Ekant puts his back against the wall and lets himself slide down. He sits close to the iron bars so he could peer into other cells as much as he can. The cold dampness of the stone floor seeps through his short britches, and he brings his knees up against his abdomen for warmth.
“I think you’re a very brave person.” Ekant says to Ilithienne comfortingly. His limpid green eyes searches hers, but the dark-skinned drow seems to retreat into the shadow, and he could only catch glimpses of her silvery hair. That’s alright. It must be hard for her to open up. He could hear the pain, the anguish, the suppressed trembling in her voice. “To break the chain, to leave your family, to go against everything you once believed in. It takes strength not to give in. My daddy says family doesn’t have to be blood, and he’s right about that. You’ll find people who cherish you for who you are.”
Ekant thinks for a while. He remembers home, the cabin, the woods. The fresh scent of forest, the earthy smile of wet earth. The quiet feeling of freedom where he could run miles and miles without running into anyone, Hunter by his side, quacking happily. His soft lips curve into a wistful smile, the prison momentary forgotten.
“My name’s Ekant Agarwood. I lived in the woods with my daddy for most of my life. He taught me how to hunt, how to use a bow. He used to tell me all these wonderful stories about my mama.” He says in his smooth, lilting voice. “My mama got taken away when I was very little, but my daddy never gave up. He kept looking for her. Anyway… he must’ve gotten too close. The people who took away my mama, they are dangerous. I’ve been looking for him ever since. I was hunting rabbits when they got me. I have no idea why.”
At first, he thought the people that took him are the same ones got his father. But then, seeing other people in this cell, he’s not so sure. One thing is certain, though - he has to get out of here. Then perhaps, he can find Hunter again. Hunter trusts him with his life, and he can’t let him down.
“If you say we can figure a way out, I trust you.” The dark-haired young man says to O-Ren with a genuine smile, his green eyes glinting with specks of gold. He looks around his cell.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
The pale white-haired half-elf listens attentively as the petite dark-haired woman in the cell across from his tells her sad tale. The Raven Queen, where had he heard that name invoked again? And the Tower of Death? Sounded familiar somehow.
Intelligence to know about the Raven Queen and the Tower of Death: 12
He then continues to listen to O-Ren, the drow Ilithienne and the elf Ekant. He had certainly heard about the nefarious drow, the cursed elves of the Underdark almost a worse fate than being a wretched half-breed as himself. He never bothered too much with heritage though, having none for himself. He assumed they were all like him in a sense though, that they were here for a reason, a dark reason. It was hard to imagine the rosy-cheeked elf had even offended a fly though. "Ekant is right, It is never stupid to live the simple and honorable life, your decisions do you credit Ilithienne, and I at least won't hold your heritage against you."The pale half-elf says to the female in the cell to his left, then speaking so that the others could hear him as well. "I am Daryan, Daryan Seltyiel, I have no life to return to, but I need to get out of here to take care of unfinished business, then I can go quietly back to this prison." He says grimly. He then goes quiet and listens to who might speak next while he searches his cell for anything that would help them all escape.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Standing at the bars of his cell, Bambotta listens to the introductions and marvels at his own predicament. Newly arrived, he has gotten in a brawl over a piece of unwanted meat. Tricked by an old man. Knocked out. Abducted. Locked in a cage. Left to starve. At the top of the Tower of Death. Controlled by an evil Raven God of Death.
A sudden moment of realization crosses Bambotta's face. His eyes widen.
Glancing fearfully at the pixie, he mutters under his breath,
"The Fu-Engi..."
Determined now to be both strong and kind, Bambotta speaks in a bold voice.
"I am Bambotta. Of the Northern Clans. I will do what I can to set you all free."
Staring intently across the way at Ilithienne, he ponders,
"A wicked creature with a guilty mind... Can such a thing exist?"
"Even the drow."
"All will come clear."
Bambotta turns his attention to the stones outside his cell.
"Where could they have come from?"
He reaches out a long wiry arm. Grasping at the stones. The cell door rattles. Pushing harder, he forces his shoulder through. Reaching. Stretching. The bars rattle. And again.
And then it comes to him.
"Could it be?"
(OCC Examine around the cell door for broken mortar, loose bricks. Damage from shaking. Also, pick up the stones if I can reach them.)
Tisiphone listens intently to the stories being shared around her. They seem so far removed from my own history. What did I do to get here?
She steels herself towards rationality. And thinks about what the information she has just learned. Has she angered the gods? That's not a useful thought. She begins to recount the information from O-Ren in her mind as the woman speaks. The Raven Queen. The Tower of Death. The raven etched into the floor - it makes sense.
The prison was shut down. That explains the mold and rust. And I didn't see any sort of guards - but what is that boulder? Was it rolled in or did it come through the ceiling? Tisiphone looks across the floor and to the roof (perception) 16
“My name is Tisiphone, I’m an investigator,” Tisiphone says, talking slowly and hesitating for a second as Ekant’s past makes her think of her own father. “… and daughter of a librarian. I have no idea how I ended up here – it feels like I’ve fallen into a terrible tale – but I can help us all get out. I’m not strong but I am good at finding clues.”What did that deep voice say? Even the drow. I hope he doesn’t have a problem with me.
“I’m willing to put my trust in you all and I hope it can be returned.”
“That boulder looks like it doesn’t belong and there is a heavy stone door outside of the hallway that has the letter B on it – maybe there are others.”Tisiphone turns back to her cell, and investigates as far as the chain around her ankle will allow – she had never imagined that chains could be so heavvy. (investigation) 6
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
On a quest for exciting stories and moments of character development.
Sylviana pauses in the corner of her glass prison, listening to the back and forth from the other prisoners. All sorts of creatures! Even a drow? Syl didn’t have anything against any particular race, she felt they all belonged, like flowers and weeds in a meadow. When the voices fall silent, she sighs and begins her first lap around the perimeter.
“My name is Sylviana Sliverwood, Syl for short. I’m a pixie and I live in the woods. And I was just cracking on with my day, as normal, when—swoosh—I’m upside down in a bag.”
She turns the corner starting her second lap. “Then, I’m hanging round, upside down in this bag and I start trying to squirm around. Then—CRACK!—someone smacked me and I passed out.”
She turns the corner starting her third lap. “And suddenly I wake up here with you lot. Nothing against you lot. But I’m going to start cracking up if I don’t get some food soon!”
She turns the corner starting her fourth lap. “I mean, I’d take just about anything at this point . . . .” The pixie stares at the wall and pauses for a moment, raising her finger to her chin. “A crack! A crack in the glass! There is a tiny crack in the glass!”
She thumps it with her fist, but it definitely seems too solid for her to take down on her own. If only she had her magic! “Does anyone have anything to throw? But, also to throw and not kill me?” She looks across at the prisoners she can see.
"I'll let you out!" She smiles showing every last one of her chalk-white teeth. "I promise!"
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Walks in [insert absurd situation].
Honorary Leader in the Pixie Peewee Powderpuff Pals!
Does it take strength or was it something else? Ilithienne thinks pondering her own actions.
"Thank you..." she speaks quietly hearing Ekant's and Daryan's words. Even the deep voice of Bamboota gives her a genuine smile.
"I... I appreciate this, Bambotta of the Northern Clans" she speaks softly knowing this kind of acceptance may be hard to come by.
Then, there was the voice of that woman. Daughter of a librarian.
"It's good to have you on our side, Tisiphone."
When Ilithienne thought the day cannot be any more surprising, the high voice on her right spoke. A PIXIE?! What is a pixie? she thinks... Kept in a glass? Stone could kill her? She sounds tiny... Why are they here?the thoughts race through her mind.
Focus!she screams to herself and returns to searching through her cell.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
*When BOAGRIUS learns that there is a Drow present, it takes everything inside of him not to lose his temper and blow a gasket. He feels so much rage and agony as the memories flood his brain. Memories of his childhood village being pillaged and plundered by armies of evil drows. Not only that, but the many tales told to him of his birth-mother and birth-father being murdered by bloodthirsty, nefarious drows. BOAGRIUS has never had a single positive interaction with any drow, or any elf-kind for that matter. All he knows of that race is how much pain and destruction they are capable of but as he looks around his cell and at his bloody hands (bloody from his aggressive attempt to jerk the chain out of the wall) he realizes that he is no position to pass judgement. He imagines how others may see him from their cells... an overgrown, angry, aggressive, dumb murdering goliath. He does his best to accept that not every drow is evil but he's really having a tough time with it. He simply sits in his cell and listens quietly as the others introduce themselves. When Sylviana speaks up and announces herself as a Pixie, that's when BOAGRIUS' silence ends*
BOAGRIUS: A WHAT from the woods? Did she say Pixie?
*His question goes unheard but his mind is blown. A piece of him doesn't really believe it. Not until he sees it with his own eyes. Pixies aren't real. You must have misheard the lady. But what if they are real? Finally, a silence befalls the prison and BOAGRIUS decides now is as good a time as any to introduce himself.*
BOAGRIUS: Name is BOAGRIUS of Thessaly. Champion of King Triopas of Thessaly. BOAGRIUS comes from a small Goliath village in the North where the snow falls year-round and warmth is elusive. Despite this, BOAGRIUS does not remember this village sinc it was attacked and overrun by an army of evil--
*BOAGRIUS stops himself. His barbarian rage begins to flare up but he manages to calm himself down.*
BOAGRIUS: Doesn't matter. After BOAGRIUS' village was attacked, BOAGRIUS was forced to flee. Some very nice goblinoids took BOAGRIUS in and raised BOAGRIUS as their own in the underground city of Thessaly, led by the admirable, distinguished, revered King Triopas (Thessaly's human leader). The mighty Human King took a liking to BOAGRIUS and declared BOAGRIUS the Champion of Thessaly! A title that BOAGRIUS wears proudly! BOAGRIUS goes from town to town representing Thessaly fighting and defeating inferior warriors. This is the world BOAGRIUS knows, not the world of evil queens or ravens or death magic towers. BOAGRIUS has no interest in any of that. BOAGRIUS simply want to get back home serve the Human King and protect Thessaly.
*BOAGRIUS considers his next words carefully before he says them. He thinks of the drow and stares at the tiefling across the hall and thinks to himself, I hope this doesn't backfire.
BOAGRIUS: BOAGRIUS will also help everyone escape. Even the tiefling... and yes, even the drow. But if you betray BOAGRIUS...
*He bites his tongue and controls his anger.*
BOAGRIUS: Let's just say you don't want to do that.
*With that, he rises to his feet and begins investigating his cell. He checks the walls for weak spots, the corners for hidden camouflaged items, and even lifts the bedroll to check for anything hidden or suspicious.*
(OOC: Kurda, I noticed you have me as a goliath fighter but Boagrius is barbarian. Let me know if you want me to change this and Ill start playing him less angry lol)
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Hoot listened attentively while O-Ren spoke. The Raven Queen - just what he had feared when he saw the image of the raven etched into the stone floor. Was this the reason he was abducted? Hoot was still relatively new to the Church of Kelemvor, but he had heard tales of the Raven Queen...
Religion check: 19 (OOC: As Hoot just heard these tales in the past weeks, and as Kenku are capable of remembering longer tales pretty much verbatim, he will use his [feature]Kenku Recall[/feature] to give himself advantage on the role)
She was a goddess of death - but while Kelemvor was the Great Guide who led the souls of the deceased into their next life, the Raven Queen did not have such a beneficial role. She was a selfish entity, who lived in the Shadowfell and sent out her minions to collect tragic memories - sometimes they took the memories of the living, sometimes they took trinkets that had a strong sentimental value - and sometimes they even took the souls of the deceased. Despite being a goddess of death, the Raven Queen and her followers were even known to make use of the undead to achieve their unholy goals. All that, and the fact that the Raven Queen also owned and commanded the souls of her followers, the Shadar-Kai, to return to her after their deaths rather than letting Kelemvor guide them to their new lives, was the reason why there were strong tensions between the followers of Kelemvor and the followers of the Raven Queen.
That must be why I - and all of the others here - were abducted. Every single one of these people must have endured great tragedy in their past.
The introductions Hoot had heard so far certainly seemed to support this - except for Syl and Tisiphone. But then again, not everyone tells their whole story to some strangers without hesitation. But something still didn't quite make sense here. That O-Ren woman claimed to have been here before - as punishment for a crime. That didn't fit at all to what little Hoot knew about the Raven Queen. And the fact that the prison seemed to have been abandoned since her last imprisonment - perhaps their jailers weren't the same people that caught her the last time at all...
In any case, Hoot decided to follow O-Ren's request. Working together with these people was his best chance of escaping this prison and he would not allow anyone to take his memory of Chime and his daughter...
Remember those who have gone before. Guide me, as you guide the dead. Remember me, as you remember the dead. As I remember those who have gone before, Let my words reach them, so they know they are not forgotten.
The short prayer calmed him and helped him to focus on his surroundings. He poked out his beak between the bars of his cell and looked around.
“My name is" he imitated Syl's high but form voice, followed by an owl's *Hoot*
Next, Ilithienne's voice, slightly anxious, and with a strong accent could be heard from Hoot's beak "I am a" "KENKU!" - the last word was spoken with the voice of an older woman and was filled with hatred, and disgust.
Tisiphone's voice was the next to come out of the Kenku's beak:"daughter of" *Hoot* “… and daughter"-"mama".This was Ekant's smooth, melodic voice, followed by an older, frail voice: "have gone".
*Hoot* Boagrius' deep loud and husky voice boomed through the corridor "serve the", followed by the same old, male voice as before "Kelemvor, Lord of the Dead, Judge of the Damned, The Great Guide"
"As I remember those who have gone before, Let my words reach them, so they know they are not forgotten."
Then, Bambotta's bold voice echoed through the corridor: "Then, I will do what I can to set you all free." "Even the drow." "Even the tiefling" "Even the" "KENKU!" "Even" "Bambotta. Of the Northern Clans." "Even" "BOAGRIUS of Thessaly."
Hoot remained silent for a few seconds, then added:
"dark, crime-ridden world"
"There are times I wish I wasn't born at all."
"My mama got taken away"
"I have no life to return to"
"BOAGRIUS' village was attacked, BOAGRIUS was forced to flee."
"those who have gone"
"all the awful stories" - "The Raven Queen" - "collect" - "all the awful stories"
With that, Hoot retreated into his cell and began to look for anything that would allow him to escape:
After the other nine prisoners have introduced themselves and committed to working together, Crunch takes his turn.
"You call me Crunch. Kenku also. Pledged loyalty to my queen. Made big mistake. Let her down. But loyalty never breaks. Seek redemption. Must escape. All of us must escape. Must help my queen."
With those words, Crunch begins searching his own cell for anything useful. The prison falls into silence. Only the sounds of rummaging and searching can be heard. Everyone's focus lies on their own cell. Some feel around the walls for any loose bricks, others check the corners of the floor and the ceiling, feeling around for anything sharp or otherwise practical. Some individuals check under their bedroll and others even tear the bedroll altogether and check inside.
The following is what each person found while searching their cells, if anything at all:
“If you say we can figure a way out, I trust you.” The dark-haired young man says to O-Ren with a genuine smile, his green eyes glinting with specks of gold. He looks around his cell.
Perception: 21
Ekant tore up the bedroll in his cell and as soon as he did, he heard something fall from inside it and bounce off the grainy floor. He picks it up. It's a gemstone. Transparent, dark green. It fits perfectly in his hand. Perhaps the hidden treasure of a past prisoner. Ekant can't quite identify what kind of stone it is but it is magnificently beautiful!
Of course, Sylviana managed to identify the tiny cracks on the wall of her glass prison.
“A crack! A crack in the glass! There is a tiny crack in the glass!”
She thumps it with her fist, but it definitely seems too solid for her to take down on her own. If only she had her magic! “Does anyone have anything to throw? But, also to throw and not kill me?” She looks across at the prisoners she can see.
But this isn't all she sees. On the floor, below the prison bars of her cell, there is a lockpick. Perfect for opening any lock without having the key. It could be very useful, if only she could get to it. Once again, she exclaims upon noticing it.
Bambotta turns his attention to the stones outside his cell.
"Where could they have come from?"
He reaches out a long wiry arm. Grasping at the stones. The cell door rattles. Pushing harder, he forces his shoulder through. Reaching. Stretching. The bars rattle. And again.
And then it comes to him.
"Could it be?"
(OCC Examine around the cell door for broken mortar, loose bricks. Damage from shaking. Also, pick up the stones if I can reach them.)
As Sylviana exclaims, Bambotta extends his arm to full-length and manages to grasp the rocks sitting outside his prison cell. He pulls them in and feels them. Three solid, heavy stones. Other than this find, however, the subsequent search of his cell proves fruitless.
Ilithienne runs her hand along the edges and corners of her cell. She doesn't feel anything at first and then-- OUCH! Something pricks her finger. She investigates further and sees that in one of the cracks on her wall, there rests a makeshift shiv. It is very sharp and appears to be made of bone.
He then goes quiet and listens to who might speak next while he searches his cell for anything that would help them all escape.
Perception: 6
Daryan doesn't find anything. Truthfully his search wasn't the best, but perhaps this was due to the gnawing feeling in his brain that started when O-Ren mentioned the Raven Queen. He does his best to think back and remember what he's heard of her before.
The Raven Queen, where had he heard that name invoked again? And the Tower of Death? Sounded familiar somehow.
Intelligence to know about the Raven Queen and the Tower of Death: 15
While any knowledge of The Tower of Death eludes Daryan, he's quite positive that he's heard about The Raven Queen. And yet, no memories are surfacing. How can this be? How can he be so vehemently certain that he knows of this supposed wicked queen and yet not have a single concrete recollection of even her name being mentioned to him. It's bizarre. In his heart he feels-- no, he knows-- of The Raven Queen. Yet, there is nothing about her in his memory bank. It's a frustrating feeling. The knowledge is so close, yet the source is so far away. That's when Daryan hears it... that familiar voice.
You know this, Daryan.
The ancient elf-queen. Loved by her weary people.
Tragedy strikes the elves.
If she can only become a Goddess, she can save them all. They need her leadership.
Ritual ends in betrayal. Treacherous wizards.
Her supernatural rage corrupts the procedure. Fails to become Goddess of the Elves.
Becomes Goddess of Death, instead. Banished into the Shadowfell.
Not all which is spoken is true, Daryan. Be wary.
While Daryan listens to that introspective voice, O-Ren checks every square inch of her prison cell and yet ends up with nothing. There's nothing there.
*With that, he rises to his feet and begins investigating his cell. He checks the walls for weak spots, the corners for hidden camouflaged items, and even lifts the bedroll to check for anything hidden or suspicious.*
Tisiphone turns back to her cell, and investigates as far as the chain around her ankle will allow – she had never imagined that chains could be so heavvy. (investigation) 6
Boagrius and Tisiphone come up empty-handed, as well.
That only leaves the two Kenkus, the last two to begin their search. They follow the same steps as everyone else when investigating their enclosure. Crunch loudly bangs on the brick walls of his cell while making Crunch noises with his beak. Hoot, however, takes a more quiet approach. He feels around the holes in his prison for anything hidden while thinking back to his learnings at the Church of Kelemvor.
Hoot was still relatively new to the Church of Kelemvor, but he had heard tales of the Raven Queen...
Religion check: 21 (OOC: As Hoot just heard these tales in the past weeks, and as Kenku are capable of remembering longer tales pretty much verbatim, he will use his [feature]Kenku Recall[/feature] to give himself advantage on the role)
She was a goddess of death - but while Kelemvor was the Great Guide who led the souls of the deceased into their next life, the Raven Queen did not have such a beneficial role. She was a selfish entity, who lived in the Shadowfell and sent out her minions to collect tragic memories - sometimes they took the memories of the living, sometimes they took trinkets that had a strong sentimental value - and sometimes they even took the souls of the deceased. Despite being a goddess of death, the Raven Queen and her followers were even known to make use of the undead to achieve their unholy goals. All that, and the fact that the Raven Queen also owned and commanded the souls of her followers, the Shadar-Kai, to return to her after their deaths rather than letting Kelemvor guide them to their new lives, was the reason why there were strong tensions between the followers of Kelemvor and the followers of the Raven Queen.
That must be why I - and all of the others here - were abducted. Every single one of these people must have endured great tragedy in their past.
Hoot's Kenku Recall nails it. Indeed, everything the Church of Kelemvor taught him of the Raven Queen is fresh in his head. Despite his hunger and cold skin, his learnings are unwilted. Kelemvor would be proud. He smiles at this thought just as he lifts his bedroll off the ground and-- what is that? A rectangular section of the floor does not match the rest of it. He gets on his knees to inspect it further.
There's a small string. He pulls on it and... it opens! It's a trap door! A trap door was under his bedroll!
Excitedly, he looks up just in time to see Crunch identify the same thing under his bedroll. The two Kenkus make eye contact and share beaky smiles. They peer into the trap doors and clearly see that it's a tunnel. But a tunnel that seemingly only leads to each other's cells. Why would someone excavate a tunnel that leads into another prison cell? It doesn't make sense. That's when Tisiphone, who witnessed the whole discovery, connects the dots.
And I didn't see any sort of guards - but what is that boulder? Was it rolled in or did it come through the ceiling? Tisiphone looks across the floor and to the roof (perception) 16
The boulder did not come through the ceiling. That much is obvious. But... what are those scuff marks on the ground? Oh! It was rolled in! The boulder was rolled in to hide something! The tunnel exit! The boulder hides the tunnel exit!
With her spirit restored a bit, Ilithienne finishes her search holding a shiv in her hand. She has seen many times the slaves who made this... weapon? A tool rather. Hardly ever used to attack any of the guards, but to escape into the eternal sleep. This may come handy... she thinks looking at her wrists. She shares aloud her finding to the others and hides the shiv in the palm of her hand.
When Hoot speaks she looks confused, especially when hearing her own voice coming from the other cell.
"So, it looks like we are a collection? Because of what we've been through?"she asks, but then Crunch speaks.
When silence comes she thinks for a moment. At first a spark of anger lights up but then she remembers her necklace. She closes her eyes and imagines herself on a meadow deep in a forest, dancing on a warm grass with a full moon behind her back and stars above. She sees herself jumping high in the air, with her hair much much longer, just like her. A blade in her hand swirling to the tunes of a song unheard. Can you see me? she asks with hope. With a faint smile she opens her eyes. Who am I to judge? and takes deep breath to quench the felling with peace.
"Crunch..." she begins slowly and carefully choosing her words. "What do you mean? We must help your queen? Who is she? The Raven Queen? she asks calmly.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Pixie, Drow, Goliath, Tiefling, Kenku… and of course, himself. Ekant chews his lower lip as he ponders. Growing up isolated, he had only heard of these races. In town, the majority of people are human, some halfling, and occasionally a few half-elves or half-orcs. His mother was taken away by a tiefling, but he’s never seen one. He knows you can’t judge people based on their race. As such, he’s more curious about the circumstances that brought all of them here. All these exotic races, like some twisted menagerie. That thought makes him sick.
With BOAGRIUS’ deep, resonating voice, Ekant recognizes the Goliath was the source of the thunderous roars earlier on. He tries to peer into his cell, wondering how a Goliath would fit inside, but it’s too far down the hallway for him to see. He hears the suppressed anger in his voice, the undercurrent of rage, but he doesn’t feel afraid. If anything, he feels safer by BOAGRIUS’ promise to help.
The dark-haired young man perks up as Hoot speaks, fascinated by the Kenku’s way to speaking. In his patchwork way of speech, he tells a tragic story of him losing his wife and daughter. Touched by the profound loss, Ekant feels a lump forming in his throat, and the faint, lachrymose sensation of sourness behind his nasal cavity. He lets out a soft, trembling breath, and quickly wipes his eyes with his bare forearm. There must be something he can do, to help everyone escape. Determined, he rises to his feet and begins the search of his cell. But something keeps bothering him in the back of his head. Hoot believes they are all here because their tragic past, but O-Ren claims the cell block is reserved for the most heinous and wicked criminals. Ekant’s sure he does not fit that description. He also doesn’t believe anyone else here could that vicious. They all have their own stories and histories, but they all sound very sincere. Could O-Ren be mistaken? But she seems to know a lot about this Tower.
Insight: 6 to see if O-Ren is keeping anything from them
As Ekant searches his bedrolls, a piece of stone falls out. He picks it up in his long fingers, it’s a gemstone. A little darker green than his eyes, but clear and smooth, reflecting the meager firelight of the torches on the wall in crystalline shapes. A beautiful frown comes onto his face. Every piece of his belonging was taken away from him, how did the previous prisoner manage to keep this? Though precious, he can’t imagine this gemstone will help them escape in any way.
Could O-Ren be mistaken? But she seems to know a lot about this Tower.
Insight: 13 to see if O-Ren is keeping anything from them
Ekant can't see O-Ren therefore any telltale signs like shifts in body language or facial expressions aren't available to him. But from what he gathers based on her voice and tone, she sounds authentic and genuine. She sounded especially sincere when she mentioned her friends and pet turtle.
Though precious, he can’t imagine this gemstone will help them escape in any way.
Nature(?): 17 to identify the gemstone
As for the gemstone, Ekant shuts his eyes and does his best to recall what this precious metal was called. Finally, it dawns on him... it's an alexandrite gemstone! A stone as precious as it is heavy. This one in particular is a nice, hefty size.
"Crunch..." she begins slowly and carefully choosing her words. "What do you mean? We must help your queen? Who is she? The Raven Queen? she asks calmly.
Crunch looks up from his newfound tunnel and his expression goes from happily elated to genuinely disturbed by Ilithienne's suggestion.
"The Raven Queen? You think I worship the Raven Queen?"
Tension begins to build in Cell Block X. Ilithienne doesn't know it, but she's struck a sensitive nerve with the Kenku. Crunch shoots daggers at the Drow with his eyes and then spits on the floor in her general direction as a clear sign of disrespect.
"My queen is leagues above the Raven Queen! My queen helps Crunch-- not imprison him! My queen represents worthwhile endeavors like power, drive, and ambition! Not death and sorrow. And you mustn't help my queen! Only I must help my queen! ME! She's MY queen! MINE--"
"Enough Crunch! The young lady didn't mean anything by it. She's merely asking for clarification. You can be hard to fully understand, sometimes. I think this is the longest any of us have ever heard you speak." O-Ren interrupts with a stern, authoritative tone that immediately settles the Kenku.
"Oh, right. You're right, O-Ren. Crunch! Apologies, Ilithienne. Me gets defensive about my Queen Egle. Crunch! Me think cell is getting to me. Not for much longer-- Hoot and Crunch found a secret tunnel!" Naturally, this catches everyone's ear. "Crunch!If we can free from chains, we can inspect. Anyone find anything to break free from chain?"
"The Raven Queen? You think I worship the Raven Queen?"
Tension begins to build in Cell Block X. Ilithienne doesn't know it, but she's struck a sensitive nerve with the Kenku. Crunch shoots daggers at the Drow with his eyes and then spits on the floor in her general direction as a clear sign of disrespect.
*BOAGRIUS sees the clear sign of disrespect and is unable to hold his tongue.*
BOAGRIUS: Easy there little fella. Where BOAGRIUS come from, you could get yourself killed for doing something like that. Even if you are doing it to a drow. You did apologize so BOAGRIUS will let it slide but watch yourself.
*BOAGRIUS' serious menacing frame is quite a sight to behold-- but as soon as he hears of a tunnel his intimidating threatening posture and attitude change completely*
BOAGRIUS: Goodie! A tunnel? Really? A tunnel? That's great! BOAGRIUS found nothing in his cell to help break your chains but BOAGRIUS will provide moral support.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
With a frustrated grunt, Bambotta gives up on his search of the cell and plops cross-legged on the stone floor. Hunched. The three stones sitting on a curl of chain between his knees. He nudges them with one knuckle. For a moment he had been so hopeful. A vision of tearing open the bars of his cage had come suddenly to him. Shaking off his chains and setting everyone free. Invigorating. Like a cool splash of water.
"Strong and kind."
“If I could do all that”, He thought, then maybe The Fu-Engi might begin to forgive me.”
But then that hope was snuffed. It fell flat. Nothing for his trouble but some stones…
Fortifying himself, he calls out to the room,
"I've found three stones out in the hall. Good fist sized pieces. Could we use them to break the glass and set The Fu-Engi free? Maybe she could find a way to open the cells.
Another image. Flying stones. Shattered glass. Minced Fu-Engi.
"Or, maybe best not... But good for cracking skulls."
He picks one stone up to feel its weight. Swinging it in a mock right hook.
"It'll break bone."
He takes a closer look.
"Crunch!If we can free from chains, we can inspect. Anyone find anything to break free from chain?"
“Maybe we could use these stones to break the chains.”
Bambotta examines the stones for a moment as his options flow through his head. Picking up one stone he approaches the bars. Reaching out with one long arm, he slides the stone carefully across the floor to the front of Ekant's cell.
Then, back in a squat, he picks up his chain. It rattles gently as he works it carefully between rough fingers examining each link for weakness He explores how the chain is attached to the wall. And how it is bound to his leg.
"If I could only get free of this chain... It could even be a weapon."
(OOC Examine the stones quickly for anything odd. carvings? Are they soft like sandstone or hard like granite? Rough edges? Then examine the chains for any weaknesses.)
“A lockpick! A lockpick!” Syl gasps, jumping up and down, a huge grin on her face. “There’s a lockpick on the floor of my cell! Someone, break my cage open! Then I can get the lockpick! Then I’ll have it and I can use it!”
She squats in the corner of the cage and presses her face against the glass. The angle and reflection distort her face through the glass. Getting a better look at the pick, she lays down on her stomach, eye pressed against the glass. Allowing time for her vision to adjust to the slightly darker cell floor, she gasps again, immensely grateful she hadn’t hallucinated the pick. Syl’s energy begins to wane a bit, and she closes her eyes as she lays motionless on the glass floor. Her wings flutter rapidly then rest again.
Frozen in place, Syl’s voice echoes against the glass box’s corner. “If somebody can get something to break my cage open, I’ll get the pick.”
The pixie is suddenly leaping from the tabletop in slow motion, gliding to the floor. She sees herself picking up the lockpick and twirling it in the air. Taking one look at the cell’s bars, she snaps her fingers and the door melts instantly. Fluttering out, she prods each cell lock and the door springs open, each prisoner sobbing and thanking Syl for letting them out. All the prisoners freeze as an evil-looking elderly man appears, flanked by two fully armored guards. As the man begins to speak, the pixie points finger-crossbows at the man, turning him immediately into a chicken. The two guards spring forward, but not before she can point her finger-crossbows at them. Both guards squeak and turn into tiny, pink, fluffy mice. As she watches the pink mice and chicken flee down the steps, one of the former captives begins a slow clap, which is followed by a full round of applause. Tears are shed, backs are slapped, and someone lifts the pixie onto their shoulder . . .
Sylviana snorts herself awake, her face still pointed down toward the lockpick.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Walks in [insert absurd situation].
Honorary Leader in the Pixie Peewee Powderpuff Pals!
Before Tisiphone has looked too intently around her cell, a thought comes to her. Oh! It was rolled in! The boulder was rolled in to hide something! The tunnel exit! The boulder hides the tunnel exit! She jumps towards the bars of the cells with excitement - the movement jerky as the chain on her ankle is pulled taught. She winces in pain as the metal cuts into her skin. For a second as she peers out of the bars, everything is blurry. The sudden action was likely not the wisest idea on an empty stomach - especially for someone used to a more gentle way of living.
"That boulder has been moved over the entrance to the tunnels! Are either of you strong enough to move a boulder from underneath? Maybe if you were both able to work together... It does seem rather heavy though. Maybe there is an ideal order to use all of this in!"
Tisiphone's voice looses the fearful and careful edge that it held only a few minutes ago as she gets move and more excited, her mind putting the puzzle together.
"If someone could free Sylviana, maybe she could help BOAGRIUS out of his cell and he can help Hoot and Crunch with the boulder! I don't mean to assume..."
She trails off, checking her own excitement. She doesn't know these people and the way they say 'tiefling' - like they have already assumed what she is like - should be an indication to tread carefully and present her best self. Calm and level headed - not predisposed to excitement or whimsy as Lel had often scolded of her. She stops to think about what she has just learned. How could anyone have been so clumsy as to leave a lock pick in a prison cell? Something isn't adding up here. And not only that but I've read somewhere about this prison being abandoned over two hundred years ago and O'Ren's voice doesn't sound raspy and old... Maybe that's a question for later and besides, maybe it won't be as hard for us to escape as it had been for O'Ren, if she did indeed manage to escape that many years ago...
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
On a quest for exciting stories and moments of character development.
Crunch looks up from his newfound tunnel and his expression goes from happily elated to genuinely disturbed by Ilithienne's suggestion.
"The Raven Queen? You think I worship the Raven Queen?"
Tension begins to build in Cell Block X. Ilithienne doesn't know it, but she's struck a sensitive nerve with the Kenku. Crunch shoots daggers at the Drow with his eyes and then spits on the floor in her general direction as a clear sign of disrespect.
"My queen is leagues above the Raven Queen! My queen helps Crunch-- not imprison him! My queen represents worthwhile endeavors like power, drive, and ambition! Not death and sorrow. And you mustn't help my queen! Only I must help my queen! ME! She's MY queen! MINE--"
"Enough Crunch! The young lady didn't mean anything by it. She's merely asking for clarification. You can be hard to fully understand, sometimes. I think this is the longest any of us have ever heard you speak." O-Ren interrupts with a stern, authoritative tone that immediately settles the Kenku.
"Oh, right. You're right, O-Ren. Crunch! Apologies, Ilithienne. Me gets defensive about my Queen Egle. Crunch! Me think cell is getting to me. Not for much longer-- Hoot and Crunch found a secret tunnel!" Naturally, this catches everyone's ear. "Crunch!If we can free from chains, we can inspect. Anyone find anything to break free from chain?"
Ilithienne hears the words carefully. "I have seen such devotion before. It can be a source of great strength or unimaginable atrocities as well. I truly hope yours is the first one." she speaks quietly as if to herself. A moment later she rises her head.
"No apologies are needed, Crunch." Ilithienne says graciously. "This world is full of 'Queens' yet it is hard to find one worthy of that title... It looks like you have found one. I... I meant no disrespect." she adds carefully.
She looks to her right, across the hall, where the beautiful man is. "Ekant, do you think you could shatter Syl's cage with a stone? I have only this... thing."she plays with a shiv.
(OOC: How are we chained? Is it some kind of lock? Or are the shackles bolted? How thick are the walls between the cells? Is it possible to reach through the bars to the next cell? I think of cutting a blanket or any material I have in a cell to make a line of some sort, perhaps with a stone at the end. Do I have anything could be used for that?)
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DM in Tyranny of Dragons
"I don't care, I'm still free. You can't take the sky from me..."
“Oh, that’s brilliant!” Ekant reaches through the bars for the fist-sized stone Bambotta had just rolled over, weighing it in his hand. It’d just be like stone skipping. He remembers watching the stone skimming across the lake, leaving ripples behind, expanding out into the shimmering water. He’s pretty good at it, but he doesn’t know how well he’d do with the hunger and the exhaustion. Still, his green eyes lights up with hope.
“Syl, I know you’re tired, but you’ll have to get up. I’m gonna try to break the glass.”It worries him a little to see the pixie faceplant down in the glass box, but it seems she’s just too exhausted. They all are.
With BOAGRIUS’ moral support, Ekant tries to aim the stone at the crack on the glass Syl had pointed out, hoping that’s enough to shatter the glass.
((I assume it’s a ranged weapon attack. Let me know if it’s something else.))
Crunch! Me think cell is getting to me. Not for much longer-- Hoot and Crunch found a secret tunnel!" Naturally, this catches everyone's ear. "Crunch!If we can free from chains, we can inspect. Anyone find anything to break free from chain?"
As Hoot heard Crunch mention that they were looking for something to break free from the chains, his glance instinctively wandered down to his own feet. The shackles would have been tight for most, but they weren't specific to the race of the prisoner they were used on - they were made for humans or at least normal-sized humanoids with typical feet. Hoot was much smaller than a human and his bird-like feet were much slimmer than what these shackles were built for. Maybe he could slide out of the shackles - he would just have to relax his joints and pull on the shackles as hard as he could. It was possible that he would hurt himself of course but anything was better than still being here when their captors returned - it was critical that they all escaped as fast as possible. If he managed to pull free, he would be able to move to Crunch's cell and help him with his shackles too. Crunch was a bit more muscular than Hoot but compared to a human his feet were likely small enough that it was still possible that they could both free themselves. Hoot decided to try it. He sat down on his bedroll, pulled his chained leg closer to him, relaxed the joints in his foot, and pulled the shackle downward in a slow but steady wiggling motion. As Hoot chafed the scaly skin on his foot, he just hoped that he wouldn't end up dislocating his joints...
(OOC: FYI Hoot is a small creature - he is 5'3'' and 110lb, and his feet are, well, like that of a crow)
General dexterity / Acrobatics / Sleight of Hand (Sleight of Foot?) check: 10 (for the roll it doesn't really matter which, cause I don't have proficiency anyway, so it's the same modifier regardless)
BOAGRIUS: Easy there little fella. Where BOAGRIUS come from, you could get yourself killed for doing something like that. Even if you are doing it to a drow. You did apologize so BOAGRIUS will let it slide but watch yourself.
Crunch and BOAGRIUS share an uncomfortable look with each other. The tension can be felt all around the prison. You could cut it with a knife. BOAGRIUS is indeed an imposing, intimidating, beastly figure but Crunch-- whether he be brave or stupid-- doesn't seem to be particularly scared. He doesn't break eye contact and doesn't back down. The atmosphere suddenly feels more rigid than before. After a few seconds of this, finally the tension is broken by, of all people, Bambotta. "I've found three stones out in the hall. Good fist sized pieces. Could we use them to break the glass and set The Fu-Engi free? Maybe she could find a way to open the cells." Crunch and BOAGRIUS both look away and smile at the good fortune of their Barbarian ally. Crunch then announces his newfound tunnel and the good vibes in Cell Block X rise even more. BOAGRIUS changes his demeanor entirely and offers his moral support which relieves a ton of tension from the prison. To make matters better, Sylviana makes a wonderful discovery...
She exclaims loudly, “A lockpick! A lockpick! There’s a lockpick on the floor of my cell! Someone, break my cage open! Then I can get the lockpick! Then I’ll have it and I can use it!" Upon hearing this, Bambotta slides one of his stones over to Ekant and examines the remaining two.
"If I could only get free of this chain... It could even be a weapon."
(OOC Examine the stones quickly for anything odd. carvings? Are they soft like sandstone or hard like granite? Rough edges? Then examine the chains for any weaknesses.)
Bambotta's examination of the stones fail to inform him of anything new or exciting. They seem like boring, old, jagged, breccia stones to him. The chain, on the other hand, can indeed be utilized as a weapon if he could figure out, first, how to free his ankle from it's restraints and second, how to rip it out of the wall. If he can manage this, however, he'd have at is disposal a makeshift prison flail, using the steel ball at the end of the chain for damage.
While Bambotta ponders this, Ilithienne makes an observation of her own... the ankle restraint itself is kept together by a small lock. Of course, the prisoners don't have the required key but the lock seems small enough that it may be possible to be broken if hit with something hard enough times. This might come with a risk, however, as the lock is very tight around the ankle therefore a bad, imprecise attempt might connect with the foot itself and cause damage. [OOC-- ie. a bad damage roll would connect with your own foot and reduce your movement speed temporarily] Another option might be to try and pick the lock, but that would require quite a bit of dexterity and for every attempt one runs the risk of breaking the lockpick.
Ilithienne looks up from her ankle restraints. The thought occurs to her, maybe she could cut up her bedroll and make a line from it's material? Perhaps with a rock at the end of it? No, unfortunately, that wouldn't work. The bedrolls are old and patchy. She continues scanning her prison cell. There must be something she could use. Something that could work. Her initiative and inventive spirit are admirable, but other than the shiv she holds in her hands, there's nothing else in her cell other than dust and cobwebs. Finally, she stares at the shiv in her hands... could she use the pointy end to fiddle with the lock? No, it's too thick. Frustrated, she looks at the prison bars themselves. Old, dusty, and rusty. If she had a crowbar or even a sturdy club, she might be able to dislodge them but this pointy stick is rather useless in this scenario. At least she can pass it to her prison neighbors, if they could find a use for it.
Meanwhile, Ekant picks up the breccia stone that Bambotta slid over. “Syl, I know you’re tired, but you’ll have to get up. I’m gonna try to break the glass.”Syl snorts herself awake, after a rather pleasant dream and squeezes herself as much as possible into the opposite corner of where the cracks are in her glass prison. Ekant takes a deep breath. It's just like skipping stones, he thinks to himself. Finally, he heaves the stone.
With BOAGRIUS’ moral support, Ekant tries to aim the stone at the crack on the glass Syl had pointed out, hoping that’s enough to shatter the glass.
((I assume it’s a ranged weapon attack. Let me know if it’s something else.))
Attack:16 Damage:4
Ekant flings the stone between his own prison bars and between Syl's prison bars successfully! His connection with the vulnerable area of the glass isn't exactly perfect but he throws the stone with enough force that it does just enough damage to crack the glass heavily. The stone does not penetrate the glass or shatter it, unfortunately, but it does weaken it a great deal. Another throw of the same force would surely smash the glass now but that might not even be necessary. The glass looks vulnerable enough now that even a few thumps and wallops from Syl might be enough to smash it. Now, onto the bad news... the stone's substantial impact with the glass box cause a booming, thundering, deafening resonation inside the prison that causes Syl to compulsively cover her ears. The blasting reverberations creep into her tiny eardrums and hurt the inside of her head. She drops to her knees and presses her hands firmly into her ears. She's never been stuck on the inside of a ringing bell but she imagines it'd be very similar to this. The resounding inside the glass box is roaring. Finally, it eventually stops. Syl checks her ears for blood-- that's how much it hurt her head-- but there is none. There is only a persistent ringing in her head. Not a very pleasant experience for her at all.
While all of this occurs, Hoot-- with an ironclad, unbreakable, everlasting determination the likes of which are rarely ever seen-- decides he's just going to wriggle free of his restraints. He sits down on his bedroll, pulls his ankle close to his body, relaxes the joints in his foot, and begins to pull and push the ankle restraint back and forth. Hoot's foot is smaller, skinnier, and bonier than the rest of the prisoners so in theory, slipping this lock would be possible, but it appears that his captors did think of this, for they utilized much smaller restraints on his and Crunch's ankles. Still, Hoot is a determined bird-man. The steel digs into his skin and creates small lacerations. Still, he continues the jerking motion. His scaly skin gets grazed and scratched by the hard, cold iron of the manacles but he's persistent. He silently groans and squeaks in pain but he doesn't stop even for one second. This endeavor for freedom will have one end and one end only. Success. He bends his three talons unnaturally as he jerks the chain. The freezing cold iron now slits and gnashes his bony joints but he's making progress. If he had teeth he'd be gritting them watertight at this point, but he doesn't so he just deals with the pain. With his foot halfway out the restraints, he decides that some grease or lubrication of some sort would really help with this part, so he starts spitting on his own foot while continuing the wiggling motion. He jerks and tugs as he now draws blood but he doesn't dare stop. Not now. The pupils of his eyes dilate and a fury washes over his face. He's incredibly focused on the task at hand and is hell bent on getting himself free. The thought occurs to him that he just might dislocate his talons but even this notion nor the ache will stop him.
Finally, after much struggle and effort... SUCCESS! Hoot has slipped out of his ankle restraints! The painful endeavor was witnessed by O-Ren, Tisiphone, and more importantly, Crunch, the other Kenku.
Crunch is a bit bigger and heavier than Hoot with wider ankles, but he figures if Hoot managed it, he can too. He sits down and begins to replicate the movements of Hoot. He jerks, tugs, and spits on his ankle but he doesn't appear to have the same determination and raw willpower of Hoot. He isn't willing to draw blood and gives up after a few minutes. "Cannot do. Crunch wait and use lockpick instead." Crunch sits back and waits to be helped. He clearly notices as others react to his quick capitulation. He especially notices the dissension of BOAGRIUS.
Meanwhile, in the background Tisiphone stands quiet and pensive.
How could anyone have been so clumsy as to leave a lock pick in a prison cell?
Tisiphone feels a knot in her stomach.
Something isn't adding up here.
Must just be her hunger. What else would it be?
[OOC: I believe I have answered all of the out-of-character questions in-character. If I missed anything, please let me know either here or on the OOC chat. Your characters have made some tremendous progress in escaping. Hoot wiggling his foot loose was never part of the plan but I couldn't ignore such a perfect nat20 roll so let's go with it!]
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Be Kind. Be Patient. Be Understanding.
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Ekant puts his back against the wall and lets himself slide down. He sits close to the iron bars so he could peer into other cells as much as he can. The cold dampness of the stone floor seeps through his short britches, and he brings his knees up against his abdomen for warmth.
“I think you’re a very brave person.” Ekant says to Ilithienne comfortingly. His limpid green eyes searches hers, but the dark-skinned drow seems to retreat into the shadow, and he could only catch glimpses of her silvery hair. That’s alright. It must be hard for her to open up. He could hear the pain, the anguish, the suppressed trembling in her voice. “To break the chain, to leave your family, to go against everything you once believed in. It takes strength not to give in. My daddy says family doesn’t have to be blood, and he’s right about that. You’ll find people who cherish you for who you are.”
Ekant thinks for a while. He remembers home, the cabin, the woods. The fresh scent of forest, the earthy smile of wet earth. The quiet feeling of freedom where he could run miles and miles without running into anyone, Hunter by his side, quacking happily. His soft lips curve into a wistful smile, the prison momentary forgotten.
“My name’s Ekant Agarwood. I lived in the woods with my daddy for most of my life. He taught me how to hunt, how to use a bow. He used to tell me all these wonderful stories about my mama.” He says in his smooth, lilting voice. “My mama got taken away when I was very little, but my daddy never gave up. He kept looking for her. Anyway… he must’ve gotten too close. The people who took away my mama, they are dangerous. I’ve been looking for him ever since. I was hunting rabbits when they got me. I have no idea why.”
At first, he thought the people that took him are the same ones got his father. But then, seeing other people in this cell, he’s not so sure. One thing is certain, though - he has to get out of here. Then perhaps, he can find Hunter again. Hunter trusts him with his life, and he can’t let him down.
“If you say we can figure a way out, I trust you.” The dark-haired young man says to O-Ren with a genuine smile, his green eyes glinting with specks of gold. He looks around his cell.
Perception: 21
The pale white-haired half-elf listens attentively as the petite dark-haired woman in the cell across from his tells her sad tale. The Raven Queen, where had he heard that name invoked again? And the Tower of Death? Sounded familiar somehow.
Intelligence to know about the Raven Queen and the Tower of Death: 12
He then continues to listen to O-Ren, the drow Ilithienne and the elf Ekant. He had certainly heard about the nefarious drow, the cursed elves of the Underdark almost a worse fate than being a wretched half-breed as himself. He never bothered too much with heritage though, having none for himself. He assumed they were all like him in a sense though, that they were here for a reason, a dark reason. It was hard to imagine the rosy-cheeked elf had even offended a fly though. "Ekant is right, It is never stupid to live the simple and honorable life, your decisions do you credit Ilithienne, and I at least won't hold your heritage against you." The pale half-elf says to the female in the cell to his left, then speaking so that the others could hear him as well. "I am Daryan, Daryan Seltyiel, I have no life to return to, but I need to get out of here to take care of unfinished business, then I can go quietly back to this prison." He says grimly. He then goes quiet and listens to who might speak next while he searches his cell for anything that would help them all escape.
Perception: 22
Standing at the bars of his cell, Bambotta listens to the introductions and marvels at his own predicament. Newly arrived, he has gotten in a brawl over a piece of unwanted meat. Tricked by an old man. Knocked out. Abducted. Locked in a cage. Left to starve. At the top of the Tower of Death. Controlled by an evil Raven God of Death.
A sudden moment of realization crosses Bambotta's face. His eyes widen.
Glancing fearfully at the pixie, he mutters under his breath,
"The Fu-Engi..."
Determined now to be both strong and kind, Bambotta speaks in a bold voice.
"I am Bambotta. Of the Northern Clans. I will do what I can to set you all free."
Staring intently across the way at Ilithienne, he ponders,
"A wicked creature with a guilty mind... Can such a thing exist?"
"Even the drow."
"All will come clear."
Bambotta turns his attention to the stones outside his cell.
"Where could they have come from?"
He reaches out a long wiry arm. Grasping at the stones. The cell door rattles. Pushing harder, he forces his shoulder through. Reaching. Stretching. The bars rattle. And again.
And then it comes to him.
"Could it be?"
(OCC Examine around the cell door for broken mortar, loose bricks. Damage from shaking. Also, pick up the stones if I can reach them.)
perception
14
Tisiphone listens intently to the stories being shared around her. They seem so far removed from my own history. What did I do to get here?
She steels herself towards rationality. And thinks about what the information she has just learned. Has she angered the gods? That's not a useful thought. She begins to recount the information from O-Ren in her mind as the woman speaks. The Raven Queen. The Tower of Death. The raven etched into the floor - it makes sense.
The prison was shut down. That explains the mold and rust. And I didn't see any sort of guards - but what is that boulder? Was it rolled in or did it come through the ceiling? Tisiphone looks across the floor and to the roof (perception) 16
“My name is Tisiphone, I’m an investigator,” Tisiphone says, talking slowly and hesitating for a second as Ekant’s past makes her think of her own father. “… and daughter of a librarian. I have no idea how I ended up here – it feels like I’ve fallen into a terrible tale – but I can help us all get out. I’m not strong but I am good at finding clues.” What did that deep voice say? Even the drow. I hope he doesn’t have a problem with me.
“I’m willing to put my trust in you all and I hope it can be returned.”
“That boulder looks like it doesn’t belong and there is a heavy stone door outside of the hallway that has the letter B on it – maybe there are others.” Tisiphone turns back to her cell, and investigates as far as the chain around her ankle will allow – she had never imagined that chains could be so heavvy. (investigation) 6
On a quest for exciting stories and moments of character development.
Sylviana pauses in the corner of her glass prison, listening to the back and forth from the other prisoners. All sorts of creatures! Even a drow? Syl didn’t have anything against any particular race, she felt they all belonged, like flowers and weeds in a meadow. When the voices fall silent, she sighs and begins her first lap around the perimeter.
“My name is Sylviana Sliverwood, Syl for short. I’m a pixie and I live in the woods. And I was just cracking on with my day, as normal, when—swoosh—I’m upside down in a bag.”
She turns the corner starting her second lap. “Then, I’m hanging round, upside down in this bag and I start trying to squirm around. Then—CRACK!—someone smacked me and I passed out.”
She turns the corner starting her third lap. “And suddenly I wake up here with you lot. Nothing against you lot. But I’m going to start cracking up if I don’t get some food soon!”
She turns the corner starting her fourth lap. “I mean, I’d take just about anything at this point . . . .” The pixie stares at the wall and pauses for a moment, raising her finger to her chin. “A crack! A crack in the glass! There is a tiny crack in the glass!”
She thumps it with her fist, but it definitely seems too solid for her to take down on her own. If only she had her magic! “Does anyone have anything to throw? But, also to throw and not kill me?” She looks across at the prisoners she can see.
"I'll let you out!" She smiles showing every last one of her chalk-white teeth. "I promise!"
Walks in [insert absurd situation].
Honorary Leader in the Pixie Peewee Powderpuff Pals!
Does it take strength or was it something else? Ilithienne thinks pondering her own actions.
"Thank you..." she speaks quietly hearing Ekant's and Daryan's words. Even the deep voice of Bamboota gives her a genuine smile.
"I... I appreciate this, Bambotta of the Northern Clans" she speaks softly knowing this kind of acceptance may be hard to come by.
Then, there was the voice of that woman. Daughter of a librarian.
"It's good to have you on our side, Tisiphone."
When Ilithienne thought the day cannot be any more surprising, the high voice on her right spoke. A PIXIE?! What is a pixie? she thinks... Kept in a glass? Stone could kill her? She sounds tiny... Why are they here? the thoughts race through her mind.
Focus! she screams to herself and returns to searching through her cell.
Perception check 17
"I don't care, I'm still free. You can't take the sky from me..."
*When BOAGRIUS learns that there is a Drow present, it takes everything inside of him not to lose his temper and blow a gasket. He feels so much rage and agony as the memories flood his brain. Memories of his childhood village being pillaged and plundered by armies of evil drows. Not only that, but the many tales told to him of his birth-mother and birth-father being murdered by bloodthirsty, nefarious drows. BOAGRIUS has never had a single positive interaction with any drow, or any elf-kind for that matter. All he knows of that race is how much pain and destruction they are capable of but as he looks around his cell and at his bloody hands (bloody from his aggressive attempt to jerk the chain out of the wall) he realizes that he is no position to pass judgement. He imagines how others may see him from their cells... an overgrown, angry, aggressive, dumb murdering goliath. He does his best to accept that not every drow is evil but he's really having a tough time with it. He simply sits in his cell and listens quietly as the others introduce themselves. When Sylviana speaks up and announces herself as a Pixie, that's when BOAGRIUS' silence ends*
BOAGRIUS: A WHAT from the woods? Did she say Pixie?
*His question goes unheard but his mind is blown. A piece of him doesn't really believe it. Not until he sees it with his own eyes. Pixies aren't real. You must have misheard the lady. But what if they are real? Finally, a silence befalls the prison and BOAGRIUS decides now is as good a time as any to introduce himself.*
BOAGRIUS: Name is BOAGRIUS of Thessaly. Champion of King Triopas of Thessaly. BOAGRIUS comes from a small Goliath village in the North where the snow falls year-round and warmth is elusive. Despite this, BOAGRIUS does not remember this village sinc it was attacked and overrun by an army of evil--
*BOAGRIUS stops himself. His barbarian rage begins to flare up but he manages to calm himself down.*
BOAGRIUS: Doesn't matter. After BOAGRIUS' village was attacked, BOAGRIUS was forced to flee. Some very nice goblinoids took BOAGRIUS in and raised BOAGRIUS as their own in the underground city of Thessaly, led by the admirable, distinguished, revered King Triopas (Thessaly's human leader). The mighty Human King took a liking to BOAGRIUS and declared BOAGRIUS the Champion of Thessaly! A title that BOAGRIUS wears proudly! BOAGRIUS goes from town to town representing Thessaly fighting and defeating inferior warriors. This is the world BOAGRIUS knows, not the world of evil queens or ravens or death magic towers. BOAGRIUS has no interest in any of that. BOAGRIUS simply want to get back home serve the Human King and protect Thessaly.
*BOAGRIUS considers his next words carefully before he says them. He thinks of the drow and stares at the tiefling across the hall and thinks to himself, I hope this doesn't backfire.
BOAGRIUS: BOAGRIUS will also help everyone escape. Even the tiefling... and yes, even the drow. But if you betray BOAGRIUS...
*He bites his tongue and controls his anger.*
BOAGRIUS: Let's just say you don't want to do that.
*With that, he rises to his feet and begins investigating his cell. He checks the walls for weak spots, the corners for hidden camouflaged items, and even lifts the bedroll to check for anything hidden or suspicious.*
Investigation check: 4
(OOC: Kurda, I noticed you have me as a goliath fighter but Boagrius is barbarian. Let me know if you want me to change this and Ill start playing him less angry lol)
Hoot listened attentively while O-Ren spoke. The Raven Queen - just what he had feared when he saw the image of the raven etched into the stone floor. Was this the reason he was abducted? Hoot was still relatively new to the Church of Kelemvor, but he had heard tales of the Raven Queen...
Religion check: 19 (OOC: As Hoot just heard these tales in the past weeks, and as Kenku are capable of remembering longer tales pretty much verbatim, he will use his [feature]Kenku Recall[/feature] to give himself advantage on the role)
She was a goddess of death - but while Kelemvor was the Great Guide who led the souls of the deceased into their next life, the Raven Queen did not have such a beneficial role. She was a selfish entity, who lived in the Shadowfell and sent out her minions to collect tragic memories - sometimes they took the memories of the living, sometimes they took trinkets that had a strong sentimental value - and sometimes they even took the souls of the deceased. Despite being a goddess of death, the Raven Queen and her followers were even known to make use of the undead to achieve their unholy goals. All that, and the fact that the Raven Queen also owned and commanded the souls of her followers, the Shadar-Kai, to return to her after their deaths rather than letting Kelemvor guide them to their new lives, was the reason why there were strong tensions between the followers of Kelemvor and the followers of the Raven Queen.
That must be why I - and all of the others here - were abducted. Every single one of these people must have endured great tragedy in their past.
The introductions Hoot had heard so far certainly seemed to support this - except for Syl and Tisiphone. But then again, not everyone tells their whole story to some strangers without hesitation. But something still didn't quite make sense here. That O-Ren woman claimed to have been here before - as punishment for a crime. That didn't fit at all to what little Hoot knew about the Raven Queen. And the fact that the prison seemed to have been abandoned since her last imprisonment - perhaps their jailers weren't the same people that caught her the last time at all...
In any case, Hoot decided to follow O-Ren's request. Working together with these people was his best chance of escaping this prison and he would not allow anyone to take his memory of Chime and his daughter...
Remember those who have gone before.
Guide me, as you guide the dead.
Remember me, as you remember the dead.
As I remember those who have gone before,
Let my words reach them, so they know they are not forgotten.
The short prayer calmed him and helped him to focus on his surroundings. He poked out his beak between the bars of his cell and looked around.
“My name is" he imitated Syl's high but form voice, followed by an owl's *Hoot*
Next, Ilithienne's voice, slightly anxious, and with a strong accent could be heard from Hoot's beak "I am a" "KENKU!" - the last word was spoken with the voice of an older woman and was filled with hatred, and disgust.
Tisiphone's voice was the next to come out of the Kenku's beak: "daughter of" *Hoot* “… and daughter"-"mama". This was Ekant's smooth, melodic voice, followed by an older, frail voice: "have gone".
*Hoot* Boagrius' deep loud and husky voice boomed through the corridor "serve the", followed by the same old, male voice as before "Kelemvor, Lord of the Dead, Judge of the Damned, The Great Guide"
"As I remember those who have gone before, Let my words reach them, so they know they are not forgotten."
Then, Bambotta's bold voice echoed through the corridor: "Then, I will do what I can to set you all free." "Even the drow." "Even the tiefling" "Even the" "KENKU!" "Even" "Bambotta. Of the Northern Clans." "Even" "BOAGRIUS of Thessaly."
Hoot remained silent for a few seconds, then added:
"dark, crime-ridden world"
"There are times I wish I wasn't born at all."
"My mama got taken away"
"I have no life to return to"
"BOAGRIUS' village was attacked, BOAGRIUS was forced to flee."
"those who have gone"
"all the awful stories" - "The Raven Queen" - "collect" - "all the awful stories"
With that, Hoot retreated into his cell and began to look for anything that would allow him to escape:
Perception check: 22
After the other nine prisoners have introduced themselves and committed to working together, Crunch takes his turn.
"You call me Crunch. Kenku also. Pledged loyalty to my queen. Made big mistake. Let her down. But loyalty never breaks. Seek redemption. Must escape. All of us must escape. Must help my queen."
With those words, Crunch begins searching his own cell for anything useful. The prison falls into silence. Only the sounds of rummaging and searching can be heard. Everyone's focus lies on their own cell. Some feel around the walls for any loose bricks, others check the corners of the floor and the ceiling, feeling around for anything sharp or otherwise practical. Some individuals check under their bedroll and others even tear the bedroll altogether and check inside.
The following is what each person found while searching their cells, if anything at all:
Ekant tore up the bedroll in his cell and as soon as he did, he heard something fall from inside it and bounce off the grainy floor. He picks it up. It's a gemstone. Transparent, dark green. It fits perfectly in his hand. Perhaps the hidden treasure of a past prisoner. Ekant can't quite identify what kind of stone it is but it is magnificently beautiful!
Of course, Sylviana managed to identify the tiny cracks on the wall of her glass prison.
But this isn't all she sees. On the floor, below the prison bars of her cell, there is a lockpick. Perfect for opening any lock without having the key. It could be very useful, if only she could get to it. Once again, she exclaims upon noticing it.
As Sylviana exclaims, Bambotta extends his arm to full-length and manages to grasp the rocks sitting outside his prison cell. He pulls them in and feels them. Three solid, heavy stones. Other than this find, however, the subsequent search of his cell proves fruitless.
Ilithienne runs her hand along the edges and corners of her cell. She doesn't feel anything at first and then-- OUCH! Something pricks her finger. She investigates further and sees that in one of the cracks on her wall, there rests a makeshift shiv. It is very sharp and appears to be made of bone.
Daryan doesn't find anything. Truthfully his search wasn't the best, but perhaps this was due to the gnawing feeling in his brain that started when O-Ren mentioned the Raven Queen. He does his best to think back and remember what he's heard of her before.
While any knowledge of The Tower of Death eludes Daryan, he's quite positive that he's heard about The Raven Queen. And yet, no memories are surfacing. How can this be? How can he be so vehemently certain that he knows of this supposed wicked queen and yet not have a single concrete recollection of even her name being mentioned to him. It's bizarre. In his heart he feels-- no, he knows-- of The Raven Queen. Yet, there is nothing about her in his memory bank. It's a frustrating feeling. The knowledge is so close, yet the source is so far away. That's when Daryan hears it... that familiar voice.
You know this, Daryan.
The ancient elf-queen. Loved by her weary people.
Tragedy strikes the elves.
If she can only become a Goddess, she can save them all. They need her leadership.
Ritual ends in betrayal. Treacherous wizards.
Her supernatural rage corrupts the procedure. Fails to become Goddess of the Elves.
Becomes Goddess of Death, instead. Banished into the Shadowfell.
Not all which is spoken is true, Daryan. Be wary.
While Daryan listens to that introspective voice, O-Ren checks every square inch of her prison cell and yet ends up with nothing. There's nothing there.
Boagrius and Tisiphone come up empty-handed, as well.
That only leaves the two Kenkus, the last two to begin their search. They follow the same steps as everyone else when investigating their enclosure. Crunch loudly bangs on the brick walls of his cell while making Crunch noises with his beak. Hoot, however, takes a more quiet approach. He feels around the holes in his prison for anything hidden while thinking back to his learnings at the Church of Kelemvor.
Hoot's Kenku Recall nails it. Indeed, everything the Church of Kelemvor taught him of the Raven Queen is fresh in his head. Despite his hunger and cold skin, his learnings are unwilted. Kelemvor would be proud. He smiles at this thought just as he lifts his bedroll off the ground and-- what is that? A rectangular section of the floor does not match the rest of it. He gets on his knees to inspect it further.
There's a small string. He pulls on it and... it opens! It's a trap door! A trap door was under his bedroll!
Excitedly, he looks up just in time to see Crunch identify the same thing under his bedroll. The two Kenkus make eye contact and share beaky smiles. They peer into the trap doors and clearly see that it's a tunnel. But a tunnel that seemingly only leads to each other's cells. Why would someone excavate a tunnel that leads into another prison cell? It doesn't make sense. That's when Tisiphone, who witnessed the whole discovery, connects the dots.
The boulder did not come through the ceiling. That much is obvious. But... what are those scuff marks on the ground? Oh! It was rolled in! The boulder was rolled in to hide something! The tunnel exit! The boulder hides the tunnel exit!
Be Kind. Be Patient. Be Understanding.
With her spirit restored a bit, Ilithienne finishes her search holding a shiv in her hand. She has seen many times the slaves who made this... weapon? A tool rather. Hardly ever used to attack any of the guards, but to escape into the eternal sleep. This may come handy... she thinks looking at her wrists. She shares aloud her finding to the others and hides the shiv in the palm of her hand.
When Hoot speaks she looks confused, especially when hearing her own voice coming from the other cell.
"So, it looks like we are a collection? Because of what we've been through?" she asks, but then Crunch speaks.
When silence comes she thinks for a moment. At first a spark of anger lights up but then she remembers her necklace. She closes her eyes and imagines herself on a meadow deep in a forest, dancing on a warm grass with a full moon behind her back and stars above. She sees herself jumping high in the air, with her hair much much longer, just like her. A blade in her hand swirling to the tunes of a song unheard. Can you see me? she asks with hope. With a faint smile she opens her eyes. Who am I to judge? and takes deep breath to quench the felling with peace.
"Crunch..." she begins slowly and carefully choosing her words. "What do you mean? We must help your queen? Who is she? The Raven Queen? she asks calmly.
"I don't care, I'm still free. You can't take the sky from me..."
Pixie, Drow, Goliath, Tiefling, Kenku… and of course, himself. Ekant chews his lower lip as he ponders. Growing up isolated, he had only heard of these races. In town, the majority of people are human, some halfling, and occasionally a few half-elves or half-orcs. His mother was taken away by a tiefling, but he’s never seen one. He knows you can’t judge people based on their race. As such, he’s more curious about the circumstances that brought all of them here. All these exotic races, like some twisted menagerie. That thought makes him sick.
With BOAGRIUS’ deep, resonating voice, Ekant recognizes the Goliath was the source of the thunderous roars earlier on. He tries to peer into his cell, wondering how a Goliath would fit inside, but it’s too far down the hallway for him to see. He hears the suppressed anger in his voice, the undercurrent of rage, but he doesn’t feel afraid. If anything, he feels safer by BOAGRIUS’ promise to help.
The dark-haired young man perks up as Hoot speaks, fascinated by the Kenku’s way to speaking. In his patchwork way of speech, he tells a tragic story of him losing his wife and daughter. Touched by the profound loss, Ekant feels a lump forming in his throat, and the faint, lachrymose sensation of sourness behind his nasal cavity. He lets out a soft, trembling breath, and quickly wipes his eyes with his bare forearm. There must be something he can do, to help everyone escape. Determined, he rises to his feet and begins the search of his cell. But something keeps bothering him in the back of his head. Hoot believes they are all here because their tragic past, but O-Ren claims the cell block is reserved for the most heinous and wicked criminals. Ekant’s sure he does not fit that description. He also doesn’t believe anyone else here could that vicious. They all have their own stories and histories, but they all sound very sincere. Could O-Ren be mistaken? But she seems to know a lot about this Tower.
Insight: 6 to see if O-Ren is keeping anything from them
As Ekant searches his bedrolls, a piece of stone falls out. He picks it up in his long fingers, it’s a gemstone. A little darker green than his eyes, but clear and smooth, reflecting the meager firelight of the torches on the wall in crystalline shapes. A beautiful frown comes onto his face. Every piece of his belonging was taken away from him, how did the previous prisoner manage to keep this? Though precious, he can’t imagine this gemstone will help them escape in any way.
Nature(?): 1 to identify the gemstone
Ekant can't see O-Ren therefore any telltale signs like shifts in body language or facial expressions aren't available to him. But from what he gathers based on her voice and tone, she sounds authentic and genuine. She sounded especially sincere when she mentioned her friends and pet turtle.
As for the gemstone, Ekant shuts his eyes and does his best to recall what this precious metal was called. Finally, it dawns on him... it's an alexandrite gemstone! A stone as precious as it is heavy. This one in particular is a nice, hefty size.
Crunch looks up from his newfound tunnel and his expression goes from happily elated to genuinely disturbed by Ilithienne's suggestion.
"The Raven Queen? You think I worship the Raven Queen?"
Tension begins to build in Cell Block X. Ilithienne doesn't know it, but she's struck a sensitive nerve with the Kenku. Crunch shoots daggers at the Drow with his eyes and then spits on the floor in her general direction as a clear sign of disrespect.
"My queen is leagues above the Raven Queen! My queen helps Crunch-- not imprison him! My queen represents worthwhile endeavors like power, drive, and ambition! Not death and sorrow. And you mustn't help my queen! Only I must help my queen! ME! She's MY queen! MINE--"
"Enough Crunch! The young lady didn't mean anything by it. She's merely asking for clarification. You can be hard to fully understand, sometimes. I think this is the longest any of us have ever heard you speak." O-Ren interrupts with a stern, authoritative tone that immediately settles the Kenku.
"Oh, right. You're right, O-Ren. Crunch! Apologies, Ilithienne. Me gets defensive about my Queen Egle. Crunch! Me think cell is getting to me. Not for much longer-- Hoot and Crunch found a secret tunnel!" Naturally, this catches everyone's ear. "Crunch! If we can free from chains, we can inspect. Anyone find anything to break free from chain?"
Be Kind. Be Patient. Be Understanding.
*BOAGRIUS sees the clear sign of disrespect and is unable to hold his tongue.*
BOAGRIUS: Easy there little fella. Where BOAGRIUS come from, you could get yourself killed for doing something like that. Even if you are doing it to a drow. You did apologize so BOAGRIUS will let it slide but watch yourself.
*BOAGRIUS' serious menacing frame is quite a sight to behold-- but as soon as he hears of a tunnel his intimidating threatening posture and attitude change completely*
BOAGRIUS: Goodie! A tunnel? Really? A tunnel? That's great! BOAGRIUS found nothing in his cell to help break your chains but BOAGRIUS will provide moral support.
With a frustrated grunt, Bambotta gives up on his search of the cell and plops cross-legged on the stone floor. Hunched. The three stones sitting on a curl of chain between his knees. He nudges them with one knuckle. For a moment he had been so hopeful. A vision of tearing open the bars of his cage had come suddenly to him. Shaking off his chains and setting everyone free. Invigorating. Like a cool splash of water.
"Strong and kind."
“If I could do all that”, He thought, then maybe The Fu-Engi might begin to forgive me.”
But then that hope was snuffed. It fell flat. Nothing for his trouble but some stones…
Fortifying himself, he calls out to the room,
"I've found three stones out in the hall. Good fist sized pieces. Could we use them to break the glass and set The Fu-Engi free? Maybe she could find a way to open the cells.
Another image. Flying stones. Shattered glass. Minced Fu-Engi.
"Or, maybe best not... But good for cracking skulls."
He picks one stone up to feel its weight. Swinging it in a mock right hook.
"It'll break bone."
He takes a closer look.
"Crunch! If we can free from chains, we can inspect. Anyone find anything to break free from chain?"
“Maybe we could use these stones to break the chains.”
Bambotta examines the stones for a moment as his options flow through his head. Picking up one stone he approaches the bars. Reaching out with one long arm, he slides the stone carefully across the floor to the front of Ekant's cell.
Then, back in a squat, he picks up his chain. It rattles gently as he works it carefully between rough fingers examining each link for weakness He explores how the chain is attached to the wall. And how it is bound to his leg.
"If I could only get free of this chain... It could even be a weapon."
(OOC Examine the stones quickly for anything odd. carvings? Are they soft like sandstone or hard like granite? Rough edges? Then examine the chains for any weaknesses.)
Stone perception 14
Chain perception 6
“A lockpick! A lockpick!” Syl gasps, jumping up and down, a huge grin on her face. “There’s a lockpick on the floor of my cell! Someone, break my cage open! Then I can get the lockpick! Then I’ll have it and I can use it!”
She squats in the corner of the cage and presses her face against the glass. The angle and reflection distort her face through the glass. Getting a better look at the pick, she lays down on her stomach, eye pressed against the glass. Allowing time for her vision to adjust to the slightly darker cell floor, she gasps again, immensely grateful she hadn’t hallucinated the pick. Syl’s energy begins to wane a bit, and she closes her eyes as she lays motionless on the glass floor. Her wings flutter rapidly then rest again.
Frozen in place, Syl’s voice echoes against the glass box’s corner. “If somebody can get something to break my cage open, I’ll get the pick.”
The pixie is suddenly leaping from the tabletop in slow motion, gliding to the floor. She sees herself picking up the lockpick and twirling it in the air. Taking one look at the cell’s bars, she snaps her fingers and the door melts instantly. Fluttering out, she prods each cell lock and the door springs open, each prisoner sobbing and thanking Syl for letting them out. All the prisoners freeze as an evil-looking elderly man appears, flanked by two fully armored guards. As the man begins to speak, the pixie points finger-crossbows at the man, turning him immediately into a chicken. The two guards spring forward, but not before she can point her finger-crossbows at them. Both guards squeak and turn into tiny, pink, fluffy mice. As she watches the pink mice and chicken flee down the steps, one of the former captives begins a slow clap, which is followed by a full round of applause. Tears are shed, backs are slapped, and someone lifts the pixie onto their shoulder . . .
Sylviana snorts herself awake, her face still pointed down toward the lockpick.
Walks in [insert absurd situation].
Honorary Leader in the Pixie Peewee Powderpuff Pals!
Before Tisiphone has looked too intently around her cell, a thought comes to her. Oh! It was rolled in! The boulder was rolled in to hide something! The tunnel exit! The boulder hides the tunnel exit! She jumps towards the bars of the cells with excitement - the movement jerky as the chain on her ankle is pulled taught. She winces in pain as the metal cuts into her skin. For a second as she peers out of the bars, everything is blurry. The sudden action was likely not the wisest idea on an empty stomach - especially for someone used to a more gentle way of living.
"That boulder has been moved over the entrance to the tunnels! Are either of you strong enough to move a boulder from underneath? Maybe if you were both able to work together... It does seem rather heavy though. Maybe there is an ideal order to use all of this in!"
Tisiphone's voice looses the fearful and careful edge that it held only a few minutes ago as she gets move and more excited, her mind putting the puzzle together.
"If someone could free Sylviana, maybe she could help BOAGRIUS out of his cell and he can help Hoot and Crunch with the boulder! I don't mean to assume..."
She trails off, checking her own excitement. She doesn't know these people and the way they say 'tiefling' - like they have already assumed what she is like - should be an indication to tread carefully and present her best self. Calm and level headed - not predisposed to excitement or whimsy as Lel had often scolded of her. She stops to think about what she has just learned. How could anyone have been so clumsy as to leave a lock pick in a prison cell? Something isn't adding up here. And not only that but I've read somewhere about this prison being abandoned over two hundred years ago and O'Ren's voice doesn't sound raspy and old... Maybe that's a question for later and besides, maybe it won't be as hard for us to escape as it had been for O'Ren, if she did indeed manage to escape that many years ago...
On a quest for exciting stories and moments of character development.
Ilithienne hears the words carefully. "I have seen such devotion before. It can be a source of great strength or unimaginable atrocities as well. I truly hope yours is the first one." she speaks quietly as if to herself. A moment later she rises her head.
"No apologies are needed, Crunch." Ilithienne says graciously. "This world is full of 'Queens' yet it is hard to find one worthy of that title... It looks like you have found one. I... I meant no disrespect." she adds carefully.
She looks to her right, across the hall, where the beautiful man is. "Ekant, do you think you could shatter Syl's cage with a stone? I have only this... thing." she plays with a shiv.
(OOC: How are we chained? Is it some kind of lock? Or are the shackles bolted? How thick are the walls between the cells? Is it possible to reach through the bars to the next cell? I think of cutting a blanket or any material I have in a cell to make a line of some sort, perhaps with a stone at the end. Do I have anything could be used for that?)
"I don't care, I'm still free. You can't take the sky from me..."
“Oh, that’s brilliant!” Ekant reaches through the bars for the fist-sized stone Bambotta had just rolled over, weighing it in his hand. It’d just be like stone skipping. He remembers watching the stone skimming across the lake, leaving ripples behind, expanding out into the shimmering water. He’s pretty good at it, but he doesn’t know how well he’d do with the hunger and the exhaustion. Still, his green eyes lights up with hope.
“Syl, I know you’re tired, but you’ll have to get up. I’m gonna try to break the glass.” It worries him a little to see the pixie faceplant down in the glass box, but it seems she’s just too exhausted. They all are.
With BOAGRIUS’ moral support, Ekant tries to aim the stone at the crack on the glass Syl had pointed out, hoping that’s enough to shatter the glass.
((I assume it’s a ranged weapon attack. Let me know if it’s something else.))
Attack:16 Damage:4
As Hoot heard Crunch mention that they were looking for something to break free from the chains, his glance instinctively wandered down to his own feet. The shackles would have been tight for most, but they weren't specific to the race of the prisoner they were used on - they were made for humans or at least normal-sized humanoids with typical feet. Hoot was much smaller than a human and his bird-like feet were much slimmer than what these shackles were built for. Maybe he could slide out of the shackles - he would just have to relax his joints and pull on the shackles as hard as he could. It was possible that he would hurt himself of course but anything was better than still being here when their captors returned - it was critical that they all escaped as fast as possible. If he managed to pull free, he would be able to move to Crunch's cell and help him with his shackles too. Crunch was a bit more muscular than Hoot but compared to a human his feet were likely small enough that it was still possible that they could both free themselves. Hoot decided to try it. He sat down on his bedroll, pulled his chained leg closer to him, relaxed the joints in his foot, and pulled the shackle downward in a slow but steady wiggling motion. As Hoot chafed the scaly skin on his foot, he just hoped that he wouldn't end up dislocating his joints...
(OOC: FYI Hoot is a small creature - he is 5'3'' and 110lb, and his feet are, well, like that of a crow)
General dexterity / Acrobatics / Sleight of Hand (Sleight of Foot?) check: 10 (for the roll it doesn't really matter which, cause I don't have proficiency anyway, so it's the same modifier regardless)
Crunch and BOAGRIUS share an uncomfortable look with each other. The tension can be felt all around the prison. You could cut it with a knife. BOAGRIUS is indeed an imposing, intimidating, beastly figure but Crunch-- whether he be brave or stupid-- doesn't seem to be particularly scared. He doesn't break eye contact and doesn't back down. The atmosphere suddenly feels more rigid than before. After a few seconds of this, finally the tension is broken by, of all people, Bambotta. "I've found three stones out in the hall. Good fist sized pieces. Could we use them to break the glass and set The Fu-Engi free? Maybe she could find a way to open the cells." Crunch and BOAGRIUS both look away and smile at the good fortune of their Barbarian ally. Crunch then announces his newfound tunnel and the good vibes in Cell Block X rise even more. BOAGRIUS changes his demeanor entirely and offers his moral support which relieves a ton of tension from the prison. To make matters better, Sylviana makes a wonderful discovery...
She exclaims loudly, “A lockpick! A lockpick! There’s a lockpick on the floor of my cell! Someone, break my cage open! Then I can get the lockpick! Then I’ll have it and I can use it!" Upon hearing this, Bambotta slides one of his stones over to Ekant and examines the remaining two.
Bambotta's examination of the stones fail to inform him of anything new or exciting. They seem like boring, old, jagged, breccia stones to him. The chain, on the other hand, can indeed be utilized as a weapon if he could figure out, first, how to free his ankle from it's restraints and second, how to rip it out of the wall. If he can manage this, however, he'd have at is disposal a makeshift prison flail, using the steel ball at the end of the chain for damage.
While Bambotta ponders this, Ilithienne makes an observation of her own... the ankle restraint itself is kept together by a small lock. Of course, the prisoners don't have the required key but the lock seems small enough that it may be possible to be broken if hit with something hard enough times. This might come with a risk, however, as the lock is very tight around the ankle therefore a bad, imprecise attempt might connect with the foot itself and cause damage. [OOC-- ie. a bad damage roll would connect with your own foot and reduce your movement speed temporarily] Another option might be to try and pick the lock, but that would require quite a bit of dexterity and for every attempt one runs the risk of breaking the lockpick.
Ilithienne looks up from her ankle restraints. The thought occurs to her, maybe she could cut up her bedroll and make a line from it's material? Perhaps with a rock at the end of it? No, unfortunately, that wouldn't work. The bedrolls are old and patchy. She continues scanning her prison cell. There must be something she could use. Something that could work. Her initiative and inventive spirit are admirable, but other than the shiv she holds in her hands, there's nothing else in her cell other than dust and cobwebs. Finally, she stares at the shiv in her hands... could she use the pointy end to fiddle with the lock? No, it's too thick. Frustrated, she looks at the prison bars themselves. Old, dusty, and rusty. If she had a crowbar or even a sturdy club, she might be able to dislodge them but this pointy stick is rather useless in this scenario. At least she can pass it to her prison neighbors, if they could find a use for it.
Meanwhile, Ekant picks up the breccia stone that Bambotta slid over. “Syl, I know you’re tired, but you’ll have to get up. I’m gonna try to break the glass.” Syl snorts herself awake, after a rather pleasant dream and squeezes herself as much as possible into the opposite corner of where the cracks are in her glass prison. Ekant takes a deep breath. It's just like skipping stones, he thinks to himself. Finally, he heaves the stone.
Ekant flings the stone between his own prison bars and between Syl's prison bars successfully! His connection with the vulnerable area of the glass isn't exactly perfect but he throws the stone with enough force that it does just enough damage to crack the glass heavily. The stone does not penetrate the glass or shatter it, unfortunately, but it does weaken it a great deal. Another throw of the same force would surely smash the glass now but that might not even be necessary. The glass looks vulnerable enough now that even a few thumps and wallops from Syl might be enough to smash it. Now, onto the bad news... the stone's substantial impact with the glass box cause a booming, thundering, deafening resonation inside the prison that causes Syl to compulsively cover her ears. The blasting reverberations creep into her tiny eardrums and hurt the inside of her head. She drops to her knees and presses her hands firmly into her ears. She's never been stuck on the inside of a ringing bell but she imagines it'd be very similar to this. The resounding inside the glass box is roaring. Finally, it eventually stops. Syl checks her ears for blood-- that's how much it hurt her head-- but there is none. There is only a persistent ringing in her head. Not a very pleasant experience for her at all.
While all of this occurs, Hoot-- with an ironclad, unbreakable, everlasting determination the likes of which are rarely ever seen-- decides he's just going to wriggle free of his restraints. He sits down on his bedroll, pulls his ankle close to his body, relaxes the joints in his foot, and begins to pull and push the ankle restraint back and forth. Hoot's foot is smaller, skinnier, and bonier than the rest of the prisoners so in theory, slipping this lock would be possible, but it appears that his captors did think of this, for they utilized much smaller restraints on his and Crunch's ankles. Still, Hoot is a determined bird-man. The steel digs into his skin and creates small lacerations. Still, he continues the jerking motion. His scaly skin gets grazed and scratched by the hard, cold iron of the manacles but he's persistent. He silently groans and squeaks in pain but he doesn't stop even for one second. This endeavor for freedom will have one end and one end only. Success. He bends his three talons unnaturally as he jerks the chain. The freezing cold iron now slits and gnashes his bony joints but he's making progress. If he had teeth he'd be gritting them watertight at this point, but he doesn't so he just deals with the pain. With his foot halfway out the restraints, he decides that some grease or lubrication of some sort would really help with this part, so he starts spitting on his own foot while continuing the wiggling motion. He jerks and tugs as he now draws blood but he doesn't dare stop. Not now. The pupils of his eyes dilate and a fury washes over his face. He's incredibly focused on the task at hand and is hell bent on getting himself free. The thought occurs to him that he just might dislocate his talons but even this notion nor the ache will stop him.
Finally, after much struggle and effort... SUCCESS! Hoot has slipped out of his ankle restraints! The painful endeavor was witnessed by O-Ren, Tisiphone, and more importantly, Crunch, the other Kenku.
Crunch is a bit bigger and heavier than Hoot with wider ankles, but he figures if Hoot managed it, he can too. He sits down and begins to replicate the movements of Hoot. He jerks, tugs, and spits on his ankle but he doesn't appear to have the same determination and raw willpower of Hoot. He isn't willing to draw blood and gives up after a few minutes. "Cannot do. Crunch wait and use lockpick instead." Crunch sits back and waits to be helped. He clearly notices as others react to his quick capitulation. He especially notices the dissension of BOAGRIUS.
Meanwhile, in the background Tisiphone stands quiet and pensive.
How could anyone have been so clumsy as to leave a lock pick in a prison cell?
Tisiphone feels a knot in her stomach.
Something isn't adding up here.
Must just be her hunger. What else would it be?
[OOC: I believe I have answered all of the out-of-character questions in-character. If I missed anything, please let me know either here or on the OOC chat. Your characters have made some tremendous progress in escaping. Hoot wiggling his foot loose was never part of the plan but I couldn't ignore such a perfect nat20 roll so let's go with it!]
Be Kind. Be Patient. Be Understanding.