The door does not open as Tatienne tries to open it, because no one has unlocked the door. The key still hangs on the peg to the side.
Tatienne grabs the key, puts it in the lock and turns, unlocking the door. She opens it to reveal a human man, dark hair and bearded. He stands, clad in shining plate, longsword and shield in hand. He wears the tabard of the Knights of the Alerion, and about his neck is a silver and sapphire sunburst - his holy symbol of Mitra. He sees Balam and Tatienne, and he says, "Who are you? Where is this place, and what am I doing here?"
A voice at the back of the group lets out a melodic laugh.
"Mad!" She sings. "I'm mad, you're mad, we're all mad here..."
Then she switches over to singing in a sweet, pleasant language -- the tongue of goodly outsiders.
Geborah has several plans prepared; she considers them as she judges the man before her. Is he the man his squire say he is? Yes, she decides, he is a rock, as dedicated and unbending in the service of his god as Balam was of hers. There would be no cowing him, and no deception with Jezabel in earshot. Possibly she could negotiate an exchange of the prisoner for the amulet...if she wanted.
But she wants the smell of flesh blackened by hellfire. She wants the amulet slick with blood when she lays it at the Cardinal's feet.
"Get on with it," she says, readying her infernal powers.
The door does not open as Tatienne tries to open it, because no one has unlocked the door. The key still hangs on the peg to the side.
Tatienne grabs the key, puts it in the lock and turns, unlocking the door. She opens it to reveal a human man, dark hair and bearded. He stands, clad in shining plate, longsword and shield in hand. He wears the tabard of the Knights of the Alerion, and about his neck is a silver and sapphire sunburst - his holy symbol of Mitra. He sees Balam and Tatienne, and he says, "Who are you? Where is this place, and what am I doing here?"
Sir Balin hears Jezabel's singing, and frowns, saying, "That woman does not sound well. You have not yet answered my questions. Who are you, and where am I?" Balin looks past the front line to try and see the unstable woman, and as he does so, he sees Wraith, whom he captured and sent to Branderscar Prison. His eyes go wide and he shouts, "You are the escapees from Branderscar! I will bring you to justice in Mitra's holy name!"
"Hello Balin, meet my new friends and No we will not meet Mitra;s Justice today. But you shall meet mine... Your soul shall be bound to your walking corpse to see the horror I shall deal out with your animated body. But I give you this one chance to accept your fate... Drop your weapon, accept a simple warriors death and we shall let your squire live?"
Wraith never really caring about the answer, begins to casts Mudball into his face.
Geborah slips into a corner of the room, clearing the way for her companions. She calls to mind the words of the Malbogean Stricture, ready to unleash its power when the good knight attacks.
Tatienne snarls, all pretense of civility draining from her face. This man, and those like him, were responsible for her captivity, had almost ended her life before she was ever able to get her journey started. If he was a symbol, a living, breathing beacon for the shining light of Mitra, he was also a living breathing symbol for her misfortune. And he would pay through the nose for it.
Charging into the room, Tatienne leveled her polearm and stabbed.
"Hello Balin, meet my new friends and No we will not meet Mitra;s Justice today. But you shall meet mine... Your soul shall be bound to your walking corpse to see the horror I shall deal out with your animated body. But I give you this one chance to accept your fate... Drop your weapon, accept a simple warriors death and we shall let your squire live?"
Balin responds to Wraith's taunt with, "I will never surrender to Forsaken like you."
Wraith never really caring about the answer, begins to casts Mudball into his face. The ball of mud flies from his hand and splats onto Sir Balin's face, blinding him.
Tatienne snarls, all pretense of civility draining from her face. This man, and those like him, were responsible for her captivity, had almost ended her life before she was ever able to get her journey started. If he was a symbol, a living, breathing beacon for the shining light of Mitra, he was also a living breathing symbol for her misfortune. And he would pay through the nose for it. Charging into the room, Tatienne leveled her polearm and stabbed. Her polearm struck the blinded Knight true, dealing a powerful blow to his arm.
Geborah slips into a corner of the room, clearing the way for her companions. She calls to mind the words of the Malbogean Stricture, ready to unleash its power when the good knight attacks.
Sir Balin shakes his head to try and clear his sight, but the mud clings stubbornly. Instead, he drops his shield and wipes the mud from his eyes, clearing his sight so he can see the criminals who are attacking him. "I will return you to the chains from which you will never again escape." He watches you carefully, sword held before him.
Jezabel dances into the room, singing cheerily in Celestial. She waves around her hands, and then thrusts them at Sir Ballin, causing a green pulse of energy to flicker in the air around him.
Geborah giggles as Tatienne draws first blood. She slides along with her back to the wall, spell still at the ready.
Wraith continues to chant, this time casting Ray of Enfeeblement.
Balam sneers at the fools' posturing. "Mitra is a false god! Asmodeus is the God of this World! The Dark Lord is the one truth of enlightenment! The light of Mitra is a lie, and blinds his followers to walk false paths!" He stalks forward, blade crackling with black-green flame. Then, he brings the blade down in a wicked cut
spend 2 Stamina points for dazzling display on Sir Balin
Balam sneers at the fools' posturing. "Mitra is a false god! Asmodeus is the God of this World! The Dark Lord is the one truth of enlightenment! The light of Mitra is a lie, and blinds his followers to walk false paths!" He stalks forward, blade crackling with black-green flame. Then, he brings the blade down in a wicked cut, catching Sir Balin a fearsome blow. He seems shaken by Balam's casual blasphemy, as well.
Grumbljack stomps into the room, moving behind Balam and swinging his club in an overhand sweep at Sir Balin.
Unfortunatley, he misjudges the height of Sir Balin and the club whiffs high overhead.
Jezabel dances into the room, singing cheerily in Celestial. She waves around her hands, and then thrusts them at Sir Ballin, causing a green pulse of energy to flicker in the air around him. Sir Balin is completely unaffected by the flicker, far too strong to be taken by such enchantments.
Dante hold Timeon's rope, saying, "Shout if you need me."
Wraith continues to chant, this time casting Ray of Enfeeblement. The blackish beam strikes Sir Balin, weakening him.
Sir Balin is made of stout stuff, however, so the beam isn't as effective as Wraith would have liked.
Sir Balin - 38/70, shaken 2/2, 2 Str damage
With another lunge, Tatienne follows thrusts the polearm for a gap in the knight's armor.
"Balam!" the relic hunter snarls, "Work your way around across from me!"
With another lunge, Tatienne follows thrusts the polearm for a gap in the knight's armor. Her polearm glances off the chestplate, however, dealing no damage.
"Balam!" the relic hunter snarls, "Work your way around across from me!"
Geborah giggles as Tatienne draws first blood. She slides along with her back to the wall, spell still at the ready.
Sir Balin looks at Balam and says, "You will pay for your blasphemy, Asmodean! I will break you and leave you begging for Mitra's mercy."
The Knight moves to strike at Sir Balin. Geborah casts her spell, but Sir Balin's will is strong, and he fights through her attempt to stop him to strike at Balam.
Sir Balin's sword strikes true, blowing past the antipaladin's shield and gashing his armor, leaving a bloody cut down Balam's torso as he falls to the ground.
Sir Balin - 38/70, shaken 1/2, 2 Str damage
Balam - -4/25
Jezabel dances across the battlefield, singing as she goes. Her eyes and hands glow a brilliant green as she reaches out to touch Balam.
"Pax Asmodeum! Pax Asmodeum! ....ooof," says Geborah, as Balin fells Balam. She had heard that strong-willed people could throw off the effects of her infernal spells, but this was the first time anyone had actually managed to.
Well, she had other powers to draw own. She sends a gout of flame from her archstar at the light's champion, hoping to set him ablaze.
Then she gives Tatienne a curt nod. Raising her shield defensively, she moves to flank the knight.
With another lunge, Tatienne follows thrusts the polearm for a gap in the knight's armor. Her polearm glances off the chestplate, however, dealing no damage.
"Balam!" the relic hunter snarls, "Work your way around across from me!"
Geborah giggles as Tatienne draws first blood. She slides along with her back to the wall, spell still at the ready.
Sir Balin looks at Balam and says, "You will pay for your blasphemy, Asmodean! I will break you and leave you begging for Mitra's mercy."
The Knight moves to strike at Sir Balin. Geborah casts her spell, but Sir Balin's will is strong, and he fights through her attempt to stop him to strike at Balam.
** spoiler omitted **
Sir Balin's sword strikes true, blowing past the antipaladin's shield and gashing his armor, leaving a bloody cut down Balam's torso as he falls to the ground.
** spoiler omitted **
Tatienne had to hand it to the girl. Geb was brave, getting into the knight's space right after he'd gutted Balam. Taty had no intention of getting that close to her foe if she could help it. And hopefully she wouldn't need to. Another thrust, this time directed at the knight's neck, the relatively soft spot of the gorget, and Taty prayed to the First that Sir Balin would be no more...
spells: 6/10
AC: 15
Wraith will have the skeleton block him, before closing in a bit. Sticking near the door so that he can slam it shut in an emergency.
Once in place, Wraith quickly cast ray of frost in hopes of whittling down Balin.
Balam lies on the ground, bleeding out.
Fortunately, he manages to stabilize.
Grumblejack steps behind Geborah, tightens his grip on his greatclub and gives a mighty swing at Sir Balin.
The massive club connects, denting the knight's armor and resulting in a sound of cracking bone.
Jezabel dances across the battlefield, singing as she goes. Her eyes and hands glow a brilliant green as she reaches out to touch Balam.
The dark knight's wound knits closed enough that he is able to regain consciousness.
Dante remains in the hall with Timeon.
Wraith will have the skeleton block him, before closing in a bit. Sticking near the door so that he can slam it shut in an emergency.Once in place, Wraith quickly cast ray of frost in hopes of whittling down Balin. The icy ray hits, creating a small patch of frost on his armor.
"Pax Asmodeum! Pax Asmodeum! ....ooof," says Geborah, as Balin fells Balam. She had heard that strong-willed people could throw off the effects of her infernal spells, but this was the first time anyone had actually managed to. Well, she had other powers to draw own. She sends a gout of flame from her archstar at the light's champion, hoping to set him ablaze. The bolt of fire flies from her archstar, burning the Knight of the Alerion. Then she gives Tatienne a curt nod. Raising her shield defensively, she moves to flank the knight.
Tatienne had to hand it to the girl. Geb was brave, getting into the knight's space right after he'd gutted Balam. Taty had no intention of getting that close to her foe if she could help it. And hopefully she wouldn't need to. Another thrust, this time directed at the knight's neck, the relatively soft spot of the gorget, and Taty prayed to the First that Sir Balin would be no more. It appears that the First heard her prayer, as her ranseur slices through a gap in the armor to impale Sir Balin in the neck.
The Knight's eyes go wide in surprise, and his longsword falls from his hands as he gurgles before sliding off Tatienne's blade and falling to the ground.
Timeon cries, "No! Sir Balin!" and then breaks down into tears, his hero lying at the villains' feet. "Mitra, how could you have forsaken us?" the boy sobs.
Jezabel leaps upon his body, straddling him with a song on her lips. She runs her nails across his face gently, then gouges out his eyes and pops them in her mouth.
She groans as she chews.
Balam rises, bloodied, but alive. "Thank you, Jazabel.". He works out a kink in his shoulder and cleans his blade. "I am.prepared to die for the First, but I'd prefer it not to be today."
He turns to the boy. "Do you understand now, Timeon? Mitra is weak. Worthless. His light is a lie. Asmodeus promises order and structure. He has written a contract with the world, and would see it fulfilled. Asmodeus honors his word.". He gently squeezes the lad's shoulder as he goes to inspect the room. "Think on that."
Geborah crouches down by Balin's side.
With a simple incantation, she binds up the scarlet threads of his life inside him. "A prisoner such as this will have value to the Cardinal, if only as a sacrifice on our Dark Prince's altar. And, speaking of things of value to his Eminence..."
She grabs the jeweled medallion, tears it from his neck, and smiles at the spatters of arterial blood on it. "Silver and sapphires...and now, rubies. Perfection." Geborah sequesters it her robe and rises. "Search him for other valuables, if you like, then let us take him upstairs."
"Hey now, I'm looking to use him as my next minion... don't go stealing him for yourself...
As for his worth, he was put here for us. I'm sure death was his expectation... If you want to gain more worth put him on the rack and torture him for the time remaining. I'm sure he might know a thing or two and the initiative would look good on us.
By the way I think Balam should take his equipment... You never know when dressing up as a knight of Mitra could come in handy."
"A charming thought, Wraith, but after nine hours down here I think we're all ready to rest. If you want this unlucky fellow's bones, I'm sure His Eminence will let you have them once Tiadora's done plucking whatever secrets are left from him."
Geborah's spell is unfortuantely too late - Jezabel's removal of the eyes signed Sir Balin's death warrant, the body heaving its last breath. A search of the room turns up nothing beyond Sir Balin. On Sir Balin, you find his armor, sword, and shield, as well as another potion of cure light wounds, his tabard, a dagger, and his cloak. Geborah has already taken his holy symbol.
longsword
dagger
heavy steel shield
masterwork full plate
potion of cure light wounds
tabard of the Knights of the Alerion
cloak
Dante says, "Are we done with this farce? Can we get out of this death trap of a basement?"
Jezabel hops up and strips the corpse of his equipment, then she smiles at Grumblejack. "Would you mind carrying him for me, dear? He's going to be a delicious dinner."
"Grumblejack could I get you to bring this guys corpse to that torture room a few rooms back... That'll work as a good place to raise him as any."
"Do as you like, but check his possessions for enchantments before you cut them off and throw them in the kitchen midden."
Balam pokes the corpse with his sword. "Anmyone mind if I take his armor?"
"Take it, take it, take it..." Jezabel sings to Balam.
She ignores the child, pointedly not detecting magic right now, just to irritate the bossy little thing.
"To the kitchens!" she exclaims happily with a clap of her hands. "We'll have him butchered and ready for Wraith's magic in no time!"
Then she begins to sing a decidedly chipper song about how to butcher a human corpse.
Balam grins and strips the corpse of it's armor. "I will make this more appropriate later."
You strip the corpse of Sir Balin of his things and drag it, and Timeon out of the room to the stairwell Geborah found in the room with the shrieker. You go up to the first floor of the mansion and to the Cardinal's office to give him the amulet.
Upon entry into the office, Adrastus sits in his study seeming almost as he has moved not an inch from where he gave you your orders at dusk yesterday. “You’ve returned.”
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"You've got eyes." Jezabel replies with an unnerving smile.
"Yes, we've taken care of your paladin problem, too.". He gestures towards the boy. "We found his squire, too. Lad's not very stupid, and quite brave. He could be useful. if he's properly trained."
Geborah produces the amulet from her robe with a flourish and lays it on Cardinal Thorn's desk. "Do you wish a public account of our lessons now?"
The high priest holds the trinket and pauses as if in deep contemplation. He watches the holy symbol glitter in the light. “A pretty enough thing, eh?” he muses. “This is a holy symbol of Mitra in particular the sort favored by the Knights of the Alerion. Perhaps you already knew that. Remember this symbol. This is the mark of those who destroyed our faith and sought to banish all trace of the worship of our Father from these shores. These, my friends, are your enemies.”"[/b]
He tosses the holy symbol back to Geborah. "Keep it. It may aid you in disguising yourself." He smiles. "You have done well. Escaping from Branderscar, slaughtering Sir Balin...yes, you are worthy. Now, let us complete your training..."
At this, Dante interjects. "No, you won't be completing our training. You and your deathtraps. What, was this all some sadistic game so you could slowly kill us by torture? Well, I've had enough of it. Burn your contract, and burn you!" Dante draws his rapier and lunges towards the Cardinal. Faster than any of you can react, Tiadora glides up to him and, batting aside his sword with ease, reaches out a hand that wraps itself around Dante's throat. She then picks him up and slams him against the wall. He struggles to breathe as Tiadora squeezes, then she suddenly jabs her hand into his throat. With a wet, sucking sound her hand comes free, ripping his throat out in the process. Dante's now-lifeless body falls to the floor, his blood spilling onto the carpet. Thorn dispassionately looks at the body, then turns to the rest of you. "Is anyone else dissatisfied so far?"
Balam nods in agreement as the Cardinal declares the Knights of the Alerion his enemy. "Their order will be scoured from this world." When Tiadora ends Dante's life, Balam barely reacts. "He violated the contract. He got what he deserved. The uncivilized and the disorderly who wish only to satisfy their own selfish needs, foment chaos, and serve the lie of Free Will, all shall suffer this fate. They must be as an example to others, so they learn that we all serve a Master. Freedom is a lie spread by the Light."
Jezabel bursts out laughing.
...after a while it's hard to tell exactly what she finds so funny.