Return [To Madness]: Act 1, Scene 2

[Styrius]

“If you promised the heart of a Paladin as reward for his service… that is will require you immediate presence in front of the one you serve. DO NOT CROSS US HALFING!” the visibly enraged dwarf yells.

[Nocturno]

Jag produces some incense. "Maybe we should all settle and have a few inhales. I don't like these um things, but I trust oh "good" friend here would not endanger our dungeon exploration attempts, by doing something stupid."

Jack rolls his eyes, and continues to poke around.

"Got that chicken?"

[TristenC]

Allikhain shakes her head, Your accusations seem based on pretty flagrant leaps in logic. As to the claim of a lie, and your unnecessary insult, he merely chose a vague answer to your dissatisfaction; but I doubt his remark was untrue. At least for the trolls, you were not with us on our foray the first day into the dungeon. I witnessed him collect the fingers of a few trolls at that time. That is all that is necessary to create monstrous zombies. As to the rest I will leave him to respond, if he so wishes.

[Lord Torath]

Stephen turns to look at the half-elf/half-orc. “Two words: Fire Elemental.”

Stephen looks briefly at Allikhain. “While Ke’Sha’s... explanation… is entirely possible, it is not at all plausible. What's your part in this?”

Stephen faces Ke’Sha again. “Well? Are you going to continue to insult our intelligence? Or will you tell us the truth.”

[Styrius]

Axid keeps his eye on the “creatures” and reaches in his haversack. He pulls out one chicken. It is understandably freaked out. “Right here.” He says .

[Nocturno]

Jack gathers the chicken. "We have more than 1?"

Jag watches both conversations.

[Styrius]

“Yes, I have a few more.” Axid replies. He still keeps an eye on the demon looking creature and the other undead under Ke$has control. “Do you want them all now?”

[Nocturno]

"No, just making sure, in case this one meets a quick demise." He then tosses the chicken on to the bubble.

[BishGada]

Ke'Sha looks at Axid and Stephen and waits until they settle down. "Are you done? Sooo many accusations. Auguries, Elementals, bargains... Where all this come from? Auguries are as accurate as your accusations... The fire elementals are under my full control. No one was hurt and it cleared your path in the Labyrinth. Bargains, well, we all have our bargains. And drows come from the Underdark, not surface natives. I'm not going to escalate the situation by arguing with you when you are in such a bad mood. I don't appreciate ANY of your reactions, or accusations, and I certainly don't care to explain anything while you are being so evil." he breaths deeply and continues, "But, I'm willing to forgive you since you are obviously under something... Maybe all those mind links disturbed something. So, to help you relax a bit, saying I found them around was a figure of speech. Now, I don't know your niece. She might be a genius, and I tend to believe you when you say she is good with lies." He says dead serious. "Anyway, I don't appreciate the interrogation. And certainly not the behavior towards lady Allakhain who did nothing but help the company, or your contempt mentioning the Elemental or Drommacus. We are all here for the mission of saving Sorril, each do it in his own way. Don't question me the same as I don't question you. You sense truth so sense this: I don't mean to cross you," he gives a long look at Axid, "and Drommacus and the others will help in our mutual cause. Now I done all I'm willing to satisfy your nasty suspicions. Both of you. I chose to elaborate, even that I'm not a guy of words, since I heard that good lies must be based on the truth and keep short. Maybe your niece can vouch for it. I hope you can appreciate it. I'm not planning to answer or go along with any farther diminishing behavior towards me or any of my companions, undead or live ones." he gestures toward Allakhain, Landro, Jack and Jag, "I'd be glad to count you two as my company as well. We can cooperate as friends, or not as friends, but if we are to survive the Labyrinth we need to have some trust in each other and coordinate our actions. Now, since you know everything I said is true, and on top of it to show you my good faith and honesty and trust in you, I'm willing to keep your mind link intact even that every bone in me shouts to severe it seeing your attitude, so I'll, this time to put it behind us, not expecting or asking for apology, and march forward."
Using his control ability he prevents the undead from answering any questions, and share his disappointment with Stephen and Axid.
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(OOC: Oh well... it was time for a speech.
I must say I feel that the reaction is WAY more extreme then the actual knowledge and evidence the characters do have.
Also, Ke'Sha didn't hurt any of the company during the previous time in the Labyrinth. In fact it was the opposite as he also took a role of a scout with his detect trap and danger sense, and pretty much endangered himself, opposed to his character, and all but Stephen know it.
Moreover, when words were exchanged with Axid, Ke'Sha was the first to attempt to cool things off and stopped any defiance and tried to appease Axid. Not successfully apparently.

Now please note about the speech:
0. We all know as players in the real world the problem we have here is the origin of the jujus and wight.
1. Ke'Sha countered (or at least attempted to be honest and clear about) all of the accusations of the last several posts at the beginning of the speech with Truths.
2. He also made these accusations sound somewhat exaggerated and even a bit ridicules, so the accusation about the natives is also affected by the same, as being used in the same sentence.
3. Ke'Sha talked long after finishing with the accusations and also mentioned clearly he done all he is willing to... (attempt to put them long behind relevance to any continuation of the discussion by posing new and more important subjects to think of).
4. He deflects the accusations and counter with his own.
5. He talks very sincerely and expose his 'feelings' as being the victim here.
6. He finishes with a call of good faith.

So my intention was to answer ALL the questions with truth and close the opportunity for farther questioning without showing a clear avoidance from the questions. On the contrary, I tried to leave the impression that he answered in full and most honestly.

Why would you suspect in Ke'Sha about the missing people anyway? As you said, he was in his tent. He collected troll fingers the day before. He summoned Fire elemental. Now he appears with Trolls and drow. They are all on the same level. Why don't you ask him about the fire elemental. Why don't you ask him why he prays for resurrection? Does he plan to save you if you die? Oh my...

But I love roleplaying, and to clarify I don't take any of this personally, so if you are into it I don't mind continuing the mistrust reactions.
As they say, trust must be earned. But I suggest we do it while exploring the Labyrinth. There is no way you will trust him, be it justified or not.

But really, If Ke'Sha was caring and not living in solitude for about all his life, he would be offended.
)

[Lord Torath]

Stephen’s normally affable expression drops from his face. “So far I’ve heard nothing but deflections. Do not test my patience – Kyla is slow in granting it, and my own supplies are running dangerously low."

He continues on in a low, voice, carefully enunciating his words. “This is important for the success of our endeavor here. What. Did you promise. The demon? I will not enter the Labyrinth with an unbound demon at my back. While it is here, it is a danger to all of us. If you will not tell me how you secured its service, I will send it back to the hells myself! Answer me! And do not attempt to dissemble or deflect!”
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Be honest, Bish, “I found them” is a pretty weak excuse. If your kid came home with a brand new iPhone and told you they just ‘found it’, would you believe them? I certainly wouldn’t if my kids tried it.

If you think Steve's overreacting about the demon thing, imagine how Ke’Sha would feel if he was on a mission to free a powerful fiend (maybe as payment for this one’s service) that’s been imprisoned by angels, guarded by an order of holy knights and priests, and one of Ke’Sha’s party members (whom he’s known for less than 48 hours) surprised him with a powerful angel to 'help free the fiend'. Is that something he’d be fine with? Or would he have at least a few questions?

[BishGada]

Ke'Sha looks at Stephen and blinks. "Not only you diminish and accuse me and Allakhain, you now also threaten me. Good way to start a quest together. I bet the Master of the Labyrinth rubs his hands with pleasure seeing how you work against me. So... what do you propose? You think you will threat, then execute your threat, and everything will go on quietly? Do you really think that is the best move here?" he hates the need to speak so long... "You ask me to relinquish my powers, to submit to your demands, to justify my actions, even that there is no shred of evidence that I did wrong. Yet you choose to pick on the little guy and not pointing your fingers toward anyone else. Something goes wrong? Let's blame the necromancer... right? So... suppose I'll agree, would you do the same? Your psionics powers are also endangering us. It might be the reason there is a strong being spying on us. Your psychic powers may have brought it upon us. Will you forfeit them for the time being? Will you ask Landro to put down his weapons because he might get possessed and butcher us all? Or our respectful Jag to leave his spellbook behind in case it will fall to the wrong hands? No... you will not. And for a good reason, if we all put down our weapons we are as good as dead. Quests are dangerous, and my deals and secrets are my weapons. And they shall remain secrets for them to be effective. Now I understand you are determined on clashing, and that you are worried and frustrated, but once again, you can sense it to be true that I have no bad intention toward you or anyone from the company. Unless of course you are going to attack."
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(OOC:
'I found them around' (which is different from 'I found them' as far as my limited English goes) was meant to be funny outside the game, but oh well.. water under the bridge.
By the way: 'pick up on the little guy', and 'blame the necromancer' are also supposed to be humorous.
About mistrust, you have a point there. Still there can be mistrust between any group when they first meet. Admittedly demons are less trustworthy but Ke'Sha doesn't have to explain himself. You don't see him questioning the others, although they might kill him at the night believing they brought good to the world. As far as he cares, if he was too cautious about the others he could stay behind, but since he choose to continue, anyone else who feels too cautious can stay behind as well.

Anyway, I did say I love roleplaying but I feel this is going south...
To tell the truth, I thought we had several opportunities to keep the situation a bit vague, giving the benefit of the doubt and move on, but now, I don't see as a player the light in the end of the tunnel.
I do want to continue playing with you guys, but: 1. If you feel otherwise, of course I won't force myself. 2. If you think I will enjoy playing without more than half my spells and without my minions, well, you are wrong.

So if you aim at an in game way out of it, satisfying both Stephen and Ke'Sha, that I continue to miss it because of my limited creativity or intelligence, please give me a hint.
)

[TristenC]

Allikhain considers the situation, Would you be satisfied with the new addition if he was bound to "Do no harm to any member of this group, our camp above or any innocents we encounter"?

Nearby, Jag prepares to put the chicken into the bubble, but one has not formed. Landro cuts the palms of the giant scaly hands as the party did last time. Just as before, a thick red liquid oozes out and pools on the invisible wall of force before rising up slowly to create the hollow sphere.

Jag proffers the chicken, and as soon as its beak touches the surface, the bubble bows outward to engulf it; nearly extending to Jag as well. The poultry-scout lets out an undignified SQUAWK as it slips through, and begins trotting around as it seeks to leave the bubble. The crimson orb begins to descend, sliding through the wall of force, like a soap bubble standiing inside a hoop of film as some entertainers do. The bubble continues to descend until it passes through the other side, leaving the wall of force in-tact. A second bubble forms immediately...

[Nocturno]

While the others talk.

Jack and Jag watch what happens to the chicken.

[TristenC]

Jack and Jag get as close as they can without touching the new bubble. The chicken in the lower bubble descends out of sight due to the angle. (to see any farther down they would have to get straight above the hole above the new bubble, unless they mean to touch it)

[Nocturno]

No obvious squawks or screams? Nothing to make them think the chicken met a grizzly demise?
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"Well it appears living things get to take a ride." Jag muses.

"SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH" Jack strains to listen for any sounds of violence.