By way of Phar's translation, Angus tells Caerth that he's NOT a babysitter; he asks Caerth to think of him as a tool in his belt, but not an ordinary tool. Angus is a tool that will work by itself; Caerth says, and Angus will do.
Angus tells Phar, in Centaurish, "Tell him that Aeron's exact words to me were as follows: The lad needs an experienced assistant. I want you to treat him with the same respect that you give me, and do exactly what he says. Maybe that will put his mind at ease; I mean him no disrespect."
And with that, Angus retraces his steps, and sets about retrieving his lance and bow.
Caerth does not reply, but then tenses when he hears the name of Aeron and what his former mentor told Angus. He holds his step for a moment, not turning around, then briskly walks on.
The half-orc has had his worldview flipped only a day or so ago, and clearly he has not found any satisfactory answers about his mentor yet. And his orcish blood knows only one way to cope with uncertainty and stress: anger.
Thankfully the young druid has learned to channel anger, and a certain grey dwarf harassing an ally seems like a good target...
Phar's quick mind easily makes the needed translations. His elven tongue moving from one language to another as if they were all the same to him. Finally he speaks for himself. "The evils in this tower are not new wrought and they will keep a while longer. Even if there is only a change the dire warnings of attacks on the village are true we must act to protect the people there. Let us be on our way. I feel there is not a spare moment to be wasted."
Maur easily spots Aureus's deception. Unfortunately, between the closed-in helm and the sudden speed with which the wizard went away he missed the opportunity to hit him as he went by.
Not to be outdone, he rushes back down into the hall. "Stay, Eike, don't come off the stairs!"
He goes blindly at a full run hoping to run into the elusive wizard or at least to go beyond what the creature moved so he can have another chance at him. It was a good duel, wits of the wizard and his surprising agility against superior strength and weaponry. If Xander survives it will be well-earned survival.
"I will not spend more spells, just in case we have to fight undead or those rooks whatever they are later. Hm...this is all stalling tactics, we should run full speed back even if it is a false alarm."
Aloud he calls out "What, no more fireballs wizard? Not even magic missiles? Maybe dagger from behind?"
Maur easily spots Aureus's deception. Unfortunately, between the closed-in helm and the sudden speed with which the wizard went away he missed the opportunity to hit him as he went by.
Not to be outdone, he rushes back down into the hall. "Stay, Eike, don't come off the stairs!"
He goes blindly at a full run hoping to run into the elusive wizard or at least to go beyond what the creature moved so he can have another chance at him. It was a good duel, wits of the wizard and his surprising agility against superior strength and weaponry. If Xander survives it will be well-earned survival.
"I will not spend more spells, just in case we have to fight undead or those rooks whatever they are later. Hm...this is all stalling tactics, we should run full speed back even if it is a false alarm."
Aloud he calls out "What, no more fireballs wizard? Not even magic missiles? Maybe dagger from behind?"
Xander watches as Maur comes round the corner and tries to run him down in the corridor. The duergar steps aside to let the dwarf pass him.
"Not quite far enough." He thinks. He can see the female canine humanoid is ready to pincushion him if he appears, regardless of the Sonnthord's wishes. She looks agitated. "I will not die here today."
He sighs and realizes he should have engaged the dwarf. It was stupid and vain. Hmm, perhaps he could appeal to their lust for treasure. He steps back down the corridor towards the one called Aureus... "A strange name, that." and pulls his healing potion from his belt. He quickly downs the elixir and and makes sure it takes full effect before speaking. The wounds on his feet heal... he resists the urge to run. He drops the potion bottle on the floor next to him.
He holds up his hands in surrender with nothing in them and mentally ends his invisibility. He keeps his back against the wall of the corridor to be able to see both the Sonnthord and the canid female. Aureus looks at him and growls. She looks ready to shoot.
"Hold your weapon," Xander says. "I surrender myself to you and the Sonnthord. I know when I am beat and I have no wish die here today."
"I don't believe you," Aureus says.
"I would not have dropped my invisibility if I was lying now," he says. "To do so would be very dumb, don't you agree?" He pauses. "I no longer have my axe, and I could never beat the Sonnthord in a fight one on one. You have my surrender, but it comes with a request."
Moments after he has surrendered, he watches as the other adventurers come around the corner. "Just in time, or I'd be dead," he thinks. There is the centaur who saw Xander in the light of the Hell Forge and a... half-orc? It must be the druid. Aeron's apprentice. Tarrak had told him about the druid, warrior, and two elves who had came out to the island before but hadn't mention the canid woman, this Aureus. The one called Ffar, of something like that, comes around the corner next followed by the human approaching from the other corridor. He doesn't remember the warrior's name but he sees that the rumors are true... the man has Cruel Justice.
"I would prefer not to end up executed in Carnell and I'm willing to offer not only all my possessions, but also all the information I know about Tarrak and his undead brood." The other 'heroes' comes around the corner along with Aries. "I knew there was something off about you," Xander says to the man. "You were a little too skilled to be a simple acolyte."
Aries remains silent under the watchful gaze of Timmins and Wieland.
"Very well, be a mule," Xander rolls his eyes. "Besides the possession I have on me, there is wealth and magic to be had in my private chambers. I'm hardly a prisoner here and I am paid well for my forging services. I did not have time to retrieve my personal wealth from my bedchamber after you arrived. In the bottom drawer of my dresser is scroll, my satchel with gold, and velvet bag with four jewels in it. The drawer is locked and protected with a fire trap, so you'll need me to get it open." He pauses and looks at Maur. "I realize that wealth likely means nothing to you, which is why I barter for my life and my freedom with not only the secret passage that leads from this island back to the mainland, but a reckoning of the forces that Tarrak still controls." He looks at the others. "Before I tell you anything else, I need assurances that I will not end up being executed by him or anyone else in Carnell."
"Be very careful about making demands, wizard," Aureus replies. "You are in no position to demand anything."
"Don't be so sure," Xander mocks. "I've lived here for a long time and unlike Tarrak and his fanatical followers, I know the laws of this land." He looks at Quinn and Cruel Justice in his hands. "Meum est vita tua. Non dissipabit illud."
"Well, that is surprising," Cruel Justice says. He translates the words telepathically to Quinn and the others and what they mean in the Strandlands. "I accept your surrender, Xander Dragoncloak."
The duergar looks shocked to hear the sword use his full name.
"You cannot hide your true self from me, duergar," the sword says plainly. "I will hold you to your vow."
"My life is yours. Do not waste it."
This is a formal declaration of surrender in the Old Tongue of the Strandlands. It is primarily spoken by the members of the senate and once these words are spoken, citizens of the land are duty bound to take the speaker at his word unless he/she breaks the vow. It's a bit more complicated than a simple surrender. It's a negotiating tactic as much as it is a declaration of surrender.
If Xander is forced to speak against his will, either magically or by threat of force, the violator could find themselves being executed themselves. Very few people outside the Strandlands have ever invoked this phrase. For the deurgar to know it is... unsettling.
As Quinn goes from body to body, he finds very little in the way of clues. He does collect over half-a-dozen pouches containing a few coins and gems here and there but most of the acolytes have only flasks of acid and unholy water on them. Each has their fighting gear but most of their armor ad shields are damaged and would need repair.
He works quickly and tries to remember where the champion fell. He tracks back to the corner where the bear has been eating the man. There isn't much left. The champion's armor and clothes are in ruins. He pulls a ring off the man's half eaten hand. It looks like it could be valuable.
Quinn makes his way to where Xander has surrendered. He gets there just in time to hear the duergar talk about the valuables in the wizard's bedchamber and the threat of the fire trap. Then the duergar makes his formal surrender request and CJ tells Quinn telepathically what it means.
"Be very careful about making demands, wizard," Aureus replies. "You are in no position to demand anything."
"Don't be so sure," Xander mocks. "I've lived here for a long time and unlike Tarrak and his fanatical followers, I know the laws of this land." He looks at Quinn and Cruel Justice in his hands. "Meum est vita tua. Non dissipabit illud."
"Well, that is surprising," Cruel Justice says. He translates the words telepathically to Quinn and the others and what they mean in the Strandlands. "I accept your surrender, Xander Dragoncloak."
The duergar looks shocked to hear the sword use his full name.
"You cannot hide your true self from me, duergar," the sword says plainly. "I will hold you to your vow."
"My life is yours. Do not waste it."
This is a formal declaration of surrender in the Old Tongue of the Strandlands. It is primarily spoken by the members of the senate and once these words are spoken, citizens of the land are duty bound to take the speaker at his word unless he/she breaks the vow. It's a bit more complicated than a simple surrender. It's a negotiating tactic as much as it is a declaration of surrender.
If Xander is forced to speak against his will, either magically or by threat of force, the violator could find themselves being executed themselves. Very few people outside the Strandlands have ever invoked this phrase. For the deurgar to know it is... unsettling.
"He says, and I quote, his life is ours, do not waste it." Quinn tells every one. "I get the feeling from Cruel Justice that this Xander Dragoncloak is most sincere in his surrender."
"I believe you, Xander, I accept your surrender. While I cannot guarantee your freedom, I can vouch for you. You helped - assuming you help - and you weren't affiliated with the cult as such, just a mercenary. I suggest you think about what kind of employers you take in the future."
Maur cocks his head noting the sudden silence in the halls. "I believe we're done here. "
He takes off his helm and nods at duergar "Know that you are defeated by the ordained champion of Moradin, Maur Deepdelver. Given that you appear to be wizard, rather than a warrior, you offered good chase. Thank you for not trying to kill others."
Maur takes wizards spell pouch and the spellbook. "You'll get these back after the trial."
"Quinn, Phar, can you please listen to what yon spy has to say. I'll debrief Mr. Xander. While not impossible they have some desperate scheme to get us into a trap together, I believe we should hurry back to the town. Just in case. We can always come back. We risk giving them time to dig in or to disappear, but dead citizens are too much of a risk. If they're lying or have imperfect story we can try to suss it out.
Caerth, Aureus, can you check on Xanders room and the smithy? See if anythings worth having."
OOC: sorry all for the commands, we're talking about the paladin after all
Caerth pulls up to Maur, disappointed that the fight is over already.
"A cannibal dwarf?" he says dismissively and in surprise, indicating the duergar. Clearly the half-orc has not caught on that Xander is merely a mercenary, and that duergar are not exactly the same as other dwarves; he only sees an odd-looking dwarf among cultists to a demonic cannibal deity.
"Let's get to the town quickly," he says, still angry and completely ignoring Maur's request.
