The cat hisses at the bird and then goes into stealth mode, as if it is contemplating running up Mitnal and going after the potential meal.
Blackwing grows agitated by the cat's outward hostility and snaps his beak as his claws dig more tightly into Mitnal's shoulder.
"What's your interest in Thassilon?" Lyrie asks Jessa.
"I did my thesis on Ancient Thassilon as part of my application to join the Pathfinder chapterhouse in Magnimar," Jessa explains, "They're really quite fascinating. But some of their artifacts can prove very dangerous. Has Nualia found something she plans on using against Sandpoint?"
"What's your interest in Thassilon?" Lyrie asks Jessa."I did my thesis on Ancient Thassilon as part of my application to join the Pathfinder chapterhouse in Magnimar," Jessa explains, "They're really quite fascinating. But some of their artifacts can prove very dangerous. Has Nualia found something she plans on using against Sandpoint?"
"Change of tactics," says Mitnal to Eugen ignoring the animals. "Jeslara's talking about her thesis. I guess she's going to bore Lyrie to death. Or, maybe it's torture. That should get her to talk."
At the mention of the Pathfinders, Lyrie becomes sullen again and simply glowers at Jessa.
At the mention of the Pathfinders, Lyrie becomes sullen again and simply glowers at Jessa.
"I'll take that as a yes," Jessa says with a frown. She takes a step back from further interrogation of Lyrie to ponder what may lay in store for them if they continue to pursue Nualia.
"This could be bad," she confides in Gyorgy and Kenzo, keeping her voice low enough so Lyrie won't hear, "If Nualia's found something from Ancient Thassilon she can use against Sandpoint, it'll make her goblin army look ridiculously weak by comparison. We've got to find her and stop her...fast."
The cat thinks about pouncing, the bird hops off of Mitnal's shoulder and flies back towards Jessa and the cat suddenly develops a lack of interest in the whole affair.
The cat rubs itself absently against Eugen's boots and then saunters along in the direction of Jessa and her familiar.
At the mention of the Pathfinders, Lyrie becomes sullen again and simply glowers at Jessa."I'll take that as a yes," Jessa says with a frown. She takes a step back from further interrogation of Lyrie to ponder what may lay in store for them if they continue to pursue Nualia.
"This could be bad," she confides in Gyorgy and Kenzo, keeping her voice low enough so Lyrie won't hear, "If Nualia's found something from Ancient Thassilon she can use against Sandpoint, it'll make her goblin army look ridiculously weak by comparison. We've got to find her and stop her...fast."
"Even if she's got nothing, she still needs to be stopped."
I cast a critical eye over Lyrie: "Leave her here? Or what?"
So what do our heroes do?
Mitnal picks up his warhammer and returns to the room loudly proclaiming, "If she doesn't tell us anything useful, we kill her."
Jessa ignores Mitnal along with Lyrie, thinking he's just joking around again.
"Listen," she tells the sullen young woman, "You were hired to do a job here. That job is now finished. Sandpoint is preparing for Nualia's army. And we plan on dealing with her ourselves. It's better for all of us if you're not here for that. You understand? If we let you go, we'll see you as far as the rope bridge and then you're on your own. It's best if you don't return to Sandpoint, though. We'll be sending Sheriff Hemlock a message about your involvement in things. And I suspect they won't welcome you back...probably ever."
"Guys?" Jessa speaks to Kenzo and Gyorgy mostly, but also for Eugen and Mitnal since they're still within listening distance, "I say we cut that rope bridge behind Lyrie here. That way, she can't come back. It also cuts off Nualia and however many goblins remain here on Thistletop from easily reaching the mainland. Meanwhile, we stay here and solve this problem...one way or another. Is everyone on board?"
Jessa ignores Mitnal along with Lyrie, thinking he's just joking around again.
"Listen," she tells the sullen young woman, "You were hired to do a job here. That job is now finished. Sandpoint is preparing for Nualia's army. And we plan on dealing with her ourselves. It's better for all of us if you're not here for that. You understand? If we let you go, we'll see you as far as the rope bridge and then you're on your own. It's best if you don't return to Sandpoint, though. We'll be sending Sheriff Hemlock a message about your involvement in things. And I suspect they won't welcome you back...probably ever."
"Guys?" Jessa speaks to Kenzo and Gyorgy mostly, but also for Eugen and Mitnal since they're still within listening distance, "I say we cut that rope bridge behind Lyrie here. That way, she can't come back. It also cuts off Nualia and however many goblins remain here on Thistletop from easily reaching the mainland. Meanwhile, we stay here and solve this problem...one way or another. Is everyone on board?"
"Why do you always want to let people go?! First the talking, then the walking. It's not right!"
"Why do you always want to let people go?! First the talking, then the walking. It's not right!"
"I agree with Mitnal, I think it would be crazy not to get rid of her now." I approach with my hand on my hilt.
intimidate
"I'm not sure about cutting the bridge down, what if we need to escape?"
I look back to Lyrie: "I don't want anyone to die who doesn't have too but I don't think we can trust her either. Let's keep her tied-up until we've thwarted Nualia's plans."
"I'm not sure about cutting the bridge down, what if we need to escape?"
"Better to make sure the goblins and Nualia can't cross, I would think," Jessa starts to reply, but then sighs, "No, you're right. We're only five against an army. Odds are we will have to escape at some point."
"I don't want anyone to die who doesn't have to, but I don't think we can trust her either. Let's keep her tied-up until we've thwarted Nualia's plans."
Jessa nods. "I'm just worried someone might come along an untie her," she responds, "Is there somewhere we can make doubly sure she won't be found...and that she can't use some other bit of magic to escape and cause us trouble?"
Perhaps sensing an opportunity, Lyrie speaks up, her hatred temporarily forgotten, "Most of the goblins stayed up above, with their chief. There's a few female goblins below. Look, I don't want to die - I'm a researcher not a thug. I just need to eat. Give me some money and I'll be on my way. You don't want anyone else's blood on your hands do you?"
DC 12:
Perhaps sensing an opportunity, Lyrie speaks up, her hatred temporarily forgotten, "Most of the goblins stayed up above, with their chief. There's a few female goblins below. Look, I don't want to die - I'm a researcher not a thug. I just need to eat. Give me some money and I'll be on my way. You don't want anyone else's blood on your hands do you?"
"What else is down below then?" Jessa asks, "If you know the goblins' whereabouts...and you were on friendly terms with that bugbear, as well as Nualia and her...temple?...did you say? Then tell us what else we can expect in these Thassilonian ruins of yours..."
"What's that cat up to?"
I wonder over to examine the cat, and what it's up to.
"What's that cat up to?"
I wonder [sic] over to examine the cat, and what it's up to.
The cat appears to be a tom cat and it's marking its territory.
"There's Nualia still down there. And Vancaskerkin. Though I doubt Orik will feel honor bound to fight you if you offer him a deal. But no doubt you'll just kill him without trying to talk..." Lyrie's apparent dislike of the adventurers seems to once more be working itself to the fore.
"What's that cat up to?"
I wonder [sic] over to examine the cat, and what it's up to.
The cat appears to be a tom cat and it's marking its territory.
"There's Nualia still down there. And Vancaskerkin. Though I doubt Orik will feel honor bound to fight you if you offer him a deal. But no doubt you'll just kill him without trying to talk..." Lyrie's apparent dislike of the adventurers seems to once more be working itself to the fore.
"Without trying to talk?" says Mitnal with mock disgust shooting Jeslara a mischievious glare. "All we ever do is talk!"
"Orik? Vancaskerkin?" Jessa replies, "Okay. We can certainly watch for him. If he's just another hireling, paid to do a job and nothing more, then maybe we can talk to him. That all depends on his willingness to carry out that job or listen to reason, though. Much as you're doing now."
She looks askance at Gyorgy. "She's being as helpful as she can be," she indicates Lyrie, "I'm open to letting her go. But maybe after we find this Vancaskerkin fellow? That way, if he agrees to leave, he can escort her out of here and I won't feel so guilty about you keeping that wand and leaving a lot less capable of defending herself on the trip back south."
"Kenzo?" she asks the monk, "Can you make sure she's tied really good and hidden somewhere no one will find her until we return?" She looks back at the Lyrie. "That's the important part, you understand? That we return. Because if you've steered us wrong, it's quite possible you'll be hidden and tied up for a really long time. If we don't come back, you may never get free...or something far worse than us may come along and find you instead. So pray we're quick and successful in opposing Nualia. The sooner we get back, the sooner you go free. And the better you prepare us to succeed, the sooner that'll happen."
"What's that cat up to?"
I wonder [sic] over to examine the cat, and what it's up to.
The cat appears to be a tom cat and it's marking its territory.
"There's Nualia still down there. And Vancaskerkin. Though I doubt Orik will feel honor bound to fight you if you offer him a deal. But no doubt you'll just kill him without trying to talk..." Lyrie's apparent dislike of the adventurers seems to once more be working itself to the fore.
"So, what are you doing down here?"
I look over the cat curiously and kneel next to it; "You're a familiar, aren't you? So we're going to have to do something about you as well."
Then I examine the wall and floor in this corner: "What's so interesting over here then?" I mutter to the cat.
"Leave him alone," says Lyrie, "He isn't doing anything."
Gyorgy seems to be right that the cat belongs to the wizardress. There does not seem to be anything in particular special about the spot of the floor and wall that the cat marked.
I help Kenzo tie the wizardress, and scratch my head trying to figure out how to hogtie a cat.
I help Kenzo tie the wizardress, and scratch my head trying to figure out how to hogtie a cat.
Mitnal pulls out one of his baskets, "I wasn't quite finished making this one but it will work. Stuff the cat in here."
Mitnal pulls out one of his baskets, "I wasn't quite finished making this one but it will work. Stuff the cat in here."
"That's so crazy, it just might work," Jessa says, "Can you tie a lid down on it or weight it down with something to heavy for the cat to escape?"
The cat, sensing your intentions hisses. It appears to have every intention of bolting if you go through with an attempt to stuff it in a basket.
"Or...we could just leave it here to keep her mistress company while we go downstairs," Jessa quickly amends her statement at the raised hackles of the tomcat.
Mitnal places a strip of rabbit in his hand and kneels before the cat trying to entice it.
The cat ceases its hisses but it doesn't seem any more amiable to the idea of getting in a basket. Mitnal suspects the cat might be just a little too smart for such simple tricks or traps.
The cat ceases its hisses but it doesn't seem any more amiable to the idea of getting in a basket. Mitnal suspects the cat might be just a little too smart for such simple tricks or traps.
"Smarter than the average cat, are we? Okay, here's the deal. You be a good cat and get in the basket and then, if you're very, very nice, I'll put the yum-yum birdie in there with you?"
"Smarter than the average cat, are we? Okay, here's the deal. You be a good cat and get in the basket and then, if you're very, very nice, I'll put the yum-yum birdie in there with you?"
That doesn't seem to work either. If the cat is going in the basket its going to have to be done manually.
"Smarter than the average cat, are we? Okay, here's the deal. You be a good cat and get in the basket and then, if you're very, very nice, I'll put the yum-yum birdie in there with you?"
"RAWK!" Blackwing objects rather loudly to such deception...even if it does sound like something he would suggest if their roles were reversed and he could make such an offer involving Mitnal instead.
Indignant, the bird leaves Mitnal's shoulder and flies back to join Jessa.
"Now look what you've done," Jessa gripes, "You've gone and upset Blackwing." She pets the raven to smooth out his feathers again. "There, there...he was only joking."
"So, what should we do?" she asks everyone, "If we leave the cat here with her, it'll chew through those ropes eventually."
"Can Lyrie control her pet? Can you?"
"You want me to promise you that my cat won't help me escape," says Lyrie with barely suppressed glee, "Sure,... he's too mean to ever want to help his poor mistress."
"You want me to promise you that my cat won't help me escape," says Lyrie with barely suppressed glee, "Sure,... he's too mean to ever want to help his poor mistress."
"Oh, I so know your pain..." Jessa mutters.
"You want me to promise you that my cat won't help me escape," says Lyrie with barely suppressed glee, "Sure,... he's too mean to ever want to help his poor mistress."
"No, I want you to tell it to get in the basket."
I hold up the wand and admire it for a moment: "or maybe I should just blast the little fella with this?"
I turn my iciest stare upon Lyrie, not for effect but out of genuine simmering temper: "We don't want to waste any more time on you. The lives of the people of Sandpoint are far too important: if this cat is an obstacle to the safety of those people, goodly people, then it can share his pathetic fate." I point emphatically at the Bugbear.
"Rowr!" snarls the cat at Gyorgy and then it hops in the basket.
It scratches a moment and then sits majestically, as if the whole affair were its idea anyhow.
"And they said basket weaving was no trade for a warrior ...," mutters Mitnal the Basketweaver to himself as he gently lowers the lid and tightens the straps. "No use in combat. Ha!"
The cat crouches and hisses as the lid comes down, but it does not jump out.
Jessa looks to Lyrie.
"If we go down below and prove successful against Nualia, we'll come back and free you and your cat," she promises, "And if we fail...well, I suppose Nualia and the goblins will find you and free you anyway. So sit tight."
Jessa looks to Lyrie.
"If we go down below and prove successful against Nualia, we'll come back and free you and your cat," she promises, "And if we fail...well, I suppose Nualia and the goblins will find you and free you anyway. So sit tight."
"Make sure that one's dead," Jessa nods at the bugbear.
Jessa grasps the necklace around her neck and closes her eyes for a moment, imagining everyone less injured and ready to go after Nualia.
'Let us be healed. Let us be healed,' she mentally chants, willing the image in her head to become reality.
When she opens her eyes, it appears to have worked.
"Wow," she remarks, "The illusion is so much better when it becomes reality."
I grin: "That felt strange, not quite the same as Desna's healing flames."