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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ashy" data-source="post: 2082331" data-attributes="member: 312">The questioning continues on until the wee hours of the morning.  At some point, Xerxes returns and he can immediately tell that his aversion, or something that has resulted mentally from it, has nearly destroyed this creature's will.  After probing this a bit more, the xeph soon finds that the asherake would literally rather die than give up the secrets that he is telling.  Something planted deep within his mind, and rooted in his soul lets the asherake know that is life is essentially forfeit at this point.  Further, his self-defining warrior's aspect has lead him down the emotional and mental path of failure to his lord and master, and so the creature has nothing left to live for.This is reflected in its answers and in its demeanor - the creature has bascially given up and is now answering only because of its extreme fear of Baja (another aspect which creates a mental fift in the creature; it has no doubt faced larger and more fierce creatures in the past, and yet it is scared beyond all reason of this pale orc-man.  Nevertheless, between the answers that it gives, as well as some intelligence that P.C. is able to offer up that he has learned in the service of Ossian, you learn the following:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The Grand Asherake's citadel/base (known as a holding in the parlance of Arena) is known as the Fastness</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The Fastness is located about four hour's flight from your current location</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The asherake's mission was to a. verify the Spire was being used as a base of operations for raids on the Grand Asherake's convoys and shipping lanes; b. destroy the means by which these raids were being performed (i.e. the gaunt gliders); and c. kill or capture (preferably) those responsible; the gaunt gliders' frames were destroyed during the attack, FYI...</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Isror and the others were captured earlier, on one of their strike missions upon the Grand Asherake's supply lines.  It was, in fact, that attack, which solidified the target location (the Spire had long been thought a target)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The wand-wielding ashrakes name is Kraxx Cloudripper</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The Fastness is nearly impentrable; it  is housed within a massive pit mine and is guarded by guards, walls, magic and more.  Further, all of the slaves are located in one of the side mines off the main shaft.  The Grand Asherake's fortresst, itself, is located deep within the main mine itself and its exterior is decorated with the bodies (some eternally animated) of those e has defeted in battle.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">However, some of the mines extend deep under the sands and are rumored to connect to Gloomskein</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">If the prisoners are still alive (the asherake doubts that the male war valo is still alive, as they make wonderful pit slaves for the arena); the female war valo would have ben taken to the mines (or the harems) but the bug would have been fitted with a seeker's harness - a device that forces the wearer to use its natural abilities to see out veins of metal and gems for the warlord (to Xerxes, this sounds like some major mind control on...)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The Grand Asherake has a standing army upwards of 50,000; also the Fastness contains more than 55,000 additional folks.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">No one will return to save the asherake; it is understood that asherakes will never allow themselves to be taken alive and if they are they are cowards that deserve death.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">P.C. will go with you to save them, but only because he owes you his life, he really wants to complete his mission.</li> </ul>OOC: Let me know if you need any more info...Decisions?  <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /></blockquote>

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