He seems to be human, twisted by some strange dark magic...likely something from birth...or even before birth.
"Jun, take the wand!" He points at Liandoli.
He looks down at the half giant frowning.
"Dang it! I hoped we could question him, but I don't think he even has a mind left.
"Alright. Strip him of anything he could use. See we get lucky and he has papers on him. A wallet. Anything."
He turns to look at the secret door.
"Then let's find out what he was going for."
If he was twisted before birth, then that means this cult has been operating, and planning, for many years. This does not bode well....
"And does anyone recognize what this altar is to? It's nothing I'm familiar with." Said Antonio, looking at the object in question.
a thick disc...with greenish runes around the circumference.
Examining the 'alter'.
Reiko makes the beastly man is secure, and then makes his way to the altar.
This alter is similar to the Calling Stone, there are differences...it's confusing...power level is seems to be moderate.
"I'll wager blood would change that." Antonio said darkly.
"But let's leave it for the moment. Let's check this hallway..."
He proceeds down the short hallway to the open door; he looks in.
Wait! This.... This is a stone for communing with extra dimensional creatures... I think... I might have seen one before.... Back... Home. I can't remember much more than that though. But how does that tie in to this man? Who... What were they communing with?
Reiko's eyes are out of focus while he tries to remember, and his fists clench, hard, and then he comes back, and looks around the room for a second, like he's seeing it for the first time.
This is not good...
"Lemme go ahead in case anyone else is up there. Somebody tend to Doran." Cauis steps into the lamp-lit room beyond the hallway, ready for anything.
After taking the wand and find a good spot for it, Jun remains at the ready to help out who needs it.
"A calling stone? I have a bad feeling it is for nothing good."
Obviously, it's clear.
Antonio enters and throws open the chest and searches through it, then the box in the corner.
With the chest locked, Antonio skips it for the moment to go to the box in the corner.
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BEHAVE YOU OAF OR YOU BE GETTING MY AXE A SECOND TIME! Doran waiting until the half giant is securely bound will do the same desired system of knots to hopefully minimize the captives movement as well as his comfort. Doran grabs the axe that the other man was carrying inspecting it for a few moments and sheaths it on his back while still holding his own. You can never have too many weapons especially when these behemoths are running a muck. These damn big fellers always think they are so tough. Next time i come across one I'm dropping him for good. I'm getting really tired of catching axes, its alot easier to just swing um.
Hearing the loud noise and the opening of the crate, she flinches back face stained with tears. Sobbing quite loudly now. "He's come to beat me again. And he has friends this time! Just close your eyes Tisa, and pray it will be over soon." She readies herself to be picked up and dragged across the floor again, her eyes shut tight, trying to quiet her sobs... He doesnt like it when she sobs.
Seeing the hurt girl, Jun channels positive energy, excluding the tied up prisoner
While not powerful, Jun hopes it eases some of her pain
Antonio is astonished.
"Hey! There's a kid tied up here!" He called out.
Setting his crossbow aside, he pulls out a dagger and cuts her free of her bonds.
"Are you allright girl? What is your name? Mine is Tony!" He said, trying to make her feel better.
"Ah, why were you in that box?"
Tisa looks up at the man named Tony and the other guy who made her feel a bit better. Her small voice comes out in between ever quieting sobs now that she is realizing she isn't going to be tortured. "I..I'm Tisa... I've..hic been in there for a long time. A big man kept me here...hic against my... hic will." Just as she is calming down, she sees the big man and pushes herself far away in fear. "Him!! hic.. hic. He is the monster! I got... hic Hit on the head and he has been cutting me and burning me and all... hic all sorts of horrible things!" Tisa curls up, placing her head on her tiny legs.
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Doran looks at the beaten girl and the vein in his neck begins to twitch as he turns back towards the room with the beastly man. Oh you like to beat helpless women? kicking the man in the chest... Here tell me hows it feel? bending down Doran straddles the bound man and starts to pummel the defenseless heap until stopped by one of his companions or the man is rendered lifeless.
"Doran. Doran! Stop! We have to get him to talk!" Antonio shouted with alarm.
He looks around at his teammates.
"Could three or more of you separate them, or otherwise prevent the killing of the only enemy we've managed to take alive?"
"He is a.. a.. complete and total idiot. I don't know if.. hic! He will even understand what you are... hic! talking about! I want him dead! If he is dead he cant hurt me!" She regains a little bit of strength with that and sits up right again, cringing. Then she remembers something. She places her hands on her thighs and golden light glows from beneath her hands.
More of the bruises and cuts heal themselves.
Reiko looks at the small person, and back at the large man.
Perhaps you can tell us what is going on here then. Who is he? Why was he mistreating you? And mostly, what are the altars for? We need to know, the entire village is in danger.
Aya moves over to see the small person in the box. She offers her hand to try to help the person out of the box.
Tisa shook her head, frightened by the big man and truly not having any answers. [b]"I dont know...hic who he is or what...hic he is doing. All I know is he...hic kidnapped me, stuffed me...hic in this crate, and...hic tourtures me."[b/]
Her voice, still very soft and muttled with sobs strains out. "Please! Kill him! He is going to get loose and hurt me again!"
Reiko rushes over, katana drawn.
Doran, we have to finish this, now!
He raises his sword, ready to bring it down on the man's neck if Doran hesitates.
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Doran needing little encouragement hears the labored pleas of the gnomish woman followed by Reiko's command swings his axe down with great force repeatedly upon the bound man aiming for the exposed parts of his neck as if he was hacking at a oaken log. When the deed is finished, Doran pauses for a moment looking at the heap in front of him. He shutters for a split second dropping his axe and backing away from the body.
Doran walks off to himself while he regains his composure. I mean he had to die, he wasn't gonna talk and if he broke free he would of surely killed us. He nearly loped me in half with that damned axe, there is no way I could let that happen to anyone else he had to die. The half Orc looks up at his party hesitantly beginning to feel shame as he makes eye contact with the rest in the room.I know we needed to talk to him but I couldn't let him get up....if he got free I don't think I could fend him off a second time. I had no choice.. Doran stumbles through his sentence not really knowing what to say and is obviously still a little shaken by the ordeal.
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...the axe sinks into flesh again, you notice something odd...the blade seems to draw blood to it.
Once the deed is done, though blood spatters everywhere, the blood on the axe is...being absorbed?
Reiko puts his hand on Doran's shoulder to ease his obvious discomfort.
You did what you had to. That man was uncontrollable. We would have gotten no answers from him.
He stares blankly down at the slaughtered man, showing no emotion at all, like death and blood are familiar to him.
We need to find out who he was, and what he was doing here.
No need to be sorry, no guilt to feel. He would have hurt all of us if you had not done what needed to be done.
Aya casts detect magic and scans the room, looking at the dead human, the 'girl' in the box, and everything else in the room.
Tisa spoke uo, though her voice was soft. "I can tell you what he was doing, at least to me. He was cutting me and hitting me.Each time I would wake up, he would punch me out again... Im sorry you feel remorse but I am glad you did it. He deserved it more than you realize. If it weren't for you all finding me, I could have died." She doesnt look at the carnage of the body, half out of fear and half out of how nasty it surely looked. "I am so glad you found me..." She begins to sob again, this time in relief.
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Doran nods a couple times with his head hung low as the party reassures his decision. He walks over to Tisa kneeling down patting her on both shoulders. Listen here little Miss worry not you won't be beaten anymore I promise you this. I suggest you camp with us tonight being I fear traveling along is more dangerous than normal, especially in your weakened state. Are you hungry? could I offer you some food?.
Tisa hadn't thought about food in so long, she just realized how hungry she really was. "Oh I'm starving. I didnt realize... And I would like to camp with you, considering the last time I went somewhere alone that brute kidnapped me... I'd also like to get my gear. It is somewhere here..." She looked around the room, setting on the chest. "Perhaps there?" She got up on her feet with a lot of effort and began to make her way, clumsily, to the chest, trying to open it.