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After securing the two brothers in the remaining empty cell - after removing their equipment and their holy symbols (without which they cannot call upon their goddess) - you get a chuckle on finding a pair of poorly constructed masks, along with a decent set of thieves tools, it is clear they did intend to break into the Jail and free Bolgart Caggan.
The next day dawns bright and clear and also sees the return of your comrade Guillaume! Of the reasons he has returned he does not elaborate on, but clearly his strong arm is welcomed by you all...
While this is indeed happy news you also receive another visitor here, one who is not as welcome here...Sword Knight Allamar! She strides into the lobby of the Jail and immediately approaches you. "I hear you are holding both of my sons in this...jail. This is not acceptable for them to be held without cause! I demand you release both of them at once!!"
Amala glares at Sword Knight Allamar with a cruel smile on her lips.
”Well, isn't this an unpleasant surprise, Sword Knight Allamar. Ah, yes, your sons. You're right, they're indeed here... “
Amala's eyes twinkling with a gleam that is eager for the confrontation.
”But let's get one thing straight, Knight. You don't get to waltz in here and demand anything, least of all the release of criminals. Yes, criminals!“
She pauses.
”See, they thought they could just break in here, free a known traitor and then escape without … vengeance. They not only assaulted, but seriously injured several officers. They chose their path. They are facing the consequences of their actions!“
She is looking for any signs of defiance.
Octavonius' face wrinkled in a bit of amusement when his chatty companion rattled off the legal jargon, his mind taking him back to many years ago when many of those same words were flung at him before spending half a life behind bars. It was somewhat...nostalgic.
The old wizard's face wrinkles again when the Sword Knight enters, though his countenance is much less amused. For now he lets the others speak, but dosent hide an incantation of Detect Magic aimed at the woman, curious if she brought any magical means for this confrontation.
"Consequences! Consequences!" Ohd crows from his shoulder.
Guillaume was just about to tell his erstwhile comrades where he had been when the Sword Knight burst in. Not having ben there when the whelps were captured, he stays back and lets the others talk, but slides over to interpose himself between the Iomedaean and the door. Even so, he watches her closely.
Amala is clearly astounded.
"Guillaume!! You strong man are back!! So good to see you!!" she says with a sly smile.
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For a brief moment it seems like the situation would come to blows here, as Amala's glare is returned by an equally furious glare by the Sword Knight - yet her hand which had strayed to the hilt of her sword moves away from the handle. Guillaume can tell she is managing to control her temper here...barely.
Forcing her lips into a smile here which is clearly not reflected in her eyes she instead continues in a softer tone (though still filled with anger), "Very well then, if my sons are to be held here, then at least may you grant me the...courtesy of allowing me to visit them?"
"Leaving your weapons and any magic behind, I would say you could visit them one at a time." Fellzir looks to the others for agreement.
It is also well within your right to arrange for judicial representation for them. Aurelius offers concillatorily.
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Sword Knight Allamar pauses for a moment - her smile still fixed in place - and nods slowly. "Very well I agree." She replies acidly as she proceeds to divest herself of her weapon, although Fellzir notes she does NOT remove her holy symbol...which as he well knows allows her to access her clerical abilities...
Amala shrugs and is ok with any decision an individual takes on behalf of the group.
Very well, the charges alas will likely be serious. Aurelius adds.
"Ohd and myself will be happy to hold on to the Sword Knight's belongings in the meantime," Octavonius says with a smile that attempts, and most likely fails, to put Allamar at ease.
Guillaume moves to block the Sword Knight’s path forward. ”You say that you agree, yet you do not remove your holy symbol as instructed? Have Iomedae’s faithful ceased to follow lawful instructions? Has your goddess changed her mind on lying? Or have you merely become forgetful in your advanced age?”
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Allamar stops her advancement here, giving the bloodrager an angry look. HSucking in a breath between pursed lips she hisses, "So this is how justice will be rendered here...very well Guillaume I shall do as you require!" With a swift motion she deposits her holy symbol on the desk and proceeds to the back of the jail (shadowed by Cimri)
With Allamar out of the room it gives plenty of time to examine the Sword Knights gear but none of her weapons radiate magic (although her spell component pouch speaks of her spell casting ability)
After a brief period (about 10 minutes) Allamar returns to the main lobby area and immediately reclaims her gear. As she turns to leave she affixes all of you with a stare, "Mark my words here - your actions here have shown the true character of those who rule here!" She then leaves without another word.
After she leaves, Fellzir speaks softly, "She'll be back with help. She probably told them to just sit tight. We should move them, prepare defenses, or both. Maybe Hal could track her and eavesdrop?"
Amala shrugs.
"If anyone comes then we just crush them! I hate planning so maybe we can just ask the prisoners what they talked about)!" she asks the team.
”I’ll say this for Iomedaeans: they’re by nature rules-followers. As long as we operate under Baron’s authority, we should be able to bully them into not openly flouting us. But be careful how every order is worded, because they will twist and pervert instructions to benefit themselves while claiming to obey the letter of the law.”
"I worry her final words imply she and her allies no longer respect the authority of our dear Baron. My familiar could also attempt to keep tabs on her, if we so wish it."
"Ohd follow! Ohd follow!" the raven crows from Octavonius' shoulder.
Amala nods. "Okay, then let us just confront them!"
Amala moves to the two prisoners.
"Hey, you two! It is now time for your interrogation! So speak up! Why did you want to free the prisoner and what did your mother talk to you about!!" she shouts at them.
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As Amala strides into the cell block she sees one of the twin brothers is groggily stumbling to his feet, helped by the other. As they both shrink away from the enraged woman one of the brothers mutters softly, "We came here to right a grievous wrong here. Our citizen has been wrongly imprisoned - we came to free him...our goddess demands no less from us -" The twin brother adds here vehemently, despite his grave wounds "Our Mother agrees with use here and fully supports our actions!"
"So she'll be back to take you by force or die trying? Are you worried that she or her troops might be hurt or killed?"
I am impressed by your faiths talent in making bad situations worse...
I do feel reminded of the 3rd crusade against the worldwound, in which the Iomedean inqusition ended up essentially wiping out Gorrumite, Erastilean and Pularan leadership amongst the Sarkorians, for supposed heresies, and mostly succeeded because these people were fighting the demons and didnt expected to be essentially burned at the stake from behind.
Thus decapaciating the leadership of the people they were claiming to aid, alienating several major gods, nearly setting Gorrum on a warpath against Iomedae, from which he only desisted because she is not in the same dimension as being worthy adversary for the Lord in Iron, and pissing off Pharasma who is quite irritaed when people get wrongly condemmed to death, and well, the Lady of graves seriously dislike hypocrites.
Aurelius sees an opportunity to shake some faith and sperg about the fun of the worldwound.
And then you send your squad of mythic heroes, in the Abyss, first to make an alliance with Nocticula, essentially trading the influence previously held bug buggerer Deskari and the goat groomer Baphomet for the most dangerous of the demon lords. Then accepting several mythic heroes bearing Nocticulas mark among them, then trying to utilize Baphomets death to make some gains, only to get her Herald stolen, well, more like robbed from her, in the middle of a battle, as a deity of tactics and war.
He pauses
She couldnt protect her own herald, on a battlefield, surrounded by crusader forces... What makes you think she will or can protect you? She is weak, her deeds range from the mediocre-at-best to the irrelevant, she cant afford reconstructive surgery inspite of being a deity, her fashion sense is so barely existing that Erastil cant hit it with his bow and she is about as diplomatic as an avalanche of dretches noisily scratching a chalkboard. I mean, out of all good gods, why worship her?
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After Aurelius finished his oration one of the twins leaps to his feet a look of fury on his face, "NO! I will not stand to hear such...blasphemy from this silk-eared --" before he can finish his thought his brother pulls him back from the cell bars whispering softly "No, Lacall do not fall for his lies...that is how they defeat us, by weakening our faith. His words cannot hurt us, and should he try hurting us in other ways..."
Leaning against the wall, Guillaume shakes his horned head slowly. "Ah, Iomedaeans. All about law and order, until they don't like the authorities. Your supposed paladin goddess is *demanding* that you flout the laws of Cheliax, and see a criminal set loose? Either you're lying or she is a lawless criminal herself. Which is it, whelp?" He chuckles to himself and returns to sharpening his axe.
"Oh? What do you think would happen if we try hurting you in other ways? Not only could this woman kill you in the most drawn-out and excruciating way, we could then turn you into a zombie, left to walk the earth in torment for eternity."
Amala will use this opportunity and without a word will take her whip and try to whip the prisoners!!
“You are just scum. Just the f%++ up!!! Your god can kiss my ass!!“ she shouts.
Lady Amala, please hold your whip for a moment.
Aurelius walks over to one of the brothers
Increased breathing He points at the brothers throats
Narrowing eyes He points at the eyes
Altered patterns of blood circulation He not so subtly indicates their private parts.
I belief that, based on my own understanding of the savored stings teachings, I have to intervene here. These 2 are... deviant... and would draw sexual pleasure from you whipping them, although they would of course deny such things. Nothing wrong with that, I would just argue that Lord Belial would be a far better overlord for them then the "inheritor",
but an agent of the Savored sting clearly requires payment for such services! We should certainly send appropriate bills resulting from you gallantly and most mercifully providing for their gratification to their next of kin with any financial means! He pauses
I am alas unfamiliar with the current going rates for such services at appropriate Callistrian temples, you would clearly be the expert and authority on that.
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The remainder of the day passes quickly as you all manage to enjoy the pleasures of dealing with your prisoners. As the next day dawns you are greeted by the most unwelcome sight of Sword Knight Allamar sitting in the front lobby of the Jail, a plate of cooked food in front of her, ass she is berating one of the town guards for not allowing here to visit her sons. While this is indeed nice to see your guards are indeed enforcing your will here, you are deprived of dealing with Allamar by the sudden presence of a whispering wind spell, which soon announces you are hereby summoned to see Razelago at his Ash House office...IMMEDIATELY.
Hurriyng off to the Ash House you see as it no longer needs to disguise itself, Razelago has removed the folding screens, but the krenshar Gaurig continues to serve as his bodyguard, standing ready to defend its master.
As you finish gathering here Razelago waits patiently and once ready it begins in a slow, shrill voice, "I have called you here because the Archbaron is...concerned. Every day more of Longacre’s citizens turn to the rebel cause—not because they’re afraid, but because they haven’t been given enough reason to fear. To that end, Lord Fex wants you to make an example of someone. Take a known rebel, drag him into the town square, pronounce his crimes, and publicly execute him. The archbaron’s men will erect a scaffold or any other simple structure you require. Do this, and show the people the price of treason.” The devil then pauses here, awaiting your response.
"Perhaps the children of Allamar?"
He watches for a reaction.
"The other one first, I'd say. Caggan. If one doesn't quell them, we've got two more for the next time."
"Sounds fair. Make the kids watch."
You want to do it by trial by combat? Show our might on top?
Amala claps her hands.
"Oh this is so lovely!! Can I?!? Can I just chop off his head with an axe in front of everyone?!? Please!! Please?!?" she begs.
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Cimri grins in delight, "Miss Zorex, that sounds absolutely divine! I would pay good coin to see if you need but one swing" she giggles evilly, "BUT I think one of those pesky twins deserves the honor don't you? It would certainly put a craw up Allamar's ass seeing as how she is behind this rebellion!"
Octavonius strokes his chin thoughtfully. "If we allow a trial by combat we risk others in this rebellion using it as an opportunity to strike while we are distracted. Executing one of the children of our dear Sword Knight might break her spirit, or it might give her less of a reason to play nice. As long as her children live, she has a weakness we can exploit. If an execution must be held I suggest the beast that attacked us. It is a dangerous creature to keep alive and only seems to inspire further acts of rebellion."
“Yeah! Whatever! All three of them slighted me! But the beast would be my preference!!“ she spits.
You could challenge Allamar to fight for her children. We would give you some magic beforehand, of course.
"If you need an axe..." Guillaume says, leaning his bardiche in Amala's direction.
Amala claps again!
"Oh that is so wonderful!! Yes of course Guillaume ... I would love to use your bardiche!!" smiling.
"I will go and draw the crowd in!"
Annabel starts to give everyone in the twon the news that there will be an execution!
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"Very well," Razelago interrupts you, "I will make the necessary arrangements to have the Archbaron's men prepare a simple wooden platform — appropriate for hangings and beheadings — adjacent to the town post. This should take no longer than 24 hours. Once the platform is completed then the Archbaron expects no delay to the proceedings. In the meantime feel free to take whatever preparations you need before the beheading. I expect Caggan's execution to go smoothly, understand?"
Fellzir hangs his head sheepishly at the scolding. He will watch the crowd for Allamar as the preparations are made.
(ready)
Octavonius and Ohd will join Fellzir in keeping an eye on the crowd to make sure there are no disruptions.
Amala is all day totally ready to cut off a head … the head of a person that has slighted her and she’s taking vengeance… NOW!
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The day passes quickly as the Archbaron's men proceed to erect a simple wooden platform—appropriate for hangings and beheadings—adjacent to the town post in the Church Square. As the time of the execcution draws near you see a crowd of dozens of curious onlookers gathered to watch the execution.. Among these are some patrons and employees of The Last Stand. The realization that Caggan is to be the one executed draws yells and jeers from them...along with many thrown rotten friuts and vegetables towards the platform.
Still there is not a mass response as of yet...
Fellzir looks to Aurelius to make one of his legendary speeches.
Amala calmly stands ready to do the act of beheading!