"You can have the dead one that the horse trampled, if you must, dear, but we may have use of the live ones for now," Lillianna chides as she sips daintily on the fresh tea."Lets jsut make sure they stay unconcious and alive until that bucket of bones is bac up and moving," she adds, pointing to the gorey heap that was her companion a few minutes prior.
"Ah, good. Now, get up you, and carry that deadweight back to the tower with us," she orders curtly, ready to be moving.
The sword is a regular +1 longsword.
You recognize only two of the arrows, but you can imagine that the third is of the same kind. They are +1 dragon bane arrow.
Zexil will tell the group of his findings.. "Does anyone have use for a magical longsword and some dragonbane arrows?" He waits for any response..
"Come let us be getting back to the castle.. Master will want to hear every detail im sure.."
I am afraid that I have no skill with a longsword. We could sell it for coin if need be.
..and so, with captives to tow, the group makes their way back to The Master's manse, where they will receive accolades and gifts! Their hearts are aglow with the thoughts of the love that shall be theirs!
The walk back with the unconscious bodies on your backs is slow, and the higher you get in the Aspodell the more the sun fades into the fog. You get to the front gate of Everdusk Fortress, and enjoy the grunts of admiration that comes from the guards and serfs of the master; you triumphally dump the bodies in the atrium, letting the diabolical décor of the house loom over them.
For you, the door to the dungeons and interrogation is always open… and it’s been a while since Growl, the master’s pet abomination, had company down there.
Dagor Morthis himself isn’t there waiting for you though – the master clearly has other matters to attend and shall not be disturbed. Then again, maybe he’ll enjoy the news of your victory…
"Come let us get our guest situated in their rooms and them prepared for the festivities.." Zexil directs a few of the guards to carry the bodies to seperate interogation rooms and then has some servants to clean them up.. "Tommorrow we shall see if they want it the easy or hard way" I sure do hope its the hard way..
Bru is going to stand guard to make sure none of them attempt to escape with any magic or anything they could have been hiding. Being undead he doesn't have to sleep.
Indeed! I shall get them set up in the..guest rooms. Icabhod snaps his fingers and briskly has the lower servants drag the bodies downstairs.
Icabhod nods to the hulking for form of Growl as he passes by the strongly barred door leading to it's lair. Oh Growl! We will have guests in the interrorgation chamber in the morning. Be sure to be up bright and early so we can have the proper amounts of howls and door slamming.
WARGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!
Excellent my good fellow.
Icabhod secures the prisoners and heads back upstaira, where he eyes the others no doubt loafing around again.
Oh get your feet off the couch! We had plenty of time to be uncivilized when we were outdoors.
Hrumph! Leave here for just a second and everyone has regressed. Ichabod changes into a clean butler outfit and gets back to a nice meditive session of dusting the books.
"You, stand guard with Bru. Maim don't kill" Lillianna tells her bloody companion. Then, pointing at Bru, curtly says, "Obey"
Smiling again, She apologizes, "I'm sorry that he won't be very good company," she says, knocking on his head, "Nothin up there to speak of, but he'll obey you as long as you keep it simple."
When Ichabod comes in and, once again, commences his scolding, Lillianna pouts, "Oh, Icabhod, I took my shoes off, don't worry so. I know the rules," as she reclines, massaging her aching shoulders after the arduous treck, her armor piled on the floor.
"Shall we retire early, as to commence with our interrogation at first light, as to have something valuable to report to the master sooner rather than later?"
"I agree.. I'm off to brew some poisons in the lab if yall need me.." Zexil stops, taking a look at all the dirtiness and a clean up spell a few times till things are looking better.. "There you go Icabhod... All good now!"
Much obliged my friend, it is such a delight to have someone who appriciates neatness. Icabhod will putter around doing various chores and get a detailed report of the expidition penned before getting the fine torture tools laid out. Then he retires for the night.
After the men are taken to seperate rooms.. "I think it wise to talk to the Captain first.. That way if shes tight liped we can use the others to make her talk.. Have we any healing to administer, so as to wake them?"
In regards to the messenger that we were unable to stop, we should fortify the manor and keep a watch in case they attempt to mount a rescue. I will rouse the captives to awakefulness if not full health and let them ponder on their fate for a while before we question them. Time is of the essence though.
Icabhod will use 2 CLW to rouse the captives.
The dungeons of Everdusk Fortress are actually just the large cellar and winery of what once was called Jarmille Manor. It is a large and square stone room, cold but not too damp – Louis Jarmille cared about his estate before he become a mindless zombie in Dagor Morthis’ army. A few lanterns cast wavy shadows on the walls. The door that once led to the pantry is now heavily reinforced with metal bars, and the pantry hosts Growl, whose characteristic roaring noise welcome you as you chain the prisoners to the table in the middle of the room. From the north wall hang rows of hooks, knives, bonesaws, and scary instruments – while the south wall hosts several rows of good Taldan reds and a small cabinet with Chelaxian brandy, Galtian cognac and elven pear cider.
The unconscious soldier opens his eyes and it takes him a while to understand where he is. Then his sight falls upon the lot of you «Monsters! You better just kill me now!»
Don't be in such a rush my good fellow, such things will come in time. Icabhod sets out some gleaming insturments on a small table.
I am sure you know what these are. Icabhod sets out a drop cloth to catch....splatters.
Several chairs are set out for the ones not involved in the questioning to relax upon and a few glasses of wine to refresh parched throats are poured as well.
Zexil will approach the man, picking up a pair of pliers along the way.. "What was so important that y'all thought it necessary to enter my Lords domain? What was this egg yall were speaking of?" He awaits a response and when he doesn't get one he'll pull out a finger nail and let him think on it before repeating the questions.. This will continue until he answers the questions or until I move onto his toes..
Icabhod will be on hand to use Heal and if need be CLW to keep him concious.
This fellow here is quite serious, don't make us inflict any more harm upon you. Think of your good captain as well. Dear, dear, dear, it would get so much harder for her.
"Listen to the man.. Save yourself some pain and tell us what we wanna know.. Your death will be swift then.. I promise.."
He is correct. If you prove to be too stubbern, we will just have to let our goblin friend here go to wrok. Icabhod gestures to Leknep who is no doubt playing with the horse teeth. He would be more than happy to add your teeth to his collection.
Assuming the Knight resists Zexil's gleeful tortures, Lillianna will feigh sympathy for the knight, and disgust at the knome's behavior
" while suffering and maintaining silence is admirable, not cooperating with these gentelmen also condems your fellow knight to the same torments, and I'm loath to think of the torments this little man would visit upon your commander..."
"Please," the femme fatal implores, leaning close to the man, speaking in a soft tone, bright mis-matched eyes staring deep into his, "just make this easier on your dear friends and tell us about the egg your company was after. Our Master likes to send messages, as you are aware, and in thet you m be able to ensure the survival of at least one of your companions?
to play good-cop
While Leknep cares little for the valuable words the prisoners might let escape in agony, he does quite enjoy the processes leading to them. The goblin continues to shake and jitter, excited even more than during the battle. Still stained head-to-toe in horse blood, the terrifying, tiny jester steps forward. More than eager to torture, he sports a wide, sharky grin as he watches and pines behind the others.
"Fingers and toes to severe and munch! Leknep is hungry, me wants my lunch! Give me the man one and you haves the other? With face I will patch to look like his brother!" he chants off with a hideous limerick. The morbid little entertainer has been known to make skin masks of past victims, not only to break the will of others locked away down here, but also to amuse the master.
«The spawn of the devils shall not hurt me, for the Eternal Rose and the prayers of my brothers are with me. The spawn of the devils shall not hurt mmmmuuuaaAARGH!» the knight starts reciting his mantra but when Zexil rips off his nail he lets a scream go «f-for… for the Et…t…t…eternal Rose and the prayers of my brothers are with me. The-the spawn of the devils…» eyes staring empty at the ceiling, body shaking with pain, forehead drenched in sweat for the terror, he bravely awaits for the psychopathic gnome to resume the torture.
When Lillianna leans upon him, his mind is ready to believe her «No! No! They… they do not know anything! Yes! Let them go! I will talk!»
he’s lying about them not knowing anything, of course.
Oh come now! You are hardly being convincing about your companion's knowledge. Perhaps we should try something else on them? Perhaps a little of the Master's special recipe? After all, look what happened to me. Icabhod lifts his hood to show the ruins of his face.
Bru gets up and places his hand on the knight's arm then yells "You want to end up like your friends?! The ones I ripped apart?! I'll rip your arm off and beat you to death with it if you don't tell us what we need to know!"
Heavily excited by the skeletal champion's show of force, the goblin admiringly stalks closest toward the skeletal orc, chittering behind him, "Bru will bruise and maim and tear! Knock your eyes out? That be fair! Snapping necks, fingers toes- leave what's rest for pecking crows!"
The coalition of threats, and scary faces making said threats, are enough to break the Knight’s spirit. «No… NOOO!» he says, retracting as far as the chains let him, trying to get away from Bru’s huge skull, Leknep’s teeth and Ichabod’s scars and pustules.«Please, please, I’ll talk!»
He breathes heavily, and licks his parched lips, trying to gather the strength to speak «It was High Aruspex Carmael – he was the one who saw it. Everyone thought that with Theristrix down everything was done, but no, the egg was still there! It… the captain said it would’ve… should’ve been easy for us – it’s just an egg!»
The High Aruspex is part of a soothsaying and divining order, and belongs to the Twilight Talons – the intelligence branch of the Eagle Knights.
Icabhod ponders the knight's words.
Hmm.Hmm.I don't think....Oh! Ah ha! Theristrix The Treescourge. A very impressive green dragon who lived in the south-east forests. Slain by the eagle knights and some adventurers. From what this lad is saying, there might be a dragon's egg there. Very interesting.
Unsure of what the knight was talking about, Lillianna perks up at the mention of an unattended Dragon egg. She whispers to her companions, as to avoid giving too much away to the knight, "what a prize for the master. We could go get it straight away, or tell master, but that messenger will be summoning replacements to fetch the thing whom we must beat there"
Indeed! I rather doubt any more of the hoard would be there, but the egg is a prize unto itself. We can get a horse, sorry Leknep, and bring it back in a wagon. I can go get enough padding to kep it safe.
The goblin's floppy, tattered ears perk at mentioning of an egg- even a dragon's egg. He licks his chops, smearing some of the crusted-over blood from before. Gleefully, Leknep throws up his hands and chants with glee.
"Smashing eggs and dicing ears, fry them up in infant tears!"
Oh dear, Lenap. We better make sure the master is okay with us keeping the egg. Making him upset over the egg being eaten would be very, very bad.
Although, if we can keep the egg, we can make a fine omelet or even sell it for gold! A dragon's egg would give us plenty of gold for buying all sorts of things.
"Ah yes the Green Dragoness.. See man now was that so hard.." Zexil's smile goes ear to ear.. "Oh the possibilities of a dragon pet.. Endless.." "We must get this egg.. A green dragon would make a powerful ally.. Even as a wyrmling.. Not to mention I have heard of spells that can age them quicker.. The possibilities could be endless.."
He looks to the knight, pliers in hand.. "what other relevant information do you contain in that skull of yours?"
Hmm..Maybe the fine lady knight would have more information on their mission.
"Indeed Icabhod, but i think she will be less responsive to questioning.. Perhaps one of us could use a charm spell? I personally don't know the spell, but it could work.. Barring that maybe The Master would have a better way of extracting information.. We should notify him of the messenger spell she was able to get off as well.. I doubt he will be to happy about that.."
Unfortunatly, that magic is not in my skill set.
Rubbing his filthy paws together, the goblin hops up and down, bursting with enthusiasm. "Entertain and killing too, this not all that Leknep do! Honeyed words or wasp hive presents loosen tongues and make them pleasant," he nods almost attempting to be informative as he sneers toward the Captain.
The diminutive creature with his terrible penchant for macabre works and amusement huddles nearby the largest of their group. Naturally, Leknep defers to Bru, being the biggest (and strongest) among them. Looking up to the skeletal orc, he cocks his balloonish head as if asking for permission.
"Well, we got some information that we needed... So, think the captain will talk if we threaten to torture one of her knights right in front of her?" says Bru.
Hmm..She might know more indeed.For example, she proably has a better idea where the lair is and thus the egg.
Catching Leknep's meaning, Lillianna struggles to suppress a giggle at the thought of this Eagle Knight Captain viewing the vile little beastling with the same affection in which Lillianna holds the goblin. "Bru, darling, why don't we let the little fellow see if the Captain will talk to Leknep first, and if his honeyed words fail, the we commence with more hands-on approaches. Lets move her to another room tho." Lillianna suggests, so Leknep can try to charm the Captain to determine where the egg is.
"By all means Leknep, go give her a try.. Just dont bite her if you're unsuccessful hahah.."
Icabhod wheels the captain into the room. Shall we introduce her to Growl as well? I am sure the big fellow has gone without entertainment for quite some time.
"Oh i don't think that's necessary just yet.. Remember we want to be able to animate theres corpses afterwards.. You can't do that if there in pieces lol.. If Leknep's tactic doesn't work then i say we kill her men in front of her till she talks.."
Very well, no time like the present. Icabhod makes arrangements to bring in the captian.
Let us see what you can do, Leknep.
The goblin approaches the woman and sniffs the air around her momentarily before smiling his jagged, razor blade grin. He waves his hands about his head and proceeds with a song he composed just for the woman, drawing the inner-reserves of sleeping magic with the words.
"Longshanks woman, firm and tall, listen now to goblin call. Give us words from feeble head, spit them out or you be dead! Crack your ribs and take your eyes, that what wait if you tell lies. See true friend before you here, speak upor your flesh we'll sear!"
The Captain cringes as her mind fights Leknep's incantation. Her blind eyes stare empty before her as she replies «I see no friend before me, nor I see anything else, you disgusting vermin; your blasphemous companions saw to that.» she grins, determined as she forcibly blinks to underline her sarcastic comment «Your mischievous magic pales before the mighty challenges that an Eagle Knight overcomes during training. You’ll have to do better if you wish to break the elite of Andoran!»