After a little more though, he sends to Syl, "Do you think there might be another of those teleport rings? If not...beware back there. They could be anywhere."

Invisibly shrugging to himself, Usul decides it’s worth trying, and sends a mental Message to the sleeping man on the ground, “Hey! This isn’t a dream! We’re here to take you home. But be quiet when you wake up!” He then waits for any response.

After Usul sends his message, the man stirs briefly, rattling the manacles. The young gnome doesn't get a mental response to the message, but the Baroness' son opens one bleary eye, the other appearing to be swelled shut. He looked around with a glazed over look, but doesn't seem to see anything. 

Now that he's awake - if you could call it that - you start to get an idea of the horrid shape he's in. Cuts and bruises cover his body, and his face is gaunt from malnourishment. Figuratively speaking, he looks like a zombie, and even though he's conscious, you question whether he's "all there" at the moment.

"Hey! You're awake!" Usul again sends a message to the man. "We're hiding just by the door. Are the guards around?"

Silthras grimaces at the wounds, telling Syl, "He's badly wounded. I'll need to heal him if we want to move him."

Again, suspicious of the enemy, Silthras recalls their use of illusion and decides to test the solidity of the walls before risking becoming visible. He touches every wall in the apparent cell, feeling from floor to ceiling. If he finds nothing, he examines the worst of the wounds, and does what he can to heal the hapless lad.

After relaying all the information to the others, 'I'll search around while you deal with him.'  Syl replies, before taking a look around inside the room for anything similar to the teleportation platforms they've seen before.

Investigation: 22

"I don't know...Who...?" Even through a mental connection, the voice sounds weak. Meanwhile, Silthras investigation yields nothing. The stone walls here are just that. Eraine Sholte flinches as the half-elvish man becomes visible suddenly in front of him, bracing as the hands reach out to him. As the healing magic goes to work, the swelling around his eye goes away, and the worst of his injuries fade away. From his time spent in captivity however, he still appears meek.

Warily, he watches the man in front of him, though he doesn't speak as he was initially told.

As his friend appears and begins to deal with the poor captive, Usul breathes a sigh of relief and walks over towards them. From no where he says, “Let me try to open these locks.” Though he then fails in his first attempt, realizing that it’s quite hard to do so when he can’t see even his own hands. Taking a deep breath he focuses and gives it another go ((19))

After receiving the update from Sylnora, Kal himself will start down the winding stairs. He moves carefully and slowly as to not run into Usul. Once far enough down that the light won't reach upstairs, he pulls out the Driftglobe and speaks its command word. "Let me get a look at him." With that, he'll use his Divine Sense to make sure the young man is as human as he appears.

Silthras nods at his work, putting his head close to the man's. "Quietly now. We will get you loose. Are there guards about? When do they come?"

He will also help Usul in his attempts to unlock the manacles.

This time Usul hears the satisfying click as the lock comes undone and the manacles pop open, letting Erain's hands fall to his sides. Working quickly, he's also able to get the set of manacles binding the young man's feet off as well.

Light fills the room suddenly as Kal activates the magical globe, causing the boy to flinch. The knight stares intently at him, searching for an undead aura. But he finds none.

"They come...I don't know. It's so hard to keep track down here."

Meanwhile, Sylnora's investigation yields no sign of the teleportation devices, or anything arcane in nature.

With the locks open, Usul, still invisible quickly heads back to the entrance to keep an eye, and nose, out for any threats.

Silthras nods, "OK. Good. We'll get you out. Do you remember your name, son?"

 To Syl he says, "This just doesn't feel right."

"They aren't here..." Velyra whispers to herself slowly, with gears turning in her head. "Oh no. We've made a mistake."

With a quick Sending, she contacts the Baroness. It's Velyra, we have your son but the guards aren't here. They might be coming for you or Calmaius. Be prepared.

Listening to Velyra outloud and Silthras in her mind, her face becomes clouded in worry. Get her son and everyone else up here...I think you're right. In any case we need to leave quickly.

Outside the tower, Usul and Dib do not see, smell, or hear any threats. Save for the sounds of nighttime wildlife, all is quiet.

Back inside, the young man makes a face. "Eraine Sholte. Did my mother send you?" He still seems somewhat suspicious, as if wary that you may turn on him at a moment's notice. But the prospect of hope appears to be energizing him a bit, as he begins to try and push himself up to his feet.

He matches the description she gave. And besides the skin tone and hair, is damn near a younger, male version of the Baroness.

Velyra receives a quick and distracted message back. I KNOW. They're here.

"Dammit!" Silthras turns to Eraine, "Yes. Yes, she did." He fumbles in his pouch for the clip and shows it to the youth, "And now I fear that she may be under attack by Calmaius' people."

With that he starts to climb back up the stairs, leading Eraine.

((If Syl shares her messages ))

Silthras pauses, "Find out how many. We have her son, tell her no heroics." Too damned valuable as an ally to lose. Calmaius is spent.

Muttering a curse in Elvish, Velyra shakes her head. "We'll never make it back in time." Still, she sends a second message. How many are there? Don't put yourself at risk, we'll be there as quickly as we can.

The young noble takes a moment to focus on the emblem before nodding. He stumbles at first as he tries to follow Silthras up the stairs, holding himself up by holding onto the man's shoulder. "Under attack? B-but that's suicide. They weren't that many in number."

A short moment later, Velyra receives a reply. Uncertain. One is dead. Rest are barricaded in the dungeon with Calmaius. I will not cower in my chambers like some frilly princess.

Silthras' relief is plain, "I feared there might be more." He looks at Eraine and tries to assess his ability to travel, while considering other options. "We need to get back as fast as we can...obviously... Any suggestions?"

He keeps speaking as he readies his horse, "We should leave Eraine somewhere safe. He's in no condition to fight." He hands his old cloak to the lad, "We'll be moving fast and don't want you dying from the cold, and when we get closer to town, we don't want you being recognized."