Unlike Ava, Jan moves until she has visual on both Soren, Mak and the doorway, just in case something or someone needs blasting.

She trusted Marrin's assessment of Soren, and he's been useful, but the list of people she trusts implicitly is small, and implicitly without question... Pretty near nonexistent.

Mak'ral doesn't take his eyes off of Soren.

"His name's Soren Lark," Mak'ral says. "We met him in Uthmere. He was friendly, helpful, lead us safely away from a family of owlbears, all until we got here. We camped for the night and I was awoken by the screams of my colleagues."

Mak'ral finally spares a glance at Marrin.

"He's a dragon cultist."

Soren looks incredulous and then laughs. "This is ridiculous. How do we know this isn't really his tower?"

Still reeling from the toxic smoke, and doing her best to follow along with the developing intrigue on the stairs, Ethel looks first to Avaria.  "Ava, if you please... (cough).  Thrown that cloth back over the mirror.  It's (cough) quite full.  It's no more use to us, and potentially a threat now."

Then she clears her throat, taps her cane on the ground, and invokes again the spell to infuse herself with unnatural vigor.  Then she returns her focus to Mak'ral and Soren.

[False Life to gain another 8 temp hp.]

Still keeping an eye on the stand off, Jan moves closer to Ethel lifting her waterskin with a questioning eye, handing it over if her friend indicates she wants a drink to clear the taste of the fumes.

Marrin sags at the mention of dragon cults but rallies when Soren offers his defense,

"Soren, that is ridiculous. You're not that famous, he clearly knows you. Just tell us what is really going on and who's involved so we can get this sorted."

Marrin first unsettles and then makes the suggestion to Soren.

((DC 16 wisdom save, and minus 3 on his roll due to unsettling words))

Ethel takes the water with a look of sincere gratitude, washing the foul taste from her mouth. 

An eyebrow raises as she sees Marrin attempt to enchant Soren.  Quietly, she says to Jan, "I have an idea of my own to get to the bottom of this... but let's see what Marrin can accomplish, first.  This could all get messy very quickly."

"I have some messy ideas too...", Jan responds quietly, her thumb rubbing against her ring.

She has K approach Soren, ready to distract him if she needs to take action 

(Sorry, on vacation with the family this week - should get back to normal on Thursday when we return)

Ava dutifully covers the mirrors with their cloths again, glad that they did their job and reverts back to her normal self.  Unease settles in as she eyes Soren with a new light after the strangers accusations.  

She tries to get a read on Soren as he responds, (Insight 7) but is baffled by the situation.

Soren looks at Marrin and nods.

"Not universally famous, no," Soren says. "But anyone passing through a handful of taverns in Uthmere could easily see me perform."

He looks up at Mak'ral and then adds. "But I'll tell you what I think it going on. I think this one is using magic to pretend to be something he isn't. I'd say, that's your Rotting Man right there."

Mak'ral scoffs and even laughs a little. "The was a very artful way of avoiding what was asked of you. And what on earth is a Rotting Man?"

"Who do you think the poncy academic bit is fooling. You look ludicrous." Soren says.

While not the target of those words, Marrin detects the subtle threads of rhythm and magic interwoven amongst them as it's something she's done a number of times herself. That was definitely vicious mockery.

Mak'ral frowns slightly and puts his finger tighter on the trigger of the crossbow. "Who looks ludicrous now? Did you really think that would hurt?"

Avaria is watching what's being said by both sides, and she can't decide if anyone is lying or telling the truth.

"Ya...but why would he give the exact story you gave us Soren? Besides I'm entirely sure I didn't ask for what you think is going on, oh and don't think I didn't notice your attempt to hurt Mak just now."

Marrin glances at the rest,

"Okay ladies, I am confident Soren isn't the Rotting Man. Beyond that, I haven't a clue."

Jan cocks an eyebrow at Ethel so see if she'd like to go first.

((Will give a little more time to let anyone who wants to chime in go before these two escalate things on their own))

Ethel sighs, then looks at Jan.  "Just watch them both... see if either of them flinch over this," she whispers.

Then she turns and walks toward the bedroom area of the first floor of the tower.  She lifts her walking stick, spinning it clockwise before splaying out her fingers before her and casting a gout of flame, igniting the bed and any other furniture in that space.

[Casts Burning Hands.  She can roll damage if necessary, but is really just looking to cause some light property damage.  Hopefully, if one of them owns this, they will react to their boudoir getting torched.]

Jan keeps her eyes on them, not sure what Ethel has planned, but knowing it's potentially flinch worthy.

Insight: 21

For what it might be worth, K is in contact with the floor, and may feel if they shift their weight in a suspicious way. 

Insight: 20

The bedding lights up quickly and burns rapidly. So quickly that the old wooden supports in the roof are threatened by the flames.

Unfortunately, both Soren and Mak'ral react with surprise at this move from Ethel. She can't really tell if either own any of this.

Jan, with K's help, also can't say if any of the burning material belongs to either of the two. But what she does note is that while both seem a little surprised by what Ethel has done, neither man is particularly stressed or bothered by it either. Jan's seen Geffroi in these situations and knows what stress can do the average person. But both Soren and Mak'ral are pretty calm. If she had to suggest why, she'd say both of them have seen a few things in this world and both are probably stronger and more capable than they let on.

Marrin, who's been watching Soren after the failed attempt at Vicious Mockery, notices the bard's hands begin to move. A spell might be imminent. At the same time, she notes that Mak'ral has the book he was holding earlier back in his hand and his fingers are moving too.

Sparks look like they're about to fly.

"You will not lock me up again," Mak'ral says.

Jan steps forward, "C'mon, we can all be friends here, right? Talk this out somewhere that's NOT surrounded by dead things... and NOT on fire..."

Jan flexes her fingers, magic flowing through her ring finger to attempt to trap the minds of them both... for now at least.

((DC 15 WIS save from them both.))

Marrin also startled by Ethel lighting everything on fire.

"Gods above, Ethel!"

She gives Soren a warning look before noting the book in Mak's hands, but before she can say anything Jan reacts.

Shocked at the fire that suddenly appeared in the bedroom, she looks at everyone in the room.  Other than the surprise from Marrin, which honestly matched her thoughts, she also notices that Mak and Soren aren't really looking at anything but each other. 

Avaria isn't sure what to do about the two of them, but they didn't need a fire at their back when the rotted trees decided to come or those zombees.  She takes the cloth off the mirror that is mundane and attempts to smother the fire.

Both Soren and Mak'ral briefly glance away from each other and look at Jan.

"Be careful with what you say," Mak'ral says to Jan.

Neither Soren nor Mak'ral appear to be charmed by Jan's efforts.

As both Soren and Mak'ral begin to cast spells and Avaria bats out the fire, this is a good time to roll initiative again.

Ava's initiative: 15