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 !"

Rael rub his chin thinking "Say Berta, what are the chances the guards at the nook would accept a late night meal?" he check his herb pouch "I have here some herbs that would be able to send them all into deep sleep... spiced wine would help to mask the taste but if not I have some cinnamon ."

He glance at the others "I rather delay combat until the last minute, as it would increase our chances of setting alarms and if we could have the guards drugged it would be the best."

Berta shakes her head at Rael's suggestion.  "I wouldn't," she says frankly. "Yara or one of the others catches you shirking your duties and it'll be you that's howling on their table."

"We could try freeing the other prisoners which should liven things up," she muses.  "But I'm not sure that they're even capable of fleeing any more."
This message was last edited by the player at 05:09, Mon 18 May 2015.

Lars considers the plans.  "Well, some kind of diversion would help, maybe that would lure some of the guards from their post."  He scratches the side of his eye patch.

"Could give us a chance to slip past.  What do you think?"

Rael considers "Well... I might able to concoct some potion that when released would create a knockout smoke." he shrugs "depending on the nook, it may take them out or just make them dazed so fighting them should be easier."

He glance about "but I'll need some time and a kitchen would be helpful."

At the mention of a kitchen you can see that the area to the "east" side of the room looks like it may have some basics that may be usable in terms of brewing up something. There is already a roaring fire and you can see various liquid containers about the room, some of which have to have water. As for a proper kitchen it is common for places such as this to have their kitchens in a separate building altogether. [Private to Berta: Any kind of smoke or cloud would have a difficult time dispersing in the rather poorly ventilated dungeon.]

The few other things in the room lend itself to more of a lounge or planning area. The large table is easily big enough to entertain many, however the overall look of the place is definitely more business than anything. Remembering from outside, the stairwell to the "west" should lead upstairs to where the light poked out from behind some curtains. The stairs just outside the doors you entered most certainly heads down into the dungeon and laboratory area that Berta just described.

Lars jabs a finger at the door they came in.  "There are guards right out that door.  I don't think we have time to cook up slops in the galley, unless you you can do it quickly and quietly?"

Lars starts poking around the room, looking under the tables, behind curtains and wall hangings.  He will listen at the base of the stairs where light can be seen behind the curtain.

09:57, Today: Lars K'Rusome rolled 82 using 1d100. listen. tn 29
09:57, Today: Lars K'Rusome rolled 4 using 1d100. search. tn 56

Khazim listens to the conversation with interest. "If I may." He raises a single hand. "In the wastes there are many large animals that can not be taken down with a single shot, spear, or trap. Many times we rely on a paralytic or other such items to fell the great beasts before they have a chance to harm anyone. Is there a chance you could get such a paralytic on a dagger or such Rael? We then get Berta to head down like nothing is wrong, engage in conversation, and then prick the guard so that they sleep?"

Khazim spreads his hands wide in a gesture of quizzing. "We would have to place our new found ally in such a position with no real help to dissipate any suspicion. Once the nook guard is down, we can then rush the guard station possibly? or maybe then employ Rael's smoke bomb?"
This message was last updated by the GM at 02:32, Tue 19 May 2015.

Rael glare at Lars "Some time a delay is worth the wait and I'll do it as fast as I can... of course if you rather fight the guards while they are wide awake and alert then let us not waste time here... " he consider Khazim words "Let me see if I have something that could work..." he search his bags for a paralytic agent that is in honeyed syrup so it could be coated easily on a blade.

Eclair looked around as her companions once again tried to concoct an overly complicated strategy, "Yes, the paralytic agent would be good, but let's not waste time cooking up a smoke right now. We are 5, Berta says they are four and in a confined area? Well, we can blitz using the poison and make sure that one of us hangs back at the exit so none can escape. Seek to wound and paralyze as fast as possible. Berta, would it be a mercy to kill such men? I get that they would end up on a table otherwise? That might work to our advantage... yeah?"

Guards that knew their own miserable fate for failures were very handy in a pinch, or so the thought went.

Lars paces around the room. "Those odds sound ok, especially if we can take 'em by surprise." He stops pacing. "Rael, how do we use this poison?."

Lars anxiously pokes about the room seeking any advantage that could help the group. First and foremost he listens on up the stairs, their nefarious deeds would do no good if some passerby would happen to hear their voices echoing up the great stone staircases. Luckily, no movement can be heard as at the top of each of the stairwell appears to be a stout wooden door. He methodically moves about the room, testing sconces, moving chairs, tapping on the stone floor and walls.

Eventually his efforts are rewarded, a sconce near the left stairwell appears to have a catch trigger attached to it. Not foolhardy enough to simply trigger the potential trap, he renews his efforts on the floor and walls near the sconce. After a few minuets his knocking and tapping is rewarded with a hollow sound from a nearby wall.

Updating map - Blue Letters Players (A = Angrboda) Red = NPC's (G = Guard, X = Unknown)
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:29, Fri 22 May 2015.

"We don't have the time," Berta shakes her head at Rael's proposition, her urgency echoing that of Lars. "We could be discovered any moment and we'll have far more than four or five guards to worry about.  We must act quickly - we cannot remain here."

"And even if we could make such a potion and take out the guards with it ... the smoke would not swiftly disperse - we'd be unable to gain the door without falling victims ourselves."

"The poison ... aye," she likes Khazim's suggestion better, "I could use that ... and if I am successful I could call forth the other guards to help our ailing colleague."

Berta raises a brow at Eclair's question, her face set. "They serve Queen Media, they deserve what they get - as assuredly as do we who follow the dictates of our patron even though under compulsion.  But they are not men ... look at us sister," she swirls her fine green cloak.  "These guards are women too - all the Royal guards are as we."

"What have you found ?" she turns to Lars.

Lars looks up from his searchings.  "Looks like some kind of hidden door.  There is a trigger on this sconce.  I'll see if I can open it."

He fiddles around with the mechanisms and scowls.  "Argh. Maybe my axe would be more useful!"

OOC: 09:48, Today: Lars K'Rusome rolled 93 using 1d100. Open secret door (pick lock). tn 50.

"Lets just agree I'll not tell you how to smash heads and you don't tell me how to brew potions... if I say the smoke would be safe it would be..." Rael grumbles as he pulls some herbs from his pouch.


"...but since you are all so eager to rush ahead I'll just make the paralytic potion... it won't take long as I can use the slaver drug as a base just add some Selek reed and Gykatha root to strengthen the effect and some honey spores to make it thicker..." he shake the bottle and fix the potion.

It take him a few minutes to mix the potion and hand it over to Berta.

Thanks to an already concocted base Rael is able to finish with his alteration of the paralytic in a matter of minuets. The now condensed liquid is almost like molasses in consistency and would easily coat and stick on just about any surface. Rael finishes re-packaging the thick fluid and hands the vial over to Berta with a word of warning about the experimental nature of this altered Decoction. At that moment the great fires in the hearth waver a bit, as if the wind were sucking the air down the chimney causing the flames to slightly leap toward the room. However after a few moments all returns to normal. Normal that is except for this pit that seems to form in your stomachs.

As if someone were to have walked on your graves, you get this bad feeling.

[Private to Eclair: During the exchange of items, you hear a nearby door opening, you also think you hear a sound of metal on stone. It is faint and you are not entirely sure where it came from. 15:00, Today: The Grey Lords, on behalf of Eclair, rolled 30 using 1d100. Listen tn 52. - Pass]
[Private to Khazim: During the exchange of items, you hear a nearby door opening, you also think you hear a sound of metal on stone. It is faint and you are not entirely sure where it came from. 15:00, Today: The Grey Lords, on behalf of Khazim, rolled 4 using 1d100. listen tn 49. - Pass]
[Private to Rael Gol: During the exchange of items, you hear a nearby door opening, you also think you hear a sound of metal on stone. It is faint and you are not entirely sure where it came from. 15:01, Today: The Grey Lords, on behalf of Rael Gol, rolled 23 using 1d100. Listen tn 28.  - Pass]

"If it even lead downwards, it'd probably only drop us into Yara's parlour," Berta tells Lars, swiftly considering the layout of the floor below.

The big woman holds her tongue at Rael's remark, merely giving the pale man a curt nod, but listens carefully at his instruction as she takes the vial.  Before she can pose a question, however, the flaring of the fire and sinking feeling in her stomach gives her momentary pause, then spurs her to action.

"We must go now !" Berta urges, jaw set.  "Eclair, with me," she tells the other woman in guard's garb.  "The rest of you stay close - hold to your deception till it serves no more purpose !"

Berta opens the door, heading into the hall beyond, "Enough, enough" she calls back over her shoulder, for the benefit of the two guards therein, "It matters not how these thralls look - but will go hard on us all if we dally !"

[Private to GM: lead them down the stairs.  :>]

Berta pauses in the doorway, staring for a second before turning around and calling back, authoratively, "Trouble below !  Draw your swords and follow me !"

"Something is happening," she speaks urgently, her voice lowered, thrusting the potion toward Rael to free her hands.  Swiftly she pulls off her brass helm and unclasps her cloak, passing them to the pale man.

"White Lords be good, you have that distraction you wanted ... we must be quick to take advantage.  Salrenna is entering the cells, we must follow on her heels - perhaps we can make it to the Tenatir unseen.  Once down the stairs, double back down the passageway.  Rael - with helm and cloak you'll pass for a guard in the chaos, but stay behind Eclair and me - us they will expect - the rest of you, follow close, but if you value your lives keep your heads down and your wits about you !"

"Hurry !  HURRY !" her voice loud now as she strides towards the stairs drawing her blade from its scabbard.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:08, Sun 24 May 2015.

Rael was about to mention he had heard something when the big woman turned into frantic action... he grab her cloak nodding in understanding "Coat your blades, it with give you an edge so that even a nick would slow your foes." he adds as he draw a throwing knife and hold it ready as he follow her, of course he would let any of the other fighting men and woman, enter before him as they were far better suited to combat than he is.

As Berta rushes out the door of the common room you can hear her bellow out orders. The two guards in the portico do not hesitate as Berta uses an authoritative voice to get them moving. They too draw their longswords and move into position behind Berta waiting for her lead down the stairs. Eclair is a bit slower on the uptake but moves in behind Rael waiting for an opportunity to move through the door. At the bottom of the stairs the black robed woman notices Berta and two other royal guards assembling at the top of the stairs. Seeing that the matter is about to be handled she moves off to the side at the bottom of the stairwell, places her hand against the wall, then proceeds to walk through it.The bottom of the stairway is left clear for the guards to descend..

Updated map (downstairs)for those from the common room on Map B
Green designates the "hidden" door location.
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:22, Sun 24 May 2015.

Lars mumbles a sailor's curse then shuffles towards the door after Berta, trying his best to look drugged when really he is extremely nervous that he is about to be embroiled in a fight with half the gauards in the castle. He makes sure his axe is slung so it can be readied quickly.

Following the lead of others, Kazhim moves towards the nearby table and lays a small handful of arrows down on it. Checking his desert bow to ensure that it can fire as needed, he once again adopts a semi-drugged stance. Keeping a wary eye out, he never lets those staged arrows more than a twitch away from firing.

Sensing that it is now or never, Berta does not hesitate, "GO ON !" she tells the two guards at the top of the stairs, shoving them into action if needs be, then following down close on their heels.

Her impatience is such that she does not pause to coat her blade as Rael suggests, but should the little man be keeping up, she'll hold the sword out that he may apply the potent liquid to the bare metal, though will not slow to make that task easier.

The large woman was growing on Rael and he could see that should she and he would survive he would really be fond of her. Fond of her despite her short patient and ability to leap into action without thinking.

He smiled as he watch her charge into the steps, yes he was growing fond of her, with his luck she will end up either dead or betraying them all maybe she was the queen of this place playing some sort of sadistic game with them...

He shrugs and offered Eclair, Lars and Khazim a coat from the potion he made he also dipped his own knives but only once it was done did he ran after the woman. He was not going to risk exposure to the strong paralytic agent just because she did not had the patient to wait for a few heart beats.

Lars will coat his axe, but only if it is safe to do so without being noticed.  He follows Berta down the stairs, still acting like he is drugged.

Scooping up the arrows he had set aside he grips them tightly and quickly dips the tips of the few arrows into the concoction. Holding the arrows down and in the folds of his cloths he lets the air dry them before inserting them once again back into the quiver. Falling in step beside Lars, he trudges slowly behind the group acting as if he were simply obeying the simple command of "stay near".

From about the same place that the woman in black disappeared from you see two other guardwomen emerge. One stands out compared to just about any other of the guards you have seen so far. Slightly stooping to get through the opening, the amazon stands several inches taller than even Viktor when she straightens out. Brandishing a wicked looking whip, she has the authority of a drill sergeant on day one of cadet training. Ushering the other guard forward she uses the coiled whip to wave Berta and the two others on the stairs to hurry. Strapped to her back is a hammer as great as the Axe that Viktor himself wields, It is evident that you have found the dreaded Yara.

The two guards stationed in the portico quickly bypass Berta down the stairs as they hop to Yara's motions. Joining the newly arrived guard, they together vanish through the doorway into the dark under level of the compound. Eclair is able to bypass Rael at that moment and join Berta at the top of the stairwell. "You two!" Yara uses the coiled whip as one would use a finger. "Step lively or I'm promoting you to slab duty!" Her voice caries such an authority that you find yourself absentmindedly taking a step forward.

There is obviously a combat going on downstairs. To help keep things timed, please roll initiative if you are looking at even going down the stairs. See the "Example of Combat" thread for examples of what I want/need for rolls. Suddenly realized that I forgot to set permissions to "B". That has been fixed
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:37, Wed 27 May 2015.

Holding his coated knife in his hand he tries to sneak near Yara, his goal is to nick her with the knife get the drug into her system. In anyway he would wait till Berta and Eclair are in position to switch the tide of the combat before he would make his move.

In the future he might wonder what have driven him to such a bout of insanity... for now Rael just acts.

While guards are distracted by the action below, Lars calls on some aid from the Chaos Lords, infusing his armour with unnatural toughness.  He feels the slight euphoria as the magic is channeled through him.

10:07, Today: Lars K'Rusome rolled 16 using 1d6+10. Initiative.
Casts Hells Armour, 4MP
23:42, Yesterday: Lars K'Rusome rolled 57 using 1d100. Dodge.

When Berta and Eclair have descended, Lars will follow behind Rael and position himself behind Yara.

Edit: added dodge roll
This message was last edited by the player at 01:21, Fri 29 May 2015.

Berta was more than halfway down the stairs after the other two guards, ready to seize what advantage she might, but the sudden appearance of Yara gives her pause.

"Lady !" she retains enough presence of mind to address the woman with respect, hurrying to be seen to comply, daring only a quick look about her to be sure Eclair is close by, eyes widening as she notes Rael shadowing her and all but stumbling as she tries to angle her descent to conceal the pale man as best she can. "I've rounded up all the swords I could find above," she assures the amazon as she reaches the bottom of the stairs, hoping to steal her attention a moment longer ... before pushing the door aside and trusting to the gods to sort it all out !

[Private to GM: aim was to circle around to the guardroom, but assuming she sees and recognises Viktor/Angrboda she'll come to their assistance.  If she can punch with Cestus (left = off hand ) and use sword at the same time, then she'll do that, else just a Cestus as best skill.  Also threw in 3 x Dodge and a Luck roll (since Victor did one).  I'm sure I'll get the hang of this ... <grins>

21:17, Today: Berta rolled 22 using 1d6+17. Initiative.
21:29, Today: Berta rolled 66 using 1d100. Cestus. (vs 140) - Hit, no crit
21:29, Today: Berta rolled 19 using 1d100. Longsword ? (vs 105 ?) - Hit, Crit if primary action, No crit if Secondary (Skill for "off-hand" 1/2 skill)
21:32, Today: Berta rolled 28 using 1d100. Dodge. (vs 104) - Dodge #1 Pass
21:33, Today: Berta rolled 71 using 1d100. Dodge. (vs 74) - Dodge #2 Pass (you already adjusted)
21:33, Today: Berta rolled 5 using 1d100. Dodge.  (vs 44) - Dodge #3 Crit (you already Adjusted)
21:35, Today: Berta rolled 14 using 1d100. Luck. (vs 80) - Not Needed, Things like this I tend to roll when I'm writing narrative of combat round. Viktor is overzealous

If I'm reading those numbers right, the dice roller decided to go easy on the new bunny !  Just hope Viktor doesn't kill the new guard arriving on the scene !<grins>

*** GM - Adding results in so you can get the hang of it. Hope it helps]
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:18, Fri 29 May 2015.

Eclair had just managed to get a coat of the poison on her dagger, not her sword, when all hell proceeded to break loose. She did her best to follow Berta's lead as that veteran woman was both competent and experienced within this order. If they had been back in the [Language unknown: dayortoerout] at home, then she'd take the lead. Even in another aline environment, she might take the lead, but here it was Berta's show. She kept the weighty fighting knife on her belt in mind as her hand hovered near her sword. She tried to, however, glance a few times nervously down the stairs toward the fight to make that the obvious reason she was fingering her...

She chided herself and moved the hand to her longsword hoping the cloak would hide the movement. The guards here would favor the longer weapons as theirs were surely not enchanted.

She eyed the chancy game Rael was playing and grit her teeth, preparing to have to fight this giantess.

[Private to GM: 01:19, Today: Eclair rolled 18 using 1d6+15. Init.]

The large amazon obviously lets her displeasure at the intrusion to the compound reflect in her actions. Using the coiled whip as a paddle, she backhand swats at Eclair and Berta as a farmer would at cattle they are attempting to move. "I said get a move on dammit!" [Private to Berta: The whip makes a brief contact with you as you are "urged" past. You get a small shock, much like the shock one gets from excessive static.] With a thick gauntlet covered hand he points to Rael. "You, sickly one, take the prisoners in behind your mistress." Yara steps to the side allowing easy access to the passage that the woman dressed in black disappeared into.

Thanks to the darkness, the impromptu disguise, and the already pilfered Syferan clothes, it is plain that Yara see's Rael as one of the slavers with her captures still in tow. Before Rael can get within striking distance, Yara moves through the thick, iron bound, door to the dungeon. "And lock it behind me slaver!" she growls over her shoulder as she disappears into the darkness.

Berta and Eclair I'm moving over to the Assaination Squad thread to continue the fight.

What done was done and Yara was far from him what he had was a chance to use the distraction to get to the dungeon. He turn his head nodding to Lars and Khazim "You two after me..." he said motioning in with his hand.

He made a gamble that the disturbance was Viktor and Angroboda, with the surprise element of Eclair and Berta he was sure they were fine. At least that was what he told himself as he lead the two others away from the battle and deeper into the dungeon seeking their target.

Lars is torn between the objective of finding the prisoner and helping his friends out in what looked to be a rather dangerous fight, especially with the woman-mountain wading in.  However he agrees with Rael, and nods to him slightly before following him through the door.

Allowing himself to relax a little, Khazim will quickly palm one of his arrows as the group once again splinters. A low sigh emanates from his cowled face. "It seems the winds have tossed us to the four corners. Let us hope that ours is not as perilous as the others."

Either by the blessings of the higher lords, or their curse, you find yourself splitting once again from the rest of the party. You slide through the secret passage and into a "cozy" little bedroom. The large cluttered chamber is filled with ugly and brutal looking weaponry, many of which stained with dried blood. There is a rough pallet along the west wall and a small table in a niche on the east wall. Hanging around the room to give it a much more homey feel are tapestries depicting various scenes of warfare. The fresh scent of dungeon mixes freely with the old bear den smell that occupies this room. Opposite the short passage you just went through there is a door in the north east corner still slightly open, as if someone went through in a hurry.

Quickly examining the area, there are few places for the woman in black to have hidden. Cautiously you peer through the crack in the door to see a small room containing only a small table and 4 stools. The table is littered with foodstuffs and other such things that often accompany a gathering point for jailors and other such "off duty" guards. From where you can peer in, you can see the doorway on the other side of the small guard room is also slightly ajar.

I'm not going to call initiatives for this group anymore. If/when combat does happen I'll just do first round on the fly.
This message was last edited by the GM at 11:49, Tue 02 June 2015.

"Keep the charade as long as you can..." Rael whispers as he slowly enter the room, he has his knife held in his hand hidden slightly in his sleeve and kept behind his back just in case.

Once he is sure the room is empty he motions to the others to enter and continue to the door ahead, again he peek before opening it and following the woman in black.

Lars enters the room and grunts.  "Hmph. Nice quarters, if you're a psycho," he whispers.  He scans the room for anything of of use, and will pick up a dagger and tuck it into his belt if there is one lying around.  He will also take this opportunity to load the odd looking bow he is carrying, ready to be loosed at a moment's notice.
[Private to The Grey Lords: OOC: Does Lars see anything with his witch sight?]

He then follows Rael through the next door.

This small sitting chamber looks to be departed in haste. Chairs have been knocked over and askew. A card game was being played and is left on the table the cards tossed down with little care. Against the wall to your left you can see a weapons rack, empty except for a few of the funny looking arrows that the guards use in the crossbow (As Valmir called it). Both of the opposite doors have been left partially askew as if the last person through either door did not care to fully close it behind them.

Taking a bit of time and deduction you can easily guess, by the layout of the chairs and other tossed items, that the guards all went out the door to your right. Testing the noise levels echoing down the corridor you seemed to have guessed right. Sounds of screaming and the clang of metal drifts from that direction. That would leave the path of the woman in black going through the other door.

Creeping near the doorway you are greeted with an odd metallic smell permeating the air. Not in the same fashion as a forge, but more akin to the smell of a desert lightning storm. *Tszt* an odd sharp noise crackles from the room for a brief second. Beyond the odd crackle, you hear little else.

Rael glance at his companions "This does not looks good... the stanch of dark sorcery is about... " he mumbles as he followed the path the woman in black presumably took. All his senses and common sense were telling him to run back, how at this point he envied the like of Viktor who seemed ignorant of the word fear but at this point Rael felt his knees weak and he needed so sorely to take a piss.

Ignoring it all and cursing himself for being a fool he tightened his grip on his knife, gripping it so hard his knuckles turn white and he moved onward as silent as he could.

"By the sounds of the battle, I would guess that our companions are to the south. You two head into the other room. I will watch the south approach."
Watching as the other two proceed through the door. Khazim moves towards the door heading south. He moves a chair near the doorway and sets the few arrows that were coated propped up against them. Sliding the door shut just enough to give a view out the door. Settling down, he listens intently to both his companions, and to the battles that rage elsewhere.

Lars frowns at the doorway.  "Aye, there's the stench of Chaos, that's for sure."  He nods to Khazim as he prepares his arrows.  Lars then follows Rael into the room with the strange noises.  He whispers out of the corner of his mouth to Rael.  "Don't worry, you'll have steel in yer bones if we survive this!" Trying to move quietly, he peers around the doorway into the room, pointing the 'crossbow' ahead of him, finger on the trigger...

Leaving Khazim to guard your backs you slowly enter the room. One of the first things you notice is that the ambient light of the room is not radiating from the dark sconces but from the large contraption in the middle of the room. The chamber is devoid of all furnishings save for three smoldering silver censers hanging from the ceiling, as well as, three large silver braziers set on tripods. These objects are arranged in a double triangular pattern around a suspended, slowly revolving sphere, six or seven feet in diameter. Inside the glowing misty blue sphere a humanoid form can be vaguely seen, partially obscured by the swirling vapors inside the globe. The censers and braziers each glow with a sputtering pale blue illumination radiating from intricately carved fretwork that decorates the objects.

The smell of ozone pierces your sense of smell. Through the pale illumination you can see a corridor heading to the south. There is no sign of the woman in black. The door at the end of the corridor to the south appears to not have been disturbed. Moving about the room you do notice a few things out of place. While it looks as if much has not been disturbed, you each feel a faint breeze of "fresh" air coming from somewhere down near the door leading out of the room to the south. [Private to Rael Gol: You are betting your last bronze that this is the prison of the Tenatir.]

As before Green on the map is some sort of false panel or door
*edit update*
The Braziers are the outer most points, while the censers are the points "in the middle"
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:45, Thu 11 June 2015.

Rael walks around the sphere weapon at hand, he motions to Lars at the other door "Guard the door... I think this is our target, Tenatir... whatever it is."

This was not what he had expected and he could feel the cold sweet on his spine... the chills telling him that something bad was brewing. Oh how he wanted to piss... suppressing a shiver he step closer to the strange apparatus and the braziers examine them all and trying to figure what the thing was and how to open it.

"Angrboda would really have been useful right now..." he mutters to himself under his breath as he cautiously move toward the thing.

Lars follows Rael into the room, eyes wide.  "By Pyaray's beard, what kind of cage is that?"  He crouches down and watches the sphere as it rotates, trying to see what sort of mechanism is controlling it.

"You think this is our target?  Well let's get him out then!"  He leans his crossbow against the wall and takes his axe off his back.  "Stand clear!"  Lars will wait for Rael to back off.

Khazim watches and listens intently at the door. After a few moments he is satisfied that nothing is heading their way. Taking one of the chairs balances it against the door. His intention is such that when the door were to open further the door would crash to the floor alerting those in the next room.

Satisfied with his impromptu trap he leaves his post and heads into the room behind the other two. Seeing the implied intention of Lars, and his axe, Khazim hastily calls out. "Wait! No such sorcerous cage would be without some defenses? Knowing that those who abducted our quarry are powerful enough to resist our employer, I would guess that such defenses might be lethal." Entering a bit further into the room Khazim takes note of the glyphs and fretwork on the braziers. "Can either of you read the sorcerers tongue? Do these scratchings mean anything?"

20:12, Today: Khazim rolled 20 using 1d100. Trap. - pass

Rael eyes widen when Lars heft his axe, he joins Khazim plea "Aye, I agree with Khazim... wait this is a matter of sorcery and even the less foul of these working should be handle with delicate care not brute force."

Rael trembles at the thought of what could happen "We may still need the axe but we need to be sure to know where to strike..." closing his eyes and rubbing his temples he tries to recall lost lessons from his childhood any shred of lore about the enchantment that bind the prison.

"Khazim, please secure the other door... I am still wary of the woman in black where did she disappear?"

Lars lowers his axe.  "Hmph.  Fine then."  He glares at Rael and Khazim with his one good eye as he puts the axe back in the harness on his back.  He strides over and picks up his crossbow.

"Well there is only one other way she could have gone."  Lars walks towards the corridor to the south, trying to find the source of the breeze he can feel.

17:02, Today: Lars K'Rusome rolled 11 using 1d100. listen tn 29.
17:02, Today: Lars K'Rusome rolled 89 using 1d100. search tn 56.   

Both Khazim and Rael study the braziers and censers as Lars heads towards the scent of fresh breeze. Lars first walks to apparently secured door on the far side of the room. The stout door is a familiar sight to anyone who has spent time in any sort of holding cell. Thick iron bars are set into a small window about head height. Looking through the bars you can see several cells that have obviously been hastily cleared, though not recently. The long vacancy has done nothing to prevent the smell wafting through the small window. From what can be seen, there is little evidence that the woman in black passed into the cell block.

Rael paces about the room inspecting the intricate work adorning both the censers and the braziers. None of the inscriptions, patterns, or apparent glyphs seem to mean a thing. The only obvious clue to their purpose was not noticed through sight. Rather the moment that Rael approached a bit closer to get a nice intense look at the braziers he felt tiny pin pricks along his arm, as if ants were crawling up and down it. The tiny hairs about his body prick up the closer he gets to the "prison".

Knowing absolutely nothing about the arcane arts, Khazim decides upon a plan that better suits his sort of investigation. Quickly he nocks an arrow and draws back. Aiming for the space between the Sphere, braziers, and censers he lets loose an arrow.
Trusting in his ancestors, he prays that his aim is true.

22:20, Today: Khazim rolled 100 using 1d100. bow. -fumble
This message was last edited by the GM at 03:21, Sat 13 June 2015.

Rael shakes his head "Where did that woman go? she did not leave by the door... she is not here... could she be there?" he points at the glowing sphere.

The hair pricking is the only lead he has thus Rael slowly circle the confined region trying to see if there is a path into it.

... and then Khazim shoot an arrow...

At the moment of release a crash resounds from the guard room causing Khazim to jump slightly skewing his aim. The arrow slide free of his bow and heads straight towards the sphere. At the very point of reaching the triangular arrangement there is a bright flash and thunderclap. A bolt of lightning arcs from between the braziers at the outer most point and connects with the flying arrow. For the most part the arrow is obliterated except for a tiny sliver of shaft, which continues onward and hits the edge of the sphere.

There is an audible *Pop* as the skin of the sphere is pierced revealing a second, slightly smaller sphere within. What is more interesting however is the mist that quickly forms where the sphere once was and begins to flow out and away from the sphere quickly filling the room. The mist smells of brimstone and ozone, an acrid taste begins to fill your mouths and your throats begin to restrict making it difficult to breathe. As if it had a mind of it's own the mist heads straight towards Khazim, whom you hear coughing and hacking a moment later.

[Private to Rael Gol: The mist burns your throat, but obviously Khazim is getting a more concentrated dose.]
[Private to Lars K'Rusome: The mist near where you are seems to be pushed away by the fresher breeze. This easily points out where the secret door would be at. Thanks to this you are able to see a sconce slightly off kilter, good chance it is the trigger mechanism for opening the door. (Door is marked in Green)]

Rael chokes as he falls backwards a few steps, he search in his pouch for something he could put on his mouth and wet it with some liquid from his wineskin.

Once he has enough command of his faculties he make his way toward Khazim trying to drag him away from the mists.
[Private to GM:
Rael would try to find something in his herb bag to mitigate the effect of the acid fog and administer it to Khazim.]

[Private to Rael Gol: Thanks to the fact that you are not that effected by the mist. You are able to grab a handful of herbs from various pouches that are known to nullify the acidic effect of many spitting animals, when you wrap it in cloth and wet it, it nullifies the effect you are feeling.]
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:00, Sun 14 June 2015.

Lars gags slightly on the smell wafting out of the prison door window.  He recovers quickly though, he's smelt worse in crews quarters after weeks at sea.  He checks the lock to see if it is open of if he could try to pick it.

While examining the lock Lars gets a surprise by the bright flash coming from behind him.  He spins around, pointing his crossbow into the room, only to be confronted by the acrid mist billowing before him.  He coughs as he slides his bandanna down over his mouth.  Noticing the mist being dispersed slightly, he locates where the breeze is coming frome.  "Quick, over here lads!" he calls as he tugs at a sconce on the wall nearby.

Coughing and sputtering under his own breath [Language unknown: Eeec eesti encavelinhat!] He begins to hack deeply as the mist begins to penetrate his lungs [Language unknown: Hared mi Ati Ec continard ers n ing] A racking, hacking, coughing fit overtakes his compact frame and he sinks to the floor. Hearing voices all around, but unable to pinpoint anyone in the mist, he begins to crawl the only direction he knew of. Back towards the guards station.

Rael makes it over to the crawling Khazim and shoves a rag into his face. A few more seconds of coughing erupts from him before the coughing spasm passes. Still weak Khazim allows Rael to guide him towards Lars's voice.

Twisting and turning is rewarded with a slight pop as a false door slides open just enough for your hand to snake in and open it the rest of the way. Cool, damp, and dungeon filled air drifts into the room from the extremely long passage. The air is enough to help keep the mist at bay, though it is loosing to the mists malevolent creep.

The mist, though somewhat neutralized, is still burning in each of your lungs. A new round of mucus filled coughs rack each of you. Making it hard to keep the mist out as you are forced to take deeper breaths to even gasp for air. A second loud bang occurs as you hear someone enter the room from the direction you originally came. A loud series of hacking coughs follows shortly. Hearing someone, or something, fall to the floor you quickly look back. Slumped on the ground, blood pooling around them is a figure dressed in the outfit of a Royal Guard.

Rael was focused on Khazim and Lars, he made sure both of them had open airways and tried to give them as much clean air as possible. Once that was done, he took some herbs to ease the burn sensation and the coughing mixed them with some wine and offered them to drink.

"More guards are coming..." he speaks in a hoarse voice, his own throat still felt tingling from the burns. "We must make haste..."

Lars recovers from his coughing fit and slides the door shut.  He takes the drink from Rael and gargles the mixture before spitting it out on the floor, then moves further down the corridor to get a lungful of "fresher" air.

OOC: Is there any light in here with the door shut?
GM ADDED - No lights in the area, it is about as black as it can get. You till have a phantom image in your head of what is down the hall though. It is fairly "tight" 1 person can walk "comfortably".

This message was last edited by the GM at 15:38, Thu 18 June 2015.

Further away from the room the air grows progressively "cleaner". Slowing running your hands along the wall you proceed to move a bit further down the tunnel. After a bit, echoing through the tiny corridor, you hear the sounds of metal slashing and high pitched wailing. You approach an opening on your right and the sound becomes more acute. As you run your hands along the wall, you notice that the tiny turnoff ends abruptly.

Whatever combat that is happening on the other side of this door/wall sounds to be near the end, though still intense.

"Wait here..." he whispers as he grip the knife tightly and was happy the darkness was hiding his face cause he was scared nearly out of his wits. If there was a door he tried to find it and open it a crack to sneak a peek at what goes at the other side.

Rael flattens himself and squeezes past the line of men in the dark corridor. As Rael approaches the dead end there is a large rumble that drowns out the sounds of fighting. The floor beneath your feet begins to rumble as what sounds like an avalanche takes over your senses. Faintly you swear you hear screaming. As the quakes subside you no longer hear any fighting or wailing noises from the end of the corridor. Sadly with the dust that has begun to filter the air, thanks to the quake, and the overall darkness Rael is unable to find any evidence that this is anything other than a listening nook that is commonly used by nobles who wish to hear the screams of torture, without getting their hands dirty.

The burning from the sphere's gas in your lungs begins to lessen. Whatever effect the mist had on you seems to be subsiding. However the air is now thick with dust, making it just as difficult to breathe as the fine silt seems to get into everything. From your vantage point, you feel as if you are roughly half way down the secret passage.

Rael take the rag from his face and wet it again with water, if it was not poisonous mist it was dust that threatened to smother him.

Stumbling he return to the others, he had no idea how much either of them were exposed tot he deadly vapor and without light had little hope of treating them.

Fumbling in the dark he search for his backpack and tried to find his lamp, they needed light and he would risk the chance of exposure so he could better see where they are and be able to treat his companions.

As the gas leaves his lungs khazim is able to take note of his surroundings. Seeing that he is stuck in a dark, very tight, space he begins to tense up. This is definitely not the steppes that he loves, so far from it. "My apologies, I was merely trying to trigger any sorcerous trap with least harm to ourselves. It seems my ancestors felt it was time to remind me of my hubris." you hear him whisper in a raspy voice as he takes in a lungful of dust. "Rael, when you were talking about the knockout gas, how long did you think it would take to clear? Would this gas be the same? In the steppes, when fogs roll in, they tend to seep into everything."

Lars grimaces in the darkness. "Well better your arrow got cremated than my axe... or my arm!" Listening to Rael fumbling about Lars feels his way back along the wall a little. "Your talk about fog makes me think of a sea mist, and with a blessing of Lassa I might be able to blow that gas away." He makes his way slowly back to the start of the corridor.

Rael drops his knapsack and begins to rummage through it. Thanks to basic familiarity he is able to grasp his lantern, prime it, and set a quick spark. A soft yellow glow fills the narrow corridor just in time to Lars to squeeze past the kneeling Khazim and back to the entrance. The soft light illuminates the tendrils of mist that are seeping through the tiny cracks that frame out the hidden door. Lars concentrates for a moment, takes a deep breath, and slides the hidden door open allowing the billowing mist into the corridor.

A scant second later Lars's arms billow out like a sail catching the breeze for the first time. As his arms raise towards the mist a hint of a breeze begins to form. First it is slow and gentle however with each passing moment the wind increases in strength. The tight confines of the corridor funnel the now intense winds into the other room. Rael is able to duck around the corner in time so that he is not torn off of his feet as the wind strengthens exponentially. Khazim hunkers down already on the floor, all the while the wind whipping around Lars, though not touching him.

As if the mist had a mind of it's own, it struggles against the wind, though unsuccessfully. With the room cleared of the mist you can see the door on the other side of the room hangs open. A female in the Royal guard armor lies on the ground near that same open door. As if deifying even the near gale force breeze that tore through the room, the Braziers, Censers, and the inner sphere still hangs unmoving.

Rael is about to answer to Khazim as Lars cast his blessing, whatever words he answers the archer are snatched away by the wind.

As the gale blast through the corridor Rael scrambles to safety nursing the lamp like a mother nurse her child.

When the magic is done Rael glance at Lars with a mix of dread and awe "It seem Angrboda is not the only one who knows arcane magic..." he shakes his head as he stands up dusting himself "That was no little breeze an impressive feat indeed."

Cautiously knife at hand he returns to the room going closer to the inner sphere he probe at the brazier with his knife recalling well the fate of Khazim arrow and not wishing his hand to suffer the same fate.

Lars winks at Rael as he walks past (OOC: not sure how that looks when he's got an eyepatch on the other eye -probably just a blink) and chuckles. "It's an old sailors trick."

When the wind dies down he follows Rael into the room, watching the other door while Rael examines the sphere.

After the winds die down Khazim picks himself off of the floor. Falling in behind Rael and Lars he makes a point of keeping the arrows in the quiver. "Unless you want me to, I think I'll keep my arrows in my quiver." Noticing the fallen guard at the entrance to the other door "Though I will keep my bow strung, just in case." A coughing fit overcomes Khazim as he attempts to clear the dust and mists from his lungs. "Perhaps next time we all hide in the passage before I shoot?"

Approaching the contraption you see a few things have changed. First you notice the the multi-hued nature of the sphere has changed, no longer does it swirl with as many colors. Second, the sphere is distinctly smaller than before. Lastly you can see a definite shape inside this new smaller sphere. The outline of a figure in a fetal position can be seen within the sphere.

Rael, going forth to do what Lars was cautioned against, dares to prick the large braziers with his dagger. A tiny jolt, like that of a static shock discharge, tingles your hand and fingers. Whatever defenses were in place were not destroyed by the mere activation from Khazim's arrow.

The body on the floor is of a woman, unfamiliar to you, dressed in a Royal Syferan Guard uniform. She is missing her hand, neatly chopped off just below the wrist. Blood pools on the floor beneath her from the opened wound. The person is cradling her arm and may have possibly survived if it were not for the poisonous gas she stumbled in on.

Noises, as if someone were moving about, drift from the guard station's open door.

Rael hand shot backwards as the tiny jolt spasm his hand back. Rubbing his hand his ears perk when he hears the noises from the corridor.

"Someone is coming." Rael whispers taking position behind the door. He motions to Lars to get to the other side "Khazim we need your archery..."

Getting his knife ready to jump on the first enemy to come by the doorway.

Quickly drawing one of the dipped arrows from earlier out of his quiver he intently watches the door. Sadly he also notices that unless he is to move right in the doorway he puts the contraption between himself and whomever is in the next room. Shifting as far to his left as possibly he kneels and notches and arrow. Nodding to Rael he waits.

Silently as possible you move into position to intercept further individuals from entering the room. Daring to attempt a peak through the door hinges Rael is greeted with someone calling out "Rael ! You in there?" Hurried and somewhat angry tones from a second person can be heard shortly after. [Private to Lars K'Rusome: While you have not heard her voice much, you swear it is the voice of the Royal Guard that has helped you thus far.] Whomever it is, they know enough to tell that your group is at least in the area.

Putting his finger to his lips. "I swear that is the voice of the guard that has taken us this far." He readies his axe and creeps forward, taking care not to block Khazim's shot

"It seem I am detect... stay hidden while I'll call out... if it is a foe try to kill her before she kills me." Rael whispers and steps back so hands behind his back hiding the knife.

He could feel the cold sweat tickling the back of his shirt, he had an itch in his left boot and once more he wanted to piss. Oh he hated being the hero so much, hero ended up dead in horrible ways just as bait which was more what he was not.

"It is I Rael... come in." oddly his voice was strong and not quaking as he was sure it would. Standing there trying to look innocent he watched the doors and hoped Lars was right and that it was Berta.

Khazim silently nods to the Apothecaries instructions and draws back the notched arrow. Holding his stance he concentrates on the next movement from beyond the doorway. Silently he mumbles a short prayer as sweat glistens on his brow. The tight confines, his earlier incident with hubris, and the fact that Rael is right in his target zone makes him concentrate even harder. His breathing becomes deep and regular as he waits.

Combining threads as you are basically yelling at each other at this point.