Way of the Wicked: Knot of Thorns [IC]

[Kish]

As Jeyne begins to slowly search the room you discovered, Ilnesh walks casually down the hall and looks around the corner.

Spoiler: Ilnesh, and anyone who follows him down the corridor

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Around the corner is a wooden door, as far as you can tell identical to the others you've seen in the labyrinth. It reads, "The chosen are revealed by their might. The weak deserve no sympathy."

[Ixe]

She ignores the advice given to wait. At some point she begins searching the square she's in and despite her weakened strength begins searching the walls going north spending 2 minutes per five feet.

Seeing that she has entered the room, Ixe hastily steps forward also. One hand is on his quarterstaff, and the other hand clutches his spell component pouch. He appears worried.

(( If nothing immediate happens when Jeyne or I enter, then I will begin inspecting the wall opposite to the one Jeyne is searching. I will take 20 also, though, this results in a total of 19. ( When I level, I am definitely putting some points into Perception!) ))

[Hypersmith]

Ilnesh pauses at the inscription and reads it, then makes his way back to the group. "It only seems to be another room up next. We should finish this one before moving on." He takes a moment to watch where the others are searching before moving to the third wall and searching it thoroughly. As he does so, he muses on the nature of this room's riddle. I don't see much to be cruel to here, unless there is another creature in the wall."

Spoiler: OOC

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Taking 20 =23. I've also assumed Ilnesh's 3 STR damage is back to normal

[Silver Night]

Seeing as it is an otherwise empty room, Seva starts on the floor.

Spoiler

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Also taking 20 on the search.

[Kish]

Searching the empty-looking room, you find a secret door in the west wall; no secret doors are apparent in the east wall, north wall, or floor.

[Jopustopin]

Jeyne

The girls takes a couple of steps back away from the secret door. She moves as if still weakened by the shadow.

[Cavir]

"Interesting. Let's see what's in there." Vosnak moves further into the room. Mentally, he's filling in the map in his head.

Spoiler: OOC

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Move to O5.
i didn't say it but it had been in my head and I should have specified. Using Autohypnosis to keep a mental map of the maze. With all the take 20s, of searching, plenty of time for Take 20s on Autohypnosis.

[Silver Night]

Seva

Seva prepares in case anything exciting comes from the secret door.

[Hypersmith]

Ilnesh cuts across to Jeyne, pressing open the door and peering in.

Spoiler: OOC

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moving over to N7

[Kish]

The door opens, revealing a niche with a terrified-looking, wounded boy in it. He looks about 16. He wears a dirty tabard which depicts the sunburst symbol of Pelor. He cringes away from you as the door opens.

Spoiler: Knowledge (Local or Nobility and Royalty) 10

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You recognize the tabard as denoting affiliation with the Knights of the Alerion, an order devoted to Pelor, consisting mostly of paladins.

[Hypersmith]

Spoiler: Knowledge

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(Nobility and Royalty) (1d20+8)[26]

A smile tugs at Ilnesh's mouth as he sees the boy inside. "Seems I was right, there was a creature in the wall. He turns to the group, back to the presumable paladin-in-training."We keep him till he's useful, according to the room. I'm impressed by the preparation involved in getting him here. It can't be easy getting a Knight of the Alerion or his squire here.

[Jopustopin]

Jeyne

"What do you mean creature? Are you blind? He's one of us." Jeyne moves forward and crouches down in front of the boy, her holy symbol of Pelor hanging from her neck, "I'm Mary, what's your name?"

[Silver Night]

Seva

Seva grunts in agreement with Ilnesh, but keeps herself ready in case the boy is more than he appears.

[Ixe]

A seditious smirk slowly spreads across Ixe's face as he realizes what "Mary" is up to. He waits to see what result her masterful manipulation brings...

[Hypersmith]

Ilnesh raises an eyebrow briefly at what "Mary" is doing, but bows his head slightly waiting to see how the boy reacts. He moves back towards Seva and speaks under his breath. "The next room speaks of losing sympathy for the weak. In my opinion that is what the boy is for."

[Kish]

The boy looks dubiously after Ilnesh, but then he looks at Jeyne hopefully. "I'm...Timeon. Timeon of Balentyne. Who are all of you?"

[Jopustopin]

"As I've said, I'm Mary Matherine, 2nd lieutenant, and humble servant of Pelor. My disguised companions here were key to infiltrating this compound. They also believe you're a cultist pretending to be victim. I don't though, I believe you. But you need to be honest with me." Jeyne pauses for effect as if thinking hard, "Timeon how is it that you came to be here. Everyone else here have been devil worshipers. Speak truly, Pelor grants me the ability to perceive falsehoods."

[Cavir]

As the others begin to talk Vosnak moves up to see who they have found. He doesn't interrupt Jeyne as he studies the boy from afar. He wonders how long a ploy like that can last. Hopefully the squire will have useful information. Either way, resources were good to keep and the boy could be useful... somehow.

Spoiler: OOC

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Take 10 for Knowledge for a 15.

[Silver Night]

Seva

Seva offers a grunt, probably an affirmative one, to Ilnesh's information.

[Kish]

"I am a squire to Sir Balin of Karfeld," Timeon says eagerly. "We came here to investigate a rumor of worshipers of Hextor. A nobleman--or at least he looked like one--invited us inside, then he cast some kind of spell that locked the door and told a devil to bring us to his torture chamber. Sir Balin tried to hold them off while I ran...I don't know where he is now, but I heard them searching for me."

[Hypersmith]

Ilnesh sidles up to Vosnak as the squire speaks, speaking gently. "It seems Timothy here came from the path ahead. I'm sure the shadow-creature would have devoured him, or the traps killed him if he had come from the same direction as us. I'm sure we can use that to our advantage. If not that, the next room speaks of the weak deserving no sympathy' - either way, he can be of use."

[Jopustopin]

Jeyne

"Sir Balin of Karfeld is here?" She says incredulously before turning to the group, "We must press forward than and find him."

She extends her hand to help Timeon out of the hole, "I was struck by an undead creature that saps my strength. Can you to carry my bags and wield my heavy crossbow for me? Do you know anything else about this place that might help us out?"

[Cavir]

Vosnak nods at Ilnesh's observations and quietly responds so as not to be understood by those in the secret room. "Yes, the boy should know a bit more about down here. Should be useful, but if he is the only thing in this room then doesn't that makes him a planned event from Thorn? Is the boy really a squire or just dressed as one and we become the fools?"

The psion pauses a moment while Jeyne continues her deceit. He didn't catch the whole thing but his psicrystal Sarin quickly filled in the gaps. "Even if he really is the squire and Sir Balin is here, the gig is up once we come across the knight and he recognizes any of us. That would be a shame. Think of a grander scale- having the boy along long term could be very useful for his knowledge of places and people. Jeyne might be closing the lid of that possibility as we speak though." He stops talking to listen to the boy's response.

[Ixe]

Ixe furrows his brow and frowns as he ponders the situation. Finally he turns to confer with Seva, Ilnesh, and Vosnak, in a voice no more than a whisper.

Ixe: "It does not make sense that this lad came to be here simply by chance. His story makes no sense. If Sir Balin were indeed present here, we would expect chaos to erupt. Yet, we have only been down here a few hours. For this to occur right now, as we undertake this trial, would be quite the coincidence, no? Don't forget that I was upstairs but moments ago, fetching the two hapless slaves which we fed to the shadow. I heard no sign of such a battle transpiring. Also, it is implausible that this boy ran to hide and ended up here. I see no other exit from this room, other than the one leading to the room with the shadow. He could not have made it past the shadow alone. And if he somehow did enter this chamber through some secret passage, why would he pause to close it behind him? And if he were truly fleeing a creature of such menace, why would he head into the dungeon below? Would not some upstairs room offer a window, or something, through which there would be some hope of egress? And, enter a dead end corridor, then cower there, hoping that the Master of the dungeon will not find him? No, this Story cannot be other than a lie."

"Jeyne is clever, though, and brilliantly manipulative. I am certain these things must have occurred to her. Even if we do not believe the boy's story, it would be well to pretend that we do. I feel comfortable allowing her to handle this situation. And indeed, what else are we to do? Put him back in his chamber and seal the door?"

Ixe pauses for a moment, looking back towards the chamber they just left, then continues.

"There is something else that has been bothering me. The shadow referred to Cardinal Thorn as the "Dead Flesh One". What do you suppose it meant by that?"

[Kish]

"Of course, I can." He takes the bags eagerly. "I heard the nobleman talking to a woman, he said--What are they whispering about?" he asks Jeyne.

[Jopustopin]

Jeyne

Jeyne laughs cutely while touching his arm, "My ears are as good as yours. But we're deep in enemy territory and two of almost almost died fighting the undead so forgive us if we're on edge." Jeyne stands up and addressed the group as if she's in charge, "Sergeant, discussing our next step?"

[Hypersmith]

Ilnesh looks Ixe a moment, contemplating a reply before turning to and speaking to Jayne. His brief look conveys they can continue the conversation soon.
"As agreed I will continue to keep us safe from traps, but it is on your own head if the creature brings the rest of this cultist den down upon us." He casts a quick, impassionate glance to Timothy. "If the child is truly a squire, he will have nothing to fear."

With that, Ilnesh spins on his heel and steps into the hallway that lead into the room as he waits for the rest to prepare to continue. He stay just outside of sight of the boy, listening to the conversation with the hope the squire associates him with threat, and so speaks freely with the rest his companions.

[Ixe]

Ixe clasps his hands in front of his sternum, fingers outstretched, and favors Timeon with a formal bow, which seems oddly out of place, given the dank, dusty surroundings as well as the wizard's generally unkempt look. He then turns and follows Ilnesh down the hallway.

[Hypersmith]

As soon as Ixe joins him, Ilnesh hisses to him in a low whisper. "I do not doubt that the Cardinal could have planted the child, but no a matter the cause we must learn to use him." He jabs a long finger into Ixes chest. "Do not arouse his suspicion any more. The child will have no faith in me, but you are not a lost cause, so give him no reason to mistrust you. I will open the door to the next room so he does not see the text, you trust in Jeyne and meet me there with the rest."

If Ixe does not reply, Ilnesh will walk down the hallway to the next door, and wait for the rest there (T5). He will not open the door until they round the corner at (T14).

[Ixe]

Ixe frowns resentfully at being poked in the chest, but nods in agreement. As Nesh scouts the way forward, he returns to Jeyne and their new "party member", trying his best to appear reassuring.

Ixe: <to Jeyne> "Sergeant Kleinschwanzer is scouting the way ahead, Ma'am. We are ready to move forward at your command."

<turning to Timeon:> "Fret not, friend. We lower our voice to prevent our discovery. We believe that subtlety is our safest means to ensure our survival. This way, we can locate Sir Balin. He will surely inform us, as to what's going on, and advise us in how to proceed. With the Shining One's blessing, the good and decent folk of this land may yet prevail against these Blasphemers.

...which way did you say that you came to hide down here?"

(( Do I need to make Bluff or Diplomacy checks, or anything like that? ))