** Part I: Fire and Ash **

[Chris1234]

"Meagan, welcome," Karlane repplie, handing her whatever remains of her clothes. "Get dressed".
Turning to Idrys, "Good shot. Let me check your eyes" She makes a show of having a look and yses Healing Touch on Idtys
Healing Touch, TN 16: [1d20] = 13 is successful, so +2HP.

"There, that's better. Was there a cloak or something in the last room that Meagan can have?" She bends over the two fallen and checks them for loot amd then looks around the room for anything worth taking.

{OOC: Is there a map update, please?}

[spike]

Karlene helps to alleviate Idrys's eyes, which were severely scalded. Despite the horrible damage, amazingly he can see albeit in blurry images.

Ash strode into the chamber giving you a start, for he was silent and not noticed until he called out. Seeing Idrys he says 'worry not, I can restore your vision in the morn. Acid in the eye...what next?" he asked incredulously, then wrapped Meagan with his own cloak.

Karlene checks the two slain ones, not finding anything except an elven ear in a pouch that appears to have been salted, and in another pouch some previous victims hair knot cut off.

Meagen: "Madam, pray tell me what I can do to repay you for your kindnesses. I was forced into prostitution by my parents, so that they can keep their land. I can tell you a great deal of things, secret things that happen about town. Wait a minute, you're adventurers aint ya? Well, I can tell ya this much that the mayor has been looking for some would be heroes to deal with some problem of his, and I'm not talking about down here with these sad silly things. He's been putting up posters calling for your kind"

[Chris1234]

"Meagan, you're welcome. It's one of those things I do to try and balance the things I've done that aren't so great," replies Karlane, and whacked second 'broken one' a couple of times on the skulll with her mace as if to emphasize the point. "And yes, the odd adventure does come the way to people such as us." She glanced at the others before continuing. "I collect knowledge, especially secrets. That would be sufficient payment although none was sought. Now, I was going to give the pimp these to release you." The Acolyte holds up 2PP. "I will give them to you and a choice. You can either take them and do whatever you eish until they are gone and to whatever future that leads you. Or you may take these to the temple of Lor with a letter that I will give you and the 2PP to one of the priests whilst giving him this letter. He will offer to take you into the temple's service. It will be hard work but you will always eat, be safe and no more pimps. Now tell me one such secret and also what the mayor wants."

After listening to Meagan's reply, Karlane addresses her aolleagues, "I've taken a dislike to these creatures. Are we happy to finish this clean out?" If yes, she tells Meagan to barricade the door and then they try the opposite door to the south, Karlane opening the door whilst standing off to one side and Idrys ready to stick an arrow is anything unpleasant. If no, "Guys, want to release the other prisoners?"

[spike]

Meagan: "I will go to this temple you spoke of, it sounds perfect. Well, firstly there's a ruins of an ancient Lorian underground temple somewhere near Harby, which many have sought and none have yet found. Even others of your own faith have looked high and low seeking it, it's really been a thing that attracts others here from distant lands. The blood ravens have tirelessly searched for it I heard, but lack the wits to its discovery. There was a man a month ago who came into town, asking if anybodies been searching for the place, he didn't seem to care about finding it he only wanted to know who has been asking about this hidden place. He was nice, he didn't hurt me and he bought me supper for asking me some simple questions. His name was Vor, and judging by how the blood ravens gave him a wide berth I'd say he was a dangerous man.' she paused then continued 'The mayor is an arch fool, he's greedy and a hard ass, and only cares about laws and his reputation. However he's hiring your kind for high paying work. There's been some raids in the region recently, not bandits but orcs and their foul lot. Even the Blood Ravens for all their bluster won't take on anything dealing with the mayor and his problems.'

Ash: 'Are you mad, girl?' he asked Karlene, 'trouncing about in a detestable sewer is anything but ideal! You rescued this lovely girl, a noble deed. Now is time for wine and pleasures. Your brother has been partially blinded, I'd speak with the voice of reason here that we ought retire to that inviting Inn we sought to find lodgings. The only adventure I want tonight is deciding which kind of cheese, wine, and bath I wish to partake in!' he began wiping Meagan's face with a cloth, 'speaking of bath you look like you could use two, sweet lovely child' he said trying to cheer her up.

Door #2: this door is locked. The handle is cold to the touch and whisps of icy frost air escapes from the keyhole and cracks.

[Chris1234]

"Thanks, Meagan. I will have to write that letter for you later, but tonight you sleep with me. Just sleep; I would not take advantage, unlike some," answers the acolyte, keeping her eyes firmly on their rescued girl.
Karlane turned to Ash, "Is a cure light wounds spell enough to fix my brother's eyes? Or does that require a Cure Blindness spell? Yes, you're probably right. I can be vindictive if someone pisses me off. So what Inn do you propose?"

[spike]

Ash grinned 'all that fire is pure passion, you sure you don't wish to change God's? My Goddess is as fickle as she is capricious, but her rewards are just as pleasurable as are her punishments' he grinned, then turned to Idrys and examined him closer 'Afraid it'll require a cure blindness spell, the acid ate away at the surface layer of his eyes. Mmmm, strange thing Idrys it almost looks as if your eyes were trying to regenerate, no no that's absurd. Still, it is a bit peculiar you can even see right now. Ah I forget you're half vampire, that would explain things a bit. I met one of your kind several times in the past, they do learn to regenerate eventually, some almost as fast as trolls! I suppose this ability is still dormant somewhere inside you just waiting to come out' he mused, then turned back to Karlene 'Well, it depends. For luxury we can do the copper Dragon, however I do not take much comfort in knowing that mage Karnak would know we were there. We should strip of these damned disguises and discard them. They help but they also draw far too much attention to us. Second, I want you and Idrys to spend as much time in the Inn in the next few days learning as much as you possibly can, and staying out of trouble for a bit. Idrys I'll have your vision restored to you in the morn as long as you can promise me to keep out of trouble and lay low for a bit. I'm going to go and find the location of this place we originally came here to find. I've a talent for investigative work, I was a highly reputable spy in the black network prior to my present profession as a spreader of love and joy' he smirked, giving Meagan a soft kiss on the cheek 'Perhaps you can help these two find the perfect room, tell them on the level of lords, they'll put us in a more secure section. Idrys if you spot any black guard spies, they will have a tattoo on the inner portion of their forearm that resembles an elongated fanciful black runic symbol of two dragons facing eachother, inked in red and black. The symbol of the black legion, take them out if you can, or avoid them if you lack the chance to eliminate them"

[Chris1234]

"So which inn do you want us to stay at then?" asks Karlane.

[spike]

'The copper' Ash said, 'are we ready to depart here?'

[Chris1234]

Karlane turns to Idrys, "Good to go?" and smiles reassuringly at Meagen.

[TristenC]

Idrys seems fascinated at the prospect of regeneration, but keeps his conversation practical rather than speculative for the moment. Aye. I suppose I won't be much help down here for now. He puts away his bow but draws his longswords, using them to feel his way on the walls and floor whem he is sure he isn't gping to stab an ally. Should we free the others?

[spike]

Despite Idrys's blindness he finds he's able to easily navigate and walk about without much guidance or effort, as his preternatural senses compensate for the impairment of his eyesight.

Sounds from the cells cry out 'please release us! Release us!'

Meagan: "Yes, we must free them. I wouldn't sleep well tonight knowing I was freed by your sister and these other destitute souls were left at the horrid fate they would suffer, which I would suffer had you not rescued me!'

Ash: "Bollocks, very well then' he produced a lockpick and began picking the locks one by one, though the last one he failed to open. In the last cell was a halfling, who by all appearances is quite attractive with noble features. He became taut and alert when you noticed you at his cell.

Ash: "Have any acid or a crobar per chance?' he asked Idrys, 'that last lock destroyed my only pick'

The now freed prisoners said 'you have to free the halfling, he's of royal blood, and he also saved three of us from being taken by the other filth. Also, you have to kill that Lomag character, he's been sacrificing orphans to his patron demon, what was the name?"

another prisoner, a woman spoke 'Demogorgon'

a elderly man, though older seemed full of a hidden vitality said 'Nay, that one is fell. He is not simply powerful but treacherous, cunning, a real snake and a devil. He would want you to come after him! Ware that one, less you're fully prepared to take on his minions. Aside from these foul buggers the priest has two shadow men as his protectors, and they're scary as hell.'

[TristenC]

[Ooc: Demogorgon? F@#&...]

We should come back for Lomag when we are at our freshest, then. Leaving that sort of enemy at your back is inviting the knife-in-the-dark you will get. Idrys considers the cage. Are there no keys? How did they expect to get him back out? We could use the rope and all pull together near the corner of the door to bend the bars. Otherwise if there is a way to magically heat the lock it may break and release or at least make it easier to pry open. Let us search for keys. I should have a crowbar from my first venture.

If no keys, idrys pries with the bar, or gets a bunch of freed people on the rope to help pull as he pries, standing far out of the way of the direction the door swings.

[Chris1234]

"There might be some keys through this way. You lot stay here and stay quiet. Meagan, you're with me. Idrys, Ash, coming?" comments Karlane who scurried back to the previously unopened three doors near to where Meagan was finally rescued. "I need the practise to be honest."
She then searches each (unopened) door in turn for traps and then tries to unlock the first. If incessantly, she moves on to the second and, similarly, the third. She happy to let Ash overcheck her work but won't let him take over.

[spike]

Door #2 *click* doesn't open (83%)

Door #3: *click* 15% you picked the lock!
Ash finds a trap on door #2, he casts find traps and says 'there's none' on door #3.
A room full of discarded valuables, presumably from victims...

The items are mostly stockpiled on another slab table, some against the corner.

Most notably that stands out in Karlene's eyes are: a pair of delicate looking gauntlets, an aesthetically beautiful dagger possibly of elvish make, an Elvish katana (Elven Blade), an Elvish hauberk (chainmail), and a pair of elvish cloak and boots.

Closer inspection reveals that the katana is extremely light as the blade is wrought from glassteel, that is its as sharp as sharpened glass but treated by a glassteel spell giving it the strength of tempered steel, and the dagger's blade appears to be crafted out of pure diamond, and a handle with a hidden garrotte that comes out when you detach the spherical hilt (about 3' long). The gauntlets each have a cobalt blue and an emerald green gem inlaid near the nuckles region.

obscure knowledge (8:succeeded) Karlene thinks these are gloves of magic missiles.crafted by Elvish artiface, the gloves would release either a blue or green hued fiery magic missile x3/day, at a particular level of power the magic-user who made them has imbued the dweomer with.

[Chris1234]

"That's enough! Pushed it far enough," says Karlane as she gets out her second large sack and loads the above-named stuff into it. "Let's go. Please."
She makes sure that Meagan stays close to her, and leads the group back to the freed prisoners and says, "You lot, we're leaving now. We'll lead.." pointing to herself, Idrys and Meagan, ".. and he's the rear. (Ash). Single file. Be quiet, as in keep your mouth shut or else. When we're outside, piss off back to wherever you came from fast as you can before these creatures grab you again. Keep your mouths shut for two more days. Let's go.. Now!" Karlane heads out, mace in hand, keeping her Meagan close behind her.
Intent is to get rid of the freed prisoners, then the group change out of the blackcloak gear and take rooms at the copper. The girls will share.