Act I: Prison Break

After the guards leave, the woman's demeanor changes immediately. She drops all pretense of grief or concern, and smiles at your confusion.

"Have you forgotten me, dearest?" the unexpected visitor says with a smirk. "You may call me Tiadora. We possess a mutual friend who would like to meet you and your fellow cell-mates. Unfortunately, our friend is unwilling to visit you in your present, rather shabby, accomodations, so it seems you must break out."

At the look of disbelief that inevitably appears on your face, she says "Oh, don't be so dour. Just because it's never been done before is no reason that you can't be the first.

"If you can manage that, cross the moors on the outskirts of town. On the old Moor Road, you'll see a manor house with a single lantern burning in the second story. Our mutual friend waits there. That's all I know."

Almost as an afterthought, she says "Oh, he did want me to give you this..."

She takes off her silken veil and wipes away a few fake tears with it before handing it over to you.

"Here's something to remember me by, dearest."

"I'm sure you'll figure it all out, dearest," Tiadora replies. "As for myself, I've done everything I can for you. The rest is up to you and your cellmates."

It appears to be a fine silk veil of gossamer cloth. Only as you hold it and closely inspect it can you see small cloth patches of various shapes. You surmise that you can easily detach the patches in a few seconds each if you took the time to do so.

Veil of Useful Items: Detaching a patch from this veil causes that patch to become an actual item. One patch can be deatched each round as a move action. This veil contains: 2 daggers, a bullseye lantern (full, lit, shuttered), 50 ft coil of hempen rope, 2 sacks of needed spell components (worth less than 1 gp) and common clothes in PC's sizes, Masterwork Thieves Tools, Window (2ft by 4ft by 2ft deep), potion of Cure Light Wounds, 100 GP, a warhammer, and a Silver Unholy Symbol of Asmodeus.

Her message and gift delivered, Tiadora rises and the guards return. Immediately upon the door opening, her demeanor changes and she is once again a perfect picture of grief. "No! I can't bear to leave you!" She gives you a kiss on the cheek, and it is ice cold and feels somehow alien and inhuman.

Blackerly shakes his head. "I'm afraid it's time, miss."

Tiadora looks deep in Blackerly's eyes and says, "Thank you for letting me say goodbye. There's no need to search my dearest. You are such a good friend for letting me see my dearest one more time."

"Such a good friend..." Blackerly repeats in an almost mechanical voice. He seems to snap out of it and bows politely. "A pleasure madam."

As she leaves unveiled, Tiadora's eyes meet with yours one last time and a wicked smile flashes briefly across her face.

Three days, dearest, her voice echoes in your mind. Please don't disappoint me. With the visitation concluded, the guards take you back to your cell and shackle you next to your teammates once more without bothering to search you at all. None notice the closed fist of your hand containing your gift.

"I heard nothing." Magoldor responds to Xharin through bloodied teeth. He studies his two remaining cellmates. "What are you two in here for?"

"For the quiet and solitude. Obviously." I suppose chatting with my fellow inmates is better than watching them get beaten. I've stepped on enough of their blood as it is. "I learned an associate rose through the ranks due to an unfortunate series of circumstances, which were all orchestrated by him. We came to a mutually beneficial arrangement. Apparently, he decided our business should come to an end and had me thrown in here."

Magoldor grunts in response. The petty dealings of mortals. How small and insignificant. The Lord of Hell take this world! MAgoldor tries the chains again but still they hold.

"I am here because this land does not yet recognize the need for proper guidance," says Harrison. "It is lawless and weak, and I seek to correct that. For my efforts to force that issue, I am here." He looks over at the others, scrutinizing them, before adding, "I heard nothing. The existence of a prison, and hypocrisy of being imprisoned like this in a land of freedom must be remedied. Don't you agree?"

Alyndra walks in meekly, sufficiently cowed by the guards, or so it would appear to them. Once they are a sufficient distance away to not hear her, she whispers to the others, "I have found a way out of here... we have a small chance, assuming you are all strong enough to seize it."

"I'm listening."