“But we’re going after Spernik, and we don’t have time to get lost inside the castle. If you have someone who knows the passages — secret ones included — I need them with us.”

 

"None here would know aside from myself. Those captured here are civilian, and the invaders thought of me the same. I was keeping my identity hidden from them. They believe all of Phlan's leaders are dead, and that is to our advantage, for now. I can map out the inside of the Gate for you," the Lord Regent responds to Hildigrim.

"The Pool of Radiance?" he asks. "What is it, exactly?"

"I do not fully understand it myself, but it is steeped in the history of Phlan," Ector Brahms replies. "The villain Tyranthraxus once used the arcane nature of the Pool to assault Phlan from within. It is nothing more than fresh water now, but that has not seemed to have stopped the invaders from seeking it out nonetheless."

Hex watches the young girl with curiosity until she suddenly slices open the dead man's throat. At that point she steps forward and tilts her head at the girl. "Um... can I ask what you're doing? He was already dead, if that was the concern."

"I's just be makin' sure, Outsides!" the girl beams up at Hex. 

"We can't linger here much longer. My Lord, do you think you could gather these people and lead them to the Laughing Goblin? We could escort you, but doing so would cost us our chance to deal with Spernik. And he seems far too dangerous to be left alive."

"I will not leave anyone behind to die in the tunnels or be fed to a dragon," the Lord Regent says. "There are many more to be freed, calmed, and gathered. I will set myself to this while you all see to Spernik. If all are freed by the time you return, then I will escort them. Better yet if you are able to return to escort us all. I have not forgotten how to use a blade, but it is a large task for one man."

Hildigrim stiffens at the Lord Regent’s words. For a heartbeat, he says nothing. Then he steps forward, just enough to close the distance, just enough to make this personal. “No, my lord.” The halfling’s voice is low, but it cuts through the chaos with unsettling clarity. “You are thinking like a soldier, not a steward. And Phlan cannot afford that mistake.”

He gestures, not dramatically, but with sharp, economical motion toward the smoke, the broken streets, the distant roar of the dragon.

“Every frightened soul in this city is asking the same question: Is anyone still in charge? The moment word spreads that the Lord Regent is still in the streets — bleeding, fighting, or worse — panic will eclipse courage. People will scatter. They will hide. They will die alone.”

He meets the Regent’s eyes and does not look away. “You don’t need to swing a blade to save them. You need to live.”

His fingers tighten around the edge of his Harper pin. “Send your orders with messengers. Appoint captains. Let us take the risk of hunting Spernik and crawling through shadows. But you —” his voice softens, just barely, “— you are the spine that keeps this city upright. If you fall, Phlan folds.”

He exhales, controlled but strained.

“You said this is too large a task for one man. You’re right. Which is exactly why you cannot stay. Leadership is not standing in the fire. It is making sure others don’t burn when the flames shift.” He pauses just long enough to push his dirt-speckled glasses up his narrow nose. “Please, my lord. Go to ground. Let us do what we’re good at. And when we return — because we will return — you’ll still be here to lead whoever is left to safety.”

Hex is a bit stunned at the girl, not really knowing what to do with her. "Well... I guess it's good to be thorough..." She scratches the back of her head for a second before crouching down to be eye level with the girl. "Hey, can you tell me your name? And your friend's name too? My name's Hex and I won't lie, I'm pretty curious about you." She waits for the girl to respond before continuing. "What are you doing out here, all alone? Do you have any parents or guardians? It's too dangerous for anyone to be roaming about by themselves, let alone a child."

Auriel glances at Hildigrim with muted astonishment as the halfling speaks so bluntly to the Lord Regent. Back in his days at court, such a plain refusal would have been received poorly—perhaps even as an insult—but he cannot deny the truth in Hildigrim's words. The Lord Regent needs to think of his own safety first. Still, Auriel understands Ector Brahms' position all too well: it is the very choice he would make himself, were their roles reversed.

Even if he doubts the Lord Protector will change his mind, Auriel steps in to support Hildigrim, adding evenly, "He's right, my lord. We will not fail in bringing back every citizen we find held within this place. You can leave that to us, while putting yourself and these people to safety."

If the Lord Regent still insists on staying, Auriel says nothing more and simply rtaps Hildigrim on the shoulder—a quiet signal that they should press the matter no further and instead prepare to move on Spernik.

Carl hooks his thumbs into his belt and rocks up and back on his tip toes.  “Righ’.  I’d be agreein’ with that.  Please get yourself and these good people to safety, m’Lord.  Meanwhile, we will look for this Spermik fella and do what must be done.  Ready to press on?”  Carl looks over to Hildigrim for guidance.  

"We desire the same end," Ector Brahms says, looking resolutely between Hildigrim, Carl, and Auriel. "But there are many more prisoners here just in this courtyard who need to be freed before we can move, and I will not abandon them. We will be safer moving together in the streets once you return. Go quickly, take care of Spernik, and return. I can defend myself if it comes to that, but the faster you move, the less chance that becomes necessary."

Meanwhile, the young girl beams up at Hex. "I am Elisande! Nice to meet you, Outsides!" she exclaims. "And da'? Dat be a goat!" The goat seems uninterested in this conversation, instead wandering over toward the Lord Regent and the others, stopping a few feet away from Auriel and staring up at him with its pale, milky eyes.

"I's a live by the graveyard now," she answers. "But I wanna to git a good look at da greet wing'd serpante!"

Hildigrim frowns at the Lord Regent’s continued insistence and, after a heartbeat, accepts that pressing the matter further will only waste precious time.

“We’ll take that map you offered,” the halfling says, the reluctance in his voice carefully contained but unmistakable.

As Ector Brahms begins sketching, Hildigrim turns away, only then noticing the young girl Hex is speaking to. His frown deepens. He catalogs the sight — her posture, her proximity to the chaos, the way Hex has angled herself protectively — then forces himself not to intervene. There are too many fires burning, and he cannot put them all out.

When the crude map is finished and its landmarks explained, Hildigrim studies it in an attempt to commit the routes to memory before rolling it up and tucking it into his belt.

“We shouldn’t delay any further,” he says, already shifting his weight toward motion as he looks to Auriel and Carl.

Then, raising his voice just enough to cut through the din, he calls over his shoulder, “Hex, we’re on the move.”

Once he sees that the tiefling is ready to follow, Hildigrim turns and hurries toward the entrance the Lord Regent indicated — his pace brisk, his jaw set, every step carrying the unspoken hope that they are not already too late.

Auriel takes a moment to study the map as well before Hildigrim rolls it up, then nods to the Lord Regent. "We will do so," he replies, offering short, respectful bow.

As he turns to rejoin the others, he finds himself face to face with the strange goat, its pale, milky eyes fixed squarely on him. Auriel halts, meeting its stare with his own silvery gaze. "You are not a common goat, are you?" he murmurs.

The moment passes as Hildigrim calls for them not to delay and Auriel shifts his focus back to the task at hand. With one last glance toward the goat and its owner—whom he cautions against getting too close to the "great wing’d serpent"—the paladin strides over to Hildigrim and rests a hand lightly on his shoulder. A chill, invigorating touch spreads through the halfling, the last of his wounds knitting closed beneath Auriel's touch.

"Let's finish this," Auriel says simply, ready to move towards the entrance.

(ooc: Auriel uses 7 points Lay on hands on Hilidigrim to top his HPs)

Hex furrows her brows and shakes her head at the girl. "I don't think that's a good idea, Elisande. It's too dangerous. How about you stay here, with the Lord Regent, and help him free all the prisoners? Then, when we come back, you can come and escape Phlan with us. It's only when everyone is safe that we'll be able to come up with a plan to defeat the dragon." She glances up at Hildgrim as he calls her and puts one finger up, asking for just a moment more to speak with the girl. Though she was most definitely not just an average girl, it didn't feel right to just leave her by herself, especially now that she has shown interest in getting close to the dragon.

"No, no' when iss a become more exciting!" Elisande says, practically bouncing, a wild sight considering the amount of dirt and blood covering her, but with her energy it's obvious that she lacks any wounds of her own. "I wann know how many babies it bringed widdit! I already seen one bitty one a wee bit bigger than a ridin' goat, wiss a man astride it. It haz a bite like a wasp beastie!"

The goat, for its part, chews aimlessly at nothing in particular as its gaze remains locked on to Auriel.

Auriel halts when Elisande speaks again. "Babies?" He hadn't even considered that the dragon might have offspring. His expression darkens. "Then we'll have to be even more careful."

He tilts his head slightly. "A bite like a wasp? Do you mean they have stingers?" His eyes narrow, already filing the information away. "Good to know."

Noticing the goat's fixed stare, Auriel glances down at it, then back to the girl. "Elisande," he asks, "why is your goat so fixed on me? Is it expecting something?"

He looks back to the animal, deadpan. "I don't have any food for you."

Hex scratches the back of her head, unsure of what to do with the girl. She didn't want to spend anymore of their already little time and so stands back up to address the Lord Regent. "My Lord, do you think you can keep an eye on Elisande while we deal with Spernik? I'm sure she can handle herself but... still. It's not safe for a lone child right now."

She lets out a chuckle as she glances towards Auriel and the goat, finding the paladin's confusion amusing.

Quote from BartyMcDougal >>

 "I wann know how many babies it bringed widdit! I already seen one bitty one a wee bit bigger than a ridin' goat, wiss a man astride it. It haz a bite like a wasp beastie!"

The goat, for its part, chews aimlessly at nothing in particular as its gaze remains locked on to Auriel.

Carl turns his head at that comment, hearing about the stinging wasp creature.  “Tha doesn’t sound good at all.  That demon lookin fella that jumped out and had some effect on Hex, and now strange wasp creatures.  Doesn’t sound good at all.  But, timesawastin, we better get movin if we want to pull this off and stay alive.”  He gives a mock salute to the girl and says “Stay safe.  Get outta here alive, don’t go sightseein, alright?”  Then he moves to follow Auriel, at a dwarven jog to keep up.

 "A bite like a wasp? Do you mean they have stingers?" His eyes narrow, already filing the information away. "Good to know."

"Uh huh, yah!" Elisande nods enthusiastically, miming with her arm like she's stinging an invisible creature. The goat, meanwhile, merely cocks its head sidelong at Auriel, continuing to stare.

"My Lord, do you think you can keep an eye on Elisande while we deal with Spernik? I'm sure she can handle herself but... still. It's not safe for a lone child right now."

"Elisande?" Ector Brahms asks. "Is she one of the captives? I assure you, no child will be left alone. I will ensure that all are accounted for." As Hex looks around to point out the child to the Lord Regent, making eye contact briefly with Auriel, they each quickly realize that Elisande and her goat are nowhere to be seen.

OOC: Hildigrim is somewhat impatiently waiting for the others 20 or so feet closer to the castle and looking back. Did he happen to see the girl and goat leave?

One moment, the girl and her goat are there in front of them and, in the next, they've vanished into thin air. Auriel blinks, a faint crease forming between his brows as he gives a slight shake of his head, as if to say what in the gods' name…? Then he exhales, schools his expression, and turns without another word to follow after Hildigrim.

"Come on," he says. "We've wasted enough time."

Hex practically spins in a full circle as she looks for where Elisande could've gone. She stands stunned once more before letting out a sigh. "Uh, never mind, my Lord. It looks like she's left already..." She sees Hildigrim standing somewhat impatiently and jogs over to him. "Sorry, sorry. Ready to go now."

Carl is marching along, staying silent and resolute.  He clearly wants to move quickly, glancing around and listening, watching for any sign of trouble.  

OOC: Hildigrim also did not notice the girl leave with the goat, likely slipping away from his notice if he looked back toward the castle as he was waiting.

There doesn't seem to be anyone inside the Stojanow Gate. You are easily able to sneak inside, following the Lord Regent's directions.

After wandering empty corridor after empty corridor, and more flights of stairs than you can count, you come to an iron-bound door set with a small grate at eye level. Peeking inside, you see a pair of guards in splint armor. One leans back on a chair straight ahead of you, tipping it on two legs so that his back is on the wall while he fidgets with a small knife. The other is leaning along the right wall, eyes closed. Beyond them, from a small side room, flickering lamplight reveals the shadow of a man within.

"How long are we supposed to stay here, Spernik?" the standing guard asks, stifling a yawn.

"Until I say you can leave," a voice calls out from the side room. 

Hildigrim looks up at Auriel, then Hex, and lowers his voice to a breath. “What do you see?”

As they relay what lies beyond, his gaze drifts past them, unfocused — not on the stone ahead, but on possibilities. Two guards. Spernik. One corridor, one side chamber. Simple enough. Too simple? His mind immediately begins to worry the edges of the scene like a loose thread.

Who’s out of sight? How many ways out does Spernik have? What contingencies has a cultist like him prepared?

The halfling imagines hidden murder holes, a whispered command word, a spell held just long enough to turn the corridor into a slaughterhouse.

“There are too many unknown variables,” he whispers, more to himself than anyone else.

He looks up again, this time meeting their eyes. For a fleeting moment, the careful confidence he usually wears slips, replaced by something closer to appeal than command.

“Is it really as simple as it looks ... once we’re through the door?” His fingers flex, itching for parchment that isn’t there. “If we wait, we might learn more. Patterns. Reinforcements. Traps.” A pause. “Or we lose our best chance entirely.”

His jaw tightens. “If we rush in, we gain the element of surprise. But we risk walking straight into something we can’t see.”

He appears to shake himself before turning to glare at the door. "Either way, we have to get past this door."

OOC: DM, is there a way to check if the door is locked without making noise? If it is locked, is there a visible lock that could be picked?