Q'Barra: Facing Truth Chapter 2

[Pebele]

Once the group is inside the prison, they try to calm the prisoners.

Three people are conscious, a middle-aged man and woman, who are huddled together. They have minor abrasions over their faces and hands. When they are examined, it is obvious they have no serious injuries. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" The man speaks to the group, not really providing any information, and instead consoling his wife.

The other conscious person is a large, bearish man. He has very dark skin, and has obviously been quite badly beaten. When examined, he is found to have moderate injuries. "I will survive. You must attend to Tarshana. The others are all dead." He seems to not care much for talking, and instead watches intently while Catherine attends to the unconscious woman.

As Catherine examines the woman, she finds that she has sustained severe injuries. The woman is very petite and very wiry. Something about the woman tugs on Catherine's memory, but she is too involved in trying to heal her that she can't place it. The woman would probably be quite striking, were it not for the fact that her face was so bloodied and swollen.

Catherine applies her wand, and slowly the woman awakens. Immediately she tenses and snarls, and a sword that seems to be made of blue light appears in her right hand. "Tarshana! Stand down! We are being helped." The gruff man speaks sharply to the woman, and the sword vanishes.

She winces and speaks to Catherine "Deception will not be tolerated." She then looks to the dark-skinned man "Captain, you trust too easily. Explain the situation, please."

Ducerne and Alicia exchange looks, and Alicia clenches her fists at her sides. Ducerne lays a hand on her shoulder and speaks to Kaelan. "We nearly destroyed you, and yet you expect us to remain locked here while you take on Janus? And we are to assume that despite your near total defeat, you will survive and return for us? Surely you see that we cannot accept this."

 

[Rolzup]

Darrick takes a step forward, and puts one hand on Catherine's arm. "This isn't right, Catherine," he says flatly. "It's not honorable."

He turns to Kaelan, spreading his hands. "You're right that it's the most...prudent course of action. Trusting them doesn't make much logical sense. But nor does the fact that Decuerne has chosen to help us.

"We're not like these bandits. Nor, I think, is Ducerne. I don't want to leave two people helpless in these cells at the mercy of that halfling. I wouldn't do that to anyone, friend or foe."

Darrick looks at Ducerne now, grimly. "His word is good enough for me."

 

[Yeoman]

"His word is good enough for me."

(Elven)"And what are you proposing? Do you trust him enough to fight alongside him, or are you suggesting we let them go?" Am I choosing convenience over honor? Catherine looks worried. (Elven, then Dwarven, then Draconic) "Well, what now? Ducerne has got a point. If we had trouble with them, then what of Janus's group? I'd guess he has his two sidekicks, and maybe some flunkies in there with him. But can we trust them to fight alongside us, or to withdraw peaceably?"

 

[Shayuri]

"If I may," Trebuchet inserts, "While I am all in favor of unleashing a hail of devastation upon Janus and his loyal followers, I feel compelled to point out that doing so is not in our assigned mission objectives. We have only to find the artifact and return it to be successful. By freeing the prisoners and depleting his manpower, we have already significantly impacted Janus' ability to terrorize this area. If we fall in an attempt to destroy him, despite numerous warnings of his prowess and nearly being overwhelmed by his lessers, we will not be able to complete our assignment."

He pauses, then notes, "And the freedom of these folk may be as short-lived as we."

 

[Rookseye]

Sepoto moves forward and stands with Darrick, expressing his solidarity with the knight's position with this simple gesture. Looking from Kaelan to Catherine with a look that is almost apologetic, he whispers in Draconic,

"We have no choice but to trust them now. You are both correct, we cannot be sure in trusting them, but they are correct as well. We were soundly beaten. Their aid, if freely given may help us in our own battle to come with this greater foe."

 

[Yeoman]

Catherine looks surprised by Trebuchet's frankness. (Draconic and Elven) "Trebuchet does have a point. We were nearly defeated taking on three of the stronger henchmen. Janus and his cronies may pose more of a threat than we can handle alone. I don't know if we can trust Ducerne and Alicia, but I would be willing to trust the prisoners to fight with us. If we were to take on Janus, we could use all the help we can get. I bet the mercenaries could be persuaded to work with us, and the prisoners might help us if we can arm them."

She pauses, and looks back and forth at the group. (Continuing in both Draconic and Elven) "I'd say we put it to a vote. I'll go along with whatever we decide. My personal feelings are that it's too soon to trust these two, but I wouldn't be opposed to just letting them get out of here. The risk of us not returning and them languishing forever in the cell is pretty severe, especially given that they might not be enemies. I know Darrick and Sepoto are for fighting alongside them. Trebuchet's point is also valid. Kaelan and Charles, what do you think?"

 

[Pebele]

The merchants remain huddled in the corner together, whispering softly to one another.

As the group continues to speak amongst themselves, the two merchant guards confer among themselves as well.

Ducerne spends the time speaking to Alicia, and gradually her posture softens and her fists unclench. Ducerne puts an arm around her shoulder, and waits to hear from the group.

If any of the people in the cell understand what the party is discussing, they make no signs of it.

 

[Rookseye]

Sepoto nods in agreement after Catherine's speech.

"Sepoto is willing to trust our former foes. Janus seems to hold his loyalties with coin and fear; two ties that are easily severed. Perhaps we can show them that there are other causes worth fighting for, causes that reward in other ways. Sepoto is certain we would rather have Alicia's blades on our side than on that of Janus. Sepoto thinks Friend-Darrick likely shares this opinion about Ducerne."

He pauses looking to Trebuchet, before speaking again,

"Friend-Trenchbucket is correct as well, perhaps we do not need this fight. Sepoto's only doubt in this is that Janus may control the access to this relic. We may have to deal with him to obtain it."

 

[Yeoman]

(Draconic) "And that is what I like most about you Sepoto. Wisdom beyond your years. And if the two of you trust those two, Catherine indicates Alicia and Ducerne, then I'll defer to your judgment, barring any objections from Kaelan and Charles. I think the mercenaries could be convinced to join us as well. And with the guards here, we have a significant force. Enough to rout the last of Janus's forces. It's a gamble, but the numbers would favor us."

What are you thinking? You don't know how many troops Janus still has. No, I can't think like that, a good commander can't afford to second guess herself.

Catherine moves between the prisoners asking each in turn if they require additional healing.

 

[Pebele]

When Catherine approaches the merchants, they nod to her gratefully. "Thank you. My wife and I, we are slightly injured, nothing too serious. The Captain and Tarshana need your help far more than we."

Moving on to the Captain and to Tarshana, Catherine expends 4 charges from her wand to get them both to full strength.

(Do you wish to heal the merchants as well? They will each require one charge of either wand to be at full strength. If I misinterpreted and Catherine wasn't ready to heal the guard captain and the guard, I will edit.)