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Amanda says, "We are Forsaken. There is little we can do to make our situation worse. Be we kill a few or a thousand our punishment shall not change so we should not care about sparing the lives of these Mitran puppets. Now press the attack and slay all who stand in our way. We tried the subtle way. Now we need to fight our way out of here."
Zinbah interrupts, "Sorry to break up this philosophical discussion here but those guards..." pointing down towards the bridge where the other two guards lay slumbering, "will not stay asleep for long."
With the events upstairs well in control, Lisbeth heeds Zinbah's warning and starts heading downstairs, moving as quickly as she can to reach the still sleeping guards.
Assuming the other guard is down and the dogs are still playing with the pigeons.
Morossa also heads down hoping to knock the guards unconscious before her blood thirsty companions lop their heads off.
CDG-non-lethal: <-- guard 1
CDG-non-lethal: <-- guard 2
The strikes are enough to force them out of their slumber, but not enough to send them instead into unconsciousness. They gasp and look around, unsure where they are or what happened.
Unless someone is chopping their heads off, then she will continue to strike them. She would have finished off the first before hitting the second.
Attack-non-lethal@guard1: <-- +4 prone
Damage:
AoO at guard 1 when he tries to stand up: <-- +4 prone
Damage:
If/when he goes down:
Attack-non-lethal@guard2: <-- +4 prone
Damage:
Raymond's eagles continue to tear into the remaining dog.
"When you're done, my pets, you're free to eat your fill from these vermin. You have served me well this day."
With the entirety of the prison's guard either slain or incapacitated, including their dogs, you're now only a short walk from freedom. The map in the warden's office showed you the path through the surrounding area to find your way to your destination; you need only cross the bridge now.
Should you loot Blackerly before doing so, you'll find a Potion of Cure Light Wounds, a Masterwork Longsword, and 45 GP among on his person.
Definitely go back and loot Blackerly and anything else. Then see how much Grumblejack and Raymond's Eidolon can carry.
------
Morossa looks to the others.
I doubt the password will work with the gate as the horn has already been sounded. But, it is worth a try. Or, I can sneak up and see what if there are any guards there.
Zinbah strokes his beard thoughtfully. "Yes, I believe you are correct. Perhaps one of these guards could be roused to provide us further answers. His gaze turns to face the bridge. "I am concerned the bridge may be trapped to trigger a collapse should events spiral out of control at the prison. You know, to isolate the danger. We must be cautious still. Checking the bridge for weak points would be wise here."
"Call it a hunch, but I'd think that they'd send all the guards once that horn blew. I don't think we've got anythin' else to worry about now. Anyway, tubs here needs to go into the drink if we're still plannin' on framin' him."
According to the map you saw, the building the guards came running out of was the building where the gate is controlled; if all of the building's occupants followed the horn, then it's presumably now empty.
Morossa looks to the others.
Yeh, lets have some fun for this. Lets leave a note from someone important in the capital, a woman, to Blackerly. We can put it in his papers on his desk. Then we toss his body off one of the towers so that if it washes up, it will take a while. Then, we get out of here. Lets take ten minutes to get this done, then we are gone. We still have several hours before replacement guards or anyone from the mainland should arrive.
We will put any surviving guards in the prison cell and then we are done with this place. Someday it might make for a fine castle again, but for now it will be the place where a corrupt gambling guard sold out and allowed six forsaken to be set free. I cannot wait for those rumors to spread through the land. Who was behind it? What did they want? Who was the mysterious woman? Where did Blackerly go with all the embezzled funds? This will be great.
Now, lets get moving. Grumblejack, grab the unconscious guards and take them back to the prison. I will take Blackerly's body and toss it into the water near the Warden's tower. Might as well toss the Warden as well, that will really confuse these fools, with two leaders of the prison missing. Then, grab anything you want to carry across a swamp and lets get ready to move.
Lisbeth listens to Morossa's idea, and nods, "Very well. See to it quickly. I'd rather be off this blasted island sooner than later."
She then walks downstairs to the gate guardrooms , poking around inside, but not expecting to find anything of value.
Zinbah nods in agreement with Morossa's plan. "Yes, it would be pleasant to be away from this place by the time the sun rises."
He walks down to the ground floor of the gatehouse and heads towards the inner courtyard to check out the area. "Best to be sure we did not miss anything useful we can take with us. Amanda, would you care to join me?"
Morossa finds nothing of value in the gatehouse, and there is nothing at all in the Fountain, lest you have the means to remove a statue from the guard and carry it with you. In the Garden is a shrug neither of you possess the relevant knowledge to recognize. In the kennel are two caged dogs, barking loudly and howling because of the signal they heard, but they're stuck in their cage and unable to attack even as you approach, intensifying their barking.
Morossa looks to Zinbah:
You look like you know tongues. If you can help with the wording, Amanda, Lisbeth or I should write the letter since it is from a woman. All we need is an initial, not a name and forgery is not really important since we are not really trying to copy someone. Heck, it is better to make it a writing that is nobodies since then they will not be able to track down the person.
Morossa will work with Grumblejack to secure the unconscious guards and dispose of the warden and sergeant's bodies.
When she is out of site of the others, Morossa will take a moment to taste some of the warden's blood. One of the reasons that she avoids killing is a desire that has grown in her recently to consume blood of the living and recently deceased.
"Ahhh...so which of you fine young ladies will play the part of the jilted lover? It matters not to me. I can certainly assist you in handling this task." Zinbah covers his mouth to hide a smile, as the thought of any of these ladies playing the part of a jilted noble lady greatly amuses him. "Come to the Sergeant's office when you have finished up here."
Morossa will again take the lead moving stealthily to see whether there are any guards still manning the forward gatehouse.
<-- I see everything
While everyone else does their bit, Raymond lets his summoned eagles feast on the slain dogs until the magic that binds them to this plane wears off. Once they vanish, he resummons Sammy. With his bodyguard at his side, he pridefully strides across the bridge, like a man who just conquered the world, to join Morossa, not bothering to be stealthy in the least.
"Why you sneakin' around for? We got everyone already."
Before they leave, Lisbeth will suggest that they leave the love letter found in the guard's living quarters from Michelle, "Just alter the name of the guard to that of tubs here. Should prove... interesting," she finishes with a smirk.
Afterwards, she'll calmly walk to the guard shack at the other side of the bridge, greatsword resting on her shoulder, "Now, shall we go and thank our benefactor for his generosity? Old Moor road, was it not, Amanda? Does the map show where that is from here?"
It's a perilous way across the moors at night, being far from hospitable. These dark, brackish salt marshes teem with mosquitoes and other buzzing pests, though thankfully the shallow brine pools and streams will make tracking you difficult once your fate is apparent. You don't know when that will be, but you know that you will be safe.
Eventually you come to the house at Old Moor Road, which pales beside your other accomplishments this night. As promised, a lonely lantern burns in the upper story. The place otherwise shows few signs of habitation. Old, but well appointed, the house is large, imposing and alone on its hill. Painted a dark green and surrounded by barbed wrought iron fencing, nothing about this place seems inviting or safe. Still, it's your destination, and you've few other places to go, despite just having made history. You've an ppointment to keep, and it's best to not keep your nameless benefactor waiting.
Raymond claps his hands and rubs them together.
"Well, here we are. Let's see who my mystery admirer is! I'm ready to get me some action after the last few days. Let's hope she's a looker!"
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Amanda says, "The dark lord rewards the worthy and punishes the foolish. From what the veil had within it I can ascertain that our benefactor is an Asmodian. Our escape was but a test to see our worth for being captured in itself was an affront to his infernal glory. We have been given a second chance. We had best not squander the opportunity. Still from what I have seen, all of you have unique skills and if we worked as a group we could wreck such vengeance upon these lands. I would be glad to work with all of you in the future. Anyway, let us proceed to the manor. We best not leave our benefactor waiting."
Glad to be free of the marshes for now, Lisbeth nods in agreement, "Indeed, let's not keep them waiting. Shall we present ourselves?" she asks as she strides up the hill towards the manor.
She walks through the gate in the outer fence and raps the bottom of her blades handle against the door, "We have completed your task and seek audience!"
Zinbah stifles a yawn. "At this point, a hot bath and a soft bed would be most welcome!" Clearly the sedentary man was unused to the physical exercises he was forced to endure.
He looks down on his travel stained garb, "I sincerely hope they do not want us looking presentable before our audience."
Morossa spends most of the time away from the group, scouting through the marsh and then the outside of the manor once the party arrives. She cringes as the majority simply walk up and bang on the front door. Despite wanting to see who is within, she instead remains in the shadows to see who, or what, answers the door.
At the door of the manor house, you're met by Tiadora, still in the guise of the green-eyed woman, though she no longer looks dressed for a funeral. Instead, she wears a diaphanous white gown that makes her look almost angelic. When she speaks, any illusions of her visage are quickly dispelled.
"Dearest, you took long enough," she says pitilessly. "We were beginning to wonder if you'd ever make it. Oh, and you brought friends. The master commands all of you to appear before him but before that, you must be presentable. Slaves!" She claps her hands. A dozen young and attractive men and women all wearing very traditional servant's livery appear quickly, heads bowed. "These people are our guests," she commands imperiously. "See them to their rooms. I want them cleaned, dressed, and refreshed. Quickly." The last word sounds like a thread. Certainly, the slaves take it that way and hustle to perform their duties. [b]"The ogre was not asked for, but bring him to a room as well; he is not to meet the master as of yet, however."
You're led up to your rooms. The accomodations are comfortable and the slaves are silent and efficient. There are fresh clothes perfectly sized to each of you atop your beds and the opportunity to wash. Those of you who are injured are brought a decanter of wine mixed with herbs, a glass of which will fully heal you. You're also given platters full of hot, delicious food and fresh water.
Grumblejack is looked at curiously by the servants, but brought to his own room as well. The ogre has spent a long time in chains, and there's an odd smile on his face as he's led away.
Morossa calls to Grumblejack as he is lead away:
No eating the servants. I am sure that you will be well fed here, unlike how you were treated in the prison.
She then looks to Tiadora:
Thank you for your hospitality. I shall welcome the chance to thank our benefactor, the Master, as well.
As she says this, she formally bows to Tiadora.
Zinbah also bows to the lady while noting her reaction to the arrival of the party. She seems less than pleased by our arrival. Best be on my best behavior here, he thinks to himself.
Though his body cries out for sleep, Zinbah forces his mind to stay focused by running through several mental exercises even while the attractive maids help him bathe. The wine also helps wash away his fatigue. I look forward to the day when such weaknesses will no longer be a concern of mine.
Once he has been cleaned, bathed, and shaved, he turns his attention to the food and digs in eagerly, the taste of the bland prison food washed away. After getting his fill, he has the servants help dress him in the provided clothing.
As he heads to the audience with the Master, he wonders how the man will feel about how the group handled their escape. I hope he is impressed...though I imagine it must take a lot to impress him.
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Amanda says to Tiadora, "Your aid was most appreciated Tiadora. The trinket you provided was all we need to break free from our bonds and facilitate our escape. A debt is owed and one that I will certainly repay to your master once all preparations are out of the way. May the will of the Iron Lord be done."
With that Amanda looks to her slaves and says, "Slaves, pour me a bath and prepare some fineries to wear."
With that she marches off and gets what she needs to get done. She cleans herself well and through and then dresses in what attire the slaves provide her with, so long as it is presentable.
Raymond lets himself be led back to his room, taking note of the house, and of some of the slaves themselves, as he goes. As the slaves bring him his food and wine, as well as the fresh clothes and a bath, he sighs.
"Now this is makin' me homesick... It's been a while since I got this treatment."
After finishing eating and having a drink or two, he snaps his fingers at one of the female slaves. "Get over here. I could use a sponge bath. And maybe you could bring another one of your girlfriends in too. There's a lot of me to cover, and my man Sammy here could use a wash as well..."
After a short time he reemerges, cleaned, dressed, and refreshed, with a freshly cleaned Sammy in tow.
Once you've relaxed and bathed and fed, and the pride of your actions thus far have truly sucked in, Tiadora arrives. She leads you to a beautifully appointed office richly decorated with dark wood and sumptuous brocade tapestry. Sitting in a leatherh high-backed chair is a deveilishly handsome fellow who smiles as you enter. Beside him sits a Tiefling woman. "I believe you to be the first to ever escape from Branderscar Prison. Well done! Of course, you had help from outside."
"But enough with the pleasantries. You must be curious why I've helped you. Rest assured, this is no random act of altruism. I have brought you here for a reason. My name is Cardinal Adrastus Thorn, and I am the last high priest of Asmodeus left on the island of Talingarde. Once, the Prince of Nessus was rightly revered alongside the other great powers. Now, the king is but a puppet for Mitran fanatics who wish to destroy any religion that does not bow to their insipid sun god.
"For their blasphemy, I will see the same people who imprisoned and condemned you suffer. I understand what you went through, for I have faced it myself." With that, he pulls down the sleeve of his robe and reveals his own runic 'F' brand. "I am going to burn Talingarde to the ground and from the ashes, I will build a new nation that knows its rightful master, but I cannot do this alone. I seek servants worthy of our Infernal Father's majesty. Have I found them in you?" He rises and his eyes flash with hellfire and divine purpose. "Join me! Serve me will in this holy endeavor and I will raise you up in the eyes of gods and men. I will make you princes of the new Talingarde. Today, swear your fealty to me and to Asmodeus. Put aside forgiveness and I shall give you vengeance. Put aside mercy and be made powerful. Put aside peace and become my harbinges of war. What say you? Will you swear your allegiance or will you burn with the rest of the blind fools?"
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Amanda gives a bow to Cardinal Adrastus Thorne and then stands straight and says, "Cardinal Adrastus Throne, I am honored to meet you. The cult I once served whispered of a higher power coordinating the efforts of the Asmodean church but no names were of course given to protect your identity from the Mitran Inqusitors. You have aided in my escape and for that I owe you a debt, one that I intend to repay. My fealty as always is to the Lord of Darkness Asmodeus but you Cardinal Adrastus Throne as his favored agent in these lands also has my loyalty."
She gives a serious glare and says, "You are correct in your words of course. The Mitrans have perverted a land that once revered and respected the Prince of Nessus Asmodeus. Now under the influence of their god of light, the heretical god Mitra, they have forgotten their place at the feet of their true master. Indeed, I have seen their true face of the Mitran fanatics. Preaching their pitiful righteous rhetoric while at the same time executing so called "Heretics" with fire, slavery, torture, hanging and other forms of execution at the slightest wrong done. Their faith is false and thus must be broken! Talongarde will once again grovel at the feet of its true master. The Lord of Hell Asmodeus!
Dropping to one knee, bowing her head and placing her fist against her forehead, Lisbeth speaks in a loud voice, "My Lord Asmodeus has always had my obedience, but I reswear my bonds of allegiance to my lord Asmodeus, and to you, Cardinal Thorne, here in front of all present. I will see Talingarde burnt to the ground, and a new nation rise from the ashes. I will see the Mitran fools pay for their heretical beliefs. I will have my vengeance!" she growls.
She then looks back at the others, a hard glint of humor in her eyes.
I am curious as to how the others will accept our Lord...
Zinbah rises to his feet slowly and glances down at his own brand with the runic "F" burned into his own skin. And for what? The pursuit of knowledge? Was that such a crime to be convicted of, as the quest for knowledge has led to the growth of civilization!
After Amanda and Lisbeth have finished with her speech, he nods to the Cardinal and bows in reply, "While I am no where near as vocal in my passion as your divine servants Amanda and Lisbeth here, I can say I have heard your voice, and the voice of your Lord in my dreams showing me the way to bring back the knowledge which has been forsaken, buried by those with fear in their hearts!" His eyes flash with a burning rage as he remembers the circumstances with led him down this path. "I have been wronged by those I only wished to help and they deserve to suffer...SUFFER as I have done these many months! I will work to bring back that which they so foolishly denied due to their own arrogance! I do pledge myself to you my Lord from now unto eternity!"
He catches Lisbeth's look and gives the woman a wink and a slight nod, I hope this meets with your approval.
Tatiana sits in a high back chair next to the Cardinal. Her hands are folded and rest on her crossed knees, both hidden in the large red and black ceremonial robe of a cleric of Asmodeus. Her face is shaded by the large hood of the cloak, but her raven colored hair and opal eyes shine from inside. She stands with the Cardinal crossing her hands in front of her.
She listens on quietly as the Cardinal speaks. As the newcomers respond to the Cardinal, a wicked grin crosses her face. Let the heretics burn.
Raymond listens to the speech, standing with his arms crossed and a bored, unimpressed look on his face. As the others pay instant respect, he raises an eyebrow. When given a chance to speak, he says
"Well, you're not what I was expectin'. I thought it was some broad what wanted me sprung from the joint, and then it's really you - a guy. And you say you want me to serve you? I ain't served no one in years. That don't mean I ain't grateful for the help in bustin' outta there, or that we can't come to an agreement, but I don't just flat serve no one, at least not no more. Where I come from, I was a feared and respected man. I know I ain't home and my name don't carry much weight around here yet, but I ain't willin' to give up my pride so quickly after bein' what I was before. You can't expect a guy to go from bein' a king to kissin' someone else's feet."
"So lay out your terms, and we'll talk. But I ain't gonna just bow down right away like these others. If that's what you're wantin' from me, then I may as well just leave now."
Morossa is not surprised by that vehemence of Lisbeth and Amanda. Zinbah's quick willingness to agree to a rather ambiguous contract is unexpected. However, Raymond's unwillingness to agree and almost insulting tone is surprising at best.
She then licks her lips and considers her position and how it got her here before continuing.
Your Honor. The assistance you provided in freeing us from Branderscar was unexpected and greatly appreciated. I know some of the Dark Lord. While the pathetic worshippers of the sun god attempt to destroy all knowledge on the First, there are many books in libraries which still speak of your Lord and I have read some of these. I will not claim to be a devout worshipper or even with great knowledge of his practices, but I understand your desire to see the current regime brought low.
Morossa pauses and considers the treatment that she received in the manor since she was brought in. Most surprising was when she requested a glass of blood and this was brought to her. She did not ask the source of the blood, but the warmth indicated to her that it had but recently been drained from its source. She then continues:
I have few friends in this land and desires which would make it difficult to live in the Mitran society even if I were to find a place to live. I killed my half sister and then laughed in her pitiful spiteful mother's face as I was taken away in chains. I now realize that I must live in the shadows, away from this society and invisible to the crazed inquisitors who seek out all they believe to be unrighteous.
Once more she licks her lips, which seem to dry much faster than she recalled in the past, as though her body just lacked the ability to sustain itself.
I shall agree to serve you, my rescuer, and the Dark Lord. But, you must understand that in return I will need your assistance to discover what is happening to me. I have lost two years of my life. I know not what happened in these years or how I suddenly awoke one day near my father's estate. I seem to lack the endurance I once had, but can do things that I could not before such as being able to a short distance in the dark and noticing things which in the past might have gone unnoticed. This is what I can agree to. I will work with these other forsaken who escaped from Branderscar with me. I will work to serve you and the Dark Lord. And I shall seek to control the strange changes that are happening to me to avoid violating these oaths. This is what I can promise at this time.
"I am glad to have the cooperation of almost all of you." He emphasizes 'almost' rather heavily as he looks toward Raymond. "I am not inviting you to be servant, I am recruiting you as a soldier. A high-ranking solider at that. If that is not enough for you, then perhaps you would do well to remember who it was who saved you from execution. I have to great trouble to bring you here, and if you do not value your freedom as a worthy enough price when I offer you so much more, then you may well discover that I am not as charitable a man as I would seem." He snaps his finger, and Tiadora enters the room, closing it rather loudly and staring at the Ifrit with iron gaze. "My terms are accept what I have already given you as well as the promise of prominence in a new world, or death. Whether you wish for instant gratification is entirely of your concern."
As the Cardinal mentions death, Tatiana's tail slides out from the bottom of her robe and grabs the long spear leaning against the wall. It raises it to her right hand. She grasps it with both hands, glaring at the Ifrit in disgust from under her hood. She prepares to carry out the Cardinal's command should the offer be refused.
Seeing the teifling next to the Cardinal reach for a weapon, Morossa steps back and waits to see what transpires in this standoff between two who desire to be in control, when it is clear that only one is, and can be in charge.
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Amanda looks to Raymond and smirks at him saying, "I do believe that Cardinal Adrastus Thorn is not willing to accept "No" as an answer Raymond. You already see and know too much and thus you either swear to the cause or your forfeit your life. Such are the choices given to you. May you make the correct one."
She looks back to Cardinal and gives a slight bow and says, "Pardon me if I spoke out of place on this matter. I merely wished to be more direct on Raymond's predicament."
Zinbah gives Raymond a surprised look before quickly averting his gaze from the Ifrit. I am surprised he decided to make a stand here. Does he not see the writing on the wall? Best to see how this plays out here.
He remains silent as the situation unfolds here, confident the Cardinal would not take such a risk here without having a contingency plan for such a situation.
Raymond seems uncowed at the threat of death. Without changing his stance, he continues his negotiations.
"I have a hard time believin' that you'd spring someone just to kill 'em. Especially if you think they were slated to die anyway. Seems a big waste of time and effort, and you don't seem to be a guy who likes to waste either of those. But anyways, I was set for the mines and was gonna break out one way or another. All you did was get me out early. And like I said, I appreciate that. But you still haven't actually offered any real terms."
"Now, correct me if I'm wrong on this, but from what I been able to put together, this Asmodeus guy is a big fan of contracts. What you're wantin' me to do is sign on to a verbal contract with you, but you're not bein' too specific about what I get from this deal. You're wantin' me to enter into an agreement where I pledge my life to you in exchange for honeyed words and sweet talk. There's a lotta wiggle room in what you say. I'm to be a soldier, sure, that's pretty clear. But what exactly does 'high rank' mean in this case? Are we talkin' a general or a sergeant here? Either of those is high rank compared to the lowest of the low, and so either could fit your words. And even more, what's 'prominence'? Are we talkin' governor, minister, what? That's the kind of ill-defined wording I like to avoid unless it's in my favor."
"So I don't like to enter agreements with people who won't tell me what the agreement's really for. I'm a businessman, and I have a feeling that you are as well so I hope you see where I'm comin' from here. See, I got plans of my own for this place, they probably have a thing or two in common with yours, and I figure we could reach a mutually beneficial arrangement with a little work. But I want guaranteed minimums, not just vaguely worded maximums. You offer me something with substance and we'll see where things go."
"I did not free you out of the goodness of my heart, Ifrit. If you do not sign, then you do not leave this room, for you now know more than I would let any man who does not have a shred of loyalty to me know. Time and effort are nothing compared to the risk of someone who knows too much undoing everything that I have worked for."
"There is a proper contract, which reads quite literally, 'The Master swears that as long as the Four Loyalties are upheld, he shall reward the Bound as they deserve for their deeds.' The loyalties themselves are outlined within the contract, which you are free to read before you sign. I am sorry if this vagueness does not suit you, but I have already given you a chance to life, and you are in no position to try and bargain with me beyond that."
He mutters a few words beneath his breath, and a strange compulsion overcomes Raymond. He finds himself unable now to attack by either sword or spell, leaving him defenseless. The steady clacking of Tiadora's heels draw closer toward him.
"I give you one last chance you are shredded. Do not test my patience, nor your misguided belief that I value the effort it took to retrieve you over the safety of my operation. You may sign my contract or you may die."
As the spell hits Raymond he narrows his eyes. Sammy's arms elongate as the eidolon gets ready to defend its master.
"Show me the contract. Considerin' that you don't seem to be takin' no for an answer, I'll sign. But I'm adding a write-in - In a year's time, I want the opportunity for renegotiation. You ain't got nothin' to worry about as far as me not doin' the job until then, because I keep my word, but I ain't gonna let you twist my sac forever. You don't wanna give that one concession, then you may as well kill me now. But if you do you'll never know what an asset I can be. And trust me when I say that you will have many a use for a man of my talents."