Brindle tilts his head to one side for a moment as he studies the knight and listens to the screams from beyond the southern door.

"What we do know is, unfortunately, outweighed by what we don't. The gods sent us to the Chapel of Mitra above us, probably in answer to someone's prayers, but we don't know whose or what those prayers were."

He sighs and taps the hilt of the dagger in its scabbard on his belt.

"This is going to sound really weird but will you let me try to stab you?" he asked. "The gods have forbade us to harm the innocent, you see, so if I try to stab you it should hurt me instead and not harm you at all. I really, really don't want to but it is the surest way to be certain about you and prove whose side we are on."

Leisha winces, and then shakes her head.  "Good heavens, Brindle, that's a terrible idea.  I'll grant that any number of thesauri match `innocent' to `pure', but they really are different terms.  Holomir is a Lion of Mitra - a paladin who gave his life nobly, probably in defense of any number of innocents, and was honored by being brought back to protect, in this case, the fallen Tower.  He, himself, probably doesn't qualify as innocent, for our purposes: He most definitely has a stake and a side in this conflict."

Cogwitz had heard what Holomir had said about the acolytes that had ran the other way and were screaming out.  He hadn't thought much of it before, but a thought came to him.  If Holomir is guarding the fallen tower of Mitra right here, then perhaps the way the acolytes went is where the dark tower is.  We couldn't find anything above ground, but maybe it is all below ground now.

Cogwitz then looked to Holomir, Am I right?

Brindle looked decidedly relieved when Leisha pointed out the folly of his suggestion.

"Phew! Thank goodness you are here," he told her.

Cogwitz's idea sounded even more inspired and he eagerly looked to the Lion of Mitra for confirmation.

Tesseryn stands alone at the edge of the pit, listening to the screams wafting up from below and fearing the worst.  He swallows his pride and quickly returns to the entrance.  With obvious difficulty, but no lack of sincerity, he speaks stiffly to the orc.  "Wrukaog, I heard screams from the pit.  I fear our comrades are in peril.  Or worse, they may be continuing the quest without us.  I regret that I misjudged you when first we met.  It is now clear that we were each chosen by our gods because we bring what is needed, and that we are meant to cooperate to fulfill this quest despite our differences.  I ask now for your aid, for I am unable to climb down."  He leans closer so that his voice need not carry.  "Would you lower me on the rope?"

The orc's eyes roll around toward Tesseryn as he speaks, showing no sign of dislike or annoyance, and even less of a sign of appreciation or amusement. When he leans in closer near the end to speak quietly, the orc's blank face flashes with a brief wave of impatience.

After all is said, Wrukaog places his glare back toward the direction the sheriff et. al. left toward, and stands up. He backpedals toward the shrine entryway for a couple of steps before turning and nodding toward the armored human as he enters.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:06, Sat 16 Apr 2016.

Tesseryn glances briefly towards the sky then follows solemnly in Wrukaog's wake.  At the pit he pulls up the knotted rope and makes a loop to fasten around his chest, under the armpits, then he sits at the edge of the pit. "Wrukaog ... thankyou."

The orc takes the rope in his hands, nods, and lets it go taut. "Pull twice, hard, to come up."

The weight seems easily handled, and down goes Tesseryn.

As Wrukaog prepares to lower Tesseryn, they can make out but the murmur of voices below ...

For all the weight of the Paladin's armour, it is as but nothing to the mighty Orc who lowers Tesseryn quickly and easily, the faint light below allowing Wrukaog to see when his burden is safely delivered.

Brindle walks over to the southern door and peers inside into the darkness.

"If we are going in there we will need some light. I have a sunrod we can use if no one else has a lantern," he offers.

While the others are making their own preparations he takes a moment to cast a spell upon himself before they go any further.

"Tell us more of this curse, good Holomir..."

Tesseryn removes the rope and gives a stout tug to indicate to Wrukaog that he is free of the rope.  He picks up the glowing pebble from the floor and passes it to Brindle.  It will glow for nearly an hour yet.

He steps towards the armoured man and raises a hand in salute.  "Indeed I am no knight, although I am sworn to uphold the tradition of chivalry.  Tesseryn Brightsoul, the Arm of Dauros, God of Justice in the distant land of Ardania.  These companions and I were sent by our Gods to aid Mitra's faithful in their struggle against the resurgent minions of Set."  That whole 'sort it out' speech was a little too vague for his taste.  "And you sir?  Are you the guardian of Mitra's long buried tower?"
This message was last edited by the player at 14:51, Tue 19 Apr 2016.

Brindle smiles brightly as he accepts the glowing pebble from the paladin.

"Thanks! This will do nicely."

He waits for Tesseryn and Aurion to finish questioning Holomir before venturing through the southern door.

Wrukaog stays near enough to the pit to notice the rope being yanked on or distant yells, looking around the shrine, and paying special attention to the doorway or people approaching it.

The rope will be tied to something sturdy, if such a thing can be found.

Brindle is pleased indeed to take charge of the brightly glowing stone, and the two Halflings wait with alleged patience for the questioning of the Lion of Mitra to conclude, their attention fixed on the door to the south and the perils beyond.

"It is the curse of evil that besets all mankind," Holomir explains to Aurion. "And the duty to all of goodwill to strive to overcome this evil that folk can live in the peace and love of the Light !"

But it is to Tesseryn that the guardian extends the warmest welcome.  While knowledge of Dauros is undoubtedly beyond the ken of the people of these lands, it is perhaps something in the Paladin's bearing or his pattern of speech that denotes that this is a kindred spirit.  Or Tesseryn's pledge of assistance ...

"I am," he assures the Paladin proudly.  "It has been the sacred duty of myself and my Brothers these many years to ward the entrance to the White Tower from any foe, a duty in which we have never failed !"

"If you would assist us, then I salute you and would call you friend !  He looks to Tesseryn for a few moments, considering, then prises a ring from his finger, holding it out to the Paladin.

"This is 'Mitra's Favour' ... it will ward you and your companions from evil.  Take it and my prayers go with you."

Up above, Wrukaog keeps watch, taking the opportunity of the blessed quiet in the Shrine above to look around while keeping careful watch, both on the door and the rope that is secured around the bench over the pit, the stillness only broken by the words that drift up from below, muffled, but understandable.

"I am honoured to wear Mitra's ring on behalf of this fellowship."  He kneels to accept the ring and places it on his left hand beneath the mailed gauntlet.  He rises and continues "We admire your long and dutiful service, Sir Holomir, and would have you know that there is Light yet in the world.  The darkness growing in the village of Mitra's Fist has not yet spread to the lands beyond, and when we have crushed the Cult of Set this threat will be forever gone.  Our Gods have charged us with this Quest, however, in their infinite wisdom they had not deemed it necessary to provide specific directions as to where the first blow ought to be struck.  Can you aid us further and direct us towards our goal?"

Tesseryn gestures towards the knotted rope hanging behind him.  "We have one more companion yet tho descend, an orc named Wrukaog.  It was he who lowered me on the rope, for I am unable to climb in this armour.  He would seem an unlikely addition to our fellowship, yet the Gods have decreed that he join our Quest.  And I vouch for him personally.  I would ask that you tolerate his presence here for the sake of the greater good."

Aurion rests his hand on his tummy, the all to saccharine meeting of the local-Paladins-mutual-admiration-society having upset the poor thing. he hoped they would stop short of the traditional penis measuring and testicle weighing...

"Look, do you have anything more concrete in the way of a curse? Something less all-encompassing then 'the curse of all mankind? Something more specific, that we might be able to help with? Because I gotta tell you, the only cure to all-the-evil-in-the-world would be the end of days, and I suspect that's a bit out of our league."

"I just had a nasty thought," Brindle mutters to himself before addressing Sir Holomir.

"Is there someone as evil as you are good that is guarding the evil tower? Is that what all that screaming was about? Will that ring help us get past that guardian?"

Holomir seems oblivious to Aurion's sudden bilious attack, but inclines his head respectfully to Tesseryn, most pleased with that worthy's most proper gratitude for the gift of Mitra, and moreso for the pledge the Paladin makes.

"An Orc ?  If such a creature accompanies yourself, then I must trust to your judgment and shall welcome his presence at your side," the Lion proclaims magnanimously.  "Mitra's Light shines upon all and all creatures of goodwill may seek his blessings."

"Beyond that door," he glances towards Aurion, addressing his response to the Elf as well as Tesseryn, "lies a maze of chambers and passages betwixt the Tower of Light and the Tower of Darkness, and there evil stalks," he glowers, teeth clenched.  "Undoubtedly those who fled were either not recognised by their own kind, else welcomed most cruelly."

"Thus far, the attempts upon the White Tower have met with failure, but they grow ever stronger, and though the White Tower has prevailed, it may be that such evil cannot be contained forever."  This last he admits but reluctantly, though his tone suggests that it is only by stepping over his cooling corpse that evil will get past him.

"Evil turns upon itself, as it always must, and as oft as not struggle each against the other to raise themselves up in the sight of the dark god they serve."

"The entrance to the Dark Tower lies far below, warded by dark magics.  Guardians too you will find, demons ... and those who style themselves sons of the dark god," he tells Brindle in response to the Halfling's question.  "The ring will offer some protection against evil wherever  you may find it."

"The path between the towers is to be endured, the tests you will face there meant but to weaken and delay you, though for each you overcome the cause of evil is set back a pace.  So too those of stout hearts may find artifacts of Mitra, long lost, now mere myth and rumour."

"The dangers are great."

"As to how to destroy the evil ?"  He shakes his head.  "Many have tried ... none have returned."

"Thank you, Sir Holomir.  By the grace of Dauros, and Mitra, may we be equal to the test!"  Tesseryn's golden eyes gleam with fervent determination as he turns towards the door taken by the acolytes, drawing his greatsword as he crosses the floor.  One hand upon the door he calls upon the divine for protection "Energies of Light!" and is surrounded by red-gold shimmering light as he presses without hesitation through the door.

"Thanks, Sir Holomir. Wish us good luck and godspeed!" Brindle exclaims as he darts after Tesseryn holding the lighted pebble aloft to light their way.

When Cogwitz heard there will be tests along the way, he was certain that there would also be traps and such along the way as well.  Hopefully with the friends he has now, they will be able to overcome these tests and get to fight the evil.

Thank you very much Holomir.  Sure hope we will meet again.

"Boys?" Leisha calls after the two as they start towards the door. "If this is indeed 'it', as it seems to be, shouldn't someone shimmy back up and invite our Orc friend who we remembered just two minutes ago, before we go too much further?"

Tesseryn freezes with his hand on the door, then turns and levels his gaze at Leisha.  Beneath the red-gold glow it is difficult to read the colour of his face.  "Yes, of course."

He returns to the knotted rope and calls up.  Wrukaog.  The beginning of the quest lies before us, down here, a maze of tunnels beset with traps and perils that leads to the tower of Set.  I think it would be wise for you to join us.  Is it just the shimmering glow, or is Tesseryn actually twitching with anticipation...?

Pleased with finally having some direction, Aurion quickly forget Sir Hollow and prepares to advance.