War of the Lost Kingdom

"Give me those keys," Zifu stated. She held her hand out, expectantly.

Zifu nodded. "Thank you," she said, tucking the keys into her robes. "Finn, was it? I think it best you remain in custody for the time being, until we can sort things out. If you were to walk around, released, it would call into question your involvement in these strange circumstances.

"Do you understand?"

I smile. I understand . As soon as she turns her back, I try to slip my shackles.

Greta rises from the ground stands up and looks at herself examining the effects of the Imperius's "blood." She picks up her sword and collects her shield from where it lay outside the cell.

With a grunt she pokes Docanter with her toe and says "Get up."

Finally looking at their new "prisoner" Greta says "Look here Dingus, you're going to cut out all of your bullshit. We saved your ass and now you owe us. Do what we say, when we say it. Zifu is probably a lot smarter than you, so let's go with her plan. Put those back on if we're around any of the soldiers- for now."

She looks down at the tiny man and punctuates her statement with "Or else we tell these soldiers you are a murderer and they get rid of you, for good. And if they won't do it, I will.

She slides her sword home in its scabbard and gets the errant dagger she had thrown before the world turned dark.

Zifu looked dumbfounded at the shackles dropped at her shoes. "Um, yes," she said, mentally rationalizing how the halfling's hands were bound one second, and free the next.

"Speaking of soldiers," she continued, collecting herself. "Please see to the jailer, and the... well, what I assume was a false Imperius."

Tell you what, sweetheart, let me keep the keys in my pocket and I’ll put them back on. I wink at Greta. But you’d do wise to not let the rich make all of your decisions.

"You want to see to 'em, do it yourself Zifu ... and give Dingus the keys." says Greta with more than a little irritation at being ordered about by the smaller bookish woman.

Greta then shifts her gaze to Finn. "Pick up and put on the shackles, before I smash your runty face in."

Zifu weakly stood, shifting her owl to her shoulder. "I think it's a bad idea to give the suspected prisoner the keys," she said, and turned to Finn.

"I apologize, Mr. Dingus, but you have not exactly proven yourself capable of making sound decisions, and you are still bound by the law of Drathis. If you wish to clear your name and restore the honor of your patron, Lord Mardelik, it would be wise to cooperate with the investigation and put no further suspicion upon yourself."

She approached the body of the jailer to see if the man was still alive.

Zifu knelt tried to wake the jailer with a shake of the man's shoulder. "On your feet, soldier," she said, trying to add the commanding tone she witnessed elsewhere in the fortress.

Zifu stood and approached the Imperius, wary of what she might expect to find. "It is... or was, the Imperius," she said. "I do not know what transpired before I arrived, nor do I completely understand what compelled you, soldier, to attack a bound prisoner unprompted."

She kept her eyes on the blackened corpse. "But, this area should be quarantined, and the Legate notified. You will accompany the prisoner and us out of the stockade."

Seeing the bones, Zifu dared not approach any closer. "As for the rest of you, do not come near nor handle the bones. Ingvarsdottir's claim has some merit, though not at the cost of such panic. After all, we have been near this body for at least eight hours. Just keep clear."

Greta interjects "I don't know about tram spires. But that - thing" she says pointing at the pile of bones "Was that Imp ear lady. And she said she was the one who started this plague out in the fountain, and I guess she tricked gold head here to hacking at Dingus. "

At the mention of Finn's new nickname she glares at the halfling and holds out her fist. Everyone gets the sense that if Finn doesn't pick up the manacles and put them back on, the barbarian will make good her promise.

"I doubt that'll be necessary." Doc says, eyes open but still lying on the ground; taking note of the passage of time by the lamps overhead.
He rises stiffly from the floor and rubs his head where it made contact with the ground.
"Most if not everyone is dead by now."
He heads for the exit to observe the state of the city above; avoiding the remnants of the imperius as best he can.