At the question about Lord Hargrove and pirates, the Warden shrugs a little.

“I believe those from Altumbel prefer the term merchant buccaneer,” Warden Marthannis says. “Though I will admit this is the first time anyone named Hargrove has been mentioned. Lord High Mayor Klein used to be the Lord’s Alliance representative for them.”

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

Avaria has learned that all of the prisoners are offered exercise outdoors if they want it. Though in conditions like this, they’re unlikely to be outside for more than 15 – 20 minutes.

One of the guards playing cards looks over at Avaria and nods.

“Yeah, I was just up on tower duty. Looks like a lot of damn snow coming our way.” The guard says. “Better in than out.”

Another one looks over and realizes that four of you are newbies.

“Oh, you get used to it. It’s always nice and cozy in here. Good meals every day. Prisoners don’t give you much guff except when they first arrive. You just let them get a look at where they are and they settle down right quick. Damn sight better than gate duty back in Messemprar.” He says and laughs. “You’ve a choice of rain or dust.”

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

Korda watches Ethel with some genuine curiosity as she paces and speaks.

She smiles and nods along at mention of how hard it can be.

“It’s not all bad. I’ve a really nice blanket here and the temperature’s just right. Could do with a new bucket, but that seems like nitpicking.”

Korda’s face doesn’t change when Ethel mentions Hargrove, but her eyes crinkle just slightly, the creases around the corners deepening for a moment.

“Oh I have admirers all over, but ain’t heard of him before.” Korda says

Avaria nods to what the guards are saying, "It is quite nice in here.  Are there any prisoners that well.. get any special privileges or treatment that we should be aware of?  And do we have to deal with any visitors up here?  How's that all work.. I mean, who would want to travel to this frigid outpost though, right?  Ooh.. and how's the food?"

The guard looks over and shrugs before going back to his cards.

"The Absolution Council members are the only regular visitors. Once in a while Lord's Alliance representatives come up to question a prisoner. I think there's one here now talking to a prisoner."

Before he can say more about specific prisoners, your patrol leader points to the door.

"Socialize on your own time newb." he says, leading the group out into the hallway.

Continuing around the hexagon, the patrol doesn't stop, but you do pass a guard escorting a prisoner who appears to be doing chores as they're carrying two foul smelling covered buckets with them. And each time you pass a hallway that leads to the panopticon, you hear voices; some familiar, other's not so much.

Once down in the southern guardroom, the guards you were on patrol with sit down at the empty table and get their own deck of cards out.

"Next patrol in fifteen."

((Glad Newb transcends time and worlds :P))

Insight:  15

Does the subtle eye-crinkle look to Ethel like concern at the name of Hargrove?  Concealed excitement?  Ethel is trying to get a read on whether Korda is happy, worried, or indifferent at the news Hargrove is coming.

Best Ethel can determine is it's probably interest, maybe a hint of amusement.

Ethel doesn’t respond to the smile or the quip.  She just watches Korda for a moment, letting the silence stretch once more.  When she does speak, she does so quietly.

“If what the warden says is true, Lord Hargrove is coming here tomorrow.”  She lets the name hang in the air again.  No flourish.  “Not a name you know, apparently.  Not yet.  But he knows yours.  And more importantly… he knows what you took.”

Ethel begins pacing again, but slower this time, her boots deliberately echoing against the stone floor.

“I’ll tell you something.  This is quite out of his way.  I can't speak to this 'Lord 'business, but when last I crossed paths with him, he was a pirate on the Sea of Fallen Stars.  Apparently, he's come up in the world over these past few weeks.”

She stops near the edge of the bars again.  Eyes fixed on Korda.  "But that's our problem, in a nutshell - my problem and yours.  Things are suddenly happening very fast.  You’ve had a long time to sit with your secrets, Korda.  Years.  And you’ve kept them to yourself like a dragon curled over a pile of stolen gold.  But that hoard?  It’s drawing hunters.  And not all of them will ask nicely.  Hargrove certainly won't.”

A pause.

“And they aren't just coming here with questions.  Even now, diviners are seeking out the secrets of its hiding place.  Eventually, someone will find the right spell to locate it and rip what we are looking for out of the ground.  Or out of you.  It might be Hargrove.  Might be someone worse.  It might be someone who doesn’t care if you live long enough to finish a sentence.”

Ethel steps closer, right up to the bars.

“The question is, when it happens—when they finally uncover what we're all after—will your name even be part of the story?  Or will you just be an unmarked grave out on the ice?"

She leans ever so slightly forward, enough to let her next words land like a weight.

“You can wait.  Pretend you're still the one in control.  But time’s thinning, Korda.  The world’s starting to move without you.  So if you want to shape the ending of this tale... if you want it to be yours—then speak while someone’s still listening.”

Then Ethel straightens again, and she waits.

Jan plops down with a clatter. "Phew... This armor ever start feeling lighter? Maybe I need to do some squats and lunges each night before bed... So, what's the game?"

Korda listens to everything Ethel has to say then she looks over at the warden and raises an eyebrow.

"I think I'm very safe from harm here," Korda says. "No one should underestimate the power and skill of our warden and her staff."

She then looks back to Ethel.

"Now what I really hear, is that you want something that some rich lord now also wants," Korda says. "Assuming I even have what the two of you both want, well, that sounds very interesting to me. What do the merchants call it? A bidding war."

Before Ethel has a chance to ask more questions, the warden interrupts.

"What is this about danger coming this way? What do you know? What is the threat?"

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

The patrol leader laughs at Jan's complaint about the armor.

"You must be running from something pretty bad to hide out up here and take to wearing splint when clearly never have before," the leader says. "Captain Dargeria must see something in you."

One of the other guards looks up and frowns.

"Are we playing or not?" he says then looks over at Jan. "Three dragon ante."

Ethel sighs.  Keeping her attention on Korda, she waits a moment to see if someone else will answer the Warden's concerns.

Marta looks over to Korda and waves the Warden off a ways to not be overheard and says in a lowered voice,

"Cultists. Dragon cultists. It was a long trip getting here and the cultists tried to stop us at every step. Violently. I don't know about this Lord Hargrove but we know for a fact Lord High Mayor Klein is a dragon cultist. If Hargrove is replacing the Mayor, well I can only believe he is a cultist as well or in league with them. The difference matters not."

Marta pauses to let that settle in and assesses the Warden in turn (insight): 17

She then continues,

"These cultists want what was stolen from Clan Hammerdasher and are willing to do anything to get it. If Hargrove makes a promise to Korda that you can't allow to be fulfilled, well I would wager my honor that your staff has already been infiltrated by the cultists. The danger is already here Warden."

((I guess persuasion if its needed: 30))

Avaria leans up against a wall and crosses her arms.  "Nah, you all go ahead.  Not really up for playing at the moment."  She watches the other guards, seeing if anything is off about any of them.

Insight 20

Avaria doesn't register anything suspicious about them. The one that spoke to Jan seemed actually happy to have someone and something different to talk about. If they hold any ill-will to the four newcomers, Avaria sees no sign of it.

There are only a few minutes before you're off again on your next patrol.

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

The warden shakes her head.

"How do you know Klein is a dragon cultist?" she asks Marta/Marrin.

Marta/Marrin is very aware that the warden is now watching her as carefully as she's watching the warden.

"If that's true, we're going into immediate high alert and denying all entry, and will have to ask you to confine yourselves to quarters until we can figure out what is going on," the warden says. "There are spare councilor chambers available that we can house you in."

"We met the Lord Mayor on our way here, he attempted to... forcefully detain us and declared his allegiance."

Marta gives a shake of her head and narrows her eyes,

"How exactly are you going to figure out what is going on? We need to get the information from Korda. Confining us, just like Klein tried, only helps the cultists."

Now Marta takes a suspicious step back from  the Warden and waves Hammerdasher over. In Dwarven she says, with a bit of anger,

"She is going to lock us up like Klein tried. You said she could be trusted."

((The last part is a bit of a show, the rest is maybe persuasion but I guess the 30 should carry that bit on?))

Jan sighs theatrically. "If I wasn't carrying my own weight in gear, I'd be running laps around you..."

"I'm game, but it's been a while since I played a hand, remind me of the rules?"

The warden watches Marta and shakes her head when she speaks with Hammerdasher.

"When did I suggest locking you up?" the warden interjects in perfect dwarvish, good enough that you'd think she was a dwarf. "I offered the empty councilor's quarters."

She looks carefully at the group.

"You seem to think I should believe you, a complete stranger, based merely on your say so."

Hammerdasher is about to answer when Korda calls across to the group.

"My hearing is still pretty good," Korda says. "You can let them go warden. They're just making threats. I've nothing more to say to them."

Korda then moves back from the jail cell bars and back into the shadows.

Hammerdasher frowns and heads towards the cell.

"This interview is over for the moment," the warden says. "I must meet with the Small Absolution Council. A guard will show you to the mess hall. You can get something to eat there."

The warden waves a hand at the central tower, and a moment later a door opens and a guard trots out, ready to lead the group to the mess hall.

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@Jan et al - re 3 Dragon Ante

Marta looks mildly surprised but shakes her head and continues at a lower volume,

“I am sorry if I jumped to conclusions, like I said it was a difficult road getting here. You are welcome to check our story, as much as you can. You don’t know me, but you know Ithel, right? He will confirm what I’ve said. Why would we lie about this?”

((Marta was aiming to get out of Korda’s earshot for most of that conversation, except perhaps the outburst at the end))

The warden listens for a moment then shakes her head.

"How are you going to get Korda to talk?" she asks. Then she looks back to the cell. "You will need to promise her something that you can not give."

She heads towards an exit tunnel.

"We can talk more later."

The guard then gestures again for the group to head to the southern exit tunnel.

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3 Dragon Ante

"Ah, I think I learned on a four card variant... but sure, I'm in."

Jan takes the cards dealt to her and slaps one down on the table, waiting for the others before flipping it over.

(D8) : 8