Rael turns and grabs Khazim's sack from Viktor and hands it over to Lars. Lars and Khazim take over the roll of captured prisoners adopting the blank stare and shuffle of those under the influence of the slavers drug. With Eclair leading the way, and Rael falling in behind, you set off towards the front gate. Your hearts race slightly in excitement as you near the two long reflecting pools that lie near the main entrance. You turn the corner near the front gate and stare down the length of the path framed by the long pools to see that the great front double door is guarded by two royal guardswomen. Each red clad guard stands slightly off attention holding a whispering conversation which you can not make out. As you turn the corner one of them nods in your direction.

"Nice night for a hunt, eh?"

Map updated as Map1
Red X = Guards
Blue X = Party
This message was last edited by the GM at 12:59, Thu 07 May 2015.

Rael was about to answer when he remembered his place behind. He stood there trying to look guard-like and waited for Eclair to answer the guard questions.

Both Lars and Khazim shift uneasily. Both knowing that they were dressed as prisoners did nothing to help the cause of the other group. A low cool breeze picks up and drifts across the surface of the reflecting pools that line the pathway. The torchlight dances from the reflective waters causing a ballet of light points to dance across the walls that frame in the entrance.

Looking around, you can see arrow slits lining both sides of the walk way. From what you can discern it appears as if there are guard station occupying the first floor of the compound on each of the east and west wings. The second female guard takes a few steps forward. "Hrmm, that one with the eyepatch looks all spicy and fun to play with!" She purs with a mocking playfulness. "To bad he is probably going to the witch, all the good ones do."

Rael kept his mouth shut and tried not to rolls his eyes, were men just as bad in the young kingdoms he pondered. Thinking about it he had to concur that men were just as bad. It sort of balanced out, men and women were more alike than any had dared to admit.

"Sky and stars ! You're still out here !" the voice from behind holds a note of vexation which is echoed on the face of the guard who now approaches.  One might almost mistake her for a man, such is her size and so broad her shoulders, matter not the swagger with which she walks, looking most impressive bedecked in the Royal Syferan armour, polished brass leather and rings over red hose and halter, ornamental brasswork upon both boots and gloves, and all dressed up with a green cloak.  A tangle of red tresses spill out from under the ornate helm as a litany of muttered curses slip from her tongue.

She shifts the crossbow she carries to her off hand, the stock catching on the sword at her hip as she does so, flexing the fingers of her right in an effort to ease the cramps.

"It's all secure back there," the woman nods to Eclair, before swiftly turning her attention to the pale-skinned Rael.  "What are you waiting for ?  Open the door !"  She rolls her eyes at her companions on the gate.  "I do suppose one cannot be both pretty and smart, more's the pity !"  She shakes her head, grinning at the pair on duty as she leads the way through the portal, her finger brushing her lips as she looks back for a moment, once sure the guards are not looking.  "Let us hurry - we are already late !" she admonishes Kazim and Lars, loudly.

Both Lars and Khazim tense up suddenly at the unknown voice that pierces the tensions that have been building since the exiting of the tunnels. Keeping their wits about them as best as possible, both Lars and Khazim shuffle forward, knowing that one false move or reaction could get them all killed. Keeping the blank stare as best as possible the two shuffle forward with an alarmed look in their eyes as they glace towards Eclair.

"It is a pity, already slated for the dungeon humm? You have to wonder if they know what is going on when they are doped like that?" the second guard keeps the door open as Berta strides up from the darkness and through the entrance. Stepping forward a bit the first guard makes a hurry motion with her hands towards Lars and Khazim. "You have to wonder if Yara gets to practice on them first? Ever seen some of those things that come off that slab, Yeach!" you can see the guard grimace under her helm.

As you enter into the portico you see a stairway heading down, as well as, doors on the North, West, and East side of the room. Two bored female guards stand near the East and West doors. The nod to the group as they enter but make no real move to assist you.
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:03, Wed 13 May 2015.

Rael felt a pang of panic as the unknown guard seem to take command of their little group. He knew they were on the brink of discovery and a fate worse than death but for now he had to play alone.

He held his hidden knife ready as he help guide the drugged prisoners, once the opportunity will present itself they would have to deal with their escort not here with more guards... maybe with luck when they are down in the dungeon.

For now Rael played alone just as well as the trudging prisoners wishing Viktor was here... in all likelihood the giant man would have complicated things but he knew how to fight and Rael would not have anyone else at his back.

"I do not believe that one was much more aware before," Berta waves her free hand negligently at Khazim.  "I'll wager Yara isn't the one for cleaning it up afterwards either," she shakes her head as she closes the door, her voice fading away as it slams shut, "and I'd rather not !"

The big woman returns the nod to guards east and west as she pushes past the two slaves, eyeing the stairway before poking her head into the room to the north.

[Private to GM: if it's empty, then she'll usher the rest in with a loud "We can wait here," for the benefit of any listeners, otherwise she'll direct the group down the stairs.]

"We can wait in here," Berta instructs, her gaze directed towards the main entrance then flicking very briefly left and right.

"In !" she urges Lars and Khazim, propping open the doorway to the room to the north and ushering them past her.

So far they were in public and had not choice but to do what the large woman had said but now if the room was empty the four of them could take her out quickly and silently... probably ... maybe.

Rael enter last closing the door behind him and locking it as silently as he could assuming of course it had a lock.

"Stand over there.." he order the drugged prisoners pointing at a wall behind the big guard that way she would be flanked from at least once side.

A sigh of relief escapes Berta, and the big woman nods at Rael as he secures the door.

"I knew the bitch would try again," Berta growls, though her tone indicates that was more hope than surety. "I've been following you since you entered the compound.  Goes without saying that you all talk too much ... but you've gotten further than we ever did," she admits reluctantly.  "I'm the only one that survived that attempt, and it was only luck that saved me."  Her lips tighten at the memory of the slaughter and how she'd barely escaped with her life.  "Been here ever since - doubly lucky for me that a woman who knows how to use a sword doesn't attract undue attention in these parts, and that the Royal Guard are always hiring."

"Been biding my time since. Tenatir is just too well guarded, and what would I do with him anyway, once I missed that foppish fool's deadline for the trip back ?!!"

"How long have we got ?" Berta asks urgently.

Rael gives Berta a blank stare there was always the question of how much truth there were in the woman words and how much a ploy of the queen of this fort to lure their kind.

He glance at the others pondering this conundrum "First thing first, my name is Rael..." he give time to his companions to present themselves "I'd like to know whom I am speaking with who ask me to trust my life and soul with."

He give her a smile "I'd like to trust you but I need a show of good faith of some sort."

Khazim and Lars captive shuffle as best as they can. It is obvious that they are both trusting in luck at this point as they seem to be in a no win situation. If they do not trust this newcomer, they reveal themselves. Trusting the newcomer however is almost an obvious trap. Eclair waits a few seconds and follows up the rear of the new group, hand tensely waiting at her sword hilt.

Eclair passes into the room allowing Rael to shut it behind her. Eclairs face is crossed with visible questions, though as usual she seems to be assessing the situation before moving into questioning. Allowing this newcomer to take the reigns, the group lets her either dig herself into a hole, or by action prove her self to be whom she eludes to being.

The group settles themselves into a large common room. The luxuriously overdone chamber stretches the entire length of the building. Two massive fireplaces are set into the center of both the east and west walls. One the mantle of the fireplaces is a symbol of a snake entwined about a sword[Private to Berta: Media's royal crest]. Three great crystal chandeliers hand from the ceiling, illuminating walls decorated with rich hangings and tapestries. There are numerous shelves filled with delicate sculptures of metal and glass. The floor is covered with a thick, rich carpet in a deep royal red. The center of the room is occupied by a large oak table lined with charts, scrolls, and other pieces of documentation. The far niches of the room each hold a flight of stairs that ascend to the upper levels.

Updating the map - To give an idea on the size of the room, the length is over 200 feet wide (61 meters)
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:21, Fri 15 May 2015.

"I know your name," the big woman smiles, speaking softly. "And this is Eclair ... and this is Khazim.  As I said, you talk too much, luckily for all of us.  Didn't get his name, though," she inclines her head towards Lars.

"And I'm Berta ... from Ilmiora, so like you three," she shrugs apologetically towards Lars, "from the North yet a long, long way from home."

"If I'd wanted you dead, you'd be fighting for your lives against the Queen's finest by now.  But you're my only chance to get home and get ... this," she taps her breast, jangling the metal rings on the Royal Syferan armour, "removed.  Did the bitch treat you similarly, or has she some other hold over you ?  Our acquaintance was but short, but she did not strike me as the sort to ask politely."

Rael allows a hint of a smile to creep into his face, they were still in a dire situation but it was nice to hear a friendly voice. He nods to Berta patting his own chest "Aye, said it would give us strength or whatever. So far the only effect I noted was killing one of our group and dangerously tilting the other toward homicidal tendency although I suspect they were there all alone but he is a good man regardless... OK good is stretching it a bit... a fine man."

Rael shakes his head, he had a tendency to rant "...but never mind about that... back to our mission... so Berta of Ilmiora were you able to locate our prize in this maze?" he motions to Lars and Khazim "I think our plan to use guile to get to the prison room would still work and with you to enhance our charade has even a bigger chance to work. What do you think?"

"The giant of a man, the Pan Tangian ... Viktor ?"  Berta shrugs.  "I confess, when he and the small woman, Anga ... ?  When you split up, it was not a difficult decision as to which of you I should follow."  She grins broadly.  "My luck that you four have quicker wits than blades !"

"Prisoners ..."  She regards Khazim and Lars.  "They look the part, for certain, though there are few of the Royal Guard that lack for height," a smile for Eclair.  "Yet people see what they expect to see, myself a case in point.  Kept my mouth shut, learned the way of things."

Berta's gaze wanders as she considers ... [Private to GM: assuming she has learned where Tenatir is imprisoned and expected opposition ? :>]

Rael nods slowly "Very well... lets not tarry the longer we leave Viktor and Angrboda alone the more chances there are they will burn down the castle on us."

He chuckles "Strange word a Pan-Tangian and a Melnibonéan working together... " he shudders, yes the pair of them together made a very volatile pair.

He adjusted his bag on his shoulder, the cursed thing was heavy "I do hope they found a secret exit or our escape would be complicate."

He nods to Berta when he is ready to move on again "Lets go."

Eclair had remained quiet and stony as they made their way past the chillingly chatty guards. She knew for a fact that men were just as bad. Well, maybe it was just that all people were shit and those with power were the shittiest? She probably wasn't a saint herself when it came straight down to it. Again, she was silent and watched as Berta made her presence and nature known. Eclair knew next to nothing of the O=Young Kingdoms of which these two spoke, but she got the gist that Berta was an ally, "As much as I regret it, they will make an excellent diversion when it happens so lets make sure we are in position to use that diversion. I am not above being a bit cutthroat after all..." She glanced and grinned at Rael then looked toward the compound, "This'll be more convincing with two guards though. I wss worried they'd wonder about one woman escorting two men. Not the sort of lax detail I would use in my own guard... if I had a guard."

She looked the newcomer up and down and recognized a fellow warrior and shifted her own shortsword which counter weighted the longsword. IT was obvious which weapon she favored. "Will your credentials get us to the prisoner, or near him?"

Relaxing now that they are out of sight and, apparently, in a safer place. Khazim loosens up a bit from the stiff drugged captive act. "Rael, I think it may be time that I may be needing my bow back. It has taken just about every ounce of will to get to this point without it." Holding up his hand to stave off any forthcoming argument. "I understand that a bow may not be the best in such tight confines, however such a bow is definitely easier to combat the regularity of the guards crossbows."

Khazim takes a few minuets to limber up and stretch his aching muscles. You can tell by his demeanor that even in such a grand room he is feeling caged in. "I do agree with Eclair though, If anyone were to cause a diversion it would be the Pan Tangian. Chances are, he would easily allow the rest of us to slip out completely unnoticed once he begins to laugh and bellow during combat as he does."

Lars relaxes somewhat, now there is no need to keep the charade going in the present company.  He looks Berta up and down shrewdly, trying to gauge the truth of her words.

[Private to GM: OOC: Lars will activate Goldar's Eye, and use the witch sight to inspect Berta for the taint of Chaos. He will also use insight to gauge the truth of her words.]

He clears his throat. "I'm Lars. Thank Strasha someone knows what is going on here." He looks around the room for exits other than that they used. "Where can we find the prisoner, the sooner we're out of here the better."

Berta lets the conversation wash over her as she deliberates, nodding at what seems the appropriate juncture but otherwise lost in thought.

"I confess I'd not thought through any plan to free the Tenatir," Berta begins, in response to Eclair's question. "Once my companions were slain and I discovered I could neither loose him alone, nor had anywhere to run to afterwards, I'd not dared entertain much hope that anyone else would come, for all I wished it."

She breathes a long sigh before explaining what she can.

"He's held in the dungeons down below, in an place that is off limits even to us guards.  To get there ... the stairs pass close to an area where Salrenna and Media do their experiments, and the cells near there hold those poor wretches who yet cling to life, though from their screams I judge their sanity has long since fled". Berta's jaw is set grimly.

"But we'd skirt the edges of that, doubling back, past Yara's quarters ... damn, there's a guard nook there - we'd be challenged.  And again, there's three or four guards on duty at all times in a station, and there is no bluffing our way past them, for thereafter none may pass on pain of death.  If we were lucky."

The wails of those who haunt the cells down there disturb her thoughts.

"No excuse will do - we must draw them out or slay them ... aye, a diversion would be welcome if your mad friend could oblige !"