Escape and the next step
Subject Escape
As Salix tells Harp what he has in mind through the grate in the door, Harp will ask if Salix thinks he can lift Sephira up close to the grate. If he can Harp will sacrafice Bulls Strength for a CMW and sacrafice Bless for a CLW. He will also ask if Sephira knows where they took the Stormfather, even though he is pretty sure it is the Mayors estate outside of town.
From: Karl
Subject Escape
Salix will try to do as Harp asks.
(He can at least relay the question, I'm sure.)
From: Mark
Subject Escape
"It is good of you to say so, and I will hold to that hope, but if the decision must be made, leave me. I pray to Obad Hai that you and your companions will be able to defeat this evil." Salix moves to the small window in the cell door and tells Harp what has happened. The 1/2 orc is stunned by the revelation. "Bring her to me Salix; let me heal some of her wounds." The druid starts to do as Harp requested but the chains prevent it. "Leave now" Sephira says "and use as little power as you can. I do not know how sensitive these foul things are but do not draw attention to yourselves until you are ready to make your move. Now go!" "Does she know where they took Acer?" Harp asks. Sephira's exhaustion is almost too much for her but she still answers "They only said that the temple at the estate had been prepared for him." She then collapses, unconscious.
Salix, anguish in his eyes, shifts back into the form of a snake and makes his form even smaller. He slithers back into the hallway and tells Sysyphys that it is time for them to go and to go touch Harp and turn him gaseous. The tiny snake agrees, and slithers over to the 1/2 orc. Harp puts his hand down and Sysyphys touches his skin with his tongue. Harp starts to fade and become the mist he was just a few minutes ago. Salix hisses and leads the way. They head back to the door to the cell block, Salix in the lead, Sysyphys following with Harp around both of them, a haze in the dim light. As they approach the door both of the snakes can feel something from the other room.
Harp, not noticing the snakes stopping, flows through the gap between the door and its frame. His misty form stops as he notices two figures now sitting at the table in the room. They are wearing leather and carry short swords. They seem to be paying little attention around them, seemingly involved in an intense card game. Hoping that the two snakes would be able to get by unnoticed, Harp hangs around for a few minutes, making sure that there is no problem. First Salix, and then Sysyphys, squeeze under the door and quickly slither to the edge of the room behind the desk. There they make their way to the wall where the door out is located. They move slowly to this door and, with Sysyphys in the lead this time, slither under.
Harp would have breathed a sigh of relief if he had any lungs. Figuring he has a little time to spare he decides to explore a bit more. He seeps around the door and into the first hallway, making a straight line for the door that should have the stairs behind it. He quickly passes by the gaping frame and up the stair case. 40 feet or so up he comes to a landing with another heavy door. In seconds he is past this door and in a small room with a door and more stairs going up. Harp passes through this door and finds himself in a bright hallway. He sees that he is looking out over the garden in the back of the house, on the family side of the house.
Figuring it is about time for him to get away; he floats to the back door and through the lock mechanism. Once outside he moves as best he can to the secluded spot where Ally had first enchanted him earlier that morning. There he waits until the spell wears off. Salix and Sysyphys show up minutes later and he bends down so that they can hide themselves on his body. His skin crawls a bit at their cool touch, but he stands and heads for the gates and a retreat to the inn.
Ally is surprised when no comment is made at his tardiness. His morning is a jumble of odd feelings and images from Sysyphys but he does know that the three have been successful. That makes the rest of the day go faster. When the workday is done and he goes to the paymaster to get his pay, there is a note in his packet. It says to report to the Head Scrivener. Ally's heart leaps to his throat. He moves deliberately through the hallways, until he is at the office of the Head Scrivener. He knocks at the door and a second later a voice tells him to enter.
Ally's enters the room. The walls are lined with bookshelves, the floor covered in rich throw rugs. The man behind the desk is older, maybe 60, but still strong looking, not bookish by any means. He points to a chair in front of his desk with out saying a word. Ally studies the man's face and his skin crawls. The man's eyes, black as midnight, look right at him and the mage almost quails. The Scrivener speaks with a deep, resonant voice. "You were late for work today. That is unacceptable. You are docked 1 days pay. If you are late a second time you will be flogged. You do not want to know what the punishment is for being late a third time. You may go." The dismal is final and the man goes back to his work. Ally stands and leaves the room. He hurries back to collect his supplies and return to the inn to see what happened with Salix and Sysyphys.
OODM: OK it is now about 5:30PM. Ran has slept all day, as have most of the others, except Harp, Salix and Ally. Ran is due to report in 1-1/2 hours. The party has this time to talk and discuss. Also let me know if there are any questions.
From: Karl
Subject The next step
Salix will relate all that happened and ask the group for suggestions on how they should infiltrate the estate. (is it tomorrow night for the sacrifice, or the night after that?)
From: Mark
Subject The next step
The night after. There are technically three nights that count as the new moon, but the middle night is usually considered the day to do things.
From: Mark
Subject The next step
Ok as Karl pointed out, this is the time for everyone to chime in on what they think should be done.
I will hold off until every one has checked in and/or the party has come to an agreement on what they will do.
From: Derek
Subject The next step
Allistair speaks up. "It looks like know we don't have time to sneak about and take our time gathering information. We need to get onto the Mayor's estate quickly before this sacrifice takes place. I have at least one idea. I've been working on the paperwork for the city government here, and they are amassing lots of supplies at the Mayor's estate outside of town. Between my knowledge of the bureacracy here and Surin's 'skillful' handwriting, I think we could forge some documents to get us into the estate. We also have Ran's rank to help us, and I could also be under the guise of delivering paperwork."
"Unfortunately though, we know little of the layout there or where the Stormfather may be held captive. Some of you that have been there will have to use your judgement on this. I seem to remember one of the guys we talked with at the bar had seen a temple with the sickle symbol on it. Did we find out exactly where that temple was?"
OOC: Mark, is Allistair's proposition of working with Surin to forge documentation workable? Did we hear from that guy where this evil temple is in the compound?
From: Mark
Subject The next step
Well Surin's forgery skill is not all that great. However, nothing says that it has to be Surin that does the work.
And no, the guy did not give any real idea of where the building was. He did not even identify it as a temple.
From: Josh
Subject The next step
"The mockers could probably help us forge the necessary paperwork. They've probably got people more skilled than any of us."
From: Kevin
Subject The next step
Harp will add little except to mention the fact that he had been taking people (nto bodies... yet) out to the estate.
Mark, did Harp get any idea of the layout or did he just deilver the wagon and then someone else took over?
From: Randy
Subject The next step
Ranthir doesn't speak much but does acknowledge that he was too brash earlier.
"Salix, it looks like you were right to get some scouting done before we rushed in there. I will go along with whatever plan you choose."
At the comment of using his rank to help get to the mayors estate he adds,
"I don't think that I really have any rank with these people. I am pretty much a house guard. I may be more skilled but I don't think I have been around long enough to be more trusted than the seargents on staff. That'll be especially true when I don't show up for a shift tonight or tomorrow."
From: Kevin
Subject The next step
OOC: It would have been nice if Salix had not had to use all 3 of his wildshapes for the day. He could have flown over the estate and at least gotten a birds eye view of the place.
From: Derek
Subject The next step
Salix has a crow he could call upon once we leave the city.
From: Mark
Subject The next step
He does?
From: Derek
Subject The next step
Doesn't he have a crow pet/friend/companion/whatever-the-relationship-is-between-druids-and-thier-animals-is-called that he left in the forest before we came into the city?
From: Mark
Subject The next step
He has an animal companion, Noctis, who is a great Horned Owl, or some type of owl. However, the owl stayed back with the druids, several hundred miles away.
From: Derek
Subject The next step
Oh, that's probably what I was thinking of. Never mind.
From: Kevin
Subject The next step
Even if Noctis had been here, he is no more intelligent than a normal owl and would not be terribly effective in scouting/mapping the estate. Salix in an avian wildshape would have the intellgence to recognize and remember the layout when he returned.
If we were to wait, he could do so the following day, but I think it is unlikely that he will want to wait.
From: Karl
Subject The next step
"Take your shift tonight" Salix says hurriedly. "If anything, this venture into the cellar has taught me that we need to scout things out before making a move, and you may be more useful if you haven't burned any bridges with these people just yet."
"It might be good if some of us can get work hauling stuff out to the estate tomorrow. I could stow away as a viper or rat or something as I did today, and check out the estate in animal form tomorrow, and try to see if I can locate the Stormfather before we attempt a rescue tomorrow night. What do you guys think?"
From: Porter
Subject The next step
"That sounds like a good idea. And if you ask real nice, I'll even make sure I don't kill nobody while I'm there," Mund says, trying to get Salix to smile at least a little bit.