"Neither." Morg says. "I have no quarrel with you or the monks here, tho the air cultists are on my list."

"We're looking for a missing delegation from Mirabar, and was wondering if you knew what happened to them. They may have been to Summit Hall, heading past here towards Red Larch."

"We also saw some fresh graves south of the Feathergale Spire. Do you know what happened there?"

"Aye," she agreed with Morg. "I think it's pretty clear we were never seeking the element of surprise. We're not your enemies, unless you make us your enemies."

"Hurl, on the other hand, he isn't my favorite person in the world. He took something of mine, something I value greatly. I plan on getting it back."

"It's pretty clear, given that he sent us here to kill you, that you have a feud with the Feathergale Knights as well. What is it they say about an enemy of my enemy?"

"

Qarbo raises an eyebrow but his smirk never wavers. "What concern of yours is a delegation from Mirabar? Compassion?"

He turns to Zora. "What do you want of me then? Permission to go kill Thurl Merosska? You have it."

"Well, how about our weapons back for one. I'm not sure we need your permission, but I guess it's nice to have."

She thought about it for a second then gathered her courage and continued.

"How about some help then? we don't need any of your men, but information is always helpful. what do you know about the knights? about their spire? we'll need to get back in, naturally."

"Compassion? Just basic dwarvish decency." Morg says, and then adding onto Zora's query "Also, what are your and the knights' causes?"

Jak frowned a bit as he listened to their 'quarry' speak. "Soooo. How long has your...faction....been around? 'Cause it seems like these elemental-based factions are poppin' up a lot right now, but have been around for a little while at least. What's the deal? You all tryin' t'angle each other out in a bid t'rule all'a creation or somethin'?"

"By all means, you may have your 'weapons' back when you leave," Qarbo replies, inflecting his tone with sarcasm as if doubting the effectiveness of the group's blades. "Much good they will do you if the skyriders spot you from above. Maybe traversing the Sighing Valley, under cover of the mists, will protect you for a time."

"But you all ask too many questions," Qarbo continues with a sneer. "If you want answers before you go, proceed below and ask them of the elders of our monastery." He makes an inviting gesture toward the stairs leading down in the middle of the room.

Morg tries to read the sneering Qarbo's intentions.

---

06:45, Today: Morg Danforge rolled 14 using 1d20+1 with rolls of 13.  Insight check Qarbo: is he sane, and is asking the elders a trap?

Zora's thoughts mirror Morg's. Just what is Qarbo telling them about these 'elders'?

---

16:22, Today: Secret Roll: Zora Jilkina rolled 24 using 1d20+5 with rolls of 19. insight, what is Qarbo really saying about the elders.

Mayon studies the man in stubborn silence, afraid that if he speaks he may lash out. The mention of 'elders' is deeply concerning to him, particularly if these people are connected to the 'Bringers of Woe' and, by extension, Marlos himself.


15:56, Today: Mayon Graycross rolled 17 using 1d20+4 with rolls of 13.  Insight check for bad intentions; Elders safe or a trap?

Qarbo continues to smile as the silence stretches, gazing intently at the visiting group.

---

Jak let out an exasperated sigh. He rolled his eyes back at his group and then shrugged his shoulders. "Fine." Then he headed to the stairs and started down them.

"Jak get back over here!" she shouted at her companion in a commanding tone. But her eyes were pleading him not to go further.

"We don't need to bother these elders now. we have all the answers we need. We should go."

"No need to bother your 'elders', Master Qarbo," Asano follows Zora's worried shout. "However, there is a potential for some mutual satisfactions here. Is there perhaps some trinket or personal item you could lend us to return to the Spire? We may gain more insight into this plot against you, as well as get Thurl's lackeys off our backs. I care nothing for your machinations here, but I dislike living under a headsman's axe, metaphorically speaking." He watches the monastic leader carefully, trying to divine the man's intentions or ambitions.


OOC:
Persuasion- 19
Insight- 10

Morg stops following Jak downstairs when he hears Zora. He turns to her, "Before we met, the rest of us told the Red Larch constable that we'd try to help find the delegation. Do you and Asano want to stay up here, or wait outside, while the rest go ask the elders?"

Qarbo seems dourly amused by Zora's alarmed shout, and by Asano's proposal. "Shall I give you something to prove your mission was a success? A body part, perhaps?" He glances to his guards, and to the robed monks. "Easier to simply kill you here and now I think."

Qarbo continues after a pause, considering. "As a pious monk I have few personal items to my name, and I'm not at liberty to give valuable items to anyone who has not joined our ranks."

---

"Why are you people like this?" Asano mutters under his breath, shaking his head as his gaze drops. A furious fire of frustration burns in his eyes, as he looks back up. "Do none of you damn people know how to compromise in the SLIGHTEST!? I didn't come here to fight you! Hells, I barely want to be back in this thrice-damned valley, but my family called, and I came. I have one goal: find Bastian Thermander and bring him to justice. That's it. I don't care about your little power struggles between whatever factions you are building here. So, Qarbo, last question, were the Bringers of Woe some of your people? Because they were wearing that symbol when we killed them below Red Larch." He points to the symbol the monks are wearing across their chests as he nearly shouts the last sentence.

Zora watched qarbo after asano' s outburst in shock, ready for what might be coming.

"Now, if you are quite finished with your games," Asano says, smoothing his hair back and otherwise comporting himself as though he had not just shouted at an entire room of strangers. "Help us help you. If your enemies believe you dead, you have an advantage. If your enemies believe we have killed you, we regain what we have placed in trust. Or, and I beg you not to do this, force us to kill you and make the lie truth. Your choice." His wands slide through palms, Asano gripping the handles tightly as he waits for Qarbo's response.

Mayon takes a deep breath at Asano's words, clenching his fists and resting a hand on his component pouch instinctively. His familiar takes aim with their bow, but remains hidden for the time being. This looked like it was getting ugly, but if they were linked to Marlos, it had been bound to reach this eventually.

Qarbo's smirk turns feral. "You seem remarkably well informed for floundering assassins. That, and killing the fool Larrakh, make you dangerous. You'd best proceed below. Guards, escort them."

He turns away, towards the corner of the darkening temple near a lever in the floor. The guards and monks both move towards their guests.

---

Map updated! I zoomed in a bit too.

Nobody has drawn their weapons yet & they don't seem to be in any rush, though from everyone's manner they seem to be coming to escort the party to the stairs, forcibly if necessary.

I rolled initiative for everyone in case that becomes relevant, and good news! You all act before any of the monastery-dwellers.

Round 1 Initiative Order:

Who	Init	Status
Mayon	19
Zora	19
Asano	18
Jak	16
Morg	14
Guards	14
Sprite familiar	13
Qarbo	13
Monks	8

This message was last edited by the GM at 00:56, Sun 14 Jan 2018.

Mayon narrows his eyes a bit as the guards and monks approach. He issues a quiet command in Sylvan and his sprite reappears, firing an arrow at the nearest monk. Nothing overly harmful, but with luck the poison would take effect. He pulls out a handful of spell components, ready to attack should things grow any more hostile. Perhaps these people would have info on the man he's looking for.


Action: Forgoing attack to allow Sprite to attack instead. Shooting M2:
11:54, Today: Mayon Graycross rolled 14 using 1d20+6 with rolls of 8.  Sprite attack M2.
Hits 14 AC for 1 piercing damage, and M2 must make a Con saving throw or be Poisoned for one minute. If they fail by 5 or more they immediately fall unconscious until they take damage or are woken up.
On the Sprite's turn, it will use its action to turn invisible once more and attempt to use Mayon as full cover as well.
13:23, Today: Mayon Graycross rolled 13 using 1d20+4 with rolls of 9.  Sprite initiative.
Sprite's initiative is 13

This message was last edited by the player at 20:26, Sat 13 Jan 2018.

"The stairs are a trap, stay off of them!" she cried to her companions as their discussions devolved into violence. She cursed herself, now they were doing the bidding of the Feathergale Knights and that just made her angry!

Having seen through his deception about the stairs, Zora thought to use them to their benefit. She pointed a finger at Qarbo and commanded him to "Descend!" (cast spell 'Command' with DC 13 using command word 'descend')

She drew the belaying pin (club - if available) she kept hidden on her and raised her shield, moving to engage the main group of guards and monks at the eastern end of the room. (move to eastern wall then north towards guards and monks : edit: to AH 17 I think I have room)
This message was last edited by the player at 21:05, Mon 15 Jan 2018.

Seeing the others resist, Morg takes out Reszur and joins the fray.

---

If M2 is still standing, then:
Move: 5' to AA19 (or elsewhere into melee range if that spot is occupied).
Action: knock-out attack on M2 with Reszur - hits AC 25 for 10 magical piercing damage.

If M2 is down, then:
Move: 10' to AD18 if that spot is free.

If action not used because M2 was already down, then
Action: Ready an attack with Reszur on any enemies who come into melee range.

19:33, Today: Morg Danforge rolled 25 using 1d20+7 with rolls of 18.  Attack M2 with Reszur (magical dagger).
19:34, Today: Morg Danforge rolled 10 using 1d4+7 with rolls of 3.  Reszur (magical dagger) piercing damage to M2.

(Morg's AC is lower than normal because he doesn't have his shield.)

Trusting Morg to take care of the nearest enemy, Asano moves to the nearest pillar. Muttering a brief incantation, he steps around the corner and targets the first two enemies he sees. Though invisible to everyone but the targets and Asano, the targets' shadows peel themselves from the ground and begin slashing at their respective owners.


OOC:
Move to AF19
Cast phantasmal force on M1, twinned to hit G1 as well. Int save vs DC 13, or 1d6 psychic damage.