Cato helped the others examine the body, feeling somewhat...deflated.  He had expected the mystery of stranger's identity to be resolved.  Cato nodded at Pisca's suggestions.  "Yes, good idea.  The mask seems the strangest.  It must either be magical or someone here knows him.  Why else would he wear it?  Unless it's some sort of ceremonial guard.  But that would make him a priest?  Maybe you're on the right track, Liseth."

Cato turned the card over in his hands.  "Maybe you're right.  There were seven Runelords.  But we've seen a symbol associated with them: the Sihedron rune, back in the old ruins below the town.  This is a much more modern symbol.  Unless the Runelords have followers still active?  But I can't believe they could have been that well hidden for so long."

Finally, Cato picked up the vial of yellow liquid.  "The poison, perhaps?  I can see if it's magical as well, just to make sure."

Position: M14
Standard Action: Detect Magic.  Inspect items and clothes of the mysterious stranger for auras.

Active Effects:
Protection from Arrows (Kellan)
Mage Armor (Cato)

Combat Stats:
AC 16
BAB: +2, 1d6 damage

"Huh" Kellan looked at the card with a slighted raised eyebrow and stared at the face of their mysterious assailant. "Having somebody to try would take a lot of the blame off of Tsuto...even if he doesn't deserve it" he added more quietly. "And who knows...we might be able to make him talk"

Kellan, with the aid of his dagger, took a few strips of cloth off the strangers robes. The first he balled up and jammed in his mouth, the second he tied tightly around the mouth and the third he used to blindfold him. Then taking the other foot opposite to Pisca, he followed suit back towards the prison area.

---

---

Kerr followed the group as Pisca and Kellan dragged the Mysterious Man back into the prison, watching alertly for trouble, trying not to be distracted by the shapely sway of Liseth's hips as he did so.  Unaccountably, he blushed.  Get ahold of yourself, Kerr, he mentally berated himself.  You're in the middle of some sort of Goblin-Lamashtu-Thassilonian death complex, surrounded by enemies, and THIS is all you can think about?!?

Suitably chastized, the young man knelt next to where Cato and Liseth were examining the strange man and his items.  He gave his girlfriend an embarrassed smile before trying once again to reach out with his feelings . . .

!!!!EVIL!!!!

Kerr stumbled back a bit in shock, blood draining from his face.  "That," he said, pointing at the mask, his voice still trembling a bit from the surprise, is not a good thing."  He wiped away the sweat that had sprung up on his forehead.  "It's somehow evil in and of itself.  I don't know if it's a relic of a dark god or what, but I would be very careful with it."

   A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z
  +--+--+--+--+--xxxxxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--+-xxx-+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
1 |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  | x| xx  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--xxxxxxx--+--+--xxxxxxx--+--+--+x-+--xx-+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
2 |  |  |  x  |  x  |  |  D  |  S13|  |  |x |  | xxx |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--x--+--x--+11+--xxxxxxx--+--+--+x-+--+--+-xxxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
3 |  |  |  x 12  D  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |x |  |  |  |  xx |  |  xxx| x|  |  |  |
  +--+--+--x--+--x--+--+--xxxxxxxxxxxxx--+-x+--6--+--x--+-xxx-+xxx--xx xxx+--+--+
4 |  |  | 14  |  x  |  |  D  |  D  |  x  |  x  |  | xx  |  |xxxx |  |  |  x  |  |
  +--+--+--xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-10--x--+--xxx+--xx-+xxxx-+x-+--+--+--+--x--+--+
5 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  x  |  |  xxxx  |  x  x  |  |  |  |  |xx|  |
  +--+--+--xxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--xxxxDDx--+--+--+--+--+-x+--x--+--+--+--+--+-C+--+
6 |  |  | x|  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  x  x  |  |  |  |  |x | x|  |  |  |  |  | C|  |
  +--+--+x-+--+--xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--x--x--+--+--+--+--x--+-x+--+--+--6--+--+-C+--+
7 |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  x  x  |  |  |  |  x  |  x  |  |  |  |  | C|  |
  +--+xxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--xxxx--xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx+--+--+x-x--+--+--+--+-C+--+
8 |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  D  |  |  |  |  |  D  |  |  | x|x |  |  |  | C|  |
  +--x--+--+--+--9--+--+--+--+--D--+--xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-+xxx--+-x+--+--+--+x-+--+
9 |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  D  |  x  |  |  |  |  | xx  |xxx  |  |  |  x  |  |
  +--+xxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--xxxxDDx--xxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--xxxx--+--+-xx--+--+
10|  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  x  x  x  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |x |  |x |  |  |
  +--+--+x-+--+--xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--x--x--x--x--x--+--+--+--+--+--+-xxxxx--+--+--+
11|  |  | x|  |  x  |  x  D  |  x  x  x  x  x  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--xxxxDDx--+--x--x--8--x--x--x--xSSx--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
12|  |  |  |  x  x  |  x  x  |  x  x  x  |  x  x  |  |  |  |  | xxx |xxx  |  |  |
  +--+--xxxxxxxDDxxxxxxx14xxxxxxx--xDDxxxxxxxDDxxxx--+--+--+--+xx+xxxx-xxx+--+--+
13|  |  x  |  |  |K |C |P x  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  x  |  |  | x|  |  |
  +--+--x--+--+--+--+--+--xxxxxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--xxxxxxxxxxxxx--+--+--+xx+--+--+
14|  |  x  |  |  7L |M |R D  |  |  D  |  |  |  |  D  |  |  |  D  |  |  xx |  |  |
  +--+--xDDxDDxDDxDDxDDxDDxxxxxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--xxxxxxxxxxxxx--+--5--xx-+--+--+
15|  |  x  x  x  x  x  x  x  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  xx |  |  |x |  |  |
  +--+--xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx--+--+--xxxxDDxDDxDDxxxx--+--+--+--+xxxx-+-xxx-+--+--+
16|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  x  x  |  x  |  |  |  |  | xxxx|  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--xxxxxxxxxxxxx--+--x--x--3--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
17|  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  x  |  x  |  x  x  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--xxxxxxx--4--x--4--x--+--x--xxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
18|  |  |  |  |  x  |  x  |  x  |  x  |  x  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--x--+--xxxxDDxxxxDDxxxxxxx--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
19|  |  |  |  |  x  4  D  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--x--+--xxxxDDxxxxDDxxxxxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
20|  |  |  |  |  x  |  x  |  x  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--xxxxxxx--4--x--4--x--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
21|  |  |  |  |  |  |  x  |  x  |  x  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--xxxxxxxxxxxxx--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
22|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
23|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
24|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
25|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+
26|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
  +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+

1 = Dining Hall                           8 = Gabriel's Chambers (Rescue!)

2 = Wives' Quarters                       9 = Lamashtu Chapel (Dangerous!!!!!)

3 = Nursery                              10 = Gallery

4 = Bedchambers                          11 = War Room

5 = Storage                              12 = Research Room

6 = Cave of Death (Keep Out!!!!!)        13 = Stairs Down (Nualia - Dangerous!!!)

7 = Prison                               14 = Secret Door!

SS = Stairway                            CC = Cliff View to Ocean

Party Status:  Kerr has taken 16 points of damage.  Kellan has taken four points of damage.
Pisca has taken two points of damage and 18 points of non-lethal damage.

Opponent Status:  Mysterious Person has taken 21 points of non-lethal damage and 15 points of lethal damage.

---

---

Cato leaned back and nodded at Kerr's assessment.  "It's also magical.  I could spend more time examining it, but I'd hazard a guess that we don't want anyone wearing an evil, magical mask.  Such things could be trapped, or have subtle magic woven into them that could affect the personality or perceptions of the wearer.  Nothing else on his person, however, is magical.  So that vial is probably just a mundane poison."  Cato looked around.  "Should we just lock him in one of these cells, sans mask, and effect our rescue?

“Well … yes, Kerr Mollin,” replied the gnome.  She’d been stealing glances over her shoulder at The Boyfriend and Liseth as, alongside Kellan, Pisca had dragged Seven’s limp body by the foot.  “Of course it’s evil.  It even *looks* evil.  Unlike other things that are evil and don’t look it.  Like chocolate.  Or kittens.  But it’s alright.  I’m experienced.  I’ve taken charge of the disposal of a Extraplanar, Life-sucking Bat-winged Head,” claimed the gnome.  “Of course, we never did get it to the right person for disposal.  But it’s in a safe place, I assure you.  A place where it won’t be flying out of its sack and locking lips with any innocent passersby, I tell you.”

The gnome glanced back yet again.

“And, speaking of which, you two aren’t thinking of having sex are you?  Because this really isn’t the time or place for it.  For one, you’re distracting me.  Here I should be thinking about why a mysterious man would go to all the trouble to hide a paper card with a seven on it in a secret pocket, and you're thinking of licking each others' bodies.  Who would know what a card like that would mean anyway.  But he obviously took it very very seriously, as it was the only thing in that secret pocket.  The only thing *worth* hiding in that secret pocket.  And, as seriously as he took the card, it was something that he had to have with him.  Otherwise, he probably would have simply left it home in … say … a secret compartment in the floor.”

“Don’t you think?”

“So why carry it into possible danger unless you never know when you might need it.  Right?  Or, maybe it confers some sort of magic power.  We should check that, Cato.  You never know.  Some things seem simple and innocent.  But they’re not.  ’One ring to bind them,’ if you know what I mean,” said the gnome.  “I do know one thing about that card, though, it takes an extremely skilled printer to produce such a thing.  A master printer.  Wherever this card was from, it was not made lightly.”

“But anyway, lets get Father Gabriel out of here and move on.  Lets see, the door should be here in this corner.  Now … how to … open … it … “

Perception to find the way to open the secret door.  Disable Device to open the door if necessary.

Position: H13.

Active Effects:  Message 40m (On All in party.), Disguise Self 40m

Lvl 0 - At Will
Lvl 1 - (1/4)
Lvl 2 - (1/2)
AL: 4/8

HP 28/30 Non-lethal -18
Befuddlers 1/2
Potion CMW 1/1

In Hand: Nothing
Melee +3Base +1RacialvsGoblins +1MagicDagger
Ranged +6Base +1RacialvsGoblins +1PointBlankShot +1MagicDagger
AC15
CMD13 or ...
AC21 w/Total Defense
CMD 19 w/Total Defense

As Kellan drug their new captive down the corridor he found himself with time to reflect on their position. They were close, very close, Bruthazmus dead, Orik persuaded, their assailant captured and their secondary goal hopefully in the neighboring room. After this there would be Nualia...and likely Tsuto.

There was still a touch of resentment towards the half elf, but he had to admit that if they could talk him out of whatever madness was going on here they would be in a much stronger position whenever they did track down this woman. It would not be long now, not long at all.

Position: F13

It wasn't the most simple thing to check on the injuries of the unconscious wizard, whom Pisca had dubbed Seven, while he was in the process of being dragged.  Having herself inflicted some of those injuries did help; but then there was the other distractions.

Is Kerr staring at me?  Liseth tried her best to pretend that she didn't notice, but it didn't stop her from glancing back to see him blush.  Which made her blush in turn.  If nothing else, it helped to take her mind off of their dire situation.  I think he's staring at my...  Off of their dire situation, and back to late last night; in the convalescence room of the Cathedral...

The girl blushed again as Kerr smiled at her, and tried to hide her self-consciousness by focusing on her examination of Seven.

Then Kerr shocked her when he suddenly staggered backwards and proclaimed the mask to be incredibly evil.  As a Paladin, Liseth knew that Kerr had a sense for what was and what was not evil.  It didn't surprise her too much that he had found the mask to be an evil artifact.  But it did surprise her to see her boyfriend's strong reaction.

She stood from her examination to go to Kerr, taking a hold of his arm and looking up at him, "It's okay Kerr.  Of course we'll be careful.  But we have to take it with us; Who knows what might happen if someone got their hands on it?  Maybe Father Zantus will know how to cleanse or destroy it when we get back to Sandpoint?"

"[Language unknown: Ich ceolei ter meekivan ect itaswe,]" Liseth said a minor prayer as she touched her hand to Kerr's suddenly paled and sweaty forehead.  Pressed against Kerr and holding his arm, the acolyte looked towards Cato when he suggested placing Seven into one of the prison cells.

"I don't think we'll need to do that.  He's been hurt pretty bad, he'll be unconscious for at least two hours.  But if someone were to find him they might be able to wake him up."  Liseth glanced down at the unconscious form, "I think once we rescue Father Gabriel, we should take him upstairs with us.  We can ask Ripnugget to watch him; I don't think that Ripnugget would have any reason to aid Nualia's ally."  She nodded towards Kellan, "And Kellan is right too...I mean, I don't like to say it.  But if we get him back to Sandpoint the people will be able to take out their anger on him instead of someone like Tsuto or Orik."

And then...Pisca.  She kept glancing back at Liseth and Kerr, and finally Liseth found out why.

Immediately, the thin blonde was a brighter shade of red than she had ever been.  "P...Pisca!  I...we...no..."  She stammered unintelligibly for a few moments while her grip tightened reflexively on Kerr's arm in blushing embarrassment.  Liseth looked up at Kerr's face, then back to Pisca as her eyes widened, "L...licking?"

Her face staring now fully at the floor, the small teen released her grip on her boyfriend's arm and stepped away as though chagrined.  "Um...I'm sorry for distracting you Pisca..."

OOC: I cast Guidance on Kerr

Active Effects
Light
Guidance on Kerr

Position: F-14 Tomcat

---

---

Kerr grinned as Liseth blushed and looked away from him. Was she thinking the same thing I was thinking?  He put his arm around his girlfriend as she pressed against and prayed over him.  His face flushed again.  I don’t know if . . . .  His thoughts were interrupted when Pisca interjected in her typical straightforward fashion.

“Pisca!”  Kerr exclaimed in shock and embarrassment.  “No, we aren’t thinking of . . . . Pisca, I don’t think that’s really an appropriate subject to be talking about right now.”  The young man took a deep breath.  “And what Liseth and I do or don’t do privately really isn’t any of your business at all!”

Pisca knelt at the wall, looking closely for any clue that it might actually be the secret door Ripnugget’s map assured her it was.  And after a minute of looking, she finally found it.  Running her fingers over the stone had found one that had a slight give to it, and once she managed to press on it the right way it swung open, revealing a small locking mechanism.

The Discoverer of Mechanisms quickly retrieved her lockpicking kit and got to work.  It was an especially-clever sort of lock—not a device that she had ever seen before--but she finally managed to figure it out, more by trial-and-error than anything else.  After what seemed like an eternity to the impatient young gnome, the lock gave an audible “click.”  Pisca depressed the latch, and the stone door swung outward to reveal a featureless, ten-foot-long hallway with a solid-looking wooden door nestled into the back of its eastern wall.  A close examination of the western wall revealed three evenly-spaced, small holes down its span, each about five-and-one-half feet off the floor.

Nothing moved, either within or without.  Silence reigned.  Suddenly the wooden door creaked open, and a head peeked around the corner.  It was a human head, topped with close but raggedly-cut brown hair.  The man’s brown beard had a similarly unkempt appearance, and his brown cassock was wrinkled and dirty.  Still, he greeted his visitors with what seemed like a very-genuine smile, and his brown eyes were filled with warmth.  “Welcome!”  He said.  “I was wondering if you’d find my little hideaway.  I’m glad to see you!  Come in, come in!”

---

---

The gnome looked up from her work at the door to meet the gaze of her human friend.  "Yomp," Pisca agreed to the question that was really not a question.  Then, "Can be fun," she added.  This, of course, before Kerr Mollin turned suddenly very stern.

"Humans can be very strange sometimes," she muttered as she returned to her work.  "How do you think it is that there's so many more humans than anybody else?"  The numbers spoke for themselves.  They did it all the time, and yet they couldn't get themselves to talk about it.

But the perplexing will give way to the practical, and the whimsies of human nature cannot compete with the allure of a fascinatingly ingenious door.  "It seems incredible to me that goblins might have built a door like this.  I don't think they did," said the gnome as her clever fingers pressed at the special stone.  "I'm surprised they found it."

Soon the door gave way to the corridor beyond, and the rather scruffy looking human who must be Father Gabriel.  Or so Pisca presumed.  What a strange looking man.  Pisca had the queerest urge to tell the man what her favorite color was.  Instead, however, "Father Gabriel?" she asked semi-rhetorically.  "Ripnugget sent us to fetch you.  The way is safe now," she added without entering the corridor.  She hooked a hand, waving the priest of Abadar to join herself and her friends.  "Come on, the way is safe now."

"I wouldn't go in there quite yet," Pisca whispered to the others.  Her eyes flicked to the three holes in the western wall.  Too high for her, but just about the right height to strike at a human form.

Perception to Examine the holes as traps.  Or, Knowledge Engineering to figure out what they might be.

Position: No map.

Active Effects:  Message 40m (On All in party.), Disguise Self 40m

Lvl 0 - At Will
Lvl 1 - (1/4)
Lvl 2 - (1/2)
AL: 4/8

HP 28/30 Non-lethal -18
Befuddlers 1/2
Potion CMW 1/1

In Hand: Nothing
Melee +3Base +1RacialvsGoblins +1MagicDagger
Ranged +6Base +1RacialvsGoblins +1PointBlankShot +1MagicDagger
AC15
CMD13 or ...
AC21 w/Total Defense
CMD 19 w/Total Defense

This message was last edited by the player at 15:35, Wed 28 Jan 2015.

Kellan retained his serious demeanor as the man smiled and beckoned them in. It was hard to go from life or death combat straight into pleasantries, and Pisca's warning did nothing to help him relax.

While he still held firm to their prisoner, with his weapon in his off hand he looked on as Pisca attempted to coax him over.

Cato watched as Pisca tinkered with the mechanism for the secret door, sighing in relief when the gnome opened it.  Something about the man beyond rubbed Cato the wrong way.  "Why is he welcoming us?  For all he knows, we're Nualia's allies, right?  Is this some sort of trap?"  Cato kept still, trusting in Pisca's sense as much as his own, fingers lightly playing over the wand he held in one hand and his staff held in the other.

Liseth was still red; so red that her face felt warm.  Especially after Kerr brought up what they might and might not do privately.  She tried not to think about it, thankful that Cato and Kellan were avoiding taking part in this particular conversation.

As everyone knew, however, trying to not think about something caused just the opposite to occur.  Liseth kept her eyes locked on the featureless floor as Pisca went about opening the secret door that should lead them to Father Gabriel.

It wasn't as though she and Kerr had done anything like Pisca suggested!  What would everyone say if they had?  What would her father say?  What if she got pregnant?!  Liseth was smart and educated enough to know that she was far, far too young to be having children of her own.  As much as she wanted children and a big family, she knew that she wasn't ready yet.

But all of the logical and rational thinking in the world couldn't stop her mind from conjuring images of Kerr.  His smile, him leaning over her for a kiss...Kerr shirtless and on his stomach while she worked her hands all over his back and neck...

Unbidden, the thought of Kerr's hands giving her a similar massage worked it's way into the small blonde's mind.  The image caused her heart to start pounding; and Liseth suddenly felt as though her thick, padded dress had become so uncomfortably hot.

Pisca greeting Father Gabriel after she worked the secret door open served as the distraction that Liseth had desperately been trying to find.  She couldn't let Abadar's priest see her like this!  All red and flushed with emotion and embarrassment!  She imagined that she was a terrible mess at the moment; at least he couldn't see her from inside the corridor.

She cupped her hands and conjured them full of water; before splashing the water into her face.  It might be a little wet for a bit, but the moisture felt good.  And it helped her to cool off.  This wasn't the sort of place she should be having those kinds of thoughts anyway!

"Father Gabriel!"  Liseth called to the priest after Pisca told him it was safe to come out.  "We're so glad that you're okay.  It must have been terrible trapped in that little room for so long!"

"What do you mean?"  Liseth whispered to Pisca, confused at the warning.  "Is something wrong?"

Active Effects
Light
Guidance on Kerr

---

---

Father Gabriel's smile diminished slightly.  "I've told Ripnugget before, and I'll tell him again . . . I'm not going anywhere."  The man stepped out into the hallway and crossed his arms.  He turned out to be a little taller than average, but fairly slight of build.  "This is where Abadar wants me to be, so this is where I'm going to stay.  What, do you think I'd somehow be safer upstairs?  It's not like the upper level is off-limits to her or her people."

"Now . . .," Gabriel's voice trailed off as he saw Pisca's gaze linger on the holes in the western wall.  A look of understanding suddenly came over his face.  "Oh, you don't have to worry about those.  They're peepholes!"  He paused.  "Of a sort."  He walked over to the nearest hole, putting his eye to it.  "See?"  He said, voice somewhat muffled.  "Perfectly safe."  He stepped away from the wall and turned back to the group.  "It's how I knew you were friends.  I saw your whole fight against Nualia's cloaked accomplice."  He glanced at Kellan's supine captive.  "Mysterious, isn't he?  Did you find any information about whom he might be?"

He gave a sudden shake of the head, as if he'd suddenly remembered something.  "But please, come in.  And close the door!  I've been hidden here for a while."  He smiled at Liseth.  "It's not so bad.  Kind of cozy, actually.  And certainly more well-appointed than a monk's cell!"  He beckoned them inside.  "I'd rather not have Nualia's henchmen find out about this place by stumbling through the prison at the wrong time."

---

---

This message was last edited by the GM at 20:08, Wed 28 Jan 2015.

"Oh ...  You don't want to go," said the gnome, somewhat bemused.  Pisca turned her back on the strange human and gave her friends a look that said, 'He's your race.  Not mine.'

"We were sort of expecting a rescue-ish sort of situation here," explained the gnome after turning back.  "We can seal you back in her if you'd like.  It's up to you.  But, if you don't mind, we were also hoping that you might tell us more about this place and the others.  The others that we haven't either killed or sent away, that is.  Knowing these sorts of things might help us in killing the rest of them.  Especially seeing as you've been watching them.  Tell us about Lyrie, and Tsuto, and Nutritia herself.  What exactly goes on in the Chapel of Lamashtu?"

"I'm Pisca Neep Freemish, by the way.  And this is Cato Crispin, and Kellan Ogre-Stomp Storval, and Liseth Thoradin, and her boyfriend Kerr Mollin.  We're from Sandpoint."

"We really can't stay long right now.  Don't want to lose the element of surprise.  But we can come back and visit with you after ridding Thistletop of its unwanted guests."

"Actually," the gnome eyed the door back to the Entry Area as though sizing up the possibilities, "it might not be that bad were Lyrie or Tsuto to walk in on us now.  Save us the trouble of hunting them down."

"At any rate, just the questions now, please.  Tea and biscuits later."

"Oh, and speaking of which," Pisca said as she rummaged in both her pouch and her pack.  "Do you happen to recognize this?" she said pulling out the dark card with its golden numeral.  "Or this?" she added, lifting the mask.

Position: No map.

Active Effects:  Message 40m (On All in party.), Disguise Self 40m

Lvl 0 - At Will
Lvl 1 - (1/4)
Lvl 2 - (1/2)
AL: 4/8

HP 28/30 Non-lethal -18
Befuddlers 1/2
Potion CMW 1/1

In Hand: Nothing
Melee +3Base +1RacialvsGoblins +1MagicDagger
Ranged +6Base +1RacialvsGoblins +1PointBlankShot +1MagicDagger
AC15
CMD13 or ...
AC21 w/Total Defense
CMD 19 w/Total Defense

Listening to Father Gabriel and Pisca talk, Liseth managed to calm herself down from all of her Kerr-related thoughts.  Having Abadar's priest to focus her attention on helped tremendously!  And there were quite a number of things she wanted to talk with him about.

The acolyte gingerly moved past all of her friends in order to get up to where Pisca was speaking.  She looked on as Pisca produced the mysterious mask and card they had secured from the now-unconscious villain behind them.  Liseth hadn't really known what to expect from a priest of a deity like Abadar; who had been tasked with bringing someone like Ripnugget into Abadar's service.

He actually looked a lot like she had pictured him.

"Pisca, I have an idea."  Liseth laid her hand on Pisca's shoulders as the gnome held up her items for Father Gabriel's examination.  "You're right that we don't have a lot of time.  But I think it's important we talk with Father Gabriel.  So, what if Kerr and I stayed here with him while you and Cato and Kellan searched those bedrooms?  I think the possibility that we might find something important in there is too great to pass up."

"You wouldn't mind just speaking with Kerr and me, would you Father Gabriel?"  Liseth displayed the design on the front of her dress, the one showing various holy symbols; including Abadar's.  "We're from the Cathedral in Sandpoint.  There are so many things we would like to talk with you about!"  She looked at the small chamber, "Besides, it would be hard for us all to crowd into your room, I think."

Cato's drumming fingers fell silent, and he felt a momentary twinge of guilt.  Has this whole experience changed me that once?  Am I going to see plots in everything and everyone?  Still, better to be safe...  Cato looked up, and smiled at Father Gabriel, taking a step into his prison-hideaway.  "I understand why you'd want to stay here, but if..."  Cato faltered, unable to vocalize his own fears at his failure.  "That is, if things don't go as we hope, Nualia's going to know something's wrong.  With Ripnugget alive, she'll know he had something to do with this.  I'm sure, from what we've been told, that her retribution will be ugly.  And then you won't have allies left down here.  Will you stay here and starve?  Or be found by one of her dogs?  Is that what Abadar wants from you?"  Cato took a deep breath, trying to calm himself.  "It was important to Ripnuget that we help you, and we intend to do that.  You've changed Ripnugget.  You can change the goblins, help them see the benefits of civilization.  If that's what Abadar has planned for you, it goes beyond dying in this dank little cellar."

"Um ... "  Leave Lysa alone with her boyfriend?  Not completely alone.

The gnome gave the raggedy Father Gabriel a second look.

Almost completely alone.

"Well, alright.  If that's what you want, Lys.  Talk, right?  Sounds good.  I suppose.  If that's what you really want."

"You know, Cato," added the gnome as Cato summed up his attempt to coax the mad hummie out of his hidey-hole, "I'm remembered of a old proverb that I just made up.  How many priests does it take to convert lead to gold?  Only one, but the lead has to want to change."  The gnome shrugged and shook her head.  Everyone was entitled to do things their own way as long as they weren't hurting others.  But that didn't mean a body had to understand it.

Position: No map.

Active Effects:  Message 40m (On All in party.), Disguise Self 40m

Lvl 0 - At Will
Lvl 1 - (1/4)
Lvl 2 - (1/2)
AL: 4/8

HP 28/30 Non-lethal -18
Befuddlers 1/2
Potion CMW 1/1

In Hand: Nothing
Melee +3Base +1RacialvsGoblins +1MagicDagger
Ranged +6Base +1RacialvsGoblins +1PointBlankShot +1MagicDagger
AC15
CMD13 or ...
AC21 w/Total Defense
CMD 19 w/Total Defense

Kellan watched as Liseth inched forward and Cato attempted to coax the man out in his own, and split his attention between their newfound hermit and their captive. The Mage was not the most talkative sort, so it was interesting for the farmer to get his take on this particular matter.

"I don't think we should split up" Kellan replied softly with a slight shake of his head to Liseth's suggestion. "We have the initiative...if we want to keep it we can't afford to linger here for long, and while Orek may have been a sell sword, I think following his advice might be best in this case, I would say another minute or two, at the most, before we need to go"

In Kellan's eyes they were making an honest effort, if they could not get this priest to come with them willingly he could hardly expect them to drag him upstairs in shackles. Besides, they had a much more important goal at hand, and in his kind the longer the milled about the grater the chances that Nualia would be prepared for them.

---

---

“Hrm.”  Father Gabriel gave Pisca an inscrutable gaze, then burst into a big smile.  “It’s a pleasure to meet you.  I love goblins but, well,” he gave a high-pitched chuckle, “variety is the spice of life, isn’t it?  And boyfriend and girlfriend, you say?”  He gave Liseth and Kerr a paternal sort of smile.  “How nice.  You two look adorable together.”  He paused.  “Although you are awfully dirty.  Of course,” he chuckled again, picking at his robes, “who am I to talk?  And I would be happy to speak to you alone.”  He paused.  “Do you need relationship counseling?”  He gave them a sly grin.  “Or marriage counseling?  Because I’m not sure I’m equipped for that right now.”  He clapped his hands together.  “Oh, and it would be wonderful if you could stay for awhile after all this unpleasantness is over.”  He walked around in a small circle, waving his hands.  “Just wonderful!  I make the best tea, you know.  The best!  Everyone says so.”

“Oh!”  He looked at Cato, a little taken aback by the scholar’s vehemence.  “My goodness, you don’t need to worry about me.  I have plenty of food and drink.  And tea!”  He nodded contentedly.   “Abadar provides, Abadar provides.”  He suddenly looked up.  “Of course, I don’t want to stay in here forever!  I hope I haven’t given you that impression!  But I do need to stay with the goblins.  That is Abadar’s mission for me.  And if it leads to my death?”  He smiled again.  “Well, I can think of much worse causes to die for.”

Father Gabriel nodded in response to Pisca’s questions, then gave an apologetic sort of half-shrug.  “Well, you have to remember that my vantage point is, hm, somewhat limited.”  The man shifted from one foot to the other as if he had a store of pent-up energy just waiting to be released.  “These three peepholes are ingenious.  Just ingenious!  But,” his face fell slightly, “they only let me see the prison.  So I don’t know exactly what goes on during the chapel services.  Although I do,” the priest’s face paled a bit, “hear some howling from that direction every so often.  It’s awful.”  He ran his hand nervously through his unevenly-shorn hair.  “Really awful.”

“GAH!”  The priest jumped forward at Pisca, yelling, hands curled into claws, a feral snarl on his face.  Then he straightened up as if nothing had happened.  “Ah, yes, the element of surprise.  So handy, really.  Were you surprised there?”  He examined Pisca closely for signs of surprise.  “I thought that was pretty surprising.  Like I said.  Handy!”

“Oh, Lyrie and Tsuto and Nualia.  Hrm.  Talk about surprising.  When they walked into Thistletop.  Well.”  Father Gabriel crossed his arms and looked sternly at one of the peepholes.  “All my hard work, nearly destroyed in an instant.  An instant!  All my sacrifices, and this woman just walks in and takes over?”  The priest looked greatly aggrieved.  “Lamashtu has much to answer for!”  He chuckled again.  “Well, of course she does, doesn’t she?  Goddess of monsters.  I’m sure this is only one of the terrible things she’s done!  A horrifying goddess, really.  Horrifying!”  His eyes traveled again to Liseth and Kerr.  “Have you been taught much about her?  I have a book . . . .”

He stopped, shamefaced.  “Ah, yes.  Hrm.  Sorry, it’s been awhile since I’ve had company.  Yes, Lyrie and Tsuto and Nualia.  I can’t tell you much, other than that Nualia must be some sort of priestess of Lamashtu.  A beautiful girl, really.  Gorgeous!”  He suddenly looked nervous, putting his hands out in front of him, palms down, as if to placate those present.  “Not that you two aren’t very attractive!  Because you are!  But she has an otherworldly beauty, aside from the demonic hand.”  He scratched his unkempt beard.  “Why a woman like that would want to transform herself, I have no idea.”

“But anyway,” he continued.  “I haven’t seen much of them lately.  They don’t spend much time in the prison.  I think Tsuto has trained with Tianese warrior monks.  And Lyrie is some sort of scholar.  But this is just secondhand information I’ve received from visiting goblins.”  He picked at the cuffs of his robe--it looked like a longtime nervous habit.  “I don’t really know anything more than that.”

---

---

This message was last edited by the GM at 21:40, Tue 03 Feb 2015.

Pisca hooked two fingers into a weak semblance of claws and returned the human's gesture with a sound like the mewing of a cat.  "Yes," replied the gnome.  "You could say that I'm surprised," she added.  But did not go on to say what she was surprised about.  "Um ... are you sure you don't want me to tell you my favorite color," asked the gnome.

"I guess that means he doesn't know anything about these things," said the gnome to the others then, speaking of the priest of Abadar as though he weren't present and listening.  And Pisca set about putting away the mask and the card.

"You know, I'd really like to see what's in the bedrooms.  Maybe there's more of Tsuto's journal in there.  Or some Powerful Magic Weapons™.  But, on the other hand, I think Stomper's right.  I think we need to go.  And soon.  We're making enough noise here as it is."  A frown dropped over the gnome's elfin face.  Decisions, decisions, decisions.

"Hey, I know what could decide this," she said and turned to address the priest of Abadar again.  "Do you happen to know any ... magic?" she asked.

Position: No map.

Active Effects:  Message 40m (On All in party.), Disguise Self 40m

Lvl 0 - At Will
Lvl 1 - (1/4)
Lvl 2 - (1/2)
AL: 4/8

HP 28/30 Non-lethal -18
Befuddlers 1/2
Potion CMW 1/1

In Hand: Nothing
Melee +3Base +1RacialvsGoblins +1MagicDagger
Ranged +6Base +1RacialvsGoblins +1PointBlankShot +1MagicDagger
AC15
CMD13 or ...
AC21 w/Total Defense
CMD 19 w/Total Defense

"Father Gabriel" Kellan began as he set emir prisoner to the side leaning up against the wall opposite the chapel. "I think we were more hoping that you could sort of...go check in with Ripnugget, rather than head back to Sandpoint with us...he seems worried about you, and we agreed to arrange you to come and meet him" he tried to wipe his face with the back of his gloves hand but just ended up with another bloody smear. "So while I commend your devotion! the longer we linger here, the higher the chance that we are going to get stumbled upon..." He trailed off rather than explain the obvious consequences of such an event.

"So if we could just ask you to...pop upstairs for a minute, it would help us out, a lot" Kellan kept on glancing to the prisoner every couple seconds as if he expected the man to leapt up and take off, not a wholly impossible scenario in his kind.

Cato nodded at the priest, and turned to Kellan, shrugging his shoulders.  "Anyone else think he's a little...off?  Maybe that's why he came to the goblins in the first place?"  The scholar turned back to the priest.  "As my companion says, Ripnugget was concerned for you.  He wanted us to extract you.  But if you're fine with staying here..." the young wizard shrugged again, then turned to look at Kellan.  "I suppose we shouldn't stay for too long.  Good luck, I suppose."

"Um...n-no, Father Gabriel."  Liseth was startled by how Father Gabriel acted, given what she knew of Abadar and those followers of his she had met.  "We don't need any..." her eyes darted to Kerr, "...um, marriage counseling.  I mean...if we did, I don't think we would come to Thistletop for it..."  That was a subject she had not expected to hear, at all, broached.  Especially given where they were!

But what would it be like?  She found herself wondering.  Like with Liseth's previous Kerr-related thoughts, she found herself having to struggle to focus on the important task at hand.

Startled back into the present after Father Gabriel's mock lunge and shout at Pisca, the young acolyte of Sarenrae found herself taking an involuntary step backwards.  Liseth was suddenly in agreement with the idea of hurrying now and speaking with Abadar's eccentric priest later.  At least they had rescued him!

Liseth nodded as Kellan and Cato asked Father Gabriel to go upstairs with Ripnugget, and Pisca asked him if he had access to magic.  As Abadar's priest, Father Gabriel should be able to lend them at least some assistance in the form of Abadar's blessing.

"It would really help us against Nualia, Father Gabriel, if we could count on you to get...our prisoner..." Liseth found that she didn't enjoy saying something like that, "upstairs where Ripnugget and his goblins can guard him in case he wakes up.  There is so much that he knows, we can't afford to let him escape or be killed while we aren't able to keep watch on him ourselves."

"And we do need to hurry..."  The girl never had been good at hurrying; in any aspect.  "But before we go, is it too much to ask that you grant us Abadar's blessing?  Pisca and Kerr are hurt from all of the battles we've had to get through...and I'm nearly exhausted already."  A worried frown touched on her lips, "I don't know how much longer I can keep everyone...healthy."

Active Effects:
Light

---

---

“I knew it!”  Father Gabriel nodded happily at Pisca.  “I can be very surprising.”  He knelt down before her, his voice dropping to a stage whisper.  “And yes, you can tell me your favorite color.”  He shot the other members of the party a meaningful look before giving the gnome his full attention.  “It can be our secret!”  He paused, then gave her a wink.  “Mine’s green.”  He laughed as if he had just told a particularly-hilarious joke.

The priest shook his head as he examined the card and mask from his kneeling position.  “No, I do not know anything about those.  Although that mask is really quite grotesque, isn’t it?  I’ve always thought so.”  He stood, looking around to see if anyone shared his opinion.  “Don’t you think?  I’ve seen this man wearing it before,” he paused, as if thinking, “hm, or someone similar.”  He shifted his weight back and forth, from one foot to the other.  “Hard to tell, isn’t it?  Because that’s the purpose of a mask.  To hide your identity.  So purpose achieved!  It really could have been any number of different people.  I can’t say for sure.”

Father Gabriel raised an eyebrow at Pisca’s inquiry into his magic-wielding abilities.  “Well, that’s an interesting question, isn’t it?  I mean, do I personally know magic, like a wizard?  No, I wouldn’t say that I do.  Can I beseech Abadar for his blessings, and will he generally respond?”  The priest sounded like he’d had conversations on this subject before.  “Yes, he will!  But is that really magic, or is that just having a strong connection to the divine?  I tend to think the latter.  Because,” he placed his hand on his chest, “I’m not doing anything.”  The hand moved into the air, finger pointing to the ceiling.  “Abadar is.  If Abadar refused to bless me for some reason, I certainly wouldn’t have any means to compel him!  Not like you hear of wizards compelling demons, and such.”  He paused, blanching slightly.  “Not that I’m comparing Abadar to a demon!  Or that I would want the power to compel his blessings!”

He gave Liseth an understanding look as he completed his theological discussion.  “Ah.  Yes, this is hardly the place young couples would choose to receive counseling, is it?”  He rapped one of the walls lightly with his knuckle.  “Come on, love, let’s go see if we can get relationship advice in a goblin-infested Thassilonian ruin!”  He grinned.  “Of course, that might be the best type of advice.  You can’t know for sure until you try it!”

Father Gabriel looked to Kellan, then back to Liseth, then Kellan again as they beseeched him to visit Ripnugget.  “Well, I have to say that I am feeling a bit cooped up down here.  And you seem to have cleared the way.”  He coughed and craned his neck, as if he could look back down the hallway towards the entry room.  “Haven’t you?  Well, I suppose since you’re here, and Nualia and her henchfolk seemingly have their hands full with you, I could jaunt up and see Ripnugget.  I’ve missed my talks with him!  And I don’t want him to start backsliding.  Hm.  That would be unfortunate.  Don’t you think?”

He nodded, as if deciding something.  “All right then.  I will accompany.” He looked down at the unconscious man.  “Hm.  Drag this person up to see Ripnugget.  You can carry on with your business down here.”

“Oh!”  Father Gabriel slapped himself on the forehead.  “Of course you’re exhausted!  How inconsiderate of me.  I would be more than happy to ask Abadar for the blessings he is willing to bestow upon you.”  The priest bowed his head, praying, then looked up, smiling.  “Allow me to confer those blessings upon you.”  He went to Pisca, then Kellan, then Cato, then Liseth, and finally Kerr, placing a hand on their shoulder and murmuring words of blessing over them.  As he did so, each member of the party felt refreshed and invigorated, their tiredness and exhaustion falling away, replaced by a renewed sense of purpose.  Any soreness or injury they were suffering immediately vanished, and each person felt as if they had just awoken from a long, refreshing sleep.

OOC:  Abadar blesses your mission!  Each party member is healed to full hit points and receives a +2 morale bonus on the next d20 roll they make.

---

---

This message was last edited by the GM at 06:47, Thu 05 Feb 2015.

"You're ... not supposed to say that," was the gnome's weak reply upon being presented with the mad priest's favorite color.  "Blue.  No, yellow.  Maybe," she mumbled, more to herself than to anyone else.  And she shied away when the priest came at her for her own answer.  "African or European?" she demanded instead.  Inexplicable words piling in atop an apparently nonsensical exchange between herself and the priest.

As the priest went on, she held herself apart.  Wary still.  Eyeing the priest as though he were a colorfully attractive, and yet potentially dangerous insect.  "Mages are connected to the weave," she interjected weakly, from a distance safely out of arm's reach.  "At least, that's what my Great Great Uncle Geezlebottle says.  At Theumanexus.  There's rules and equivalence.  Sympathetic resonance.  Elemental affinity," she added, parroting some of the phrases that she had learned in her short stay at Theumanexus College before being expelled for destroying one of the labs with an experimental cabbage.

Pisca had almost decided that she'd rather not have any magic from this Father Gabriel after all, when the man came at her with his large human hand.  She froze, lulled into complacency by his patter and taken by surprise.  She could do little more than close her eyes and wait as things descended upon her from above.  Then the rush of soothing words flowed into her from the warmth of the hand that touched her head.  All of the aches and pains left her body, and she felt buoyed by a sense of euphoric optimism.  Pisca opened her large violet eyes wide and looked up into the face of Father Gabriel.  With a lunge as swift as it was filled with ebullience, the gnome wrapped her arms around the priest's waist in a hug.

"Thank you, Father Gabriel," said Pisca Neep Freemish.  "I think that's just what I needed at the time that I needed it."

"Well ... "  The gnome turned to her fellow defenders of the common good with bold hands firmly upon bold hips.  "Shall we move on to finish off Nantasia and her remaining minions?"

Position: No map.

Active Effects:  Message 40m (On All in party.), Disguise Self 40m

Lvl 0 - At Will
Lvl 1 - (1/4)
Lvl 2 - (1/2)
AL: 4/8

HP 30/30
Befuddlers 1/2
Potion CMW 1/1

Abadar's Blessing +2 Morale / Unused

In Hand: Nothing
Melee +3Base +1RacialvsGoblins +1MagicDagger
Ranged +6Base +1RacialvsGoblins +1PointBlankShot +1MagicDagger
AC15
CMD13 or ...
AC21 w/Total Defense
CMD 19 w/Total Defense