As You Command IC

[Darius Vibrtrar]

Sharkan nods at Cyphers recount.

"Their arcanists are below our level of magic, thier golems are likely left over from the makings of elves or craftsmen of greater talents that are not among their ranks. They can be bought and reasoned with if they believe their lives are forfeit. These elves value their lives over their principles. Their fighters are.... equivalent to my own prowess, which should be an insult."

Sharkan continues to preen and make adjustments to his appearance.

[Waistcoatwill]

Cypher

The spymaster initially nods agreement with Sharkan's assessment, careful not to roll his eyes at the were-beast's preening whilst they are in mixed company. Self-deprecation, however, was something he could not let stand in the presence of new allies.

Sharkan's prowess clearly proved superior to the elven fighters we encountered, as demonstrated by our success. I would add, Lord Protector, that we are unlikely to have encountered their most proficient arcanists or warrior's at this juncture.

[JbeJ275]

Cypher

As far as you can tell, the room only has one exist, leading back into a long this room that connects to a large number of other junctions. The room seems to be protected against divination primarily by a natural high occurrence of lead ore in the surrounding stone, that through work and magic has been refined to give the entire chamber the equivalent of a thin sheet of lead to block divinations in addition to the amount of stone, with the lead crystals seemingly having been grown artificially to have the leaden effect spread through the air itself, functioning as nodes in an anti-divination net.

All

After some further discussion another figure emerges from the tunnel. It's an aged looking woman, skin startlingly pale and with a withered left arm. She's clearly a different woman to the one Maiabel spoke with earlier, but wears a pendant with the same symbol around her neck. Slowly she walks up to you, and you see milky white unfocused eyes. Yet her blindness doesn't seem to stop her moving around in the dim light. She waits a moment to let you stop talking, then steps up.

"Hello, I hope you've found our space here sufficient, we're not in the habit of hosting kings and courtiers. Ask if you need anything further, and we will provide. We hold little of real value, in fact the only thing here with real value is information, and I come to see it traded openly and honestly. We have a ritual for this, and if you'll allow me I'll ensure all here speak the truth, then we will trade, a truth for a truth. Are you willing to make such a bargain?"

[MrAbdiel]

Lamorak's eyes scrutinize the arrival; suspicion rising in them sufficient to match their present, somewhat desperate scenario. But what the unseeing-seer asks for is not something outrageous - Lamorak had no plan to deceive them. Presuming is magically gifted confidants were capable of determining if the ritual to be cast were somehow untoward, he gives a speculative nod.

"The facilities are sufficient, given the nature of your people's hunted existence. I have not come this way and risked this much to enact some fragile lie, easilly penetrated. This is acceptable. Array your casting, and we will speak within your established terms."

[JbeJ275]

Nodding her approval she walks into the centre of the room and briefly vocalises, the lights all flashing off and then on as she produces a ten foot circle of soft blue light, you can feel it attempting to enforce the truth on you, but can resist if you so choose to.

When it's settled, she turns to face the four of you and says.

"I shall speak first then, and answer questions in turn. For what purpose have you come to this city?"

[MrAbdiel]

Lamorak folds his hands mildly infront of himself; looking about as meek and restrained as he ever has... which isn't saying much.

"I am establishing an island city-state for my government-in-exile. Initially it will serve both as a military redoubt, but even after the reconquest of my rightful thronelands, it will be a bastion upon the sea. I am seeking immigrants who are willing to take opportunity and turn it into a life for themselves in a new place, full of potential. Specifically, my advisors suggested this city because we are in particularly need of one or more specialists in the alchemical arts."

There's more to it, now; since they've arrived, the idea that they might start shearing off large numbers of slaves to emancipate them into glorious serfdom under his own rule is rising. But that's not the answer to her question; so he does not burden his answer with extra information.

"Now, then, I shall ask: what is the nature of your operation here? Is this an effort to protect the slaves from the worst excesses of the elven dynasties, or is there some fledgeling hope of starting a true rebellion here?"

[JbeJ275]

"Heh, not a revolution. Only a few have ever seen the wonders and horrors in the upper city and survived, but if they were to release them all they could turn the lower city to ash in a moment. But some of us have made plans for more than hiding, plans to launch an exodus of most every human in this nation and leave the elves behind us to starve in their palaces. It's a slow hope though, and for now we are limited to hiding the innocent, and occasionally weakening the elves or helping one or two slip away beyond the city."

It's clear that she's aware the answer is appealing to you, and may have deliberately shaped it to be so, but equally obvious that no word of it is a lie. She smiles in her response then takes a long beat as she shapes her next question.

"At this time, by what route or method do you mean to exit the city?"

[MrAbdiel]

He crooks a bow and glances briefly to his comrades; though he doesn't need to voice his obvious first thought. A wealth of grateful escapees is exactly what they need - but having the entire slave population of a city vanish and reappear at their scrappy little holdout seems like a good way to immediately draw elven warships to their shores - though perhaps the bickering of the elven houses will prevent such extension.

"Leaving the city is simple enough; on foot, or with magic to fly, as long as we take efforts to conceal ourselves. But the spirit of your question is beyond that - we have a ship presently beyond the shore a few miles down the coast from here. That is our means of escaping this realm more totally than just the city's bounds."

Before conjuring a new question of his own, he looks to his companions again - obviously soliciting suggestions from their trusted minds.

[Waistcoatwill]

Cypher

The spymaster leans in close to Lamorak, bowing his head respectfully.

As your spymaster, Lord Protector, I would counsel you to enquire about their own methods for smuggling people and information out of the city. I am also interested in the nature of any intelligence assets they have embedded within the elven infrastructure.

He pauses briefly, if choosing his words carefully.

Should you wish, we could ask for assistance in emancipating the alchemist you encountered in the Pit. Our previous method of ingress is likely to be substantially more risky at this juncture.

Having said his piece, Cypher steps back respectfully.

[MrAbdiel]

Lamorak takes this under advisement, naturally.

"Tell me - is this operation entirely run by human slaves and escapees, or do you have embedded assets within the elven heirarchy? Sympathizers?"

[JbeJ275]

"Hmm.. no not as of such. There is the feeling that many of the high elves of the upper city know of our presence, and being more concerned with politics than anything else may act to enable us. Leaking information to let us escape or attack their rivals. We have no contacts there though. We do have a number of half elves as well, frequently from mothers that were victims of the child's father. But half elves in the upper city are conscripted as enforcers or military agents to keep them clear of any chance to gain power in the city, so while they help move the rescued from this city they do not operate within its walls. They elves raised in the inner city are kept far away from humans until their hearts have irreparably hardened."

"You said you saw the pit itself? Did you get a full accounting of the prisoners there? How many are contained within?"

[MrAbdiel]

"I did."

This answer seems to suffice for the first question; and he lets it hang in the air for a moment until it seems he might, obnoxiously, act inflexibly on the letter of their agreement and refuse to offer answers to the second and third questions. But he elects to be generous enough, with his answer that is ultimately forthcoming.

"I did not examine the place thoroughly, though I spoke to several long-term prisoners there who had taken on a kind of shepherd role between them, I think. Some names were mentioned, though I did not give them mine nor ask much, for fear of spies in the prison. Davor. Old Sagan. A lad named Nichi, whom I intend still to see extricated at a minimum. My arrival made a total if sixty eight occupants. Tell me, then - why so much interest, in that prison? Does it contain a wealth of your co-conspirators?"

[JbeJ275]

"I am afraid that question is one I cannot answer. Whenever a cell us uprooted it often remains a mystery to us whether the people there were sent to the pit, die where they stand or to one of the labratories. We have long suspected some for each, and there are many who were key figures among our movement that we still do not know the fate of. Sixty eight still in this world is more than we feared, as he accounting they use to decide who should live and who should die is inscrutable. Yet you said you mean to extradict those imprissoned there. How do you mean to mke good on this promise?"

[Waistcoatwill]

Cypher

The soymaster leans in close to his Lord to whisper on his ear.

Lord Protector, more subtle options for extraction involve the use of tunnelling or teleportation. These depend on how close we can get to The Pit unobserved and ideally underground. I believe we can retrieve at most two prisoners via teleportation. The whole prison could be emptied via tunnelling, but this would expose the rebels tunnel network when inevitably discovered.

[MrAbdiel]

The Lord Protector listens, first to the interlocuter, then to his spymaster. Fortunately, this answer is easy to give.

"I have not decided. Though I am now partial to the thought of smashing in the front door and killing every golem and elf in that place, the priority is extracting the valuable prisoners. Elves, and golems, live long lives; vengeance against them will preserve well."

Cypher's words do create visions of options, however.

"Do you have tunnels that get anywhere near the prison? Perhaps, that might be collapsed if we burst in from beneath and extract those within?"

[JbeJ275]

"We have tunnels that we believe are within 250ft on the pit, but it sits under the elven city, and so none draw any closer than that. It should also be said, that the pit itself is carved of what we once called Lock-Rock. It inhibits teleportation, without preventing other magic and the rock itself would be too heavy to tunnel through without a great amount of blasting power. Something that's likely to attract attention from above, and probably trigger the purge enchantments they've woven in."

"I will let you think of the mechanisms on your own, and instead concern myself with the fate of the extracted. If your mission here is successful, and you escape with your colonists or alchemists. If they put in service for you, and work on your island, then find a desire leading them elsewhere. Would they be bound by your laws to your islands afterwards? Or would they become truly free men?"

[MrAbdiel]

The technical limitations of the plan are troubling; but those are for Cypher to worry about. It's the seer's follow up question, about exactly how free his citizens would be, that catches him off guard. His expression darkens some. In truth, he did not fancy the idea that his acquired citizens would be departing with their skills to new vistas at all. But he could hardly try to form a new nation as a haven for the afflicted if he would be caught now, in this truth spell, revealing the portcullis waiting to fall behind them. So his delay, before speaking, is somewhat telling.

But did he intend to hunt down serfs who fled his lands? Not... under most circumstances. Was his desire to offer good cirumstance and comfort to specialists nothing more than a comfortable set of shackles? ...Only in the most reductive light. Such things required careful phraseology.

"...I do not intend to be as onerous a ruler as these elves, who uses death and compulsion to extract labor from their chattel; but I am not such an idealist to think it is possible to run a kingdom of on a presumption of no authority at all. All kingdoms that wish to survive, in desperate times, will press their occupants for more service, and consider flight to be a kind of treachery. And a man who works on the interiors of my castle, having come to know its ways in and out and weaknesses and strengths, can hardly be easilly permitted to wander off into the grip of someone who means my people and my land harm. If you are asking are there any circumstances under which I might use power over such rescued peoples, such that they feel they have exchanged one harsh taskmaster for another... I cannot say there are no such circumstances possible. If you are asking would such direct and forceful lordship be the rule under which I operate, rather than the exception, then the answer is no. A freeman, having come to my island and drew in fish for the market and then chooses to try his fortunes on some other horizon... this man I will not harass. To do so would only invite..." He gestures loosely around the darkness in which they stand. "...Opposition from within."

[Waistcoatwill]

Cypher

Dark eyes scan this "Maiden", seeking to unearth microexpressions that would give away her disposition to their plans.

Cypher then assumes an expectant demeaner but pauses for permission to speak from the Lord Commander before aksing a question of his own.

I am Cypher, spymaster to Lord Protector Lamorak. If I may be so bold, I will ask an unseemly question on his Lordship's behalf.

The elves here demonstrate pervasive skill in the arcane arts and extensive access to magical devices. What magical resources does your movement have that you would be willing to trade with the Lord Protector's domain at present or in response to continuing mutual cooperation?

Spoiler: OOC

Show

Sense motive, using 1IP for Cunning Insight. Assuming we're in a new encounter that's 4/5 remaining.
(1d20+18)[26]

[JbeJ275]

Cypher is able to read the Maiden's minute glances and find an answer in them. This is less than she hoped for, and there is a certain movement to raise her guard again, for a few moments she weighs something, likely the value in risking her people's lives for Lamorak's stated conditions, and the words of advice she must dispense to any of her own intended to leave with you. However you can see that after a few long moments she relinquishes her guard again, and finds the bargain to be worth taking even if it's not the chance for straightforward freedom she may have hoped for. Nonetheless, she collects herself in short order before answering the next question.

"Well, that we have many forms of. Me and my sisters have some ability to call on the remembered gods and draw on their magic, further there are our prizes from the elves themselves, we have many of our number in the arcforges, and though the elves retain the greatest enchantments in the high cities we can weave any first, second and third order enchantments with our own members skills with the right resources for bribes and funding the movement ourselves. We can siphon off a great variety of potions, and supply them to you if the correct price is paid and have some scattering of hidden spellbooks or stolen scrolls we could potentially part with. Those are an irregular collection, and many of the most powerful are kept closely but we could allow you to copy from them for a modest donation. Other resources may pass through our hands, wondrous items and the like, but they are irregular in supply and I'd have to send word to other cells for a correct inventory. We may be able to accept payments in service or silver though.


And so spymaster as you asked so must you answer, in truth with your vastly greater insight into the operations of your lord than any people of mine. You have your own ties bringing you into your lords surface, would you recommend with honest heart than an innocent man, free of obligation and with the same desires of home, health and happiness as any other would be served well by entering service to the lord protector?"

[Waistcoatwill]

Cypher

As a former libraria n the promise of hidden and safeguarded knowledge fires his interest. He nods thanks to the Maiden's detailed response.

I am personally interested in copying spells, and am hopefully that we can mutually benefit each other with sharing of knowledge and expertise.

He pauses for a moment, considering her question.

My home and happiness were stolen by the ignorant and foolish, imposing their own religious and philosophical this word drips with scorn dodgma upon their populace. The Lord Protector is no such fool or fanatic. Any who are willing to serve and contribute are accepted.

I have found purpose in His service, where once I had just despair. We are building something great. There is yet much hard work to be done and little time for luxury or leisure. But for those that add the strength of their back,
sweat from their brow, and skill to our own will have our protection. My hard work, ingenuity, and loyalty have been aknowledged and rewarded and I would expect similar for those that join us.

The world is harsh and nothing can be guaranteed except that the Lord Protector will be true to his word. However,
I believe that those who work hard and stay loyal will have sanctuary and the opportunity to build literal and metaphysical home. I cannot speak directly to happiness, it is no longer in my nature, but imagine that with just treatment, oppprtunitu for advancement, shared purpose, and camaraderie that it will be more possible in service to the Lord Protector than in service to the elves of this realm.

[MrAbdiel]

Lamorak is somewhat moved by Cypher's vote of confidence. In truth, the Lord Protector knows Cypher's attachment to his cause is the most pragmatic and least fanatical of his inner court. Either Maiabel or Sharkan could have given a full throated endorsement of his right rule without fear of infringing the truth spell. But Cypher manages it, and not with cringing half truths, but with a genuine sense of attachment to work, and reward. His face is too impassive to show the mild surprise at the Spymaster's totality of encouragement, but it's there. Lamorak adds:

"Here - permit this, if you fear some trick or treachery, Maiden. Any of your folk who come to my realm, who announce themselves upon arrival, may take a season of time before I will count on their full loyalty. They may ask the existing citizenry their experience; they may work and live as normal. If, come season's end, they determine they cannot profess loyalty to my cause and country, they are free to find their way elsewhere. If not, their season will be counted fully towards their efforts to attain full citizenship. Perhaps we will devote a small portion of the island to a kind of... waystation, for former slaves. They might use it to chart their escape into the world one way or the other - though I shall expect many will find the opportunity immediately before them as welcoming as the Spymaster has described it."

[JbeJ275]

”Very well, if you will swear such accommodations open to my people then we are of an accord. I know what I need to know such that I can tell my people if their onward journey. I will answer any questions more you have, and offer you any advice you would take from me for the operations you have in this city. I need no further questions of my own.”

[Waistcoatwill]

Cypher

Once again waiting for approval before stepping forward to speak, Cypher addresses the Maiden.

I am sure you will provide an escort to your tunnels closest to The Pit, but any maps of the tunnels in that region and the city above would be helpful in calculating the exact position relative to the tunnels.

[JbeJ275]

"This can be managed, I have named the difference already. For what it's worth, in the unlikely event they manage to find this place before morning and you have cause to move through the tunnels look for flecks of stone dyed blue. The elves navigating this place in darkness know not their colour, while ghulhounds don't see that colour different from a brown and so are often prey to even simple traps once their divinations run dry, but it's a key sign to any with a source of light. I will send for Maldin with the maps at once, and what we ave recorded of the pit."

With that she steps out the room, giving you a brief chance to talk to each other before you return.

[Waistcoatwill]

Cypher

Given some privacy, Cypher huddles in close to the others.

Lord Protector, I believe I have a way to penetrate the Lock-Rock, if it pleases you. I have read of a variety of elemental worm that can melt tunnels through stone. I am not sure if they will understand common. He turns to the servant. Maiabel, I won't be able to summon the creature and cast tongues concurrently, please lend me some assistance.

If the boring of the worm doesn't alert the elves, I would take two days to make a larger tunnel. A more emergent evacuation could be possible, but the tunnel will be a tight squeeze and liable to remain hot for some time. Any methods to cool the stone would be beneficial.

[MrAbdiel]

"I do not think our egress is so urgent as to not permit this short delay - our only timer is how swiftly, if at all, the elves will track us. And if their capacity to find these tunnels was strong, they certainly would have found them already. Furthermore, if they are scrying, they are scrying to me - and the crown has a masking feature which will render me unseen to scrying eyes. If your collaborative effort to use this worm succeeds... I see many future applications of the same activity."

[Waistcoatwill]

Cypher

I am sure you are correct, Lord Protector. Once we have breeched the Pit, however, there is a far greater chance that they will detect out gambit and take action to intervene. There is a chance that your alchemist will have to crawl through a narrow tunnel of blisteringly hot rock. Not to mention the other prisoners who could also swell our population.

A method of dragging or pushing one or two prisoners through a tunnel at speed may lessen the damage done by the tunnel walls, but we should be prepared to provide some healing. If that extends to the whole population of the Pit then I am concerned that we will be overstretched.

We could ask for help from the Maiden and her sisters in providing healing or even magics to cool the rock instead? The loss of face may be less than if the prisoners are immolated whilst trying to escape.

[Darius Vibrtrar]

"My Lorrrrd"

Sharkan purrs as he speaks to their master.

"I believe I would be best put to use securing the pit against any guards that may try to enter to stop escape, based on what we faced today, I should be able to hold them off long enough for everyone to escape through the tunnel."

[MrAbdiel]

"You are correct, Sharkan; you and Maiabel both are best leveraged directly against the enemy forces that will rise to oppose us; though if Cypher's scheme can profit from your sorcery, I expect it supplied." The Lord Protector grimaces a little. "These tight confines are not my theatre of war of preference. When we are jousting pegusus in the sky, my lance is my weapon; here, in these deep and tight locales, it is this court of three, slaying in my name. If we succeed here, then on the day we impose my rule over these wretched elves, we will have them build a monument to each of your valor."

[JbeJ275]

As Lamorak finishes you hear the distant footsteps of the Maiden returning, and another set you quickly realise is Maldin accompanying her. Maldin is brining an armful of scrolled paper documents and maps with him, alongside a large oil lantern to let you read clearly. He rolls out one of these scrolls and weighs it out in front of you as the Maiden begins to speak.

"This point here." She says. "Is the very closest we pass to the pit, it is reckoned to be 212ft away from the surface of the Lockrocks, though we don't know how thick that is. As for the pits other defences, when breached there are parts of the pit keyed to release an arcane mixture of choking gas should a large breach occur, but to our best estimations it will take time to fill the pit. If the occupants know to be ready in advance they may evacuate out before the gas claims them, but it gives little time for organisation. The other risk is the constructs of chain that rest eternally above the pit. We believe they are programmed carefully enough to move to block a whole that forms at the bottom of the pit while reinforcements are sent, if we want to get them through without being cut to pieces by chains or choked out on the gas we'll need you to either defeat the golems, disable them for the minute any such evacuation would take or engage them in combat before they reach the breaching place."


"The next great concern comes at evacuation, these tunnels are mysterious enough to the elves that only performative efforts are made to breach them, but this would change that. After that an exodus of all civilians from these tunnels would need to occur, leaving only my sisters and those trained to defend the tunnels. But the manacles they wear in the pit contain trackers, and will take some time to remove so fleeing before the elves are ready is hardly an option, nor is trying their patience out below the surface. Instead we have one way out we know of, a path too isolated to be quickly reinforced or closely monitored, but with two unique and powerful golems guarding it, the alchemical works disposal lines. Beware though, the tinctures soaked into that place will make any fight there a maddeningly chaotic endeavour."