Commander Callum was startled when the group returned with Yasoig Bonegnasher and the fake emissary. When he learned that the party had single-handedly smashed Yasoig's tribe, he was even more impressed. As a member of the Nine, he knew the sort of skill that would be required to accomplish a feat like that and the Neverwinter dwarf envied Khelgar's place in the party.
Tamil approached the captured emissary with a smile on her face. The man sneered in response. "Come to torture me? Go ahead, do your best. Do with me as you like. I've seen through much worse before, I assure you. You'll get nothing from me."
"Torture you?" the beautiful bard asked innocently. "Why, dear friend, I why would I want to do such a thing to you? No, dear, dear, man." Tamil pulled her lute out and began to play a lovely tune. "I haven't come to hurt you. I've come to entertain you."
On some level Olov knew what she was doing. But the music and her voice were just too enchanting, and when she began to cast her charm spell, his resistance to its effects had dulled to the point that he readily succumbed. Then the information about the conspiracy between the priests of shadow, the orc tribes, and Olov's master from Luskan poured out of him. The purpose of the plan was to completely break the will of the Waterdeep emissary and then use him to prevent any aid from reaching Neverwinter from the Lord's Alliance.
Yasoig did not even need to be charmed to give up his information. He was more than willing to trade the location of the Eyegouger lair for his release. He made an attempt at subterfuge, but Teal'c knew immediately when the orc chief lied. Not only did the older, more experienced orc give up the path to Logram Eyegouger's base, he revealed the secret underground entrance the shadow priests were using.
As the greycloaks at Old Owl Well began mustering for the upcoming raid, Jack approached Tamil to talk. "Good work there with the interrogation. It would probably be outlawed back where I'm from, but it worked like a… well, nevermind." Tamil nodded, and Jack continued. "So, when are you going to cut the sorceress loose?"
Tamil looked at the colonel questioningly. "What do you mean? I know I was angry with her, but we all got out of there in one piece and I don't think she'll make the mistake of accidentally hitting us with a fireball again."
"You're right. Next time she hits us with a fireball it won't be an accident."
The bard frowned. She wanted to argue, but knew Jack was right. The girl had a temper and never was suited to working together with others. And knowing how the girl treated people who held her back or threatened her, Qara was likely to turn against them. "So, what do you suggest?"
"Give her a generous share of the treasure we've collected. Tell her she won't need to go back to the Sunken Flagon, we'll handle her debt to Duncan—not like the gold wouldn't have been more than enough, anyway. Suggest she avoid her enemies back in Neverwinter and make a new start somewhere else. The treasure should get her to another city and set her up," Colonel O'Neal offered. Tamil nodded in agreement.
The group, minus an indignant Qara the fire-loving sorceress, started off towards Logram Eyegouger's secret lair entrance when they were interrupted by an orc raiding party heading towards Old Owl Well. The orcs were just being finished off when reinforcements arrived from a hill above. However, these new arrivals were in turn ambushed by another group led by what appeared to be an armored man wielding a hammer.
"Hey! Those are our orcs!" Khelgar exclaimed indignantly.
The second contingent of orcs was smashed between the two forces. In less than a minute not a single one of the brutes remained standing. The leader of the other force approached and asked what they were doing in the mountains.
"We could ask you the same thing," Jack responded, "but I think we both know what you're up to." After that Jack introduced the group and explained their intended rescue of the Waterdeep emissary.
The man introduced himself as Casavir, a paladin of Tyr, and expressed his shock that the orcs had actually attacked a well guarded person like the emissary. Then he noticed the holy symbol on Teal'c's forehead. "Tell me, Sir Teal'c, how is it you come to have the symbol of the Maimed God upon your head?" After a brief explanation, Casavir became immediately impressed with the group and wanted to join them.
"I believe this is a sign from Tyr that I should join you. We cross paths while you are seeking Logram when I can tell you how to reach his lair." The paladin's eyes rose slightly towards the heavens as he spoke.
"Actually, we already know the way." Jack pulled out the map Yasoig had drawn and indicated the front entrance. "And we're not going that way. There's a small force of greycloaks that are going to attack there to draw their attention. We're going," Jack indicated a secret trail that skirted the camp's defense, "in through the back door."
"Still, I would be honored to join you for the opportunity to take the fight to the enemy. But, I will need to take a spot from one of you to do so," Casavir said.
"What?" Jack looked quizzically at Casavir.
"One of your group must remain behind so that I might join," the paladin explained.
"And, why?" Colonel O'Neal asked, raising one eyebrow.
After a few seconds of contemplation, the knight could not think of a good reason. So, he joined them anyway. Casavir immediately struck up a conversation with Teal'c. It was very reserved.
When the group arrived at the rock-face that hid the secret entrance to the Eyegouger lair, Jack prepared the C-4. After checking his watch to make sure the greycloaks had begun their diversionary assault, he detonated the explosives and then followed that up with a smoke grenade.
Logram and the shadow priests never knew what hit them.