Christ Centered Gamer

Crimson puts down her crossbow (hopefully not too late!). It's not? What is it?? Glad to see you two again, and not in danger.

Kratimos accepted he map and promised to keep it secret, to keep it safe.
"On my life." He affirms, as he stashes it away.

*****
Kratimos struggles to his feet after being thrown to wall, coughing for breath. He picks himself up for another round until he hears the cleric's pleading. He lifts his helm up and rests it on the top of his head. ((Like this handsome fellow))
"What." Kratimos looks at the mind flayer. "What?" He looks back at Livia and Guy. "WHAT?!"

Kratimos looks deep at Guy, Livia and the Illithid.
"Prove it. I need to know that this isn't the flayer talking."

((Is there a check I can make to determine if they are controlled or not?))

Initiative, in case:
[dice]1[/dice]


EDIT:Oops, accidentally did a d20 roll.
[dice]0[/dice]

In response, Kratimos goes completely limp, like a puppet who's strings are cut. His head lifts up and his mouth moves.

"If I wanted to control them I would."

Kratimos comes too, the haze lifts from his mind. Looking at Rhel, the closest thing to a smile crosses his squid like face.

The priest of St Cuthbert simply faints at the sight of the others appearing in the room out of thin air and the creature with seemingly limitless powers.

Crimson is confused about what is going on...she watched her friend turn into a puppet and was told not to shoot a freaky looking squid. Can someone explain to me what is going on here? Where do I shoot the arrow?

He and Guy were imprisoned together. They kept each other alive and called for me when Guy was badly wounded. Don't harm him.

Livia goes to the priest and makes sure that he is ok.

Winthrop looks at the others, puzzled. He fingers his holy symbol, trying to make sense of what's going on. "First vampire elves," he thinks to himself, "now squid people? If these are allies, who are the bad guys, then? What have I gotten myself into?"

He looks around, trying to discern what's going on and determining who, if anyone, is lying.

Sense Motive check

[dice]0[/dice]

Kratimos rubbed his head, trying to get the distasteful leftovers he imagined the flayer smeared on the inside of his head.
"I don't like you." He pointed at the Illithid. That exhibition certainly has not convinced him, but demonstrated the futility of pressing for answers. Still... "So, what's his story, then?"
Kratimos motioned towards the craven priest.

The priest fearfully shambles out of the room then returns with a tray of biscuits and tea a short while later.

"I suppose that if you people wanted me dead I would be at the altar of St Cuthbert by now."

He weakly smiles and offers the snack to the party. At this time, each begins to share their journey how they got to where they are.

((All spoiler tags are fair game))

Guy's blade has never before been drawn against a friend.

His blade is bare now and pointed at Kratimos' heart. The mind flayer is an ally who has proven himself... but Guy remembers well what Kratimos did the last time they were together.

"You first, beast." Guy spits. "You charged in here, with weapons ready to do violence... and I know what you truly are."

In the past, Guy would have attacked without hesitation. His time with the mind flayer has taught him things aren't always as they at first seem. Still... Trust does not come easily again once betrayed and if there's an enemy present now, it's the lycanthrope.

Winthrop clearly doesn't know anyone well enough to determine their motives... but the hostile response against his new friend strikes him as odd. "Perhaps a different approach is in order..." he mutters to himself.

"Ooh, biscuits!" he exclaims. Winthrop walks between Kratimos and Guy to take a biscuit from the offered tray. He grabs a couple of them and offers one to each of the other two. "You know, this reminds me of a story about Johenn the Hunter and his wolf companion," he says. "Johenn was in the wilderness and he was thirsty. He found a pond and prepared to drink from it, but his wolf suddenly bit his leg! Johenn couldn't understand it - the wolf was his closest friend and ally, and they had been together for years. But every time Johenn bent to drink, the wolf would growl and snap at him. Finally, out of frustration, Johenn drew his sword and slashed the wolf in two. As he bent down to drink, undisturbed, he suddenly saw a dead fish floating before him. As he looked around, he saw the telltale signs that the pond had been poisoned. In his haste to quench his own thirst, he had ignored all the obvious signs, and even slew his best friend."

Winthrop takes a nibble of his biscuit and chews for a moment. He points to Guy. "You accuse Kratimos of being some sort of a beast. Yet he's not the one who seems to be protecting one of the most evil creatures of the underworld. No offense," he adds, nodding to the mind flayer. "Perhaps we should take some time to listen to what the others have to say before we rush to judgments we may later regret."

As Winthrop told the parable, Kratimos walked up to Guy til the point of his sword pressed against his armor.
"I bet you wanted to kill me for quite some time now." Kratimos ever focused on Guy, speaking only after Winthrop was done. "You'll get your chance, too. Just after I make sure you aren't some flayed pawn. You need to be fully awake to savor it."

Guy nods grimly, lowering his weapon for now. The beast is being reasonable. Winthrop's parable was very good, but it remains to be seen whether the wolf is truly acting in the best interests of the friend.

"Very well. What would you accept as evidence?"

"Kill the priest."

Guy blinks. "You want me to commit murder to prove I'm not under the control of evil?"

Kratimos doesn't flinch, never taking his eyes off Guy. Waiting.