Truth
or DareA somewhat bleary eyed Herod started the morning with his prayers to Tempus, calling for his God to bless him with the power to discern lies. By the time the spell casters had learnt / prayed for their spells it was getting close to the middle of the day.
"I will cast a spell which will mean that nobody can tell a lie..." he intones. "The spell doesn't last too long, probably only about five minutes or so - so prepare your questions..." he adds. He then begins to cast (OOC: Casts Zone of Truth).
<Cleo aka Dan wrote>:
> "Listen VERY closely, for you get just ONE chance at this.
> My friend Herod there is casting a spell that will reveal to
us any
> lie you may tell. I will ask you whatever I wish, and the moment
you
> lie - you die. The Moonblade longs to drink your, soul, of that
you
> can rest assured!!"
The man, who looks as though he had not slept a wink all night, looks at Cleo, terrified. He trembles from head to foot, and looks somewhat feverish.
Close by, Herod finishes casting his spell.
> "How many in your camp?"
"Normally about 40 to 50 of us" he whimpers.
> "How many are usually there at any one time?"
"About half."
> "Can they change into Weres at-will?"
He nods.
> "Even during the day?"
Again, he nods.
> How many are 'true' lycanthropes'?
"There are - were three..." he says, glancing momentarily towards where the wereboar had died.
> Where exactly is your camp?
"Claw Hollow - it's in the Moonwood - south of here by about a day's walk..."
> How long have YOU been a Were?
"About 7 years."
> What can one do to resist an infection?
"Don't know."
> Have you seen the drow's sword?
He nods.
> Do you know where it is?
He nods miserably. "Jarthon wears it now."
> What other prisoners are there at your camp?
"Apart from the girl, all the others are infected or killed when captured. She is still too young to take the drug to control the change, so she remains human - Jarthon doesn't allow anyone to succumb to the blood rage..." As he speaks of Jarthon, his expression turns to one of pride - he obviously thinks a lot of Jarthon. "Before Jarthon joined us, we were animals - barely able to survive, ruled by the infection in our blood. Now, we are a people, able to control, to use the gift of lycanthropy..." He trails off as he remembers exactly where he is and the dire situation he finds himself in.
> Where in the camp is the girl being held?....
"She is kept in one of the sleeping caves" he says.
<Cleo aka Dan wrote>:
> "So, tell me about this drug. Jarthon invented it?"
"Jarthon was the one who told us of the drug... He used to hunt our kind and must have found out the information in his years as a hunter..."
> "Now, you say 40-50 of you. Does that include those who
> traveled with you here to this temple, or is it 40-50 still left > back
there at your camp?"
He looks as if he is sucking on a lemon, but after a moment, he speaks again. "There are maybe 30 left..." he says.
> "You said 'cave'. Is your camp in a cave system, or just
> outside of a cave?"
"There is a rocky crag in the clearing, there is a fissure in the rock that leads to a numer of caves, we tend to sleep in the caves, though we have built one building in the clearing itself..."
> "Are there any identifying landmarks near your camp? Any
> structures, mountains, whatever - things that can be
> spotted from the air? Also - how close is the nearest elven trail to your
camp?"
The man looks miserable as he continues to answer. "The clearing is in the middle of a depression, a hollow, so it is surrounded by hills... It's only about a half mile from the nearest elven trail...
<Cleo aka Dan wrote>:
> "So, will you go with us to retrieve your sword? If so -
what are
> your abilities? In other words, how can you help us in this fight?
> No tricks afterward, right?"
Siellis nods. "Now I have rested and the drugs I was given have pretty much gone from my system, my mind will be able to hold some of Eilistraee's power and cast some clerical spells..." she says. "Why would I want to trick you?" she asks puzzled.
Blondung steps closer to the werewolf as Cleo momentarily lets up in her questioning of him. "Are there any spell casters amongst the People of the Black Blood?" he asks the werewolf.
Graldir nods.
"Who are they and how can we identify them?" demands Blondung.
"Jarthon can cast spells as a faithful of Malar..." he says. "He is our leader and has a streak of white in his hair..."
Herod purses his lips, thinking of enacting a battle.
"What sort of defences does your camp have?" he asks.
"The camp is surrounded by a stockade that has plants grown against it to hide it... we climb over it..." He lapses into silence, and Herod has to prompt him again. "Is that all?"
He mutters a barely audible "no", glancing at Cleo with her glowing sword and the lion faced Merrell, obviously really uncomfortable.
"Well! What other defences are there?!" Herod presses.
"There are four look-outs, hidden in hides at strategic points to look out for enemies..."
<Cleo aka Dan wrote>:> "Are there any magical defences?
Graldir shakes his head looking thoroughly miserable.
> Also, any other mages or clerics other than your leader?
Looking at the floor, Graldir shakes his head again. "No." he mutters in a small voice.
> And - are there any other ways in to the camp other than going over the
> palisade wall? Any secret caves that lead in there, perchance?"
"No underground entrances... but there is a single gap, say three feet wide, in the west side of the palisade" he adds, "for those who can't climb the wall for whatever reason."
<Dorn aka Doug wrote>:
> "What do you know of the lonely tower, I think I heard you
describe a tower
> earlier. What does it look like and how do you get in? Is it
in these woods?"
Graldir looks confused at the sudden switch of topic. "Er, I told you all
I know about that yesterday!" he insists, fearful what having no more information
might mean to him. "It's not far from where we first came across you in
the woods last night!" he adds.
<Cleo aka Dan wrote>:
> "That tower is what your people refer to as "The Lonely
> Tower?" she asked him. She cast a glance at Merrell for
> guidance. On Yv's map it wasn't IN the forest, it was west
> of it - somewhere not too far from where her father and
> mother grew up, actually.
Graldir looks desperately between her and Merrell. "It's the only tower I know!" he pleads.
<Merrell aka Mike wrote>:
> "I believe we have what we need to make a plan to rescue
the girl, and
> help the drow retrieve her sword."
Blondung frowns. "Hmmmm... we do do we?" he says acidly. "Seems to me we still know very little!" He scowls. "Sure, we know roughly where they are, and the vaguest of outlines of their defences - but we are in their home territory here - they have the advantage..." He glances at Merrell. "We may have the lion on our side, but that doesn't mean they won't still have the advantage!"
<Merrell aka Mike continued>:
> "I also believe we do need to make haste with our plans,
chances are
> that there were some who managed to escape here alive last night.
The
> whole of their group is probably on their way here right now."
> "Either that, or they will have seen we captured one of
their own and
> be laying in wait for us as we go to rescue the girl" Merrell
added
> turning back to the werewolf.
"Exactly!" exclaims Blondung. "Last night they suffered pretty major losses - you can bet that they won't simply be sitting there getting on with their normal day!!"
<Merrell aka Mike B continued>:
> "You there wereman, I have heard tales of werefolk and vampires
> running together. Any chance of the bat I saw after the battle
was one
> of your messengers?" Merrell hoped the lie detection spell
was still
> working.
Graldir looks at the lion faced Merrell in horrified confusion. "What bat?!" he gasps. "I know of no vampires!"
<Yvandel aka Steve wrote>:
> "So we are going right? And how are we planning on doing
this?"
> "From what I have heard. And maybe I heard something wrong
or
> misheard something right."
> "Looks like they are holed up in some kind of forest fort.
Sort of
> like a square with walls made of jumbled up branches and bushes
and
> forest stuff and with a little watch tower at each of the corners.
A
> small tunnel thru the brush being the only way in."
Cleo notices that Graldir looks a little puzzled at the description - but doesn't bother to correct Yvandel.
***
OOC: Actually, the description Graldir gave was this:
* "The camp is surrounded by a stockade that has plants grown
against it to hide it... we climb over it..."
* "...there is a single gap, say three feet wide, in the west
side of the palisade"
* "There are four look-outs, hidden in hides at strategic points to look
out for enemies..."
So, no mention of towers, and the ways in include a 3 foot gap on the western
side (not a tunnel) and "climbing over" - suitable for those
agile werewolves! :-)
***
<Yvandel aka Steve continued>:
> "And it would be better if we were to go after them in the
day time as
> they have all the advantages at night." "Right?"
Blondung snorts. "Not necessarily!" he says derisively. "From what we understand, they have a drug or something which gives them control over the change - which means that whether it is day or night means no difference - except to our ability to see where we are going perhaps!" He frowns. "Of course, if we left now, from what he said about how far it is - we'd not arrive till after night fall anyway!" He scowls. "Much that I hate to say this, but if we are going to do this foolery, then we need to leave very early tomorrow morning - if not before dawn, and make sure we get there before the end of the day... It is too late today I fear."
<Yvandel aka Steve continued>:
> "I was preparing spells while I was listening to you interrogate
him.
> And by the way. Not to put a fine point on things. But what are
we
> going to do with him anyway."
Herod purses his lips. "I was thinking of some sort of leash so he can lead us there..." he muses. "We will need him to guide us the last half-mile I would think..."
<Yvandel aka Steve continued>:
> "But I have prepared a spell of invisibility which we should
give to
> someone with that ring of climbing so that they can go upto one
of
> those lookouts and kill the guard and then use there bow or something
> to give us some archers. I have a pretty good long range spell
> prepared that can take out the guard in another tower."
> "When these two towers are taken out then I can run out
into the open
> with the rest of you chasing me as it were."
Herod frowns. "Towers?" he questions. "Hey you" he says to the werewolf, gesturing with his battleaxe. "These four look-outs you mentioned - describe where they are."
Graldir gulps. "They are hidden in hollows in the ground - within 20 paces of the outer palisade, the hollows covered to make them look like natural lumps in the ground - hides" he finishes lamely.
<Yvandel aka Steve continued>:
> "I have also prepared a spell that will make me look like
a werewolf
> myself. I think I can successfully pull it off getting to that
tunnel
> and calling for the others to pack together at the tunnel entrance
to
> defend it against an attack from a bunch of adventurers. Then
with a
> fireball spell ensure that there are no enemies on the other
side.
> Then the rest of you can rush the tunnel."
Again, Herod frowns. "I'm not quite so sure..." he says slowly, speaking in a lowered voice so Graldir couldn't hear. "I don't recall this git mentioning a tunnel - unless you mean the entrance to the caves inside the palisade..." He paused for a moment looking thoughtful. "Certainly, the fireballs that Merrell used last night seemed pretty effective, so if you too can cast some of those, that would be useful..." He looks between Blondung, Merrell and Yvandel. "If the three of you were airborne, you could fly over the top of the palisade and rain fire down on them from above before they realised you were there. Then the ground troops could move in to clean up..."
<Yvandel aka Steve continued>:
> "What is your name again. And what message would you be
shouting to
> get the trust of those inside and to get them to gather at the
tunnel
> entrance as you ran for safety."
"Graldir" answers the shaking man. "We don't really have any particular system of messages..." he says. "If we needed to summon a defence, someone would simply yell out for everyone to rise to arms..."
<Cleo aka Dan wrote>:
> "Oh, good question. Do your people use a 'pass word' of
any kind when
> coming or going?"
Graldir simply shakes his head miserably.
<Cleo aka Dan wrote>:
> "You have answered us truthfully this whole time, and for
that reason
> alone, I won't kill you and let my sword drink your soul.
> That said, I can't very well leave some bloodthirsty werewolf
running
> around killing innocent people, now can I? So, let me ask you
one
> last question, and for once, you may answer this one anyway you
wish.
> When we kill your leader and the rest of your...
> clan, pack, whatever it is you call it, which is certain to come
to
> pass... you will be alone. At that point, honestly, are you
> interested in being cured of this disease? Do you wish to resume
a
> normal human life... maybe have a wife, children, a farmstead
of your
> own... or do you wish to live the rest of your life as a prisoner
of
> this disease? If you wish to be cured, perhaps we can help you
in
> some way."
Different emotions struggle for dominance on Graldir's face as Cleo speaks.
Fear. Hope. Grief. Fear. Eventually, he finds his tongue again, and
with tears in his eyes, nods. "Yes" he whispers, barely
audible.