[LPF] Precious Cargo

[Tark]

"But he has killed! He has harmed my beloved! His death is the only thing that will satisfy!" Sauvressa stamps her foot impetuously at the others clearly angered at the order not to follow through on her oath to destroy the evil one.

A bit nervous at seeing the angel like this Temarel says.
"While I'm not sure I want to watch as Sauvressa kills a man I don't think watching you brutally interrogate him is any more palatable. More than that I don't think we ahve the time." Temarel says gesturing back to the cart. "This thing will not wait for you to decide on a wise course of action. Nor will we be safer by linering here."

 

[jkason]

Eanos Setirav, human inquisitor

"Phedilo's given us a compromise, so we don't screw ourselves debating it," Eanos says, moving halfway between cart and fallen foe.

"Tamerel, throw me some rope. We tie and gag him to keep him from casting, and get the hells to the docks. Agreed?"

 

[IronWolf]

"Agreed. We's got a job we was paid to do." Fulgrim nods, ready to finish the delivery of this confounded stone.

 

[Tark]

Temarel passes over the rope while Sauvressa looks on her eyes narrowed clearly unhappy with the arrangement.

 

[jbear]

Maui looks incredulous. "You ... you want to talk to te enemy?"

His hand trembles above the fallen foe, teeth bared, tip of his scimitar pressing down on his temple hard enough to draw a trickle of blood. He glares at his companions fighting to control his murderous instinct.

With a growl he slams his sword into his sheath.

"Then he lives to speak. When he has spoken his life is mine! Our enemy does not walk away to hold te knife to throat another day."

More gently now he scoops Taniwha into his arms and walks towards the cart. He stops next to Eanos. "Can you save him with your magic stick? Tane will not favour one foolish enough to let his friend fall to dogs two times on te same day."

As Eanos closes the deadly wound in the big cats throat Maui is visibly moved to tears.

"Maui can never repay you Jade Arrow. But know that Maui stands with you tuakana ki tuakana, as a brother."

OOC: [MENTION=2710]jkason[/MENTION] I'll take you up on your offer on the wand healing thanks Erk! 61 xp short of lvl 3!

[sblock=Stats]
[http://livingpf.wikia.com/wiki/Maui_(jbear1979) Maui]
Initiative: +2
AC: 18
HP: 21 Current: 20
CMB: +5 CMD: 17 Fort: +4 Reflex: +3 Will: +5

Conditions:

In Hand: Scimitar: +6; 1d6+4 (Crit: 18-29/x2)
and Heavy Shield

Spells: Orisons: Create Water, Guidance, Light, Virtue
1st: CLW x2: Both USED, Obscuring Mist: USED

Taniwha
Initiative: +6
AC: 18
HP: 23 Current: 23
CMB: +3 CMD: 19 (23 vs Trip) Fort: +4 Reflex: +9 Will: +2

Conditions:

Bite: +8; 1d4+1 special: Trip
2x Claws: +8; 1d2+1
[/sblock]

 

[Qik]

As the others look on, Eanos quickly binds the unconscious halfling. Satisfied that he no longer poses a threat, the group loads him into the cart before cramming in themselves. As Sauvressa returns to her seat at the front of the cart, Phedilo eyes her uncomfortably, apparently wary that his unpopular wish to keep the halfling alive will have angered the righteously indigent angel. Still, Sauvressa does not further inflame the issue, and, once Taniwha is back to her healthy self, they commence with the short remainder of their journey.

Although the group keeps their eyes watchful and their weapons ready, no further foes present themselves; it would seem that the halfling was sent on his mission alone. Presently, they arrive at the docks of Gulls and locate the ship in question. Phedilo spends a few minutes in a heated exchange with the ship's captain, who is clearly peeved at having to delay his departure until effectively the following afternoon. In the end, however, the cost of the delayed delivery is nothing more than the man's inflamed speech, and soon enough, the ship's crew is ferrying the stone onto the ship and below deck as Phedilo mothers over them, relaying instructions for caution the entire time. As the stone passes through the cargo catch, the group members feel an odd wave pass over them and hear the faint sound of laughter, along with a whisper that says, It was fun... No one else seems to have heard the capricious stone's farewell.

The business at hand having been taken care of, Phedilo returns to the cart, clasping his hands in gratitude. "I cannot thank you enough, you five. Or should I say six! I cannot forget Taniwha, who nearly gave the ultimate sacrifice today. Again, I thank you; I dare not consider how this would have ended had you all not been here to aid me?"

His expression shifting to a more business-like tone. "Now - let us get this swine indoors so that we can question him, yes?"

 

[jbear]

Maui, obviously still in a very bad mood, does not respond to Phedilo's invitation to come aboard.

He sits himself instead outside with a good vantage point where he can easily see the gangway onto the boat, but not so easily connected to the boat himself. Taniwha stays with him, still somewhat in shock, tail curled between his legs, head hugging against Maui's legs.

If any of his companions invite him on board he shakes his head and spits: "Maui will be te eyes and watch out for te ears ... Call me when you have finished talking to te dead man..."

 

[jkason]

Eanos Setirav, human inquisitor

Eanos nods both at Phedilo's suggestion of privacy and Maui's determination to stand guard until the questioning is done. He throws the still-unconscious halfling over his shoulder and carries him to whatever indoor area Phedilo has access to. With his allies arrayed behind him, the inquisitor taps the bound and gagged halfling with his wand, just enough healing to wake the caster up.

As the halfling's eyes flutter open, Eanos mutters a prayer to Issolatha, then grins, a cold, malevolent expression.

"Hello, Ear, pleasant slumber?" he says, squatting to bring himself closer to the enemy's eye level. Despite his words, Eanos' voice is filled with malice.

"So, here's the thing: I've got more than a few friends here who want you dead pretty much right away. I told them, instead, that after all that trouble you caused, the least you could do to make up for it is tell us everything you know about where to find your brethren."

The inquisitor flexes his wrist, and a dagger pops from a spring-loaded sheath and into his ready hand. He glances to the blade a moment, considering, then back to the halfling.

"Now that you know what's what, I'm going to pull this gag down. Try to cast and I'll slit your throat. Lie to me, and I give you to my bloodthirsty friends. Understood?"

[sblock=actions]Let me know if it takes more than 1 wand charge to wake the halfling. I've subtracted 1 already, but will add more if necessary.

Casting Guidance, using it for Eanos' Sense Motive check, along with Silver-tongued haggler augmentation. Brings his bonus to +13. Taking 10 for 23.

Using Intimidate to get the caster to share information. Since he's a halfling, Eanos gets an extra +4 on the check for being larger. +12 on that check, so taking 10 for 22, before any Aid Another bonuses you might allow the others to provide.[/sblock]

[sblock=mini stats]Eanos Setirav
Initiative: +6
AC: 17 (19 w/ SoF)
HP: 23 Current: 6
CMB: +3 CMD: 16 Fort: +4 Reflex: +5 Will: +7

Conditions: See Invisibility: 10 minutes, renewed by Phedilo on expire.
Light (on cestus): ~25 minutes

In Hand: Dagger

Arrows: 17/20
Blunt Arrows: 20/20
Cold Iron Arrows: 19/19
Silver Blunt Arrows: 16/16
CLW Wand charges: 31/50 remaining

Judgement: 0/1 Remaining Determination: 0/2 remaining
Silver Tongued Haggler: 3/6 remaining
Spells: Orisons (DC 13): Brand, Create Water, Detect Magic, Disrupt Undead, Guidance, Light
1st (0/4 remaining)(DC 14): Divine Favor, Expeditious Retreat, Protection from Evil, Shield of Faith[/sblock]

 

[Qik]

At Phedilo's suggestion, the group makes the ride back to his shop where they can question their captive in a suitably private environment. Maui's ongoing objection and active protest noted, the group moves the halfling up into Phedilo's private storage and study area, where their employer moves a stiff-backed chair into the center of the room and then steps back in order to allow the others to take the lead in the interrogation.

A single cast from his wand is all it takes to pull their prisoner out of the depths of unconsciousness. He stirs slowly at first, but his level of awareness accelerates as his memory and understanding return: eyes popping open in a combination of fear and rage reminiscent of a caged animal, the halfling jerks wildly against his bonds, but they hold strong. In any event, he's not exactly built physically to escape from well-implemented restraints.

Though his eyes initially burn with defiance, Eanos' display is convincing; by the time he removes the gag, their captive has ceased fighting his restraints and seems resigned to his situation, and his apparent role within it. With the gag off, the first thing their prisoner does is sigh.

"I do not fear death. Issolatha has long since shown me the image behind the veil of our mortality. But I concede that not fearing the destination of death is not necessarily the same as not fearing the journey there" - here the halfling's eyes move along his captors nervously, resting especially on the imposing form of Sauvressa, before sighing once more - "so I will do as you say, heathen, and we shall see where it takes us all. But first, a question?" The halfling gazes deeply into Eanos' eyes. "You invoked the name of the Divine Secret Keeper. What right of yours do you believe this is?" The halfling seems not so much righteously indignant as genuinely curious.

He then shifts in a way that suggests he would dismiss this question with a wave of his hand were one free to do so. "It is of no matter. I will tell you what I can, but my knowledge will likely be less than you would want from me."

"The Ears have been silent much longer than they have been heard, for this is the way of Issolatha, the Lady of Secrets. Long before ones such as yourself knew of our existence, we had been spreading across the full reaches of E'n, and we have been uncovering the secrets of this world and the others in ways only the true followers of the Keeper of Secrets can. Only a blessed few know the full extent of our knowledge and our grasp, because even among our own, Secrets are made to be kept."

"As to specifics: the Ears have a few strongholds in Venza. Until very recently, Emerous Sloh, the Blessed Mouth of the Lady who Hears and Knows, kept a residence in Ranocchio; he had to abandon this bastion, however, when it was uncovered by a wily rival."

Here, Phedilo nods in knowing affirmation.

"As to others: the Ears have long sought refuge in the Sethir Mountains. There are more than one's fair share of shadows to hide in there, the dwarves keep to themselves, and the Owls of Irthos have too many other concerns to worry about what they think to be a few stray zealots. It is a suitable place to Learn and Wait."

"Many of us have begun to move, though, to the north. To Illi Esse." He smiles. "To the House which contains the Doors to the Worlds."

Eanos knows the halfling speaks the truth, but also senses there is still more to be learned from him.

 

[Tark]

Sauvressa hangs over the halfling with he glaive at the ready to strike him down at even the hint of treachery. As he finishes her eyes blaze with fury.

"Tell us everything. Repent your evil and bring your vile secrets to light! Only hen may your wretched soul be saved from the thousand black torments that await you beyond the veil of life and death!"


Meanwhile Temarel, who has no taste for the fury of his companion or the anger in Maui or the rightesou zeal of Eanos sits down in the shop browsing through various books and stopping occasionally to read a passage out of things that sound interesting.