The Kingdom of Talingarde is perhaps the noblest, most virtuous and peaceful nation ever created. The royalty of this dominion has rescued a dispirited people from the brink of despair and darkness. They dealt with their enemies honorably and their allies faithfully. It's a paragon of the age, a bright shining city upon a hill. The Talireans are known far and wide for being the most fair, the most honorable, basically the best damn PEOPLE in all of Golarion.
It's time someone kicked their teeth in a bit.
In the best case scenario, that would be you four-you'd go out and spread mayhem and havoc across the area, and you would see your enemies driven before you as the cries of their women ring in your ears. Sadly, you all messed up and we join you now in Branderscar Prison, chained to a wall, all with an 'F' branded on your forearm. (The F stands for 'forsaken', a permanent reminder that each of you has betrayed the great and eternal love of Mitra, praise be to him, and his chosen mortal vassals. It could also stand for the fact that you fu-screwed up.)
And since this is Talingarde, the bestest, most awesome place on the planet, the punishment for all of you, regardless of your crime, is the same. Death. The Talireans don't really go for half-measures, as far as punishment goes. You've all been chained together in the same communal cell dressed in nothing but filthy, tattered rags. Any finery you once possessed is either ruined, taken by the guards or just lost. Your feet are secured by iron cuffs tethered by one long chain, and your arms are secured to the wall above by manacles. A guard's posted outside your cell day and night, and when you came in, you were well searched and everything you tried to conceal on yourself was taken away. The guards were especially concerned by the sheer amount of knives one of you had nearly managed to smuggle in on their person...I believe it was something like 20? Nevertheless, they're all gone.
For each of you, your old life is over. You forfeited your life when you did...whatever it was you did. But whatever heinous crime you did, justice will be served! And who would blame fair Talingarde for it, after what each of you has done?
Why make us sit and wait for our deaths. Do they need a whole councils worth of stuffy clerics to 'oversee' such a simple process? After all my little explosion killed a few of their peons and set fire to most of the town. I was expecting them to kill me on site. Its not like I hid or ran. There I was sitting in the center of town laughing and having a grand old time, enjoying the sight of my revenge, an easy kill, but no leave it to Talingarde to make everything complicated. Not that I'm in a rush. My life is completed. I wonder how all these idiots got stuck here. Especially that Aasimar, the few I've met while on contracts have never seemed so dark.
"You Aasimar, aren't your people usually about peace, love, and healing what in the world did you do to end up at a place like this? The ugly halfling, and the other one probably deserve to be here. "
"I suppose at least they're consistent with their punishments, probably keeps crime relatively low. And as such, as you can see, just because someone isn't 'evil'" Makes an attempt to do finger quotes "doesn't mean that you can't end up in a place like this. There's no such thing as a slap on the wrist in this kingdom"
Azariah tests the chains of the cuffs, and checks for any guards wandering nearby
"True, but you don't get sent to Branderscar of all places for stealing a loaf of bread. Keep trying the chains, while you pretend to be good, MAYBE the guards in the highest security prison in Talingarde forgot to lock them"
With that Lysanthir puts her head back and closes her eyes.
Not much longer, I hope.
"Also, just because I found out about one of the local priests going to a brothel and tried to maybe use that information to gain access to some of the higher-ups doesn't necessarily make me bad, right?
Azariah shrugged their shoulders to the best of their ability.
"In the end, apparently he was just trying to bring the light to them, and so here we are"
Without moving her head or opening her eyes.
"A priest at a brothel and a little failed extortion that sounds about right. "
I'll brush that off for now. She seems feisty, and a little bit crazy, which might come in useful for getting out of here. I'll need all the help I can get, for now
"It really is a shame though, this brand, I was planning on getting a tattoo there to make it easier to channel. I'll have to see if I can get it removed once this mess is over"
"Just one more burn to add to the collection. Unless your kind can ressurect I wouldn't make to many plans. Our deaths approach, rapidly. under her breathe "Or so I hope "
"So little one, what did you do to end up here? Your kind are.normally good at causing trouble and spinning tales. Help this saint over here and I pass the time."
"Woah there, no need to break out the stereotypes. He's just relaxing here in this lovely comfortable cell, no need to bother him"
"A halfling relaxed in a cell and chains? You almost made me laugh. Also I speak from experience, of halfling tales and mischief nothing more, nothing less. If he doesn't want to share his tale he is more than welcome to sit in silence."
"Ah, that's a shame. Almost make you laugh? I live to please, perhaps a joke would help that."
"If a man is carrying a bee in his hand, what is in his eye?"
"Okay, sorry y'all, apparently not quite in the mood for jokes, I see."
Again not actually moving to look at Azariah.
"The answer was beauty. And no, currently I am not in the mood for jokes. Though I do understand that you may need jokes. You still haven't accepted what will happen to us soon. You're scared. Jokes and comedy are perfectly logical reactions. They aren't going to change anything, but continue to try if you must."
All the while, Rorick had been staring out into the distance, as if he had fallen asleep with his eyes wide open. Without moving he said,
"The Elf is right. Make jokes if you must, but know that our fate will still be sealed."
"We'll see. Hope may bring disappointment, but if you knew that hope and despair were paths to the same destination, which would you choose?"
"In this case I will not be dissappointed I know what comes. I've seen it plenty and delivered it plenty. Therefore I have need for neither hope not dispair."
"Very well. Since you seem relatively content with your lot, I'll let you stay behind when I get out of here."
"I wouldn't count on getting out of here alive. But if opportunity shows itself, no further harm can be done by pursuing it."
"To get out of here you are going to need at least one friend. Quite possibly an army. If one of those two show up count me in if we have a guaranteed shot at the chance to kill some high ranking Talirean military members. "
Though the blood debt is settled a few more bodies, especially those belonging to people who planned the attack, to join them won't upset the departed