Edric cuts into the demon lying on the floor where Ian left it, the creature is suffering from its wounds, but remains conscious. The creature staggers to its feet and attacks Edric.
Between Edric and Tavrus the dretch blocking the hallway goes down.
Ian connects with the other one, inflicting severe wounds, then steps in to flank the demon with Tomlin.
Stabbing rapidly with his twin blades the creature begins to collapse with the first hit, then vanishes back to its home plane in a puff of foul smoke with the second.
The former guardsman and the hafling quickly tie up the unconcscious Hezek.
Ian nods to Tomlin in the silence after the demon is dispatched and Hezek secured.
"He'd be gone if it weren't for you, little brother."
Hefting Hezek up over his shoulder, Ian heads back to the rest of the party.
As the second blade slash ended the demon, Tomlin staggered back into the wall. His many slashing injuries were evident and the normally stolid halfling looked weary. Before Ian took hold of Hezek, Tomlin used the rope to firmly bind the bald man's legs; the manacles would prevent much of any hand or army movement but the rope would ensure no more running. The halfling nodded in response to the large warrior's words. Aye, he would be. But I'd be gone too if you hadn't shown up. We greatly aided our cause today, and this villain will answer for his crimes. His grim, determined look returning despite his wounds, Tomlin followed Ian back to the rest of the group.
Tavrus will huddle the injured members together, imbuing them with a sliver of the feel of undeath before healing them with bursts of negative energy.
The cold energy of Tavrus healing sweeps over the group sealing wounds and removing bruises.
Waking painfully, wet and cold, Serelina thanks Tarvus for his aid and learns of Tomlin's victory. "Well done! I am sorry I couldn't do more. Surrounded and blinded by foes I could do little to defeat I simply tried to make things as unpleasant for them as they were for us. I am glad he was slowed enough for you to catch him."
Serelina then lightly touches Tomlin, healing his wounds further, then turns her powers onto herself.
Tomlin didn't realize how badly hurt he was until Tavrus' odd healing wash over him. He shuddered several times as the sickening energy hit home; the priest's curative powers came from a darker place. But as with all things what mattered was how it was used.
Shaking himself off he helped Serelina to her feet and responded to her comments. Aye, it was a team effort today. The difficult footing...that is something I've trained long to handle and allowed me to get a head of our prey. And my efforts would have been utterly in vain without Ian's timely arrival. Despite the victory, Tomlin's demeanor remained dour and serious. We should promptly return to the Tower with the prisoner. Justice calls.
"The sooner we get out of here, the better i'll feel. However, there is likely a raging inferno above us."
The group begins to traverse the sewers looking for an exit out onto the streets. Moving along the foul smelling corridors you round a corner and dozens of rats scatter from the light of Valdr's spell. The corpse of a medium sized humanoid lies against one wall of the passage, much of the flesh having been consumed by the rats.
The clothing has been shredded pretty badly by the rats, but the remnants of the cloth is still relatively new, and is of a finer quality then would be had among the common folk.
Ian doesn't seem bothered by the dark healing, even giving Tavrus a strange smirk.
Looking closely at the corpse, Serelina says "The remnents of clothing on this corpse indicate that the victim may have been of the nobility or merchant class... Odd to find in the sewers. Tomlin, might it be worth further investigation?"
Apparently on the same page, Tomlin was already reaching down to examine the corpse as Serelina spoke.
"Can't this wait? We should keep moving."
Ian looks around the dark sewer, uneasy.
"It is reasonable to assume that our enemies use this passage to and from their former headquarters. We should at least investigate the possibility that there is a relation here."
The man has been stripped of anything valuable, though as you inspect things closely you find a few small bits of spell casting components stuck to the clothing.
The right hand, which is still in good condition, shows the calluses of someone who had spent a lot of practice time holding a blade.
Tomlin frowned as he took in the remains. This one was both a spell caster and a swordsman it seems. Not just some wealthy sap who was dragged down here for gods-knows what. Dusting off his hands as he rises, he adds. I believe we should leave this place as soon as possible. We can return to explore later, but our goal now should be a return to the Tower post haste.
With that said Tomlin sets out with the others along the only remaining path.
"Very well. Let us bring our prisoner to interrogate."
"Lead the way." Tavrus says, disgusted at being in a sewer.
It doesn't take long to find a suitable exit from the sewers, letting out in the back alleys of the Beggar's Road. Three beggar's lounging near a building corner look over, surprise on their faces as the group emerges dragging the unconscious Hezek. They quickly scatter in all directions, while someone looking out a window from a two story building slams the shutters closed.
From the other side of a building can be heard the press of people on the main road.
Edric can carry them if the more combat-effective members of the party would like to keep their hands free.
Tomlin frowned for a moment as he heard the noise of the crowd ahead. Hezek was a high-value capture and needed to be brought back to the Tower post-haste. The halfling disliked moving openly through crowds but in this case saw it as the best of bad alternatives. We need to move directly to the Tower. Let's move quickly.Pulling his hood down over his face, Tomlin moved with the rest of the group as expeditiously toward the Tower as possible.
Tavrus cares little for the opinion of the unlettered masses, and will proceed as planned, crossbow in hand.
"Agreed, this man must be interrogated immediately."
The journey through the streets back to the tower is quick. Not surprisingly you get a few stares from people on the streets, but none interfere or dare get in the way.
Upon arriving at the tower grounds the tower guard hastily open the gate to let you pass onto the grounds and up to the tower.
Masters Isul and Hast meet you as you enter in the tower. "Looks like you caught our rat." says Master Isul. "Well done."
As you enter the tower there is recognition and surprise on Master Hast's face upon seeing Hezek.
Master Isul leads you into a room on the towers main floor. "The tower isn't really equipped for an interrogation, but it is going to have to do for now." she says. She opens a door into a luxuriously furnished. Thick red carpet covers the floor. A large circular oaken table fills the center of the room with a dozen cushioned chairs circling it.
"Bind him to a chair and lets see what he knows." Master Isul states. "I can cast of zone of truth when he wakes, but if I do, he will be aware of it and may simply decide not to answer. How would you like to proceed?"
Ian hefts Hezek off his shoulder and down into the chair, then gestures to Tomlin, open-palmed with a bowed head, to offer the honors of binding him.
"How 'bout the old fashioned way to start, magic truth after. He seemed like a guy who wanted to spout all the wrongs done to him, might be the talkative type," Ian suggests, then looks to the rest of the group.
Tomlin bound the captive to the chair, replacing the manacles in the process. As he checked the bonds he said to no one in particular, he should be coming to soon, let's be prepared. After a brief frown he glanced up at Master Isul. Sir, do you know this man?
Tavrus watches the scene with curiosity.
"He seems to be quite adept at summoning creatures, it might be worth it to take precautions before he awakens. A hood over his head and bound to a chair at least," the pale woman says coldly. "As for making him talk, I would suspect that he will be quite glib when the prospect of losing his other arm is raised."
"Very well" says Master Isul. "Just let me know if you want to change tactics."
Master Hast is lost in his thoughts as Tomlin asks his question and it takes him a moment to look up and respond. "I do recognize him, but I do not really know him. But... it's been fifteen years or more, but this man's face looks no different now then he did then. He was not missing an arm then though."
Master Hast gathers reflects for a moment before continuing. "He was one of a about a dozen vile criminals. Murderers, rapists, workers of forbidden magics, crime lords... not the petty criminal types. All of them were... exiled."
Turning her intense gaze to the Master, Serelina says, "Exiled? Please explain..."
Tomlin nodded at Serelina's suggestion, but then paused. Aye, his ability to summon those....creatures, was troubling. He did it without all the trouble most spellcasters seem to have to do to use their magicks. Looking back at Master Hast, he added, is it possible he is in disguise? A demon or some such perhaps? It might explain how he hasn't aged all these years and his vile behavior throughout. Sir, should we be concerned that this Hezek's magical abilities would allow him to escape his bonds when he awakens?
Master Hast purses his lips and Master Isul raises and eyebrow at him. "I was then a newly appointed member of the council of seven. With this varied group of criminals taken into custody there was a hot discussion over what should be done with them to insure justice was done." Master Hast scowls and his hands clench tightly around the back of a chair he is standing next to. "Ultimately it was decided they should be exiled to one of the outer planes - to let whatever fate might befall them there take place." There is certainly more to this story, though at present Master Hast does not appear inclined to share it.
Listening to Tomlin's description of Hezek, Master Isul speaks up, "Perhaps we should include Master Akeli in this interrogation. Summoning is her specialty." She looks between the group and Master Hast and gives a small nod to Master Hast. "Do not wake him yet, I shall return shortly."
As Master Isul departs Master Hast begins to pace on the think carpet. "I would need to check the records to be certain, but at the time of his exile I do not believe this Hezek had any magical ability. I for one should like to know what became of his companions in exile. If he survived it seems likely others may have as well."
Knowledge Local
You recall from your tutelage under your father that he spoke on this incident at one time. One of the merchant houses, house Seris, now defunct and for all intents and purposes unknown, was involved in a large scale scam throughout the smaller settlements in the kingdom. At the time they were caught the round-up also included a highly wanted black marketeer. These were cast into the prisons with a number of undesirables.
Family members of house Seris who were not involved in the scam, or could not be linked to it, cried foul about the injustice of placing their fellows in the same 'pot' as the unwanted elements of society.
Trial dates were set, yet according to Gabriel the trials never took place. It didn't matter to him one way or another as his interest was in being able to snatch up some of the trade that house Seris had control of.
The name Seris rings a bell in the back of your mind. You could likely drum something up given some time on the streets and in the taverns to track descendents, or maybe relatives down.
Serelina shares what she knows of the history of the situation, speaking about it as if commenting out of hand on common knowledge.
Tomlin nods and frowns as Serelina speaks. Aye, something about that name...Seris...I've heard that before but just can't place it. With a little searching might just be able to find out more. He stops, realizing that he had nothing else of value to add immediately to the group's knowledge base and instead waited for the Masters Isul and Akeli to arrive.
Master Hast nods at Serelina's recounting of events but offers no additional information.
Masters Akeli and Isul return shortly. Master Akeli studies the unconscious Hezek intently for several minutes after casting a spell.
Detect magic
She takes a deep breath, "He is a summoner no doubt. A pretty powerful one at that. These bonds won't prevent him from using his innate abilities."
"One moment before we bring him around." Her arms begin to gyrate slowly in an arcane ritual. This continues for a moment before a large catlike creature forms at her side. Large bony plates protrude from the creatures shoulders and hind quarters, and its whip like tail ends in a stinger. Both Master Akeli and her pet stand behind the chair Hezek is bound too and she gives a nod to Master Isul.
Master Isul pulls a small vial from within her robes, smelling salts, and looks at the group to assure they are ready for anything that may happen.
She holds the vial under Hezek's nose for a moment and he starts awake inhaling deeply and going into a coughing fit. When the fit passes he looks around the room as best he is able, hatred and anger in his gaze.