(OOC: Yes! Advantage for favored terrain. Good call. Also, great roll. I think you can all rest securely knowing that Nyssa Cragmoon and her employers have almost zero chance of finding your trail. Sleep soundly adventurers. Sleep soundly.) :D
Zanoth feels something moving under his head.. well, under his robe which was under his head, which was on top of his shield.. moving his shield aside he found…
Even after a very restful "night" of sleep, many among the party are still quite lethargic, and agreed that before interrogations of their prisoner began, they needed to find a better, more hidden and protected spot for shelter, so they could rest and recuperate for a few days. Gor talked to a few local critters and found out there was a hidden underground cave only a short ride away. So the company of Outlanders made the short two hour ride, their prisoner bound tight, gagged, and laying sidelong across the front of Drax's horse, in case he needed another good thumping. The entrance to the cave the animals told Gor about looked like nothing more than a narrow deep pit, but, just as they'd said, once you climbed down to the bottom, there was a tall tunnel that went down about fifty feet and ended in a large round cave. In one end of the cave there was a steady drip of fresh spring water that ended in a shallow pool.. Gor's animals were right, this was indeed a well hidden place to hold up for a while. After unpacking, lighting a few torches so that those without darkvision could see, and eating a hot meal of grouse that Mills had bagged along the route, the interrogation of their red scaled dragonborn prisoner began.
At first the dragon man was tight lipped, stubborn, and refused to say much at all. A few sharp words and even sharper smacks from the backside of Zanoth's sword, though, and the words began to flow. His name was Taltheth, the leader of their group, the black scaled cleric, was Valdrekemesh. They were tasked with a sacred mission, a holy quest, to find and search the ancient forts, long forgotten, hidden for a thousand years. Being only a soldier, he didn't know what Valdrekemesh and the other priests were looking for within the forts specifically, but that they needed a powerful amulet in order to locate them and open their secret doors. Valdrekemesh's superiors had learned of an amulet's location through powerful communion spells. The amulet that they now held. Taltheth kept referring to the group as faessi; Drax explained the best translation was coward, but even that wasn't really derogatory enough to fully contain the hate behind the word in Draconic. Taltheth also kept referring to the illustrious high Bazzaba. Drax explained that Bazzaba was the Lord Commander General of all of the dragonborn armies. Apparently Bazzaba himself took the time to talk with this squad before they went on their mission, which showed that it was of great importance to their campaign. Sadly Taltheth was too low in rank to know anything more about the ultimate goals of their army. Like a good soldier, he did what he was told. Taltheth warned the group that Valdrekemesh was supposed to check in with his superior Volthak every three days to discuss their progress, and today would have been the day of his required check-in. Taltheth seemed to think that this Volthak would destroy this entire group and retrieve the amulet from them with but one arcane whisper.
When Mills asked, pointedly, how the group was able to summon such a large army of the undead, Taltheth spewed some religious nonsense about Kraiula working in league with Desmos as their plans aligned, and so Desmos had granted Kraiula's faithful priests increased measures of his power over the dead. When pressed about the bounty writ in their possession, Taltheth said that a few rogue traitors had apparently defected from their grand army to try and live and work peacefully among the nurh-molik (ugly skins according to Drax' translation), and that their leaders wanted every such traitor found, questioned, so that they could find out what if any secrets they'd revealed to the yochit (Drax said that word literally meant "salad" but he thought Talteth was using to describe the other races as food), and then executed. Taltheth seemed to think Drax's continued existence was an affront to Kraiula, and that she would see his life ended in pain and misery.
As to Lucky's continued questions, many of which started with "why," Talteth stoically continued to say that there were no weaknesses in the dragonborn's defenses, that all the treasure of the Elven monarchy was theirs, wherever it was housed, and that real treasure of the dragonborn army was their faith in their goddess Kraiula.
"I don't like your answers let's try this again. Give me the same crap and I pop off a scale. I'll do this till you look like a human with an ugly face."
Zanoth listen with growing consternation… what had they got themselves into ! Gods and artifacts and powerful wizards. And all they had signed up for was to retrieve a stolen necklace… which they hadn’t even completed yet !
”I believe him.. the question rather, is what are we going to do with him.. “loose ends”.
"Bringing in a live one may be rewarding I the sense you are accustomed to, folks. Coin. I don't think we can leave this talisman with the old highlanders anyway. Time to get it to somewhere a bit more secure, along with Fuzzy Wussy there." Mills gestures at their prisoner.
Gor nods his head "Interesting suggestion...indeed coin is needed if we are to continue together. Where I am from we would have no need for prisoners...they could either acclimate to our society or I would have my underlings take care of the prisoner. Here though money is important and it seems we will need it. I agree with Mills that we need to bring in Fuzzy Wuzzy to the authorities."
Indeed, a bounty awaited them. 60 gold each for the amulet, and 60 more gold each for Information along with the prisoner Taltheth. They had only been paid for that and nothing more, but the chances of further reward was looking up, and heightened danger required greater rewards.
Mills raises an eyebrow in concern once again at Gor's comments. "Gor... I'd really love to pick your brain sometimes about what homelife is like for you. It's got an edge to it."
Gor nods "I will answer what I am allowed to answer when we have a moment. It was suggested we keep the amulet but what then? What would we do with it?"
Gor gestures East. "To the Republic. We're a fair ways off, but it's the only place I know with brains and muscle enough to make somethin' with this whatsit."
"Still... Can't let the town go without knowing justice been done. We'll stop there and let 'em know what's happened. Then move it along to the Republic. It's a ways off, but I don't mind a trek. Might need some time to come up with means to outfox that priest's magic, anyhow."
/OOC 2 levels of Exhaustion.
OOC: con save 7.... 2 levels so sleepy
Lucky hops of the horse and ands on his face. Getting yo dusting himself off.
I'm good I'm good. I can ta.....
Lucky falls asleep standing. Before falling over curling into a ball fast asleep.
Mills survival for covering tracks (adv for mountains?) 15 or adv 25
Con save for exhaustion 13
Paladin - warforged - orange
Mills nods at everyone
"First time on the trail will whoop ya. I'll stay up to keep watch. Ya'll get some sleep."
Paladin - warforged - orange
(OOC: Yes! Advantage for favored terrain. Good call. Also, great roll. I think you can all rest securely knowing that Nyssa Cragmoon and her employers have almost zero chance of finding your trail. Sleep soundly adventurers. Sleep soundly.) :D
Gor goes to bed grunting from exhaustion
Con Save: 11
Con Save attempt#2
21
Lucky wakes up still tired. I need coffee and a better bed. Why does it feel like I fell on my face?
Even after a very restful "night" of sleep, many among the party are still quite lethargic, and agreed that before interrogations of their prisoner began, they needed to find a better, more hidden and protected spot for shelter, so they could rest and recuperate for a few days. Gor talked to a few local critters and found out there was a hidden underground cave only a short ride away. So the company of Outlanders made the short two hour ride, their prisoner bound tight, gagged, and laying sidelong across the front of Drax's horse, in case he needed another good thumping. The entrance to the cave the animals told Gor about looked like nothing more than a narrow deep pit, but, just as they'd said, once you climbed down to the bottom, there was a tall tunnel that went down about fifty feet and ended in a large round cave. In one end of the cave there was a steady drip of fresh spring water that ended in a shallow pool.. Gor's animals were right, this was indeed a well hidden place to hold up for a while. After unpacking, lighting a few torches so that those without darkvision could see, and eating a hot meal of grouse that Mills had bagged along the route, the interrogation of their red scaled dragonborn prisoner began.
At first the dragon man was tight lipped, stubborn, and refused to say much at all. A few sharp words and even sharper smacks from the backside of Zanoth's sword, though, and the words began to flow. His name was Taltheth, the leader of their group, the black scaled cleric, was Valdrekemesh. They were tasked with a sacred mission, a holy quest, to find and search the ancient forts, long forgotten, hidden for a thousand years. Being only a soldier, he didn't know what Valdrekemesh and the other priests were looking for within the forts specifically, but that they needed a powerful amulet in order to locate them and open their secret doors. Valdrekemesh's superiors had learned of an amulet's location through powerful communion spells. The amulet that they now held. Taltheth kept referring to the group as faessi; Drax explained the best translation was coward, but even that wasn't really derogatory enough to fully contain the hate behind the word in Draconic. Taltheth also kept referring to the illustrious high Bazzaba. Drax explained that Bazzaba was the Lord Commander General of all of the dragonborn armies. Apparently Bazzaba himself took the time to talk with this squad before they went on their mission, which showed that it was of great importance to their campaign. Sadly Taltheth was too low in rank to know anything more about the ultimate goals of their army. Like a good soldier, he did what he was told. Taltheth warned the group that Valdrekemesh was supposed to check in with his superior Volthak every three days to discuss their progress, and today would have been the day of his required check-in. Taltheth seemed to think that this Volthak would destroy this entire group and retrieve the amulet from them with but one arcane whisper.
When Mills asked, pointedly, how the group was able to summon such a large army of the undead, Taltheth spewed some religious nonsense about Kraiula working in league with Desmos as their plans aligned, and so Desmos had granted Kraiula's faithful priests increased measures of his power over the dead. When pressed about the bounty writ in their possession, Taltheth said that a few rogue traitors had apparently defected from their grand army to try and live and work peacefully among the nurh-molik (ugly skins according to Drax' translation), and that their leaders wanted every such traitor found, questioned, so that they could find out what if any secrets they'd revealed to the yochit (Drax said that word literally meant "salad" but he thought Talteth was using to describe the other races as food), and then executed. Taltheth seemed to think Drax's continued existence was an affront to Kraiula, and that she would see his life ended in pain and misery.
As to Lucky's continued questions, many of which started with "why," Talteth stoically continued to say that there were no weaknesses in the dragonborn's defenses, that all the treasure of the Elven monarchy was theirs, wherever it was housed, and that real treasure of the dragonborn army was their faith in their goddess Kraiula.
Rolled a 16 intimidation at disadvantage.
"I don't like your answers let's try this again. Give me the same crap and I pop off a scale. I'll do this till you look like a human with an ugly face."
Lucky asks his questions again.
"Bringing in a live one may be rewarding I the sense you are accustomed to, folks. Coin. I don't think we can leave this talisman with the old highlanders anyway. Time to get it to somewhere a bit more secure, along with Fuzzy Wussy there." Mills gestures at their prisoner.
Paladin - warforged - orange
Gor nods his head "Interesting suggestion...indeed coin is needed if we are to continue together. Where I am from we would have no need for prisoners...they could either acclimate to our society or I would have my underlings take care of the prisoner. Here though money is important and it seems we will need it. I agree with Mills that we need to bring in Fuzzy Wuzzy to the authorities."
Mills raises an eyebrow in concern once again at Gor's comments. "Gor... I'd really love to pick your brain sometimes about what homelife is like for you. It's got an edge to it."
Paladin - warforged - orange
Gor nods "I will answer what I am allowed to answer when we have a moment. It was suggested we keep the amulet but what then? What would we do with it?"
Gor gestures East. "To the Republic. We're a fair ways off, but it's the only place I know with brains and muscle enough to make somethin' with this whatsit."
"Still... Can't let the town go without knowing justice been done. We'll stop there and let 'em know what's happened. Then move it along to the Republic. It's a ways off, but I don't mind a trek. Might need some time to come up with means to outfox that priest's magic, anyhow."
Paladin - warforged - orange
(OOC: I think you meant Mills didn't you?)
I did mean Mills. I have a horrible habit of thinking about one thing and writing about something in my attention instead.
Paladin - warforged - orange