IC - Against the Cult of the Reptile God - Chapter 1: The Darkness in Orlane

[Shock]

Tyragorn
HP: 19 AC:18

Tyragorn shrugged at the bells. "They already know we're here." He advanced through the next room to approach the corner, shield at the ready.

[Arkrite]

The opening leads to another hallway, this one leading back to the north with another opening on the east wall.

Jessica approaches and whispers, "It looks like one person could hold the hallway if they wanted to, if people had fought their way up here."

[Flynnarrel]

Aldan
Passive Perception:14 | Init:+4 | AC:16 | HP:11/14

Aldan followed quickly as the big human pushed past him and barging forward.

"Father Abramo, we are sent here by our Shared Mistress on a manner of some import. May we speak with you?" Aldan says into the void trying to make his voice sound contrite and hopeful though no louder than the tinkling bells were.

Deception: 1D20+6 = [13]+6 = 19

[Arkrite]

A nervous laugh fills the hallway for a moment.

"Yes. Yes. Except, no. No, I think not," The voice laughs again, not malicious nor jovial, more of a nervous titter, "I hear you and I almost believe it myself, except, no. No, but you couldn't know, could you?"

"I'd know you if you knew the mistress, you see, because they all come to me, and I send them to her. Yes. Yes, but soon, maybe you'll understand too?" The laugh comes again, "This is where they all come before we send them to the mistress. And here you are. Yes. Yes, here you are. And you will go there."

"But where are you? Are you waiting? Come, come, the halls have no traps. Except what you bring with you," The voice laughs again, "But you wouldn't do that would you? Trap the halls? No that wouldn't make sense. No, no."

[Shock]

Tyragorn
HP: 19 AC:18

"The corruption has driven him mad." Tyragorn spoke in a low voice, not wanting to be heard outside of the group. "Surely we can't trust that the way is clear."

[Flynnarrel]

Aldan
Passive Perception:14 | Init:+4 | AC:16 | HP:11/14

Aldan gives a look to the nearby Tyragorn and Jessica and steps cautiously forward, hands raised and empty. He'll continue forward til he can lay eyes on the man.

[Arkrite]

The hallway goes north, only to go back down to the south before opening up into another chamber.

This room is decorated in a bizarre fashion. There is a dirty straw pallet on the floor, yet two soft and expensive armchairs rest at a low table. A beautiful robe hangs on the wall above a battered, locked chest, while the floor is strewn with muddy rags. An exquisitely crafted wooden desk has been placed near the northeast corner of the room. At various points around the walls, small iron hooks for hanging tapestries have been set into the
stone.

An old looking man stands near the table, sunken eyes staring in your direction. He wears a set of chainmail with spots of rust on it, over a rather worn looking set of robes. The armor and robs seem to hang off the man, and his sunken cheeks indicate that he hasn't been eating well recently. But his eyes seem to glow with a manic energy.

He holds a shield in one hand, but his other hand is currently free, though a mace hangs from his belt at the ready.

[Shock]

Tyragorn
HP: 19 AC:18

"Father Abramo? We've come to end the evil in this place. Will you submit and let us help?"

[Arkrite]

"Submit? Ho, ho ho," His eyes lock onto Tyragorn with a wild glint to them as he laughs, "I've already submitted. I've fought the evil. I've seen the other side."

He smiles wildly, "But don't worry, we're going to save them all. I won't leave any of these poor lambs for the slaughter. No, I will save them. No, no, no, she will save them."

He goes quiet and tilts his head, staring at Tyragorn, "She will save you."

[Flynnarrel]

Aldan
Passive Perception:14 | Init:+4 | AC:16 | HP:11/14

Aldan raises his empty hands higher and steps closer to the Eastern wall. "It's alright, Father. We can work something out. Where is The Great Mistress? We'd like to speak with her." He slowly approaches, trying to not make it obvious. As he does so, he evaluates the mad priest's body language trying to determine what the man plans, fight, run, something else.

I'll assume a few rolls.
Stealth so it isn't obvious how close he's getting. Stealth: 1d20+6 18
Insight for body language reading: Insight: 1d20+4 15

[Arkrite]

"Ah-ah-ah," He says reaching for his mace as Aldan gets within 15 feet, though if the thief stops there Abramo doesn't pull the mace just yet.

"It's funny, they were bothering me incessantly about you and your friends, that you knew too much, that you needed to be dealt with," He sighs, "And you don't even know about the..."

He sighs, "Wasting my time for naught. Or is it? Is it destiny?"

He laughs nervously again, "Maybe it was all meant to be? Yes? Yes. Yes!"

He smiles, "Well, you will be going, one way or another won't you? Hmm... The swamp. Her glorious shrine is in the swamp. You will see it soon."

OOC: The man is quite insane, practically vibrating, seemly on the very edge. He might remind you of a habitual drug user who's gone off the deep end.

[Shock]

Tyragorn
HP: 19 AC:18

"Where are the people that have disappeared from Orlane?"

[Tattooedman]

Zasio Blackthorn:
HP: 23
AC: 14
Objects of Interest: Goodberries (2 - each heals 4 hp)

Zasio keeps quiet, again allowing Aldan to handle the word play he is so skilled at. Though, just how well it would work on this man of questionable mental clarity is unclear. When the man says the shrine is in the swamp, the ranger cannot help but wonder what kind of protections have been put in place around it.

[Flynnarrel]

Aldan
Passive Perception:14 | Init:+4 | AC:16 | HP:11/14

"The swamp is big. Two days southwest? three days West? Where exactly? We both want the same thing, here. You want us to meet the Mistress as well as we. And find others to be taken to her. Do you have anyone ready to go, we can escort them?" Aldan prompts.

[Arkrite]

"The believers are here, the rest? Well, some are making the great pilgrimage to bask in her glory. Her followers returns, the heretics?" He almost looks sad as he shakes his head, "Well, there was no place for them here."

As Aldan's questions come rapid fire he can see Abramo become more and more annoyed.

"You want to meet her? Cast down your weapons and you shall be before her divinity soon," He snaps.

OOC: Since Aldan rolled pretty good on his sense motive earlier, Abramo seems excited to talk bout his new goddess, but the quick succession of questions leading away from that topic are starting to irritate him and draw his attention more to his current situation.