"Huh."

(Ha!)

Azaka in her human form (not revealing anything about her lycanthropy to Orvex as of yet), nudges closer to Evo "hmmm.... dafuq if I know."

(hahaha, had to do it again)

Orvex smiles once again at Phillip as he steps back a little.

Orvex then responds to Gotur "The wizards? I mean... honestly, the group I was with aren't all that bad. The pay is amazing, they keep me fed, treat me well and heck, who actually gets to say they explored the lost city of Omu in their lifetime! I'm not sure about their goals... I mean they don't tell me much and I don't ask much. Seems to work out well that way."

He continues "I know they aren't the best of folk, done some bad things and all from what I've heard..."

Eku can't restrain herself any longer. She interrupts with a blasting voice, still in her human form "DONE SOME BAD THINGS?! The Red Wizards are one of the most evil, wicked and unholy organizations in all the land. I can only begin to imagine why they are here. I cannot... no, I SHALL NOT continue to aid you should you be affiliated with this group. Finish answering our questions, and think long and hard before you answer them."

She gives him an intense stare and kind of tilts her head slightly, initiating the spell but only at the surface level, for now. 

This spoiler is meta as only Eku learns Orvex's current surface thoughts, but wanted to show you as it's kind of funny. 

She has had enough. Eku knows the same amount of information about the Red Wizards as Gotur does and seems to be going into full blown interrogation mode as a result. The fact that Orvex could be affiliated with such a group has disturbed her greatly. She can't hold it in and couldn't wait for the party to discuss it all privately first. 

Azaka would stand up now after whispering to Evo and then say "Woah! Um, Eku??" 

What's next? Anyone have any questions for him? If not, Eku will ask more questions of him and will continue deeper with her spell. 

Hearing what Eku says, Phillip draws his bow and licks and nocks two arrows in a fraction of a second, and stands firm at point blank range...

He demands in Grung, “Have you done evil things? Hmmm?… … I will not let you endanger my friends! No Sir…”.

((no stammer in Grung))

Evo looks between Eku and Orvex.

"Oh, those wizard's."

He doesn't interfere yet but would should Eku look like she's going to attack the injured man.

"They've turned Thay into perhaps more a land of undeath than these jungles, and are headed by a lich. They are not good people, no matter how well they pay. Orvex, did you swear any oaths to them? Did they commit any foul acts that you witnessed? Or have you reached a point where you see the error in your ways and want to start fresh, having nothing to do with their sort?"

Phillip, Orvex's eyes widen when you draw your bow, and he responds in Grung:

Azaka also looks between Eku and Orvex and responds to Evo. "Ahhh yeah. Those ones." She is acting similar to Evo in that she's not doing anything yet but is ready to unleash her blade on this guy should he get aggressive or Eku attacks him. She's particularly attentive to Phillip as well as he draws his bow.

Gotur, Orvex responds "A LICH?! I swear I didn't know that. As far as I knew, they were headed up by an elf somewhere in Chult... hmmm.... Valll...Valindra. Yes that is her name. Oaths?? No. None. I swear. The group I've been with on this expedition did, er... take out some camps on the way but I was never a part of it. Never told me the rationale. Please. I've no loyalty to them. I... I could work for you instead. I don't even know where the ones that survived went. Why are all of you here? Maybe I could help you all with..."

...and Eku interupts again "ENOUGH! WE WILL ASK THE QUESTIONS!" and she will now attempt to probe deeper into Orvex's mind using her magic. She attempts to gain insight into his reasoning, his emotional state and something that looms large in his mind.

Orvex WIS save: 18

He resists the probe, the magic fails and he realizes the magic was attempted. He says "Hey! Why??? Please! Come on! I am telling you all the truth!!"

I will pause here and send it over to you. Eku's likely going to continue to try the magic as she can use this spell at will.

Phillip’s big black eyes briefly flick between Orvex and Eku as this battle of wills takes place. He keeps his bow drawn and the two arrow-tips levelled at Orvex’s chest for now…

"An agent of Thay would also say they're innocent. We have to be sure. I'm sorry, and should you speak true, I'll make it up to you."

Gotur will draw on his past as a part time bouncer and clamp a massive hand on Orvex's arm and nod to Eku.

Phillip pipes up again in grung, “I’d suggest you don’t fight it… it’ll only take longer!… Just let her ask her questions. Open your mind to her as a gesture of faith…”.

((Phillip is suggesting Orvex doesn’t resist/contest the WIS saves (if possible). ))

Persuasion if needed: 14

Evo shifts uncomfortably, grits his teeth and offers,

"Um... Aye'm not sure if this is much better than these wizards would get up to Eku. Forcing yer way into someone else's head? It's not exactly... Well aye'm not sure if Selûne would condone it."

He doesn't interfere, he is just throwing out his qualms first to see how they land.

"I'm inclined to believe him, since he didn't have to volunteer the name of his employers. You said you can't test until morning Evo?"

"Aye would need to ask Selûne tonight, aye can do it in the morning. If we can wait."

DAY 33 - 9:00PM

Gotur, Orvex would be too exhausted to resist your grip even if he wanted to. Which he seemingly doesn't because you don't feel him resist when you hold his arm down with your massive hand. He just says "Seriously?!" 

Azaka would've actually moved over to Orvex when Gotur held him down and assisted with that. She would've held his other arm down. Orvex says "oh COME ON?! You all just saved my life and now this?!"

Phillip then pipes up, and Orvex responds in grung:

 So, Orvex was not going to resist Eku's magic going forward. 

Then, Evo says his piece as well as Gotur who is still holding the man down with his massive hand along with Azaka, and then after a few moments of reassessing the situation Eku says out loud to everyone "Yes. This doesn't feel right. Not like this." and then she telepathically says to Evo tomorrow morning then. we finish questioning, with your magic, to determine next steps. we need to know. and she then nods at Gotur and backs up a bit.

So - is the plan now to camp overnight in this ruined building using Evo's tiny hut spell for added protection? So there are 7 people - still enough room in the hut. What will be the dinner? And then will questioning commence tomorrow morning when Evo can cast his zone of truth? Eku does not want to proceed tomorrow morning with the adventure until more confirmed information is gained from this person, and she feels Evo's magic is 'softer' than going right into the man's mind. Although... she will revisit her own magic tomorrow morning if she doesn't feel satisfied.

Here's the camping overnight roll but I will let you respond to the above before moving to the next day. Depending on the result, it may very well be a complete wash like some of the encounters in the jungle, but I'll let you know either way.

7  /  22

* no encounter at night.

Over to you!

Alton would suggest a rotation of watch for the night, just to be safe, and would take first watch. 

(Ya, I think camping in place was the plan.)

Evo nods to Eku after the brain talking, and gives her a reassuring smile.

That night he'll pray to Selûne for zone of truth.

((In fact I will update his list. It's been a while!))

In the morning he'll cast zone of truth and have Orvex come into it saying,

"Yer about to feel a tingle, don't resist it. It's only a zone of truth. Ye won't be able to lie while yer in it, meh goddess will stop ye. Be honest."

Once Orvex has properly failed/chosen to fail the save, Evo will look to the others and say,

"Ask away."

Gotur expels a held breath and pats Orvex on the shoulder as he releases him. 

"Sorry, a bit more tense of a rescue than you were probably hoping for, but we've just got to be careful. We'll wait for morning, and Evo here will ask his goddess to bless us with truth. If it'd make you feel better, I'll let him put it on me and as long as we're satisfied, give you a chance to ask me some questions. But we'll have some dinner, and get some rest. Rest'll do you good."

((Gotur can make berries, if Evo isn't able to make his bland food, or both, or if Phillip had foraged anything on the way in?))

Gotur will also offer Orvex some insect salve.

((Evo will always make his pile of bland food if he can. Lots and lots of flavorless nutrition.))

((Phillip would have been too overwhelmed, leaving the jungle and entering the city, to forage much on the way in. I think we’re stuck with bland food and berries… For which Phillip is always of course enthusiastically grateful. Unless we find or buy anything else in the city of course. Did we have some spices? I forget)).

Phillip will take a watch and keep an eye on Orvex. After loving him for speaking Grung, to drawing his bow on him, he’s decided to reserve judgment on the man now, until after the questioning in the morning.

((Evo bought several pounds of different spices but they'd all be used up by this point unfortunately. Unless someone picked something that could be added?))

Gotur, Orvex rubs his arm a bit where you were holding him down and he responds: "Ughh.. it's alright. Yes. Fine. We can do that in the morning. Th.. Thank you... again, Gotur. Dinner and rest sound good. Thank you." and he also takes the insect salve from you and smiles. 

Alton takes first watch on the party's first night spent in the city. The night is uneventful as Alton finishes his watch, hands off to the next and gets his rest along with everyone else including Orvex who gets his exhaustion level reduced by 1. (he is now currently at level 2, you all would've realized this by looking at him and his state even in the morning).

For dinner, it looks like it's Evo's bland food and some berries perhaps crushed up or however Gotur decided to prepare them. 

Orvex doesn't complain one bit.

DAY 34 - 8:00AM

Orvex after getting fed and a decent sleep feels a little bit better although he still looks rough. "I'll need a few more days to get back to 100%, but I'm feeling a lot better now. Thank you again. All of you." and he looks at Eku and smiles at her.

She does not smile back and stands there clearly waiting for Evo's magic and the questioning to begin. 

Evo creates the zone of truth.

Evo, Orvex does not resist the magic. "Yeah. Sure. I've been honest with you so far so this isn't going to be any different. Let's do it." and he looks at Gotur and then says "you're coming in as well, right? Like you said last night?" as he enters the section of the ruins that Evo created the spell at and it takes hold. He kind of shivers a bit and then waits for the party to ask him things. 

Orvex would go over some things that he's already stated, which would essentially confirm the truth of all the items in the spoiler below.  

Orvex would then ask Gotur (did he end up keeping his word and entering the zone along with Orvex?) "So, why are all of you here? I will always thank my lucky stars that you were... but the question still stands. Do you seek entrance into the Tomb like the Red Wizards do?"

Eku is still frowning and shaking her head at Orvex, but she doesn't ask any questions just yet and looks at all of you to see if you might ask some first. 

Azaka also remains silent for now. 

Over to you!