Order of the Towers

You stand on the border of Charn. A city of some size rests not more than a thousand feet from where you are currently but this land? This land is lush farmland and the way it looks reminds you of Alexandria. The only thing out of place about it is the tower that stands about two hundred or so feet away. You're on the edge of a hill looking at it from the only vantage point that exists anywhere. It's a short tower, with lights illuminating it. There's a bonfire out front, and figures in robes and cloaks have been coming in and out of the tower all day. All the same outfit.

From what you can make out the robes are black with white spots in various places. They all stop at the door before entering. You can't tell at this distance what action they're performing, but something seems to happen before they enter the tower. The tower itself has no windows that you can see, and only the one entrance. So the first question as evening falls is... How are you getting in?

The scenery might make one tend to forget any number of negative practices, personalities, or individuals from the now near-neighboring nation. It might be considered otherwise peaceful or idyllic... if not for the tower. While Verna holds no bias against robed or cloaked figures entering a stone sanctuary on general principle, all evidence and implications lead presumptions decidedly towards the unfriendly end of the spectrum.

Thus they've observed, and learned something, though not full details. "It is apparent they halt for some act of identification," she notes quietly. "The entrance is likely guarded in some manner, though I cannot discern how. It seems safe to presume that charging it head-long would be unwise."

Merek is with the party, taking his time to adjust the dark attire which he wears, a scarf along the features of his face and a hood, nodding a little bit to Seldan and to Verna. "I don't know, I imagine we could go invisible, though they probably kept that in mind, it will be a little bit difficult," he will admit.

GAME: Seldan rolls knowledge/religion: (7)+15: 22
GAME: Verna rolls knowledge/religion: (4)+20: 24
GAME: Merek rolls knowledge/religion: (3)+27: 30

Seldan's gaze is steady, his expression stony and serious as he regards the robes and cloaks. "Taara's constellation," he murmurs. "The Cult of the Cockatrice, do I not err. We may do well to get closer, and see what it is that they do."

"Before we risk getting closer..." Mei begins, the man looking at the tower for a moment. "Perhaps we can capture one of the cultists and ask them?" His question is a bit hesitant. He glances at Seldan. "If we get too close we might be spotted after all, and I'd rather be spotted wearing one of those robes."

Verna catches a less oblique view of a robe back, only now recognizing the pattern of spots: a constellation likely mentioned more than once in her youth and possibly even pointed out in the night sky during the same. Perhaps one small morsel she might thank her mother for... were it not buried in a pile of steaming unmentionable traits to not.

"Indeed it is. Hardly unexpected here. We shall need to reach the tower at some point..." She looks to Mei at the notion. "Disguise is better than crossing open ground otherwise. The difficulty may be in locating suitable attire without venturing too near." She shifts her attention to the outskirts for any possibilities nearer them or at least further from the tower.

Merek looks over to Mei and to everyone else, and nods a little bit, "What do you think would be the best way to do all of that?" he asks.

Seldan inclines his head politely, with a ghost of a smile. "Subterfuge is not my area of expertise," he observes quietly. "Perhaps we may learn more in the city." His gaze goes towards the city in question. "At the very least, Seer, it is well do we not draw attention to ourselves."

Mei has the grace to look a bit embarrassed by Seldan's words and nods. "I can understand that, but subtlety is a necessary tool in the arsenal in my opinion. I worry that entering the city might be like announcing our presence... But we might not have much of a choice. I might suggest setting an ambush along the route to the tower and covering ourselves with the cloaks of those we ambush. Not a very honorable tactic I know, but we've limited options."

"We are more easily overlooked in a crowd, so long as we do not draw undue attention," Verna concurs. "If more members of the order emerge, we can follow and..." She pauses and dips her hood to Mei as he is more succinct. "As he says. I may well be able to render some harmless without great disturbance to aid our entry."

A distinct discomfort settles over Seldan's features, in the few brief moments before it shifts into the alabaster pillar-like demeanor he wears at times. "As you say," he murmurs. "I mislike it, and yet may it be her best option."

GAME: Seldan rolls stealth: (6)+3: 9
GAME: Verna rolls stealth: (15)+2: 17

"If we don't want to draw attention, it's probably best we go invisible. That might be a bit suspicious, but all the same I don't think we're that good at avoiding notice," Merek will note to everyone. Then he begins to cast the spell to bring about invisibility, everyone shimmering before they become a part of the background. Then he's shifting along with them, touching to each of them, "We should stay close, as this won't let us see each other."

Mei nods, and leads you all away from the tower and toward a spot where you might be able to ambush a group headed to the tower. The man does his best to hide you all from sight, but even with his best efforts... you guys stand out. Thus, he is grateful when Merek casts invisibility on you and... well you leave his sight entirely. Then he hides himself rather adeptly. And you wait.

Eventually, a group of cultists approach, a group of five chatting with one another and seemingly unaware of your presence at the side of the road. They're wearing the same robes as everyone else.

Verna follows Mei's guidance and settles in as best she is able. This is aided muchly by Merek's spells. She does her best to keep a notion of where the others are, or at least were and then waits. After the cultists appear, she waits further, until they are slightly past the group's hidden location. A margin for error, and a brief opportunity for the others to act, should they deem to. Then she will call forth magic; not as ostentatious as balls of fire nor bolts of lightning, which is a boon in this instance.

GAME: Verna casts Circle of Death. Caster Level: 17 DC: 22

The cultists come to a stop, and then just as suddenly, some of them fall over - dead. The spell strikes them down efficiently and quickly. Two of the remaining cultists remain on their feet, looking for the source of the magic which killed their allies and quickly spotting Verna.

GAME: Merek rolls diplomacy: (2)+31: 33
GAME: Merek rolls diplomacy: (6)+31: 37

Merek looks then to all of the ones that are killed right away, then he grunts a little bit. "Not the way I would've, though... I suppose it's a way." The man is an agent of chaos, which means that you never know what he's going to do. He steps from the invisibility while he stands among them. "You are surrounded. I would suggest that both of you don't make a move against our compatriot. I mean as you see, it'd be little issue to put you two like the other three. And I'm not really in the mood to do that to anyone. So here's what we're going to do, we are going to tie you up, maybe take your robes while we make sure you can't cast any spells, then we're going to let you go when we're done. Trust me on this one, and you will manage to live. And I think that you would rather do that than go to the Abyss and tell Taara Herself what happened. They're not so forgiving."

The man nods to them each, he doesn't seem that hostile, it is not a threat. He just wants them to do what was asked. "Ah, who am I kidding, you all like money right? I'll pay you all even if you keep this between us, it is something you don't tell at the table."

From Seldan's position, where he'd remained behind the others, a cry of protest rips the thin air near him as the spell simply slays three of them where they stand. It takes the mightiest of will to restrain himself from more, but the veil of invisibility hides an absolutely thunderously furious look, a stare that, if looks could kill, would leave Verna facing her Goddess in short order. No doubt she'll see it later, but he subsides, with an effort, as Merek speaks up.

The pair of cultists fall to their knees and put their hands up. "We surrender!"

The other pipes up as well, nodding feverently. "Yea! We surrender!" They wait patiently for Mei to crawl out of his hiding spot and begin to tie up the two remaining cultists. He rather specifically doesn't look at the corpses of the cultists that have fallen. Mei does so quickly, and takes the robes off of them efficiently. Luckily they're wearing their 'day' clothes underneath.

Verna watches the others given the choice and is pleased when they wisely choose the best option. As Mei tends to them, she moves to the fallen. Outer robes are removed, respectfully yet briskly. She then begins to move them from the roadway and reposed 'comfortably,' as best and as conscientiously as she is able given her slight stature. "They should be returned to and tended to, afterwards." Whether she utters this to her compatriots or those bound may be unclear.

Merek looks along to everyone and nods a bit, while he begins to gather the Taaran robes which they kept. Then he's beginning to check the size. All the while he will listen, "If you want to ask them anything, then you might really like to do all that."

Seldan is the last to move, and for a moment, he finds himself deeply grateful for the invisibility that hides the shudder that ripples through him at the very idea of donning the robes of a Taaran. For naught less than the purpose of his errand would he consider such, but he in his turn takes the robe, when one is handed to him.

"Hey isn't that..." One of the cultists starts to say as he notices Seldan, and the other hushes him quickly.

"Shut up!" The second one glances around as if to see if anyone else is going to arrive anytime soon.

Mei looks between the pair curiously before pulling them off to the side of the road where the corpses are. The man picks one of the robes for himself and puts it on without complaint before searching the two cultists for anything else that they might have on them that they might need and comes up with a grin. "Ah ha!" He shows off a fat little fertility symbol that he found in one of the guy's pockets. "I bet this is what we need to get inside!"

Verna likely has little issue finding robes large enough, which she dons over her current. She looks to Mei at his discovery and immediately recognizes the statuary. "It may well be, as much as I prefer it were some other symbol. Handle it with care." She then looks to the others, and is wholly unsurprised at any looks of distaste or focused stoicism from any. "Shall we proceed?"

Merek looks between the party and nods a bit, "We should," he's then donning the robes while he takes the time to pull the hood up, and look to the symbol.

That fertility symbol is all too familiar to Seldan, who at once adopts that focused stoicism that is clearly expected - and absolutely necessary, if he is to achieve his goals here without breaking his oaths or strangling anyone. He draws a deep breath, and makes use of the fact that once the robe is on his person, he disappears again, to remove from his knapsack and don a red velvet hat with silver arcane stitching around the brim, a thing that instantly turns to a leather thong tying back long brown hair, and pulls up the hood over it. A quick check of pockets for fertility symbol follows, either cultists or corpses, and he waits until they are out of sight of the cultists to allow the invisibility to drop.

He has changed appearance. Blocky, unremarkable features, long, slightly greasy brown hair tied back, a nose that has been broken a few times.

While Seldan is off disguising himself Mei gags and blindfolds the two cultists left alive and rolls them into a dich to keep them out of sight of anyone passing by. There are fertility symbols for you all, so Mei keeps the one that he has in hand. Then, you make your way back to the tower.

You're not very far, so it doesn't take very long to reach the location. Once you reach the tower, Mei brandishes the fertility symbol at the door, hoping that this is all that is required... and the door opens.

Another cultist is behind the door, nodding politely and welcoming you into the tower with a wave of the hand. Though the cultist does check to make sure you all have the symbol.

There's a pair of staircases within the first room, one headed downstairs, and one headed up.

GAME: Verna rolls perception: (3)+25: 28
GAME: Seldan rolls perception: (19)+7: 26
GAME: Merek rolls perception: (20)+25: 45

Verna presents her symbol on her turn and steps ahead. She notes nothing to make her promptly prefer one stair over another, so she keeps her steps slow. Perhaps believably solemn, rather than hesitant.

As they all enter the place, Merek will nod a little bit to the cultist, then walks to the stairs. The dragon-like eyes of his sorcerer line and ability to hear seem to be something kept with him. Then he begins to listen, then he signs quietly out of sight to the two in quiet repose while he watches, "Chanting below, rustling above."

The brown-haired man that Seldan has become looks questioningly at the others at Merek's description. He's not showing much, and is saying less just at the moment.

"O'course there is!" States the cultist behind the group as he closes the door behind you. "Meeting is nearly started, and the dark ones above know it! What are you new?" He looks at the symbol in Merek's hand and glares at Merek. "You didn't trade for that thing did you? Because the tower's location is supposed to be _secret_."

"He's just a bit nervous." Says Mei quietly to the cultist. "Excited you know? Don't worry, I won't let him wander off without the rest of us." Mei puts a hand on Merek's shoulder in a friendly manner and starts directing the man down the stairs. The cultist seems to accept this, and doesn't question further as you all head down the stairs to the second floor where there's a door, and stairs leading further down. You can hear chanting from inside the room. It's loud and ominous-sounding.

GAME: Seldan rolls wisdom: (20)+5: 25

Verna begins to turn towards the stairs down if just due to anonymity in a crowd and simply probability: if others are down there, it is a fair presumption that they would be expected there as well. This is confirmed by the interruption and Mei's deft handling of it, and she moves briskly down the stairs. They may not be able to sneak about unnoticed, but they may learn a great deal by simply standing unobtrusively and listening.

GAME: Seldan casts Undetectable Alignment. Caster Level: 8 DC: 20

Merek nods a bit to the cultist, and follows with Mei. He definitely looks like the new guy, and doesn't seem to think a lot about it. For the moment, he is satisfied to follow, and it is a new kind of place to explore, looking at things.

For his part, the brown-haired man murmurs a quiet prayer to himself, using the fertility symbol to cover the fact that he grasps something else beneath his robes with the other hand. Only those closest will recognize it for what it is, a swift and simple thing, but an important one. A brief silver shimmer settles over him, then vanishes. Still he does not address the others.

Mei hesitates in front of the door and looks at the rest of the group with a shrug. "Do you know where the last one of these moons was found?" He whispers as quietly as he can, trying to be heard only by those on this side of the door. "Or do we join the faithful?"

-TBC