Cancer within - IC

[FearlessGnome]

It is quite dark in this corner of the tavern, but then, the place is the first even marginally shady place you have seen in the city. You look around you at the four other people sitting round the table, trying to figure out which one may have been the summoner. You will see them destroyed, of course, but for now... you will play along. If for no other reason than to find out how they knew about... that.

"Aaah, ladies, gentlemen... you have arrived." There is a fifth figure, sitting in the corner. Did he... sit there a moment ago?
Yes. Yes he did.
"You must all wonder why I have summoned you here, to this... pin point of shadow in a bastion of light... Ahah... "
The man is human, with a thin, rat coloured mustache. He twirls it.

[MikelaC1]

ALI'C'EA

The woman is a drow, and a rather beautiful one at that, with the silver hair and lavender eyes that are typical of her race. You dont see any weapons on her, but then female drow are rumoured to be among the worlds most potent spellcasters. Just what type of caster she is, isnt appearant right now.

My name is Ali'c'ea, and yes, I am interested in why you called me here.

[Artemis97]

There was another drow seated at the table. This one was male. Perhaps deliberately he had chosen a seat away from the drowess, and was presently resting his feet up on an empty chair. His hair was a pure white, growing straight past his shoulders. Eyes, red like glowing embers, scanned the room, watching for trouble, though his posture was relaxed. He was dressed all in black, even the fine chainmail he wore had been darkened, save for an enameled plate on the shoulder, depicting a spider sitting on a golden web in a field of sapphire blue, the symbol of his House, which he was now cut off from. A finely crafted rapier hung from a sheath on his belt. Opposite it was a hand-crossbow, tucked into a holster.

"I am Valeth Xar'Cha." He introduces himself. If he had been surprised by their host's sudden appearance, he did not show it. For a split second, his eyes flick over to Ali'c'ea, watching for a response. It was possible she knew his family's name. They had been a powerful presence in the Underdark. That was before the war that drove them back underground, but Valeth was certain they continued to prosper, despite such a setback, and so would he. "I heard you had a job for us?" the drow asks, turning his attention to their host completely.

[AmberVael]

Atara isn't surprised to find herself in a questionable bar with equally questionable company. After all, she'd never really been subtle about this particular persona of hers- practicing necromancy, serving a lich, taking on smoking crimson eyes and crawling black tattoos with corpse white flesh beneath... really, it was more a surprise that paladins weren't hunting her down in force. Maybe they would be, after she got through with whatever this was, and she'd have to put down the persona for good. Oh well, it happened. Then again, maybe she'd try and find out just how much infamy she could run up. If she were careful, she could pull it off.

For the moment, she simply pulled her hood of her white robe down a little lower, though it did nothing to conceal the gleam of her eyes and the red wisps trailing from them. Honestly, she was having trouble concentrating on this current affair- in general terms it would probably be a worthwhile investment, but the specifics, well. It probably wouldn't be business, politics, and parties. A bit of skullduggery did shake things up, but it wasn't exactly her first choice.

So she waits in silence, letting the others ask the questions for the moment, trying to get a feel for each of them as they speak.

[Thundercracker]

Katriel

The slight figure shifted beneath the hooded cloak. Her skin is fair, but the flowing outergarment obscures most everything else. When she speaks, her voice is barely above a whisper, fitting for the environment.

"We're all interested, I think, else we wouldn't be here. I can't speak for the others, but I'm also curious, why us?" she asked.

As the others removed their hoods, she hesitantly followed suit, revealing dark hair held back with a silver circlet, striking blue eyes, and clear, fair skin. Beautiful, by human standards.


detect magic, especially on the moustache twirling human who spoke first.

[Circle of Life]

Calder blinks slowly at the words passing around the table, as if their meaning eludes him, tipping his head slightly to one side in concentration. The gesture is slightly blurred by a thin, almost transparent sheen of oily slickness that covers every inch of exposed flesh that you can see, which admittedly is not much considering the heavy woolen cloak of heavily patched brown and greys long enough to drape to his toes. Beneath the surface of this slickness, his eyes are unfocused and glassy, and his mouth hangs ever so slightly ajar, just enough to show the faintest hint of teeth within.

Calder blinks again and makes a tiny waving motion with one hand, and the slickness around his face retracts with a rippling motion, like a stone dropped in the middle of a placid pond. Without the blurring sheen, you can see that his face is heavily pockmarked, the result of some long-ago disease of the skin.

"I am Calder. You know something I don't." Calder says simply, his voice a hoarse rasp. "I want to know what you know so you know that I know what you know." He laughs under his breath, eyes rolling up in his head in only partially-concealed mirth. Abruptly he stops, eyes focusing for the first time since he sat down, boring straight into the shadowy man's forehead. "Tell me. Now."

[FearlessGnome]

For a moment, the man's mouth opens in... confusion, as he looks at Calder. He catches himself, and tries his best to look over the group with a contemptuous air of confidence, but before long he steals another look at the pock marked man.

"Right... Yes... Why you...?"
He looks skeptically at Calder once more. "Why you indeed?"

He gets a grip of himself, and snaps his eyes over the rest of you once again. "My reasons are my own. I have the patronage of somebody vastly more powerful than even myself, and he..." He looks at Calder again. "He informed me of your presences here. Ah but you are a sorry bunch. However, we may have some use of you, and if you play it right, we may even be generous." He smirks, as though the notion amuses him. "You have all heard of the ruin they discovered, of course? The one in Owrentia? There is something there my master wishes me to fetch for him, but I... Can't be bothered. You will do, you little rascals. It will even be to your advantage, as there is really only one thing I want from that place. The rest of the trinkets and the gold and diamonds and such, you may keep for yourself. There, doesn't that sound generous?" You get the sense that he is trying to beam benevolently at you, but it comes out more like a toothy leer.

[Artemis97]

A frown crosses Valeth's face. He didn't like being insulted. Especially not by some filthy human. The drow had half a mind to kill the man where he stood. It wouldn't be hard. However, he did need the money, and this fellow's patron, if he were even a fraction as powerful as was claimed, could be a valuable ally. At the very least, he knew about Valeth, which the drow did not like. He needed to learn more, and that would take patience.

Besides, the deal sounded good. Too good, in fact. "What's the catch?"

[Thundercracker]

Katriel

"Indeed," she said, "I, for one, will definitely need more information before I risk my life digging for... something.”

The raven haired woman smiled at the thin man.

“What kind of dangers are there? How far are the ruins? Pray tell us more of your "master"... And also... how should I address you, sir…?” she asked, leaning forward slightly.


Diplomacy: [roll0]

[AmberVael]

"Now, that's no way to speak to someone you want to hire." Comes Atara's voice, smooth and gently reproving, sounding far kinder than her appearance would lead one to believe she is. "Why, speaking like that, I might start to wonder how honest you're really being." She adds in an off-handed manner.

"Please, give us the respect and weight you would like to receive, if only while you're answering the questions my peers have put forward." She says, gesturing to Valeth and Katriel.

Atara is going to aid Katriel's diplomacy check, so she needs to get at least a 10 on her roll to add +2 to Katriel's check.
Atara has +11 diplomacy, so it seems kinda doubtful that she'll fail. :smalltongue:
[roll0]

[FearlessGnome]

The man smiles arrogantly at Katriel. Apparently it pleased him to be addressed with what he perceived as respect. He twirls his mustache and grins. "Me... You may address as Voice of Shadow." His features take on what you can only assume is a dash of pride.

"My master... Well, I mustn't tell. But no no, don't worry, I'm sure he will reveal himself in due course," he smiles at Katriel, "you being such pleasant people and all."

He considers you all appraisingly for a moment. "There is no catch, as such. It is merely... inconvenient for me to retrieve the thing personally. My master had a base of operations in Owrentia, many years ago. That... pathetic creature Lightning Fingers and his gang of ruffians vandalized the place and thrashed one of my master's earlier plans. He was forced to flee, and thought everything in the fortress lost... But apparently those do-gooders missed one wing of the place in their pillaging. And that is the wing where he was keeping... " He smiles. "A certain object. It is quite close by, Owrentia. It was back in the days before Alliance was brought under the rulershp of those horrible magistrates." He conjures up a map with an unnecessary flourish, and points it out to you. "Just two days away, as you can see. Now, there should be enough rumours for more precise directions to be easy to come by, once you get close. The west wing has a room like a study. There is a pit trap in there, and at the bottom is a secret door. This door will take you to the treasury. You may help yourselves, there should be quite a lot of treasure there." He grins again. "Just remember... the stone sitting on the platform off on its own is ours. The rest you may take, but don't let that stone cast its shadow on any of you." His near constant smile takes on an ugly malevolent tone. "You wouldn't like what happened to you."

[Artemis97]

Valeth gives the "Voice of Shadow" an odd look. "Are you being metaphorical, or do you actually expect us to pick up something without touching its shadow?" To lift something, especially something heavy like a stone, you had to get under it, where the shadows were, and magical objects acted in odd ways. The drow makes a mental note to do some research on this Owrentia ruin, and its owner.

[Circle of Life]

" 'The Thief of Shadows,
who stole even the Light.
From the night he took moonbeams,
and from children, dreams.' "

Calder's lips twist in an unpleasant approximation of a smile as he repeats the old bit of childrens' rhyme. "How, indeed, are we to take a thing without brushing its shade? None here is the Thief of Shadows, unless I know less than I thought."

[Thundercracker]

Katriel

Katriel leans back in her seat, first glancing left, then right, then looks at the center of the table as she begins to speak.

"Without light, there are no shadows," she says softly, "surely we can find a way to cover the room in darkness until the stone can be placed in a container for transport."

She takes a thoughtful breath and raises her gaze to the ceiling.
"Likewise, a glowing stone casts no shadow," she says, chewing on her lower lip.

The young woman blinks a few times and looks the Voice straight in the eyes, leaning forwards once more.

"How large is the stone, and what is the prescribed method of transport?" she asks, "Is there anything else about this task we should know? Traps? Guardians?"

[FearlessGnome]

Voice of Shadow smiles. "Already you have such excellent ideas. Yes... You will do well I think. The stone cannot be made to shine, I fear, but bathing it in darkness should be enough... Barring any physical contact." He pauses. "It should be no larger than half a foot in any dimension... Transport should be easy enough."

"As to guardians... I do not know. There were certainly traps once, but the structure has been in disrepair for decades. Likely other adventurers have triggered anything that still worked, save the hidden door in the pit trap."

[AmberVael]

"I have certain magical talents." Offers Atara. I'm sure I can devise a solution to this puzzle." She says, dismissing the problem as nearly irrelevant.

"I do wonder, however... we're allowed to keep everything else we find, but otherwise, we will have no compensation?" The necromancer asks, her voice cool. "And the place has seen pillagers and adventurers for some time, apparently. It crosses my mind that there may unfortunately be less left to find than you would assume, if you are unsure on the details of what lies within, beyond your artifact. Naturally, I am sure you are intending to pay us well, but it does seem there is the possibility that we may return largely empty handed. In such a scenario, will you guarantee that we will have adequate reward?"

[Artemis97]

The drow shrugs off the problem of the stone. If stealing it in the dark was all it took, he was overqualified for the task. Traps might be an issue, but they only served to keep a job interesting.

Valeth listens to Atara, liking her line of thought, and decides to take it one step further. "And what is our incentive to go out there at all, if the odds are that we will find nothing but old, unstable traps and whatever beasts have taken up residence in the ruin? Do forgive me for being... difficult, but if I am hired for a task that risks my life, I like to be paid for it. Up front." The greedy drow tries to supress a wicked smile.


I'm assuming that request is definately going to need a diplomacy check.

[roll0]

[FearlessGnome]

"Please," the man says, "there is no attempt at trickery." "Your... incentive, beyond whatever else you may find in the treasury, is that success will afford you the good opinion of one of the most important men in the city. Now, for your... travel expenses, I'm happy to award you a small sum. Say, a thousand gold." He nonchalantly flicks a small pouch onto the table. It clunks like gems. "Beyond that, I'm afraid you really are going to have to trust my word that the treasury is as yet untouched. My master was kind enough to check for the stone's presence before he gave me your names. Anyone who reached the treasury would obviously remove the stone as well."

[AmberVael]

Low class idiot. Atara decides swiftly at his answer, before speaking again, acting somewhat affronted. "Please do not think so ill of me, sir. I never made such an accusation. Indeed, I voiced certainty in your intentions of paying us, did I not?"

"But of course, such stubbornness and dismissive rebukes of fair concerns- that does bring question into my mind." She adds in a quiet, more menacing tone. "Particularly when you have been so swift to treat us with contempt and condescension." Atara fixes her smoking eyes on the man. "I'm afraid I will have to insist on a guarantee of fair compensation, sir, else I will have to find another method of extracting it from you. Do I make myself clear?" Her voice is low, and she makes no movement, no threat of physical violence, but a tinge of focused magic and malevolence hangs in the air about her.

Intimidate! [roll0]

[FearlessGnome]

The man looks a little shaken. He looks away for a moment, and his hand moves over his chest pocket for an instant, before he laughs weakly and puts it down on the table again. "You... dare threaten me?" His arrogance recovers quickly. "My dear man, I said that the fruit of success would include my master's good will." He glares at Atara. "Do not think for a moment that you would enjoy my master's displeasure! As for rewards, I can promise you 10 000 gold each if there is nothing in the treasury," he laughs once, contemptuously, "but if you cannot bring me the stone, well... You had better not return at all, are we clear?"
The lights in the room flicker for an instant, the man sitting both still and silent, and then, with a final menacing glare, he is gone.

[Artemis97]

"And that is fine with me." Valeth says, mostly to himself, as he reaches for the pouch of gems, and presuming no one stops him, to check its contents.

"So," The drow speaks a bit louder, so his new allies might hear. "According to him, it will take two days to reach the ruins, then two days to return, plus however long it takes us to explore and clean out the place. I would estimate a week's worth of supplies, perhaps a bit longer, if we wish to be well prepared. We'll need a cart or pack animals as well, to bring back whatever we find, and feed for those animals." He frowns. If the value of the gems given was accurate, the payment would be used up quickly for supplies, and what was left over would be split up even further between them.

"That is, of course, assuming we've accepted his offer." Valeth says, looking up at the others. "Or more specifically, his master's. While this... Voice of Shadow was quite rude to us, I am interested in learning more about the Shadow's master. If he once controlled that ruin, Owrentia, he must have held much power and, perhaps, still does."

[Thundercracker]

Katriel

Katriel drums her fingers on the table a few times, the dark fabric of her gloves somewhat muffling the sound. She stops abruptly and begins thinking out loud.

"A thousand gold is more than enough to hire wagons, mules, and drivers for a fortnight," she says.

She smiles, almost to herself.

"The Voice's master once held Owrentia, but was forced to flee," she says, "There should be a record of who owned Owrentia before it was sacked, which could give us a clue as to who is hiring us to do his work for him."

"More importantly," she continues, "the Voice let slip his master is a powerful man in the city, which means that while he fled before, he has returned and is currently residing here... and could even be listening to us right now."

The thought gives Katriel pause, but then she blinks her eyes a few times and shakes her head, getting back on track.

"There is also Lightning Fingers," she says, "He should know whose fortress he sacked and why."

""Has anyone ever heard of him?" she asks, "It might be prudent to discover as much as possible about this stone and our unseen benefactor before departing... of course, it might also be better to make haste and not alert anyone else of our destination, in case others seek the stone."

Katriel takes a deep breath and sits back in her chair, folding her hands on the table in front of her, glancing around to see the others' thoughts and reactions.

[AmberVael]

"I think it would be prudent to leave this place and talk somewhere else." Atara interjects suddenly. "Rather than lingering where our 'mysterious benefactor' vanished."

She stands and heads towards the exit, pausing outside to wait for the others.

[Thundercracker]

Katriel

Katriel nods and glances about the room, checking for any magic or invisible objects she may have missed earlier, then pulls the hood of her cloak up, obscuring her face once more, and follows Atara to the street.

[Artemis97]

Valeth picks up the gem pouch and pockets it. He was tempted to simply disappear with it, but the risk was too high. A few of his new allies looked to be of a magical bent, and their new employer had already threatened to run them out of the city if they failed. Besides, he was looking at ten times this much if they succeeded in retrieving the stone. After a moment's thought, the drow follows the ladies out the door, pulling up his own hood, to hide the stark whiteness of his hair.

"Where would you have us speak, then?" Valeth asks Atara, once he was outside. "I would think it would be difficult to hide our words from a man who can make himself invisible at will. Unless you have ways of seeing such things? I, for one, believe our new employer expects us to do some investigation. He would be a fool not to. That, or he would think us fools. Which, despite the opinion of his representative, we are not." Valeth, at least, did not consider himself one.

[AmberVael]

"I do." Responds Atara, her crimson eyes flicking towards the drow. A grin bares her teeth at him. "Life burns like a torch, if you learn see it." She begins to walk, and gestures for the others to follow her.

"I have a thought." She explains quietly. "I agree that we should look into things." Atara places her hands behind her back. "Our contact has no interest in the object he spoke of. He is not paying us. He is acting as a medium."

"Why not cut him out entirely? Find out who he works for, and sell the stone to that person, if we choose to do so." Atara suggests.

[Artemis97]

An evil smile curls across the drow's lips. "I wouldn't mind cutting him out." It's clear Valeth means to take the cutting bit quite literally. "but first, we need to know who we're dealing with. I think that Lightning Fingers fellow is our best lead to get there. Work our way backwards from the present, if you will."

[Circle of Life]

Calder follows the others outside, the slimy sheen sliding across his face again before he reaches the door. In the outside air, the sheen fades away to true transparency, becoming all but invisible to everything but the most scrutinizing inspection. A ripping distortion forms over Calder's mouth as the others begin to plot and scheme, and he rasps out a question in a grating voice.

"Why wait? There is no need to do one before the other. Investigate if you wish, but send one with me to collect to collect our mounts. I would do it myself, but..." Calder presses his fingertips together, and a sharp hiss fills the air, noxious smoke rising in thin tendrils where his second skin writhes and roils. He moves his fingertips apart and giggles. "...Animals are not partial to me, I fear. Meet us at the southern gate at sunset, unless there are objections."

[Thundercracker]

Katriel

Katriel pauses, then steps around a puddle to join the rest of the group. She furtively glances up and down the street to be sure it is deserted before speaking in hushed tones.

"Hmm... If our unknown benefactor wanted to meet with us, he could have," she says, "if what the Voice told us is true, he's someone important in the city, which means he could stand to lose a lot if his reputation were sullied in some way."

Katriel smooths out the flowing cloak obscuring her form and lowers her voice further.

"I wouldn't mind narrowing down who he might be or what this stone is, but I, for one, won't go against his wishes and seek an audience or threaten his Voice at this point," she says.

The cloaked figure turns to Calder.

"I will accompany you to hire the wagons," she says, "I think two should suffice."

She begins to move away but turns back to the rest of the group before taking more than a few steps.

"Oh, it might also be a good idea to discreetly discover how much gold the priests of the city paid for the return of the last few items such as this," she says, "though I'm not sure how to go about doing that, it's something to consider."

Katriel turns takes a few steps, and if Valeth is not following her and Calder, she will turn and ask him if he's coming, as he is currently holding the advance funds.

[AmberVael]

"Our unknown benefactor never intended to hire us." Atara points out. "He told his man to accomplish this task, but his man decided he was too 'busy' to do the job, so he hired us."

"The only reason we have not met the man in charge is because we're subcontractors. And it seems to me he associates with shady types already... and that if we have what he wants, we'll be holding the advantage, and reason to win a bit of favor." She says, standing with Valeth.

[Artemis97]

"So we prove that fool incompetent." Valeth decides. "Lure him out with the promise of the stone. Strike him down, or perhaps, take him alive. Turn him back to his master as an example of his failure, and a further showing of our abilities and... what do they call it... good will and mercy?" The drow chuckles at the idea of twisting such pure ideals.

"Whatever we decide, I believe we need more information." He slips a hand into his pocket, reaching for the bag of gems. He slips a few of the gems out, before removing the pouch and offering it to Katriel. The drow was used to deferring to women, and something about Calder made him not want to get too close to the man, even if it was just a subconscious feeling. "Here are our funds. I took a small amount, because information will cost money. There should be plenty left for supplies, however. I know it will take time for me to learn what we need. Where shall we meet?"

[Thundercracker]

Katriel

Katriel pauses, considering her next words carefully, and moves to Valeth.

"No doubt we're better off with the item than without," she says quietly, lifting her head to meet first Atara's, then Valeth's gaze for just a moment, "so I think we should be on our way sooner rather than later."

Katriel turns to Valeth and and accepts the pouch.

"Meet by the southern gate at sunset, unless you think it will take longer?" she asks, "I'll see what I can do for the wagons."
After Valeth answers, Katriel turns and smiles at Calder briefly as she passes him, heading towards the trader's hub.

DC [roll0] sense motive check to catch Katriel's hidden message for Atara & Valeth (who don't need to roll).

We shouldn't discuss this until we're on our way.

[Artemis97]

"I should be able to complete my task by sunset." The drow agrees, nodding. "I will meet you there." He promises.

[AmberVael]

Atara frowns, but nods. In her opinion they might actually be safer discussing things here. Harder to overhear people in city streets, even if you were watching them from afar with magic. Still, if they cut off conversation here and continued at a later, undetermined date, that could help too.

"Where do you think we should start? Low society? High society? A library?" She asks Valeth.

[Artemis97]

"I have a few contacts within the lower rungs of this place." Valeth waves a hand at the city around them. "However, if the history of the ruins is documented... A map would be very useful, or perhaps an account of some adventurer who went there before? Certainly there will be hazards, and I, for one, would like to know where they are."

[FearlessGnome]

Sunset, and the party has reunited by the southern gate. Well, except for Ali'c'ea, who may have decided not to take orders from some shady blackmailer. Valeth, it would appear, has brought someone with her.

Layla, what shape are you usually in at the moment?

Transport has been arranged for, and the party will be traveling as they talk.

[Circle of Life]

"It seems the drow has pulled a vanishing act..." Calder muses, raspy as always. "You 'diposed' of her, then? Just as well; I did not trust her. Too quiet, even for one of her kind. Ah, but you seem to have exchanged one elf for another... a great pity, that." Calder shrugs and puts his eyes back on the road, dismissing the new arrival as simply as that.

[UncleWolf]

Slightly behind and to the left of Valeth is a tall Sun Elf. Her skin is flawless and gold-blond hair radiant in the sunlight. A pair of sparkling blue eyes and gentle smile seem to make her even more beautiful, but there's something unsettling in the way she looks at her surroundings, especially people. It seemed as if everything should be dissected apart, little better than a thing to be investigated. Her dress is simple but a vibrant fiery red.

"Hrm." She says before snorting in "amusement" at the people she sees in front of her. "So you're the ones then."

[Artemis97]

Valeth scowls at Calder. "I would ask that you do not insult a member of my House." The drow says in a warning tone, before her turns to the others, to introduce the woman beside him. "This is Layla, an ally of mine. I thought it would be useful for us to have someone on our side whom our... benefactor did not know about." The word benefactor was used loosely here. "Also, I honestly do not know what happened to that other drow." He adds. Valeth was not sure if they would believe him, but he had no reason to have them thinking he would stab them all in the back, given the chance. Of course, he probably would, but they didn't need to know that.

[AmberVael]

Atara frowns a little at the signs of conflict rising already. "I don't care if you all hate one another, but don't think we can afford actual fighting. There aren't many people like us in this place, so work together when it matters, or you'll end up dying on your own. That make sense?" She asks, her red eyes flicking over the group.

[Circle of Life]

Calder smiles, the grin splitting his face from ear to ear but never reaching his eyes, which remain as unfocused as ever. "Of course. How rude of me, my dear other-drow. Let us shake hands and make amends for hasty words." Calder proffers a hand to Valeth, slick with the oily coating of his second skin. "No need to be alarmed; I promise I don't bite."

[Artemis97]

"The lady is right." Valeth concedes. "Let us not bicker. We have a quest to embark on." The drow notes with a grin. When Calder offers his hand, however, he does not move to accept. He looks the man in the eyes, his smile widening. "Oh, but I do." He chuckles and walks towards the wagons, moving to climb up into one.

[Thundercracker]

Katriel

Katriel arrives at the wagons with a young human companion. He's strongly built, with a shock of brown hair and an ever-present shade of stubble on his face. Currently, he is outfitted in mithril breastplate and brown leggings and boots, and wears a short sword on his hip and a bow in a sleeve slung across his back. His stride is confident and sure-footed, in contrast to Katriel's measured steps. Katriel keeps the hood of her cloak pulled low over her face, obscuring her features.

"Greetings," she says, "this is my bodyguard, Letho. He insisted on not letting me undertake this trip without an escort, and I will allow him to come so long as everyone is agreeable. He has fair skill with a bow, and knowledge of both wilderness and dungeons."

Letho steps forward, holds his right fist over his chest and bows his head in a gesture of respect.
"Greetings my lords and ladies," he says, "In addition to everything Lady Katriel has said, I am willing to extend my service on this expedition to you as well, protecting you to the best of my ability, should any one or all of you desire it."

The human pauses, awaiting the response of the group.

[UncleWolf]

Layla looks at the others with a hint of "By Lloth, I have to travel with them?" to her face, but doesn't speak such words. She does turn to Atara with a slight smile though. "I think we'll get along fine." She says before moving to put her things in the wagon. She clearly ignores Calder and will take whatever means necessary to stay as far away from him as possible.

[Artemis97]

Valeth looks Letho over with a professional eye. The human seemed competent enough, and, though the drow would ever admit it, he didn't know a thing about the wilderness. "It couldn't hurt to have some extra muscle. Who knows what we're going to run into."

[AmberVael]

"Fighting is not my forte, but I am inclined to believe others might need your protection more." Says Atara to Letho. "Though I appreciate your offer."

"Now, we've a fair travel ahead of us. We should get underway." Longer, because these people would have to stop a third of the way through the day and go at a snail's pace to keep from wearing out their bodies, Atara reminds herself. Would be nice to be surrounded by an undead army again, where such concerns didn't matter at all.

She would smile pleasantly in return to Layla, but with the night and her hood as well as the state of her face at the moment, all she would be able to manage is a menacing grin. So, instead, she gives a nod of acknowledgment to her.

[FearlessGnome]

The party boards the hired wagons, and set off to the southeast. Two days follow with very little of interest except a chance to take measure of each other. Owrentia, you learn, is a small village. It used to be more important, but there is very little here now except a river and the old ruin an hour to the south. In the last week or so, there has been a lot of 'adventureres' gathering here, men and women too scared to travel to distant Avaska in the northwest, but still hungry for a little adventure and the prospect of fame and fortune. (Avaska is where the last strongholds of evil on the surface fell quite recently, and there is still a fair bit of mopping up/treasure hunting in ruins to do for Good adventurers. This is also where the Drow will have come to the surface, as all other entrances to the Underdark are sealed or blocked.)

It is late in the afternoon when the party arrives to the village, and while the local taverns are more crowded than usual, you are able to find a room for less gold than we will keep track of.

[Thundercracker]

Katriel

As the wagons approached the Katriel folds her wings neatly and dons her cloak again.

"We should probably see what the locals have to say about these ruins," she says, "some of them may have actually been there."

"Aye, and I wouldn't mind a drink or two," Letho remarks with a smirk.

[AmberVael]

Atara has been fairly talkative during the journey so far, and has preferred walking over riding. She carries no pack or supplies, but does not tire, willingly admitting that she was a human who had abandoned mortality for undeath.

"Life's a fragile thing." She'd said with a grin, to any who might want to listen to her. "I figured I might as well break it ahead of time."

A villain with great experience and power, she declared herself, having presided over a skeletal army before the fight went south. She's hopeful that she'll be able to build it up again, but doing so around all the paladins and priests would prove troublesome, which is why as of yet, she's traveling on her own. It's much easier to keep one person hidden and disguised than a troop.

She's quite willing to talk about her villainous exploits, and those with an ear for recent history will know that there is at least some truth to them... but Atara seems inclined to embellish and embroider, without making much effort to hide it. Still, it might be difficult to tell what is fantastic truth and what is a well told lie.

At the end of the day, however, her companions would have some idea of what to expect of her- Atara the Undying, practitioner of necromancy and darker arts. Of course, with that clever tongue of hers it is quite possible that she's left something unsaid, or wove a few more lies into her tale than might immediately meet the eye.

Now, with the village upon them and her companions more or less tiring, Atara still seems energetic and perhaps a bit impatient. "I can take a look around." She offers. "Can't imagine how many people will stay awake through the night, but if anyone is going to do it they'll probably be drunk and in a bar."

[Artemis97]

Valeth remained in the wagons for most of the trip. He felt more comfortable there, hidden amongst the supplies, and it gave him a chance ot rest. The drow slept during the day, generally, and kept careful watch at night. He made little effort to start conversation, but if spoken to he would speak of his past, though one could never know what was true. What was clear is that he is proud of his House and its achievements, despite what he considered to be just a recent set back.

Once they were enar the village, he was careful to keep his hood up. Back in the city, he could always blend in with a crowd, btu here his heritage would be much more obvious, and that much more unwelcome.

"I'll stay with the wagons." He offers. "At least until nightfall."

[UncleWolf]

Layla will stay with Valeth for the most part during the trip, still seeming to be a Sun Elf the entire time. She doesn't admit to much and instead listens to what the others say. She clutches a thick tome as she travels, and what little she does say is somewhat informative. Overall, she admits to being a priestess "of sorts". Other than that, it might be noticed that her form shifts ever so slightly every few hours. A slightly different shade of skin or hair sometimes, or even a different height and weight, The changes are never drastic and probably subtle enough that someone would have to be watching her closely in order to realize what's going on.

When they arrive, she gives the village a snort of disdain. "Quaint." Layla says with a slight sneer. "Oh well, better than nothing. I could drag out a drunkard if that's what we need."

[FearlessGnome]

Visiting a tavern, you are quickly able to get directions to the ruins. Its location was never secret, but it is only recently that anyone realized that there was still a wing of it that had not been properly searched. In the last few days it has been looked over by many, many adventurers, but most of them have been... inept, to say the least, and as late as a few hours ago one man came back with a big grin on his face and clutching a small statue made of gold and opals, leading you to think that there are still areas that have not been properly searched in the place, if such a valuable thing was overlooked until now.

It is early evening. The tavern still has a few rooms, though most are full, since few honest adventurers would go treasure hunting at such a late hour.

[Thundercracker]

Katriel

With the wagon drivers off tending to the mules and materials, Katriel speaks her mind, just loud enough to be heard by the small group.

"We should head to the ruins tonight; we should be able to get there by sundown, before any of these other 'adventurers' manage to find what we're looking for," Katriel says.

"I would suggest asking that bufoon with the statue about the ruins, except that would probably only raise more questions than answer," she continues.

The half-human chews her lower lip in thought.

"Though, we might ask him to come with us, if only to see what happens if the shadow falls on him," she adds with a predatory smirk.

[Artemis97]

A wicked smile spreads across Valeth's face. "That is an amusing thought, to be sure. And I have no objections to traveling at night. I believe we may have an advantage there." The drow, at least, did.

[FearlessGnome]

The man with the statue is in fact easy to find; he is in one of the taverns. He is entertaining the crowd with stories of his exploits, and they in turn are expressing their admiration of his keen intellect. He is buying them food and drink.

There may be a connection there.

You can see him holding the statue. A single opal has been pried loose, and is presumably the reason the place is so crowded tonight.

The whole thing is about as large as an open hand, and depicts a predatory bird of some sort, wings outstretched.

Just listening to him for a few minutes tells you that he found the thing on a shelf in a study of some sort.

[AmberVael]

"As amusing as that might be, I would caution against it." Atara remarks to the other two quietly. "As we don't know what occurs, we also don't know whether it might have negative repercussions on us, given our very limited knowledge on the subject."

[Thundercracker]

Katriel

Katriel nods.

"Agreed, and with all the people at this tavern, we won't be able to get him to come with us without everyone knowing. Should some misfortune befall him, questions would surely be asked," she says.

Katriel closes her eyes for a brief moment, shaping a small trickle of the eldritch torrent running through her to allow her to detect magical items and auras. Ignoring the glowing equipment of her companions, she focuses on the rest of the room, making note of any individual with more than one magic item, and checking the newly discovered statue as well, for good measure. She then conveys this information to the rest of the party.

[FearlessGnome]

Except for the party, only one or two of the people gathered here light up as carrying anything magic, and nothing that glows stronger than a faint aura (The people who are in the room getting drunk, at least, have amassed no great wealth in any journeys they may have undertaken.) The statue, while valuable looking, is not detecting as magical. Presumably it was only decoration.

[UncleWolf]

"I'll second the proposal to travel at night to the ruins. There'll be fewer interlopers and less of those who might ask questions. We also have remember that there are likely those inhibited than we, aiming to steal what we find." Layla whispers to the others as she looks around. "Of course, we could always attempt something similar." She says with a slight smirk.

[AmberVael]

"I've no problem with getting started." Atara says with a toothy grin. "Not like I've got any reason to wait, after all. Any time is the same to me."

[FearlessGnome]

The party decides that a night time visit will give them a chance to find the secret treasury without arousing the interest of other adventurers.

It is a cold night for early summer when the party sets out, with few clouds to block the light of the stars and the moon.

Does anyone need to pray for spells at midnight? Because if so, you have to decide at what point during the evening/night you go.

The party follows a road leading south from the village for about half an hour, and turn left onto a little offshoot that has seen little use over the last few decades.

The old fortified mansion of the Dark Lord of Owrentia has seen better days. The walls are worn, the roof looks unsteady in parts, and weeds have strangled the presumably once beautiful Garden of Black Roses.

A majestic gate made of ironwood stands ajar. Inside is a large entrance hall. Almost as large is a timeworn staircase. It must be at least 40 feet to the top.
There are 5 large oak doors leading from this room. One downstairs to the east, one upstairs to the east, one upstairs to the north, one upstairs to the west, and one downstairs to the west.

The study with the pit, you remember, is supposed to be in the west wing somewhere.

[Artemis97]

Thanks to his heritage, Valeth has no trouble seeing the way on this starless night. In the entryhall, he starts to make his way towards the west door on the ground floor. It didn't make sense to him to put a pit upstairs. He isn't particularly cautious, presuming this part of the ruin, at least, had been cleared by adventurers who had come before.

He says nothing to the others, assuming they will understand his logic and follow. When on a serious mission, the drow had been trained to remain silent and to expect each individual to uphold their own responsibilities. Such training took over here.

[FearlessGnome]

The first door opens. Nothing bad happens.

Beyond it lies a corridor. There are doors on both sides. Dozens of them. Some are open, some not. A very cursory search show that none of them are locked, and that the rooms inside have been enthusiastically searched. Along the corridor, two sets of stairs lead up, and one set of stairs leads down.

None of the rooms really strikes you as a study.

[AmberVael]

With the others around her shining like bonfires, and her own undead nature allowing her quite adequate sight in the remaining darkness, Atara easily follows after Valeth. In such conditions, any living enemies would be similarly easy to spot- but of course, how many living foes would remain in such a ruin? Not many...

Atara's area of expertise is in necromantic magic and diplomacy, neither of which seem hugely useful at the current moment. As such, she simply waits for those more adept at things like searching and casing a location to point in the appropriate direction, following their lead.

[UncleWolf]

Layla keeps her light crossbow cradled in her arms as she searches the place, but when she sees the staircases, she smiles. "Down. It's our best bet."

[FearlessGnome]

Layla approaches the door to the stairs down to the basement. The first thing she notices is that no walls line the stairs. The second is that there are no railings. The third is that it is about a 40 feet drop for anyone who falls off the stairs.

[Thundercracker]

Katriel

Katriel, her cloak now folded and stowed, flits up into the air, sharing a glance with Letho. The noble touches her bodyguard on the shoulder, and he vanishes, although Katriel remains at the top of the stairs. If anyone peers over the edge, both Katriel and Letho appear on the lower level. For a moment, there are two Katriels, then the one at the top of the steps vanishes, while the one at the bottom flies back up to the top.

"If anyone else wishes to avoid the steps, I can take two down at a time," she says.

Meanwhile, at the lower level, Letho begins searching the room for traps and hidden doors.


Please assume Katriel is constantly detecting magic within the ruins.

Flee the Scene is a warlock invocation that acts as a short range dimension door that leaves behind a major image of the warlock for a round after it's used. At level 6, the range is 40' (25 + 5 every 2 levels).

letho's search rolls:
[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]
[roll4]

[Artemis97]

"I can manage on my own, thank you." With a wry grin, the drow steps off the landing, but does not succumb to the pull of gravity. Instead, he floats down at a controlled rate. Once at the bottom, he'll help explore the room.

[FearlessGnome]

"I can manage on my own, thank you." Valeth squints suspiciously at the steps of the stairs. Having searched for any obvious traps, he puts a few toes down on the first step. Nothing happens. He puts a few toes down on the second step, nothing happens. He puts a foot down on the third step - and the foot sinks through as though it was made of air. Instead the foot lands on slick stone, covered in an oil like slippery substance. He almost slips and tumbles down the stairs, but keen senses sharpened by training and experience allow him to recover his balance.

Then, with a wry grin, the drow steps off the stairs entirely, but does not succumb to the pull of gravity. Instead, he floats down at a controlled rate.


Detect magic users:
Two Moderate auras of magic radiate from the stairs. The schools are Illusion and Conjuration.
The basement is large. Really large. Ahead of the stairs is nothing but a flat wall, 50 feet from one corner to the other. The walls to the side lead back behind the stairs, where there are several pillars - except that they vary between 2 and 10 feet in diameter.

Detect magic users:
Moderate auras stretching like screens between most of the pillars. Some screens are Illusion, some are Conjuration, and some are layered with both.

[UncleWolf]

At the top of the stairs, Layla smirks as the others make their way down. With a chuckle, her skin bubbles away as she shifts to her natural form. She's of average height with pale gold skin and deep red eyes. She has a pair of small nubby horns on her forehead and due to her lack of hair, seems to have a slightly elongated skull. Her wings are blood red and leathery, matching the long and slender tail that she has at the base of her spine. It lacks a true tip, leaving it for little more than guidance while flying and balance when walking. She's wrapped in an ornate shirt of pale chainmail and carries throws back her cloak to allow her wings to spread, letting her drift down the stairway to join the others.

[Thundercracker]

Katriel

After transporting anyone who wishes it, Katriel informs the rest of the group of the conjuration & illusion magic between the pillars behind the stairs.

"Does anyone have any way of ascertaining exactly what this magic might do?" she asks.

The woman chews her lip in thought, then, with the barest of effort, flits up to the top of the pillar room, looking for a section which is not affected by the magic.

[Artemis97]

"Illusions tend to hide things, right?" Valeth observes, entirely unhelpfully. "And conjurations... conjure things..." The drow chuckles, kniwng he'd made himself look foolish. "Yeah, I have no idea." He shrugs.