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The tall HalfElf in shining full plate and shield walks in, slightly behind the Halfling.
"Sir Quiven it is an honor to serve with you again. I am not certain how you were able to arrive before me again. " he turns and bows to each of the others.
"You have the pledge of my sword and the blessing of the Inheritor. Omrax at your service . "
You are sent to Korvosa's Shoreline Drinkhall, where within a private booth Sir Canayven Heidmarch—one of Varisia’s two resident venture- captains—begins his briefing.
“We have a serious problem,” he says gravely. “As you may have heard, a month ago, Paracountess Zarta Dralneen disappeared. The Chelish diplomat was vital to the Pathfinder Society’s operations within Cheliax, where members of our order are strictly forbidden. Without her political connections opening doors for us and distracting watchful eyes while we operate within Cheliax’s borders, we will be set back a hundred years in terms of our exploration of this nation, a region of great interest to the Ten. We must therefore reinstate the paracountess in Absalom."
“Here’s the good news: We’ve located her—she is alive, though she is imprisoned for seditious acts she did not commit. We also possess evidence that we can use to exonerate her and ensure her release."
“The bad news is that the paracountess is being held in Citadel Vraid, home to the Hellknights of the Order of the Nail. Convincing those totalitarian mercenaries that the paracountess must be freed is going to be quite a challenge.”
"We do have something on our side, though. Not too long ago inside the Chelish Embassy, a team of Pathfinders, some of which are present here, discovered proof that Tancredo Desimire, the paracountess’ biggest enemy and a member of the Thrune government, forged letters apparently written in Dralneen’s hand. These fictitious letters hinted at a rebellious alliance between the paracountess and the house’s political enemies. Further, the Pathfinders discovered the paracountess’s personal travel logs, which prove she was away from Absalom at the time when the letters claim she met with her conspirators in the Petal District."
He passes several documents to the party. "It must be shown to the Hellknights if there is any hope of recovering the paracountess alive and safe."
“While the Order of the Nail has earned its reputation as a cadre of ruthless mercenaries, its Hellknights are still bound to uphold the law. I’d wager that the order’s leaders would release the paracountess if they can be convinced they’re holding her unlawfully. You, Pathfinders, must do that. Get custody of the paracountess and escort her here. I’ll make sure she gets back to Absalom safely."
“One more thing: I know some of you may not like the Hellknights or what they stand for, but this is a diplomatic mission and not the time to air your personal grievances against the Order of the Nail. There are over four hundred Hellknights in Citadel Vraid, and you’ll be in their home. Getting Dralneen out is your sole priority, and since the law is on our side, you should run into no problems doing so provided you behave with reasonable caution and restraint. Do not take this warning lightly—you cannot take on the entire citadel in combat. Appeal to their sense of law and leave them to their business."
“Any questions?”
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"Well, Sir Quiven, there is your answer. Apparently we are on a diplomatic mission to rescue a damsel in distress."
Omrax reviews the documents as he returns his attention to the Venture-Captain.
"My Liege, if I may ask, what if the Hellknights do not abide by the law and refuse to release the Paracountess?"
“I must admit that we know little about this order’s leaders, and the possibility exists that they might refuse, but in general, the Hellknights operate using very specific, militaristic protocols. My advice is to follow the Hellknights’ rules while emphasizing that beyond a shadow of a doubt, the paracountess is innocent and therefore must be released. And if they will not see reason, then you should report back and let the Ten decide how best to proceed."
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A small gnome has been sitting in the corner holding his tongue till now.. "Sounds like a job for a quick witted and sly tongue. Good thing im along for the ride! Floggentop Wizzbottle III at your service.. You all may call me Wizzy for short. Let's see if I have any information on these Hellknights and their tenants." He takes off his small backpack and starts digging through it.. Roughly 10 minutes later a small mountain of books have been removed from the thing and still he digs.. Finally he thrusts a book into the air.. "AH HAA!"
Floggentop knows a bit about Citadel Vraid. It is a dark, looming structure that sits on a plateau in the southwestern reaches of the Mindspin Mountains, approximately 50 miles away. From what you understand, the main structure is made of black stone and is decorated liberally with imagery that is a bit... unsettling. Hellknight protocol suggests the citadel’s main entrance is heavily guarded. Informing the guards about the evidence that exonerates Zarta should gain you entry.
“I’ve secured space in a supply caravan heading to the Citadel early tomorrow morning." Sir Canayven says to Quiven. "We estimate it will take the better part of the day to arrive at the citadel, putting you there in the evening, but not too late to request an audience with the order’s leaders.”
Turning to Tessara, "Hellknights are known for meeting our justice and imposing punishment. Operating prisons is not unusual for them."
The next morning you head out with the caravan prearranged for your trip and spend most of the day in travel to your destination. As the sun is setting you finally spot your destination, Citadel Vraid.
Standing high up the northern face of the Mindspin Mountains near the southern mouth of Conqueror’s Bay, it commands a position that exposes much of the land around Varisia to the Order of the Nail’s ever watchful eyes. The citadel consists of three distinct castles, connected to one another by narrow bridges over perilously deep chasms. The westernmost keep, Bastion Dominus, serves as the primary point of entry into the fortress, with forbidding gates looming at the top of a wide set of stairs that climb the mountainside.
Carved from black stone and crowned with steel spikes, a pair of spindly towers shadow the precipitous stair that climbs to the foot of Vraid’s steel gate, which currently stands open. Within is a heavily guarded chamber with two visible exits, one to the north and another to the south. You are directed through the northern gate.
A dozen Hellknight gate-maralictors watch over the interior atrium through their menacing full-plate helmets. One additional Hellknight stands apart from the rest, a woman with short black hair, holding her helmet in the crook of her arm. "I was told to expect a party of Pathfinders seeking Zarta Dralneen's freedom." She gives each of you a severe nod. "I am Field-Maralictor Elixia Makorios, your primary liaison during your visit to Citadel Vraid. What you seek requires a formal request, and you will need to present evidence of the paracountess’s innocence to two of the Hellknight order’s top commanders: Mistress of Blades Maidrayne Vox and Paravicar Acillmar, each of whom will need to sign an Affidavit of Prisoner Release indicating that Dralneen is the subject in question. Once you have gained both signatures, you must take the affidavit to Lictor Severs “Boneclaw” DiViri—the order’s undisputed authority—who will decide whether to free Dralneen. There is no other way to secure the paracountess’ release. Have I made myself clear?"
"Wait for me everyone the goddess sends me to bless this endevor"
Just as you are about to head into the structure, another Pathfinder joins your group, apparently sent at the last minute to aid you. Makorios takes a moment to confirm the new addition, and leads you all inside.
“Paravicar Acillmar will be in Paravicar’s Keep, where his personal staff of slaves and signifers attend to his needs." She answers Tessara's question. "The mistress of blades is performing a routine inspection in the armory in the Tower of Tyranny.”
The siege walls of Bastion Dominus create a small bailey around Lictor’s Keep. Rows of barracks line both the east and west ends of this open-air yard. In the center of the bailey stands a two-story keep with eight Hellknights positioned at each of its entrances, stoically guarding the interior against incursions.
Inside, Makorios hands Wizzy a blank Affidavit of Prisoner Release. After the form is filled out, Makorios leads the party to the Paravicar's keep.
This two-story keep features a number of desks, bookshelves, and austere officers’ barracks. On the ground floor, an ironclad gate leads out to the cliff side beyond that castle walls, guarded by a contingent of experienced Hellknights. A well-armored tower rises from the keep’s northeastern corner, its doors blocked by a stern signifer.
Entering Paravicar’s Keep, you find yourselves on the crowded research floor, where slaves chained to their desks transcribe the contents of scrolls full of charts and tables into leather-bound tomes, all under the watchful eyes of several high-ranking signifers. Makorios makes her way to the lone signifer standing guard at the entrance to the tower. “Representatives from the Pathfinder Society are here to present an urgent matter to the paravicar.” She says.
The signifer looks over your group with a critical eye, but nods, and steps aside, granting the field-maralictor and the Pathfinders access to the large tower.
You ascend the stairs where a lone man sits at a desk in the center of the room, ceiling-high bookshelves filling all the walls around him. Makorios motions you toward the man, makes eye contact with him, then backs down the stairs to the level below to await your return.
A ruddy, red-haired man whose lithe frame is clad in the Hellknights’ traditional black armor, Paravicar Acillmar sits at an orderly desk crowded with neatly stacked piles of paper and ancient tomes, penning a lengthy report. He looks up at you and simply says, “I have been expecting you, Pathfinders.”
The Paravicar spends some time looking over the evidence and discussing the case with you. Most of his words seem routine questions and he soon agrees to sign the Affidavit of Prisoner Release. "I admit I did not expect Pathfinders to be so efficient and diplomatic. My associates in Cheliax would have me believe you all to be nothing more than cutthroat vagabonds." He stands and offers his hand. "It was a pleasure to meet you."
***
Elixia Makorios joins you at the bottom of the stairs below, congratulating you for impressing the Paravicar so easily. She the. leads you towards the office of Mistress of Blades Maidrayne Vox.
This two-story, two-towered keep serves as the military command center for the Order of the Nail. On the ground floor, racks of weapons, armor, barding, ammunition, and other implements of war line a number of aisles whose shelves rise to the ten-foot ceiling above. The second floor serves as a strategic command center, where detailed maps of Varisia, the Mindspin Mountains, and Cheliax hang on the walls. A three-dimensional replica of the areas surrounding Korvosa occupies a table in the center of the room, on which miniature armies are positioned in strategic locations. From the cellars below the keep, the sound of clinking hammers and billowed forges echoes through the building.
Mistress of Blades Maidrayne Vox is a heavily armored centaur and a looming presence in the room. Looking up from signing a form held by a lieutenant she see Makorios leading your group into the room. Silencing her lieutenants she clomps forward on steel-edged hooves. “So,” she says. “I understand you seek the freedom of our Chelish guest? Leave us, Hellknights, so that we may converse.”
Makorios and the mistress of blades’s lieutenants excuse themselves to the armory below, while the centaur paces back and forth before the party. "What do you have for me?"
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Quiven just looks up in awe of the creature that is now before him. Ummm, well, you see, ahh, we think we can prove to you, err, ma'am? that the Chelish guest is innocent and <ahem> should be released... right?
Just, wow, he mutters to himself, still staring in partial disbelief that he is talking to a centaur for the first time.
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Wizzy gives an irritated look at Quiven.. "Forgive my companion Mistress Vox, he apparently has never witnessed the beauty that are centaurs.. My name is Floggentop Wizbottle III and we have proof of the Paracountess's innocence in the form of written documents. If you would be so kind as to review them than you will surely see for yourself." Wizzy moves and hands the documents to the Mistress of Blades.
sweet roll..
The Mistress of Blades stares down at Quiven with a mix of disdain and disgust. "Innocent? I sincerely doubt that." She seems just about ready to dismiss your group before any case or evidence is presented, but Wizzy manages to save the negotiations with a few hasty words. Still glaring at Quiven, Maidrayne Vox accepts the papers and reads them over. She looks up at Omrax and Tessara's words, and glances at Haris, then looks back sharply at him, focusing on the token of house Thrune he holds casually in his fingers. Raising an eyebrow, she adds her signature to the affidavit and returns the papers.
"It appears you have come prepared. By the laws of my order I must do my duty. You may go."
Her last words seem more directed at Quiven, and are delivered with a disconcerting glare, though the halfling seems too enamored to be frightened.