Ash looks at the others doubtfully. "We are making our escape more challenging, but if 'tis the will of our company, then I will support it. That being the case, we must move in and through the door quickly, closing it behind so the sounds of battle do not echo up, alerting others. I can take the rear, with that responsibility."
"I had been for swift egress, but if there's even a chance of some poor soul being tortured in there, let's risk it."
|
The Hound says quietly and with purpose, "I will aid you with the torturers. It is about time that justice is done for their terrible deeds they helped perpetrate on countless victims in this prison."
With a pull of his mighty muscles the door swings open and you look into the torture chamber of Branderscar. You find yourselves in a large room filled with the most vile torture machines you've ever seen in your life.
Filling the room you find a Rack, Dunking Machine, Iron Maiden, Judas Cradle, Coffin Cage, Torture Chair, Hanging Chains with Weights, Breaking Wheel, the Tub and Thumb Screws. Most gruesome of all is some stone stone slabs with attachable chains that nearby is tables filled with numerous knives and other horrible devices of torture. Hanging on the walls is also a number of larger torture devices, including variable sizes and shapes of whips and some strange cat of nine tails with strange cold-iron spikes on the edge. There is blood stains in a good number of places and you feel ill imagining the countless amounts of suffering that occurred in this place and how close you were to meet the same fate.
The Hound bursts through the door and snarls angrily, getting the attention of two human men dressed in black uniforms who were busy providing maintenance on the machines as well as a very large 7 ft 6 tall Half-Orc with bulging muscles and covered in scars and wearing a fearsome looking executioner's hood with numerous devilish highlights.
One yells, "The Hound! He's escaped!" and immediately pull out short swords from their belts.
The Half-Orc just growls and reaches for a big greataxe that lies next to him.
Sedelion, sword in one hand, shield in the other, steps into the room and positions himself slightly behind and to the left of the Hound.
"I know you must want them dead... but try to take the half-orc alive. He might be able to provide us with more intel before you pass whatever justice he has coming onto his head."
|
|
Looks like the hound goes first. He charges forward and takes a swing at one of the Torturers, wielding the longsword two handed putting power behind the attack.
Unfortunately despite the swing you notice that the hound in his crippled state is not as accurate as he normally would be and the blow deflects off the studded leather that the torturer is wearing due to an inaccurate strike.
Half-Orc vs Half-Orc... The Beast vs The Best... time stops running, people stop breathing... all await the resolution...
It's... The Orclash!
"Mitra guide our arms!" It is good to call his God's name openly, to praise him, defiant against the tyranny of this corrupted nation.
Maxim waits at the door as the others enter the chamber. As he waits to close the door, he recalls a simple arcane phrase that launches a splash of acid at an opponent. He utters it, "Keerax To" while pointing at one of the human men, sending a small bolt of acid toward him.
On his turn, Abbo shoots another of his Ray of Frost against the closer torturer.
|
|
The Ray strikes the torturer, freazing a portion of his arm.
The two torturers move in and stab with their short swords at the Hound
Their efforts are in vain as the blades either are evaded or scrach off the tough skin of the Hound.
The Gailor with the huge axe on his turn moves to go after the other Orc, rushing at him with his massive axe.
He charges forward and swings the big axe clumsily but seeing the size of the axe it probably could cut anything in half with a single blow.
"Let the flames of your own sin plague that which you use to harm!" The cleric says directing the magic against the enemy axe wielder.
Trusting Bron and Randu to take on the head Gailor, Sedelion moves to flank one of the torturers attacking the Hound.
"Time to see what you do without that sword, son."
"Now tell me, how much blood can we draw from you before you die? I figure that you know, given your profession, and I would like the chance to interrogate you a bit before taking the remaining few drops."
The cold smile on the elf's lips do not give away whether or not he is serious.
|
|
On Liber Mortis's action he power attacks the Gailor after he compleates his charge, attacking him with the Longsword, swinging it two handed and power attacking.
The blade hits the Gailor across the body doing
damage to the hulking beast. The Gailor snarls in pain and takes a glace in anger.
As for the torturer, his weapon is disarmed from his hand and he looks anger. "How did you get out SCUM! No one escapes the cells, ever. Dam hell it all."
He looks around to find a replacement weapon within reach.
Bron pauses for a moment, trying to find a breach in the Hal-Orc defenses, when he is surprised by Libris's wild charge. Then he decides to seize the moment. -Now, he is distracted by Libris.
(+2 if flanking was possible)
"First time for everything, soul-less one. And as for hell, I think that you will be finding out about it first hand soon enough... I'm not a member of your faith, so excuse the question: what, exactly, can you expect once you get there given you failed in your contract?"
Sedelion gestures over the torturer's shoulder toward the Hound.
"Better question might be what he is going to do to you before you get there though..."
Watching the Hound cut down the half-orc, Max steps up behind the disarmed human torturer opposite Sedelion. "Time for a nap." and swings the leather club at him.
Abbo shoots yet another Ray of Frost against the remaining human torturer.
Dodging the Gailor's enormous axe, Bron tries to find an opening where to stab him. Risking his life, he jumps forward, trying to place himself close enough that the axe's blade can't cut him.
(+2 if flanking)
|
|
The Gailor attacks Bron with his greataxe, attacking in a berserk rage. Surrender it seems is not in his vocabulary. He swings at Bron.
Unfortunately the axe misses again and he is wounded with a counter attack from Bron. The Gailor has a number of gaping wounds but is still on his feet and fighting.
The remaining torturer seeing that his partner has been dropped moves toward the door and attempts to Acrobatics his way pass the door to the prison and hopefully escape to get help.
As for Liber Mortis he attacks the Gailor with his longsword.
But the sword misses its mark.
Randu slashes at the fleeing torturer if he can
"Ash, close the door."
Without checking to see if he does, Sedelion positions himself so that Libris is on the other side of the half-orc Gailor.
"Well, that is a lot of blood. Hopefully you don't bleed out before we can get something useful from you."
With that, the elf attempts to disarm the masked monster.
"So, do you speak common at all? If so, begging for mercy might be a wise idea about now."
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
|
|
Sedelion is able to disarm the Gailor. He sounds like he is trying to say something but it comes out as gargles. You get the sense that the Gailor probably doesn't have the ability to speak. Still he does not look like he's in a mood for surrendering.
You see branded on his scarred body a Hell-Mark that the rest of you have. It appears this broken soul is a former prisoner, or still a prisoner depending how you look at it.
As for the Gailor, he swings a flurry of fists at Sedelion. He has improved unarmed strike so no AOO's for this.
Both blows miss their mark against the elf.
As for the Torturer he intends to bolt up the stairs yelling for help unless you're able to stop him.
Bron is about to strike the Gailor while he is distracted trying to kill Sedelion, when suddenly The Hound pummels the half-orc into unconsciousness. His quickthinking and The Hound's orders drive him to run after the remaining torturer, trying to reach him before he can yell for help.
-Posted with Wayfinder
Maxim will turn toward the fleeing torturer, and having no other recourse will charge after him and attack with the leather club.
Sedelion nods his thanks to the Hound after dodging the Gailor's swings.
As the half-orc collapses, he glances down again at the brand on the man.
"Poor bastard.... I wonder if he even has his tongue anymore, let alone his sanity. It might be difficult to save him... truthfully, he might have to be bound and gagged for some time, even after we escape. Still, better that than whatever will befall the actual guards."
Looking back to the door, he notices Ash and Bron swinging at the fleeing guard with their weapons.
"Hound, Libris, let us get the remaining coward," he turns to Randu, "while you bind this one's hands, feet, and enough of his wounds to keep him from dying any time soon. He does not deserve the rough treatment we will have to inflict on him in order to get him out with us, but he will have to endure it."
Noticing the surprise on the cleric's face, he briefly gestures to the Gailor's brand, then rushes toward the fleeing torturer.
"Where do you think you are going, coward? Don't you want to see what is in store for you next?"
|
|
The blow from maxim knocks out the final torturer who drops to the ground unconscious.
The Hound bends down and sniffs the Gailor and rips off the mask. You find that the Gailor is horribly scarred and that his tongue has been removed. In addition a brand of the 5 pointed star is on his forehead.
The Hound scowls and says, "This one is beyond saving. He is one of the Broken. A marked who swore to the Lord of Hell his soul and now serves only him. Better that we send him to his judgement now as a mercy then let him linger here in the mortal plane under more suffering."
The elf shakes his head at the news.
"I cannot accept that. The man has done much that is wrong, but at one point he must have done something right to earn his sentence here. This place may have broken him, but that which is broken can be renewed, given time and patience."
Sedelion's features go from somber to grim.
"Besides, this very well could have been our fate had intervention not arrived. Help might have arrived too late to save his tongue... and possibly even his sanity... but I refuse to believe that his soul cannot be taken back, given the chance. We should bind him and take him with us. This portal should not have any problems taking one more through it, and once free of this place perhaps our benefactor might have some solace for him."
He turns to the inquisitor bleeding out from the Hound's strikes.
"Speaking of the portal, we need to find our way there. Hound, would you care to see about getting information from him before he finally dies? The unconscious coward I would prefer to leave that way."
"Strapped to one of his own devices, preferably. Well, one of the few we don't disable."
"Hound, Libris, let us get the remaining coward," he turns to Randu, "while you bind this one's hands, feet, and enough of his wounds to keep him from dying any time soon. He does not deserve the rough treatment we will have to inflict on him in order to get him out with us, but he will have to endure it."
"Done and done." Randu answered...binding the fellow and rebuking death
"And I too prefer risking mercy to the wicked rather to assuming the worst in one who might yet find a better way..." He adds.
Taking a deep breath after the torturer collapses under his blow, Ash works with the others to bind the man and remove any weapons, armor, and valuables.
Listening to Sedelion's self-righteous words, and Randu's support, he turns to offer an ounce of reason.
"I feel sorry for those who have suffered here, and agree with freeing those who pose us little threat or indeed, can assist us. But Sedelion, you would have the Hound some how heal a dying enemy just to extract information from him then let his die, yet insist on rescuing another enemy who has both sworn a pact with the Devil and tried to cleave Bron in twain? You sir, make no sense."
Turning toward Randu, "Risking mercy would be what we did with the jailers above, and what we have currently done with both the orc and that human - leaving them bound and unconscious. They could all easily be found and revived, then their knowledge of us, and of course their desire for revenge, used against us. What you propose is tantamount to sealing our fate. We have a fool's chance of succeeding in our escape, why must we lessen that chance further at every turn? And how would you propose we move quickly or stealthily toward our escape while carrying a, what, 400 lb gigantic half-orc?"
"I admit it, I'm not sure...but then, armored as many of us are, we're not going to be moving that stealthily to begin with," The cleric says .
|
|
The Hound says to Sedelion, "I admire your compassion and if he were merely a tortured man I would advocate his rescue. Currently though he is a liability to our escape. Any who bear an infernal contract can be tracked by the holder of said contract. He would make us a target for any divination magic and it would also allow Devils to teleport to our location using this man as a beacon. We cannot risk taking him with us."
Sedelion listens to Ash and the Hound, a grimace on his face darkening.
He addresses Ash first after both have finished.
"When did I say to heal the dying torturer? I said, nor implied, no such thing. I merely wish any last words from his infernal tongue to be ones of use to us, and I give deference to the Hound to find them given his... relationship... with them."
The grimace gives way to forlorn look of almost remorse as he sighs, closing his eyes before continuing.
"You may be right about the gailor though. I know that there are magics that can combat such tracking and teleportation spells, but unless one of us is versed in them he would prove a liability. It does not feel right to leave him behind though. This might be the last chance he will have for escape from this darkness, and I would not wish to damn any formerly good soul to this place."
He turns to Randu and Abbo.
"You two have the most magic use among us that I have seen so far, divine or otherwise. Could either of you mask him if he wanted to come with us? For that matter, my dear cleric," the elf turns specifically to Randu here, "do you think our benefactor might have something to counter such things at our escape point? You have met her, and you know your god's powers and desires best of all. I am willing to keep a hold of his bindings... and kill him myself if he gets loose... if you think she could save his soul."
|
|
Well there is a number of mundane items here, nothing you would want to take with you knowing their grizzly state. However if any of you have Detect Magic and/or appraise you can make a check to see if you can find anything valuable. Some of those knives on the table look to be rather exotic looking.
Also there is a door on the other side of the room that you find a key to on both of the torturers.
"Unfortunately I'm a minor vessel for divine power at best, no prayer within my reach comes to mind at hiding him from such magics. I cannot currently sense magic, and have no time to pray for it to be invested within me," Randu sounds apologetic, agreeing with the elf on many things, "I fear we may not be able to take him with us if it is as we say. Perhaps our own escape will offer some other path for him?"
The elf nods grimly at Randu's reply, looking toward Abbo with a not quite hopeful look.
Silently, Abbo walks around, detecting magic and concentrating to try to identify the items. He isn't particularly skilled at it, and doesn't hide this fact.
I can see magic auras, even how strong they are and what type of magic, if needed. I don't have, however, enough expertise on the arts to hide him or anything of the sorts. Maybe we should try mundane disguises in this case, and hope for the best?
|
|
Well checking the knives a few of them are of odd construction, probably used by the torturer to deal with things with varying amounts of damage reduction. (With a successful Appraise and/or spellcraft check you find the following)
One of them is a Silver Dagger.
One of them is a Gold Dagger.
One of them is an Obsidian Dagger.
One of them is a Cold Iron Dagger.
One of them is a Magical +1 Dagger which has a permanent "Align Weapon" Lawful Evil attached to it. Probably a weapon meant to torture Angels or other creatures of righteousness. Certainly the most unique of the daggers, as it has infernal runes carved all over it.
There is another 10 other daggers that have various serrated blades of different types but of value are not worth more than normal daggers unless you bring them to some macabre collector of some kind.
-Okay, guys, let's take whatever you want to take and leave, shall we?- Bron seems a little nervous. -We don't want to spoil it all when we're that close...
Having said that, he takes the orc's axe, tries a swing or two, and attaches it to his back.
-In case we find a very big door- he says with a big grin.