You finally feel as if the weight of the sickness is passing from your stomachs and the dizziness is clearing from your heads. Your characters are no longer sickened. As you descend into the lower level, the screams grow louder. Are you merely getting closer or are they intensifying? Both seem likely. In addition, you can make out a faint cackle of laughter as you find yourself closer to the floor.
As you creep down the stairs, you catch a glimpse of the hallway below. There are no doors in sight, but an archway on the left leads into a room from which issues flickering torchlight. It also appears to be the source of the screams. As you hug the walls, trying not to be seen, you catch sight of the scene within. A man in a black mask holds a red-hot iron to the face of a battered and bruised woman who is chained to a rack. Her indignity is heightened by the rent garments she wears which do not leave much to the imagination. The torturer speaks with a raspy voice, giggling as he applies the iron to the woman's bare breast, "Oh yes, my lovely girl. I will know everything before you die. Now tell me where to find the Puries!"
The woman grits her teeth, apparently trying to stiffle her cries, tears streaming down her face. As the torturer removes the iron he quickly moves to apply a greasy black substance to the wound. This elicits a howl of pain from the woman as the black substance releases a palpable sizzle when rubbed into the injury. Just then, the torturer wheels around, still wielding the iron in his hand. "What was that? Who's there? Garn, if this is another of your tricks I'll be shoving this iron in your ass this time!"
Although the man cannot see you, Allister missteped upon the wooden stairwell causing a creaking sound that unfortunately seems to have alerted the torturer.
At this point we begin initiative. As a reminder, I will be rolling initiative each round, but I will keep the results of the round confidential until everyone has indicated their intended action for that round. The torturer currently does not see you, but he is facing the hallway with a red-hot iron in his hand. He is wearing leather armor.
Please post your character's intended action and I will reply with a description of the events of the round thereafter. As a reminder, you may make an unarmed strike for 1d3 points of nonlethal damage plus your Strength modifier, however, doing so provokes an attack of opportunity.
