Very cool!

Marta, a solid dwarven woman with a complexion and hair color similar to Ithelviur's, watches the prison grow closer through squinted eyes. In dwarven she'll grumble,

"Still too nice for her."

For Team Dwarf and DM

((Both groups can feel free to take a peak at what’s in the other  Spoiler. Just used them to try and keep the size of the post down - map is in the guard post))

((K would be giving a way to communicate back and forth to some degree as well.))

((I'm assuming that the guards would be permitted to have brought full inventories in, but a portion of it would be kept in whatever barracks/bunks we have? Do we have prison issued weapons and the like we're expected to use? Does Jan know how the prison feels about the use of magic as far as guards are concerned?))

((Okay, good to know!

My questions stand. I guess we just wait until the warden comes.))

[Q:  Was Ethel allowed to keep her walking stick?  She would have protested vociferously if they denied a handicapped woman her cane.]

Those who are guards have space to store gear in the barracks (at the base of the central tower). You didn’t have to give anything up when you arrived. Guards can bring their own weapons but you’re not carrying all your gear with you when you’re out an about on patrol, etc. Most of your equipment will be in footlockers in the barracks.

The uniform includes splint mail armor, a longsword and a heavy crossbow. You also get a tunic with a red crown on it. Anyone not taking those (unless you already have your own) will draw suspicion.

Geffroi does his best to watch Avaria carefully when getting kitted out so that he doesn’t look like he has completely no idea how to put on armor or buckle a sword to his hip. Though Soren does have to give him a hand.

Geffroi did almost faint when you were given your gear in the armory. It has its own unique guard, who seems to pay close attention to everyone:

Magic use by guards hasn’t come up in any of the briefings you’ve had so far. From the looks of the other guards, you get the impression that it’s not something that has ever come up before. Whoever is in charge of the magic in the prison, you’re pretty sure it’s not the guards.

As far as the magical locks, it appears that all of the guards are somehow ‘registered’ so that doorways, etc will open for them.

Eight guards to a patrol. Jan, Avaria, Geffroi and Soren are going to be joined by four veterans. Yula Dargeria, the head guard thought that was the best way to get you acclimatized and as a favour to Jan, agreed to let the four of you stick together.

For those waiting for the warden, yes, only obvious weapons have been collected and stored. While a flute drew some amusement and a crack about putting on a performance for the prisoners, it was not taken. Nor was Ethel’s walking stick. Everyone has all their gear except for weapons.

Cooks look solidly like cooks to Marta / Marrin.

None of the guards or cooks assembled in Peltarch proper. There was more of an official garrison just north of town that they were waiting for transfer to the prison.

Hammerdasher does think about the warden for a bit before providing Marta more information.

“Warden Marthannis? She’s pretty calm and steady. Strict but a good person. I’ve always got the impression she does this job because she thinks it helps. But have also thought she’s definitely not all she appears to be. Sometimes she even reminds me of a dwarf though she’s human.”

Any more questions?

((Marta is good to go!))

As the are lead through the prison and made to wait, Ethel will keep a look out for any signs of arcane seals or wards... anything that suggests magical traps, alarms, or similar.  

Perception:  15 (if Arcana is allowed instead, the same dice roll results in a 23 with her Arcana modifier)

((Jan has no proficiency with any of the heavier armor and weapons. She'll carry a long sword if required, but would prefer leather armor and a light crossbow. She used to have one of those...))

Jan does spot a light crossbow she can surreptitiously swap the heavy one for when only the flying eyeballs and mouth creature is focused on Soren and Geffroi. But splint mail is all that's on offer. Jan can try and get away with wearing none (please let me know either way, what Jan decides).

Ethel didn't notice anything on their way from the entrance to this meeting room, other than a faintly sewage like smell coming from the doorway they passed in the long hallway. However, in the meeting room itself, her attention is drawn to a wooden ladder on the far wall that leads to an iron hatch in the ceiling.  With no readily present lock visible, Ethel suspects that it might be held closed by magical means.

She did also notice the temperature once inside was quite pleasant. With no noticeable sources of heat, there maybe magic involved there as well. The torches burning in the hallway provided bright light, but she noticed she felt no heat coming off them.

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The guard patrol begins straight from the armory, with the four veterans leading the way. You turn up the main corridor and then head outside into the courtyard. After the steady comfortable temperature of the interior, the sharp sting of winter stabs at your skin and causes your eyes to water. In the courtyard are two prisoners, a tiefling, and a goblin, exercising, though not together. Two guards watch over them. But you can see more guards on the roof of the guard tower at the other end of the courtyard - they're far enough away to see everything but would be too far to hear a conversation.

This courtyard is paved with flagstones, which are covered with drifting snow.

((I'll give the guards a chance to ask/see/do something in each area they see before moving on to the next room/area of the patrol - unless that takes too long, and then maybe we'll just go with quick descriptions of each area and let you retcon any interaction)).

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After what feels like forever, a tall, elegant looking human woman, wearing a dark red robe with gold trim sweeps into the room. She looks at the group, eyeing each of you carefully, almost as if committing you to memory. After a moment she smiles and approaches Hammerdasher.

"Ithleviur Hammerdasher, you're back," she says. "I suspect you're beginning to enjoy being disappointed. And now you're bringing more of your clan, and, another guest, to suffer the same. Do you really think your prisoner will give you what you want this time?"

Hammerdasher rises and gives the woman a short bow.

"Warden Marthannis," Hammerdasher says. "I think this time will be different. My guest as you call her, is very adept at questioning people who don't want to answer questions."

The warden looks at Ethel more closely this time.

"I can't wait to see her in action," the warden says before looking back at Hammderdasher. "You realize though that no exceptions to the anti-magic field will be made."

She starts to turn back to the entrance to the meeting room. As she turns, everyone can hear the unmistakable sound of several keeps jingling and banging into each other in her robes.

"Now, do you want to see the prisoner now or after you've rested and freshened up? I have a meeting of the Small Absolution Council to attend soon."

Marta gives the warden as careful a look as the warden gives everyone in the Dwarf group, she continues to watch the way the woman moves and smiles slightly on hearing her name. Marta rises with Ithleviur and offers a similar bow and her name,

"Marta (Whatever last name they agreed upon beforehand)."

She remains standing and keeps her eyes on the warden and her mannerism and poses a question and then answers one,

"Could the prison be interviewed in the courtyard, allowing more leeway in the interview methods?"

And,

"We're fresh enough. If you would kindly take us to her."

((And as they walk there))

She will say to the group in Dwarven,

"We are just watching, only the Interrogator asks anything."

((Does the eyeball thing speak to us? Did anyone warn us it was there? If it's insistent, Jan will don the armor and grab the light crossbow, but seek an audience with Yula. Disadvantage on all strength and Dex checks, saves and attacks, makes for an ineffective guard, not including being unable to cast. At least she's good at talking...))

They 'eyeball thing' floats in the middle of the armory, with its large central eye and four writhing eyestalks keeping watch on everything. It doesn't say anything while you're in there, but Jan did notice it really watched intently anytime anyone picked up any of the inventory in the room. It watched who took what and looked, almost longingly, at the items being taken.

((Jan maybe less effective as a guard with the armor on, though likely to look more like a guard at the same time - she'll have to weigh the increased mobility of not wearing the armor vs the extra attention drawn by not wearing the uniform armor everyone else wears and the potential to raise suspicion among other guards)).

She can keep an eye out for Yula while the group does their patrol - though last you saw her was in the mess hall getting breakfast.

After taking a quick look in the courtyard, seeing the two guards watching the two prisoners and waving a hello, the four veterans in your patrol turn and head back into the 'hexagon' hallway. They lead the four of you along the hall until you turn towards the elevator and main entrance. They lead the group into the front entrance guard room.

This room contains a table with four chairs, and a cabinet holding whetstones and other simple supplies for repairing armor and weapons. Three guards sit at the table playing cards. Embedded in the north wall of the northern guard room is an iron lever.

One of the veterans points at it and grunts "that raises and lowers the elevator."

The guards at the table seem deep in a conversation about how bad the weather is going to get.

-------------------------------------------------

Warden Marthannis smiles when Marta/Marrin introduces herself, sharing a moment of levity at the shared given name. But that looks changes to something closer to confusion mixed with incredulity at the request to meet with the prisoner in the courtyard.

"You have been outside, yes? You just arrived?" the warden asks. "While there is some protection from the wind there, it is exceptionally cold out there. Not as cold as it will get by midwinter, but not somewhere I would want to have an interview."

She then looks at Hammerdasher. "Besides, you know that all interviews are conducted while the prisoner is in their cell and while I am present."

The warden leads the group out of the meeting room. When Marta/Marrin speaks Dwarvish, she notices the warden tilt her head slightly and back towards the group but otherwise she keeps walking the group straight into the panopticon.

This hexagonal chamber is a large open space at the center of the prison. Cells line the chamber walls, and a smaller hexagonal room occupies the center of the space, at the base of the main prison tower. You all easily notice the arrow slits in the walls of the room in the center of the chamber.

The warden leads the group across the room to a cell on the northeast wall. The party sees all of the cells around the room are unlit, but you notice movement in some of them still. At least several are occupied. Once the group arrives at their destination they get a better look at the cell. It's enclosed by formidable steel bars. Bolted to the back wall are iron bunk beds, each with a thin mattress. A waste bucket sits near the beds.

Standing in this cell, is a tightly muscled dwarven woman with her red hair cut short. Her bronze skin is covered in tattoos that stretch from her collarbone to her ankles. She surveys you with unimpressed eyes.

"Vistors Korda," the warden says. "Play nice now."

The warden then gestures for the party to ask what they like.

Korda looks at Hammerdasher, smiles and laughs.

Jan reluctantly acquiesces to the uniform... In an ideal situation, no fighting is required... And not being able to make use of the standard equipment makes her a poor fit for whenever they need to extricate themselves.

She slowly stumps about on her rounds, but tries to map out the anti magic area and how often her duties take her there. 

((Movement speed down to 20ft.))

Marta nods solemnly to the comments about the temperature,

"Yes, it's cold out there and I certainly don't want to go back out but I am trying to establish the bounds of interrogation. In her cell, with you present."

As they go she will ask the Warden,

"Does Korda get any other visitors? Any correspondence?"

Marta doesn't bother looking into the dark cells on the way to Korda's cell but inspects Korda keenly.

She gives Ithle a look to keep him from talking before nodding at Ethel to begin. She knows Ula will keep silent.

Before they reach Korda's cell, the warden looks at Marta/Marrin, again appraising the dwarf who appears to be in charge of this group.

"This facility is not exactly the easiest to get to," the warden says. "It keeps the number of visitors to a minimum. Not that we would be inclined to allow them anyway. There hasn't been much in the way of mail either."

She pauses, clearly looking like she's contemplating how much to tell Marta/Marrin.

"As Korda is your clan's prisoner, it seems fair to let you know there has been an enquiry regarding visiting the prisoner. Apparently a new member of the Lord's Alliance from Altumbel believes that Korda has information that could help them locate a lost artifact," the wardens says, then pauses for a moment. "I haven't met Lord Hargrove, but we expect him and his retinue on the next supply sled."

Marta's eyes narrow on hearing about Lord Hargrove before turning her head to look at first Ithle and then Ethel. Finally she shakes her head.

"Lord Hargrove you say?"

She muses as they walk,

"The only 'Lord' Hargrove I've heard of was a self-styled pirate king in the (whatever sea it was called). Is Hargrove a common name in the Lord's Alliance?"

The question is posed to Ethel as well as the Warden.

Ethel steps toward the cell with all the solemnity of a priest entering a tomb.  Even the mention of the name 'Hargrove' doesn't seem to get a reaction from her.  

She takes a long, slow look at the dwarven prisoner.

Ethel walks toward the bars, boots tapping in measured cadence.  She pauses at what looks to her like just outside the reach of dwarven arms .  Then she speaks, voice calm, low, and absolutely without sympathy.

“You’ve been here a long time.  But the world hasn’t forgotten you, Korda.  Not yet.  That’s why I’m here.”

She turns and moves a few steps to her left, voice even and dry.  “They tell me you never cracked.  Not once.  Not through all the questions; the interrogations.  No bribes, no threats, no sob stories got you to talk.  That's impressive.  It must be hard to sit in this room all day.  To resist the temptation to bargain, to sell information for a ghost of a chance at release...".  She pauses, then turns, moving slowly back to where she started.

She let the silence return again, this time sharper. 

"There’s something of interest buried in what you stole."  She doesn't follow up that thought, just lets it hang in the air.  Then she turns again, walking back to her left.  

After another pause... "Have you met 'Lord' Hargrove before?"  It's the first question she's asked, and she waits to see if and how Korda responds before she continues.

Avaria dons the new armor, though begrudgingly as it also affects her strength and dexterity, though it does up her AC which she's pleasantly surprised.  She takes the weapons and watches the eyeball monster with interest.  She finds it ironic that they are supposed to take these things, yet it seems to not like to watch it happen.  

The cold air isn't a welcome greeting as they start their patrol, but she is happy to see that at least they aren't posted out there as some guards seem to be.  She wonders if Korda ever comes out for 'exercise'.

As they enter the guards room, she tries to interject to the ones discussing the weather, "Going to get worse out there?  How d'yall stand it?  At least they keep things warm here."