"We are going to try and rescue you," Archer to the living prisoners, "It was difficult to fight off a few of the goblins but fortunately the other have not been alerted to our presence.  Do you know where the keys to your shackles are?  If not, is there a tool nearby we could use to separate them from the wall?"

He scans the room expecting to find a fire poker.

Fire poker? Yes. Other tools of "fun"? Yes.

The human points weakly at a key ring that is just barely out of reach. The set up seems to be set just so as to torment them with false hopes of escape.

June gets the keys and unlocks the shackles, freeing them. The pair are fading in and out of consciousness. June concentrates and the human begins healing up. "Gimme 5 minutes.. I'll heal her too." she indicates the harpy.

The human says, "Probably best to keep her the way she is. She's a harpy, after all. You heal her and she may thank you by making your ears bleed and then flying away."

Fae says, "Thanks for the warning. But let us worry about the consequences."

  Lerkeeb can't say he hadn't considered that, but then the human is also being conveniently selective about his worries of those with a poor reputation when it comes to the one's freeing them.

  Yes, some people think Eladrin are arrogant assholes, the gall of them.

  "I would have to imagine that would require a particularly stupid harpy, for such to happen." Oh, level 1.  Where you still think NPCs might have common sense.

"Or one beat near to death suddenly regaining her senses in a room full of strangers who belong to races known to kill harpies on sight," Archer counters, "I will take a precaution."

He gags the harpy and gently winds a rope around her wings.

Soon, the harpy is gagged and healed. She looks scared, but doesn't mumble or such against the gag. Just stares in worried anxiety.

The human says, "So what brings you bunch here? And... what's the story on having a drow with you?"

June says, "She's proven to be an ally. We're here because we had been imprisoned and broke out nearby. How we got imprisoned? I don't know."

Fae keeps a lookout at the door of the "fun house"
This message was last edited by the player at 22:38, Thu 11 Dec 2014.

  "Hmm, yes.  Foolish of me to overlook such a possibility, Archer."  See what you get for being raised in proper civilization, Lerkeeb?  You don't think about such unpleasantries (This is totally a real word, honest).

  "As for you two, at this point I care not for the particulars of your past so long as the both of you are of no further trouble.  Unless of course you think there is some past indiscretion troubling your conscience in how trustworthy you are?"  Lerkeeb does hope the human is smart enough to get the hint, but you never know.  He doesn't look like an class that prioritizes INT (well maybe that supplement build of rogue).

"Should we wait another 5 before heading out?" Archer asks, "My name is Archer.  What's your name?  I would suggest arming yourself with one of these weapons lying around.  Just in case."

He turns to the harpy.  "Do you understand Common?"

He slowly begins to unwrap the rope, watching carefully for any sign the girl might go berserk if released.

The human answers, "My name is Dandros." and gets to arming himself as suggested by Archer. He looks towards Lerkeeb. "Whatever my background, I am grateful for the rescue and do not believe in biting the hand that feeds me."

The harpy just slowly nods in response to Archer and doesn't make any sudden moves.

 "At the very least, wait enough to be sure she can walk under her own power or not.  As long as we are bringing her, it would not do to bring her out the door only to fall on her face." He says in regards to the Harpy.

  He nods to Dandros, "Sensible, though I can hardly fault your caution after being used for what passes as goblin entertainment."

"You're welcome, Dandros," Archer answers, "Glad to hear of your practical outlook."

He looks relieved when the harpy indicates she understands.  "Good.  Please forgive the bonds and gag.  I was worried you might panic and attack.  I'm going to remove those now.  Please stay quiet and inconspicuous.  We don't want the goblins to find out you're been rescued."

He finishes unwinding the rope and then works on removing the gag.

The harpy nods. When tested, she seems able to walk fine. When the gag is removed, she doesn't use The Voice on anyone. But she does follow her rescuers.

June asks, "Where should we go now?"

  "While not particularly specific, anywhere but here will do if we have no further business in this town.  Or does anyone have a desire to poke around while the Goblins are somewhat more agreeable?"

Archer is relieved the harpy stays true to her nod.

"No desire to stay beyond wishing we had the manpower to execute justice upon these vile goblins.  Perhaps our rescuees might know the area.  What direction do you think is safest to take, Dandros?"

Faerema asks, "Weren't we going to go get the note in the desk?"

June ohs and nods. "Sure. But let's tread carefully. We may be quite capable, but it seems the goblins are equally sadistic and could very well decide to risk their lives just to watch us bleed."

Dandros shrugs. "They are classic cowards: They only fight when they think they will win. If you've already shown a good show of force, they probably won't dare."

The harpy remains quiet, still looking scared.

  Well, hopefully scared will be the worst look they deal with from the Harpy.

  "I suppose trying to get more answers on the way out could be beneficial.  Though I am not particularly optimistic noticing there are more of us would stay their hand." Hey, it would be harder to hurt the PCs now... CHAAAARGE!

"I agree with Lerkeeb.  Too risky.  Outside proof that going out of our way to recover a note will save at least 7 lives, I see no reason to put 6 lives at risk.  Even if our own safety weren't a concern, We can come back another time when we don't have two victims who were tortured near to death to protect."

June says, "Away it is. Let's leave this horrible place."

And leads the bunch out of town.

Yes, this is a much more pleasant idea even if lacking in extra clues.

Though he is curious if the Harpy has any setting between silent and murder voice, if she is not simply too paranoid to risk several sharp objects and arcane blasts to the face for so much as a peep.

Archer follows June.  Once outside town he lets out a sigh of relief.  "Glad that's behind us."

He looks to the two victims.  "What direction would you like to go from here?"

Dandros says, "I think the nearest human settlement is north by northeast."

The Harpy looks nervous and puts a wing over her mouth before pointing northwest.

Dandros eye-rolls. "Of course she wants to go west. Opposite the human settlement. No doubt to lead us to her harpy nest so we can be ambushed."

June says, "We will go to the human settlement first." She looks at the Harpy. "And we won't let harm come to you."

June then looks at the others. "Unless you guys know of somewhere else you'd rather go?"

Faerema shrugs and says, "Human settlement... when we get close, all the same, to keep from causing trouble, I will wait outside town with the harpy."

  "I suppose the Human settlement would be more practical overall."  It would not assume it's citizens can fly in it's design planning, for starters.

  He nods to Faerema, "Little time for trust building exercises such as prison breaks, after all."  To the Harpy, he asks "Are you erring on the side of caution, or is speaking at all enough to cause the effects most know your kind for?"

Welcome to your Harpy speech lesson.
Hello: *house explodes*
Where is the restroom?: *Earthquake occurs*
I would like to buy some tacos: *Alderaan is destroyed*
This message was last edited by the player at 01:22, Fri 13 Feb 2015.

Archer nods to the Harpy.

"You see?  The heroes care about you.  Of course you're free to strike out on your own, but you'll probably be safest if you wait till after you recover your strength at least.  Until then, the way to the Human town is probably a little less for those who can't fly."

He looks to Dandros.  "So you know of a Harpy nest in that direction?  Are they known for being especially aggressive?  And exactly how friendly is this Human town to non-Humans?"

To Lerkeep he says, "I'm guessing the goblins destroyed her voice."

The harpy says, "My name is Serena Bloodfeather... I just was not talking because I did not want to startle you after you warned me not to speak..."

Dandros says, "I actually don't know much about the human settlement. But I do know people talked of harpies in this area, so I was making an educated guess that she was pointing where her kind are. What is known of the harpies is that they attack travelers in this area. So yeah? You can call that aggressive." He then glances at Faerema. "Without knowing much about the town we're going to, I'd say it's a safe bet for the drow to stay outside of town."

June says, "Fine with me."

Fae nods.

  "Sensible, though at this point I think being startled will be the least of our problems, Serena."  Last name pronounced, Blooooodfeather.   See also, Gauntlets of Blooood.

  To Dandros's elaboration that his knowledge is not actually that elaborate, he comments "Let us hope they are passably civilized then."  Random settlements in the middle of nowhere, for all they know it's a bunch of cannibals who enjoy polka.

"Your consideration is appreciated, Serena.  May I ask if Dandros was correct in assuming you wanted to go that way to reunite with your own kind?"

To Lerkeeb's statement, Archer shrugs.  "'Passably civilized,' as you would define it would be preferred, I'm sure.  But I'm expecting the humans to be plenty civilized and yet kill us the moment they catch wind of harpy scent on any one of us.  Even Dandros.  We should exercise extreme caution."