#odyssey

Symon hisses, "If I cannot separate the mask from your face, I could separate the skin. That would not kill you."

"Though you may wish it so."

(Str roll for Dagmar to Koolaid this)

/roll 6

As Symon leans over his victim, he realizes how...special she is, how vulnerable and how much he could learn from her. Yes, that would be...

Before he need summon the will to resist, the door BREAKS open, shattering into three chunks and a troll!

(Int plus lore or enigmas for Symon)

Dagmar is all of a sudden THERE, towering, shoulders heaving as she gulps in deep breaths.

"Don't look at her!" PUdge warns from down the hall Dagmar just barreled through

"Let's go home." She isn't sure where to look - she needs to find Symon!

She's looking up, turning her head, trying to catch Symon in her peripheral vision.

Symon allows the shadows to drop, leaving only one pooled dark spot surrounding him and the woman.

The little bird on Dagmar's horns flutters and points the way.

She follows the bird's lead and holds out a hand.

Symon realizes that the mask can be removed, once the CONTRACT Is broken... in this case, torn

Symon ungracefully flips the woman over onto her stomach, face down.

The very one in his pocket

A hand reaches up to meet Dagmar's. Cold grip squeezes hers.

"It is safe, I think. She is not looking." He pulls the paper from his pocket, looking it over once more.

It glistens.. the mask is the gift of the barain, destroyh the bargain and..well, it's just a human soul

Then he carefully, deliberately rips the bit of paper in half. Then half again. And again, until it is all in tiny shreds that he blows away.

The mask tears just where the paper does, and soon is gone.

She lays there, a furious angry soul...

"We should leave her to the mercy of her victims. Let them treat her as she treated them." he says, ruthlessly.

"And let her be grateful that the redcap has already gone."

A deep breath and an exhale. "Probably very fortunate, yes."

Pudge says "No thanks, we're leaving"

"Allow us," A new voice says . The man is dressed in black, pale, lifeless, a once mortal soul turned dark kin, a Keremet, Symon knows OF them "We lost this one, I will get her where she was MEANT to go"

BLINK.

Another one, a woman is behind him

Symon leans against Dagmar. He is no longer asthmatic, but he is still rather wimpy, and that was some exertion with the climbs and the creeping and the cantrips and the attack. Taking strength from her solid presence.

The mortal spirit's eyes widen and she silently protests in her paralysis, muttering something that sounds like no no

The man in black tuts "Come now ,dear. You know you weren't some kindly human princess"

"Indeed" the grimly dressed woman agrees. They each pick a side of her "YOu were cruel, to animals, to servants, to any and all."

"We'd have dropped her off the silver." Symon whispers through cracked gums. "Is the fate you offer more, or less merciful than that end?" He asks, out of professional courtesy it seems rather than concern.

"It is more just" One says as if that is what truly matters

"You say you 'lost' her. Is that an admission of fault? What recompense awaits those who suffered here at her hands?"

At this, the two Adhene freeze and look at Symon "She chose to make that pact. It will be added to her crimes and the punishments she's earned"

"It is beyond her to recompense" The other says "But that does not mean we will be doing it for her " but they do look.. guarded, as if Symon may have a point

Derva huffs, "You lost her, and you knew she was bad. YOu waited all this time to find her? Sounds like SOME part of it is due"

Symon lets a small smirk play across his lips and nods.

"The mask made it impossible to find her. Be..reasonable" The cold tones are mitigated by worried looks

"What would you consider within reason?" He whispers to Derva, giving her the first hand in negotiation.

A frown, arms folded. She's less certain here, but trusting Symon's lead.

Derva ponders "Well, see to it that there's some way across that pit so this doesn't happen with anyone else. And maybe give me my collection back. I had a big one before I came here" She pouts "Oh, and real meat for the redcap and ..." Then realization "Forget all that, well, do help get us past the pit. Help Goldy and the others be free in their heads"

Symon looks surprised at Derva. He examines the small child curiously.

Derva seems to be twitching a bit as she says this

Then she mutters "I'll get a new one"

"That..we can arrange" The two say in errie harmony

"This trap cannot stay. I would like to be assured that those who were brainwashed are free again, for certain."