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Gypsy Fair Chips
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Wary still, discretion drives you to question the man further, asking after the subject of his intrusion. Conrad rests his shoulders against the bars and settles before responding. "Within the keep there are several vaults containing relics, artifacts, objects of study. Whenever Khor conquest claimed those sorts of spoils, they'd likely wind up here first." He explains, round ears giving a faint twitch before he continues.
"Word was, Vesaja hosted acolytes and scholars both -- and with the pall and several armies pillaging and ransacking their way through Khor, odds were good she'd be doing so now." He gestures loosely at that. "Volkregar's not exactly an unknown either, so when word came that the Sarken had sent a tidy lot marching for a visit, it seemed as best an opportunity as there would be to get things done."
Conrad lowers his voice a tad with what he offers next and your long ears prick. "Among many other things, Vesaja has a very large, very pure kalatite crystal. It's a foci, apparently -- a very potent one." Conrad scratches at the side of his neck with his claws. "That was the main objective, at least."
You're quite familiar with just how useful such crystals can be, for your own facilitates your faithful companion C.C. and smaller fragments aid your other rites and rituals; during your audience in the HALL OF LORDS, it was conveyed to you that the magi and their foci could well be crucial to enter the FATED CITY in service of your QUEST.
After reflecting on this, you are swift with further questions as they spring to mind, beginning with his apprehension and what transpired. Conrad clears his throat, then speaks further. "I'd made my way to the archives, looking to lift or coerce a vault key from the senior archivist. That's what I was in the middle of doing when the Sarken attacked, in force." Conrad grimaces then. "I heard chimes starting to sound and saw a flash from patterns in the floor; next thing I knew I was on a slab being stripped before they stuffed me in this cage."
Drawing a slow breath, Conrad looses it as he rubs at his temple. "I expect that dormant defenses went up all over Volkregar when the attack came, leaving things a lot more complicated." With more in mind, you press the man on the matter of his seemingly unusual imprisonment, bereft of apparent guard -- along with other details.
Resting his palms on the tops of his thighs, Conrad glances back over his shoulder towards the flicker of torchlight on the far wall of the cavern. "Not unmanned." He offers in a low tone once more, returning his attention your way. "My gaoler and his lackeys are unpleasant to say the least -- that is where they lair." He motions yonder to the same-such passage your companions linger near. "They've a pole they use, with hooks on the end, to reel the cages over to the ledge. Something, anything, to pull ought to do the trick though."
Lastly, you question just how long he's been imprisoned. "I don't think I was out long, so near as I can tell, I've been locked up three days. There'd been a bit of bread, but rationing only goes so far."
With a look about, there are a succession of levers before large spools of chain in a row along the edge of the central platform; it is difficult to make out where each leads, but you can faintly see that each cage does not seem to be affixed in a stationary position.
You decide to...
> A) Devise a means of reeling the cage nearer, that you may help free Conrad...
> B) Leave him be yet, and press for further information while you can...
> C) Head back to rejoin your companions, leaving Conrad here for now...
> D) _
A lot of information, sorry for how wordy this update wound up being -- you all had a lot of good questions to press! You can continue to question and converse as you please, or ponder on how you'd like to approach things from here; these vote options above remain pretty flexible! You may also find some inspiration reviewing your inventory and available resources, if you so choose.
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