Trailing behind the others, Aurion is too far off to laugh at Tesseryn's trip. Being able to see invisible things at present, he quietly says to Brindle and Cogwitz "I wonder how Leisha is getting on? I left the golden lion amulet, Mitra's eye, on a pew in plain sight down in the Set temple below the inn. I hoped that Leisha might pick it up when she passed. Would you two like to sneak back down and check if she's all right? There doesn't seem to be much to do up here." He surreptitiously passes the mayor's ring to Brindle. "It seems fitting to give a stolen ring to a halfling for safe keeping."

He follows the procession to the constabulary. He readies a Magic Missile to fire at the sheriff if it looks like he is either trying to escape or trying to talk his way out of his predicament.

Though still invisible to everyone else, Brindle is not too surprised that Aurion knows where he is. He takes the ring and whispers back after only a moment's hesitation.

"Oh dear, it certainly wouldn't do for that to fall into the wrong hands again. All right, I'll go. Are you coming too, Cogz?"

As soon as Cogwitz decides on his course of action Brindle heads back to the inn, keeping hold of Cogwitz's hand if the other halfling is coming along with him. He will halt outside the inn and renew their invisibility spells with his wand before heading inside. At least the way down to the temple of Set should not be blocked as the giants very conveniently broke the doors off and brought them out with them!

The sheriff curses, but briefly, as his lackeys pick the winning side.  With eyes fixed upon Wrukaog's great axe, his gaze barely flickers as Tesseryn stumbles.  Though Merth is not one for glorious last stands ... taking advantage of the distraction which the ex-paladin affords him, he pauses only to throw his badge in the big Orc's direction before taking off as fast as his feet will carry him, bolting through the open door at the rear of the Constabulary ... much to the surprise of his former underlings who mill around in puzzlement.

"We don't have a back door ..." one of them ventures.  "Or any windows ..."

---

At Aurion's prompting, and with the Mayor's ring in hand, the two invisible halflings race back to the Inn and pass unseen through the crowd which buzzes with half-hearted discussion concerning the very recent political upheavals.  The Innkeep doesn't look at all happy, but even his complaints heard in passing are mild.  Nobody seems keen to defend the former Mayor ... though nobody seems much pleased that Ishpemo is taking over either.  Consensus has it that more drinks are needed.

The staircase seems to have survived the Giants' passage, and even though it appears even more rickety than before at least it serves its purpose, and Brindle and Cogwitz swiftly gain the temple of Set below where they spot the golden lion amulet on the pew where the Elf left it, though there is no sign of Leisha.

---

In the White Tower, the former prisoners have come to terms with their early release with unspurprising alacrity, and Haltashaar and Virdonitii once more entreat Leisha, and the gnome guards for good measure, to assist them in finding the missing Vastavaar and mace.  Vashalla displays more gratitude but the priestess declares her intention to return to search with the pair.  Moram continues to maintain a disapproving silence for the most part, though he does mutter something to Vashalla in what Leisha assumes is their native tongue.

Wrukaog snatches the sheriff's badge out of midair and holds it up as the sheriff flees.

"After 'im, boys! There's a nice fat reward on his head, as of right now. 100 gold for his carkin' head! I don't much care whether the rest of him is still attached or not."

Wrukaog gives them a moment or two to decide whether they are going or staying then grabs whichever one of the constables looks least keen to go chasing after Merth.

"You get to give me the grand tour of this building," he informs the lucky man. "Where are Merth's rooms. His office, his quarters. What else you got here? You got any carking prisoners here?"

If the constables were slow before, they make up for it now, though their keenness is more likely due to Wrukaog's approach than any real urge to capture their former leader.  Whatever the cause, there is a logjam at the doorway as they fight to push through.

The constable at the back finally realises his predicament, and hangs his head for a moment before turning back to the big Orc, a fixed grin in place.

"I'm G-G-Gernstead, sir ... Sheriff !  The, er ... Merth didn't really have an office - we just used to hang around in here.  It used to be a courtroom, back when we took prisoners.  Nowadays ... well, anyone who disagreed with the Mayor or Sher ... Merth didn't get given a chance to do so a second time."

"There's a couple of empty cells back there, and a storeroom.  Some fancy weapons, but, well, it's not like we could sell them or there's anything much in the village to spend coin on."

Barely has Gernstead blurted this out, when another of the constables appears in the doorway.  The fresh marks on his face suggest there may have been some discussion over who was to be the messenger and he wasn't the winner of the contest.

"He's gone !  There's a secret tunnel !"

"Cark it! Now we got a fugitive on the run from the law. Oh, he's gonna pay for that when we catch the bastard." Wrukaog grumbles.

He turns to Tesseryn and Aurion.

"We going after him right away?" he asks.

Brindle hands the golden lion amulet to Cogwitz for safe-keeping.

"Which way do you suppose Leisha would have gone?" he asks him. "I'm no good at tracking or anything like that. Perhaps we can ask Omphalos if he has seen Leisha? If not, maybe the gnomes at the white tower have seen her. Omphalos is closest, so let's ask him first."

Cogwitz sees the lion amulet vanish and then finds it being pressed upon him - luckily his kinsman had the foresight to hold hands or he'd never have known it !

"Me neither," he admits. "Always been more interested in avoiding being tracked. Omphalos it is."

"Damn village is riddled with 'secret tunnels' !" Ishpemo snarls.  "They should just hand out maps and guidebooks !"

"I've had enough of being cooped up down there," he tells Tesseryn, "you want to take your boys and get Merth, while me and mine deal with Ollem and anyone else who doesn't like the new arrangements ?"

"I'll keep an ... eye on him," the Succubus tells the new mayor, saliciously patting the ex-Paladin.

While those in the village above discuss going after the fleeing former Sheriff and somewhere below in the White Tower Leisha weighs up the desires and wishes of the ex-prisoners, the two invisible Halflings spring into action.

Brindle's recollection of the maze of chambers and passageways is both correct and shared by Cogwitz, so hand in hand the pair swiftly make their way back to Omphalos, tippy-toeing through the remnants of the shattered mirrors in the chamber to the south and with perhaps more trepidation through the chamber littered with bones and what remains Tesseryn couldn't easily scoop up.

Confidently pronouncing the password to avoid any unpleasant shocks, the pair enter the circular room wherein Omphalos dwells ... though being unable to see the Halflings, he naturally fails to greet them warmly.

Brindle quickly dismisses the invisibility spells on himself and Cogwitz and bows to the naga.

"Hello, Omphalos. Remember us, Brindle and Cogwitz? We are looking for our friend Leisha and four other people she was escorting to safety. Have you seen them or do you have any idea where they might be?" he asked.

Wrukaog winks suggestively at Malicia and Tesseryn then stomps off to investigate the collection of weapons that Gernstead mentioned. If Tesseryn and Aurion don't follow he will gather up the most interesting weapons and anything else and bring them back for them to examine.

"It will be swiftly done, Mayor Ishpemo."  Tesseryn wastes no time in departing the scene, as much to avoid further embarrassment as to quickly stop the former sheriff before he raises the alarm below.  He makes what he hopes is a dashing smile at Malicia, then plunges down the stairs.  He hopes the way ahead is in darkness as that would suit himself and Wrukaog, and possibly delay and expose Merth as he prepares a lamp.

Not wishing to split the party any further (3 splits is just nice, oh dear!), Aurion quickly helps Wrukaog search Merth's belongings and gather up any smaller valuables or written works, stuffing them into the concealed pockets of his robe. "Nice work Wrukaog. Shame to let this go to waste. Now lets get after Merth." He follows Tesseryn and Malicia down the secret stair as soon as possible.

As the two Halflings reappear, Omphalos whips his head around, jaws wide ... only to pause as he recognises the pair.

"You are full of sssurprisssesss," the guardian remarks as he settles down once more, coiling around into a comfortable position.

"Yesss, your friendsss did passs thisss way - I guided them to the missstss around the corner," his head dips towards the passage to the east, "which took them to the White Tower where Leisssha hoped the gnomesss might free thossse bound."

---

While most of the weapons are nothing special, Wrukaog does find a two handed sword with a jewel encrusted pommel.  Aurion, however, is disappointed, finding naught besides but clothing and saddles, fine enough but scarcely valuable.  Nor is there any sign of any of Merth's personal possessions - either he has hidden them well, or they are to be found elsewhere ... or the Sheriff's personal philosophy eschews such trivialities.  So it is not long before the pair are hard on the heels of Tesseryn and Malicia who finds his pursuit through the darkness somewhat hampered by that lady's affections.

The stairs lead down to a dusty chamber, perhaps ten feet square in which Merth is conspiciously absent, so the intrepid pursuers continue eastwards along a narrow corridor for a hundred feet or so until it opens up into a slightly bigger chamber, this one fifteen feet on each side, that seems to be a wine cellar from the familiar smell and number of barrels.

But again, no Sheriff.

The passage continues eastward on the opposite wall about sixty feet where stairs lead up.  By now Aurion is lagging behind, making his way by touch alone, though Orc, ex-Paladin and Vile Temptress can see just fine as they charge up the stairs ...

... to find themselves in a circular room, perhaps thirty feet in diameter, with a high ceiling at least sixty feet above.  The floor of the room is dank earth with a musty smell and littered with small bones.  Almost as if she were reading his thoughts, Malicia pats Tesseryn not on the shoulder.

Still no Merth, but perhaps someone will see the humour in that.

Wrukaog admired the jewel encrusted pommel of the two-handed sword and gave is a couple of test swings before strapping it on his back in favour of his own greataxe.

When they reached the dirt floor of the circular chamber he pushed forward and started searching around for any sign of which way Merth had gone.

OOC: Wrukaog_ rolled 12 using 1d20+8.  Search check to find tracks.

"Thank you, noble Omphalos. We shall be on our way then. The sooner we join them, the better," Brindle responded enthusiastically. He headed for the mist-shrouded corridor with Cogwitz in tow.

"Not now!" Tesseryn begs in an embarrassed whisper. 

"He's here somewhere.  Wrukaog, Aurion, stay close."  Tesseryn draws his greatsword and moves to keep Wrukaog close.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:36, Sun 05 Apr 2020.

Tired of stumbling alone in the pitch dark, Aurion casts Light upon a pebble and hustles forward to join Tesseryn. "Malicia, do you know if Merth has allies down here?" He raises the glowing pebble high to peer up at the roof.

Malicia's eyes narrow at the distraction, but as Tesseryn moves nearer to Wrukaog to prevent the big Orc from straying, she allows that the Elf at least doesn't smell.

"Haffrung is Avakaris' rival ... I suppose he might trade what Merth has to tell him for his life, or maybe kill him anyway.  The Sons of Set rarely venture outside the Dark Tower and I doubt he'd make it that far anyway."

"And whatever evil dwells at the Dark Tower's peak ... I'm bad," she smiles coquettishly, "but that's just nasty !"

Wrukaog's search reveals nothing, not even with Tesseryn helping and Aurion providing unnecessary light.  Indeed, the glow does not extend far enough to reach the ceiling of this circular chamber ... though it does not take the Elf long to realise that you must be standing inside the stone tower that lies on the outskirts of the village.

---

Taking their leave of Omphalos, Brindle and Cogwitz scurry around the corner, fearlessly entering the mists ...

...... to find themselves back in the White Tower, where they find Leisha, the four ex-prisoners (now freed of their manacles), the three Lammasu (Rosunn, Eaomir and Dohevin) and rather too many gnome guards for comfort in the small space.

"More of them !" the closest of the Lamassu, whichever it is, exclaims, not unhappily.  "Welcome back !"

Malicia watches the Orc poke and prod at the stones with little interest, and quickly becomes bored.

"The hidden door is back in the other chamber," she sighs.  "Can we go now ?"

"Wait till you see my bedchamber," she tells the ex-Paladin with breathy anticip ... ation.

Wrukaog growls sulkily but refrains from snapping at Malicia.

"Thank you," he manages to say through gritted teeth. "You wanna show us where it is? The sooner we get this over the sooner you two can go do what ya wanna do."

Brindle is delighted to see Leisha and everyone else at the White Tower.

"Greetings, friends. It is wonderful to see you all safe and well," he says enthusiastically.

"Perhaps one of you can help me with something that has had me puzzled since we arrived. I know this is going to sound rather strange, but perhaps not completely unbelievable given where we are standing. Someone has been praying for help and, for reasons we may never understand, the Gods answered their call by sending us here. I am rather hoping that someone here can help us work out who that was. Someone mentioned there is another prisoner yet to be rescued. Do you think he would be the sort that might have prayed up such a storm?"