Crimson Sands of Time

<Sure heal to 1hp, appear in front of his face, charm>, as he wakes from unconsciousness, if he seems amiable to her, she will look to the other to make ready in case something goes wrong, and will the binding around his mouth.

As the wizard awakens, he struggles agai st his bindings before feeling the effects if the charming presence of the young girl beside him. "Hrmmphgg. Hrrrmm, ga-grawff." He mumbles through the gag.

At length picollo releases his mouth and is met at once with pleas for salvation. "The statues.  Left me for dead.  No escape.  The pillars.  Torture. A twisted game.  I - I served Thay. I did! Please, help me!  Help me!"

Assuming you ask for clarification, he continues... "They tried to kill me.  The may have succeeded. I know not. Such is my torment. And perhaps, yours as well.  The statues, they will animate should yoi try to escape.  In waves.  The pillars of light.  They offer healing, of a kind, but tbe relief is only temporary.  I linger now. No food, no water.  But you.  With your numbers.  Perhaps, we can destroy them and escape, together.  Then those who sentenced me to this ghastly execution will have their comeuppance. "

Piccolo smiles and holds his still bound hand, With her other, she plays on her instrument with but one hand, as she communicates with him,

All in the room understand the images and sounds, but it is clear she is focused on her charm and communicating with him (like a father helping a child, you see the red wizard, helping the little girl to escape the pillars. As you listen you almost hear the music speak to you: "What have you tried my wise friend?" (She is a clever manipulator, the uncharmed party concludes), (Then you see an image of her and the red wizard disarming the rooms traps.)

"Huh? Statues? Oh great..." Ethan mumbles as he barely picks up the unconscious wizard's lines. Flashbacks of his encounter with several younger red wizards in his similar state still repeat in his head; One that he will never get rid off even as of now. He serve Thay. One of the only nations that the shifters could not overcome even with their own powerful forces.So what? He wants them to join his side? Not a chance to the Simic. Even as the wizards says he wants to escape this place with this group, Ethan can already sense some hostility in him in a way... or maybe it's just his own distrust getting the better of him. He doesn't know... Even as he watches the only girl in the group manipulate the wizard against his every will; Something that Yurime is also skilled at.

Quote from Brian_Avery >>

"No. I'm sure Ethan just wanted a head's up if you, or anyone for that matter, was going to open one of the doors. As you said, without teamwork or communication we have less of a chance to survive the doomvault."

Trisk stands near the red wizard and even though said wizard is bound and gagged Trisk remains vigilant for any danger that could possibly originate from the red wizard.

"The brothers," Trisk motions to point them out to Piccolo, "have... abrasive or rough personalities shall we say. Each member of the group has their own... 'way' about them, for lack of a better word. As they get to know you better, and you them, we'll become stronger as a team. It will just take a little time."

Still spooked by the status of the red wizard, Ethan immediately heard Trisk saying something about him or Randy. To him, some unwanted chatter like this would already have his confidence lowered (again) especially if he doesn't do anything to clarify his true intentions. So, out of panic...

"Look um... I... I don't what you guys are talking about me and Randy but... the safety of our teammates is a bigger priority for us... um... much bigger than you think; We always make sure that we never leave a teammate behind, even if we only just met. Believe me: I'd be scared to see our new member's potential should she continue to travel with us." Ethan tries to clarify, albeit he feels like he's making no sense whatsoever. Being a leader of at least three groups beforehand, Ethan takes his position as a teammate very seriously. Also, having lost several teammates due to poor cooperation and leadership, he vows every day not to make that same mistake again, because whenever a teammate dies on his watch, he always takes the blame for it, even when it's not his fault.

The red wizard replies:

"I've looked high and low. Neen trapped here for days, weeks, maybe. The doors lock and lock again. No lock is impenetrable, but they're not meant to be. They're just there ro torment. To frustrate. The gargoyles.  They're mere stone, animated by magjc, but just stone. But are they? I've destroyed these eight statues at least three times over and yet, here they stand. I may be delirious with thirst. I may be.  But, of this I am certain."

Piccolo looks to the group to see if they have any questions.
She plays a few reassuring notes, trying to help the wizard recognize these are "friends."

<Ok, someone may need to "dispose" of this guy.>

Randy stares at Piccolo and then the bloodies red wizard in irritation. This is getting them nowhere... "Hey. You ever thought about asking him if he was fighting them inside this place alone or in a group?" He calls out.

Piccolo echos the question to the wizard in tune. Then she plays a few more notes  

(To Randy/ Ethan)

<Can we see and/ or open other doors in the room?, would glyph keys work on any of these doors?>

There appears to be 6 sets of double doors. We probably came in through one so that leaves 5 to explore, maybe?

"Once we are done with the red wizard we should keep moving, it sounded like he was trying to warn us that regardless of what happens in this room afterward the magic sort of resets everything and it just starts all over again. Fighting statues or gargoyles is one thing, having to fight them over and over again doesn't sound like something we should stick around to do."

Trisk looks at a few of the doors near where they entered, "Does it matter which way we go since we have to search until we find at least one phylactery?"

Ethan glances back at Trisk, then Piccolo, but doesn't say much,. At least until Trisk asks them about which way they could go. He's right in a way, but too much exploring would lead to time wastage, especially since the lich may have concocted something bigger, or maybe he's assuming. He doesn't know.

"I mean, do you really want to end up wasting your spells on some relatively minor enemies? I mean if we had multiple time and unlimited usage of them I would consider it. Unless..." He glances back at the white gate, thinking he could use them as traps, as per his original idea before he entered this room. Not yet. Maybe later if they happen to encounter some enemies unnoticed. "Hey Randy. You ever thought about jamming the glyph key into the gate? Ok, not jam it but trying to unlock the gate with... you know...?"

"Huh? Oh yeah sure. I guess I could try to see if... you know what? Screw it!" Losing all sense of reason just for this moment, he takes out the glyph key and proceeds to try to... uh... "put it"... in the lock, if Piccolo hasn't done so already (with a bit of force)

Quote from shimshon123 >>

<Can we see and/ or open other doors in the room?, would glyph keys work on any of these doors?>

 You can probably open any of the doors, but other than going back the way you came, no glyph keys.

"F-f-gorgive this fool.  You are not of Thay, I can see plainly.  Perhaps then you will not judge so harshly one sentenced to death by the servants of Szazz Tam.  The gargoyles.  Whenever I managed to open a locked door, all that would greet me is a brick wall, then a wave of stone creatures would attack, then another.  I had strength enough to lay waste to them, with some help from the light pillars, but ultimately, I could go on no longer. Surely, were it not for you, I would have died.  If I make it out of here alive, I will be in your debt." Noticing his unkempt state and realizing what a frightening he looks, he attempts to collect himself and regain some degree of composure.  "Oh, yes," he continues "I forget myself, Vorja Xan, at your service." He bows politely in Thayan custom.

<so, trying g a door or heading back? You letting this guy tag along or what? Open call for an insight check if you like>

Again as he remains silent, Ethan is somewhat feeling distrustful just from the extra stuff he said. Servants of Szazz Tam sentenced him to death here? Wait... is this room a prison?! Surely not! The pillars... that peculiar locked door near the statue... "I will be in your debt" He says? Uh... no. Big red flag for him there. (Insight: 12)

Wait... a wave of stone creatures would attack... after a locked door was open? Any locked door? Or is there one that doesn't- Crap...! "RANDY WAIT! I WAS JOKING! DON'T OPEN THE DOOR IT WON'T-!"

<The enemy of my enemy is my friend?>

The girl looks to you, back to the wizard. She does not seem to trust him, but then again, you're not sure she trusts you either. You know she has been a prisoner here for a long time, and certainly is an enemy of Szazz Tam. 

The girl plays a quick tune, spelling out his name in notes. And smiles. Then, she drops the charm, as her gaze leaves him, and walks off, allowing the rest to do as they please with him.

<You do realize you're working for rebellious red wizards this entire time, right? Morwena Veilmist, D'arlon Ma, and at this very moment, Syranna.>

The room is formerly a temple, which has been desecrated and is now an elaborate lethal torture device intended to kill the entrapped individual slowly, making the tierturw both physical and psychological. With a glyph key, the white gate presents no barrier to you, but obviously they don't let the victims have one.

Nevertheless, there might be a way out and through, or you coukd always go back. You've only been in 3 rooms so far.

<up to the group what they want to do with this guy. My pc knows nothing of your mission or even why your here yet. She does not know Syranna and none of you have shared that yet.>

Spoiler: If you save him, he joins Syranna and her faction of rebels (there are several, groups Red Wizards in the absence of a tyrant, rapidly splinter).

There is a way out, but if he found it already, he'd be gone, so he doesn't know it.

Unless you give him a role beyond this, his story ends where you leave him, either here or at a black gate to send him back to the gatehouse.

There will be a lot of locked doors in this area, but they're all mundane locks. Functionally it does not matter what you do with this NPC, just whether you go forward or back.

<Really just waiting in someone to open a door, even if it's to go back through the one by which you entered. There are 5 others.>