Tests and Trials

[thinkslogically]

Ves is interested and more than a little suspicious.

Insight on the woman: 1d20+5 = [13] = 18

[NotStickFigures]

Insight 1d20+2 = [7] = 9

Jaq also watches the woman and tries to figure out if she is telling the truth.
What race does he think she is?

[spiderwrangler]

Lurn's talking makes Kroshav zone out a bit, but he does note that the firbolg is using a new pronunciation of "Kevin".

[Arch Lich Burns]

”It be a tough battle but we got rid of at least most of em. Tha pool been destroyed as well so hopefully they willnae capture more.
Do ye know how long ye been in here? Are thar others?”

[Rodgeir]

The woman, Triss, stops and tries to interject answers to the verbose firbolg's monologue but gives up and, running her hand through her hair, looks over at Jaq and then beyond him at those in the doorway. During Lurn's rambling Kroshav takes a deep sniff which attracts the woman's gaze, her eyes narrowing at the light from his shield.

Jaq gets a good look at the woman and decides she is probably human, though her features, particularly her squarish jaw, are distinctly northern.

As Lurn pauses the woman looks back to him and, seemingly surprised he stopped, takes her opportunity,

"I think you have misunderstood me. I am very much aware of the gods, Kelemvor included. I do not know how many skeletons there were up there but it was a dark cleric...thing that captured me while I was preoccupied. I am from Ranwei, but live now in Firth. My things?" She looks sadly down at her clothing. "I was not in a state to track what they did with them when I was taken, nor do I know how long I have been kept here little one. I was alone when I came here."

She takes a step closer to the firbolg eyeing him appraisingly,

"Am I correct in assuming you were lured to this place with the promise of bringing back a departed loved one? I did not think a follower of Kelemvor would be a party to such a thing?" She extends her hand towards the firbolg palm upwards in the northern style, "I must admit I thought I would be trapped here forever and you and your companions have my gratitude, for what it is worth."

Jaq doesn't notice anything off about the woman and Ves thinks her mannerisms are a bit odd but probably related to her being northern. She does seem to be telling the truth.

((Ranwei is as north as you can get and Firth is only a bit further south. She is a long way from home.))

[NotStickFigures]

Jaq will relax a bit. He smiles at the woman and moves further into the room away from the others and looks about to see if anything is in the room other than the woman.
"How did you eat and survive while locked in here?" he asks with concern. "Are you thirsty?"

Even though he does not fully understand what is going on, he is going to trust her for now. If she was a prisoner of this place she deserves that.

[Rodgeir]

As Jaq moves further into the room he sees that where a statute likely stood a small trickle of water runs into a thumb sized gap in the floor, otherwise the room is bare.

The woman looks over at Jaq, hand still extended towards Lurn, and nods with a small smile.

"I was not given food on a regular basis. It may have forgotten how often things need to eat but I suspect it was merely trying to convince me with cruelty."

[spiderwrangler]

Kroshav speaks up. "You don't have any idea how long you've been down here? Like... was it a couple days? Couple weeks? Longer?"

[Rodgeir]

"Longer... What is the season? It was summer when I was captured."

[spiderwrangler]

((What is the season?))

[thinkslogically]

((late spring, early summer if I remember right?))

[Dlover]

Let's see, knowing how to respond to her motion... Just Charisma, I guess?
1d20+1 = [2] = 3
Lurn doesn't know the customs, so looks like he'll just be taking her hand for a shake.

Triss' talk of her origins and not seeing where her items were taken troubles the firbolg. "I saw no cleric myself, but I did not see every foe myself. There were the remains of two wearing armour in rather good condition, so perhaps they were guards for that one?" Glancing over his shoulder to the others, Lurn speaks up a bit, "Did anyone see what may be described as a cleric? The thing that spoke through the skeletons, perhaps? if not, then it seems we must delve deeper to flush it out."
Turning back to the woman, Lurn nods his head, "I do not believe we can take you all the way home, but we will try to find your belongings, and you will be welcome to travel with us until we reach a town."

Lurn frowns slightly when she asks his reason for being there, "One of us sought that tale, though I didn't know of that until later. Others were hired on as guards, a couple for adventure, and I saw a note that made me suspect the possibility of undead presence. So, not knowing the desire to revive the dead, I came to end the undead... If I am to be honest, had I known the reason for coming here, I would have warned that only direct intervention from the gods can truly return those long gone, but I would have come regardless. It is my duty to fell the undead, and I know the dead cannot be returned, so helping a person seek closure does no harm."

[spiderwrangler]

Kroshav will shoulder his way to the front, leaning his pick against his leg as he reaches up to scratch the back of his head, briefly clenching it into a fist so the others can see, before picking his weapon back up.

He'll try to get a word in edgewise, interrupting Lurn's sermon if needed.

"Since last summer at least? I suppose you don't know how long ago it was that you died either...?

[Dlover]

"Died? What nonsense is this?"

[spiderwrangler]

"I mean... she's not alive... can't you smell that? Begging your pardon, miss."

[thinkslogically]

Ves wanders towards the door, shoving past the gents to move inside and get closer to the woman, and give her an appraising look over, since she's apparently been stuck in here for a while.

"Interrogations aren't needed yet I don't think. Here, sit yourself down. If you've not eaten much for a while, you want to start gentle. Here's a bit of water... Take it easy on that, and let me see what I can find for you to eat... Gents, clear off for a bit, let's get the poor woman some space."

Ves swings her pack off her shoulders and rummages for some plain and easy-to -digest food to give to the woman.

"I can get some water warmed up for you if you want a wash, and I've got some spare clothes that should probably fit you if you want to change?"

Turning to Kroshav:

"Wait... What did you say?"

[NotStickFigures]

Once Kroshav says the woman is dead Jaq quietly without fuss, moves away from her and keeps his distance.

[Rodgeir]

Lurn reaches out and gives the woman a firm shake of the hand. She seems momentarily confused at the shaking before shifting her grip to Lurn's wrist and giving a brief squeeze before releasing him.

"The one that was like a storm cloud in robes was a cleric of Orcus. It referred to itself as such at least." She nods to Lurn's apology about taking her home, "I am confident I will be able to make my own way now, thank you." Ves notices a bit of a strained look briefly cross the woman's face as Lurn explains his thoughts on bringing the dead back and his role to kill all undead.

During this Ves wanders in, and Jolly moves to the doorway. Triss gives Ves an appraising look in return and accepts the water with a small nod when Kroshav interjects, over Ves' next question, with his question. Triss stills as she adjusts her gaze to meet the dragonborn's. She lets out a quiet, long suffering sigh while Lurn defends her before responding herself,

"Several hundreds of years before that...wait, what smell?" Her expression darkens momentarily before she continues, "You have now made things much more difficult. I simply wish to leave this place, and I am truly grateful for your having freed me. As a reward for this act, though unknowing, on my behalf I will take no action against you and am willing to provide an additional reward of sorts. I feel this is most reasonable? That said I will not remain here and, in your current states, I doubt you could stop me from leaving."

She spreads her hands in front of her, palms up towards the group. "What will it be?"

[spiderwrangler]

"My apologies, it wasn't nice of me to mention the smell.", Kroshav says, a bit thrown by this polite dead woman.

"Errr... how come you don't get along with Orcus and his boys?"

[Rodgeir]

"You are forgiven, of course. They consider my kind a disease, lower than those mindless skeletons. I must admit I was surprised when they tried to have me swear fealty to their lord." She shrugs. "But I would not serve the likes of them and I doubt many of my could would. Our interests simply do not align."

[Dlover]

Lurn frowns, obviously confused, looking between Kroshav and Triss. "What? Dead? I don't smell anything. And she's warm..." Still, the woman herself had said that she died hundreds of years before... "The undead are abominations, they have no will and only seek to kill. The souls tied within are forced to obey, suffering. This isn't... A spirit! There are times when my order summon the spirits of those long dead, heroes needed greatly. They are not undead, but a spirit given form, the soul unharmed, retaining its sanity and control. Such a thing is only done at utmost need, but this must be one such case. That is why the cleric was so intent of forcing her to agree to serve. Is that not right, miss Triss? Surely you have no intention of harming anyone."

[thinkslogically]

Ves shuffles her feet uncomfortably, feeling wildly out of her depth again.

"What will you do now you're free?"

[Arch Lich Burns]

Joe gives a sigh as Lurn makes a butt of of himself. ”Lurn, why don’t ya see if thar ain’t anymore skeletons in here.”

She turns to the lady. ”Sorry about tha, he’s real chatty when it comes to his god. Ye donnae need ta tell us anythin’ ye ain’t comfortable with. If those skeltons didnae like ye then ye prob’ly be a good person.

Ah do have a question thou, is thare anyway of gettin’ someone back or at least talk to around here? Od do ye know o anyplace tha does?”

[NotStickFigures]

Jaq continues to watch and listen, keeping quiet at this time though, with no questions.

[Rodgeir]

Triss gives Lurn a tight smile,

"I am most certainly not alive by the standards of your god, I am no spirit and I will not lie to you about having hurt people."

To Ves she responds,

"I plan on returning home."

To Joe's question she says,

"Good is relative my small savior. I was here foolishly looking for that myself. I have found nothing that can truly return someone, yet. Speaking with them can be done with some practice but it is not the same."

Looking around the room at everyone,

"Am I to assume you are in agreement with my terms?"