When Kitau began rubbing Callie's back, the girl ohs and looks over at Kitau with a smile and a blush. "...thanks, Kitau..." she says quietly.

When Mittens makes her point, Callie says, "We will show mercy on whoever wishes it. Whoever does not wish it, refusing to live, we can not help."

Kitau wakes the prisoner and presses the blade of her axe to his throat.  Mittens conjures a cake and offers it to him.

"Cake or death?!" Mittens demands.

"What?"

"We defeated Kalarel.  The portal is shut down permanently.  So.  Do you want to die?  Or do you want to live?"

"Live, of course."

"Very well.  Then don't resist when we tell you to march.  Or any other orders we give you.  Including eating cake."

"I'll never take orders from the likes of you!"

"Them's the terms.  Cake or death!?"

"How 'bout YOU die!  Orcus will feast on your soul!  And when he's turned you into a zombie, I'll be the first to URK!"

Kitau slits his throat.

"Sheesh.  You'd think it was a reasonable offer."

Should Kitau be allowed to move on to the next survivor, the berserkers and the underpriest refuse to follow even the simplest order.  Even if it's to eat cake.  Kitau will interpret such as meaning they'd rather die and gives them what they asked for.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:21, Fri 15 Apr 2011.

  Terdisas can not help but melodramatically sigh at the results.  Though he only sighs once, and there is no snorting involved.  "Despite their clear stupidity, I do find myself curious what they may have said."  "Chirp, obviously it was 'I'll be the first to get my brains eaten by you.'"  "Ah, how foolish of me not to realize."

Callie is bugged by this and says, "I... I'll be waiting for you all in the next room." and just heads out to the next room.

Dido looks from her to the others and back. "Callie, we shouldn't separate until we've made sure this place is safe."

Callie just calls over her shoulder in an annoyed tone, "I'll just be in the next room!"

Dido looks back at the others. "...I'mma check on her." he heads after Callie.

"I think we can handle a few beat-up, tied-up villains," Mittens says, "That next room is the one that has me a bit nervous.  Those zombies may still be animated.  And with Kalarel defeated, they may no longer be bound to the 'don't attack people with the cult symbol' condition and attack all living things.  So... we'll catch up if we hear a holler."

Kitau drops what she's doing and follows Callie.

Mittens raises an eyebrow and follows as well.  "Or we just... stay together.  Yeah."

  Pesky module details of the 'They know nothing, will tell you nothing, and would rather die than even help you with basic math problems'.  No consideration for PC's who don't consider all forms of life merely bags of EXP, even their own party members.

  "Sticking together would be the preferable action, especially in a place such as this.  I am sure we may spare Callie some alone time when we reach a more hospitable local."

Callie is found, back to the wall, hiding her face in her hands, quietly crying. Dido is looking kind of lost on what to do, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Gee, Callie... we're your friends. You don't have to cry alone."

Kitau boldly moves to give Callie a hug.  Serious face looking hurt and fighting back her own tears.

"I'll show my concern for Callie with a 'Ditto' to what Dido said," Mittens says, "And by blasting possibly dangerous zombies preemptively."

She goes about blasting the motionless undead littering the floor of this dark room.  They don't budge.

  Yes Dido, Callie does not have to cry alone.  Now, everybody cry!!.... No dice?

  "There is no denying we have had a trying time, only to be met with further unpleasantness even after victory.  Your tears while understandable, are still something I wish I could have done more to prevent."

  Superbird occasionaly stays behind during travels and pops back to Terdisas's shoulder to double ensure nothing is sneaking up on them from further monster closets.  Sure, there aren't any, but he don't know that.

Callie leans on Kitau. "Sorry... I just.. sorry..."

Dido asks, "What's bugging you... I mean what's *really* bugging you? We face and kill these guys in combat frequently. So their death now can't really be it... can it?"

Callie sniffs and rubs some tears aside. "It's just... their hopelessness. Their utter, complete, sour, spiteful, lost hopelessness. They will suffer more than anyone ever should and they don't know and won't care until it's entirely too late. It's one thing to enter the afterlife. It's another to enter into the grasp of an evil deity. It's a fitting end when they spit on your attempts at mercy... but still an end I would never wish on anyone. And even if we dragged them kicking and screaming back to town, the end result would be the same. But I just know one or two of them has potential to repent. To turn. SOMEONE has to... but they surround themselves in death, welcoming it. No matter how bitter, how cold. What kind of life is so dark to lead people to prefer this kind of path?"

Dido ohs. "...then... it's all of it. Everything. Callie, you're right that there is nothing we can do for them and it is sad. But look around you. Kitau, Mittens, Terdisas and I are in the light. Aecris was vindicated. We have the rift sealed. What we COULD do... we did. Saving souls is less in our grasp and more in fate's hands. Pray for them... and let them to the gods."

Callie says, "I know... I know... I'm sorry. It just... gets to me."

Kitau puts on a jaded look and pat-pats Callie on the back before releasing her from the hug.  She moves back to the room with the prisoners without a word.

Mittens strokes her chin, nodding repeatedly like when Naruto's pretending like he's paying attention.

"Your lack of venom toward some of the most deserving villains to ever darken this plane is impressive," she says, "Dido's right.  If it's love you seek to grant them, then consider that allowing them to continue to taint themselves with further acts of darkness is perhaps the most un-loving act one could possibly doom them to.

"I cannot answer what kind of life they each led that brought them to be so dark, but I have a feeling that their own darkness is greater than the darkness they endured to arrive at this point.  I do expect that hobgoblin upstairs to choose cake over death at least.

"Unpleasant though the task at hand may be, I will return with Kitau once each prisoner has heard your offer of 'mercy or mercy.'  Because regardless of whether they choose life or death, we've done them a favor.  The whole world a favor for that matter."

She follows Kitau.

  Terdisas nods,  "It is always quite a different situation to deal with, once immediate personal or planar danger has passed.  While sometimes not much more easy, such choices are easier nonetheless to go through with in those circumstances."

  He looks back to the departing pair, then back to Callie and says "At the very least, you do not have to watch.  Unless it is a burden you choose to take up."  And if she opts to not watch, hopefully Kitau chooses some quieter, less scream inducing methods of execution.

Fast forwarding a bit, when the executions are done, Dido and Callie go with the group to inform Keigan about the victory.

Callie is silent, but gives Kitau the occasional sad smile.

Dido says, "You know? The way we defeated Kalarel, while just and fitting, is unfortunately going to convince the goblin we stood no chance like he thought. Just got in a lucky shot that had a god take the guy out for us."

Mittens and Kitau returned with no living prisoners, but apparently no more covered in blood than they were before.  They follow along, Kitau doing a large part of the "toss tied-up hobgoblin prisoner over magical trap" type stuff.

"Thank you for sealing the rift," Keegan says, "I could feel the taint wane.  And that accursed whispering has stopped.  If I may have my sword back, I shall stand guard for as long as my unlife lasts, and hopefully do a better job of it this time.  Tell whomever you trust to be a living guardian to bury this place.  Collapse the entrance or something.  Tell them if they have any need to come down here to announce themselves thus:

'Hail Sir Keegan in the name of the Platinum Dragon and his champion Dido!'

"Otherwise I may mistake them as a foe.  Also.  Please return those platinum idols to where you found them.  They were what kept me from being controlled by that accursed necromancer."

Mittens gives him a smile and a thumbs-up.

"Any words of wisdom for our Cleric of Love who feels remorse for me and Kitau executing the surviving villains who would rather die than so much as eat a cake I offered."

"Had I been properly executed for my misdeeds I may have been spared this eternity of regret," Keegan replies, "You need look no further than the example of the Platinum Dragon when it comes to Justice."

    Terdisas places the valuable Idols back into it's original location...  Yeah, we've officially Action Archeologist qualifications instead of 'Standard Adventure Party' here if you put the valuable idols BACK.

  "Dido, even if we did decide to take advantage of the fact that there are no standing witnesses to that battle and claim it was a drawn out beatdown, there is no need.  While there is the opening to question our ability to stop Kalarel had we not cast him into the Shadowfell, the insult to Kalarel's own power and clear idiocy of what he worshiped would more than make up for it."   "Tweet, Right, worshiping a dark force that will eat the one trying to free it instead of sending it back as a super powered zombie thirty seconds later.  Real Squawking smart, shadowfell.  Even if they came back later, too little too late, chirp."

Dido, of course, agrees to what Keegan says. Then to Terdisas and Superbird, he smiles. "Heh... you have a point. The stupidity of destroying your own servant before he's done helping you out of a hole is pretty out there."

He follows the others to the less un-savable enemies.

Callie thanks Keegan. Then, when Dido answers Terdisas, Callie adds, "You could say that technically, we mostly ignored him to get rid of his guards. Then when he was the only one left, we sent him packing with only a few attacks. I mean... I didn't even get the chance to use my special power that's especially effective against the undead because we defeated them too quick."

Callie then says, "Thanks again for the support everyone. And for sparing me from having to kill at that particular moment. I think I'll be alright in the future... I was just... it had all kinda gotten to me."

Dido interjects, "Most people couldn't handle even walking through the front entrance, let alone see all the horrors we faced. But that's why *we* are here. We handled it. That includes you, Callie."

Callie nods. "I can see that now. Thanks." she smiles at her allies, one by one, letting her gaze linger a bit at Kitau. Once they arrive at the ones who were ironically a harder fight than Kalarel, Callie goes to wake the prisoners.
This message was last edited by the player at 15:38, Tue 19 Apr 2011.

"Dido's right," Mits agrees, "In the end what matters is that we kicked his butt and saved the day!"

The prisoners are already awake, apparently freed by allies from another part of the dungeon, one of whom is exceptionally fat.  When they notice the adventurers approach with hobgoblin prisoners in bonds, they gasp and raise their hands in surrender.  The fat one glances at the hobgoblin who headshakes.

"Kalarel's dead," the hobgoblin says.

"Well that..." the fat one says, "That's fantastic!  Thank you, heroes!  Balgron the Great at your service."

He gives a sweeping bow.

"Sniveling worm," the hobgoblin snarls.

"Psh," the fat goblin scoffs, "Showing respect is what kept me and my tribe alive while we were enslaved by Kalarel.  You're lucky to be alive after resisting these fine freedom fighters.  Tell me.  How can we ever thank you for defeating our former master?"

"Uh..." Mittens says, stumped.

Kitau looks very, very pissed off.

"Don't let this villain sweet talk his way out of the punishment he's due!" she appeals, "His thugs tried to kill us!  Over treasure!"
This message was last edited by the player at 04:50, Wed 20 Apr 2011.

  Terdisas considers this turn of events, and says "I suppose the method of how you could ever thank us would be to turn yourselves in.  Of course, perhaps this is one of those times such a thing is asked, but following through on suggestions is in no way intended?"  "Tweet, you mean like the time Grandma was taken up on her offer to help put away leftovers?"  "...Yes, like that."

  OOC Style: Grandma comment based on RL.  Post Easter Dinner, Grandma Mother's Side Offers to help put stuff away.  We say take her up on it.  Grandma then looks all indignant and says 'I was only being polite!'.

  Though seriously, If these Guys aren't hostile (which being full of smiles may indicate) Ter has lovely odds of Diplomacy/Intimidate blasting them into compliance.

Callie nods. "Turn yourselves in. Kitau speaks true. A bunch of you did try to kill us over treasure we weren't even interested in. We came here to stop Kalarel and seal the Shadowfell Rift. We have done that. Now, unless you think you can fight those who took down Kalarel, surrender. Those of you who did not try to kill us might even go free entirely when all is said and done. Those who tried to kill us may get off without a death sentence."

(Take-10 diplomacy = 18)

Dido looks equally as ticked as Kitau, his nose wrinkled in anger, all his facial features shivering before he takes a deep breathe and suddenly seems to go calm and collected. With a cold tone, Dido says, "But if you do not surrender... well, I don't think words are sufficient for describing the consequences."

(Intimidate take-10 = 20)

Kitau glares at the group of goblins, aching to spill their blood, and it shows.  The goblins gasp and gulp at Dido and Kitau's angry looks.

"S-surrendered!" Balgron shrieks, getting on his knees along with the other goblins, "W-We've already surrendered!  S-sorry about th-those who attacked.  Apologize, morons!"

"We're sorry, masters!"

"It'll never happen again!"

"You can have the treasure!  Just don't kill us!"

"Tsh," Kitau sneers, putting her axes away with a deep frown.

She begins to bind up the surrendered goblins.  Mits helps out.

"Apparently this isn't one of those times," she comments to Terdisas.

"There may be others," Kitau points out.

  "Tweet, tear out their intestines and wear them as a skirt while you dance the Hula in front of their surviving Family... Wait, no, that's a terrible thing, chirp.  Chirp, you could trip dancing like that.  I'll think of something for words Dido, gimme a minute, tweet."  "I believe we will not be needing such descriptive statements at this time."

  Terdisas turns to Mittens, and says "It does appear to be the case, how fortunate.  This keep has had enough blood spilled in it for now."  "Chirp, well technically you boil the blood still inside the bodies or cause lethal frosbite and internal trauma, so you could-"  "Missing. The. Point."

Dido says, "Creative bird." as he helps tie up the goblins. "Kitau. When we get to town, I have something to give you."

Callie also helps. She occasionally reassures the goblins they will be treated well as long as they behave. When all are tied and ready, Callie makes sure everything is in order, then directs the group to head out.

"Gross," Mittens says, "I'd rather my allies' speeches be more heroic sounding than that if at all possible.  That's the kind of suggestion I'd expect to hear from a villain."

Kitau simply nods in reply to Dido.  There were other goblins, and they too surrendered without a fight.  The group makes slow progress returning to town what with all the prisoners tied to the wagon.  Mits passes the time by writing the adventure in her journal, asking the group for input on how best to word certain parts.  Night falls, and injured prisoners are looking like they're ready collapse.