Aphonion Tales (New posts 6/13, 6/15, 6/19)

[Cerebral Paladin]

“What happened? Where did you find him?” Kit asked, flashing a recognition signal for her network.

The figure wavered a bit, and then whispered back in a rough, raspy voice, “He was within a brothel called the Brothel of Chain and Whips-- you people are very strange.”

“Everything’s relative,” muttered Kit. “What was happening that made you intervene?”

“He was laid hands upon and taken to an inner chamber. He was unconscious, and his mind was weakening. I consulted His Highness, and when he said I should intervene, I psiblasted the entire brothel and removed him.”

Who thought that this one knew anything about how to run an operation taking subtlety? Kit fumed. “What was the situation when you left?”

“There were many unconscious jacks and prostitutes. I thought it best if I slit the throat of the bravos who attacked him. But more are coming, so I left my companion to wait.”

“We need them alive for questioning.”

“I could tell my companion to take the one who is coming alive, but it will be difficult. From their thoughts, I think he will be more powerful.”

“We need him alive,” repeated Kit.

“Very well. I will tell my companion to try.” It paused, and Kit sensed a slight psionic stirring. “I am sorry if I should not have slain the guards. But they were corrupt. One of the ones who is corrupt is still alive-- the madam. She was unconscious and not a threat. The guards were also corrupt, but with reinforcements coming, I did not want them reviving.”

“Corrupt? What do you mean by corrupt?”

“They had blood that was not of this place. That blood has now been spilled.”

“It didn’t occur to you that slaughtering the occupants of the brothel might create problems for us? What will the guard think when they arrive?”

“The watch has not been summoned…”

 

[Cerebral Paladin]

“Were there any other things there I should know about?”

“The madam had many strange objects in her chamber. A small marble table with a depression shaped like a small humanoid, many daggers, a hand of glory, and candles made of tallow from men.”

“Ugh,” said Kit.

“It begins… my younger brother reports that the last one has arrived.”

“Tell him to take him alive, and with mind intact so we may question him.”

“He will try…” A tone of worry crept into its voice. Kit allowed it to stand in silence for several minutes before it continued with relief, “The battle was fierce, but my brother prevailed. He has the last of the corrupt ones unconscious and requests help moving him.”

Kit quickly sent a message to some of her people asking them to take two teams to the brothel-- one to seize the strange objects and bring them back for examination and the other to help bring back the prisoner. “Thank you for your work. And… what is your name?”

“Name? Name… Alvin!” The creature paused again, thought about human naming patterns. “Smith! And my brother is… John Smith!”

Uh-huh, sure he is… thought Kit. “Thank you for your service, Alvin.”

“You are making more use of me. This is good. I have worked for you for twenty years.”

“Well, not for me…”

“For you, institutionally. I am glad to be called on to do more actual work.”

“Yes. We’ll have to make sure we use your unique talents fully.” And, thought Kit, we’ll have to find tasks a little better suited to your talents and your lack of subtlety than this assignment…

 

[Cerebral Paladin]

Some minutes later, “John Smith” and a burly thief struggled up to the palace gate carrying along an unconscious form. John dressed in a manner much like his brother, complete with the robe that covered his entire body and the gloves that left not an inch of skin visible. But Kit focused her attention on the massive man they were carrying.

“Did you check his mouth for poison?”

“Yes, with a spell. The poison on him is on his fingernails, toenails, and bellybutton. And I did a visual check for poison capsules in his mouth as well. I didn’t find any, although his teeth were filed.”

“Filed?”

“Yes, to form sharp points.”

“Are you sure they weren’t just naturally that way? What if he isn’t fully human?”

“I hadn’t thought of that, ma’am… I guess he could be only partly human, and I couldn’t swear that his teeth were filed, then. But he certainly looks human…”

Kit sent Abigail to summon Lady Constance, who quickly made her way to the gate.

“I see why you called me!”

“We don’t think he’s fully human.”

“Oh, he’s not. He’s a demonic tiefling.” She cast a quick spell as she carefully examined the body. “The son of a marilith, I believe. I doubt that its father is still alive… Some small psionic ability… vicious claws…” She gestured again, and the form changed, not dramatically, but in many small ways revealing its demonic heritage through scales on the skin, pointed ears, vestigial horns, and the like. “Where did you find him?”

“Attacking a brothel.”

“Well… he isn’t a terribly handsome specimen,” said Lady Constance dubiously.

Kit frowned. “We don’t think he was there innocently.”

“Oh. Oh! Oh…” said Lady Constance, as she thought through what she had just been told. “He will know something. I will prepare the triple circle. It’s not impossible to do such things to a tiefling. Just more difficult.”

 

[Baron Opal]

The first time I saw the description of Alvin and John Smith it rang a distant bell. Now I remember them well. Not personally, but racially. The Courts had some small dealings with them.

Have fun...

 

[Cerebral Paladin]

I should think you would remember them, Baron Opal, in light of your icon.

-----
Dame Brionna and Father Waters, meanwhile, examined Lucas. Father Waters nodded thoughtfully. “He will definitely live.”

“Can you wake him?”

“Not as yet. He’s had a drug applied that induces a comatose state. Hmmm… to a psion, it would appear he was not present at all. Perhaps they’re using that effect to conceal their movement of prisoners. I wonder where they were taking him… and whether they knew he was from here.”

Dame Brionna grimaced. “That would be very bad…”

“Indeed it would,” Father Waters pulled back Lucas’s eyelids and stared at each eye carefully. “I should say it will be another twenty hours before he awakens.”

“You can’t speed that up by neutralizing poison or the like?”

“No, that would have no effect at all on this sort of drug. I could use more mundane techniques-- if I apply the right poultice, it should cut the length down to… perhaps 10 hours.”

Dame Brionna nodded curtly. “Do so. Thank you, Father.”

A page hurried up to Dame Brionna and saluted. “Dame Brionna, there is a small caravan of dire elephants approaching from the south.”

“Dire elephants? Do they have riders?”

“Oh, yes, Dame Brionna. Giant howdahs, the size of small villages, on each one.”

“What about heraldry or banners?”

The page drew forth a scrap of parchment. “They are flying this symbol, but I don’t know what it means.”

Dame Brionna looked at it. “Neither do I. Take it to the chief herald and ask him to attend on me.”

 

[Quartz]

Dire Elephants?! Tres cool. But not in fours? Each four carrying a round platform?

 

[Cerebral Paladin]

A few minutes later, the chief herald presented himself. “A most unusual insignia, most unusual. I have never seen it outside the books, but its meaning could not be clearer. The delegation is led by the Chief Engineer of the Seachen Empire.”

“The Chief Engineer? Is that an important official within their Empire?”

“It’s hard to say, Dame Brionna; we know so little about the Seachen’s inner workings. Chief Engineer is a holy position; the primary duties are expanding and building the necropolis of the dead gods. But it has no military power, and the Chief Engineer herself is frequently a bard or warrior without significant magical ability. So I would say that it is a meaningful position, but not one of the highest.”

“Should we be insulted, then, that she is leading the expedition?”

“Oh, no, I shouldn’t think so. They usually send no one to anything. We should perhaps be honored that they deigned to recognize our coronation at all.” He thought for a moment. “She may have reached this decision on her own. We know nothing about this Chief Engineer, except that she executed her mother by dropping her down a mountain--after overthrowing her, of course.”

“Hmm. I’ll discuss the matter with the full Council.”

* * *

Kit returned to Alistair’s chambers.

“Is Lucas going to live?” asked Alistair anxiously.

“Yes, although he won’t be awake until tomorrow.” Kit described her strange experience with her agent.

“Long robes, covering the whole head and two feet below the face, no visible skin, three fingered hands… and powerful psionic abilities,” Alistair said thoughtfully and a little increduously. “You have an illithid working as a spy?”

Kit’s eyes widened. Unlike Alistair, she had never seen an illithid or even pictures of them in books, but it did fit the frightening stories she had heard as a child. “I guess so? Two, really…”

“They must be renegades, of course, and presumably these ones don’t eat human brains… but still.”

“As soon as I have a moment, I’m going to make a point of figuring out all of the strange things that I have working for me,” Kit said resolutely.

“That seems wise.”

“And I need to find a better use for the illithid. Not so subtle at following people.”

“True. But they’re probably great at passive intelligence-- get them into position, let them read minds.”

“Huh. Good point…”

 

[Cerebral Paladin]

Dame Brionna knocked on the door and interrupted the discussion. “We have an interesting diplomatic situation, your grace.”

“Oh?”

“The Chief Engineer of the Seachen Empire has come to see us, leading a column of dire elephants. She may not be representing the Empire as a whole, so much as herself.”

“A column of dire elephants?” asked Kit increduously.

“Yes. I don’t think it would be wise to rebuff her, your grace, because she may offer divisions within their Empire.”

“But we can’t trust her either,” countered Kit. “If she plans on attacking, those elephants would be devastating if they get within the city walls.”

“I agree. But if we guard her…”

Alistair nodded. “We’ll deny the elephants entrance to the city, ostensibly for logistical reasons. They wouldn’t even fit within the streets if they did enter. And then we’ll assign an ‘honor guard’ to watch her and her immediate company.”

“With your grace’s permission, I suggest that we make the honor guard all female. From what my source on the Seachen empire says, she may take offense at any armed men.”

“Makes sense. And we’ll begin contact by sending a female noble to meet her and figure out her goals and purpose for coming.” Alistair thought for a moment. “Perhaps the Lady Mayor of Canberry City? Is that the appropriate rank? I don’t want to insult her inadvertently.”

“It’s impossible to be sure, but if the Lady Mayor welcomes her on your grace’s behalf, it would be hard for her to take too much offense. If she indicates that she feels that the Lady Mayor is below her, we can adjust for later interactions.”

Kit added, “If they’re so touchy about men, we should probably send some litters that can be closed to bring them into the City. We can minimize the risk of an incident that way.”

Dame Brionna nodded and left to arrange the details.

 

[Cerebral Paladin]

The Council gathered in the Archducal Coven’s chambers. The tiefling, barely covered by some scraps of cloth, was heavily chained within a series of intricate iron circles. A variety of braziers and pedestals surrounded the pentagrams with all sorts of arcane substances. Outside the circles, a group of muscular young men, naked to the waist, stood holding iron rods. At least, they looked like young men, but the Council knew Lady Constance too well to be fooled.

Lady Constance nodded to the Council. “Your grace. I am ready to begin the process whenever you are ready. I will be able to bind him for thirteen questions and then must release it. It should probably be killed at that point.”

“Are the questions limited to yes and no?”

“They are not, your grace, but I would phrase them to produce short answers. I will be able to compel truth for questions with short answers, but if he is allowed to talk on without a clear question, his answer may become a pack of lies. I would avoid in-depth, open-ended questions.”

The Council discussed possible lines of questioning for a while, and then Alistair nodded to Lady Constance.

“In the name of Lilith, Queen of Hell, I command you to answer truthfully.” Lady Constance gestured at the tiefling, which arched its back and screamed.

“Who is your master?”

“The Abomination of Shur,” choked out the tiefling.

“What is your assignment?”

“To assist the harlequins sent by our ally.”

“Where are the harlequins?”

“They are scattered between three brothels.”

Alistair grimaced at that answer-- he had been hoping for a little more specificity without spending another question. “Which three brothels?”

The tiefling twitched and struggled against its iron chains, but finally answered. “The Golden Knot, the Seductress’s Wings, and the Border Hole.”

“I’ll begin preparing strike teams to hit all three,” said Dame Brionna.

“Good. Ask the Eldar if his team would be willing to provide back-up-- we have to expect these to be very dangerous missions.” Alistair turned his attention back to the tiefling. “Is your mother involved?”

“No, my uncle.”

“Who is your uncle?”

The tiefling struggled again. “He is beneath Brightspan. I cannot speak his name.”

“His grace has asked you a question! You will speak his name,” commanded Lady Constance. She gestured at the young men, who stepped into the circle and began beating the tiefling with red iron rods. When they entered the iron circles, they looked much less human than they had moments earlier. The Council flinched at the torture, but waited for an answer while the tiefling struggled and screamed. Lady Constance turned to Alistair. “The geas is too strong. I cannot guarantee that he will survive more pressure. Should we continue anyway?”

“No, his answers are too valuable. Maybe we can get the information indirectly. If we know who his uncle’s sister is, that might let us figure out the molydeus’s identity.” As the young “men” stepped back, Alistair continued. “Who is your mother?”

“She is Daliana, of the Ninetieth Plane,” answered the tiefling, hatred palpable in its voice. “Do you wish to kill her?”

“Perhaps.”

The tiefling smiled at this answer.

 

[Cerebral Paladin]

Kit asked Lady Constance, “What’s the Ninetieth Plane like?”

“An open pit, divided into many small demonic kingdoms. His mother must be the lord of one of the kingdoms-- I can’t imagine a marilith would be subordinate to any of the powers on that Plane.”

Alistair continued the questioning. “Are there other accomplices to your plot still free in the City?”

The tiefling smiled nastily. “Yes.”

“Who are they?”

“The madams of the brothels; the Chief Assassin of the Order of the Red Knife, who entered some time ago but cannot move freely or change shapes while he is here; and a handful of remaining cultists. You’ve been effective, humans.”

“The Chief Assassin of the Order of the Red Knife?” said Dame Brionna. “We need to know more about that one-- it sounds like too much of a threat, and this is the first we’ve heard of it.”

“Whatever it is,” said Kit, nodding. “With shape-changing, its probably not human.”

“Where is the Chief Assassin of the Order of the Red Knife?” asked Dame Brionna.

The tiefling simply ignored her, and when Alistair repeated the question, it writhed without answering.

“You will answer the questions put to you!” commanded Lady Constance. She reached into a brazier and drew out a handful of glowing chunks of bloodstone that she proceeded to fling at the tiefling. It shuddered as the rock burned into its skin in a great release of energy and spoke as she reached for a second handful.

“In the Great Crypt. It hides among the dead.”

“Who are the other innocents under your control?” asked Alistair.

The tiefling looked annoyed at the question more than angry, took a great breath, and began rapidly reciting names. Marcus, brought along to record the creature’s answers, scribbled as fast as the tiefling spoke, and by the time it stopped had a list of nearly 230 names.

Alistair swore under his breath; that was far more than he would have guessed they could have taken. “Where are they kept?”

The tiefling sneered. “We do not keep most of them. They walk among the citizens, and they listen. Oh yes, they listen. And we listen to them. But they are so few, compared to what we used to control…”

The Council debated its last question for a while, and then Alistair asked, “What kind of creature is the Chief Assassin?”

“An Eshen bladelord, their top class of assassins; he was a gift from the third part of our alliance. His duty was to kill those you love,” said the tiefling with a leering smile, glancing at Kit and Dame Brionna.

“Kill him,” said Alistair coldly.