"Yes, yes...perhaps its ok to speak plainly with you. I do have some things which could very well aid your welcome efforts. He withdraws a small coffer with a number of small interesting items inside.
He hands you a potion and a scroll, and a vial of some odd oil. "I would also see your success as a personal favor to me."
From her position in the back of the group, Mags watches the exchange with interest, a bemused smile growing upon her lips. Nicely done, Jervaise, she thinks as she hoists her pack back onto her shoulder.
"A tunnel, ya say?" She fidgeted a bit nervously as she spoke, feeling strangely as if she were interrupting. "A tunnel to where, do you think?"
"Good question. Often, sudden excavations like that can be trapped ice pockets melting. Our surveyors saw a new waterfall this spring from down in the pass coming out of the cliffside which might support that theory...to an inexperienced reviewer. My engineers have been doing this kind of thing for years though. Analyses of the sediment content of that water suggest that it was man-made." He seems to you all as a lecturer of sorts, pacing about. "And since we know the soil striations of this area we can also predict a path it takes. So, my strange woman, its less a matter of what I think as opposed to what the data dictates...this new tunnel leads from under the keep near the cliffside to the southeast corner of town. Now, I could offer you some "guess"...when designing a fortress new features are either defensive or offensive, perhaps escape route or weapon delivery are his intentions. It might also suggest he was at least sane enough to suspect Andoran would retaliate against him."
Mags fell silent, picturing the town in her mind. The southeast... that was about ten buildings - less now, after last nights fireworks. Including this very house. And the Pact Hall. She sighed, seeming to deflate slightly.
Well, it doesn't have to be the temple. It could just as easily open into the cellar of one of the private residences. But, she reluctantly admitted to herself, the Pact Hall made more sense. Of course, she was no tactician. She would have had the tunnel empty out somewhere down the valley. Preferably beyond the Andoran army. So it hardly made much of an escape tunnel, opening up somewhere here in town. Then again, she had seen teleportation magic. Perhaps their was some sort of escape portal at the temple. That would be a likely place for it... But then why not just put the portal in the keep? Bah! She had no head for this kind of thinking.
"There's no reason to think it might lead to the Pack Hall, is there?" she asked no one in particular, hoping that she was being ridiculous.
"Ah...hmm, that could be. The Hall was also a recent addition to the town and it's not a secret at all that Vendikon follows the desperate faith. What could be there that would encourage such a connection...?"
Jervaise will accept the proffered items with appropriate decorum.
"It will be my pleasure to put these to good use, and secure your personal favor."
Whilst the party discusses the route of the tunnel, something else occurs to Jervaise.
"What do you know of that so-called idiot Bumbo? He lives in an old shack in the south-east of town, and I am convinced that there is more to him than there seems to be..."
"The potion is a restorative for use when your physical abilities have been magically drained or damaged. The scroll is hard to understand...but it will allow you to communicate with each other without speaking..." He adds, "These other potions are more...experimental...probably not suited for any practical use."
"Regarding Bumbo, he is Vendikon's brother's son...I believe he is the last surviving family member of Baron Vendikon after the others all died. He is annoying, yes, but through his simple work he at least contributes to civil order, in a way. Though I suppose that could be debated...I've heard he spends a lot of time stalking Madame Viaren, if he's behaving odd perhaps she has finally cursed him, ha."
After done talking to Almir, you all proceed to collect your weapons before leaving.
Notice
[ooc] Looking back over the thread it looks like she only has a dagger that she hid in her boot.I guess she probably would have left it in her boot if possible. The rest of her stuff is still on the wagon
Jervaise is the first to reach for his weapon in the entry hall of the Almir estate. Jervaise, your hand burns slightly and for a moment and the veins on your hand turn black, but you otherwise feel just splendid. It is a surprising sensation considering the weapon appears to be just as you left it. The butler exclaims "Good god! Have you been injured sire...? I assure you this household is not responsible...someone must've entered...no...impossible, we keep the door locked..." He concernedly rushes to summon Almir.
Jervaise winces as the veins on the back of his hand burn briefly, before turning a rueful smile to the butler.
"I am alright, although I would suggest that no-one touches their weapons until they have been completely cleaned. It would appear that someone wishes us ill..."
He then turns to Mags.
"I think it is time to pay Lore a visit, and then see what we can do to ease the suffering of those people in the stocks." After that, we can pay the Baron a visit to 'drop off' our supplies. I suggest we then lay low until the evening, and pay the Cleric at the Pact Hall an informal 'visit'. Who is with me?"
”More poison. First they attack my wolf and search our wagon, now they are brave enough to poison our weapons in a private home during daylight. We are up against a most brazen adversary, that we must deal with as soon as possible.” Ilorian turns to Mags, ”Is your friend still outside? If so can you have it scout the perimeter of our location, maybe the poisoner will be watching for our reaction, or signs that his or her vile plot has worked as planned.”
Mags nods to Jervaise. "Aye," she says, seeming to warm slowly to the plan. Her feelings about confronting the cleric yet again are mixed, but she has all day to reconcile that. Or, more accurately, to get over her trepidation. "Aye, it's a good plan."
Turning to Ilorian, she motioned to her pack. "I've got 'im back aboard, though I can send him out to take a look if you'd like." She seemed to be debating the idea, and feeling a bit concerned about the prospect. Though Plague was certainly capable of taking care of himself, he was still her only connection to her arcane abilities. She seems almost to be waiting for someone to insist before committing to this idea.
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Mags nods to Jervaise. "Aye," she says, seeming to warm slowly to the plan. Her feelings about confronting the cleric yet again are mixed, but she has all day to reconcile that. Or, more accurately, to get over her trepidation. "Aye, it's a good plan."
Turning to Ilorian, she motioned to her pack. "I've got 'im back aboard, though I can send him out to take a look if you'd like." She seemed to be debating the idea, and feeling a bit concerned about the prospect. Though Plague was certainly capable of taking care of himself, he was still her only connection to her arcane abilities. She seems almost to be waiting for someone to insist before committing to this idea.
"Well then, seems like someone has intended to end us. Question is are they following thier own goals or are they going to inform the baron now?"
Almir concernedly enters the scene, mumbling to himself incoherently and artisticly gesturing at the weapons. His eyes take a greenish tint.
"Yes...yes...a hasty but effective application. It would appear to be Otukwi root paste, a debilitating contact poison. Its some grace you were spared there, friend. It would seem someone might be on to your party's intentions with the keep..." he speculates. "...its unfortunate and surprising my security was unable to deflect this subterfuge. Who can say what other ways my work has been comprimised...If you'll excuse me, I'll need to investigate this incident fully. I'm sorry this happened...please come again." he seems genuine in his mannerisms and elegantly reverses out of the room.
"Well then, seems like someone has intended to end us. Question is are they following thier own goals or are they going to inform the baron now?"
"And they seem to have been on to us almost from the start," she says, thinking of Ilorian's wolf. "Did we somehow give ourselves away? Or were we betrayed before we even arrived?" The thought, of course, disconcerted her, but she found it hard to believe that they were betrayed. She concentrated for a moment, trying to remember anything they may have said or done that could have seemed suspicious. Something they did early on, before the wolf had been poisoned. Nothing came to her...
"We'd best go get Lore and get on with this. Time is not on our side, apparently."
You make your way out of the mansion, the butler still apologizing along the way. As you move past the dogyard Bumbo and the other dogs watch curiously as you pass by with one of their own, Bet'na, in your party. It is about time for your appointment in the keep, but you can see the men in the stocks suffering nearby, a stern punishment for unlawful activity. Also the location of a tunnel hangs in your minds, suggesting perhaps a secret entrance to be exploited. Your wagon is back where you left it along with your horses and everything appears to be in order.
Bump Bump!!
So....uh... what now??