This message was deleted by the player at 02:07, Fri 10 Apr 2020.

This message was deleted by the player at 02:07, Fri 10 Apr 2020.

Wrukaog's words bring a fresh flush of embarrassment to Tesseryn's face, clearly seen in Aurion's light.  This situation is intolerable.  His nerves are frayed to breaking point.  It must end.  One way or another.  With no vow, and no need to issue a challenge, he hunches his shoulders, slips Malicia's grip from his elbow and smites at her with his greatsword.  And again.

10:33, Today: Tesseryn Brightsoul rolled 22 using 2d6+11.  damage 2 (power attack).
10:33, Today: Tesseryn Brightsoul rolled 19 using 2d6+11.  damage 1 (power attack).
10:31, Today: Tesseryn Brightsoul rolled 19 using 1d20+4.  greatsword to Malicia again.
10:30, Today: Tesseryn Brightsoul rolled 19 using 1d20+9.  greatsword to Malicia.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:13, Fri 10 Apr 2020.

His smirk at Tesseryn's embarrassment vanishes in an instant, and Aurion reacts with a backstep behind the insane ex-paladin and a pair of magic missiles at Malicia.  "Wrukaog?!!!"

11:18, Today: Aurion Moonbeak_ rolled 14 using 1d20+4.  caster level check for spell resistance.
11:19, Today: Aurion Moonbeak_ rolled 8 using 2d4+2.  magic missile dmg.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:25, Fri 10 Apr 2020.

Wrukaog's eyes widen in surprise when Tesseryn suddenly turns on his girlfriend, but then at Aurion's urging he grins and wades in as well.

"Hope you don't mind carking sharing!" he exclaims to Tesseryn as he swings his greataxe at Malicia.

22:48, Today: Wrukaog_ rolled 30 using 1d20+13.  Greataxe to hit Malicia.
22:49, Today: Wrukaog_ rolled 22 using 1d12+12.  Greataxe damage on Malicia.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:11, Fri 10 Apr 2020.

"It certainly wasn't me," Leisha answers Brindle.  "I suppose that was obvious though.  Do you think if we really, really prayed for them to leave us alone, they'd listen?"

Brindle grinned at Leisha's suggestion.

"I don't know, but it is certainly worth trying. I've never really given much time to praying but I'm willing to make the effort if it would give us a clue what we need to do to get out of here!"

"I used to be a priest of Brandobaris !" Cogwitz says brightly. "Until they caught me with the donations box."

"They didn't mind that I took it.. it was me getting myself caught that they frowned upon!"

"All of us here pray constantly that the evil of the Dark Tower be crushed," the Lamassu confides to Brindle, those gnomes present dutifully and enthusiastically chorusing their confirmatory "Death to the minions of Set !"

"That Mitra has sent you to us is a wonder and a miracle."

The ex-prisoner Haltashaar seems unconvinced that his missing friend is responsible.

"Vastavaar Speartongue is is a good fighter but a braggart.  Most like he'd pray to the gods for the strength to overcome those who captured him.  We know only of the struggle between the White Tower and the Dark one from what we have learned here."

---

At the base of the tower, Malicia is taken unawares by Tesseryn's base treachery, shrieking in pain and rage as the ex-paladin's blade cuts deep.  But Aurion's hastily conjured missiles of mystic force have no effect upon her, and as Wrukaog raises his axe the Succubus vanishes.  Ominously.

Tesseryn sighs in relief.  "My message was clear then." He replies cryptically to the empty space where the succubus stood.

He looks to his companions, grateful for
their support.  "Stay close.  The ring  Mitra's Favour, will protect us from her wrath, when she returns."

"She's not dead then." Aurion surmises. He looks around to see if she's just hidden somewhere in plain sight (to him, at least while his See Invisible spell is still running). If she's nowhere to be seen he'll urge the group to retrace their steps and find Merth, but will stay close to Tesseryn as advised.

Krukaog scowls at the empty spot where Malicia was supposed to be standing.

"Cark it! Guess she was the one as don't like sharing!"

After a bit more fruitless scowling he shrugs and turns back toward the other chamber.

"C'mon, let's find that secret door. Merth might still be easier to find and kill than that she-devil."

Tesseryn is much relieved at Malicia's sudden disappearance, perhaps moreso as Aurion confirms that the Succubus is not lurking nearby, cloaked by invisibility.  Indeed, only Wrukaog seems upset, though it is the big Orc that leads the march back to the wine cellar at the Elf's urging.

Aurion's Elvish eyes soon locate the hidden door, now he knows what to look for and can actually see the walls of the chamber, thanks to his spell of illumination.

Confidently the three descend the revealed stone stairs, passing through a small and dusty chamber (look ! footprints ! that way !) and down another staircase which opens out in a corridor that runs north from the temple of set where Aurion left the golden lion amulet for the Halflings, though there is no immediate sign of Brindle, Cogwitz, Merth or Malicia ...

OOC: Map of the proceedings updated ...

---

... though perhaps both Halflings and Leisha besides wish they were back with their fellows, for in the White Tower discussion has fallen silent while the Priestess Vashalla and the silent but disapproving warrior have a very heated exchange, in their own native, sacred and above all very obscure tongue.

Wrukaog scowls again when they come out into a corridor that offers a choice of directions. Muttering to himself he searches quickly both ways up the corridor but just looks increasingly frustrated.

Wrukaog_ rolled 13 using 1d20+9.  Tracking: survival skill check.

Brindle looks at the priestess and warrior arguing for a moment then shrugs and turns to the other rescued prisoner, Haltashaar.

"Your friends seem to be having quite a debate there. Is it anything we should know about? Anything we can help with? Anything that might shed some light on what we need to do here?" he asks quietly.

Tesseryn frowns at this latest misfortune.   He tries to apply logic using what little information he has, as well as some speculation.  "Merth has no friends in the village above, so he's unlikely to seek succor there.  Likewise I believe he w a s no friend of Haffrung Helleyes, so he's unlikely to have delved deeper into the tunnels.  So perhaps he is hiding somewhere close by.  Let us search here briefly then find our companions."

Satisfied with his own logic he strides southward down the corridor and tries the double doors there, greatsword still in hand.

That all seems like wild guesses, but his own wild guesses would be no better. "I like the part about returning to our friends." But, eager to check on the amulet he left behind, Aurion hustles along the south passage past Tesseryn and into the shrine. He looks where he left the amulet and peeks up both of the northern passages in case Merth has gone that way.

Wrukaog looks up and down the corridor ... but can't see any sign of what way Merth might have fled, so the big Orc follows Tesseryn and Aurion south, his ill-temper, well, barely distinguishable from his usual surly demeanor.

The Elf heads straight for the foul temple of Set, noting that the amulet he left there has been removed before peering into the two passageways to the north.  The former Sheriff is conspicuously absent in both, but Aurion's keen ears hear a scraping sound coming from up the centre stairway.

The ex-Paladin prefers to investigate a likely looking set of doors close to where you came out, hauling them open to reveal a chamber perhaps twenty feet wide and thirty five feet long.  There is another door in the Eastern end of the South wall.

In the centre of the room stands a low stone pedestal upon which sits a glass bowl in which steam gently rises from a thick red substance that looks horribly like uncoagulated blood.  A large pair of eyes have been painted on the North wall of the chamber, though they are but basic outlines daubed upon the stone.

OOC: Map of the proceedings updated ...

---

Haltashaar eyes Brindle in a not-unfriendly manner.  "The priestess is ... insisting somewhat forceably that Moram return with us to help find my friend Vastavaar and recover the weapon that was taken from Virdonitii."

"He is somewhat ... reluctant."  He listens a moment more to the pair's discourse, nodding his head in understanding.

"She is reminding him that while you and everyone here may well be filthy infidels," he smiles at the Halfling to show no offence is meant, "we owe our freedom and likely our very lives to such people as yourselves, and that your very presence will not overly offend the goddess Ishtar ... and moreover he is bound by his own moral code to assist us ... even to assist you, unclean though you might be."

Brindle can't suppress a chuckle at the last part of Haltashaar's explanation.

"That's very decent of her. I must admit, I would certainly enjoy a nice, warm bath to feel properly clean again, but now is just not the time, I'm afraid. Do you have any idea where your friend Vastavaar was taken to? Perhaps our paths head in the same direction after all."

The Dervish warrior grins in turn at Brindle's jest but shakes his head at the halfling's question.

"If we were imprisoned but Vastavaar was not, I can only assume that his boasts did not dissuade our captors and his fate was far worse than ours.  But he is my friend and if he still lives I would find him ... and if not then give him a decent burial."

"But he could be anywhere.  I saw him take a blow to the head and the villagers dragging him away, but when I tried to stop them they turned on me also and I knew no more until I woke below."

"Or is it below ?  I know not in truth after being brought her by the mists !"

Taking the stairs two at a time, Aurion bounds upstairs to investigate the sound, the incantation of his favorite spell (Grease) on his lips in case Merth is there.

With no holy vow or uncompromising stone to tell him to assault the evil font, Tesseryn shrugs and closes the door.  He joins Wrukaog and shakes his head to indicate 'not in there'.  He'll wait for Aurion to return, or join him if it sounds like the quarry is found.

Wrukaog grins at Tesseryn but doesn't stay there in the temple with him. He turns and lopes up the stairs after Aurion with both hands gripping the haft of his greataxe.

Brindle shrugs as he listens to Haltashaar's explanation.

"Below ground, at least. Well, if you and your companions are going in search of your friend Vastavaar, either with us or on your own, you will need weapons at least, and armour and other equipment, too. Let's see whether these good gnomes can help with that at all."

He turns to the gnomes and asks, "My friends, these good people may be newly rescued from captivity but they are still keen to rescue the other member of their party from the evil folk who took him elsewhere. Is there anything you can do to aid their mission, for their enemies are our enemies too. Do you have any human-sized weapons and equipment hoarded away that they might use, or know where we can find some?"

As Tesseryn discovers for the first time the better part of valour and firmly pushes the double doors closed, Aurion leads the charge up the stone stairs, though whether it is the elf's eagerness to waylay the fugitive Merth or because Wrukaog is hot on his heels, one dare not speculate.

Once more the pair find themselves in the basement of the Inn, where as well as the sacks, casks and barrels and the ever popular hanging carcass of hopefully beef, lie the remains of the rickety staircase, the demise of which was the likely cause of springing the now sprung giant rat traps.

The trap door in the ceiling above is now firmly closed, and judging by the continued scraping noises, undoubtedly by now weighted down with whatever heavy objects those above could lay their hands upon.

---

Haltashaar looks hopeful as Brindle addresses his plea for arms and armour to the denizens of the White Tower, but the gnomes sadly shake their heads.

"We've never had any use for such," one explains.  "We can provide shortswords - I suppose you could use them as daggers."

Moram stares at him with contempt, his expression indicating he'd rather cut his own throat first.

"Somewhere on the second level you might find Berkam-Shem's lair," another suggests, "his orc guards are always well provisioned.  They must have an armoury down there somewhere."

"I believe our captors dumped our equipment in one of the other cells," Haltashaar murmurs.