"That would have been the case had we not reached an agreement!" He smiles at you. Mayhaps the spell has deluded him into thinking he is the one who charmed you.

OOC: I think we're about finished here - shall we move to the slave pens area?

 Fentinbrook walked over and put his arm around his new friend. "Come over here with me, I want to show you something." He took  his new " friend" over away to the opposite side of the room." Now stand right there, please don't move." Fen then walk back across the room and then produced the gem that  the other, was going to throw at them." Please don't move, as I cast this bauble hard upon the ground at your feet. Not to worry, it is just a harmless gem according to you."

Ronan has long tuned out the babbling of the district manager. His organization has no need of middle management; it's too lean and agile for nincompoops.


"Now, now, don't let your innate anti-insect bias get the best of you. They will respond to civilized overtures like any other noble people. Let's send," he says, looking beneficently at the bureaucrat, "him as diplomatic emissary."

Happily, he gets back on his feet, ready to trundle on to the slave pens. Entry level staff, he always has more need of that.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:44, Tue 13 July 2021.

 " this is to see if he is telling the truth."

"Can a man creature lie under the effects of a charm?" Falan grinned as he watched Fentinbrook go on.

Middle manager he might be, but it felt good to Falan to do this much--it was, honestly, more than Falan had expected to accomplish.

"Oh no, they are plenty civilized. It's a civilization I'd want no part of, though!"

The slaver complies with Fentinbrook's orders. He merely comments: "Don't throw it too hard. It'd be a pity if it got scratched!"

In reply to Dungeon Master (msg # 958):

"It's a 500gp gem, I'd rather you not devalue it my friend. Your opinion Nerrag? You want a 500gp gem to be be devalued to a 100gp gem?"

After a few minutes, How much treasure is here? I say we give a gp or two to each slave so they are not vagrants. Then get on with it."
This message was last edited by the player at 13:57, Thu 15 July 2021.

Ronan chirps happily, "Capital idea, Angus. We'll call it a ... new hire bonus!"
This message was last edited by the player at 23:07, Thu 15 July 2021.

Bernhard waits by the exit.

"Any chance those insects will start eating the slaves if we keep hanging around here?"

"That's a fair question, Bernhard. Should we be on, all?" Having had his moment to relax, Falan joined Bernhard at the exit.

"Come on, this way." The slaver leads you up the stairs and back down the hallway.
You enter the small room to the east. It is sparsely furnished. On the east wall are a large number of levers and above them at eye level is a narrow horizontal slit. A large insect man stands in the room, operating the levers. "These control the mechanisms in the pits", your guide explains. He opens the door to the south,and you climb down a small flight of stairs.
You pass through a room which seems to house the machinery of the levers above.  The ceiling is 10’ high. Mounted along the length of the ceiling are a series of pistons and springs. Presently maintaining these are five slaves and an insect man.
You go down a few steps to the north, and enter a broad, long chamber, filled with two rows of cages, whose bars reach from floor to ceiling. Each has a door with a heavy locking mechanism in it. On the floor of the cells are straw and wooden bowls. Each cell holds a man or a woman, although each could hold more. Strolling down the central corridor between the cages are three humans and five orcs.
There are two doors on the southern wall, and at its southwestern corner there are some stairs leading south.

The spy gasps under his breath and points to one of the cages discreetly. "That's lady Alina!"

The slaver beckons at one of the humans. "Polybdus! I have brought some friends you should meet!"
The man in question turns to you. "Hm? Well, who would these be?" He is richly dressed. Accompanying him is a swordswoman, dressed to fit the part, and a shifty looking fellow dressed in robes. The latter continues perusing the slaves (he seems to have taken an interest in lady Alina), but the swordswoman regards you with suspicion.

Ronan becomes all business.

"All, right, you two there," he barks, "gather up weapons for the cage dwellers."

He executes a smart turn, before issuing another order: "I want these locks off. This is no way to run a company village!"

He isn't finished. Whirling about, he commands that the levers be raised and the "pits be emptied" as the charter expressly forbids "housing employees in their own filth-encrusted pits."

The only problem, well, one of them anyway, is that he doesn't seem to be giving orders to anyone in particular. Rather it is a dusty corner and then some rusty machinery that he first addressed. As for the last, he does speak to to a living organism, just not a particularly sentient one--his thrall.

Polybdus does not seem amused. "Precisely who is this idiot, and what does he think he's doing?" As the half-orc moves to comply with the orders, the slave merchant gestures to his retinue and the swordswoman and the orcs move to block the thrall's way. The robed man speaks up: "A filth-encrusted pit is where slaves belong. Though I would not call them employees."
"What is the meaning of this, Arnpold?" The slaver is visibly sweating now, his mind racing to find a way to defuse the tension. He explodes into a fake giggle. "It's a joke, of course! Isn't it?" He throws a desperate look at Ronan. "What he really wanted to say is that he's looking forward to taking these slaves to the stockade!" He grabs the clothing of various other party members, pleadingly. "And... I'm sure my friends here are happy to meet you!"
Polybdus raises an eyebrow. "So, Arnpold hired you on as guards for the caravan? I'm not sure whether that is necessary. Though taking into consideration the recent events..."

"Pay him no mind," Bernhard says, "his sense of humor is...odd. We were told there were security issues of late. We're here to help with that problem."

Bernhard keeps an eye on the swordswoman, ready to strike if need be.

"Aye, his famous sense of humor. We're here to make your problems go away, of course." Falan gave a bow.

In reply to Falan Oakenheel (msg # 967):

Angus stood there quietly, resting his hand on the hilt of his sword, waiting to kill these foul people. He would start with the wizard!

Undeterred by the attempted diplomatic interventions of Falan and Bernard, Ronan belts out, "I will brook no opposition to the operation of my firm!"

He casts color spray on the visiting executive and his entourage.

In reply to Ronan (msg # 969):

Angus draws his sword and goes after the robed figure, thinking him a wizard!

08:48, Today: Black Angus rolled 8 using 1d20+1.  to hit. MISSED!

08:49, Today: Black Angus rolled 5 using 1d6.  initiative
This message was last edited by the player at 12:50, Thu 22 July 2021.

Thorik has stopped at the cage where the "special" slave was mentioned.  Peering in to see this Lady.  If she is awake, he whispers, "Ladies don't belong in cages, how come you here?"

"So much for subtlety."

Their cover blown, Bernhard attacks the swordswoman.

20:36, Today: Bernhard rolled 3 using 1d6.  initiative.
20:36, Today: Bernhard rolled 9,6 using d20+1,d6+1.

OOC: Do we still have that goblin with us?

OOC: Yep, Tum-Tuk is still with you. So is Dhar-Gradvig, the escaped slave.

The lady, lying in a somewhat undignified way on the floor, rises on her arms and looks up warily at the dwarf. "Another brute thinking himself witty enough to make a joke at my expense? That one's played out." She squints. "Aren't you a little short for a slaver?"

01:13, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 5 using 1d6.  Surprise 1-2.
01:13, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 3,3 using 1d6,1d6.  Initiative (PCs, Monsters).
Everyone at the same time.
01:02, Today: Dungeon Master, on behalf of Ronan, rolled 2 using 1d6+1.  Color Spray.
The spray affects the closest enemies first, which I'm judging to be the robed man and the merchant. The latter gets no save.
01:07, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 7 using 1d20.  Save (Robed Man).

Ronan's Color Spray knocks out both merchant and mage. Angus seizes the chance to put an end to the spellcaster.

01:18, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 12 using 2d6+1 ((5,6)).

The swordwoman replies to your treacherous ambush with a war cry, and the orcs fling themselves at you like madmen!
01:24, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 5,7 using 1d20+1,1d6+1.  Attack.
Miss
01:24, Today: Dungeon Master rolled 6,8,18,17,18,1,4,2,4,2 using 1d20,1d20,1d20,1d20,1d20,1d6,1d6,1d6,1d6,1d6.  Attacks.
2 damage for Angus
4 damage for Bernhard
2 damage for Nerrag

01:29, Today: Dungeon Master, on behalf of Tum-Tuk, rolled 10,3 using 1d20,d6 ((10,3)).
Bernhard has no luck against his opponent, and neither does the 'valiant' goblin you have hired on.

[Those who haven't announced actions yet may do so now, and everyone should post actions for the next round too.]

R#1 Ronan's thrall and new hire: melee attacks
R#2 Ronan casts magic missile at two targets; Thrall and new hire keep attacking.

Bernhard continues his attack against the swordswoman.


23:39, Today: Bernhard rolled 6 using 1d6.  initiative.

23:39, Today: Bernhard rolled 9,2 using d20+1,d6+1.

First round: Falan finally casts that prepped Web spell, trying to catch the mass of orcs coming against us in the spell.

Second round: Falan fires his bow at the robed fellow!

OOC: He seems important. Sorry for the wait, tech issues lately.

00:40, Today: Falan Oakenheel rolled 9,4 using 1d20+1,1d6.  bow attack.

00:40, Today: Falan Oakenheel rolled 1 using 1d6.  initiative.

Oof!