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"With pleasure, Tirion!! "Huh?! What did you say?!" As Marskul is about to step through the doorway, an acid arrow hits its mark right at the hobgoblin's neck. Although badly wounded, the goblinoid is not dead. In that instant the creature turns around in fury reaching for his weapon to attack, and declares in a strangled voice,"Tiamat comes to . . ." However, before the hobgoblin finishes his statement, Mantooth steps forward, and cuts the fiend down putting an end to his miserable life!
Behind the DM Screen:
Marskul whispers something one more time to Tirion, oblivious that he is losing control of the situation and this is going to end badly for him. Perception DC 20 or Tirion:
"Wait, Marskul, can you come and assist me? We need to take the box that the halfling has with us up to her. That way we can show that the phylactery has been taken from the black dragon and must be reacquired." "What are you an idiot like the rest of them! I thought you had more dragon in you than gnome! What do you think I've been trying to get you to do all along?! I already have the imitation phylactery and all I need to do is bring it to the Wyrmlord and we will be praised for our clever work! I just need you to get those three to sit tight for a few minutes. We'll have the whole the whole company here in just a minute. Now tell them to stay put and nobody will get hurt . . . yet. Heh heh heh!" Finally, he remarks to the rest of you with little patience, "Just sit like a log for a moment and we'll be back with the Ghostlord. I am just going to announce your arrival to him. Get yourselves cleaned up and try to look presentable! If you need a bath, just jump into that pit!" Sense Motive DC 19:
You are certain that Marskul is lying about going to get the Ghostlord. He likely wants you to sit still, so he can get his reinforcements and put an end to your lives. You also do not believe the part about taking a bath down in the pit. However, it is obvious that he would love to send you down there.
The hobgoblin begins turning the handle to the stone door and pushing it open to exit the room.
Tirion & Perception DC 20:
"Yes, that is true, but they too are believers. The Queen has many warriors in many forms, even forms as repulsive as those you see standing before you. But soon these you see before you, the halfling, the human and the dwarf, shall be gifted the swords of red steel. Then they shall take on the image of the greater race. The Queen would be quite displeased if they were to come to harm." Marskul replies in a whisper that is less quiet than before. "Those ignorant and repulsive twits are believers?! That's impossible. The dwarf doesn't even look capable of understanding half of what the wrath of Tiamat is about. If they were given the dragonspawn blades of red steel, then why are they so vile looking? What happened to their blades? They should be suffering from withdrawal! I would be careful, gnome. I think they resisted the curse!" After a moment of whispered conversation with Tirion, Marskul calls out loudly, "Now stop your stalling and follow me, gnome! There is much that needs done, before the Ghostlord can welcome the thieves!" Marskul stands expectantly, waiting for Tirion to follow.
"You may tell the lich that I can show him proof of who stole his bauble when he sees us--and that his extraction of vengeance will align with our interests. And rest assured that if you lie and say we stole it from him, before I die I shall shoot an acid arrow into your guts for a slow, horrible death." "I do not doubt your threats, imp, but you still have not answered my question of how came to possess this phylactery. For all I know, you just had some mockup made of this trinket and you decided to play a dangerous game." Marskul waits a moment for Bofus'answer. "Oi will rip yer leg off an' use it to beat yer greasy head off yer shoulders! Yer lucky moi friends want ye alive! You make one false move though..." Marskul looks at Thordak and then turns to Tirion and remarks, "What a repulsive creature!" He then pulls Tirion aside and has a whispered discussion with him. Fortunately, through the use of Tirion's message spell you can still hear Tirion's reply. Perception DC25:
"I would prefer those closer to the Queen. However, it is difficult to infiltrate the human settlements to scout if one is accompanied by dragonspawn. Thus, we must serve in these forms until the Queen deems us worthy of taking a form in her image." "Either way, you also play a dangerous game hanging out with this filth. Here, let's get out of here and have a discussion away from this scum. We need to get our hands on that real phylactery. Do you know where it is? That impish thief could ruin many of our plans if he was to actually speak with the ghostlord and return it to him! We cannot allow that to happen! Now let's leave this chamber. There is somebody here you must meet. She will know how to deal with this!" Marskul announces aloud. "You will wait here, but the dark gnome will come with me!"
Behind the DM Screen:
"Why are you here then? There does not appear to be much for an esteemed living servant such as yourself at a place such as this." "Oh yes, you are wondering why a living creature such as myself would be a servant to an undead lich. Naturally that would bring up a great many questions for you. Let me answer that by saying that even a humble hobgoblin such as myself knows power when he sees it. So when I see a creature that has achieved immortality, I believe there is a great deal that I can learn from him. Perhaps in time, I will grow in necromantic power and discover the secrets of endless life!" Sense Motive DC19:
The hobgoblin is clearly lying at this point. He sounds as if he is desperately trying to make up a good reason why why he, a goblinoid, would be a servant to the Ghostlord. Although, he is in over his head with his lying, Marskul continues the dialogue as if you are easily fooled. "And why was that nice lizard out front? There does not seem as though there would be much for a dragon such as he to hunt here in the Thordwastes." "Oh yes, that's the Behir, Varanthian. She was called up from the fuming bowels of the Wyrmsmoke Mountains by Tiamat herself. She is here as a favor to the High Wyrmlord himself and is a very special guest of the Ghostlord. It is true that hunting has been difficult for her in the Thornwaste, and she usually devours whatever living being she can find, so naturally, I am surprised that she let you pass through." "I apologize, my name is Taron Blackhair, descendent of gnomes with the blood of black dragons running in my veins." "Well, Taron Blackhair. It sounds as if Tiamat herself has blessed you since birth. Why in the world would you hang out with such filthy company such as half creatures, human knights and dwarven rangers?" "My companions are Rufus Beechnut." Tirion points to Bofus. "Martoth the knight. And the ranger Thorin, son of Thrane, formerly of the Hammerfist dwarves." "So Rufus, are you going to tell me how you came to acquire the phylactery of the Ghostlord or should I tell the lich that you stole it from him?"
"This is an interesting room. What type of procedures take place here?" "The ghostlord has little use for every single part of every single creature that he captures on his treks into the Thornwaste. Often he only needs the basilisk's eyes, or the adventurer's brain, or a sphinx's heart for his necromantic experiments. In such cases, the ghostlord or one of his undead minions carries the body here, where the necessary parts are harvested and the rest cut into small chunks and disposed of down the pit!" "And how long must we wait for the Ghostlord?" "This is the Ghostlord's domain and you will wait however long he decides you must wait. However, seeing as you have not even given me the name of who to present to the Ghostlord, I would say a very long time." "Oh, and are you considered a Wyrmlord? Or is there another in command of the Red Horde forces here?" "A wyrmlord?! No. What makes you think that I'm a wyrmlord? In fact, what makes you think the Red Hand forces are even here? From what I understand, they are making the long march to Brindol to destroy your kind. Why would they be stationed out in the Ghostlord's crypt far out here in the Thornwaste?! In fact why are you here in this crypt? If you want to stop them from destroying your cities, maybe you should be out there battling them instead of trying to garner a deal with the lich!" Sense Motive DC 13:
There is something about his tone that makes you suspect the hobgoblin, Marskul, is lying about this point. It is clear that he wants you to believe that the Red Hand are not stationed here.
"OK, were coming" "Then make haste and do not delay!" The goblinoid leads the company through the thick fog for no more than forty feet passed a spiral staircase that leads up. The creature then pulls out a set of keys and unlocks a stone door along the western wall. Once the door is open, he moves through the doorway into another chamber. "By the way, I think you forgot to tell us your name. It is hard to have a discussion without knowing someone's name." "You do not seem to have any trouble discussing whatever you want, but if need to call me something, then call me Marskul. And what is the name I shall give when presenting you to the Ghostlord?" Once you pass into the next chamber, there is no longer any fog, but a strong odor. The room contains a low stone slab of a table made of red veined marble against the western wall. Clotted blood and less identifiable bits of tissue cling to the tabletop, filling the air in here with cloying stench. A stone shelf above the table is cluttered with jars, vials, urns, and stained surgical instruments. To the immediate right of the table, a square pit opens in the floor. More blood is spattered around the pit's rim. "We will need to wait here for the Ghostlord to arrive." Heroes' Hit Points
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