Iviana had to admit that Arek had a point. She'd been so busy thanking the god (most of them, not just Lydia) that she was alive, that she'd not really thought much about the paladin.

"We have all the time we need to discuss the matter of the prince" she said thoughtfully, considering Sven's words as well "as I feel it likely that whatever we decide we will wait to heal before acting. It seems to me that we have a duty to do something, but I am not sure what. We probably have three basic options, if we are going to act on that duty. We can do the fire temples bidding, and hope they fulfill their end of the deal, we can try and rescue him from the fire temple, or we can go and get help. "

"My personal belief is that if we do the fire temples bidding they will thank us, then attack us and sacrifice us to their foul gods. Consider that we will probably be weaker after whatever they have asked us to do."

"I find it unlikely to think that we can mount a significant force to assist us in say two or three days, which is probably all we'd have. So the exit and get reinforcements plan doesn't look good, although it's my favourite if we can work out how to do it"

"That mostly leaves to me think the 'get him out of the fire temple plan', is probably the one we'll choose. Possibly using stealth, invisibility and distraction."

"Our short term goals though remains the same I think: Heal. Find a way out. If we are going to rescue him, I want to know how to get back to the surface pronto"

"Asking the dead priest about the way out does sound like a good idea, Sven. If Arek has only two questions to ask, make the first 'How can we get out of this underground complex?' and if he doesn't know ask him 'Who can tell us how to get out of this underground complex?'" Yew suggested.

"That is our first task. Then we can decide how to rescue Prince Thromel. I have seen no indication that persuading Oohlgrist to help us would be easier, or even likely to succeed at all. I suspect that Alrrem expects us to fail and hopes that his enemies will be weakened and us destroyed at the same time."

Iviana laughed "Good ideas. Mind you I bet he answers 'walk out' to the first, and 'anyone who knows the way' to the second." she pondered a bit. "I like your questions I think we just need to firm them up a bit..."

"Ok, ti'e fer a nap agin ta gi' sum more 'ealin' fer yer all."
"Yer lot work ou' wha' spells an' other t'ings be needed, an' le' me know in a few 'ours."

Nostrils widening in impatience, Sven asked quickly "Anyone up for a night walk? I am itching to go do some 'scouting' for new grounds. Yew?"...

"Father Arek, I hope that you and Iviana will be able to mostly heal everyone's injuries and question the dead fire priest again, then rest again to pray for more of Clanggedin Silverbeard's blessings before we venture forth again. We need to be at full strength if we hope to survive against the sort of foes we have encountered down here," Yew suggested.

"Master Sven, I would advise patience during this time. We should not risk losing more of our number in scouting missions nor risk revealing this secret location more often than absolutely necessary."

Skipping ahead another 7 hours or so, Arek and Iviana complete another round of healing and Tindoome partially recovers from her two earlier identify spells.

Dead or unconscious          <0% of hit points remaining
near death                   <24% - 0% of hit points remaining
badly wounded                <49% - 25% of hit points remaining
wounded                      <74% - 50% of hit points remaining
lightly wounded              <99% - 75% of hit points remaining

Arek - uninjured
Brother Yew - uninjured
Gwythe (possibly invisible?)
Iviana
Kalador
Ronalt
Sven - uninjured
Tindoome - uninjured (armour spell)

Memento Vivere (Iviana's familiar) - uninjured (armour spell)
Mist (Tindoome's familiar) - uninjured (Armour spell)
Dog 1 "Butch" - uninjured
Dog 2 "Sundance" - uninjured
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:34, Tue 20 May 2014.

Iviana looked at the others. "I propose we continue in the same vein for a little while longer. When we are fully healed and fully empowered, I would recommend leaving this place. Given the deadliness of this place, I think it would be be foolish to leave before."

"We will be going back for the Prince before we leave." Ronalt added.

"We need to find a way out first I think" said Iviana. "If we don't find a way out we have to crush the Fire Temple and defeat them utterly in order to succeed. And do it without them killing their hostage while we do so. If we find a way out, we can try a stealth mission and can still succeed even if we end up do a fighting retreat" she gave a little grin "I'm all for crushing the Fire Temple, but I'd like not to bet everything on being able to do it"

"Ah woul'na worry 'bout tha prince too much. 'e's shown 'e can 'andle 'imself pretty well."
Arek grinned, "e mi' e'en be openin' up a second fron' ag'in tha fire temple."

"Numbers matter, Arek. If he was strong enough to wipe out the temple, then he doesn't need us, and I don't know why he is a hostage instead of already having crushed them. If he isn't that strong, and I don't think he is, them we have a duty of care for him"

"As I said I think we should spend a few hours finding a way out. If you paint pictures of possible futures, then there are several in which we rescue him, but don't finish of the fire temple, and without knowing the way out are defeated because we are weaker after the conflict, as we randomly wander around into new conflicts.  Of course if we do crush them, we can probably rest up there before continuing. I just don't fancy betting all our lives and the prince's life on that possibility"

Tindo checks her dogs and casts a spell on one, then joins the conversation. "We should at the very least ensure we have several defensible options before we spread ourselves too thin. I would much prefer to have a clear line of retreat to safety."

"The prince is important enough to go get. He has been missing too long." Ronalt added, "Besides the priest has my pack and I intend to retrieve it from his bloody corpse if possible."
"Smug bugger, making us be his hounds to broker deals."

Heavy thudding footsteps are heard by the person (Sven?) on watch followed by a snuffling and snorting near the secret door. Hurried signals are made indicating immediate silence as something hard and sharp scratches at stonework.
This message was last edited by the GM at 13:58, Mon 19 May 2014.

Yew moves very carefully and as quietly as possible to a position near the first bend in the entrance corridor, so he can trigger the set of 4 crossbows he rigged facing the secret door if something breaks open the secret door and comes in unannounced.

Tindo takes Sundance by the collar and pulls him back with her toward what cover there is, then pulls a wand out and makes ready.

]

Gwythe pulls himself up to a crouch, watching the door carefully, his head slightly tilted to listen.

Iviana started putting on her armour, sword and shield ready. That was a solid doorway and she suspected it would take quite some time to crush through it. Assuming in fact that whatever was on the other side was actually going to try, or be able to do so.

It was at times like this she wishes she was a better spell caster and could see what was there...

Standing near Yew, Ronalt strings his bow ready to use it if the door is breached.

Sven shadowed Ronalt and Yew, tapping the brother on the shoulder and gesturing that he would crouch in front next to Ronalt with his crossbow readied. Yew could see over the kneeling Sven's shoulder and Sven could add one more bolt to the welcoming party.

The scratching stops abruptly and footsteps fade into the distance.

OOC

In reply to GM the Third (msg # 636):

I made an oops with regard to the healing - message above updated.

"Do not open the door now," Brother Yew whispered in case anyone was impatient enough to do so. "If they are still in sight that would instantly reveal us."

Minutes pass, then tens of minutes....