LogFAQs > #985843071

You all act at once, a flurry of desperate appraisal and cautious action within the confines of the rattling cage.

First, the rolls.

Pass Quarterman's Athletics Check: (d20 + 6) = (18 + 6) = 24
Zix's Insight Check: (d20 + 3) = (15 + 3) = 18
Ark's Persuasion Check: (d20 + 3) = (4 + 3) = 7

Pass, you ignore the others for a moment, your entire focus narrowing to the cage itself. You're a Folk Hero, a star athlete; you understand physical limits better than anyone. Your hands, despite the chafing manacles, find purchase on two of the vertical bars near the cage's corner. With a low grunt, you flex, putting your formidable strength into the motion. It's not a sudden jerk, but a steady, powerful strain, the kind of controlled force you'd use to drive a blocking sled across a field.

Under the immense pressure, the rusted iron doesn't just hold firmit groans. A low, protesting screech echoes in the cage. For a terrifying second, you feel the metal begin to give. But it's not the bars themselves that bend. Instead, you feel a distinct shift from where the bar is joined to the cage floor. The weld, old and weathered, is the weak point. You couldn't rip it free with your bare hands, not without leverage, but you know with absolute certainty that with the right toola crowbar, perhapsor a significant, sharp impact, you could pop that join right out of its housing. It's a small spark of hope, but a real one.

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At the same time, Zix, you press yourself against the bars, your small size making you less conspicuous. Your amber eyes, sharp and assessing, ignore the cage and focus on your captors. You see more than just guards; you see a power dynamic as clear as a dragon's hoard. The leader, Darius, swaggers with an arrogance that screams overcompensation. He barks orders, but his eyes dart around, not assessing threats, but checking to see if his authority is being acknowledged. He is dangerous, yes, but also brittle. He's a bully who would likely shatter if genuinely challenged by a greater power.

The woman, Raven, is different. Her silence isn't subservience; it's a wall. Through her flawless discipline, you see a flicker of utter contempt for her superior. She obeys his orders to the letter, but her posture, the way she keeps a measured distance, the way her head remains facing forward even as her helmet seems to track everything around herit all speaks to a coiled spring of professional resentment. She is not loyal to him; she is loyal to a duty you cannot yet comprehend. She is the true threat here. She is competent.

Ark, you decide on a different approach. You catch Raven's gaze and offer that disarming smile.

"That's a lovely shield,"you say, your voice light and conversational."Does the bird have a name? I find it's always good to be on a first-name basis with one's captors."

Your attempt at charm lands with a dull thud. Raven's helmet doesn't even twitch in your direction. There is no response, not even the slightest acknowledgment that you spoke. It is as if you are nothing more than a rock, incapable of speech.

Before you can try again, CU-P5, your calm voice cuts through the air, a stark contrast to the rattling cart.

"Query: What is the designation of this 'spire'? What is the purpose of our containment?"

This time, there is a reaction. Raven Hildir turns her helmeted head, the motion sharp and sudden. The black visor seems to fix on you, CU-P5, and for a moment, you feel the full weight of her attention. Her voice, when it comes, is flat, cold, and final.

"Cargo does not speak."

She turns away, her posture once again facing forward, her duty fulfilled. The message is clear: You are objects, not people. Further attempts at conversation with her will be ignored, or perhaps met with more direct methods of silencing.

The wagon continues its bumpy, miserable journey across the moor. You have a potential weakness in the cage, a better understanding of your captors' personalities, and a definitive wall of silence from your guards. The bruised sky overhead darkens ominously.

What is your next move?

For Pass Quarterman:
A: Quietly convey your discovery about the weak weld to the others. "Corner bar is loose at the bottom. Hit it hard enough, it'll pop."
B: You're angry about being ignored and manacled. You slam your shoulder into the weak corner of the cage, trying to break the weld now. (Make an Athletics check with disadvantage due to the awkward angle and manacles).
C: Stare daggers at Darius Rourke. You want him to see you. You want him to know you're not just "cargo." (Make an Intimidation check).
D: You are used to being told what to do. You look at the others, your expression blank. "So... what's the play?" you ask again, more urgently.
E: Anything else.

*
*
*

For Zix:
A: Now that you know the dynamic, you try to exploit it. You shout towards the lead cart, "Your fancy tin soldier doesn't respect you, boss! She thinks you're weak!" (Make a Deception or Persuasion check to sow discord).
B: You whisper your findings to the others, your voice a low hiss. "Leader is a coward. Woman is the real danger. We need a plan. Now."
C: You noticed Pass testing the bars. You slink over to the corner he identified and use your sharp claws to scrape at the rusted weld, trying to weaken it further. (Make a Sleight of Hand check).
D: You focus on your Draconic heritage. As a bonus action, you could let out a Draconic Cry. It might be useless now, but it would certainly get their attention.
E: Anything else.

*
*
*

For Ark:
A: "Well, she's a ray of sunshine," you think to Clover. You try to get a different read from your patron. "Any Fey tricks for getting out of cold iron? This is seriously cramping my style."
B: The guards won't talk, but maybe the other prisoners will. You turn to the others. "Okay, new-new plan. Introductions. I'm Ark. We're clearly in this together, so we might as well know who 'we' are."
C: You try a different kind of magic. You focus on Raven Hildir and cast Mage Hand cantrip, intending to tickle the back of her neck under the helmet. It's petty, but it might be funny.
D: You know you can't lie directly. You yell to the guards, "I can't tell you that we're planning an escape, because that would be a lie!" You try to use your flaw to create confusion. (Make a Deception check).
E: Anything else.

*
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*

For CU-P5:
A: Process the new data. Raven is hostile to communication. Pass has identified a structural weakness. You begin formulating a plan. "Data indicates a structural vulnerability at the lower-right-anterior corner weld. A kinetic force of sufficient magnitude may induce structural failure."
B: You saw Pass's attempt. You move to the spot and add your own metallic weight, striking the corner with a precise, calculated blow from your shoulder. (Make an Athletics check).
C: You activate your telepathy, pushing a simple, direct message into the mind of Darius Rourke: <Cease transport. Release us. This course of action is illogical.>
D: Your internal chronometers are precise. You begin tracking the time and the caravan's speed, attempting to calculate the distance to this "spire." (Make an Investigation check).
E: Anything else.