(I think Choir already saw it, but just in case it's for something else: 17 )

Perception check 19

"He lied, right there." Adray said, "And Choir was alerted."  He took a step away from her and began to slowly circle around.  "Now I don't know much about the whole cleric thing, I know those with its power can exhaust some of it but I know working with Chior, you can do little things with minimal effort.  Fix an object, create light, make a puff of wind.  But no just straight up denied having the energy to do it but he had plenty to bludgeon a woman to death."

He turns back to Thavius, "You, are hardly the man I was raised to believe you were and you disgrace all those who put their trust in you."

(No-no, Choir obviously saw all she could)

Actually, now when Adray said it out loud - about Choir's alert - he realized, he reacted not only to the words and flapping wings, he saw it too - the shadow, that Choirs was pointing to. Now the man was on the floor, but when he was standing his shadow on the wall was not human but gave a clearly visible look of horned fiend with small wings.

Adray growls, "Your shadow betrays you." He turns his head slightly to the others, "Choir was correct, that is not the shadow of a human."

(Perception: 6 )

Pollys arm is now starting to shake form the excursion of holding the crossbow. She is not used to lift that kind of weight, she usually really on her magic to get by, but she refuse to lower it. 

I wish I still had magic enough to cast read thoughts she thinks.. 

Tavius Kreeg tiredly closed his eyes for a moment then said, addressing Reya, "Help me to sit, child". Reya automatically helped, still not knowing what to think. "This is some kind of evil magic, right, High Observer?"

But the man already gave up: "Indeed it is, though it is not what your feathered friend think. I am as human as any of you - humans. With one exception - I am not going to die, like you will. Zariel promised me that and she keeps her word. You are still young and do not understand what it means to see your flesh decaying, your might and power drifting away from you... I was offered to get it all back and keep forever. What is the city of betrayers as a payment for that? She wanted Elturel - and she got it. And I will get what is mine now. Thalamra wanted the same for herself... She might still get something but she would never outrank me, not now. Do what you wish - Baldur's Gate is already lost. I planned to see it's final fall. Guess not every wish comes true, even for me."

(Sorry for the delay)

Ordrag has been standing at the door, keeping an eye on the hallway on alert for any more cultists or others. But at the sound of the scuffle, he turns to look... Perception: 22

Those who beat the perception score did see the shadow Choir was pointing on and sudden confession of Thavius did not come as surprise.

Ordrag spits on the ground at the feet of Thavius Kreeg. Like a captain selling his crew. Seeking power and immortality he can understand, but to do so at the expense of the people that look to you as your leader - that is the gravest form of treachery. And with none higher in secular authority to dispense judgement, he can only suggest appealing to those who represent the god Thavius claims to worship. Hand him over to the temple of Torm, me reckon.

Ordrag assume the shield Kreeg is talking about is the one from the drawings, and he looks around to see if it is anywhere nearby.

Choir agrees wholeheartedly with Ordrag's decision, and goes to help search the room behind Thavius. Investigation: 13

The shield was there, yes, and it was not hidden but proudly presented for all to see. Ordrag and Choir firs stumbled over the body of Thalamra Vanthampur, laying there in the small pull of her blood. You could safely say she was not a devil. This room itself contained four wooden tables with two small wooden coffers atop each one. Hanging on the wall opposite the door was a beautiful golden shield, the one you saw on the drawings left in Thavius quarters.

The eight coffers were unlocked and contained coins and treasure, some of which was unpleasantly similar to the one found earlier in the bathhouse, most likely of the same origin - stolen from the Dragon cult.

Coffer 1 contains 30 electrum ingots (10 gp each) - no marks of dragons.

Coffers 2, 3, and 4 each contain 100 gp also clean from dragon marks.

Coffer 5 contains two pieces of a broken ceremonial dagger: a curved ivory blade bearing Draconic runes that spell out “Fang,” along with a bone hilt wrapped in leather strips and studded with gemstones.

Coffers 6 and 7 each contain 100 pp - still not dragon's.

Coffer 8 contains twenty azurite gemstones (10 gp each) in the leather pouch with dragon head painted on it.

Outside, Thavius just dismissively smiled at Ordrag's words (though, at the idea of cleric's interference he did flinched), but Reya... That was the last straw, it seems. She was ready to sacrifice her life - gladly and proudly - to save the man, who just confessed destruction of everything she hold dear. At the moment she was sitting by the wall, opposite the one Thavius was, staring unblinkingly at the floor tiles in front of her.  

Choir leaves the treasure to the others, and goes to sit beside Reya, putting a feathery arm around her shoulders.

Perception: 10

Fran would glance over her shoulder to try to see what the fuss was all about, but didn't really see anything. By the time she turns back around, Adray slapped the Observer. She'd snort for a laugh, unable to shake the feeling he deserved it. When Ordrag would finish his words, Fran would follow up with kicking the back of Thavius' knees to bring him down on them, face to face with Brutus.

The artificer would only glance around the room from her position.She'd let out a low whistle as the shield and some gems would catch her eyes. "Aye. Good thing I infused a fancy bag this time." Though this whistle was not a whistle to release Brutus. The steel defender remained diligent with keeping Thavius in his place.

"Thavius," Adray said without all of the honorifics, "Thalamra, tell us how you got involved with her and what your play is."

As he waited for the response, Adray would bend down and check for a pulse on Thalamra.  If she has one he will try to stop the bleeding and motion for manticles.  If he can do that he would gag her as well.

Medicine 19

Polly eventually lower the crossbow as the situation seem to diffuse. “So what now?” She ask. “How do we get Elturel back from hell? And what is the next step?” She ask so everyone hear her. Then she walk over to Ordrag and the shield. After inspecting it for a while she start to cast identify as a ritual on it. 

Choirs comforting helped to a degree - Reya closed her eyes and now tears were quietly rolling down her cheeks.

Adray found that Thalamra was dead. Whether Thavius wanted to convince the group of his good intends or remove the witness (or it really had something to do with some hierarchy he was talking about) but it is obvious Thavius killed the woman, that was severely wounded in the fight with the group before she retreated.

When Adray returned to Thavius (who was still sitting outside guarded by Brutus) and asked his question, the man just shrugged: "As funny as you might find it, but I did tell the truth - Thalamra wanted my help with the shield. I do not think she really found it, most likely stole, but that was not the point. I was researching it. There are some legends about mighty artifacts, some of them were shields. I was invited to by the Duke to investigate the object." 

The shield, Polly is working on now, is indeed magnificent! Not only it glitters softly as a true noble gold supposed to, the shape, the size - everything screams "noble battles of the highest knights"! The only bothering thing about it is the design on top of it - some kind of face that subtly moves in disturbing ways.

When Polly begun her ritual, she heard a voice in her head: "Do not trouble yourself, little one. I am the Hidden Lord, a being of great power. If you are willing to try to free the great city of Elturel - I vow to help you in this endeavour."

Surprised Polly stops in her ritual for a moment. Then decide not to pay it any mind. It could be some kind of defense mechanism to prevent people from identifying the shield with magical means.

The ritual continues.

((Identify takes 11 minutes - anyone is doing something during that time?))

During that time Adray says, "Tell us what you know about the shield and then about your plan to get transport this city Hell.  That's what you were saying right?"

As that his going on he points at the others.  "You know the drill, hazard pay for us, collect all the evidence we can get from them.  Though we got one he'll of a witness now."

(there is at least one more witness - Falaster Fisk, who gave you the maps, told about other prisoners in the villa, and is waiting for you with that puzzle box, that contains (theoretically) Thavius' written and signed contract with the devil)

"Not at all! My way of transporting Elturel was not my but Zariel's and could not work here - thee thing that brought city down was the very Companion "protecting" it for years. What kind of deal Thalamra struck - I do not know. The shield, however, was supposed to help as a source of great power. It is of celestial origin - that much I learned, it has mind of it's own and can talk. Ask him itself, if you do not believe me."