Bazzle discovers a small lockbox under the Warden's bed, and a thin notebook inside the desk. The notebook is a diary that the Warden uses to jot down thoughts and events during her stay in the Holding House. It is written in the common tongue.
This is a point-form list of relevant information within the notebook. More information is present, but I don't believe it will be pertinent. Some forms of information are recorded in official documents, and thus this notebook will not have that particular information.
The Warden Herself
- The Warden's name is Captain Sabo Lorencina. She is a Chelish Human woman, 41 years of age.
- Sabo is called "The Spider" by her underlings because of her extra long limbs. She hates the name.
- Sabo is a student of both arcane magic and rapier fencing. Her rapier is a magically enchanted weapon made of copper, because it conducts her lightning magic better.
- Sabo was hired as a commanding officer (lieutenant). She did not start off in the Dottari as a recruit.
- Sabo lives in the Holding House almost full-time. She has a cheap apartment in Jarvis End that she uses sparingly, mostly for storage of clothing and personal items. She sleeps in the Holding House 7 days a week, and gets 2 weeks of vacation. Her salary is 2,150gp/year. She spends most of it upgrading her gear beyond what the Dottari choose to equip her with, but she is also saving up to purchase a scrying spell to locate her ex-husband who abandoned her when her son was born.
- Sabo treats her underlings and prisoners as cruelly as she can get away with. She hates all of them.
- Sabo is supportive of the Thrune family, and is a casual worshipper of Asmodeus. She dislikes her job as the prison warden, if only due to her lack of days off and living arrangement.
Other things
- Instructions from the higher ups informed Sabo that a visitor will be working as primary torturer and inquisitor. The visitor is to be given full authority to use the prisoners as she sees fit. The visitor's name is Ghenemahl, and Sabo describes the creature as "some sinister planar woman of purple skin, dressed in Nidalese leathers, and impaled with knives, spikes, and other sharp implements." She hates interacting with Ghenemahl, but thankfully the monster stays inside the torture room at almost all times.
- 4 "terrorists" were transferred into the Holding House. Sabo knows they are just regular people, not rebels or anything. She's been instructed to extract all information about the terrorist organization, but she's left that to Ghenemahl, and hasn't bothered to talk with the monster about it yet. She's aware that these people are probably just political enemies of Thrune, but she doesn't really care.
- The Hellknight Armigers of the Order of the Torrent have been in Sabo's "care" for quite some time now. They've been completely broken, but Ghenemahl still plays with them from time to time.
- Octavio Sabinus, the Lictor is extremely difficult to interrogate, and Sabo has a mix of respect and hesitation around the man. He used to be of higher rank (albeit in a different organization) than her, and all of a sudden he's now a criminal to be tortured and excruciated to his breaking point. Sabo realizes that her job may not be quite as stable as she thinks, and it unnerves her that perhaps the tables could one day turn on her.
- Skritt have been coming up from the toilet and stealing things. Sabo used some of the dire-rat poison to make a small trap, which should discourage them. Fortunately, the upcoming raid on the sewers will take them out shortly.
"Well her troops hate her. Not sure we can use that here today. Worse news. They have a 'extra planar purple woman named Ghenemahl. Likes kinky Nidalese leathers and is herself impaled with knives. Gross. Ring any bells with anyone."
"More news on an upcoming sewer raid."
"Given the nature of the poison, if anyone gets scratched or cut, let me know—uh, once any fighting is over, of course. With the magical satchel I can probably get the wound to stop bleeding," Rexandi says to the group with a note of caution.
"That is reassuring, Rexi, thank you." Aster smiles at the other woman, before resuming her rat form to be semi-quite.
Bazzle thanks both Aster and Rexandi.
"The Purple lady is the wild card." He pulls out both his daggers. "Ready?"
Bazzle moves to the door and looks it over.
He unlocks the door and opens the door a sliver to look into the next room.
"Can I see the notebook for a moment?" asks Rexandi.
"Wait... based on these entries, the commander might... be susceptible to an enticement to leave her position. There's a combination of general dissatisfaction with her job, fear that her position might not be stable, hatred for her employees, and unfulfilled personal goals. She gets basically no fulfillment of long-term goals from what she's doing here... and especially if we could locate her ex-husband, who abandoned her and their child. She's not a fervently devout Asmodean," says Rexandi.
"She's not a nice person... but she might be able to be turned."
"Yeah you got a point. But I think this torturer has been after the people we are trying to get out of here. Do you think we can get to her and turn her here and now tonight?"
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
"Can we give her all the things that the current status quo has denied her? We can pay her more money than she makes in a year, all at once. We can probably arrange to find her ex-husband with scrying magic—maybe Hetamon Haace can cast it, or we can find someone who can do it. She fears the demonic thing Ghenemahl, and we were planning to banish it anyway. And as much as she may not like the idea of being on the run as a deserter, she's currently getting a preview of what will happen in her position when someone decides that it's convenient to throw her on the rack, as she's seeing it happen with Octavius, who was a high-ranking member of an Order serving the organization, and now he's in chains getting tortured," says Rexandi.
"Her faith in her institutions is creaky. She's been shaken by having to become the warden to a high-ranking official who was much more devout and much more diligent than she is, which is making her worry that she could be on the chopping block at the whims of someone else. She may support Thrune, but the current regime has done nothing to improve her quality of life. For the right amount of inducement, she might be encouraged to just... walk away. Go somewhere far away, start a new life with a stash of money, leave this nonsense behind."
Rexandi straightens slightly and adds, "Heck, I'll pay her out of my own stash if it does the trick."
"So wait for her to come to bed? Make an offer? Could work?" He shrugs.
Aster the rat squeaks
"I see several things that need accomplishing here. At least two groups of prisoners to rescue, and at least two enemy pieces to be neutralized. A day's work, to be sure."
"Right I ask the question because if we catch her here and turn her. She can aid us in the freeing of the prisoners and help us get away. If we find her in the jail likely entering into combat it leaves less time for heart to heart conversations. Plans don't survive contact with the enemy. Is this journal contact with the enemy and make us want to adapt?"
"I say we press on, and save some potential allies, and definitely oppressed people!"
Bazzle thanks both Aster and Rexandi.
"The Purple lady is the wild card." He pulls out both his daggers. "Ready?"
Bazzle moves to the door and looks it over.
[dice=Perception traps]1d20+9
He unlocks the door and opens the door a sliver to look into the next room.
Bazzle opens the door a sliver without any issue or trap. The door reveals the Warden's Office, which although is windowless, has all sorts of artwork on the walls, many of which are of Asmodean significance. A brazier burns in the north of the room, but no inhabitants are to be found. The empty desk is kept neat and tidy, with nary a stray parchment. No ink or quill is found, and the desk has drawers were parchment is kept organised. A chair and a long bench sit along the North and East walls. Two doors lead to other rooms. The Northern door leads to what was called the Meeting Room, while the Western door leads to a hallway. The Ravens were briefed that a single guard patrols all rooms (except the warden's quarters and the torture room) roughly every half hour. It is unknown when the next patrol will occur.
"Search it quickly."
Vandomir will detect magic.
Bazzle looks about for anything interesting.
Rexandi keeps a cautious lookout.
Vandomir detects magic coming from the brazier.
Bazzle might consider the paintings interesting, but a drawer in the desk can be unlocked with the key to reveal records of all current prisoners.
Vandomir points to the brazier, "that thing is magic."
As Vandomir monitors the brazier, there's a sudden sound that makes the whole group jolt. A voice from the other side of the hallway's door says "Magic?" as the door knob starts to turn.
Bazzle dives for a place to hide.
Aster the rat finds a place to hide.
Rexandi freezes, as there's not enough time for her to do anything.
"Yes, I said magic. Now who might you be?"
"Who am I? Who you YOU!? The Spider said there might be rats, but not... you! INTRUDERS!! INTRUDERS IN THE OFFICE!!"
With a sudden spurt of adrenaline, the guard draws his sword and simultaneously slashes Rexandi across her unprotected middle. A guard behind him turns around and draws his sword, while commotion is heard further into the Holding House as well.
DC-9
DC13
DC13
DC14
DC14
At Point Plank Range, Vandomir will light up the guard that attacked Rex.
x3
x3
x3
Rexandi staggers back a half-step, just enough to avoid getting disemboweled, but it definitely leaves her flustered and in a bad position. She scampers away from the fray and into the warden's chambers.
Aster the rat scampers forward until she is in front of the guard then shifts into Aster the wererat. Blocking his access to the others, and says simply "Please run away."
Bazzle makes a twisted face but remains silent and in his hiding place.
The guard, who's life just flashed before his eyes, realizes that he cannot be paid enough to lay down his life. He panics and flees the scene. The other guard hunkers down and says "The Dottari will be upon you, monsters. Stand down now or be purged." Then the door next to Aster is opened up, and a guard without armour, but with sword and shield is revealed. He's clearly surprised to see a Wererat right around the corner!
At Point Plank Range, Vandomir will light up the stubborn guard...
x3
x3
x3
Aster watches as the guard she told to leave is shot in the back with an arrow. He grimaces in pain, before flailing in vain to reach the arrow in his back. Then he falls to his knees, and then to the floor.
Satisfied with the kill, Vandomir launches two more arrows at the other guard right there, but the guard deflects the first with his shield, and ducks under the second.
Bazzle lays in wait.
Rexandi ducks out the doorway just enough to throw a misfortune hex at the guard who seems to be skilled at avoiding taking an arrow to the knee.
A cold rock falls into the pit of her stomach at the young man's death. She does not throw reproach Vandomir's way, knowing that is the wise move, but hating it nonetheless.
With a sigh, and with tooth and mace, she defends the doorway to the best of her ability.
From his hidey spot Bazzle rolls his eyes. Draw them in. Then I poke them.
Flat against the wall inside the room Bazzle hooks a dagger behind the prison guard cutting at the back of the man's legs hoping for vital arteries and hampered movement.
Nice going. Try and find the Order of the Torrent on your own, that went well., Tasha sighs to herself, continuing to pace around the cramped cell. Well, at least you found some of them, Tasha., she groans, sitting down on the hay-covered cot and rubbing a black eye. Real investigative work, but your timing kind of sucks. Closing her aching eye and slowly lying down to avoid the bruises aching out, Tasha sighs, before a noise wakes her up.
"Who am I? Who you YOU!? The Spider said there might be rats, but not... you! INTRUDERS!! INTRUDERS IN THE OFFICE!!"
Rats? Intruders? A thought jumps in her head, and the woman leaps up, running towards the door. Giving the door a solid kick, she screams out. " Fire in the cells, they don't want us speaking!", she carries on, giving the door another solid kick. Even if I get one or two, that's bound to help whoever's coming in a little, right?
The guard seems particularly fortunate, fending off Rexandi's attack. Aster lashes at the guard in his pajamas, getting both a claw and a bite in. That being said, the guard is trained enough to withstand the onslaught. Bazzle slinks along the wall, but when he goes to throw his dagger it clatters against the doorframe.
Tasha yells and punches the door, though quickly her knuckles are getting bruised. The guards already seem to be busy, so no one is coming out. On the opposite wall, a head pokes up to witness Tasha's plight. She already knows it belongs to Octavio.
The guard near the door runs out, while the one without armour just hunkers down and protects himself with his shield. Two more guards come from the northern door, shouting for the group to stand down.
Vandomir keeps up his fire against the guards...
x3
x3
x3
With new foes entering the room Bazzle looks back toward he bedroom. "Behind us has one choke point this room has two."
Looking around not pleased with the fight. Bazzle throws his dagger at the new knights coming into the room. Followed by the Crack of lightening as well.
"Retreat, I'll cover you." Aster keeps her current choke point until she can try and block the next one.
Rubbing a bruised knuckle away from the door, Tasha lets out a sigh of exasperation. Glancing at Octavio, she gives a nervous smile. "Now would be the time to try, wouldn't it?", before disappearing back inside the cell. Okay, punching the door surprisingly doesn't work.
Biting into a finger, she looks at the door and the room in an appraising measure. Hmmm. Hinges, lock, doorframe. Maybe balance something off of the food tray. Or tear off something from the bedframe and use it as a lever to lift the bars away? Would that work, or is it just in that Sargavan comedy about the pirates?, she ponders as she tries desperately to think of a way out.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Vandomir absolutely annihilates the first guard entering from the Northern door with his three shots. Bazzle attempts to attack the guard behind the one that just fell, but his dagger doesn't seem to get through the guard's breastplate, and the lightning is blocked by his shield. Despite the shield being metal, it seems it doesn't conduct enough to cause any serious pain. Aster continues fighting the unarmoured guard, but he put himself into a defensive stance and thus blocks both attacks with his shield.
Back in the cells, Tasha tries to use whatever she has to create a lever to bust down her cell door. It's a very difficult task, but Tasha might be able to figure it out. Octavio, seems to be watching Tasha, but doesn't make any effort of escape himself.
This +1 shocking shortspear is made entirely out of impure copper, beaten and sharpened into shape. It occasionally zaps small insects or parasites as it's carried around, and sometimes flashes symbols in druidic.
Once per round, the wielder can target a creature within 50 feet to zap with the Crack of Lightning. The wielder makes a ranged attack as if throwing the spear, only for the spear to animate into a bolt of lightning and strike the target. It then appears in the hand of the wielder again. Such an attack deals 1d12+1 electricity damage and crits on a 20 x3.
This shortspear has the brace property when used two-handed. If the wielder is struck by an electricity attack while bracing, they reduce the damage taken by 1d6+1, to a minimum of 0.
Small sized creatures can wield the Crack of Lightning as a small sized spear.
From <https://paizo.com/campaigns/HellsRebelsAdventurePath/gameplay&page= 104>
Worried about overkill, Rexandi lobs a web bolt at the guard near the door to the room that she shares with Bazzle and Vandomir.
Aster has never really been much of a combatant, and it shows as she tries to fight the unarmored guard.
With a groan, Tasha manages to tear out a plank from the bed. "Ha!", she exclaims, before wedging it under the door, and trying her best to lift it. A couple of unsuccessful attempts and pained grunts later, she stops and wipes her brow, before poking her head out of the barred window on the door. "I'm open to criticism. Help, too.", she adds, before starting to look around for additional leverage on the unsurprisingly heavy door.
Tasha keeps on trying, but it seems like her escape will take some extra time. At least the guards are busy.