Whether he calms or not, Thon stops asking questions as the group waits in the cells, and changes into his robes, following others' example. After a few hours, a man in black robes enters carrying water with which to refill your bowls, but as he doesn't speak, you can't tell if he's the same person who 'recruited' you.
"You know, all this prison cell stuff isn't really necessary, is it?" Thon says, his voice tight and eager to please. The masked black robe turns to him, shakes his head, and pours out the water on the floor, leaving the group as silently as he came. Panic or no, Thon learns the lesson, and remains silent when another (or the same? You still can't tell) black-robed herald enters hours later. This time, your refreshments, such as they are, are refilled.
Eventually, as stomachs growl and exhaustion sets in, A small gaggle of gray robes enters, preceding one in black. As he speaks, you can't help but recognize the rich bass of the voice.
"It is time, supplicants. Your bodies and minds purified, it is time to declare your faith and earn the mask of Obwej." He steps back, and the gray robed priests step forward, releasing you from your cells, each standing close as an escort.
The man in black waits only long enough for the cell doors to open, then moves quickly out of the room with the cells. You have enough time to notice there's a door at the opposite end of the room, but little else. As you turn the corner, you see the white robed acolyte standing guard; he was likely there the whole time. swinging in a circle, you come to a stairway, and ascend to the first floor.
The first room you enter is impressive. Plush, gilded chairs, a fine table made from highly polished darkwood, and a painting on each wall--each depicting the Living God as he battles all manner of foul beasts. You have no time to study the paintings, however, as you move out into the vestibule.
Grand tapestries depicting the might and power of Owbej hang from the walls of this long vestibule, and a richly embroidered carpet runs down the center. Opposite the large doors at the west end is a pair of tall, slender doors, with a gigantic silver mask emblazoned on the front. A pair of smaller doors is set into the north and south walls. A flickering green light plays throughout this chamber from masked sconces that run along the walls.
"You will wait here to be summoned," the man in black says, and exits through the doors with the silver mask. You haven't long to wait, for the doors open again and a white robed acolyte beckons. Shepherded by the gray robed priests, you enter.
A large crowd of masked priests waits in this large room, standing along the rows of polished, black stone benches. While white robes shroud most of them, some wear gray, and a few wear black. In the center of the chamber rises a gigantic staircase of thirty one white marble steps, atop of which glitters a porcelain and gold mask, the holy symbol of Owbej. On the eighth step of the stairs stands a black-robed priest, who waits until the group stands at the base of the stairs. The group in gray moves to the second step, each in line with one of the supplicants. Each produces an iron mask from his robes.
"If you are ready, if you pledge yourselves to Owbej, stand on the first step and accept your mask. Don it as your promise of fealty to The Living God."
| GM: | Map of what you've seen so far attached. Your cells were in area T12. You are currently in T6. |
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