"I'm afraid I haven't had the luxury of a 'group,'" Tatya replies, with a flicker of a glance down the table at Tiadora. "Thus far, it has pleased His Eminence that I work alone. As for how I got here, the zealotry of the present monarchy took me from my family by force and aimed to ... re-educate me. Provided the opportunity to have some measure of revenge on those who denied me my birthright, I seized it, and now I serve to repay those who provided me with that opportunity."
Morthos listens intently to Tatya, anger rising at the mention of the king and his ways. Remaining as calm as possible, "Ah, so you as well have been treated wrongfully by the pathetic king and his ruling. Seeing how that is the case, you should fit right in." Raising his glass, "And having said that, a toast; a toast to revenge on the pathetic king and all who stand by his side. If it is necessary to tear down all of Talingarde to cleanse it of his taint and the fools that follow him... then so be it." Taking a drink, he sets his glass back down and turns his attention to Elise. "Elise, share with the others the tale of the White Ravens, my dear. I am sure I did not do it proper justice when relating it to Alazandaru."
"I'm afraid I am not so grand a speaker as Bostarg, but I will do my best." She takes a drink of water before continuing. "We had managed to locate a tomb to one of the Victor's knights. Considering he didn't need the items he had been buried with, we decided to liberate them for our own use. Nothing too dreadfully exciting, not as much as a prison break. So what other deeds have you all done?"
She most definitely has an ulterior motive to the information she is requesting, purposely driving the topic away from her own groups skills and delving into what your group can do.
"So," Tatya summarizes, folding her hands on the table, "one group of you broke in to enrich yourselves, and the other broke out to save your own skins. Very impressive, but I think more important than resting on your laurels is the question of what you intend to do in the future. How will your unique mix of talents serve the Lord of Hell? Why, in short, are you worth the investment His Eminence has made in bringing you here?" She glances back down the table at Tiadora. "Please note that I do not question the Cardinal's wisdom. He is a clever man and knows well that any contract he is instrumental in negotiating that does not deliver the expected return will have to be answered for. I ask only for my own enlightenment." Now that her hands are in plain view on the table, faint stains are visible on several of her well-scrubbed fingers; despite an appearance that paints her as a lady of leisure, she must work with her hands at something.
I need not justify myself to a complete stranger. I have signed a contract in my own blood and I have nothing I need to prove to her.
Alazandaru ignored the question, deciding it was an appropriate time to eat the majority of the food on his plate as he watched to see if the other ex-cons rose to the baited question.
"Yes, Elise. I am sure Morthos would be quite interested in how you 'serve'..." The twin called Trak is cut short by a sharp word from Elise.
The venemous glare given to the Trak is quickly replaced with another smile. "What my compatriot meant to say is that the wise Cardinal is clever to not only draw from pool of his own faithful."
"No doubt," she smiles cryptically back at Bostarg before turning her attention to the leader of the White Ravens. "Then do you not consider yourself ... faithful?" she asks Elise, glancing across the table at the interrupted twin as if to gauge his reaction as much as hers.
"I would consider myself of a faith, just not the same as Thorn's. My patron is the Endless Winter. But does a minor difference of faith matter in the greater goodness of bringing down Sarenrae, Iomedae and their allies?"
"But of course," Tatya shrugs dismissively. "If the outcome is pleasing to the Master of Witches, what does it matter if the instruments that helped to orchestrate it are ... imperfect?" After a beat, she offers Elise a smile. "Are not we all?"
"So," Tatya summarizes, folding her hands on the table, "one group of you broke in to enrich yourselves, and the other broke out to save your own skins. Very impressive, but I think more important than resting on your laurels is the question of what you intend to do in the future. How will your unique mix of talents serve the Lord of Hell? Why, in short, are you worth the investment His Eminence has made in bringing you here?" She glances back down the table at Tiadora. "Please note that I do not question the Cardinal's wisdom. He is a clever man and knows well that any contract he is instrumental in negotiating that does not deliver the expected return will have to be answered for. I ask only for my own enlightenment." Now that her hands are in plain view on the table, faint stains are visible on several of her well-scrubbed fingers; despite an appearance that paints her as a lady of leisure, she must work with her hands at something.
Morthos looks upon the woman as she speaks. Pondering the question for just a moment, he responds without ever looking her way. "You know, Tatya, the Cardinal spoke of Asmodeus granting us power that will, and I quote: '...make King Markadian and all of his Knights of the Allerion quake.'" Turning to look directly at her, "Those words within themselves are enough to make me 'worth the investment'. No one, and I mean no one, wants to see the pathetic king and all of his fools fall more than me." He says with venom in his words. Unable to stop, "His leadership, his beliefs, and whatever else you choose to add, has been a bane on this land and on " Morthos slams his fist on the table, shaking several glasses and dinnerware. After a brief pause he immediately calms, a slight grin forming. "Forgive me, talk of such does not sit well with me, obviously. Anyway, my desire for power, the power to rule, the power to destroy those that call themselves 'good'-nevermind the persecution being wrought by this so-called 'good' king and the fools that follow him- and the power to stop this forced religion of the worshiping of Iomedae and Saranrae... makes me worth it all." He then raises his glass of wine for another drink. As he sets it back down, "Has your enlightenment been sated?" He asks candidly.
"Thoroughly," she quirks an eyebrow up as she smiles down the table at him. "Is it not written, 'Better to reign in Hell, than serve in Heaven?'"
Bea sighs and rolls her eyes slightly. "Religious bickering matters little in the end - it's strength that will decide the victor. As we've already seen, the fools running this country are weak."
"Thoroughly," she quirks an eyebrow up as she smiles down the table at him. "Is it not written, 'Better to reign in Hell, than serve in Heaven?'"
Morthos gives a sly grin, "As long as I reign, it matters little as to where."
Turning in response to Beatrix, "Yes, those of this country are weak but strength alone will not conquer. At least not the strength you speak of, Beatrix. Not entirely anyway. No, no, we need to turn them; turn them to our way of thinking. Open their eyes to what Asmodeus has to offer as has been done for us. The more we can convince others to follow in our footsteps of such a path is truly where we shall gain our strength. So while strength you speak of does play a part in the whole of this, Beatrix, there is far more to it than just the physical aspect of it."
"Bending the hearts of others? I believe I have to agree with Miss Beatrix. The only way to bend a heart is to twist it, and rule it with fear. The people of this land have been sheep for most of their lives. Sheep who will learn to fear the wolves as our frigid teeth tear out their throats." Elise does not speak with compassion or conviction, but rather as though talking about her day. "Do you really think you can bring your beliefs to these sheep, Morthos? Would it not be easier to rule them outright?"
"If I cannot, then I recommend they keep such to themselves if they value their lives. And yes, it will be easier to rule over them outright. And that's exactly what we shall do. Was I not clear? Forgive me. I only speak of bringing more into our way of thinking due to the nature of strength in numbers. The more we can turn, the greater our kingdom becomes. Think of our greatness up to this point. Now, think of how much greater we all shall be when we find others of like mind!" He says excitedly as he lets that sink in for a moment. "And for those that choose not to, well, they will serve as examples. And if none shall come to our way of thinking, then as the Cardinal mentioned... Talingarde will burn and a new one will be reborn." He states as a matter of fact.
Morthos smiles. "Bostarg is right. It is a great deal less interesting, to rule over nothing. That is where my hope lies in those coming to our way of thinking without having to kill them all. I am sure the majority of them aren't stupid enough to throw their lives away for nothing. I truthfully do not see us having to lay waste to all of Talingarde. Do not fear, Bostarg, there will be plenty around to serve you your tea." He says with a grin as he takes another bite of his dinner.
"There is, undoubtedly, a level of glory in the sheer death of our enemies," Tatya comments academically, taking a sip from her goblet, "but it is a lesser glory. After all, our Master is not a demon of the Abyss to revel in sheer destruction, and to kill those 'sheep' clinging to their goddesses' skirts even to the moment of their death does nothing but populate the pastures of the Upper Planes. Is it not a greater victory to turn them to serve of their own volition, or failing that, to bring them to a point of despair where they can be induced to renounce their gods before their deaths and so poach from the flocks of the divine shepherdesses?"
"Exactly! That is exactly my meaning! THAT is where our true victory will lie. Well said, Tatya." He nods in congratulations. "You must tell me more of Asmodeus. The more I hear, the more intriguing this 'Prince of Nessus'--I believe was the term the Cardinal used--becomes. It appears, more and more, that my ideals line up with his own."
Alazandaru looked more and more disgusted with the outlandish statements. Trying his best to mask contempt for many things that had been said, he spoke-
I think there is more ambition here than practical talent. Speaking of destroying Talingarde or subverting it at this stage in our plans is grossly premature. I have no doubt that my mentor Sir Balin alone could march in here with a few men and destroy this place. Asmodeus and Diabolism have been reduced to a shadow of their former selves in Talingarde. Indeed, it would not surprise me if this was the last haven for open worship of such things.
Alazandaru drank some wine to give his stark words time to sink in, then continued.
I'm not saying of course, that it is an impossible task. Far from it. But is is an uphill task and we would be fools to call our foes weak. Soft-hearted, noble, naiive, innocent, pure, virtuous- perhaps. But Talingarde is a strong nation, one in which we could only bring down with careful, methodical planning and far more cunning and finesse than chaos and slaughter. I am relieved, Tatya, to see that you seem to have an instinctive (or learned) understanding of this. Your words reassure me and humble me, my lady.
Alazandaru raised a glass to the newcomer in a quick toast, gulping wine greedily.
A man named Haruk escaped alongside us who "wished to see Talingarde burn"- such wanton destruction and chaos will not serve our goals and purpose. Our eventual goal is Tyranny over the masses, a strong land with a clear hierarchy and chain of command. We should look to Cheliax as an example of what we want this land to become- not the Worldwound. Rule with harsh justice, not slay with wanton savagery.
An impassioned Alazandaru whirled on the matron of the house.
Tiadora- what plans have you and the Cardinal put into motion? When are we to strike? I am eager to begin.
Morthos looks up to Alazandaru as he speaks. As he finishes, Morthos nods, "Well said, Alazandaru." He motions with his wine, takes a drink and then continues eating his meal.
Beatrix smiles as Alexandaru speaks. Finally, some reason instead of this religious fanaticism. "You're right, we certainly can't just waltz into town square, declare ourselves rulers, and single-handledly put down the entire army and militia - even with strength, we must be cautious, and we must have a plan. I too am also interested in how we will begin."
"The Cardinal has many plans, some set in motion, some waiting for other variables before they are put into place. Even I am not kept abreast of them all. All I can say is that he will reveal what you need to know when it's time. For now, enjoy the comforts he has provided." With that, Tiadora takes a deep drink of her own wine. "I do believe I shall take my leave for now. Please feel free to continue your discussions." She seems to look at Tatya as she says it, though she gestures to you all before taking her own leave of the dinner.
When Alazandaru mentions Sir Balin, Tatya draws in a quick breath and shoots a sharp glance at the hooded man. By the time he proposes his toast, however, she has recovered herself enough to respond to him with a polite smile of appreciation. When Tiadora excuses herself, she receives the woman's meaningful gaze with a deferential nod, but once their hostess is out of sight, she lets out a breath that might almost be termed a sigh of relief, and her face loses the guarded expression it's worn since she entered the room. "Well, just the nine of us now, and no chaperone. Did you really think," she asks Elise, "you could throw a dinner party in their house without them taking an interest?"
"I assumed it would gain interest, though I would have preferred the Cardinal to his little pu...companion." The slip in her wording was obviously deliberate on her part. "Though I must ask who you to be, as it appears neither my Ravens, nor Morthos's group are aware of who you to be exactly?"
"Tatya. Ayresleigh," she enunciates. "Currently wanted by the Talirean authorities under another name, although I doubt it will take them long to dig back to this one. You heard our hostess: His Eminence has many plans in motion; I am but one thread in his intricate tapestry." She takes a sip of wine. "If it makes you feel better, I knew virtually nothing of any of you until this evening. The Cardinal's left hand rarely knows what his right hand is doing; if one of us is captured and broken," her eyes go back to the witch hunter's former apprentice, "we have less to betray."
"And perhaps keeping such information separate is a wise course of action. I believe that we shall retire for the evening as well. Morthos, my dear, if you would like to speak later, please feel free to visit." With that Elise and the other White Ravens rise to retire.
As they leave one of the twins, Trak, can be heard to mutter something* as they leave, which is met with a sharp glare from Elise.
Beatrix takes another sip of wine, now feeling slightly alone on her side of the table. "Indeed...I'm sure they can be useful in their own way though."
"What interests me is that His Eminence threw you together, like scorpions in a bottle." She watches the empty doorway by which the White Ravens just exited, thoughtfully. "He could easily have kept you on separate floors, had he so chosen, but he wants you aware of the others."
Morthos gives a slight bow of his head as he stands when Elise moves to take her leave.
When the Ravens are gone Bostarg muses "My my, such curious tools our Patron keeps..."
Morthos looks to Bostarg curiously, "Tools? What is it are you speaking about, Bostarg?"
Threw you, or threw us, Tatya? You are clearly unaffiliated with these White Ravens so one can only assume the cardinal either had you attend as a fly on the wall or with the intention of bonding you to our gang of ex-prisoners.
Threw you, or threw us, Tatya? You are clearly unaffiliated with these White Ravens so one can only assume the cardinal either had you attend as a fly on the wall or with the intention of bonding you to our gang of ex-prisoners.
She shrugs, with a slight smile at his perspicacity. "I am to be joined to one or the other of your groups," she admits, "as His Eminence determines most advantageous to his goals. Your numbers are equal, so it will rely on his judgment as to which of your groups can most benefit from my particular capabilities."
Morthos raises an eyebrow to Bostarg's line of thought. "Hm. You have piqued my curiosity." Morthos sits back in his chair, placing his fingers together as he ponders the matter. "If they do not wish to follow the way of Asmodeus, what is their purpose here?" He asks more so out of thought than to anyone in particular.
An alliance.
Morthos ponders both Bostarg and Alazandaru's responses. Nodding in agreement, "An alliance. Clever. What better way to ally two groups than that of a common enemy. Perfectly clever. And it does make sense that there are others out there that would most assuredly prosper if the current regime were to fall. Hm. I like it." A wicked grin forms.
Bostarg does not allow Tatya to get away with her non-answer "But come Tatya, are you here solely to act upon our Patron's will and subsume your self into his? - which of us would you prefer to stand beside?"
"The group most likely to succeed, of course," she smiles back cryptically. "Is that you?"
Tatya glances back at the doorway uneasily. "In that, at least, I have the advantage on you: I have been told what to do, and I have lingered too long." Taking a last sip of wine, she places her napkin on the table and rises from her seat. "Good evening to you, gentlemen... and madam. When next you see me, I will assuredly be either one of you or a White Raven, although I doubt they would accord me the honor of the name. More a Black Sheep." She smiles at the company and walks out the door.
On the third day of your rest from the escape, Tiadora comes to each of you separately. She comes with a servant, bearing the items requested with two additional gifts.
"This first item is an Iron Circlet. It allows the wearer to alter their appearance, within certain limits. Truly a useful tool, as it will help to cover the brands on your arms, as well as disguise your appearance. Do not forget, you are all still wanted criminals. I suggest you come up with aliases.
"The next gift is a symbol to our Lord and Patron, Asmodeus." The item in question is a silver holy symbol.
With that, Tiadora takes her leave.
Circlet
Aura faint illusion; CL 1st
Slot head; Price 1,800 gp; Weight –
DESCRIPTION
This circlet of wrought iron alters itself to comfortably fit any wearer. It allows the wearer to alter their appearance as with a disguise self spell. As part of the disguise, the circlet can be changed to appear as any sort of hat, headgear, or hairstyle the wearer desires.
CONSTRUCTION
Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, disguise self; Cost 900 gp
After the three days have passed, you are once again summoned before Cardinal Thorn. You are met at the stairs by Tatya, though no introductions or explanations are offered. Brought up the stairs by Tiadora, you are brought to a different room on the third floor. Entering the room, you see a large glass prison, in the center of which sits one of the largest rats you have seen, obviously of the dire variety. Thorn stands staring at the rat, who at present appears to be toying with a small creature, a scoprion.
“Have you enjoyed your gifts? The iron circlets allow you to move amongst your enemies as one of them. The silver amulets will remind you of your true loyalties. For those who choose to acknowledge that, at least. And the other items – well, you need them now." He continues to watch the rat, which nabs the scorpion and devours it.
“You have done well to escape from Branderscar and to accept my offer. However, you are still not ready for my service. Tiadora will lead you to the basement of this domicile. There you will find nine chambers each more dangerous than the last. Somewhere hidden within these chambers is a pendant of silver and sapphire. Recover the pendant and bring it to me. Let nothing and no one stand in your way. I have assigned Tatya to assist you. Be sure to make good use of her skills."
The Cardinal pauses for a moment, thinking he may have forgotten to dismiss you before he continues to speak. "You may consder this an amusement on my part, watching the two creatures fight as they do. I wish to ensure you that it is not. You have suffered betrayals, sufferings, and setbacks. And you have only begun to work together. I wish to strengthen the bond you share. And what better way than this trial. How you choose to meet this trial, that is up to you. I don't need mice to serve me." As you watch, a small cage, concealed in the glass prison, suddenly opens. As you watch, dozens of scorpions pour out, quickly covering the dire rat. The creature dies, covered in stings. "The Iomedaens will have no mercy for you. The only trust you can have is with each other, and with myself. You don't have to believe it."
He stands up and looks out of the manor house window across the grey moor. “It’s almost dusk. You have until dusk tomorrow to bring me my prize. Do not fail me.” Cardinal Thorn takes a seat at his desk.
Tiadora arrives right on cue. “This way,” is all she says.
Tiadora leads them to a set of stairs leading to the basement. “Below you will find the Nine Lessons.” She leaves without any further explanation.
Going down the stairs, you find an archway leading to an unfurnished room. Atop the archway is inscribed the following:
Deception is a tool. Self-deception is death. Deceive always thy enemy but never thyself.
Two torches at the entrance light this chamber. A doorway can be seen on the East wall.