackled to the east wall, one a half-ork with a goofy grin plastered on his face and another human who yells something, uselessly as you open the door. A second later the room explodes in fire. Both of the prisoners try to shield themselves as best they can against the blast set to kill them. The human, badly burned, slumps down dangling from her shackles. While the half-ork also badly burned seems to have renewed motivation to escape and is straining against his shackles.
"-!"
After a muted shriek, Thawm rushes into the room.
The spear clatters to the ground.
Thawm casts a spell, bathing the collapsed human in a blanket of healing fire.
She then attempts to revive the woman, while mostly ignoring the half-orc, by showering her with sparks.
"...!" Tandyn exclaims.
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Ahmose walks by Dorek, as Cecily compliments the rogue's fighting prowess.
True! You kilt him real good! The perpetual fountain of blood, ichor, guts, eye balls, intestines, kidney, and I really enjoyed that last bit of slicing his nuts off. Nice touch.
The smiling Blue-scaled Kobold follows behind Cecily and Sir Tandyn....
Meditation Chamber
Ahmose stands still as a statue once the Silence is discovered and properly substantiated.
How am I suppose to give you guys some of my good speaking bits if you can't hear me? That's some bull shit!
The Alchemist seems reluctant to step into the Silent Chamber of Woe....
....after the sweet sounds of explosive excitement reaches the Alchemist's reptilian ears, he seems more eager to stand guard here ...
Ahmose stands up from his previous sitting position.
The Kobold sighs. He takes out his second Draught of Expeditious Retreat, drinks it and begins to make his way toward the (most likely) crispy Kentucky Fried chicken Crusaders....