Adriana sighs as the watch come into the establishment...so much for her impromptu olan... she steps out of the inn.
Maxilla didn't realize how much of a moment of sheer awesome Vixie had. They were trying SO hard to pretend to be asleep that they actually managed to fall asleep, even in the middle of combat.
The snoring was what gave them away.
So it was to their great surprise that they were approached not by masked priests but instead the burly human of porcine descent.
They slowly cracked one eye open, slitted eye and regarded Khalaban cooly.
"Not sneaking in playing 'sleepy'?" they inquire with a quiet tone -- in the event that this is all a trick by their captors or an effect of the drugs that they were dosed with.
"No, although you did very well at it," Khalaban scratched his head. "I wasn't able to play at it. Perhaps next time I shouldn't drink so much. Vixie also didn't fall asleep and decided to defend us from the attack, rather than play along." That she'd done so succesfully was impressive, if a little awkward.
Once the cultists have been subdued, the patrol rounds them up and begins marching them southward through the dark streets of Tamran. A few guardsmen lag behind, helping the beaten and injured gnomes and tavern patrons walk with the group.
After about twenty minutes of walking, a large, three-story stone building looms in the distance, with several windows lit in its upper stories. A set of stone stairs leads to an archway made of gnarled maple, with images of flight arrows carved into its aged wood. Standing in front of the archway is Forest Marshal Gavirk, his brow arched in surprise when he sees the contingent of guardsmen approaching with several bound and manacled Razmiran priests.
”Well. Can’t say I expected this to go down.” Gavirk says to the party as they approach. A large grin breaks out on his face. ”In all honesty, this is even better.”
”Come inside.” He beckons the party into the doors beyond the archway once the guards have dragged the cultists through them. The stone room beyond is sparsely decorated, with a pair of stone statues standing at the entrances to two hallways branching off of it to the north and south.
”Now, what happened out there? Tell me everything you can. Leave nothing out.”
"I'm afraid that is...difficult. With the exception of Vixie, we were all unconscious for a time." And Khalaban wasn't sure if Vixie remembered what she'd done.
"We went to the barkeep, as suggested. A little largesse and the suggestion we sought other activities, and he sent us to a backroom. There were several others there already - a human couple, a pair of gnomes, and a Half-Elf in decent clothes calling himself Draven. A Priest of Razmir came out after some short time, and a little poker, and made a pretty speech about how people such as yourselves are not doing enough for this city. That you drape yourselves in furs and gems and the poor suffer, that your nobles fail to protect against banditry and monsters, and that by turning a blind eye to the gutters your nobles are corwards. Of course, the Cultists will make everything better. They were non-specific as to how, but invited us on their path to Englightenment."
Khalaban shook his head. "We agreed, as we were planning to do, and when we began to follow it turned out the drinks were drugged. Myself and Adrianna fell asleep. Max chose to hide, as he didn't feel safe fighting. Vixie decided to fight the six cultists, driving them off or defeating them all."
Khalaban looked overs at the others to add in whatever he had forgotten.
Vixie nods along with the story. ”O-one of the m-men gave me a r-rainbow,” she says, as if that means anything.
Adriana adds,"I would keep a eye on the half elf Draven...he seemed to be a true believer.
Also on the way to speak with the Marshal Adriana is flirting with the patrol captain..,she likes a woman in uniform...
Khalaban looked deeply confused at the idea that Vixie had been given a rainbow.
Also on the way to speak with the Marshal Adriana is flirting with the patrol captain..,she likes a woman in uniform...
During the walk back to the Marshal's station, you strike up a flirtatious conversation with the guard captain. She reacts with a brief moment of surprise, her professional demeanour cracking long enough for you to glimpse the very *ahem* frustrated woman beneath. She stammers out a platitude about needing to uphold guard protocol and makes a show of turning back to the road, but you're not fooled. Her blush, her constantly running a hand along her brown military bun and her furtive glances in your direction betray a particularly potent attraction to you.
-------------------
Gavirk's brow arches as Khalaban recounts the events of the visit to the Ranger's Lament, and his head tilts in puzzlement when Vixie mentions that the leader 'gave her a rainbow'.
"...a rainbow? So, this 'leader' was a magician of some sort? Is that what you're telling me?" He folds his arms across his chest and grimaces. "Hmm. Then that might make what I've got planned more difficult..."
"I would assume it was not some kind of rainbow confection so a mage of some kind seems likely," Khalaban agreed. "Still, such should not be too dangerous, and likely limited to the higher members of the cult."
Before going into The Marshals office...Adriana whispers into the captain'scear..."I have been very naughty lately...I need a strong woman to discipline me...perhaps when you are off duty..." she than blows slightly in her ear...
In the office...
"What is your plan?"
She hurriedly marches away from you and into what appears to be her own office, red-faced and breathing heavily. You notice there's a name on the door: "Lyra Weathers."
"I'm planning on conducting an interrogation of some of the cultists we arrested. If they give us information we need--info on their practices, any other crimes they've committed that we don't know about, things like that, then it'll be enough for me to justify getting the guards together and raiding their base."
"Have any of you conducted an interrogation before?"
"I've seen a lot of interrogations but they were in a snarl and that has a different set of rules because everyone is EXPECTED to work together and if it gets to the interrogation point a lot of importantly BAD things have happened. I've been too small and young to do them myself, though! I know that you want to get the person into a comfort zone, and then slowly reduce the comfort every time they don't give you the information you want, but give a lot more comfort the first few times they give you what you need. Have to be careful, though, because their fear of the person doing the interrogation is going to be counter-weighted by the fear of what is going to happen when they get back to their snarl and get beaten up for saying *anything* they weren't supposed to." Maxila offers soberly.
Gavirk looks down at Maxilla with a bit of surprise. "...oh. Well, that's... that's actually similar to the approach I had in mind."
"Maybe some of these cultists were deceived or coerced into joining. A softer approach might yield better results than a 'bad cop' routine."
"I am a ordained Inquisitor of Calistria. I know several interrogation approaches. We could send in some of us who lost consciousness into a holding cell with them...pretend we are still a devout follower and cursing the Noble's new weapon against the people...are evil fox Halfling crossbreed. Get them talking...
"Also I could try to break the more stubborn members...as those would probably would have more information about the structure as they tend to be more guilty...though I need two things...1)I need to change and sorbet up...2) What are the local restrictions on intterogations?"
"Restrictions? We're not allowed to cause physical harm to the suspects." Gavirk replies. "That's about it, really."
"We can get started on that in the morning, though."
"Okay. Than I guess I will everyone in the norning"
Adriana will get up and leave. She will go and knock
On Lyra's door.
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It abruptly stops when you knock on the door.
"Yes?"
Vixie is a bit confused, but that's not unusual for her. Upon being dismissed, she follows Khalaban, not entirely certain whether or not she's still meant to be playing his ward or not.
"I assume magic that compels answers is also not allowed? Not that I have access to such magics..." Khalaban considered. Fear, trickery and deceit seemed to be the ways to get information from the unwilling without physical force.
Perhaps they could use the fact that they were not prisoners, but the cultists didn't know that. "And odd question, perhaps, but is there any rules about harming a willing participant?"
"I assume magic that compels answers is also not allowed? Not that I have access to such magics..."
Gavirk nods. "Aye. Anything that the courts would frown upon."
"And odd question, perhaps, but is there any rules about harming a willing participant?"
"...no, I don't think there are." The forest marshal scratches his head.
Nodding, the Kineticist explained, "Fear would seem to be the key to loosening lips. We can not harm them. They like as not know this already. Therefore, we convince them that such is the frustration that special methods are in place. With a little makeup to make it appear worse than it is, if my colleague Adriana used her...training...on myself, it might shake loose information when they get to observe. We could even have Vixie and her stick make a guest appearance."
It wouldn't be fun, but Khalaban suspected it would help shake loose the information.
Adriana will enter the office. She says,"So I was thinking...when do you get off duty?"
"Sounds like a plan." Gavirk nods in agreement.
------------------
The office is rather sparsely decorated--a couple of bookshelves, a desk and a few chairs are all that adorn it. A curtained window sits in the eastern wall, looking out into the darkened streets of Tamran.
Captain Weathers is sitting at her desk, her face a bit flushed and her brow a bit sweaty. She quickly adjusts herself on her chair as she turns to face you. "Oh... I'm off shift now."
She looks quite intently at you.
"Then we shall begin in the morning. I would suggest pushing the prisoners as far as your law, and more importantly, your morals will allow. Limited sleep, limited food, limited water. Bright light and utter darkness. Whatever will weaken there resolve before the...exhibition." There was a lot that could be done without physical pain.
Adriana walks ovr the the desk and give her a smile..."Are you okay? You seem flushed?" she sits on the desk edge ,"Would you like to come back to my inn room i got all kinds of...toys...or maybe we could go back to your place if you prefer your own toys?"
"Alrighty then. I'll see you in the morning, for the interrogation." Gavirk nods and waves you off.
------------------
Captain Weathers nervously glances at the door before nodding at you. "I'm... I'm alright. I was just busy getting my paperwork finished."
"Would you like to come back to my inn room? I got all kinds of...toys...or maybe we could go back to your place if you prefer your own toys?"
Lyra looks between you and the door before standing up out of her chair. "Your room would be just fine."
Her nervous look melts into one of need.
Adriana looks at the captain and says,"All right...let's go." she pauses and says,"You don't get out that much do you? I mean I can tell I have completely turned you on..."
Adriana than opens the door and offers her arm,"Would you do me the honor of escorting me to my inn my good Captain Weathers?"
"You don't get out that much do you? I mean I can tell I have completely turned you on..."
"...I was that obvious, was I?" Lyra takes your arm and starts walking you out of the station. "Yes, my job is quite demanding--monotonous, for the most part, but demanding."
"Making this many arrests in one night is more or less the most exciting it gets around here."
"Well I am honored that you have chosen me for your limited time..."
Captain Weathers doesn't say anything else as you lead her back to your room. Words aren't even necessary. It takes some effort to get her out of her chainmail, but once that's done, the night is yours to enjoy together.
----------------------
Moonday, 15th of Neth, 4700 AR
The sound of raindrops falling on the cobbled streets greets the party as they rise from bed. It looks like there's a small rainshower going on this morning.
Forest Marshal Gavirk greets the party as they return to the Marshal Station. "Morning, folks. We've got a couple of the higher-ranking cultists in cells, awaiting interrogation. Think you're ready to handle it?"
"Do you have somewhere arranged for the little...show we discussed?" Khalaban would rather get that part over and done with.
"So what is your plan exactly Khalaban?
Vixie looks a bit groggy, although it's hard to see her eyes behind the kitsune mask as she steps about in her o-yoroi. She watches the conversation intently, eyes swinging from person to person as they speak and bobbing on her heels.
"Simple. You torture me for information. We may not be allowed to torture them, but they can be convinced that the officers here are willing to go beyond the law. With there own flesh in danger an interrogation will likely be simpler." Khalaban rubbed his head, tousling his hair a little. "And it is legally allowed to torture someone who consents. Since they do not yet know we are not one of them, it seems an opportune moment. As a back up they would be likely to share information with me if they don't give it up during interrogation."
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Adriana who is dressed like you never seen before...she is a image of control. Even her hair is up in a immaculate bun. She is also carrying a red case.
She says,"So...do you want me to really torture you...or just make it look like I did? Also we can spread the story that the Church of Calistria has taken over the investigation due to some slight that needs to be avenged. That might confuse the the jailhouse lawyers at least."
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Khalaban considered. "For real, but make it more severe than it is. Avoid sensitive areas while claiming otherwise. I think while I'm in this form I am, for most purposes, human. I should react similarly."
"Do we have a nice quiet spot, preferably concealed where I can watch the reactions of the other prisoners as Khala is being tortured to see if they react like good snarl-mates or bad ones? It would help to be able to tell if they're just playing at trying to help to get some sort of advantage." Maxilla offers helpfully.
"We do have an interrogation chamber--it's got an observation room with a one-way mirror looking into it." Gavirk answers Maxilla.
Maxilla toothily grins though their eyes crinkle a little bit in what might be the closest approximation of sadness as such reptilian features can manage. "That was a lot more than I was expecting. Thank you. I just hope that they are not a lost cause and have just been Charmed or something into doing this."
"Who knows what was in the drink," Khalaban mused. Then again, alcohol and an appeal to ego made many do stupid things.
"Well, once you're ready, I'll send one of the newer initiates into the room to wait. Make this look convincing." Gavirk leaves the room, taking a couple of guards with him.
Adriana looks at Khalaban and says,"Have You ever been tortured before? she sigh, "I am starting to think there could be flaws with this plan. I am going to have to really torture you...pain and humiliations, sure I can go light on you...but that is kinda like saying I can lightly kill you also."
Khalaban considered for a moment. "Not deliberately," he said after he'd thought about it. "I think I will be...alright. But we should set up a code phrase incase it does become too much."
She thinks for a moment and says,"Start admitting to everything you have ever done from since you were a child to now. Like cheating on test or dropping coppers in crowds to look up women skirts...etc. At that point I will ask you directly about the cult than you can say the truth you just me these people."
Khalaban nodded. "That will certainly show that I have reached the limits, yes." It wasn't going to be fun. If nothing else, his youth had been rather misspent. But it would work.
"It does not have to be real things..."
Khalaban chuckled. "Oh, there's nothing I am too bothered about from my youth. Some stolen honey cakes and given kisses are the worst of it, although some might see it as worse." It had certainly seemed more important at the time.
Nodding to the marshal, he added, "When you are ready."