Marlede looks both ways once she swiftly and quietly jumps of off Perrin and into the passage. Bow and arrow in hand, in case anyone attacks. She nods at Aubreen with affirmation, trying to stay quiet and focused.
You reach the eastern room once more. You try to depart quietly, but Sirius and Aubreen are both hindered by their bulky equipment [Stealth 13 and 12 respectively]. Only Perrins spell keeps the noise at a low enough level that one may think you have gone undetected.
Marlede and Perrin are both quiet [23 and 18 respectively].
Since Perrin and Marlede were going ahead a bit according to what you discussed before, they were able to survey the rooms before anything happens.
To the east of the altar, there is a a room (7) that is empty except for an iron lever that protrudes from an iron plate embedded in the east wall.
To the west are the private quarterst (6) of an albino tiefling who sits at a small desk in the dark, writing in a book with white leather covers. An ink-black crow perches on one of her horns and seems to read along with her scrivening.
As Sirius and Aubreen arrive, the crow squawks in an elevated pitch, alarmed.
The tiefling responds to the crow: "Shush Skelm. I'm trying to read. What are you -"
She realizes the warning. "Hello? Anyone there?" The rustling of fabric follows. She is getting up.
Aubreen looks at the statue, which is unmoving, frozen in a pillar of ice. The horned thing is clearly meant to depict some kind of devil. If it's an altar, probably a powerful one. The brown fungus behind the statue seems alive, despite the cold.
Aubreen, realizing his lack of stealth is probably what gave them away tries to attract her attention, and distract her from realizing he is not alone. He steps forward, keeping his hands out and unarmed. He looks about the room with only partially feigned curiosity. "Strange to find a young woman here, in this place. Are you a prisoner Lady?"
He tries to smile, unpracticed in the art, it comes across as a little awkward. "I mean no harm, only came here to find a friend but was turned back at the door. That would not do, I must find and speak with her" He keeps a distance from he so as not to intrude, or cause alarm at his presence.
You sees that since she got up, she is now holding a staff of some kind, seemingly made out of ice.
Aubreen [Deception 16]: The tiefling scrutinizes Aubreen for a moment, as if searching for something. She does not look satisfied by what she finds, her eyes narrowing and her mouth drawing to a straight line.
She doesn't respond to Aubreens first question, but eventually says: "There's nothing for you here. Get out." The crow squawks for emphasis.
Her stance is sure, as if she was owning the place and everything in it.
Marlede walks out of the shadows and stands next to Aubreen. She has her bow and arrow at the ready, but doesn’t aim it. Looking at Aubreen, she'll say:
"Don't waste your breath, Aubreen. Did you forget already?"
She then turns to the tiefling and says:
"You're Avarice, aren't you? Dzaan squawked like a little birdie about you. You're an Evoker Wizard. And still, you haven't tried to kill my friend here yet. Why?"
She stands confidently in front of Avarice. Either she's brave or an overconfident fool.
There's a hint of surprise in the tieflings eyes as Marlede steps out, though it is quickly suppressed.
She is silent for a moment, then says "I am. You're well informed. How's Dzaan doing these days?"
Avarice makes a noncommittal gesture when Marlede questions her further. "I can't very well kill every supplicant breezing in here. There must be a reason for the guards to have let you through."
Mulling over what was has been said said, she adds "Then again. Seems like that was just an lie."
Her posture is straight, tense. Not the posture of a cornered animal, rather a viper waiting to strike.
"You are treading on dangerous grounds. If you're to walk out here alive, I want an explanation. Let's start with who you are and what you want."
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
As his friends start questioning the pale tiefling whom Marlede determined was Avarice, Perrin hangs back nervously just out of sight from the wizard. He didn't like Avarice's tone and body language, and he had a feeling that it would take very little for her to attack his friends. As such, Perrin carefully positions himself to be just close enough to launch webs at her just in case she decided to start throwing around spells while hoping that his spell was enough to still cloud him from her vision.
((If able, Perrin wants to ready a Web attack if she starts attacking. Here's a stealth roll to stay hidden while moving to get within range if possible: 33))
Marlede doesn't flinch after Avarice's threat. She grins and says:
"Heh... Dzaan was burnt to ashes. I'm surprised you didn't know already. As for the guards, don't worry. They're just taking a short nap. We're not murderers. Unlike your band of pretenders."
Marlede clicks her tongue as if she just remembered something.
"Right! You don't know who we are. I think I'd like it to stay that way, though. Names are dangerous things to give out freely, you see. Just think of us as adventurers, trying to free the people of Caer Dineval from whatever devil worshipping group this is."
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Aubreen side eyes Marlede, Avarice, he had forgotten, did Dzaan speak of this one, what was it he said. A pinch of confusion crowds hies eyes briefly before he realizes it didn't matter. A threat, he was trying to be kind. This one was not a prisoner, she was a part of what was happening here in the Caer, perhaps a major part.
"You are in no position to threaten, in fact it seems to me, the role you think you have, has been reversed.You are treading on dangerous grounds. If you're to walk out of here alive, I want an explanation. We already know who you are so lets start with what is happening here at the Caer." Aubreen parrots back the woman's words, his hand falls to the hilt of his sword as he glowers at the icy woman. Intimidation: 6
Perrin is ready for conflict, out of sight. [Because there is no readying out of combat and Avarice won't be surprised because of how tense the situation is, Perrin has +5 on his initiative roll.]
Avarice doesn't show any surprise at hearing of Dzaans fate, simply saying. "Ah, good."
She looks annoyed at Marledes breezy description of the guards and the current situation. The expression deepens at the partys unwillingness to divulge information. The tiefling lets out an exhasperated sigh at Aubreens retort. "I see the schools of this backwater of a region still have a lot of catching up to do. Everywhere I look, barbarians."
Avarices eyes become unfocused for a moment, as if she's trying to make out something in the frigid air. Or as if listening to a distant conversation. Then, she returns them to you, projecting a distant coldness.
"Fine. Let's be more civilized about this. You told me why you are here, so let me fill in the rest. The caer houses the Black Knights, a cult devoted to Levistus, lord of the Fifth. They are fools, but they're useful fools. They know much of the dangers that have befallen this land." The wizard pauses. "Or of dangers yet to come."
"This is a bastion of resistance against the Frostmaiden. Surely you see the utility."
Marlede furrows her brow in annoyance. Yet she maintains her composure.
"You speak as though you're not part of the problem here. Like they're some pawns to be used and discarded. That's good. It means you won't mind if we drive them out. You know, since they're currently holding an entire town hostage. And that's just not something I can ignore. No matter how useful you claim these weaklings to be. I mean, they were so easily incapacitated. Are you really going to stand there and defend them against us?"
Marlede scoffs and says:
"Of course not. You Arcane Brotherhood members are all the same. Only interested in personal benefits. You don't really expect me to believe you care about defeating the Frostmaiden and saving the Dale, right? No. Whatever the reason for that fiend they worship to oppose her is not good."
Avarice waves Marledes complaint away with one hand. "They're not being held hostage. They can come and go as they please and they're better protected than before. Even the weakest among the knights can call upon magic. Destroying the knights means leaving Caer Dineval without any protection."
She looks at you with a raised eyebrow. "We'll see about your assumptions, won't we. It's true that I don't care about this Tentowns backwater, but Icewind Dale itself is a fascinating place. The Frostmaiden is a nuisance."
The wizard, in a somewhat patronizing tone, continues: "But do go on, I won't stop you. Then, in a fortnight this place will be ash and rubble. And not by my hand, mind."
She pauses, before continuing: "Unless we find a mutually agreeable solution? I do wish you would be more practical about this."
"Oh, sure. The people are free to do anything. They're just scared of the consequences."
At the mention of the Frostmaiden being a nuisance, Marlede can't help but smirk.
"At least we can agree on one thing. I just won't subject the people of Ten-Towns to sufferring just because I think my way is the most practical. But I'll listen to you for now. Tell me. What is it that the Black Knights are protecting this town from? What is this deal you wish to make?"
Avarice grabs the chair she was sitting on, spins it around and then sits, facing you. Her staff is placed on her lap, like one might hold a cat. She doesn't deign to respond to Marledes first statement.
"Seems like we're getting somewhere then. But even if I wanted to tell you all I know of these matters, it's not much. The black knights were here before I arrived. If you want to learn of the dangers, speak to their leader, Kadroth. He's an old tiefling. Their soothsayer, Hethyl, might also be of assistance. She's an ancient dwarf."
She makes a noncommital gesture, her face a mask. "As for me, I have research to conduct. Alone. If you spoke true about going easy on the guards, you should be able to get an audience. Just tell them that Avarice sent you."
Aubreen looks on, glancing back and forth between the two woman. "I hope we can leave here amicably. You find Auril a nuisance, we find her to be detrimental to the townsfolk. In this it seems were are aligned. We search for her followers, the frost druids, do you know anything about them?"
Gesturing to the switch in the other room, "Does that open the marble slab? Does it lead into or out of the Caer?" He looks to Marlede, then turns to leave.
Avatrice responds to Aubreen, somewhat dismissively: "The Frost druids are fanatics that think they can gain Aurils favor by throwing themselves into the blizzards. One of my colleagues, Vellynne, was researching them. For what good it will do her. Last I saw her she was sledding off to Caer Konig."
Being questioned about the lever, she answers: "It opens the eastern half of the cistern. Never been back there myself. The only way back to the castle is up the ladder at the west end."
Aubreen looks to Marlede to judge her attitude. The other two silent in the back ground. Saying as much to the Tiefling before him as his companions. "We only came to speak with Hethyl, nothing more. All we seek is an audience. Let us go and decide how to achieve this." He looks to the woman, "Without an audience. Good satisfaction in your research."
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
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Stealth: 23 (with the +10)
Perception: 16
Marlede looks both ways once she swiftly and quietly jumps of off Perrin and into the passage. Bow and arrow in hand, in case anyone attacks. She nods at Aubreen with affirmation, trying to stay quiet and focused.
Currently DMing:
Sirius joins his companions in the room trying to be as quiet as he can.
(Stealth: 18)
You reach the eastern room once more. You try to depart quietly, but Sirius and Aubreen are both hindered by their bulky equipment [Stealth 13 and 12 respectively]. Only Perrins spell keeps the noise at a low enough level that one may think you have gone undetected.
Marlede and Perrin are both quiet [23 and 18 respectively].
Since Perrin and Marlede were going ahead a bit according to what you discussed before, they were able to survey the rooms before anything happens.
To the east of the altar, there is a a room (7) that is empty except for an iron lever that protrudes from an iron plate embedded in the east wall.
To the west are the private quarterst (6) of an albino tiefling who sits at a small desk in the dark, writing in a book with white leather covers. An ink-black crow perches on one of her horns and seems to read along with her scrivening.
As Sirius and Aubreen arrive, the crow squawks in an elevated pitch, alarmed.
The tiefling responds to the crow: "Shush Skelm. I'm trying to read. What are you -"
She realizes the warning. "Hello? Anyone there?" The rustling of fabric follows. She is getting up.
Aubreen looks at the statue, which is unmoving, frozen in a pillar of ice. The horned thing is clearly meant to depict some kind of devil. If it's an altar, probably a powerful one. The brown fungus behind the statue seems alive, despite the cold.
[Ah, missed Sirius independent stealth roll. In this case, it's only Aubreen that is loud enough to alert the raven.]
Aubreen, realizing his lack of stealth is probably what gave them away tries to attract her attention, and distract her from realizing he is not alone. He steps forward, keeping his hands out and unarmed. He looks about the room with only partially feigned curiosity. "Strange to find a young woman here, in this place. Are you a prisoner Lady?"
He tries to smile, unpracticed in the art, it comes across as a little awkward. "I mean no harm, only came here to find a friend but was turned back at the door. That would not do, I must find and speak with her" He keeps a distance from he so as not to intrude, or cause alarm at his presence.
You sees that since she got up, she is now holding a staff of some kind, seemingly made out of ice.
Aubreen [Deception 16]: The tiefling scrutinizes Aubreen for a moment, as if searching for something. She does not look satisfied by what she finds, her eyes narrowing and her mouth drawing to a straight line.
She doesn't respond to Aubreens first question, but eventually says: "There's nothing for you here. Get out." The crow squawks for emphasis.
Her stance is sure, as if she was owning the place and everything in it.
Aubreen grimaces a little as if in pain, "I am sorry mi-Lady but I can not leave until I speak with her. Help me and this could be quickly concluded."
Marlede walks out of the shadows and stands next to Aubreen. She has her bow and arrow at the ready, but doesn’t aim it. Looking at Aubreen, she'll say:
"Don't waste your breath, Aubreen. Did you forget already?"
She then turns to the tiefling and says:
"You're Avarice, aren't you? Dzaan squawked like a little birdie about you. You're an Evoker Wizard. And still, you haven't tried to kill my friend here yet. Why?"
She stands confidently in front of Avarice. Either she's brave or an overconfident fool.
Currently DMing:
There's a hint of surprise in the tieflings eyes as Marlede steps out, though it is quickly suppressed.
She is silent for a moment, then says "I am. You're well informed. How's Dzaan doing these days?"
Avarice makes a noncommittal gesture when Marlede questions her further. "I can't very well kill every supplicant breezing in here. There must be a reason for the guards to have let you through."
Mulling over what was has been said said, she adds "Then again. Seems like that was just an lie."
Her posture is straight, tense. Not the posture of a cornered animal, rather a viper waiting to strike.
"You are treading on dangerous grounds. If you're to walk out here alive, I want an explanation. Let's start with who you are and what you want."
As his friends start questioning the pale tiefling whom Marlede determined was Avarice, Perrin hangs back nervously just out of sight from the wizard. He didn't like Avarice's tone and body language, and he had a feeling that it would take very little for her to attack his friends. As such, Perrin carefully positions himself to be just close enough to launch webs at her just in case she decided to start throwing around spells while hoping that his spell was enough to still cloud him from her vision.
((If able, Perrin wants to ready a Web attack if she starts attacking. Here's a stealth roll to stay hidden while moving to get within range if possible: 33))
DM- Azalin's Doom
DM- Surviving the Unsurvivable
Marlede doesn't flinch after Avarice's threat. She grins and says:
"Heh... Dzaan was burnt to ashes. I'm surprised you didn't know already. As for the guards, don't worry. They're just taking a short nap. We're not murderers. Unlike your band of pretenders."
Marlede clicks her tongue as if she just remembered something.
"Right! You don't know who we are. I think I'd like it to stay that way, though. Names are dangerous things to give out freely, you see. Just think of us as adventurers, trying to free the people of Caer Dineval from whatever devil worshipping group this is."
Currently DMing:
Aubreen side eyes Marlede, Avarice, he had forgotten, did Dzaan speak of this one, what was it he said. A pinch of confusion crowds hies eyes briefly before he realizes it didn't matter. A threat, he was trying to be kind. This one was not a prisoner, she was a part of what was happening here in the Caer, perhaps a major part.
"You are in no position to threaten, in fact it seems to me, the role you think you have, has been reversed. You are treading on dangerous grounds. If you're to walk out of here alive, I want an explanation. We already know who you are so lets start with what is happening here at the Caer." Aubreen parrots back the woman's words, his hand falls to the hilt of his sword as he glowers at the icy woman. Intimidation: 6
Perrin is ready for conflict, out of sight.
[Because there is no readying out of combat and Avarice won't be surprised because of how tense the situation is, Perrin has +5 on his initiative roll.]
Avarice doesn't show any surprise at hearing of Dzaans fate, simply saying. "Ah, good."
She looks annoyed at Marledes breezy description of the guards and the current situation. The expression deepens at the partys unwillingness to divulge information.
The tiefling lets out an exhasperated sigh at Aubreens retort. "I see the schools of this backwater of a region still have a lot of catching up to do. Everywhere I look, barbarians."
Avarices eyes become unfocused for a moment, as if she's trying to make out something in the frigid air. Or as if listening to a distant conversation.
Then, she returns them to you, projecting a distant coldness.
"Fine. Let's be more civilized about this. You told me why you are here, so let me fill in the rest. The caer houses the Black Knights, a cult devoted to Levistus, lord of the Fifth. They are fools, but they're useful fools. They know much of the dangers that have befallen this land." The wizard pauses. "Or of dangers yet to come."
"This is a bastion of resistance against the Frostmaiden. Surely you see the utility."
Marlede furrows her brow in annoyance. Yet she maintains her composure.
"You speak as though you're not part of the problem here. Like they're some pawns to be used and discarded. That's good. It means you won't mind if we drive them out. You know, since they're currently holding an entire town hostage. And that's just not something I can ignore. No matter how useful you claim these weaklings to be. I mean, they were so easily incapacitated. Are you really going to stand there and defend them against us?"
Marlede scoffs and says:
"Of course not. You Arcane Brotherhood members are all the same. Only interested in personal benefits. You don't really expect me to believe you care about defeating the Frostmaiden and saving the Dale, right? No. Whatever the reason for that fiend they worship to oppose her is not good."
Currently DMing:
Avarice waves Marledes complaint away with one hand. "They're not being held hostage. They can come and go as they please and they're better protected than before. Even the weakest among the knights can call upon magic. Destroying the knights means leaving Caer Dineval without any protection."
She looks at you with a raised eyebrow. "We'll see about your assumptions, won't we. It's true that I don't care about this Tentowns backwater, but Icewind Dale itself is a fascinating place. The Frostmaiden is a nuisance."
The wizard, in a somewhat patronizing tone, continues: "But do go on, I won't stop you. Then, in a fortnight this place will be ash and rubble. And not by my hand, mind."
She pauses, before continuing: "Unless we find a mutually agreeable solution? I do wish you would be more practical about this."
Marlede rolls her eyes.
"Oh, sure. The people are free to do anything. They're just scared of the consequences."
At the mention of the Frostmaiden being a nuisance, Marlede can't help but smirk.
"At least we can agree on one thing. I just won't subject the people of Ten-Towns to sufferring just because I think my way is the most practical. But I'll listen to you for now. Tell me. What is it that the Black Knights are protecting this town from? What is this deal you wish to make?"
Currently DMing:
Avarice grabs the chair she was sitting on, spins it around and then sits, facing you. Her staff is placed on her lap, like one might hold a cat. She doesn't deign to respond to Marledes first statement.
"Seems like we're getting somewhere then. But even if I wanted to tell you all I know of these matters, it's not much. The black knights were here before I arrived. If you want to learn of the dangers, speak to their leader, Kadroth. He's an old tiefling. Their soothsayer, Hethyl, might also be of assistance. She's an ancient dwarf."
She makes a noncommital gesture, her face a mask. "As for me, I have research to conduct. Alone. If you spoke true about going easy on the guards, you should be able to get an audience. Just tell them that Avarice sent you."
Aubreen looks on, glancing back and forth between the two woman. "I hope we can leave here amicably. You find Auril a nuisance, we find her to be detrimental to the townsfolk. In this it seems were are aligned. We search for her followers, the frost druids, do you know anything about them?"
Gesturing to the switch in the other room, "Does that open the marble slab? Does it lead into or out of the Caer?" He looks to Marlede, then turns to leave.
Avatrice responds to Aubreen, somewhat dismissively: "The Frost druids are fanatics that think they can gain Aurils favor by throwing themselves into the blizzards. One of my colleagues, Vellynne, was researching them. For what good it will do her. Last I saw her she was sledding off to Caer Konig."
Being questioned about the lever, she answers: "It opens the eastern half of the cistern. Never been back there myself. The only way back to the castle is up the ladder at the west end."
Aubreen looks to Marlede to judge her attitude. The other two silent in the back ground. Saying as much to the Tiefling before him as his companions. "We only came to speak with Hethyl, nothing more. All we seek is an audience. Let us go and decide how to achieve this." He looks to the woman, "Without an audience. Good satisfaction in your research."