[The Interrogator]

Before I start the write up, let me preface it with a huge kudos to Aurien for an amazing interrogation. The situation was handled well and we clearly have more information than previously going in. Great job.

When we last left the half-day heroes, they had just captured the evil Cyric priest Shileck in the Garelstone mines. Stripped almost naked and tied up, the heroes had brought her for safe keeping to the local constable, Gayrold's house, in Milbourne.

The party sets up shop and sets itself up so that Aurien and Rosencrantz can interrogate Shileck - with Nanoc standing in the back in case she gets free and the rest of the party splintered throughout the room. The ultimate plan is to have Rosy ask the questions while Aurien "probes" Shileck's mind. Nanoc starts unraveling the "turban" which has been over Shileck's head since her capture, however, he leaves her eyes blind folded. The interrogation is about to begin......

The heroes, having took so long to actually get the priorities in order, gave Shileck the impression that the group had not the faintest idea on what we were going to do with her. She laughs mockingly at the half day heroes.

"You don't even know what you're going to do with me do you? Ahahahahahahaha."

Erlan immediately stares daggers at his Cyric nemesis.

With Gayrold watching on, Aurien and Rosencrantz begin their interrogation. Aurien casts "Mind Read" and Rosy begins by asking "Where is the girl who was wearing this cloak?" Shileck struggles in her bindings as Aurien probes her mind. Aurien sees an orc carrying a box underground somewhere.

Rosencrantz, with silent signal from Aurien notifying him he may continue the questioning then asks Shileck "Where is the other key? (That looks like this...)" Again, Aurien probes deep into Shileck's mind. Shileck again struggles and at this point he feels like he is falling down deeper and deeper through impenetrable, misty darkness where he abruptly falls into some body of water. Sinking deeper and deeper into the water, suddenly, a shapeless form starts to appear from the murky depths below. Slowing an eye opens, glaring directly at Aurien. Aurien comes to, again giving the signal to Rosencrantz to continue.

Rosencrantz then clears his throat and asks "what is the command word for the hut?" Shileck squirms fruitlessly in her bindings as Aurien attempts to read her mind for the final time. Time is running short and the spell is about to wear off... Aurien probes back into Shileck's mind and immediately sees her saying some two syllable word, however, he can't seem to make out exactly what Shileck is saying. Aurien comes to.

Taking a quick break, the heroes regroup before making another attempt at reading Shileck's mind. Interrogation number 2 begins without warning for their captive. Aurien casts a "protection from evil spell" in hopes this may ward off whatever may be controlling Shileck. Rosencrantz and Aurien begin to grill Shileck. Rosencrantz immediately goes on the offensive asking "What is the command word for the hut?"

Shileck answers very calmly, "I don't know. We used to get magical items from the prisoners. I found it on one of them."

Nodding approvingly, Rosencrantz realizes that he just caught Shileck in a lie. This may come in handy later. Aurien asks more questions of Shileck regarding who shes working for.

She replies "I was hired by some orcs and we get the people and hand them over. I don't know who would be their master."

Erlan, fed up with the lies, begins playing the "bad cop role" telling Shileck "listen, we're not messing around here" as he pokes her in her face with his moons' hand.

Shileck, with a sigh, asks "what are you going to do with me? What can I do for you to let me go?"

Erlan replies very acridly, "that's for us to know and for you to find out. You and I got beef."

Aurien then casts another "Mind Read." Rosencrantz then proceeds to ask questions regarding the kidnappings. However, each time Aurien attempts to read Shileck's mind, he keeps seeing this shapeless form with an eye staring at him. Again he's falling through misty darkness, plunging into water below and descending into the depths. He again reaches the shapeless creature. This happens for all 3 questions asked of Shileck. Coming to, Aurien turns to Nanoc, "please put her turban back on." Nanoc complies.

With Shileck finally unable to hear again, Aurien informs the group of his findings. The group is a bit alarmed with what they hear. From what Aurien can gather, Shileck is under the control of some formless creature that he kept seeing during each attempt.

Happy with the results thus far, the party puts Shileck back into her original position, head wrap and all, and turn their attention to the boots she had been wearing in the mines. Erlan immediately puts them on. Thinking of floating, he goes no where. In a flash of brilliant "back roads intelligence" Erlan decides to attempt thinking of floating in the water. Erlan starts flaoting up into the air as the group and Gayrold watch him hit the roof of the house. Happy with the results, Erlan places the boots back into the heroes pile of booty.

Rosencrantz, wanting to do further testing of the boots, decides to try them on outside with Nanocs help. So the group heads outside. While there Nanoc takes out his magical rope. Saying the magic words "rope slither" the rope ties neatly around Rosy's leg. Thinking of floating in water Rosencrantz immediately floats up the 30 feet length of the rope. Admiring kids look on as the group attempts to pick up Nanoc with the rope. No luck. Rowyn, weighing only 126 pounds then hangs onto the rope and it picked up with ease. Estimating the rope has a max strength of approximately 300 - 350 pounds and now satisfied, Rosencrantz casts cantrip as his arm lights up and then begins his descent back toward the ground, landing softly. The young kids cheer in delight. [The villagers rejoice! yay!]

[Bubble]
While the half day heroes decide to wait out the rest of the day, the two priests and Rosencrantz decide to head over to the armory. Looking for sling bullets and a medium shield, they only find the shield and sling stones. Aurien happily purchases his new shield. Remembering he must notify his new BFF Darius Carmen, Aurien asks Erlan and Rosy to accompany him to his mansion.

The trio arrives at Darius Carmen's mansion. Knocking on the door, a servant promptly answers the door. "May I help you?"

Charismatically, Aurien replies, "is the master in? I need to speak with him."

"I'm sorry sir" the servant replied. "Mr Carmen is currently at Count Palfrey's. He left yesterday and is expected back sometime today."

"Thank you" says Aurien. "May I leave him a note?"

The servant heads off and returns with writing implements for Aurien. He then begins scribbling down his note for Darius Carmen notifying him that the Carmen mines should be clear for his workers.
[/End Bubble]

The heroes reconvene at Gayrold's for the night. They establish watches. But before the first watch takes its turn, there is a banging at the door of Gayrold's house. Nanoc springs up, hand on sword, and answers the door. It's Lintern! ...And he doesn't look good. Lintern is all bloody, with slashes in his armor.

The poor guy is quite distraught. "Guys, I am so glad I found you. So I was doing research on the Gleaming Glade in the library and I think I located it. So I went there by myself." Nanoc unrolls his map and has Lintern show him where it's located.

Lintern continues "so when I was in the gleaming glade, I ran into some orcs. But as I was fighting them, some "ghost-type" of mass came out of nowhere and decimated all the orcs! In the confusion, I was able to run away and get back here. That place is evil."

[I can't remember if Lintern was healed or not... I thought not.]
Thanking Lintern, the group sends him on his way back to Count Palfrey's keep.

The group sets up watches and settle in for the night. The entire night passes uneventfully.

The following morning, Aurien wants to get right back to the interrogation. He casts detect charm on Shileck. He sees her glowing. Shileck is under control but it's not magical. Hell-bent on convincing Shileck she's under control or saving her soul, Aurien casts "protection from evil." Unsuccessfully, Aurien does not convince Shileck she is under control. He then shifts gears and engages with Shilect on a cost-benefit analysis of being an evil priest of Cyric. Again no real headway made.

The party, knowing it will take a days travel time with "double timing the horses," decide to try and catch a barge or boat to Thurmaster. We all head down to the dock in Milbourne, prisoner in tow. Traveling through town and getting strange looks from the townsfolk, the heroes arrive at the docks and ask about securing passage. Speaking with the worker on the dock, the party learns that there is a boat coming today but the arrival time has so far eluded the worker. We decide to make the trek on horseback to Thurmaster to see Toaster to see if he may assist with identifying the magic hut and other magic items the party has in its' possession.

Traveling the day to Thurmaster, the group finally reaches their destination. A few of the horses are weary, but for the most part the horses are in good shape. Arriving at the gates the guards clearly are looking at us sideways seeing as we have a captive in our tow.

Rosencrantz replies to the looks with "Kidnappings? She's responsible."

The guards congratulate the heroes on their score.

The party continues past the gates onto the Hounds and Tales to drop off the horses. After doing so the party heads directly to Tausters. Knocking on his door, he opens it greeting us immediately. His eyes go straight to Shileck. Again Rosencrntz replies with his traditional "Kidnappings? She's behind them."

Tauster ushers the party into his house. We show him the items and he can't really assist with any identification until he can secure some pearls. Rosencrantz then asks his colleague about some type of mind control being exhibited over Shileck by some formless eyed monster. Rosy also explains more about Aurien and his "Mind Read" results. Tauster offers to do a dispel magic to attempt to rid Shileck and possibly Aurien of this hold over them. The party agrees and heads about 50 yards outside of town.

50 yards outside of town the group disperses as Nanoc throws Shileck into the center. Aurien joins her. Tauster casts dispel magic and nothing noteworthy happens. Tauster then offers to cast "detect cyne [???]" to see if anyone is watching us. Again, nothing noteworthy happens. The crew thanks Tauster for his time and heads back to the Hounds and Tales to hole up for the night.

Arriving back at the Hounds and Tales the heroes settle in and set watches. The night passes uneventfully.

The following morning, Aurien decides to cast detect charm and doesn't see anything on either himself or on Shileck. Attempting another "mind rape" Aurien casts "Mind Read" asks Shileck what the command word for the hut is. This time he actually hears her say "Cri-Zeck." He then sees an eye again and immediately Aurien passes out. Erlan rushes to his side and tells the party "Guys it's not magic that made him pass out."

After some time of waiting, Aurien comes to. He tells the party of his findings. The group starts toward the door to try the hut out.

Saying the magic words "Cri-Zeck" the house begins to get larger and larger, finally coming to rest as a full sized shante. The group heads inside while Nanoc keeps watch. [He was spinning records...] Inside the group finds:

* A chest containing a presumed magic wand and 2 scrolls.
-Scrolls have mirror, web, dispel magic & minor globe of invulnerability.

* A pouch containing gems; diamonds, etc.

* 2200 gold

*1200 platinum

* 1400 electrum

Rosencrantz then has everyone get out of the hut and tries the magic words again. The hut shrinks back to it's original state. He again uses the words twice more. The hut grows and shrinks. He tries for a third time, nothing happens.

The party heads back inside of the Hounds and Tales....

[/End of session]