Sarek grips his falchion tightly with both hands as he feels the power from the spells flow through him. He keeps a close eye on Thediar. He will rush to his aid if he is threatened or attacked.
While Thediar has the attention of the creatures, Lilia will hit Sarek with the Enlarge Person wand.
The spriggans ride up to Thediar on their ferocious worgs.
"Password!" the lead rider demands. The promise of violence is clearly evident in his eyes.
Knowledge nature vs. fey 1d20 + 13
The creatures are pixies.
While Thediar has the attention of the creatures, Lilia will hit Sarek with the Enlarge Person wand.
If you do so Sarek will no longer be hidden by the brush.
The spriggans ride up to Thediar on their ferocious worgs.
"Password!" the lead rider demands. The promise of violence is clearly evident in his eyes.
Sense Motive to see if he's about to attack: .
In the same language the spriggan used: "Howdy. I am come here here as an emissary, so I don't know your password. If you do know it, then hush! You really shouldn't tell me, because I not part of the Fellnight forces, and if you start telling everybody what the password is, then what good is it, anyways?
"But Her Most Terrible Majesty has declared her willingness to listen to what I have to say, and I have come for an audience with Her. Really, I do request to speak with your boss.
"Nice worgs, by the way. Very impressive. I bet they would intimidate all kinds of people!"
Diplomacy:
While Thediar has the attention of the creatures, Lilia will hit Sarek with the Enlarge Person wand.If you do so Sarek will no longer be hidden by the brush.
Lilia will hold off on the spell until Thediar has a chance at his diplomacy effort.
The spriggan rider seems puzzled at the strangely magnificent gnome.
"Her Majesty is expecting you? I'll check, but you'd better not be lying. What's your name?"
The worgs sniff suspiciously around Thediar. It seems they have not yet discovered Janus.
"I am Thediar, representative of the god Gozreh, who would hear Her 'plaints."
Thediar acknowledges the evil goblin wolf. "I've never seen a worg before, who would permit a spriggin sit upon his back. You must hold these riders in great esteem."
A worg snarls and snaps at Thediar, but is quickly reigned in by its rider.
I'm going to give Thediar a few moments to back his play, I'm expecting that he will either introduce us or give us a signal to launch an attack. In that case, I will cast Black Tentacles, targeting to catch the largest size group without catching Thediar or Janus in it's effect. (which means that I will have to wait until Jans' postion becomes clear.)
Thediar finds the interplay between the spriggan rider and the worg fascinating. When the devil-wolves take goblin riders, the worg is usually the leader of the team. Yet here, the spriggan seems to be calling the shots.
The worg rider captain sends a runner through the breach. Soon a little black and grey bird flies through the breach. Alighting on the shoulder of the captain, it twitters in his pointy ear. As he listens his demeanor towards Thediar changes, becoming more cautious and respectful.
"Thediar of Gozreh, Her Majesty requests the presence of you and your companions at her palace," he says, taking care to address the unseen invitees. "Those of you who choose not to go must return to whence you came immediately."
Thediar notes the presence of the bird with surprise. Nevertheless, he gives the "all clear" sign.
"That's terrific! Our escort, captain?"
Sarek stands up and strides up to Thediar. He sheaths his sword as he approaches.
Thediar smiles. It's always refreshing when you get a chance to meet the enemy at full strength and then battle your way out, rather than fighting your way in.
As his allies approach, the gnome speaks a prayer under his breath. "O Gozreh, lord of the wind and lady of the waves, I pray You watch over me this day. May your hear all my tongue speaks, see all that is done by my hands, and know the secrets in my heart. If I break against Your will, may all my strength fail and the world turn against me. If I am betrayed, I pray You, turn your rage against my betrayer and Your people 'gainst their works. I pray this in comfidence, relying on Your promises kept and Your love for Your servants. By wind and by wave."
"Hello everyone," Lilia said, stepping into the open behind everyone else. "Are you Tenzekil?" she asks the small bird.
The bird doesn't seem to hear Lilia's question.
Sarek's interest is peaked as he expected the bird to answer.
Thew bird does not appear evil.
Ylera speaks to herself softly before breaking her cover to join Thediar. "Lady of Luck, lend us your kind eye to this quixotic endeavour and spare your harsh ones for those that would harm or enslave us." She joins him, hood and cloak drawn about her.
Escorted by a dozen spriggan riders, the party is led through the faengard breach and into the Fellnight Realm. It is nighttime here, and the sky is full of strange, unfamiliar constellations. The heroes are marched across a grassy plain and into a forest of mammoth-sized trees. What little starlight disappears on the forest floor, and the journey proceeds in darkness, lit only by the torches of the spriggans. Time loses meaning after each weary step, and no one can tell if they had been walking for how many hours or even days. When the forest finally parts it is the night sky that greets them once more. The sun, apparently, never shines in the Fellnight. Now before the party stands massive, thorn-wrapped palace. Three separate towers rise from the tangle. Tenzekil awaits at the palace gate with a hateful expression.
"So you think you're very clever, do you? Know that the Queen is far too wise for your little tricks. Before we let you even step foot inside you must surrender all your weapons, spellbooks and reagents!"
Patrolling the palace perimeter and guarding the gates are dozens upon dozens of spriggan troops and other mutated, dangerous-looking fey.
"Hello, Tenzekil.
"It's breath-takingly beautiful here. I don't know if you can still understand that, as a bleachling, but it is indeed gorgeous.
"I'm sorry, I forget myself.
"Your words are ill-wrought, bee-keeper. We come as we are, no tricks. We will lift no weapon, save in defense of our own persons, but we do not come under the guarantee of safe passage, and we are not half so foolish as to come all this way, only to surrender our surety. In any case, our private property --reagents(?)-- poses no threats and is beyond the purview of this interview.
"We come to hear Her Majesty's story, to come to an understanding about what She desires, and to work as we can towards justice and accord. We believe this to be to the Fellnight's advantage. Her Majesty has asked to see us. I am surprised to see you resisting Her will.
"If we are not permitted inside as we come, that is a trifle. The clearing is beautiful, and we can await Her Majesty out here."
Diplomacy:
Tenzekil rolls his eyes and sighs.
"Do I have to explain everything to you, youngling? This is a time of war and no one from the enemy camp may be allowed to approach with weapons and spells at the ready. And after all you've done against her, don't even try to pass yourself off as a neutral party."
Thediar looks back at his companions, and his eyes meet Ylera's. You're our ace, here. Even if Rhoswen won't see us, she'll see you. He turns back to the bleachling and grins, a suspicion forming in his mind.
DM JZ, just how committed is Tenzekil? Does he hve his own agenda? He must know that we're not going to surrender to him, so what does he gain by this affront? Is he trying to manipulate Rhoswen?
Sense Motive:
"We've made sure Her voice gets heard, Tenzekil, as Queen Rhoswen well knows. We have argued that, however this struggle ends, sealing away the Fellnight was a wrong that should never be repeated. Those aren't the acts of an enemy.
"We aren't here to joust with you. We're here to do right by all parties concerned, including the Fellnight. And including the lands Lumi loves."
And with that, Thediar folds his hands, and waits.
Tenzekil erupts with rage at the mention of Lumi's name.
"I care nothing for that worthless sow and if you try to play any more games with me I'll have you all beaten to an inch of your lives before I drag off to see the Queen. You understand me?"
All around, spriggan soldiers train their crossbows at the party.
Tenzekil was still trying to win Lumi back the day before yesterday, so he still has some soft feelings for her that he's trying to cover up with fury, as opposed to the kind of deep hatred which is all that Rhoswen and Malgorn have left for one another. But I don't know that we have the time and liberty to pursue grief counselling to a deranged bleachling.
It does explain why he's trying to stop us, though. He's afraid Rhoswen might agree to some proposal, and that wouldn't suit his purposes at all He wants to make Lumi and her people pay.. He doesn't what what's best for the Fellnight, he wants what's worst for the forest. And if he can derail the negotiations, all the better.
And that raises the question: how much influence has he had, already?
"Enough of this foolishness."
Ylera throws back her hood, once again revealing her fae heritage in all of it's glory. "I've been put off from this meeting for far too long. Either you Tenzekil, or someone hear loyal to the Queen inform her that her daughter has come to pay her respects and wishes to be escorted to her presence along with her entourage as a daughter of a Queen should be."
Thediar turns to Ylera. "Oooh. 'Someone loyal to the Queen'. Nice dig."
Unsettled by Ylera's revelation, some of the spriggans lower their weapons.
"Question my loyalty, will you?" hisses Tenzekil. "If you claim to be the daughter of our queen, then what are you doing tramping about with the enemy? Oh yes, I remember seeing you at the waterfalls, helping them steal the wardstones!"
Thediar actually feels sorry for the bleachling.
"Enough, Tenzekil," he says, gently. "Now that Princess Ylera stands revealed, your posturing serves only to undermine your own position. At this moment, others, who are loyal to the Queen, are reporting what's transpiring here. Threaten us again, and it will be treason."
To the party: "We've spent enough time here. Her Majesty awaits." And he moves past Tenzekil.
Watching the fuming bleachling very carefully, Lilia joins Thediar in walking boldly forward.
"Wait! Stop! What do you think you're doing? sputters the pale gnome. "Shut the gate! Shut it NOW!"
The palace doors close.
A satisfied grin touches the corners of Thediar's mouth. "As I said, we will be more than happy to speak with Her Majesty out here."
The stairs are a 5' rise and 10' run.
The big, spiky things are super-sized thorns.
Tenzikil Braybittle's eyes gleam with hatred. He darts away from the party and shrieks "kill them, kill them all!" But to his astonishment, no rain of bolts descend on the heroes. The spriggans and their captains merely murmur among themselves.
"We can wait out here all day, Tenzekil. Things might go quicker if you just run along and fetch the Queen," Lilia tells the gnome, looking around at the rest of gathered forces.
A worg-rider – the same captain who led the party to the palace – steps forward.
"We've had enough of your boastful bleating, Tenzekil Braybittle. So what if you're the one who opened the faengard? You can't even face down a few prisoners, let alone lead a warband. It's time you proved yourself in combat, something we've never seen you do!"
"FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!" shout the spriggans. The worgs howl exultantly to the savage chorus.
"Alright, you want me to fight? Fight who?" asks Tenzekil almost pleadingly.
"ALL OF THEM!" demand the soldiers.
Initiative
A worg-rider – the same captain who led the party to the palace – steps forward.
"We've had enough of your boastful bleating, Tenzekil Braybittle. So what if you're the one who opened the faengard? You can't even face down a few prisoners, let alone lead a warband. It's time you proved yourself in combat, something we've never seen you do!"
"FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!" shout the spriggans. The worgs howl exultantly to the savage chorus.
"Alright, you want me to fight? Fight who?" asks Tenzekil almost pleadingly.
"ALL OF THEM!" demand the soldiers.
"I am not some slave who fights at your whim!", Sarek yells at the captain. "Enough of this nonsense. Go fetch your queen now!"
They're not giving you or Tenzekil a choice.
Nobody here seems to be very fond of Tenzekil.
"I am not some slave who fights at your whim!", Sarek yells at the captain. "Enough of this nonsense. Go fetch your queen now!"
Spriggans point at Sarek and laugh. The clink of coins can be heard as bets are made.
Spriggans point at Sarek and laugh. The clink of coins can be heard as bets are made.
"I am not some slave who fights at your whim!", Sarek yells at the captain. "Enough of this nonsense. Go fetch your queen now!"
Sarek turns towards Tenzekil...
"Look at how your friends value your life, Tenzekil. You are nothing more than something to be used and then tossed aside."
"I know that there is still good in you Tenzekil. Put aside the hate. Don't throw your life away for nothing."