Part I: Spy Games (Karlene Blackcloud intro)

[Chris1234]

The priestess concentrates on the recently discovered star gem, willing it to cancel the teleport to the cell-room. If that works, she then tries to re-create the portal point but with a new password, replacing "Zifmia" with "Mandown""

The priestess replies to Lucien, "Yes, you're right, Lucien. I had not figured on your training being so effective in such a short time. I thought it needed a month. Honestly, I expected him capable of destructive magics and could not afford to take chances. Had he been rendered helpless, I would have questioned him later. Did you learn more from him?"

Unless Azonia or Lucien have in mind more to do down here, or there are rooms or areas known about but as yet unsearched, Karlane leads them back to the bedroom. En route she says, "Lucien, I understand that I still need a month of training to solidify the technique you have shown me but on the morrow I must leave here and, as I understand it, you may not. I can manage on less sleep than most," glancing at Azonia, "Perhaps I could reprogram the teleport wardrobe and visit with you here at nights for training. How does that sound?"

She reruns the numbers in her mind: firstly the total number of prisoners*, secondly the number of volunteer* Tridents, thirdly number of blackmailed* (or otherwise induced) tridents, assuming the second group to probably have darker souls than the third group. A plan is taking shape in her mind.
{OOC: @Spike - *can you confirm numbers in each case, please?}

[spike]

stargem: nothing happens

40 prisoners (in cells):
15 are children (5 boys, 10 girls under 13)
5 elderly (60+)
20 women mixed ages

tridents: total were 25, 17 were forced through blackmail, the rest joined in for the 'fun' (e.g. rape, murder, pillaging, fun)
The ones who did willingly volunteer remind you they did so with promises of gold and there was scant work in town, not enough to sustain ones self. They did it out of necessity to put food on the table.

[Chris1234]

OK, time to return to the others..with the two remaining conversations en route.

[Chris1234]

Karlane intends to try and convert some of the prisoners into an asset that may never be required but then, just maybe..

Based on the prisoners' comments about being from rich families and being held for a ransom, Karlane's plan is to reunite rich prisoner family units and then get them to employ some proportion of poorer prisoners (and Tridents), with some remaining waifs going to Idry's place. {OOC1: Happy to be flexible on riming here, as long as it gets done.}

Karlane uses her social skills asking the prisoners (5 elderly, 5yound boys, 10 young girls, 20 women) to form into three lines (it's fine if they sit) according to whether they're from Harby, Targos or Higkor. Within each line, she asks them to gather into family groups and then finds out from each group which ones if reunited with their families would be well supported ,i.e. rich. She makes a list of the rich families, name, place business. {OOC2: To make life easier for GM: Might simply use Intelligence Gathering [18] to find out how many rich families are represented here in each of Harby, Targos or Higkor and then how many prisoners remain, i.e. are poor.}

Karlane earlier had the 17 'forced' Tridents separated from the 8 'volunteers'. She goes to the group of 17 and asks if they had a choice, how many would opt to end up in each of Harby, Targos or Higkor.

Karlane asks Lucien if, out of the 8 'volunteers', he can and will sniff out which five of them have the blackest souls (i.e. most likely to lapse into being serial rapists etc)

{OOC3: DMG p40 says it takes (PHB races) 4 hours of rest to be able to re-learn (or pray) for 1st and 2nd level spells. As a half-vampire only need a quarter as much sleep as a human, does this mean a half-vampire would be able to re-learn (or pray) for 1st and 2nd level spells after less than 4 hours' rest? Related question: as a half-vampire only needs a quarter as much sleep as a human and gains the same amount of natural healing in this shorter time, would the same apply for recovery of 8 CON temporarily lost by casting an Identify spell? i.e. would 8 CON be recovered in 2 or 4 hours rather than the full 8h?}

[spike]

The prisoner's are not from rich families, but from stable respected businesses. Not rich, but making enough to live comfortably.

Karlene attempts to persuade the crowd to adhere to her commands, she is flatly ignored and many of the slaves cower in distrust and suspicion of her. They whisper to each other 'she's an assassin, be weary of her she might get you next!' the children and elderly flat out ignore you entirely not caring to hear about any offers or orders to do anything other than rest and eat something substantial, and drink plenty of water. They say that they were given their jailers urine to drink the whole time incarcerated.

She goes to check and the trident's all disappeared, having left while you were engrossed with freeing the slaves.

While in the midst of convincing slaves to become assets one of them breaks from the rest of the herd and begins screaming in a high powerful wail, foam covering his mouth and begins roaring 'don't listen to herrrr!!! Listen to mmeeeee!!!!!!!!' moving about in a strange peculiar way knocking five men backward like they were nothing. He runs toward you like a charging bull.

[Chris1234]

It gets 4 magic missiles.
If still moving, 4 more while drawing a mace with the other hand.

[spike]

The possessed young man keels over and dies as he's bombarded by the four fiery cobalt missiles which make a screaming noise as they came out of the jewels embedded in the gloves. They detonate in contained blasts burning gaping holes in his body. One of the elderly men cried profusely 'my son! Oh ye God's what have I done to incur this suffering!?' the man began sobbing uncontrollably and prayed in deep mourning.

This seemed to have an effect on the crowd, who look like they have stirred awoke from a dark stupor. One of the young men stood up and wagged an accusing finger toward you 'she murdered him! He was but a young boy full of promise. You could have stayed him with your priestly magic, or healed his spirit somehow. I knew you Lor followers were evil, now I'm sure of it!' he began riling up the other slaves who now began to form a circle around you. The same man said 'did you free us only to execute us so brazenly as if we were trash!?!"

A boy spoke 'she must be one of Lomag's clerics disguised as a Lor cleric to sacrifice us on the altar all the easier! Pretending to be our rescuer when she's really the butcher!'

What do you do?

[Chris1234]

As soon as she's fired the bolts, Karlane gives up with the ungrateful bunch and walks towards the door.

[spike]

One of the crowd hissed 'be silent you wretched fools! Can't you see she has freed us and fed us to boot, and protected us as well? She's no charlatan, and you'd be twice cursed and double damned if you go this way" an old crone spoke out, then she came after you pleadingly saying 'Priestess, do not be bitter. These people have suffered far too much already and are confused, suspicious, and crushed in spirit. Yet when you killed this demon possessed child it has melted the dark cloud he was instilling in all of us. They will come around, they need rest and to be reunited with their loved ones who haven't seen them in months. Have compassion I beg!'

Azonia and Sarancen stirred awake, they had bags under their eyes now and looked extremely annoyed. Sarancen 'for fook's sake what's all this then? Can't you bloody people settle down peacefully? I was just dreaming of some naked she-elves I was chasing in the woods, and I nearly got myself one!'

[Chris1234]

"Lady, I mean you and these others no harm. But neither will I allow myself to be harmed," Karlane replies, from the doorway, just as Azonia and Sarancen appear, having given up their sword play and retired to bed.
{OOC1: 10pm when she started. How long has it really taken Karlane to fail to organize the ex-prisoners?}
She updates the newcomers, "The previous body-possessor was dispatched to hell. There appears to be another around, beyond my ability to handle other than by dispatching the mortal vessel. Once possessed, the mortal soul has departed anyway. I don't know where this body-possessor came from. But it's unlikely to inhabit the body of one that is locked up. Do you think these people would prefer to be under lock and key, purely for their own safety, until the morning?"

{OOC2: And this one slipped through the cracks: }

{...DMG p40 says it takes (PHB races) 4 hours of rest to be able to re-learn (or pray) for 1st and 2nd level spells. As a half-vampire only need a quarter as much sleep as a human, does this mean a half-vampire would be able to re-learn (or pray) for 1st and 2nd level spells after less than 4 hours' rest? Related question: as a half-vampire only needs a quarter as much sleep as a human and gains the same amount of natural healing in this shorter time, would the same apply for recovery of 8 CON temporarily lost by casting an Identify spell? i.e. would 8 CON be recovered in 2 or 4 hours rather than the full 8h?}

[spike]

CON 8 would recov in 6 hrs.

half hour spent doing all things.

the old crone laughed, 'certainly not, my darling child. Do not turn away with rancor my lovely liberator, I implore you with a sincere spirit. You came here seeking to recruit one of us for something or other, and I will gladly accept if you would have me. I know I do not look like much, yet I assure you I have a great deal of skills, knowledge and experience that belies my appearance. I do not mean any conceit, but I was a spy for a king before being in this horrid place. And even here, using my wits I have saved many lives and confounded my captors, they were preparing to execute me because of it though they only showed me mercy because all here would obey me'

[Chris1234]

Karlane nods, tells the guardian pair they should get some rest, and beckons the woman to approach, "Walk with me." The priestess asks her name, her skill sets, employed for which king, and then shares her previous comments about a still-loose body-possessor, ending with, "So, would you advise these people, former prisoners, to return under lock and key for this one night?"

[spike]

The woman said 'Drusilla is my name. I'm a hedge witch, and a priestess to a deity not so dissimilar and even allied to your very own God. Her name is Johydee, and I only tell you this because you have never heard of her, few have. She is the Goddess of epionage, deception, and protection and she is of supreme good, rest assured!

I've skills in herbs, antidotes, medicines, languages, ettiquete, writing, healing, and as I previously stated spying. The one I served was King Aubec of Urnst, though I was framed by his favorite concubine and he in turn had me thrown into slavery as a result. The only reason I dodged the executioner's block was that the queue for executions had a long waiting list. Fortunately I managed to escape only to be recaptured by these masked idiots! However, I have learned a very great deal concerning their operations and nefarious activities. Far more than you might rightfully guess. This fool Scarn was ignorant of who he had in his dungeons but soon his handler's will get wise and discover my identity, possibly link me back to my former employer. Alas no, I do not think even threat of torture or blade would convince even the least of these downtrodden souls, but leave them in my custody and I will keep vigil over them. Be patient I beg, they do not yet know you and have been maligned beyond their capacity to endure"

[Chris1234]

What does Karlane know of:
1) King Aubec?
2) Urnst?
3) Joydee?

Karlane relies to Drusilla, "I do not seek to ill use these people, only to contain the body-possessor. Do any of them need healing?" She swallowed, switching to 'evaluation' mode, "Allegedly Scarn valued one of the current ex-prisoners, above the others. Knew he had something 'special'. Was that you? Or another? (Who?) And what do you know of a mage named 'Whisper'?" (She gives his proper name as a Lord if necessary.)

After listening to the other woman's responses, she nods sagely and continues, "What (and how) would you advise to do with the ex-prisoners? And which, if any, of the Tridents do you believe will revert to rapine or murder if sent away from this place?"

After seeing how well Drusilla advises, Karlane nods again, and asks, "What is *Thyriz and it's value or use?" She shows a sample. "What spell will you be able to teach me?"
{OOC1: *Please excuse the spelling if incorrect, this is from memory.}

Finally, "Thank you. You should return to the others and rest. I will trust them to you. Will you need to be guarded tonight?"
She adds, {OOC2: 'Columbo-like', if you know the reference}, "Oh just one more thing, 'Whisper' apparently has a cousin. Who is that?"

[spike]

Drusilla: "Possibly, I pretend not to know the mind of Scarn. As for Whisper aye, I was with the patrol who found him called Lord Altradeaus. The patrol took me there to look for ginger, as Scarn had a bad case of diarrhea. The young lad was disoriented, confused, looking lost and perplexed. The men laughed thinking he was in a drunken stupor, as did I at first. He asks many strange questions often. That is all I know of him' then she paused for a moment saying 'It might be wise to simply let them return to Harby and resume their lives, immediately, and let them not tarry here longer than required. Aye, we will need your friends to watch over us whilst we rest and sleep, most assuredly' she said, then 'Nay, my dove. I know not what this Thyriz is. However, I'm sure you will discover it ere long'



Johydee (JOY-dee) is the hero-goddess of Deception, Espionage, and Protection. Her sacred animal is the chameleon. Her symbol is a small stylized mask of onyx.