Quote from Mehmen >>

"I mean to be honest, I ain't so surprised. Surprised they're tolerating each other, sure. But, if they're like, based on the elements like they say they are, it ain't so surprising. Especially if they got Djinni, Efreeti, Marids, and... Dao help'n." At the last word he grimaced but otherwise quick to carry on and say, "Though, world destruction would be a new one for any of those guys. Like, they tend to have followers that kinda got the whole cult vibe goin' for'em, but even they wouldn't quite go that far."

He then rubbed his chin. "Baker, Blacksmith, and The Miner, huh? Well, that kind of covers most of the stuff I would'a gone fer. But, ya'll do raise a good point... hmm... Uh... Guess I can be... The Cobbler? Yea, that sounds pretty cool. Also, are you okay Kethra?" He asked as he settled into place, ready to help rowing.

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine. My village was attacked and my master was slain by the mercenary Jolliver Grimjaw whose body we left behind back at the keep. My master was the only one who took me in and I can't believe...."

The Blacksmith's eyes turn briefly red, and stops rowing for a moment. Taking a deep breath, she lets out a small scream, quickly covering up her mouth with her cloak halfway through. "Ahh! I'm so mad, I can't believe they're doing this to other towns, villages...cities!"

If the others look back at her, she will pull her hood back over her head in embarrassment. "We should get Sorak a secret name too, right?" she tries to deflect.

Quote from LordShadowthorn >>

There are two doors, one on each side of the wall that the throne's on (not counting the secret one).  The bodies have disappeared, but there doesn't appear to currently be much activity, at least in your area.

Right before emerging from the secret passage and back into Jolliver Grimjaw's room, The Blacksmith gathers the party and tries to get them all riled up.

"We're gonna beat up some cultists! And since we know there are hired swords hired from nearby who don't know about cults...we don't have to pick a fight with every person we meet. Let's find out where those delegates are! Miner, do your usual sneaking around and Cobbler you do the talking."

She raises one arm to check on the scale mail she stole from the reaver's commander, hears it predictably clink and sighs. "Mr. Baker, you're the boss and call the shots...I'm going to cover the back with our half-orc friend."

Xanranzan, not really knowing what else to say after the revelation, can only rub the back of his neck and nod along in understanding. Aside from this, he was apt to stay silent even as she vented further about the cultist, but would at least pat her on the back in camaraderie.

Later..

"I mean, on the one hand that means we'll maybe find folks so I can do my job." He said, throwing back a wink at Kethra. "On the otherhand, them knowing trouble's afoot will make it a bit tricky. But we should be able to handle as much!" He exclaimed as he fell in step beside Tyde, if not just behind him.

"Left door works for me." Rubin agrees.

Quote from Mehmen >>

"I mean, on the one hand that means we'll maybe find folks so I can do my job." He said, throwing back a wink at Kethra. "On the otherhand, them knowing trouble's afoot will make it a bit tricky. But we should be able to handle as much!" He exclaimed as he fell in step beside Tyde, if not just behind him.

Kethra stares blankly for a moment at Xanranzan, then after a few seconds she laughs. "Oh, right! We haven't let you have any revenge on any of these people yet, huh? Sorry about that."

She slightly bows apologetically, and it becomes obvious from the big ribbon she's tied her hair around that deep inside, she's a country girl whose clueless as ever. "Still, please be careful out there!"

The left door opens into a plain dormitory featuring six bunk beds and a small wooden table and chairs, as well as two large laundry tubs and several baskets full of dirty clothes and linens.

Three plainly dressed people are huddling in a corner, 2 women and a man.  They stay completely silent.

Staying out of sight to whatever's inside the room since she's dressed in the reaver leader's armor, Kethra nods quietly to Mr. Tyde and presses her ear to the next door to listen for anything.

Perception: 16

Edit: Kethra shrugs, probably unable to hear anything and offers to open the door when they close the first one.

Xanranzan nods along as well. Although if he does get a glimpse into the room before the door closes, he awkwardly waves at the people inside before following along after whoever took point on the next door. He whispers along the way, "We are goin' back for those folk, right? 'cause, I don't think there here fer the same reason as us, or them cultist fellas, if'n ya catch my drift?"

Beyond the right door:

Two large hearths on the north wall of this room hold kettles full of simmering stew. Washbasins and worktables with old, battered crockery stand in the middle of the room. Sacks, casks, and barrels are piled along the southern wall, and cheeses and smoked fish hang from the ceiling.

There's food out on the tables that looks like it was in the middle of being prepared, so most likely the cooks left when the alarm was called.

"Hey," the pale blue eyed girl in armor gently puts her hand on Mr. Tyde's hand.

 "They obviously don't know about...where we came from, so it's likely there aren't any reavers, shape shifters (fathomers) or any other direct connections to the rest of the temple. It's probably just the ordinary folk we saw at the barracks left! And remember, the written description they had of us I set on fire.

"Should we wait things out? Or...." Kethra thinks for a moment, then a mischevious smile spreads across her face. "Unless...if you think waiting out is too much of a risk with the temple, would it be better to get the first move and quietly bonk some heads?"

She offers Mr. Tyde a boat oar (quarterstaff).

(So are there no other doors from the two rooms we just explored?)

Kethra rolls her eyes as she has to take off the armor she just put on, but she's all smiles. Looking around the expansive room devoid of people, she gestures to Rubin,

"Miner, you said you wanted to search this place?

(no other doors, yes.)

"Well if we're gonna still try be all quiet like 'bout this, I got some special family magic that aughta make things at least a bit easier. Granted, it'd only be for an hour. So, and I will have to focus a bit on it." At that, Xanranzan rubs his hands together until the space between began to spark before placing his palms down on the ground. From all around the earth genasi the sounds of the groups movement becomes muted, their scents muddled, and even their appearance start to almost take on the texture of the stone about them.

After that, he too looks expectantly to Miner, ready to follow.

(Using Pass Without Trace from racial trait, so everyone has a +10 to their stealth bonus for the next ic hour.)

"Back the way we came in then?" Rubin asks, nodding back out of the keep. "Do we have anywhere else to check around in here, or are we going to leave the place entirely?" He will lead the way out, using his invisibility in darkness to make sure the way out is clear of threats.

Quote from DragonDenn >>

"Back the way we came in then?" Rubin asks, nodding back out of the keep. "Do we have anywhere else to check around in here, or are we going to leave the place entirely?" He will lead the way out, using his invisibility in darkness to make sure the way out is clear of threats.

Before the earthen friend casts his spell, the country girl takes aside the ranger with a gentle but concerned tone. Removing one of the gauntlets of her scale mail, Kethra uses her now free hand to point to the pile of sacks, casks and barrels just sitting there. "These two rooms are exactly what you've been grumbling about when we voted to head down the cavern--where we found and liberated our new allies! And now that you've finally had your own way you don't even want to check?" (OOC: Don't you want to make any perception rolls?)

If Rubin decides to move on without checking any of this well-lit room over,

 If Rubin does decide to search the room,

Quote from Mehmen >>

"Well if we're gonna still try be all quiet like 'bout this, I got some special family magic that aughta make things at least a bit easier. Granted, it'd only be for an hour. So, and I will have to focus a bit on it." At that, Xanranzan rubs his hands together until the space between began to spark before placing his palms down on the ground. From all around the earth genasi the sounds of the groups movement becomes muted, their scents muddled, and even their appearance start to almost take on the texture of the stone about them.

After that, he too looks expectantly to Miner, ready to follow.

The Blacksmith stares at her hands in amazement, then tries to reach up and pat Xanranzan on the head. "You're awesome, X---er, Cobbler! I wish we met you sooner."

Then addressing the rest of the team, Kethra thinks for a moment, then pounds a fist into her other hand when she has an idea (which is a bit awkward because it doesn't make a sound at all). "Alright, everyone pick a job and report back in 5. I'm personally going to close the passage underground and bar the door where you found those people, but if anything else needs to get done after, I'll make up for it."

Great Hall layout link

1. Check for fresh tracks---or you know, body drag marks--from either the east or the west double doors
2. Plot out their movements from the stone balcony
3. See if there are any guards seen from the north and south arrow slits
4. (Claimed by Kethra) Re-seal the passage to the underground cavern and bar the doors of where the normal looking people were.

(What rolls, if needed, would we need to be rolled for this?)

(No rolls.  The passage was never sealed in the first place, and barring a door is, well, barring a door.)

(Since that was pretty easy for me and probably didn't take that much time, I'll Help the next roll if I'm allowed to ^^)

(Sure.)

Xanranzan grins and waves Kethra in a playful "Oh you~" gesture. Although admittedly the compliment was just the sort of confidence booster he needed at the moment. While he hadn't admitted it to anyone, getting captured in the first place, and not even by the right guys had left its mark on his psyche.

"Well, I ain't much fer, uh... lagistics. But, I trust my eyes well enough to go spy'n fer movement. Be right back." He animatedly padded his way over and up to the North and then south arrowslits for a look around.

Perception: 21/10 w/help.

Stealth: 14.
(if necessary)

You notice a few body marks, one particular large one probably belonging to Grimjaw's corpse.  The castle is eerily silent, but you see a few lone guards standing on the walls.

Quote from LordShadowthorn >>

You notice a few body marks, one particular large one probably belonging to Grimjaw's corpse.  The castle is eerily silent, but you see a few lone guards standing on the walls.

Once Rubin catches up with the group, Kethra shares what she learned with Xanranzan and adds, "I just remembered....there was 2 reavers and 8 bandits sleeping in the barracks, minus the two. With any luck, the rest of them went off a few days' journey to bury their dead."

Looking over to Mr. Tyde, she asks for guidance, "What do you think, Mr. Baker? should we take out these guards, or check on the barracks first?"