"Well in that case, I say the orcs are coming with me." Aurion leaves the wand right where it was and instead draws the serpent-hilted heirloom sword recently acquired from the sheriff, his snakes appearing from his sleeve to flicker their tongues at the orcs. [Language unknown: "Ulseei Osset he aileplonar thoio ortruttic derte oneom el forman'rescon. Day leeris a etre, p ousnd na fo onfoie ma omurio aswa e at ith. Thchho laas, evwhil ul Itncdi Ha roiepa his nielweng.]

The big orc snorts with laughter at the elf's words.. or possibly at the sight of Tesseryn rolling around on the floor with the old man in a bizarre imitation of the armoured orcs further down the corridor slipping and sliding in the goo that Aurion provided for them.

[Language unknown: "Nitawi k elil conni toand we ie i der con romwheentstaare i Tic whiatentiect les ulet!"] Wrukaog rumbles, flexing his muscles and holding up his axe to make his point very clear. [Language unknown: "Shepo allce mamo metic el u ulrepa onela anpeom itncev.. t ted ad onth foarwa atnot any loprss tori-rito."]

Brindle reaches back to his haversack without taking his eyes off the fun in front of him. He still comes up with a small coil of silk rope that he hands to Cogwitz, to tie up Tesseryn's prisoner.

To everyone's great amusement ... or at least for those of you in the northern reaches of the corridor, Tesseryn throws himself upon the old man, pinning him quickly and easily.  Cogwitz does the honours with the silken cords that Brindle carries for just such purpose and pretty soon Berkam-Shem is trussed up like the proverbial turkey.  Though for reasons unknown he seems to have missed the Elf's questions in the process.

The Orcs ... well, cue dropped jaws and wide eyes at Aurion's words and display of snakes and sword, followed by fear and trembling at Wrukaog's rumblings.  As one they begin to kneel then try to struggle to their feet as the Elf commands them to get up.  A few of them manage it, though the one to the fore immediately regrets that as he steps clear of the slippery stone flags and finds himself in the position of spokesman.

[Language unknown: N omis sonortartous nd ivess ousureoun m tedprooun-antone mi Asus-univ Iveoun'atethi, o i esnowe dick.  A korro ut nce korng o k papowi.  At, Anyet Rilo."] he assures Aurion with extreme politeness, his wary gaze flitting between the Elf, Wurgaog and Tesseryn.

[Language unknown: "Acevhe !" "Mounwi !" "Ivthhi !" "Caprtoeeek !" "Whiencest !" "Oull-isek !" "Tratedred !"] the others pipe up, though in the general confusion it's hard to determine who said what.

OOC: Map of the proceedings updated ...

Leisha, as is her habit, leans back against the wall, watching bemusedly.  After he's passed his cords on to Cogwitz, she leans closer to Brindle and asks quietly, "Just how did all that play out?"

With a satisfied smirk to Wrukaog and wave of his hand, Aurion dispels the grease. "'First To His Feet' I name you Olag, you're the leader of this troop now. Get these fools up and follow me. Quickly now, you've been entrusted with a mission for the Master!" He draws an ivory plaque from a deep pocket and waves it about theatrically as he heads purposefully into the darkened rat-tunnel, retracing the path to the chamber below the inn where the sheriff's men were last seen.

Brindle is a bit surprised when Leisha asks what happened but he quickly realises what the problem is.

"Oh, of course, you don't speaka da language! Right, well, when Tesseryn jumped old Berkam Shem, Aurion told the orcs the old guy has displeased the master and will be punished. He told them they follow him now! He threatened to loose his First Orc, Wrukaog on them if they don't do what he says quickly enough. Wrukaog was happy to add a few threats of his own, too. They have all told him their names and that they are assigned as bodyguards by Haffrung Helleyes to protect this wizard who was on his way to a meeting. Somehow I don't think he's going to make it to that meeting and Aurion is leading the orcs off somewhere else. He would have made a wonderful beguiler, wouldn't he?"

Tesseryn rises in a clatter of metal parts and hauls Berkam Shem to his feet.  He nods his thanks to Cogwitz and Brindle but watches Aurion with suspicion as he speaks with the orcs, clearly not understanding a word of it.  He listens closely to Brindle's translation and gives the old man a shake whenever his protestations of innocence make it difficult to hear.  "You're coming with me to speak with Sir Holomir.  Wrukaog can you please help with the passage again?  The way to Sir Holomir is beyond the gargoyle path.  After that you may accompany those orcs should you wish."
This message was last edited by the player at 00:18, Fri 27 July 2018.

The big orc looks between Aurion and Tesseryn in some perplexity.

"Rat tunnels that way," he points to the tunnel behind you,"gargoyles that way," he points back to the circular hall.

"Both ways lead back up. An' I'm staying with the halflings," he adds for clarification. Wrukaog would never desert his drinking buddies.

"Very well Wrukaog, let us all stay together.  That way I can remain on hand to direct the disposal of these orcs."  He falls in behind Aurion and his orcs, shoving the trussed old man ahead of him.

"Hurry up you scum! if you want to get out alive you'll have to be quick." Aurion grimaces at the paladin's words. "And Olag, you'll have to figure out what Berkam Shem did to displease the master. Just what has been going on down there?"

Now that Tesseryn is going the same way as Aurion and his orcs, Brindle is happy to follow along behind them all as well. He has always been a fan of the party staying together, after all. Hopefully Wrukaog, Cogwitz and Leisha will follow their lead, too.

With the grease spell dispelled, Aurion's troop of Orcs prove rather less prone to taking sudden tumbles, and with Tesseryn's gracious acquiescence, the Elf follows Wrukaog and you retrace your path through the aptly named rat-tunnels as Brindle briefs Leisha on the exchange with Berkam-Shem's Orcish contingent.

Oddly, the wizard leaves off his whining and complaining as the Paladin drags him along in a less than gentle fashion.  Indeed, the old wizard seems unable to keep a knowing smirk off his face.

You manage to ignore the awful smell that has not been at all improved by the addition of many, many rat corpses and the few dead constables and guardsmen who are still where you last saw them but who all appear to have been nibbled on somewhat in your absence, entering at last the chamber where you found the evil golden bowl.

To the west lies the staircase that leads to small chamber, perhaps fifteen feet on each side.  On the southern wall, a stairway rises perhaps ten feet to a trapdoor in the ceiling.  On the floor of the chamber stand three giant spring-loaded rat traps, baited with a rather pungent cheese.

And just down the corridor to the south lies the or at least a foul temple of Set from whence a staircase to the north leads to what the Halflings proclaimed to be the cellar of the tavern, based on the ample supply of wine barrels and foodstuffs, with a rather rickety looking staircase stands (to use the term loosely) against the far wall, leading up to a trap door in the roof.  And another three cheese-baited traps.

Apparently there is rather a bad rat problem around here.  Or at least there was ...

OOC: Map of the proceedings updated ... the two rooms at the top of the staircases are marked with an "A" and "B" respectively.

"Upstairs quickly you scum!" Aurion leads the orcs up the stairs to the west and gives them their final briefing in the room below the trapdoor. He gives the ivory plaque to Olag. "You're to take this to Fenrir Greyback in the village two days march north from here, then await further instructions. Harm no one in the rooms above but take what you need for the journey. Greyback will reward you well, but if you're late the Oliphant Spirit in plaque will whisper to me." He taps his nose knowingly then points to the trapdoor.

Tesseryn glares at the orcs but gives them little thought, finding himself distracted by Berkam Shem's smirk.  "Expecting to meet more rats were you?" he guesses (rolls dice for sense motive).  "We left none alive.  Move now, you'll answer before Sir Holomir."  He shoves the old man through the eastern exit, in the direction of their first entry point below Mitra's shrine.

He is not surprised in the least to meet his exact double coming in the opposite direction.  "Praise Dauros!  A Quest shared is a victory ensured.  Follow me."

From the furrowed brows and the way the orcs look at each other, it is exceedingly unlikely they'll remember anything after Aurion's order to go up the stairs, but Olog does at least take the plaque from the Elf, and seems much relieved when nothing bad happens to him as a result.

The appointed spokesman for the Orcs does glance towards Berkam-Shem, however ... but once your captive turns his smile towards his former bodyguard and nods enthusiastically to indicate his assent, the troop turn and march up the stairs.

Once they're out of sight, Tesseryn hurries you on, reprimanding the smiling old man as he hurries you down the tunnel in the direction you entered, Berkam-Shem winking conspiratorially at the Paldin as he is shoved forwards.

Though puzzling over his captives demeanor, Tessreyn does not seem at all surprised to see himself coming down the tunnel towards you. 

OOC: Map of the proceedings updated ...

Pausing at the secret entrance, the other Tesseryn seems at first wary of your approaching footfalls, and then astounded when he recognises himself at the forefront of the group, dragging along a heavily bound old man.

"In Dauros name come no closer!" he commands.

"Have you tricked my companions.. no, I'd wager you have ensorcelled them with some evil spell! I demand you release them now and reveal your true face or it shall go very badly for you!"

The smile vanishes from the old man's face.

"The games up," he looks sideways at Tesseryn, with resignation. "Get out of here and save yourself."

"Nonsense!"  Tesseryn sounds outraged.  He frog-marches the old man along the passage to the corner to confront the imposter, pulling a short sword from its sheath as he goes but keeping his left hand tightly knotted in the collar of the old man's robe.  "You are a false image, sent to delay the righteous.  In the name of Dauros and Mitra, begone!"

Watching the orcs clatter up the stairs, Aurion is indifferent to their fate but relieved not to have to witness the paladin muddling through judging them. The appearance of a second paladin is a puzzle ... and alarming too in case it signals the beginning of a trend. "What is the collective noun for a group of paladins? A bother perhaps?" He keeps a close watch on Berkam Shem and draws a wand of Colour Spray ready to use if he tries any moves.

"Oh good, I love a puzzle," Brindle responds cheerfully, but the frown on his face gives a different impression.

He recites a brief incantation then follows a further 20 feet along the tunnel behind Tesseryn and Berkam-Shem.

OOC: Brindle casts Detect Magic.

"Sorry !" the old man apologies in a strangled tone as he is hauled down the tunnel.

"False image ... good idea !  Maybe we could try that next ?"

"Never have I been false!" the other Tesseryn seems most affronted at the suggestion. "By such lies you condemn yourself!"

He glares at his other self, drawing his greatsword, holding it up in prayer before lowering it towards the approaching pair, his stance suggesting that for the moment he is merely protecting himself, poised to ward off any attack his double might launch with his own blade.

"Release the old man and I shall spare you."

"One of him was bad enough," the big orc rumbles.

"Let's beat them both senseless and tie them up and then we can sort it out," he grins, showing his teeth to suggest that he might possibly be joking, but maybe not.

Tesseryn and Berkam-Shem advance to meet Tesseryn, though the old man seems rather more reluctant to do so than either of the Paladins, both of whom eagerly draw weapons.  They come together by the secret way, leaving just enough distance between them as honour will allow.

Brindle and Aurion follow behind the pair, though neither seem keen on getting too close, the Elf just a little closer than the Halfling as he seeks to keep the old man within range of his wand.

At the back, Leisha and Cogwitz listen to Wrukaog's suggestion.

The moment is tense ...

OOC: Map of the proceedings updated ...