VOX looks at you and the armored female centaur is hard to read.
You think you’ve got her. She just wants to get to know you better.
“I truly believe that the establishment of strict order throughout the world will bring betterment to all peoples. You others that speak with a less honeyed tongue!! Tell me how you have brought order to the world!“ she says and points to all except of Tsuan.
The centaur doesn’t notice anything!
|
The occultist takes note of the paperwork. He then smiles at nothing in particular in Tsuan's general direction.
Malax considers the question before responding. "In my last dispatch, I was sent contend with an...internal matter. The details of which are not germane to your question. However, an agent not only broke with protocol, they knowingly violated the trust of others by holding themselves above the established chain of command. Long established rules, that they themselves once depended on for haven and succor, became meaningless. They sowed discord and chaos among our ranks. By choosing to operate as an individual instead of within the organization, needless blood was spilled and lives were wasted. Order had to be restored, even through the use of force." He looks Maidrayne in the eyes. "I'd do it again to maintain the peace. Perhaps with extreme prejudice to dissuade any others from pursuing a similar course of action." The vitriol in his voice is real. The wound of the betrayal is still too fresh. Damn you Torch!
Refusing to become lost in the recent past, he refocuses on the question. "Afterall, if one can't keep one's own house in order, how can they hope to bring order to the outside world?"
|
Torku keeps his arms folded across his chest, but leans against the centaur’s desk and quietly grabs a document with his tail.
”Brought order to the world?” The tiefling looks like he very much would like to spit, but restrains himself. ”How about uncovering a secret buried for centuries because the lie told publicly benefited those in power more than the truth? Not telling lies is a very orderly thing to do, yes?”
Maidrayne Vox was stern and unyielding but now seems to smile.
”I ultimately believe in the order of things and the good in peoples’ hearts, and you convinced me that Zarta Dralneen has been wrongly imprisoned. I gladly signs the affidavit to free the paracountess. But to receive the Paravicar Acillmar's signature you will need more!“ the centaur says.
She looks at Malaz.
”Paravicar Acillmar believes tradition, protocol, and decorum are paramount to everything except the law itself He will not tolerate boorishness or disrespect of the law, the Order of the Nail, or his authority. If your evidence adequately proves the Paracountess innocent of her crimes, the paravicar will provide you his signature. I must warn you that you must absolutely not show him any disrespect. If you don't respect him, you'd best be good at hiding it; the paravicar is an excellent judge of character!“
She focuses on the token of house Thrune you hold. Raising an eyebrow, she adds her signature to the affidavit and returns the papers.
"It appears you have come prepared. By the laws of my order I must do my duty. You may go."
Makorios sees the signature and smiles. She leads the party to the Paravicar's keep.
This two-story keep features a number of desks, bookshelves, and austere officers’ barracks. On the ground floor, an ironclad gate leads out to the cliff side beyond that castle walls, guarded by a contingent of experienced Hellknights. A well-armored tower rises from the keep’s northeastern corner, its doors blocked by a stern signifer.
Entering Paravicar’s Keep, you find yourselves on the crowded research floor, where slaves chained to their desks transcribe the contents of scrolls full of charts and tables into leather-bound tomes, all under the watchful eyes of several high-ranking signifers. Makorios makes her way to the lone signifer standing guard at the entrance to the tower.
”Representatives from the Pathfinder Society are here to present an urgent matter to the paravicar!“ She says.
The signifer looks over your group with a critical eye, but nods, and steps aside, granting the field-maralictor and the Pathfinders access to the large tower.
You ascend the stairs where a lone man sits at a desk in the center of the room, ceiling-high bookshelves filling all the walls around him. Makorios motions you toward the man, makes eye contact with him, then backs down the stairs to the level below to await your return.
A ruddy, red-haired man whose lithe frame is clad in the Hellknights’ traditional black armor, Paravicar Acillmar sits at an orderly desk crowded with neatly stacked piles of paper and ancient tomes, penning a lengthy report. He looks up at you and simply says,
”I have been expecting you, Pathfinders.”
|
|
"Paravicar, Zarta Dralneen was jailed on the basis of several letters between Zarta and House Thrune's political enemies. The Pathfinder Society has uncovered two pieces of evidence that contradict these letters, and point to Zarta's innocence.
First, we have Zarta's personal travel logs, which show that she was not in Absalom at the time when she was supposed to have met her conspirators in the Petal District.
Second, we examined the handwriting of the letters. As you can see, the letters are written in a halting hand that resembles the paracountess's, but the letters' writing differs significantly from other writings, including her travel logs. We believe the letters are forgeries, written by someone to frame Zarta.
On the basis of this new evidence, we request that Zarta be freed."
Tsuan hands over the document and curtsies.
The Paravicar spends some time looking over the evidence and discussing the case with you.
Most of his words seem routine questions and he soon agrees to sign the Affidavit of Prisoner Release.
"I admit I did not expect Pathfinders to be so efficient and diplomatic. My associates in Cheliax would have me believe you all to be nothing more than cutthroat vagabonds."
He stands and offers his hand.
"It was a pleasure to meet you."
***
Elixia Makorios joins you at the bottom of the stairs below, congratulating you for impressing the Paravicar so easily.
Makorios leads you towards Lictor DiViri's office.
Lictor’s Keep, also called the Keep of Tyranny, is located in the center of Bastion Dominus.
Rising two stories above the open bailey, this forbidding structure features few windows, each seemingly narrower than the last, and a roof rife with spikes of iron and stone.
You enter into the first floor of the structure, called the Hall of Edicts, which is an austere courtroom of sorts where the order’s lictor and lesser tribunals judge those who have violated the law.
The Hall of Edicts is ominously furnished, containing a low-hanging chandelier made of smoky glass and bookshelves filled with leather-bound tomes. A wide stack of yellowed, black-bound volumes sits atop a raised dais—the ebony-colored judge’s bench—in the center of the room.
Makorios shows the affidavit to the contingent of elite Hellknight guards watching the entrance to the tower, and the guards stand aside to let you pass.
Once inside, the field maralictor hands back the affidavit, gives you a stoic glare, then turns and exits to await your return.
Across the Hall, hard at work reviewing upcoming dockets and past sentences yet to be carried out, Lictor Severs “Boneclaw” DiViri sits behind the imposing bench. His right hand is fully engulfed in a prominent, black steel gauntlet; shadows from the candlelight chandelier make the scars on his face seem even more ghoulish.
The lictor looks up at you, seemingly annoyed at the interruption—until he realizes you are Pathfinders. He extends his good arm to receive the affidavit, and makes a tight-lipped demand:
"I heard that this Tien woman does the talking here! You Tiefling!“ he says and points at Paxal.
“Tell me what you know."
|
Paxal pulls the cigar out of his mouth with his thin whip-like tail and holds it behind his back. He steps forward, bows respectfully, and stands at full military attention with his hands at his sides.
Yes, Sir Lictor. I know that a couple of my fellow Pathfinders here have found proof, by cracking a code, that a Mister Tancred Desimire forged letters to look like The Paracountess' handwriting. The fake letters contained information about a rebellious alliance.
They also discovered The Paracountess' personal travel logs which prove that she was away from Absalom at the time she was supposedly with said contacts in the city, Sir.
It proves she is innocent and must be released.
Myth thinks that this man truly distastes the Pathfinder Society and Tieflings in general.
But he sees your point and that makes him very angry as he needs to always uphold the law.
DiViri sighs, slams down the evidence, and swears profusely. Clearly irate, he signs the affidavit and begins a gruff address.
“That my order would accept a falsely accused prisoner, and one who is a Chelish paracountess, no less? Completely unacceptable! No payment assuages that fact! Pathfinders, I know now that what you say is true: Paracountess Zarta Dralneen is innocent. And thus, she must be freed. I assume you wish to escort her from our custody? Yes, good. This embarrassing error must righted."
He looks at Paxal and Torku and frowns.
“Travel to the southernmost end of the keep; there, beneath a tower called the Forgetful Spire, you’ll find an entrance to our oubliette—a place we call Caina. Pay no mind to what or who you find there, for they are meant to be forgotten. Just give this certified affidavit to Maralictor Ganden Heriphis, the oubliette’s keeper. He’ll know what to do. Now, quickly, be on your way—this blunder will be rectified promptly or not at all!”
With a signed affidavit in hand, you are free to head toward the Forgotten Spire, a place to which Field-Maralictor Makorios is happy to lead you.
Makorios is slightly amused that everything went so smoothly.
She escorts you to the Forgetful Spire, but leaves you to descend alone.
"I am not fond of the prisons and so will await you here. Your papers are in order, with signatures that no one can doubt. There is only one guard in Caina, Maralictor Ganden Heriphis. Give the affidavit to him."
The musty staircase hidden below Forgetful Spire leads to an oubliette containing a dark, dreadful grouping of prison cells that the Hellknights call Caina, after the infernal realm of torture and pain.
Prison cells dominate both the room’s north and south walls; the largest of these serves as a torture chamber for prisoners whose sentence also includes correction with devices such as racks and bottomless chairs.
A thick column lined with bloody stains stands in the center of the main room; the torches mounted on it throw grim light upon all the oubliette’s horrors.
Two of the three southern prison cells are occupied by figures who lie prostrate on hard, stained wooden benches. These figures make no sounds.
A desk sits along the east wall; from there a single guard can keep an eye on all of the cells. On the desk is an enormous black helmet tipped with wicked-looking horns—a traditional Hellknight helm. Maralictor Ganden Heriphis, the sole guard in charge of Caina, stands up from behind his desk across the room.
"Get over here," he commands as he waits for you to cross the room and stand before his desk.
A tall man, Heriphis has sharp green eyes and dark, shoulder-length hair streaked with white. Sitting at either side of him are two thin, lanky wolf creatures with reddish-brown fur, white claws, and burning, fiery red eyes.
Heriphis gets right to the point and looks at Rhykevance.
"What do you want?"
You look into the first cell. You know this is Sascha Antif-Arah, a former Pathfinder that vanished a couple of years ago!
-
You then scan the Hellknight and realise that he is using a spell-like ability! He is detecting chaos and that is directed at you!
-
Then you look more closely at the dogs and realise that these are hell hounds!
You further observe the Hellknight and realise that he is using a spell-like ability! He is detecting chaos and that is directed at Rhykevance!
Then you look more closely at the dogs and realise that these are hell hounds!
-
Then you look more closely at the dogs and realise that these are hell hounds!
You look into the first cell. You know this is Sascha Antif-Arah, a former Pathfinder that vanished a couple of years ago!
-
This Hellknight is definitely hiding something! And he is afraid, very afraid!
]
The Maralictor looks at all of you after studying the documents and frowns. Tsuan is still forming her sentence about the prisoner when the Hellknight suddenly begins to draw his longsword!
None of you are surprised by this sudden action!
-
Initiative
Torku
Hellknight
Lai Tsuan
Paxal
Hellhounds
Malaz
Rhykevance
Mythryndyr
|
|
Definitely insecure about the size of his nail.
"Well that's certainly one way to try to cover up whatever stupid secret you're hiding," Torku snaps, all the bottled frustrations of the day giving his voice a spitfire effect. "What, did Tancred buy your loyalty? You already sold the paracountess to someone else? Or is this just some inane stupidity that comes from wearing full plate all day?" A translucent disk of force forms around the tiefling's arm as he stalks forward, masking a more subtle shimmering dancing around his skin. "Please be honest - I'm sure we'll have to fill out paperwork regarding the incident when we're through with your nonsense." Blade in hand, he waits for the Hellknight's response.
-
With an unbelievable speed the Hellknight draws his flaming longsword as well as his shortsword and 5 ft steps forward.
“I’ll cut your throat for these cute words Tiefling!!“
He stabs with the shortsword and slashes twice with his longer flaming blade but the shield of force prevents any of the attacks to connect!
+
+
When Tsuan jumps over the table the Hellknight makes an attack of opportunity against her and although she tries to parry he gets through ... but only hits an image!
*
Paxal's arrow pierces the hell hound's shoulder!
*
The first hell hound immediately breathes fire on Rhykevance and then moves to Tsuan. The second hound moves to Tsuan and also breathes fire!
-
Initiative round 1
Malaz
Rhykevance
Mythryndyr
Initiative round 2
Torku
Hellknight
Lai Tsuan, 4 images
Paxal
Hellhound red -7
Hellhound orange
Rhykevance suffers the full blast of the fire but Tsuan can dodge most of it.
After Rhykevance's waraxe seriously hurts the hound, it is Malaz' axe that finally cuts the dog in half!
Initiative round 1
Malaz
Rhykevance, -10
Mythryndyr
Initiative round 2
Torku
Hellknight
Lai Tsuan, 4 images, -5
Paxal
Hellhound red, dead
Hellhound orange
Myth's arrow sinks into the Hellknight's chest!
Torku's words obviously distract the ranger long enough to pierce his abdomen leaving a vicious wound!
For the first time you see fear in the man's face.
"I knew that this woman would be my ending!" he says to himself with a bitter voice.
He turns to Tsuan and stabs with the shortsword and slashes twice with his longer flaming blade but she dodges all attacks!
+
+
He then 5 ft steps back!
Initiative round 2
Torku
Hellknight, -31
Lai Tsuan, 4 images, -5
Paxal
Hellhound red, dead
Hellhound orange
Malaz
Rhykevance, -10
Mythryndyr
One of Paxal’s arrows pierces the remaining hound’s abdomen and it howls in pain.
Tsuan on the other hand is a little clumsy and hits only air.
*
The hell hound tries to bite Tsuan but she is too agile.