The party hears an ethereal voice in your minds "So the coin has finally returned. Where is the captain?"

(Perception: Nat 1 -oof-   Insight: 13)

Zhernon follows them into the room and is immediately distracted by all the strange statues and such to pay much attention to what's going on. "He couldn't come. Something about a curse."

Roland breathed a sigh of relief as Twig found, then disarmed the trap. Walking into the new room, the statues gave him pause, and then the voice spoke.

Quote from Weathervision >>

"So the coin has finally returned. Where is the captain?"

Looking around and seeing no one besides his companions, the farmboy shrugged and spoke to the air. "He didn't want to come; he sent us instead. Here though, I believe this belongs... to... you?"

He held out the coin in his open palm, then looked about as if expecting a stray raven to swoop down and retrieve it for the voice.

Zhernon gut tells him se is angry with her confinement.

A spiny tendril rises from the water to take the coin.

"Of course. Such a coward. I have proposition. Would you free me. I am willing to give you a wish" says Madriga

Roland's eyes widened, and he glanced at each of his companions in turn.

"Well... ah, no thank you. I'm not too fond of wishes, actually," he chuckled, uncertain of the catch in the offer. "Personally, I'm only here to return the coin, and if that's that, then you can just undo the curse so we can be on our way. If you would. Please." He didn't discount that his companions might consider the deal, but he certainly wasn't going to openly suggest that they might.

Zhernon thinks for a moment, "Explain what is happening. Why curse? Why need help? Do you know Marish?" They keep watching the room for any suspicious activity, ready to take action if necessary.

"I cannot free myself. Neither can my people. It needs to be an outsider. I use the curse to bring people to me in hopes of freeing me. Yes I know of Marish. I see she is smart enough not to come. Long ago her family stole a key from me. As you can see her companions are dead. They wished to steal from me. A very unwise decision. I was trying use the carrot, well now I will use the stick. All of you will not leave this place alive. Your best chance to live is to free me." says Madriga

The party hears the stone doors off in the distance slamming shut.

The farmboy gulped at the slamming doors, then sighed, "Now, see, this is the sort of thing I was worried about."

Turning his attention to the voice, he accused it, "You appear to have a broken sense of justice. We actually returned your coin to you. We did right by you. But now, because we just want to leave, or ask a few questions, we're to suffer the same fate as those that stole from you? Seems to me ALL of your methods are really sticks! How can you feel justified in that?"

Roland was ever-so-slowly getting into a defensive stance behind his shield as he spoke, looking around the room for any imminent attack. He continued trying to get Madriga to monologue, and possibly give up some clue: "I mean, you're not even being sensible here. What does a wish profit us if our very world is lost?"

Twig frowns at the voice. "What are you going to do if we free you? And...how are we even supposed to free you? I can't imagine how bored you are, being stuck down here for however long sounds like a real drag. But you also sound like a big bully, so maybe you deserve to be stuck in time out." She taps her foot impatiently, she has a feeling that the amulet she stole from Marish is the key the voice was talking about, but does the voice know she has it? If not, it might prove a way to escape.

"Your world will not be lost. I want to go back to the sea. I have been trapped here for too long. Do you not understand my suffering. Free me and I will not harm you." says Madriga a bit pleadingly.

The water stirs with agitation.

Insight? 7

(( Yeah, might as well have Roland attempt an Insight roll as well: 18 ))

Twig is not sure of Madriga's intentions

Roland senses that she has a true desire to return to the sea with her people and would not harm the party if they free her. He also sense a malevolence towards the people of the island

Twig, unsure of what to do. Looks at the others for guidance while fingering the amulet in her pocket.

Roland paused, a question suddenly coming to him. Casting caution to the wind, he abruptly asked aloud, "And what of the people of this island, if you are freed?"

"They shall perish.They and their ancestors imprisoned me here and left to rot. Where will we find justice if we leave them be. They must pay for our suffering.The Bhar used to be free people, before we were tied to the island. Staying still for so long does not suit us" says Madriga dripping with venom when mentioning the townsfolk

"Last question, what guarantee is there that you will keep your end and grant our wishes?" Zhernon looks at the others as well with a half shrug.

"You have my word. I do not break my promises like others and their ilk" says Madriga.

Insight would show she is being truthful

What do you do next?

Frowning, Roland turned toward the others. "I don't know about you all, but there's no way I'm going to exchange the life of everyone on this island for a wish. Even if I trusted her, I wouldn't be able to live with myself."

He then turned to face the largest empty space in the room. "If the lives of everyone else on this island is the cost, I choose to reject your offer!"