Vitro looks at the fingers of Thavius and says “Eenie, meanie, miney, mo, catch a liar, by the…toe.  If he squeals, cut him so, Eenie, meanie, miney mo!”  His eyes lock onto a digit and he stares.  

"Thank you, Wilfred."  Roo says as he wheels Glory of Morning around, throwing his back to Thavius and the rest of the party.  He faces off with Reya...and replaces the Owl's Talon in its scabbard.  

"Reya, I won't fight you."  He says, raising his shield and taking a defensive stance.  "I implore you to listen to me.  Did you lose family when Elturel was dragged into Avernus?  Buck.  Anyone important to you at all?  Do you know that hurt?  Imagine that same hurt...scattered amongst the surviving family members around Elturel who lost someone in the disaster.  Imagine the people who lost livelihoods, homes, worried about how they'll survive now.  Bagop.  The survivors deserve answers."  

Roo points behind himself at Thavius without taking his eyes of Reya...

"He has answers.  That hurt?  Wilfred knows it all too well.  And I am no stranger to it either.  And this man, whatever he has been doing here, buck buck, is somehow tied to Wilfred's story, and the loss of someone dear to me as well."  

He runs his hand over the gleaming breastplate.  

"I am sorry, Reya.  We will do what it takes to get those answers.  No half measures."

He remains between Reya and the rest of the party, using himself as a barricade, ready to throw Glory of Morning and himself between her and everyone else should she try to make a move.  

"Buck-buh buh.  Do as you will."  

Reya continues to grip her weapons, her knuckles white from the pressure.  Her eyes start welling up as her heart is struggling on hearing all these things about someone she has worshipped since a child.  But things aren't adding up.

As Virro hurts the man however, she screams at him, "Don't you do that!  You don't know if he is innocent or guilty!  Don't you hurt him until it is figured out!"  Fire starts returning to her and it almost looks as though she is going to retaliate.  

Then Wilfred approaches.  His words start registering but she gasps as he brings a dagger to his throat.  She looks from him to Virro, unsure what to do when Roo starts talking to her.

The strength starts dissipating from her.  Her weapons are now merely hanging from her hands.  "Please, stop attacking the man until we know what is going on.  You have him restrained and he can't answer your questions as he is paralyzed.  Please, let him answer your questions and do not attack him." she looks directly at Virro.

She readies an action to attack anyone who attempts to hit Thavius again. 

“Fine, fine.  I agree.  But he needs to be forthcoming dear.  Thus far he is just spinning a web of lies, and he looked like he entranced you.  Heroes.  Huh.  I’m sure he puts on his pants one leg at a time.  And then he stores his infernal puzzle box in his breast pocket for safekeeping.  Fine by me, I’ll hold.  You have my word dear..  But he needs to spill the beans.  *Or his guts…* (Virro says the last under his breath)*”  Vitro smiles and takes his mask off.  

"alright alright, everyone calm" Archie says as she hands the manacles off to Virro, whispering "keep an eye on that shadow" she walks past Virro and Thavius and Roo straight up to Reya and hugs the woman in her state, "we'll get to the bottom of this I promisd, we are here with you, you can help us, he doesn't need to die." 

(Movement, walk to Reya,

Action, grapple readied if Reya moves to fight 😁)

Reya looks a bit confused at Archie's closeness, never figured any of them for a hugger type, but she doesn't push her away.

As the paralysis leaves Thavius, he falls to his knees, Wilfred's dagger nicking him in the chin a bit as he does.  Ignoring this he clasps his hands together and raises them to Wil, "Please, please...  yes.  I have fallen from Torm's grace."  He avoids eye contact with Reya as he confesses, "Please, don't hurt me.  I'll answer your questions!"

He looks to Roo'Stor, in particular his armor as that is the first of Wilfred's questions.  "Yes, I have seen another wearing such armor around here.  I haven't seen him in quite some time though.  I am sorry, I do not know anything else about him.  I really don't."  his voice quavers a bit as he worries about retaliation.

"What am I doing here?  I have been working with the apparently now deceased Thalamra."  he sighs, very much defeated, "Attempting to give Baldur's Gate the same fate as Elturel, it is what the dear lady wanted." He wipes at his eyes, "she is at least now where she wanted to be."

"Cliffvine...Cliffvine Vineyard?  Why... I didn't really have a hand in that, I didn't!  I uh, only heard about it and was asked to pay off the guards to keep quiet about it.  That's it, I swear."

As Thavius admits who he really has become, Reya's knees buckle underneath her, her weapons drop with a clang on the stone floor having slipped from her fingers.  Archie catches her before she falls to the floor and slowly lowers her to the ground, cradling her friend as she listens to Thavius.

Wilfred lets him fall to the ground, watching the defeated old man answer his questions. Wilfred takes a deep breath, then smiles.  "See now, isn't that better. The truth will set you free. I'm sure my friends have other questions, but I just have one more. Who was it? Who asked you to pay off the guards?" 

Corlith starts to look at the chests now that Thavius is broken and answering questions. He does call over a question of his own, once Wilfred gets his answer.

"What exactly happened to Elturel? And who exactly were involved in bringing that fate about?", he asks as he checks one of the chests to see if it is locked.

Finding the chest unlocked, Corlith opens it and takes a look inside, but not before granting himself a measure of protection from harm.

Corlith digs a hand into the chest and pulls out a fistful of very expensive looking electrum ingots, letting them tumble back into the chest.

"Um, I think this might be a vault of some sort. There is a fortune in this chest!", he says over his shoulder to the others.

Virro crosses his arms, relaxing a bit.  “Told you so…. he’s a naughty, naughty man.  Tsk, tsk, tsk.”  What a tool.  Virro stands there shaking his head and watching it unfold.  Glad he chose to spill the beans… or am I?  He darts a quick look at his fingers.  

"Blair... Blair Heartsong paid me to keep the guards quiet."  Thavius hangs his head as he answer Wilfred.

"Elturel, my beautiful city.  I was here in Baldur's Gate when it happened.  I think the Duke had a hand in it, but I'm not exactly sure." he responds to Corlith.

"Now now High Overseer. You were doing so well, let's not be coy. I am sure you know more about the fall of Elturel than you think you do. At least I hope for your sake you do", Corlith chastises as he turns away from the chest full of ingots to look directly at Thavius.

Intimidation: 14+7=21

"take a good look!" Archie starts at the man, "look upon Reya who had so much faith in you... You chose to work with the woman who you think had a hand in the downfall of your city, Reya is but one of the many many people who you condemned with your actions. Why? Why go along with any of this? You say she cursed you? How? You owe it to Reya to answer these questions, to make it make sense!" Archie's visor flares with angry flame as she takes her mask off to prevent it burning up. 

Now that Thavius is shackled, Reed takes his rope back and then quickly flips all of the chests open, doing a quick inventory while the questioning is done.

"Don't forget about the puzzle box. What's so important about that?"

Thavius looks like the lowest of the low as you intimidate him further and use his follower against him.  The pig like devil shadow of his seems to almost shrivel up underneath him as he covers his face with his hands and slumps his shoulders.  Now, not only on his knees, but sitting on his heels as well, completely hunched over, surrounded by you.

"For Zariel!!!!!"  He screams into his hands, a bit muffled, but no doubt as to the name you hear him declare.  He continues, never lifting his face..."The puzzlebox is mine.  I gave it to Thalamra to see if she could open it, I cannot.  The Duke didn't curse me, we did it together.  We gave the city to the beautiful Archduke Zariel, and I would do it again.  I would do anything for Zariel.  Anything..."

And his sobs overcome him.  The pitiful, once grand overseer of Elturel, completely reduced to rubbish.

Reya looks to Archie, a surprised look upon her face due to the words Archie said.  Composing herself, she gets to her knees and watches the debacle of the man she held so high.  Coughing a bit before finding her voice, she asks, "How do we bring Elturel back?"

"I don't know.  I wouldn't tell you if I did."

Archie snaps her fingers in front of Reya's face and brings the woman's attention back to her. In a low and conspiratorial tone Archie asks, "I know this is alot all of a sudden, but you need to be sure... this man cast aside his oath and condemned your home to avernus because of his zealotry, do you condemn him to death in return? Are you ok with that being the outcome of this situation if it is taken out of your hands?" 

Reya looks at Archie and listens to her.  Hardness returns to her eyes.  She stands up, and addressing the suit of armor, "He deserves nothing less."  and walks out of the room.

"VIRRO, Start with the thumbs and continue the questions, keep him alive long enough to answer this time" Archie asks, placing a healing potion on the floor, before quickly following Reya out and making sure she doesn't run off.

Wilfred stays close, knife in his hand. "I already know about Blair Heartsong. Tell me more Thavius! Who else was involved! Who was Blair working for?" Wilfred yells out, losing his cool. He takes a deep breath and takes a step back. "Sorry, sorry. Keep asking your questions." He says to the others. He doesn't move too far away, but lets the others take the lead. He keeps staring at Thavius.