The guardsman finds himself stuck fast from Bugsby's goo ball, gritting his teeth as it burns through his flesh.
Not sure who is who on the battlefield, Ankih heads toward Gilganis. His fiendish form readily identifiable compared to all save the Big Ulfen warrior.
"I'll heal Sven in a moment, I'm pretty sure he can take it for now. Kalt and Gil seem in the most need. Save for Bugsby, and he seems to be enjoying himself. Hopefully his luck will hold."
He mumbles to himself as he goes.
Seeing his men all but routed, and he himself on the verge of passing out from the bludgeoning he's been taking, Volan lets the greasy sword slip from his grasp. "I yield, and can offer you information in exchange for my life and the lives of my remaining men."
"We want to know about the witch, as he says," adds Kalt. "And there's a little girl, Thora, taken from her mother by your witch. You'll tell us what happened to her."
Gilganis nods to Ankih as the cleric uses his divine gifts to mend his torn and bleeding flesh, "You have my thanks friend."
Seeing the men surrender he stalks over to the bound leader, trying to allow the others involved a moment to question the man, but having trouble finding mercy within his heart when none was shown to those he loved. "My children...where are they. You will tell me this." he says, his tail whipping behind him like a lash.
Volan glares as the questions come fast and heated, his spirit remaining unbroken though he was bested. "You will have to be more specific in your questioning, there are two Witches who rule the Pale Tower." Turning towards Kalt, the man stares for a moment before responding, "I can see from your body language that you already know the answer to that question. If you want more vivid details on how it was done, you'll have to ask Nazhena herself." Finally he addresses Gilganis, "And your children, how could I forget. They were to follow in the same lines as the other, but Nazhena stayed her hand. She took them to Whitethrone, for what purpose, I do not know. Perhaps a new protégé? Your kind are so gifted at being evil..."
Ankh waits with bleary eyes as Sven ties up the prisoners. When everyone is gathered and throwing questions at the leader, he will approach and quietly channel.
" Blessed be Milady. Thanks unto you for this healing and for whatever return of vision you see fit to bestow upon me."
Sven kicks the weapon away and looks around to make sure that his friends are still more or less in one piece.
”We accept your surrender. Tell your men to stand down .”
Bugsby had drawn his small dagger, and was staring with crazed eyes at the leader, taking short-deliberate-stalking steps towards the mans back. Sven's acceptance deflates the gnome, and the murderous look drops away.
As they question the leader the gnome asks his own questions, "Why'dMeirulturnonus? Areyoureallycanibals? Whatwereyougonnadowithme-us? HowdoImakemyskinblue? When'sthelasttimeyouhadabath?" and though many other questions come to mind, he makes himself stop there.
Kalt sees the meaning in Sven's glance, his jaw tightening at the thought of such a place, and what cruel fate might await Gilganis' children there.
Ignoring the man's reply about Nadya's daughter for now, Kalt adds a question to the many being thrown at Volan - more accurately, he emphasizes one of Bugsby's questions, "The Witch was looking for us, you said. How did she know of us? And what did she have in mind for us?"
The man laughs at the mention of the blueskinned woman, sobering quickly under Sven's glare "Mierul? She's an agent of Whitethrone, and one of Radosek's "special friends" if you catch my meaning. It was her who gave us your descriptions and had Radosek send us to fetch you."
When Bugsby jumps in, he seems puzzled, "She never turned on you, she was never yours to begin with. She travels around Irrisen investigating potential problems for the throne. She had been investigating Nadya, but when she heard your story, felt you were worth blowing her cover." He ignores some of the other questions posed by the Gnome, chosing to answer Kalt's inquiry instead.
"She? If you mean Nazhena, she has been away at Whitethrone updating the Queen on her progress for two weeks now. Radosek, her apprentice is the one who sent us for you. His purpose, I do not know. With him, he might have executed you, or tried to turn you against Nazhena hoping to rise into the power vacuum of her defeat. Always looking upward that one."
It is then that a familiar short ulfen woman with braids emerges from behind a building and begins retrieving arrows from the fight, frowning when she finds one ruined beyond repair.
"Radosek" the gnome repeats under his breath, "I'dliketointroducethatonetoSven'srighteousuppercut!"
Bugsby smiles at the familiar sight of the braided Ulfen woman, "Hey! Secret-arrow-shooter! Don'tweknowyou?" and walks over to her, arms wide, eyes closed, and head turned -going in for an immediate hug.
Nadya turns as Bugsby approaches her, "Of course Bugsby, did I really spend so much time with Kalt that you forgot who I was?" she responds with a laugh. "I was coming to the Weasel to see if you guys had checked in and saw the fighting break out? Did you really think it wise to fight the local law? Corrupt as they may be, it only brings more trouble to our village when you resist." her hand unconsciously goes to her necklace, still feeling the pain over knowing the fate of her daughter.
Bugsby considers blushing but then decides against it, "Iwasabit... distractedbytheWitchlingMeirul. Didyouknowshe'sawitchesminion? Sentawholeflockofcrowstoeatus. Thenthisbumpkinandhisgoonstriedtostealandeatme! It'sbeenquitethemorning." He looks at the others, "Ineedabitofrest, andpoorAvora'sstillblind. ButIsurewouldliketofindMierulandpay'Radishneck'afriendlyvisit. WhilehisWitchywomanisawaywouldbebest."
" Sven is right. As long as everyone lets fear stop them, Evil will reign. There is no safety in compliance, only slavery."
Its strange.....I would never have believed it was like this here....My Irrisen never made mention of the cold cruelty and virtual slavery of the people in this land...
Kalt's glad smile at seeing Nadya is tinged with sadness, at the fate of her daughter and her fear of the Pale Tower's guards. "Sven and Ankih are right," he says gently. "Holding your breath and hoping they won't harm you only delays it - they're still going to hurt you, as they've already done. We didn't mean to fight them, at least not right now, but it was the right thing to do. And now we've little choice, I think, but to continue that fight. And I'm glad you had the chance to strike a blow as well - and help us in the fight. I hope you'll join us in carrying the fight to the witches."
Gilganis nods at Sven as the large man speaks, "He speaks the truth. This place is not safe for anyone as long as we live in fear of reprisals and extortion from those within the tower. It needs to end. the tiefling adds. Having a bit more information about the whereabouts of his children also gives him hope, even if it means Whitethrone as a destination and the myriad of foul outcomes that a destination such as that means. "My course lies in Whitethrone, to reclaim my stolen children, but if your people decide that this tower is somewhere you must go I will gladly accompany you. There may be further information about their exactly location there, and this Radosek character might be the only source of it. Gilganis says to the party members gathered there.
Nadya pats the rambling Bugsby upon the head, "I can understand your befuddlement." she says with a smile. As the others come over, she adds, "I would join you if I could, but I have my sons to care for still. It is one thing to leave them with a friend while I venture out for supplies or go on a hunt, something I have been doing many a year. It is something else entirely to go hunting Witches in their own Tower or all the way to Whitethrone." Catching Kalt's eye, "I ask that you carry my vengeance with you."
"I can offer a bit of aid however. My house has space, if you do not all want to be squeezed into the Flask. There is someone there that may be able to help you learn about the tower. You may also want to resupply before you head out, there are a few items in town that may interest you."
The sergeant's pocket begins to speak in muffled tones:
Kalt nods in response to Nadya's request, "Of course, Nadya - every blow I strike against the Pale Tower will be that much harder knowing what they've done to you. And I understand that you cannot join us - I would hate for your sons to lose their mother as well as their sister. And a bit more space to rest up before we go would be appreciated - as pleasant as Gilganis' shop is, we would have to stack on top of each other to sleep there."
"You tell him everything's fine, you hear?" says Kalt, his hand on the hilt of his sword. "Convince him there's nothing wrong, get it? If you give us away, it'll be the last thing you do, and I'll enjoy making you die for it."
The gnome first looks shocked, then delighted as the voice starts speaking from the mans pocket, his face the picture of fascinated delight.
But then, hearing the others dire threats, gives the sergeant a threatening first shake of his own... the effect largely comical coming from the diminutive gnome. The warning given, the gnome leans close to Svens hip, talking out of the side of his mouth, "Whoareweconvincing? Andwhyishispockettalking?"
Volan dusts himself off and arranges his hair a bit better before reaching into his pocket and drawing out a small mirror. "Sorry Radosek, the boys got a bit rowdy at the Weasel and I had to put them in line. We haven't found them, but we'll keep looking as soon as they sober up." An exasperated sigh is heard from the mirror, but no other response. A few moments later, Volan pockets the mirror before turning to the group, "Good enough for you? Any more questions for me before I ask one of you?"
Finishing up her retrieval of arrows, Nadya makes to return to her home. "I'm the last house that way." she says, pointing west, "Come whenever you're ready. Knowing Thora's fate, I'm in less of a hurry to cart the food to the Tower."
The sergeant shrugs, "He calls, we answer. He can see through mirrors that he's cast a spell on. He uses it to keep in touch with his agents. I cannot call him if I need to talk, it's only when the witches want to talk do the mirrors work. I wanted to know if you'd decided on what to do with us, since that really is the only thing that matters to us now, right?"
The man pauses a moment before answering, squinting against the glare of the snow, ”That would really depend on how you left us. If you stripped us naked and sent us out unprepared, then I’ll be honest and tell you I’d either try and slip back into town, or make for the Pale Tower. Anything else would be a death sentence, and I’d rather die by sword than freezing to death in the woods. If we are properly provisioned, we could go in any direction you wanted us to go. There are towns and villages we could reach and go from there. Maybe we could be sell swords and take up caravanning.”
Kalt responds to Volan's plan, "That makes sense, and sounds good to me. It'll be better for you, us, and the people of Waldsby. When does Radosek expect your patrol back at the tower?"
Bugsby frowns when the evil leader pockets the mirror, "Hold on! BigUlfenfriendofmine, tiehimupagain." When that's been done Bugsby marches over to the leader and rummages in his pocket for the mirror. Pulling it out he casts detect magic and tries to determine if the thing is still active and telling the enemy all they've just said.
He looks into the mirror, making a few faces into it, "Hello!? Hello? Isthisthingon?"
Bugsby sees… only himself in the mirror. No magical auras or strange faces stare back at him. If he hadn’t have just heard it talking, he’d swear it was a normal mirror.
The gnome, apparently satisfied, keeps the mirror on his person. "Can'thaveyourunningoffwiththis, nowcanwe?" he asks rhetorically. "Idon'ttrustthem. Isaywetakeavote. Allinfavorofgivingthemfoodandsendingthemontheirmerryway?" and keeps his hand down. "AllinfavorofturningthemoverforjusticefromGilganis?" and raises both hands high above his head. If anyone gives him an odd look he just shrugs, "They'lljustfindsomeoneelsetoworkfor, ormaybethewitchesagain. Ithinktheyneedtobeputdown. Besides, they'recanibals!" After saying his piece he goes to retrieve Avora, filling her in on all the happenings to this point.
One of the guards at Bugsby's back makes a playful chomping of teeth at the Gnome, only to receive shoves and glares from his companions.
" It really would be in your best interest, Volan, if you took Sven up on his offer. We bested you when we were down and weak. You wouldn't want to face us at our best."
Volan grumbles as Ankih points out they weren't even at their best. "I didn't really hear an offer there." he finally says, "I heard that we need to join the straight and narrow, or else. Not really our style, but given the alternative, it seems like our only choice don't you think? Do you want some non-binding vow on my Nana's grave or something that we'll start being good little sheep? I have a suspicion that if you hear of us straying from the flock, we'll get another visit without such forgiveness" As if to accent his point, he spits out some bloody phlegm, most likely residual effects from Sven's righteous uppercut.
Ankih can tell that while he doesn't like it, Volan is being sincere about the need for them to go straight, and he has no desire to see the party ever again.
The gnome eyes them distrustfully, "IfAnkih'sokwithit, andGilganisdoesn'tobject... letsturnthemloose. Ifweseethemagainwecankillthemthen, rightSven!?" he asks hopefully.
"You're right, Volan, it's an offer you can't really refuse," says Kalt with a grim smile. "And you're doing right to take us up on it. But before you set off for your new life far away, I've a few more questions. Tell us about the defenses of the Pale Tower. How many guards? Are there traps? What kind of magical defenses do the witches have in place?" Kalt looks to Sven, then the rest of his companions, "Any other questions about how to get into the place we should ask?"