In the kingdom of Talingarde, many crimes may send you to Branderscar Prison, but the sentence has but one meaning. You are wicked and irredeemable. Each of you received the same greeting when you arrived. You were held down by rough hands and branded upon the arm with a runic F. The mark signifies ‘forsaken’ and the painful scar is indelible proof that each of you has betrayed the great and eternal love of Mitra and his chosen mortal vassals.
Condemned, you face at best a life of shackles and servitude in the nearby salt mines. Others might await the “gentle” ministrations of the inquisitors so that co-conspirators may be revealed and confessions extracted. Perhaps, some of you will be spared this ordeal. Perhaps instead you have come to Branderscar to face the final judgment. In three days, the executioner arrives and the axe falls or the pyre will be lit. Through fire or steel, your crimes will be answered.
You have all been chained together in the same communal cell dressed in nothing but filthy, tattered rags. Manhandled and mistreated, any finery you once possessed is either ruined or long lost. No special treatment has been given any prisoner – male or female, commoner or noble – all of the forsaken are bound and imprisoned together. Your feet are secured by iron cuffs tethered by one long chain. Your arms are secured to the wall above by manacles. A guard is posted right outside the cell day and night. Little thought is given to long-term accommodations. At Branderscar, justice comes swift and sure.
Escape seems hopeless. You have all been well searched and every attempt to conceal anything on your person has failed. And if you could somehow slip your bonds and fly out of this prison, where would you go? Who from your former life would want anything to do with the forsaken? Despised, alone and shackled – all that you can do now is await your doom.
For each of you, your old life is over. For each of you, hope is a fading memory. For each of you, justice will be fairly meted. And who can blame fair Talingarde after what each of you has done?
Lucia lays in the chains, her long blonde hair matted and dirty. Once billed as the most beautiful woman in Talingarde (although you know show business) you'd hardly know it now. She just sighs, every so often looking up at the locks over her head. "Well, damn."
Slevin breathed deeply as he reflected on his situation.
Manacled to a wall in the most famous prison in Taligarde, shackled to others who no doubt were scheduled to suffer similar fates.
This couldn't get much worse....until the executioner arrives.
Sighing to himself he opened his eyes, red pentagrams glowing slightly in the gloom of the cell as she took in those he was chained to.
Three women. Interesting.
And an ogre in the adjacent cell. It would be worthwhile to discover their talents.
Lani lays chained as the other prisioners, she isn't interested in them though, no Lani thinks of the branded "F" in her arm and she thinks of helh's fire, she thinks of her failure, her coming punishment yet... "Milord if you give another chance..."
Lani is looking at the shacles binding her, testing them with her arms. Then her curiosity finally makes her look at the others, she looks at each of them in turn, waiting so she can make eye contact with them and observing their reactions to her eye. Smiling at seeing the pentagram in the man eye.
Finally she asks: "What are you here for? Murder? Treason? Working on the slave trade? Arson? Theft or piracy? Or could it be heresy?" Lani laughs while saying the last words. "Theirs is the heresy!"
Even though she wasn't addressed directly, Lucia mutters anyway. "Slaving and slave-trading. At the same time. Actually, I think they held back one charge in case someone bribed the judge or something. Not that it mattered. You?"
Lani gives a feral smile before answering "I believe they called it heresy, teaching milord words." "Slaving and slave-trading? I wonder what can she do?"
A deep quiet chuckle rises from Slevin's throat.
"Heresy....these fools see any true knowledge as heresy."
He grins at the woman noting her mismatched eyes. "Murder. I killed the father of one of their beloved Paladin warriors. Just another job but one that went awry."
"They see any kind of thought as heresy, near as I can tell." Lucia smirks. "At the least, they expect the public to buy that the Enemy can be appeased with the sacrifice of goats and the occasional virgin now and then."
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A sob escapes from Tin, eyes closed, reliving the inquisition, still feeling the sizzle of the brand and the smell of her burnt flesh. Squeezing out the nonexistent tears, she looks up as the conversation starts, startled out of her reverie by a deep chuckle nearby. ”Blasphemy. I provided Asmodeus blessings to those who did not follow Mitra. I treated any and all who did not want any trappings of Mitra. I did this even within Church of Mitra. Under the very noses of the church elders. Proudly displaying the holy symbol of Mitra yet making infernal prayers to… Heh Heh HEH Tin Jasha finally sees the audacious humor of not only denying Mitra blessings, but desecrating so many Holy Sites of Mitra with her infernal prayers, it breaks the stress in a fit of giggles. The tears of laughter fill her eyes, perhaps a twinge of madness as her giggles slowly fade away.
”Ahem. That was a nice release.” Giving each of her cellmates an obvious appraisal, flexing her shackled wrists and a tentative tug on her chains, ”No flexibility or gap to slip out of. Stuck.” Her appearance while physically unharmed, clearly show the effects of a lengthy inquisition. Face drawn, salty trails of long gone tears, a slight residual tremor and skittish tics.
"Murder... job... perhaps an assassin? Lani smiles at Jasha "Another servant of milord... Perhpas there is a chance here."
"So you are also a servant to milord. I converted too of Sir Balin friends to milord service, he didn't take that very well." Lani then focus her gaze at the guard outside the cell, gauging his dedication and competence at his job. After all it is not like they could go anywhere.
Lucia gives a distinct impression of shrugging in her bars. "Well, okay, I suppose that that might actually be a legitimate case of heresy. First that seems to fit I've ever heard of." She doesn't actually mention Asmodeus herself, just going on to say "I'm Lucia Rhitu, by the way."
The door to the large room with the cells is suddenly slammed open. ”Shut your gap.” a fat well dressed sergeant shouts at you. This is the man who laughed as your skinn burned, when he branded you, sergeant Tomas Blackerly. Six heavily armed guards follow the sergeant as he enters your cell.
Careful examination reveals that the good sergeant is under some sort of enchantment.
He points to Tin Jasha and says gruffly:
“You there! That’s the scum! Get ‘em unshackled. If any of you makes trouble, they’ll earn a thrashing! Today’s your lucky day, scum. You’ve got a visitor. How you ever warranted such a fine lady is beyond me. Seems she wants to say good-bye. Now step lively. We wouldn’t want to keep her waiting.”
I want to stress to you, that you are not expecting anyone.
You are roughly escorted out of the room with the cells, across a room serving as a landing and into a meeting room where the guards shove you into a chair. There waiting for you is a hauntingly beautiful woman in an elegant black dress and soft silken veil. She looks as if she is headed to a funeral. Her hair is so platinum as to almost be white and her eyes are a vibrant almost unearthly green. She clearly has been weeping.
“Oh, dearest,” proclaims the unfamiliar woman. “I’m so relieved you’re alive!” She quickly turns to Tomas. “Could we please have a moment alone, good sir? For pity’s sake?” Tomas goes blank for a bit and then quickly agrees. “Of course, my lady. For you,’ tis no problem.”
As soon as the guards leave, she turns her ful. attention to you.
“Have you forgotten me, dearest?” the unexpected visitor says with a smirk, dropping her pretense of grief. “Call me Tiadora. We possess a mutual friend who would like to meet you and your fellow cell-mates. Unfortunately, our friend is unwilling to visit you in your present rather shabby accommodations so it seems you must escape. Don’t be so dour. Just because it’s never been done before is no reason you can’t be the first.”
"If you manage that, cross the moors on the outskirts of town. On the old Moor Road you’ll see a manor house with a single lantern burning in the second story. There our mutual friend waits. That is all I know. He did want me to give you this.” She takes off her silken veil and wipes away a few fake tears with it. “Something to remember me by, dearest.”
And like that Tin is released from her chains and almost dragged out of the room. After making sure that your cell door is locked the last guard leave the room and you are once again alone.
She has some sort of power over Thomas.
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Tin's eyes grow wide and she starts to struggle, "I've told everything. No... A visitor? The relief of not experiencing another inquisition knocks out any further thought of resistance, feeble as it was. A glance back is all she can manage before being forcibly rushed, her now unshackled feet scrambling for purchase, not quite ready to respond to mental commands.
“Have you forgotten me, dearest?” the unexpected visitor says with a smirk, dropping her pretense of grief. “Call me Tiadora. We possess a mutual friend who would like to meet you and your fellow cell-mates. Unfortunately, our friend is unwilling to visit you in your present rather shabby accommodations so it seems you must escape. Don’t be so dour. Just because it’s never been done before is no reason you can’t be the first.”
"If you manage that, cross the moors on the outskirts of town. On the old Moor Road you’ll see a manor house with a single lantern burning in the second story. There our mutual friend waits. That is all I know. He did want me to give you this.”
Puzzled, she accepts the veil. "Have we met? Escape? Moors, Manor house, lantern second floor window."
Lani glares at the sargeant and soldiers, but makes no movement. "I didn't know we were allowed visitor..." After the guards leave Lani speaks: [b]"Lani Fairchild. That is my name" "If I escape I'm killing that man... If, if, if...
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Part two
She takes in the way Tiadora is dressed, her mannerisms and speech trying to place her from former life.
"That was interesting"
"I don't believe so dearest," Tiadora answers with a smile. As you address her by name she looks you straight in the eyes "Yes?" awaiting your question. "Perhaps you are truly forsaken but let not hope guide your escape, cunning is much more trustworthy." She reach out and rubs the silk between her finger. "This is just something to remember me by," she smiles echoing her earlier words.
After this little conversation she decides you are done. Her message delivered, she rises and the guards return. Immediately, her demeanor
once more changes and she is again a perfect picture of grief. “No,
I can’t bear to leave you!” She kisses you on the cheek. The kiss is ice-cold and feels somehow alien and inhuman.
Tomas shakes his head. “I’m afraid it’s time, miss.”
She looks deep in Tomas’ eyes and says, “Thank you for letting me say good-bye. There’s no need to search my dearest. You are such a good friend for letting me see my dearest one more time.”
“Such a good friend,” Tomas repeats his voice almost mechanical. Then the watch sergeant seems to snap out of it and bows politely. “A pleasure, madam,” She leaves unveiled. Her eyes meet yours one last time and she briefly gives them a wicked smile.
“Three days,” telepathically echoes in the your mind. “Don’t disappoint me, dearest.”
With the visitation concluded, Tin is taken back to her cell by a cadre of guards and shackled once more.
This appears to be a fine silk veil of gossamer cloth. Only as it is
held and closely inspected can you see small cloth patches
of various shapes. One patch can be detached each round
as a move action. Detaching a patch causes it to become an
actual item.
This veil contains:
• 2 daggers
• Bullseye lantern (full, lit and shuttered)
• Hempen rope (50-foot coil)
• Sack full of needed spell components (worth less than a 1 gp)
and common clothes in the PCs sizes
• Thieves Tools, Masterwork
• Window (2 ft. by 4 ft., up to 2 ft. deep)
• Potion of cure light wounds
• 100 gold pieces
• Unholy Symbol of Asmodeus (silver)
Note that the window patch will create a window (and therefore
a hole) in a nearby wall. If there are no nearby walls, it simply
turns into a common wooden window frame. It cannot be
placed on a living creature however. Once removed, a patch
cannot be replaced.
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Eyes following the guards as they depart, Tin once again looks over her cellmates. The door slams shut and the lock makes the distinct sound of being solidly built. Her face has transformed, no longer one of forsaken without hope. This forsaken one has a spark of cunning, grinning and with a wink, the silken veil is gently uncrumpled from her shackled fist.
"My visitor is an ally from the outside. Actually, she said we have three days to escape. She gave me this, Shakes the delicate black funeral veil, "and once we depart these walls, to make our way across the moors that border this town. We must seek refuge at a manor house on old Moor Road. Look for a single lantern burning in the second story."
She spreads out the veil for everyone to see and for a closer examination. "One of the guards appear to be compromised, there may be other weaknesses within Brandascar that we can exploit. My visitor was insistent I take this. Any idea why? Does it have significance to any of you?
Lucia frowns, looking at it. "Can't say that it does. Still, I was thinking about this...might be able to get a key away from a guard if I can get one to stick around in here for a few minutes..."
Slevin's eyes narrow as he studies the swatch of black silk, his fingers twirling within thier confines as he utters the words to a spell, silver pinpricks of light expanding to fill the pentacles in his eyes as his vision strips the veil of magical energies.
"It's definitely magical, but unclear as to what it does." he rumbles.
Lucia sighs. "Trial and error might be the way to go then. Even if I don't trust this woman, it has to be better than this waiting. Can someone hold it up close to somoene's eyes so they can examine it?"
"We are not going anywhere soon, so I think we take a good look at this veil." As lani talks she nods toughtfully.
This appears to be a fine silk veil of gossamer cloth. Only as it is held and closely inspected can you see small cloth patches of various shapes. One patch can be detached each round as a move action. Detaching a patch causes it to become an actual item.
This veil contains:
• 2 daggers
• Bullseye lantern (full, lit and shuttered)
• Hempen rope (50-foot coil)
• Sack full of needed spell components (worth less than a 1 gp)
and common clothes in the PCs sizes
• Thieves Tools, Masterwork
• Window (2 ft. by 4 ft., up to 2 ft. deep)
• Potion of cure light wounds
• 100 gold pieces
• Unholy Symbol of Asmodeus (silver)
Note that the window patch will create a window (and therefore a hole) in a nearby wall. If there are no nearby walls, it simply turns into a common wooden window frame. It cannot be placed on a living creature however. Once removed, a patch cannot be replaced.
"Well, well,well....it looks as if your Lady friend means to make good on her offer." Slevin says quietly, listeing the items on the cloth.
"Any of you ladies good with a lock?"
Lucia sighs. "I've played around with it a little. Simple stage locks that were meant to come undone, but I might be able to manage something if no one else can."
"I have some skill with them as well, just checking to see if we had an expert amongst us. If that doesn't work I have the beginnings of an idea." he says calmly.
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Wonderously eyeing the veil, "Not so forsaken after all, Mitra's pawns are still just pawns." Her fingers traces the symbol of her Lord. "I believe an opportune time to formally and proudly wear this comes soon, but first things first." Tin peels the symbol patch from the silk, as it materializes to silver, she kisses and then slips it into her mouth (assuming it is small enough). Speaking around the symbol, "You~ p~an?" She stretches to hand it to her neighboring cellmate.
"A plan? I be delighted to hear it, tough I have a suggestion, if the guard sees one of us free I think he might be persuaded to enter this cell." Lani answers while looking at Tin interested in her actions.
"I like the way you think. Getting a guard in here alone would be the first part of the plan. The Dark lord has gifted me with many abilities, not the least of which is to change my appearance for about 10 minutes, clothing and all. I can look like a guard, it just works better if I'm not in shackles when I do so."
Lucia smiles. "Also, I can weave a spell of friendship or compulsion into a song. I've charmed a wizard's son right under his own nose this way, so the guards won't have a prayer of figuring it out."
Slevin takes the cloth, painstakingly extracting the picks before working dilligently to free one of his hands.
At the sound of a click, the handsome Inqusitor's features take on a wolfish grin.
"Quite useful... Lani watches Slevin freeing himself. Then she speaks: "Should we kick up a fuss? Or can you free more of us?" Lani nods towards her own bonds.
Lucia grins at this. "Let's just be cautious. It's not yet time to raise the curtain...we should wait until thenight sift at least."
"Makes sense to me. Wait until night, get a guard in here, control him or kill him, make's little difference to me. Free the ogre, take the guard's place in the chaos and we kill our way out of this cesspit."
Slevin grins as he slip the manacles over his hands, pretending to once again be shackled.
"Trust me ladies, this is going to be a night to remember."
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Aaahhhh. Showing a healthly set of pearly whites with her own grin mirroring Lucia's and Slevin's, Tin settles down as comfortably as she can, satisfied that luck favors preparation, opportunity and ability. Once again Asmodeus is proven right. Alone we are easy to take, together we may make a formible force.
Spitting the symbol into her hand, so she may speak clear,
"Cautious yes. Wait for the boredom to settle in. Trick our jailors that we are still restrained if they bother to feed us or try for some last minute groping. And can we make it look convincing? Unless, of course, you can pick the cell doors as well. Lots of unlocking ahead of you Mighty Locksmith. "
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"Slevin, be a dear, and unlock all of us. I personally would love to help overpower the guards. You shouldn't have to do all the work. At the very least, I can close the cell door while you play Knuckle Sammich Buffet."
Tin's demeanor is transforming from a shaken weeping willow to playful puppy. Curious.
As darkness falls plunging the cell in gloom, Slevin waits until after the shift change and and feeding or tounting by the current guards before once agin slipping out of his now unlocked shackles.
Bending, he first takes care of the single lock that shackels the legs of himself and his companions. Taking a moment to stretch once he frees himself fully.
He then proceeds to release the locks holding the arms of his female companions, taking his time to allow the blood to flow through his limbs and his mind to work out the details of their escape.
Times passes as Slevin frees you one by one. Slowly but surely a band of unchained prisoners are free to move around in their cell. While it is wonderful to be able to stretch ones legs once again it is still unsatisfying being lock in here and soon after you have regained your unrestricted movement Slevin has the cell door open. As the lock clicks and the door swing open the ogre to your right rumbles: "My door to or me roar."
Slevin looks at the ogre then turns to his companions.
"Keep an eye out while I free our friend here will you ladies?"
Slipping one of the daggers into his waist band he proceeds to work on the ogre's cell.
Lucia rubs her wrists to get circulation going again once she's freed, a wicked little smirk spreading over her face. "And some muscle to round out our little band, I note. We're almost out of here, but we're only going to get one attempt from here. Once we've escaped from the best prison Talingarde can put together they may not wait for the date on our papers, after all."
Lani rises and stretches after being freed by Slevin "Quite a useful man." Upon hearing the ogre talk Lani answers ina soft voice: "Of course we are going to free you! It is unworthy that one of your strength should be chained so." "A strength we could use..."
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1d20 + 9
Listening intently, Tin starts to relax, playing through her mind what actions she would take should an alarm be raised or a guard investigates. Catch the opening door and slam it back into the guard, then grapple him in the door frame until the others get here. Or let them through and close the door from the other side, let em face the ogre without escape. Oooooh. That'll be fun to watch.
She unconciously scratches at her forsaken brand that is still healing.Slevin, confident/?aggressive? and talented. Lani, has a bit of charm and... something else. Lucia, no impression yet.
Lucia finishes her stretching out then looks carefully at the setup. "...hmm...I wonder...can we fake still being locked up?"
The door to the ogre's cell silently clicks open and Slevin is able to swing the door open. The large beast moves surprisingly unsure on his feat as he walks towards freedom. He seems determined to head towards the door where Tin is listening.
"Wait was that a rat?" "Naah... It's nothing." “That Blackerly is a damned thief! That game was rigged last night!” “If it’s rigged, why do you keep going back to the gatehouse then?” “The beer’s passable.” A laugh is heard. “Drinkin’ on duty! Damn, this place has gone to hell. Captain Callidan would have never tolerated that crap. That’s for sure!” “Captain Callidan … he left, what? Two years ago?” “Almost three and since then the place has been straight down the shitter. That old wizard never leaves his tower. He stays up there reading his books and petting his owl!” “Petting his owl? Is that what they call it these days?” The guards enjoy a bit of a laugh.
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Listening intently from her wallflower position, eyes flicking from the door to the others, silently willing them into silence. She almost chuckles aloud at the guards' banter, sharing thier crude humor. The name jostles a seared memory, Blackerly... poker game at the gatehouse. scratching again at the Forsaken scar.
Trying to catch her cellmates attention, she holds two fingers up and points into the room beyond her door.
Lucia gives the ogre a look and shakes her head, holding out her hand in a 'wait' gesture.