Kellan, who was still looking a little shaky from his brush with the scarf, fell into file behind Pisca as had become his habit.

As he moved he seemed especially wary, leery of anything and everything that might suddenly animate and ended up prodding a few (seemingly) innocent decorations along the way with the point if his weapon.

As Pisca reached for the door he leveled the poleaxe and braced himself, tossing a glance back to Cato, Liseth and Kerr for good measure.

Liseth was glad to be out of the library after what they had discovered in there.  But she didn't think she would be happy until they had gotten to the bottom of this evil house; figuratively and, apparently, literally.

"This must be the way downstairs."  The girl's eyes strayed back to the moldy spiral upon the floor; how it seemed almost to be a staircase itself.  Going down into the bowels of this place, and covered with bones.  "There's no telling what we might find down there...I think evil likes underground holes."  The ancient ruins under Sandpoint, the evil temple under Thistletop."

"Say Cato," Liseth continued, "do you think there would be ruins here?  Like the ones that we found under Sandpoint?"  She frowned, "There were those horrid monsters down there too.  And that little demon even."

"But didn't Nualia try to use the power from those Runelord Ruins?  What if there are more here, under Foxglove Manor?  Maybe that's what led Aldern's ancestor to try and become a lich!  And I bet that would explain all of the evil magic everywhere too."

Liseth glanced at the southern door, opposite the one Pisca was investigating.  Another staircase, she imagined.  The blonde acolyte picked an innocuous piece of debris from the floor, "Make this glow like the divine."  She whispered over it to create a glowing light.

Trying the door on the southern end, Liseth cracked it open expecting to see a stairwell.  She held her new light before her in an attempt to dispel the gloom that surely lied in wait.

Cast Light

Cato followed along, lost in thought about the all they were finding out about the Manor and the sordid lives of the inhabitants.

"Hitting someone with a bookend does sound rather like a crime of passion.  Something you'd do if something caught you by surprise and you reacted on anger and instinct more than reasoned ability.  And the fact that this Iesha, Aldern's wife, was strangled, according to Kellan's 'memory' of the event..."

Cato shook his head.  "As evil as everything about this house is, part of me is wondering if what we're seeing here isn't the end result of a classic lover's quarrel.  Maybe Aldern found his wife...with someone.  In a fit of rage, he bashes the intruder's head in, then strangles his wife."

Cato sighed, then continued.  "Of course, the very evil surrounding this place may have amplified the negative emotions, making Aldern draw some sort of terrible conclusion from what might have been an innocuous event.  But then where do the masks fit in?  Maybe it's not about a cheating heart at all, maybe Iesha and someone else discovered Aldern wearing the mask - maybe the mask indicates his membership in some sort of necromantic cult, one that also helped his grandfather on the path to lichdom.  And Aldern had to kill them to cover up his inclusion.  The two murder weapons still seem strange for that outcome, though."

Cato went quiet again, racking his mind for links to things he'd read about, trying to tie the pieces together.

Knowledge: History on Liseth's question about Foxglove Manor?
Knowlege: Arcana: Lich cults related to the mask?

---

---

"Do you think that means," Kerr followed along with Liseth's train of thought, "that we're going to be dealing with more of those rune dog monsters?"  Kerr hadn't particularly enjoyed the group's first go-around with the things, but at this point he was committed to doing whatever was necessary to purge the manor of its evil.  He set his shoulders and followed Liseth, Pisca, and Kellan out of the library.

The party headed back to the doors near the spiral stain.  A cold, musty gust of wind greeted Pisca when she opened the northern door, disturbing the mausoleum-like stillness of the manor's air.  Looking inside, she found a wooden staircase leading down into the inky blackness below the building.

When Liseth opened the southern door, newly-case light shining, she found a similar staircase leading up towards the Manor's upper floors.


PARTY STATUS:  Kellan is at 20 hit points.</Blue>

   A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z
  +--+--+--+--+-xxW-+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
1 |  |  |  |  |x | W|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--x--+--xx-+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
2 |  |  |  | D|  |  | x|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+D-+--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
3 |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |x |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+-x+--+--+--+--+-xx--+--+--+--xxxxWWxxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
4 |  |  |x |  |  |  |  |  |W |  |  |  s  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+-xxxxxxxxxxx--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
5 |  |  |W |  |  |  |  |  |  D  |tt|  x  |  |fpx  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+-xx--+--+--+--ppppppx--+--+--x--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
6 |  |  |  |W |  |  |  pppp  x  |  |  x  |  |  W  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+-xxDDxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxDDxxxx--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
7 |  |  |  | x|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  D  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--xxxxWWxxxxDDxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxDDxxxxx-+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
8 |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  xfp|  |  |  |  | xxW |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--xxxxxxxDDx--+--+--+--+--+--+xxW--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
9 |  D  |  mmmmmmmmmm  |  |  |  sP |K |  |  |  |  |  |  |xxW  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--D--+--MMMMMMMMMM--+--+--+-sss-+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+x-+--+--+--+--+--+--+
10|  D  |  mmmmmmmmmm  |  |  |  sL |R |C |  |  |  |  |  |xxW  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--xxxxxxxDDx--+--+--+--+--+--+xxW--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
11|  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  xfp|  |  |  |  | xxW |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--xxxxwwxxxx--xxxxxxxDDx--xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxDDxxxxx-+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
12|  |  |  |  |x | x|  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+-xx--+--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
13|  |  |  |  |  |x |  |  |  D  |  |  |  |Ch|  W  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
14|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |x |  |  |  |  |fpx  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+-x+--+--+--+--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
15|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |Ch|  W  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+xxxWWxxxxWWxxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
16|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
17|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
18|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
19|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+


W = Window   D = Door  p = piano  t = washtub fp = fireplace
M/m = Manticore  s = Stain  Ch = Chair

---

---

This message was last edited by the GM at 21:33, Fri 09 Dec 2016.

The look on the gnome's face was grim and quiet.  Her mouth she pressed into a tight thin line as she sent her eyes roving through the darkness.

"Down."  Pisca's voice was filled with disquiet.  "I chose down."  Then she closed the door again, as though in doing so and then opening the door up again later, the result might be different.

"What do you have over there, Lys?" Pisca asked, hoping, perhaps, that the other door might lead down as well, so that she would not have been alone in making such an unfortunate selection.

Position: K9

Active Effects: Message on all 50m

Expended
L1 - 4/5
L2 - 2/3

AL: 8/9

"This goes back upstairs."  Liseth peered at the stairwell of unexpected direction.  "I didn't see any other stairs up there before...did we miss something?"  The acolyte stepped aside to allow Pisca and anyone else ahead of her into the stairwell.

"Should we check back upstairs?"  Liseth was almost certain that the heart of this problem was downstairs, deep in the evil bowels of this cursed place.  Suffice it to say she wasn't in a hurry to go down there.  "There could be another clue...or another curse.  Or nothing at all."

"Yeah, I think it's worth checking out" Kellan agreed with a nod as he began heading that direction. "I don't like the idea of having anything unknown to our backs when we end up having to go down there anyway..." He surveyed the darkened passageway heading down with a wary eye, obviously not thrilled about the prospect of having to go beneath this place.

With the marks around his neck still raw and red, he craned his neck to the side and flexed, a few audible pops issuing forth before he exhaled wearily and made an "after you" gesture to Pisca with a tired smile.

"Alright then," said the gnome with something that very much sounded like relief.  She took one look over her shoulder at the door to the dark and frightening depths - the door they would eventually have to take, eventually.

"For now," Pisca added, though with those two small words, she spoke of many things, and she stepped through the other door and began to climb the stairs.

"Up."

Stealth 27
Perception 35

Position: Unknown

Active Effects: Message on all 50m

Expended
L1 - 4/5
L2 - 2/3

AL: 8/9

---

---

The party quickly found that the stairs leading upwards put them in a small area of the second floor next to the hallway they’d already explored.  Concluding that nothing further of interest was to be found that direction, they returned to the ground floor, crossed the spiral stain, and descended into the black depths below Foxglove Manor.

The stairs ended in a limestone cavern.  The walls dripped with moisture, and swaths of black and dark blue mold grew in spiraling, tangled patterns on the floor, ceiling, and walls.  Rubble and broken bones cluttered the floor along with the odd tattered remnant of clothing and a solitary broken black-metal bracer embossed with a distinctive symbol: thick nails forming a sunburst.

A rhythmic sound—like the breathing of some immense creature—echoed through the cave from three tunnels, one to the north and two to the west.  Of the two western tunnels, one seemed to be a relatively new creation.  The glow from the party's light spells flickered and danced in the corners of the cave, making it seem as if the rock itself was some sort of living creature.

   A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
1 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
2 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
3 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
4 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
5 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
6 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
7 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
8 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
9 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
10|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
11|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
12|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
13|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
14|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
15|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
16|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
17|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
18|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
19|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--xxxxxxxxxxx-+
20|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |xxxx |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--xxxxxxx--+-xxx-+
21|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  xxxxxxxx |  xx |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--+x-+
22|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  xxx|  |  xx |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--xxxxxxx--+--+--+--xx-+
23|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  xxxxxxx  |K |L |R |x |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--xxxxxxx--+--+ss+--+x-+
24|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  xxx|  |  |P ssssC xx |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--xx-+-xx--+--+ss+--xx-+
25|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |xxx  |  |  |  |x |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-+
26|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+

Kellan felt his breathing quicken as they descended into the dark, the close confines and stale air reminding him of the nettlemaze in some ways, the ruins...it brought forth memories of all that had happened there. Goblin blood spilled by firelight, Pisca being captured, fell magics...

Down here the poleaxe drills if the Standpoint guard would be if limited utility...and it made him uneasy.

"Wonder if these were here before or after they built the house"

"Caves.  I think I was right," Pisca said through her Whisper Magic, and you'd almost think her surprised at ultimately being correct.  Almost.

"Some maybe, Stomper," she said in reply to the young guardsman's Possibly Rhetorical Question.  "That one's not," Pisca added and pointed in the direction of one of the Western tunnels.

"Lets keep quiet for now."  Squatting low to the ground, the violet eyes of the gnome swept the scene for what might be found.  One small hand reached casually to the rubble strewn floor picking up a fragment of bone.  She no longer seemed afraid.  Not now.  Now that she had reality to replace the figments of her imagination.  She finally turned her attention to the fragment of bone in her hand, twisting it this way and that to examine all of it's surfaces.

"Say, what have we here?"  Discarding the bone, she reached out to pick up the bracer and held it up to the light to better examine the symbol.  She ran a finger along one of the radiating nails.  "Carpenter's guild?"

"If we're right about this place, then there will be ghoulies about.  Best if we can take them by surprise.  Lysa?  Could you check the ground for tracks?  I'm wondering which tunnels get used more than the others."

"Oh, and in case you were wondering, that sound ... "  Pisca swirled a finger in the air to indicate the rhythmic echo.  "I'm thinking that must be where the gnome-eating sharks live."

Perception 36 Taking 20 to see whether the broken bone might have been chewed on.  Also ...

Knowledge check please.  On the solitary broken black-metal bracer embossed with a distinctive symbol: thick nails forming a sunburst.  Whatever might be appropriate.

Position: W24

Active Effects: Message on all 50m

Expended
L1 - 4/5
L2 - 2/3

AL: 8/9

When Cato's eyes caught the design of the bracer, he gave a quick gasp, and whispered in fear, his shocked mind forgetting to use Pisca's whisper magic: "No!  How could they be here?  It's not possible!"

A few seconds passed, and Cato managed to regain his composure.  Remembering to use Pisca's magic, he continued: "That's the symbol of the Korvosan Hellknights, the Order of the Nail.  If they're involved...well, if they're involved, it can't be good."

A few quiet seconds ticked by again, and Cato again continued: "And I can't help but think it's my fault they're here."

"I wouldn't necessarily say *involved*, Cato."  After repeating Cato's words for the sake of the others, the gnome rose from the floor, tucked the bracer into her pack, and then dusted off her hands.  "More like nourished.  Your Hellknight was probably captured and eaten.  That might even be him or her."  Pisca pointed at the bone on the floor.  "See for yourself.  It's been gnawed on."

"But, if you're worried, why don't you tell us why you think it's your fault that this Hellknight is here.  Probably the best time for it.  We'll all likely be pretty busy here in a bit."

Position: W24

Active Effects: Message on all 50m

Expended
L1 - 4/5
L2 - 2/3

AL: 8/9

"Why does evil like underground caves so much?"  Liseth carefully avoided the gnawed and broken bones.  "How long have those bones been here?" she asked of no one in particular, "I don't know if they're even...from the same victim."

"I don't think it was a gnome-eating shark who did this, Pisca."  The acolyte's eyes were fixed on the debris-strewn ground, trying to pick the pieces of bone out of the rubble to avoid them.  "It looks like there's been a lot of traffic in here..."  Liseth pointed out the well-worn marks of passage, "It looks like someone, or something humanoid anyway, has gone to and from the northern tunnels."  She pointed at the north tunnel and the next one to it's left.

"It doesn't look like anyone has been through here though."  Liseth shined her light on the last passage, the most southern one.  "There aren't any tracks coming or going..."  She paused in her approach of the passage and quickly backtracked away from it.  "There's an awful smell...it's coming from down there.  It smells like something dead...but nothing seems to have gone that way."

Cato nodded, and started with his story: "I've told Pisca some of this, but I actually first came to Sandpoint because I was running from the Hellknights.  I left them, you see, actually, this very Order, the Order of the Nail.  The Hellknights don't take kindly to deserters, and they chased me across Varisia, from my home in Korvosa, to Magnimar, though I thought I had managed to elude them.  Back after Deverin had us all on stage after the events in Sandpoint, Ven mentioned that a Korvosan man was asking after all of us.  My mind immediately went to the possibilities of the Hellknights having chased me down, but perhaps that wasn't the whole story, since, as Pisca pointed out, they were asking after all of us, not just me."

Cato slowed, catching his (mental) breath before continuing.  "Sorry for deceiving you about this all this time.  I thought...I thought keeping the secret would be good, since if word did get back to the Hellknights in Korvosa or Magnimar, you'd all be in danger for assisting me, along with countless people in Sandpoint for sheltering me and taking me in.  Even Ven!  I think he lied to whomever was asking after us back in Sandpoint."

Cato looked down at the bones again.  "But I'm not even sure if this is related, though it seems strange to imagine a reason other than me that the Hellknights would find themselves all the way out here in Sandpoint for another reason than a runaway Signifier."

"That's alright, Cato," Pisca patted the mage on the arm.  "We're always in danger anyway.  Danger is our business."

And, yeah, Lys.  Evil," the gnome agreed.  "Badgers like underground caves.  And the gnome-eating sharks are in the ocean, Lys.  That sound, that's got to be the ocean."

Pisca approached the most southern of the tunnels.  Her nose proceeded, questing before her.  She pulled up short, and said nose wrinkled in distaste.  "Maybe ... maybe whatever is down there doesn't leave tracks.  Or doesn't even walk.  Yes.  That sounds right," the gnome added, assessing her own ideas.  "Maybe it flies."

"So ... "  With that as of yet spoken question hanging in the air, Pisca turned to her friends.  "Do we see whether I'm right or not?  Follow this south most tunnel to find out whether or not there's a horribly smelly flying thing living there?  Or do we take one of the northern tunnels in pursuit of the ghoulies?"

Kellan seemed to be ready to write off Cato's initial comment as a curious turn of phrase, and did not react much when Cato suggested that it was him that had led the Order of the Nail this close to Sandpoint. Kellan did not know much about the Hellknights after all, and he assumed that perhaps they had something to do with Demon worship, and given what they had found in the ruins, it would only be natural for some of his reports to inspire tomb robbers or unhinged individuals.

He did not seem prepared for that had followed however, and looked around to the others as if expecting their collective shock or surprise to be apparent...but it never came.

Perhaps it was his friends tempered reaction to this news that defused much of Kellans sense of betrayal, but he was obviously taken aback by the revelation.

"You were in the Hellknights?" he asked, his mental communication conveying his sense of confusion. "But...you never mentioned, I mean...I''ll admit I don't know much about them, but are they as bad as they sound?...and if they are...why would you join them in the first place?"

Cato was quiet, trying to figure out how to summarize his own action so many years ago.  "So many difficult questions, Kellan.  First, I'm sorry I never mentioned it.  It was partly out of a desire to hide my own secret - I didn't know who, if anyone, I could actually trust when I first came to Sandpoint, and once I got to know everyone better, I was ashamed at having the secret at all, and concerned if anyone should take knowing action to hide me from the Hellknights."

Cato paused again, trying to figure out how to explain how he had been part of an organization with such a sinister reputation.  "I guess I joined for several reasons.  First, when I joined, the Hellknights didn't - in fact, still don't have an entirely sinister reputation.  They uphold the law - rigidly, in fact, which is where there name comes from.  But, in theory, at least, they accept and even welcome armigers of good backgrounds.  Sometimes their methods take a turn towards the dark, and that is why I ultimately fled - the leadership, fresh from experience at the Cheliax throne, brought a darker tone to the Hellknights. One in particular, a man I hope to never encounter again - Paravicar Lucius Winters - was who ultimately made me desert.  But, when I joined, they didn't have that reputation.  I'm actually the fourth son of a noble family in Korvosa.  I didn't have much chance of an inheritance, and my father saw giving one of his sons to the Hellknights as an excellent way to curry political favor with the new leadership in Cheliax and Korvosa.  Not having anything else to look forward to at the time, I accepted it."

"You ... "  Pisca looked somewhat startled and her mouth was drawn into a straight line of consternation.  "You humans give your children away for personal gain?" she asked.  Though, whether that question was rhetorical - as it so often was - or not was quickly supplanted as the gnome took the few paces that separated her from the mage and leaned out to lick the back of his hand.

In a low voice that was not transmitted through her magic she said, "He doesn't taste evil."

"Cato..."  Liseth stepped away from the open maw of the cavern passage, "I don't know much about the Hellknights, except that my father didn't seem to like them much.  But if someone like you needed to get away from them then they can't be very good."

"One thing that I've learned since coming to Sandpoint is that keeping people safe sometimes means not telling them everything.  You didn't deceive anyone in order to hurt them; that's what counts."  She watched Pisca lick Cato's hand; an absurdity that was vastly counter to their gloomy surroundings.  "Pisca, humans don't like to be licked unless its by kittens and puppies."

"If you feel like you did something wrong, I forgive you."  Liseth took Cato's hand as she looked up at him, "But we should talk later."  The girl grimaced, "We have a smelly passage monster to confront."

"Not to mention whatever else is down here..."

"Puppies?" asked the gnome of herself in a cautious tone.  "Kittens?"  Confusion set it, but only for a moment before Pisca shrugged it off as one of those things that you just weren't meant to understand quite yet.

"I'm sorry, Cato," Pisca then apologized.  "But you don't taste evil."

Kellan seemed to relax slightly after Cato's explanation, but still seemed uncomfortable with the revelation. He was silent for a few moments in thought as he formed his words.

"I'm just going to have to take your word for it Cato...after what we've been through together, it's the least I can do" he smiled softly "...but just the name alone, Hellknights...and that they would go to such lengths to try and track you down for the crime of simply wanting to leave..." he shook his head at the thought "I mean...if the Sandpoint Guard was called "The Devils Own" but we still did everything as weve done it, it would be confusing, right? Somehow I think you should have seen this coming..." the last bit was intoned in a way that resembled more friendly prodding than actual criticism.

"But the girls are right, we can deal with that later, for now...we should probably get on with it" he gave Cato a double pat on the shoulder and motioned for Pisca to proceed.

The gnome looked back at the guardsman and said only one word.

"Which?" she asked, and she crossed her arms in opposite directions, one each hand was a pointing finger aimed in directions equally opposite.

Kellan gestured in the South-Westerly direction

The gnome gave a smart nod and threw the guardsman a thumbs up.  Then she crept off into the shadows of the southern most tunnel seeking after smelly flying or climbing things.

Pisca Neep Freemish rolled 29.  Perception.
Pisca Neep Freemish rolled 21.  Stealth.

Position: T25 or beyond.

Active Effects: Message on all 50m

Expended
L1 - 4/5
L2 - 2/3

AL: 8/9