Encounter at Shadow Castle Keep Parts 1 and 2

[JPetherick]

“"Wait for a moment,"” states Worrel. “"How and where did you capture these other two?"”

Due to his suspicion, Worrel concentrates for a moment while praying to Mitra. He then gazes upon the scene with the ability to detect evil.

OUT OF CHARACTER

Detect Evil, examining all of the lizards and the two prisoners.

 

[patransom]

OUT OF CHARACTER

PM sent to Worrel with detect evil results. Everyone (including Worrel) should make a sense motive check.

 

[ElectroZman]

Tex Sense Motive:

[CGM3]

Cyrius (trusting soul) Sense Motive check:

[smeltdm]

Prost doesn't trust anyone...he drifts back to 1532.

[JPetherick]

Worrel considers the situation, somewhat surprised that he did not detect any sign of evil among the lizardmen.

[kabkal]

Lola sits up and tries to figure out what is going on. She will also try do free her hands.


Sense Motive


Escape Art

[patransom]

“Let them all go.” Tex says. “Now. We'll save your eggs.”

“It's possible these two won't be any help,” Cyrius points out, “while Lola is a known quantity. And it's not surprising these folk might not trust us to help them without an incentive.”

“We might not need their help, but I see no reason to let them remain prisoner or be held for some future demands,” Tex replies. “We've already seen one of ours fall to their kind. These 'folk' are in no position to make demands of us and I remind you that they began all this with the attack on the keep and kidnapping. We can finish this now one way or the other. We've already said we'd help retrieve their eggs. That should be good enough.”

“Wait for a moment,” states Worrel. “How and where did you capture these other two?” Due to his suspicion, Worrel concentrates for a moment while praying to Mitra. He then gazes upon the scene with the ability to detect evil.

Prost drifts back closer to the rest of the party.

Lola struggles with her bonds, but can't get free.

The lizard shaman looks back and forth as Tex and Cyrius discuss what to do. He says a few words to his followers in that language you don't understand. Then he chooses to answer Worrel, “King'sss warparty bringsss thessse two back from the big pile of rocksss at the edge of hoooman landsss. King wantsss to eat them right away but we keep them sssafe.”

Sense motive result for Prost, Worrel, and LolaShow

The lizard shaman's inhuman features are hard to read, but you think his mood has started to shift. Before it seemed like he was cautiously hopeful. Now you're getting a mixture of confusion and frustration.

ACTIVE EFFECTS

1. Cyrius of the Sudden Blade: sunrod and mind blade readied, 17 bolts left, 4 hp damage 2. Worrel: longsword and shield readied, 0 arrows left, 0 lay on hands left, 1 smite evil left, uninjured 3. Texudus TreeBender: longbow readied, 46 arrows left, wand of CLW 25 charges left, 4 hp damage 4. Evan Prost: short sword and loaded slingstaff readied, 6 +1 bullets left, darkvision 172.2 minutes left, gaseous form 3.8 minutes left, 14 hp damage 5. Lola: short sword dropped, 49 bolts left, 29 hp damage, bound and gagged 6. Fluffy: 11 hp damage

[kabkal]

Until untied, Lola will continue to try and free herself.


Probably making things worse by struggling to untie herself.

[ElectroZman]

Tex says in a quiet voice, “Your kings warparty lies dead. Unless you want to join them, release the prisoners.” He looks over the lizard folk, and is aiming toward the shaman. But if any make a threatening move toward the prisoners he's ready to fire. “I'm no 'hooman'. I am a son of Kazadarum, and we keep our word. But I'm done speaking. For the last time, release them, you will not be harmed. We'll find your eggs.”

[CGM3]

Cyrius sighs. “Would you agree to terms when someone was pointing a loaded crossbow at you?” he asks Texudus.

[ElectroZman]

Tex looks at Cyrius, “I didn't state any terms. And last time I looked, this was a longbow.”
He shakes his head, “Why are we having this conversation? They are holding our friend prisoner along with the castle guard and, I assume, the one Master Penkawr sent us to find!”

OUT OF CHARACTER

Guys, I realize I'm the new one in the group. Just playing it like I see it though. Please PM me if I'm taking it too far or something.

 

[smeltdm]

“We will help you...
Tex lower your bow and would you please release all the hostages. We will help because we also have come to this land to deal with the worms. We want to deal with this problem to.” Prost now trying to be the friendly ghost and defuse this deteriorating situation.

[JPetherick]

“"They are not evil,"” says the paladin. “"We do wish to help you. Our companion would be a great aid in doing so. We have been sent to rescue these other people, and I hope that you see that we must not endanger that mission. Is there some compromise that you would be willing to accept?"”

[ElectroZman]

Tex lowers his bow. Arrow still nocked.

[patransom]

As Tex and Cyrius discuss what to do, the shaman looks back and forth between the two. It looks at Prost with obvious suspicion.

Then it answers Worrel. “Compromissse, yesss. We give you thisss one,” the shaman points to Lola and continues, “We keep thessse other two sssafe while you ressscue the eggsss from ssservantsss of the Black-Ssscaled Queen. They could not help you with the ressscue anyway, becaussse they are weak from their captivity. The king even broke thisss one'sss sssnout.” It points to the female prisoner (M).

The shaman also adds, “We promissse not to eat them.”

ACTIVE EFFECTS

1. Cyrius of the Sudden Blade: sunrod and mind blade readied, 17 bolts left, 4 hp damage 2. Worrel: longsword and shield readied, 0 arrows left, 0 lay on hands left, 1 smite evil left, uninjured 3. Texudus TreeBender: longbow readied, 46 arrows left, wand of CLW 25 charges left, 4 hp damage 4. Evan Prost: short sword and loaded slingstaff readied, 6 +1 bullets left, darkvision 172.1 minutes left, gaseous form 3.7 minutes left, 14 hp damage 5. Lola: short sword dropped, 49 bolts left, 29 hp damage, bound and gagged 6. Fluffy: 11 hp damage

[kabkal]

As Lola is freed, she asks about additional healing and where her sword is. She will need healing and the sword before she can move on. If they have no more healing she will cast healing on herself.

[JPetherick]

Worrel pulls out the wand and begins healing Lola.

OUT OF CHARACTER

4 charges spent, 21 hps healing

 

[kabkal]

Lola thanks Worrel, gathers her sword and is ready to move on. She hopes the next quest does not end as poorly.

[ElectroZman]

“Whats your name Shaman?”, Tex asks.

[patransom]

With his compromise proposal accepted, the shaman nods one of his minions over to untie Lola. Worrel takes the wand back from Tex and uses it to heal her [21 hp healed]. Meanwhile, the shaman replies to Tex's question, “We are known asss Hissshka.”

Once the healing is finished, Hishka explains, “You can find the egg chamber down the ssslope just to the wesst. If you can just dissspose of the ssservantsss of the Queen, the eggsss ssshould be sssafe again.”

ACTIVE EFFECTS

1. Cyrius of the Sudden Blade: sunrod and mind blade readied, 17 bolts left, 4 hp damage 2. Worrel: longsword and shield readied, 0 arrows left, 0 lay on hands left, 1 smite evil left, wand of CLW 21 charges left, uninjured 3. Texudus TreeBender: longbow readied, 46 arrows left, 4 hp damage 4. Evan Prost: short sword and loaded slingstaff readied, 6 +1 bullets left, darkvision 171.6 minutes left, gaseous form 3.2 minutes left, 14 hp damage 5. Lola: short sword dropped, 49 bolts left, 8 hp damage 6. Fluffy: 11 hp damage

[JPetherick]

“"I have little magic left, but I am willing to do this. Are you ready?,"” asks Worrel of his companions.

The paladin prepares to lead the way down to the egg chamber, unless one of his stealthier companions is able to reconnoiter first.

[CGM3]

“Prost would seem ideally suited for that task,” Cyrius says in response to Worrel's words. “Shaman Hissshka, do you know what manner of servants the Black-Scaled Queen has set to ward your eggs?” he asks the old lizardman.

[ElectroZman]

Tex nods his agreement to Worrel. He's ready.

[kabkal]

Lola makes sure to have her sword in hand, and then falls in line, ready to head to the eggs.

[smeltdm]

Prost moves forward and moves down the stairwells, staying in the walls to cut distance were he can.

[ElectroZman]

As before, Tex follows Prost at a distance of 10 to 20 feet depending on the layout. He watches him for directions.

[patransom]

The shaman tries to answer Cyrius' question, “The ssservantsss are lizardsss of a different kind than usss. Also sssort of like dogsss and black-ssscaled like the Queen. They are sssmall, but tricksssy.”

The party follows Prost to the western tunnel. It slopes downward into an area of shallow water extending westward. The ceiling declines as well, and it appears the entire hall goes underwater farther ahead.

OUT OF CHARACTER

The submerged tunnel starts at the edge of the map and creates a problem for Prost's gaseous form: "The creature is subject to the effects of wind, and it can't enter water or other liquid." The tunnel has descended below the level of the main lair into tightly packed dirt and roots, so there isn't an obvious way around the water. Gaseous form, however, is dismissable...

 

ACTIVE EFFECTS

1. Cyrius of the Sudden Blade: sunrod and mind blade readied, 17 bolts left, 4 hp damage 2. Worrel: longsword and shield readied, 0 arrows left, 0 lay on hands left, 1 smite evil left, wand of CLW 21 charges left, uninjured 3. Texudus TreeBender: longbow readied, 46 arrows left, 4 hp damage 4. Evan Prost: short sword and loaded slingstaff readied, 6 +1 bullets left, darkvision 171.4 minutes left, gaseous form 3.0minutes left, 14 hp damage 5. Lola: short sword dropped, 49 bolts left, 8 hp damage 6. Fluffy: 11 hp damage

[smeltdm]

“ I can’t move forward in this form we will have to wait or you’ll have to go without me”

[patransom]

“ I can’t move forward in this form we will have to wait or you’ll have to go without me”

OUT OF CHARACTER

Gaseous form is dismissable. Prost can end it before it expires, so you don't have to wait.