The Game of Kings

[stonegod]

"What in Khyber are you?" he rasps, spraying heavy drops of spittle onto the terrifying kobold.

The eyes flicker darkly. "I am the bones of the world and the might of the fiends, the boundary between flesh and madness. But I am the one who asks the questions. You are to be the one who answers." Vhir makes sure to drive his point home.

Looming over the monster, Vhir continues, "Your master sent you out here in the night. What were your goals? What do you know of those you sought, what were your told, and what were you to do with them? Are there other hunters, seeking that which they cannot bind? I want your specific instructions. The more you tell us, the better it will be. For later."

OOC: That's the first part of Vhir's questions---who is after us and how? We'll get to the Baron afterwards.

 

[Ringmereth]

The bugbear's eyes veer away from his interrogator, flicking nervously between dimly lit figures. "The Prince ain' gonna stand for this. Damn it, he--" His gaze inadvertantly meets the warlock's, and he stops cold. "I, I mean... I.. I'll tell yeh," he exclaims, breathing heavily. "Nobody told me yeh were more'n a kobold."

"All he tells me, when he calls us in, I mean, me an' Lilikan and Nalnor and Jebbedo an' his, 's that there's a buncha Blacksurf spies a-runnin' through town. Seven of 'em: a sneak-like 'alf-elf, two men, one a priest, one with a big bow. An' shifter lady, a 'forged, an', an', um... a girl. And you," he adds quickly.

"He sent me an' my crew--I mean, Lili's crew--for yeh. He ain't 'specially worried if they an' I bring the lot in dead or breathin', or... clinkin'?" The killer's brow wrinkles in thought. "What'er sep'rates a movin' 'forged from a dead'un. 'Cept for you, kobold--I mean..." He mutters and mumbles in fear for a moment, unable to decide how to address Vhir. "Meaning's that he weren't so int'rested in you as a stiff, with you in charge. Or thinking you're in charge."

 

[James Heard]

Dragen snorted.

"Big bow! Hah! It's not the size of the bow though, it's how..." Dragen actually manages to color his face a bit as he discontinues his cliche.

"I'm sure this all very informative, but could we make him scream now? Then perhaps the sudden, inevitable, perpetual silence?" the archer says with a hint of eagerness.

 

[Deuce Traveler]

Doral considers what has been said, and thinks out loud, "Well, I'm sure this Lili is the woman we faced earlier, and Nalnor may have been the gentleman with the trident, so that leaves us to face Jebeddo and his crew. It would be useful to know what they look like and their capabilities. Is there some kind of prison area in the Prince's home or near the barracks?" He'll concentrate his mind reading on their captive during this.

He glances at Vhir, after his "out loud" thoughts, and then begins to check out if there is a cellar, since they'll need a place to store a dead body.

 

[stonegod]

Vhir smirked when the captive indicated that he was leader. The kobold knew better. No one lead, especially here. You acted for your survival, and you use whatever you could do ensure that. That was all that was happening here. But the note that the Prince wanted him alive... that was something to save for later.

The kobold nodded at Doral's "advice," but kept its attention on the bugbear. They were all pawns in a game, but this pawn was going to get to the other end of the board. "I am in charge... of you. Now, tell us about this Jebbedo and his gang. What the look like. What they do, their talents. And then, I want you to very precisely tell me where the Baron is, who and what is guarding him, and how to get at him. Clearly. We wouldn't want Dragen there to have to clear up... misunderstandings. He'd enjoy that."

 

[James Heard]

'Not really, but I wish he'd get around to answering questions so I can get to the business of butchering him. It's something that you want to take your time with so the stumps are sewn up properly and don't ruin your packs before you dump it all into the ocean...and I just know that here in this lot I'm going to be the only tailor for his meat."

"Though...if you've got fancy enough clothes and you're real convincing, maybe one of the bleeding hearts here will become convinced that you're Vhir here's sidekick. Honestly, it's all one and the same to me. I figure I'll end up having to hack everyone up anyways, one way or the other, eventually."

"I admit, its voice is pretty annoying though. Maybe we should just start cutting now just to shut it up, then one of the priests can carry around an ear or something and compell the spirit to tell use everything we need to know at our leisure, like when I'm sleeping."

Dragen shrugs, obviously bored with the whole interrogation and torture routine.

 

[Ringmereth]

The half-elf beguiler looked around the rear of the room, looking under tables and racks. No trapdoors or cellars were to be found. Moving to the dark back room adjacent to Vhir's improvised interrogation chamber, he made out a few heavy crates piled to one side, as well as another door, which opens into a closet. With some care, either one could contain a bugbear's body.

[sblock=Doral]That Karrn's crazy! the bugbear thinks, becoming increasingly panicked. Need t' get out, he'll cut me up, that Khyber-damned coward! Maybe Jebbedo followed 'em, maybe someone's lookin' for us... what if they ain't? An' the kobold, he's not gonna stop him... what Baron? I dunno the Baron. They mean Prince?[/sblock]

Still leaning over his victim, Vhir listens intently to the prisoner's revelations: "I, yeh, I know that. J-Jebbedo," he stammers, "he went t' th' Scepter for yeh. Uh, two pirates wi' him. Oh! He's a gnome. Jebbedo. Good 'un wit' a crossbow an' locks... an' sneakin'. Don' know who he took... quiet ones, like 'im, I bet. Men, both. Dark clothes, an'... swords, if I remmeber right. All 'em are good wi' blades." He licks his thick lips, gaze flitting between his interrogator and presumed executioner.

"Um... there ain't a, uh, Baron in th' Direshark Princ'pality. Yeh mean Kolberkon? Th' Prince? He's in 'is manor, or he was a couple'a hours ago. Got his guards, dozen, maybe more... an th' Brothers. No way teh see Prince without seein' 'em two ladies. They--I mean, 'ey're 'is pers'nol bodyguards. Elf wimmen... 'Brothers' is jus' a name. All 'is bes' guards been called 'The Brothers'. Them ladies are dang'rous," he explains.

"No way would I try t' break in'ta th' Prince's. Ain't, um, just a house, y'see. Made to be tough to break in'ta. Like a fort, a castle. Go in th' front door an' yeh like as not t' come out w' extra holes in yeh... gotta get in 'is yard firs', an'... uh, pro'bly a floor up," the bugbear tells Vhir. He pauses nervously, mouthing bits of words, trying to keep looking useful. "I ain't gonna say yeh shoul' use it, but there's a tunnel. Inta' th' basemen' of the manor, from them barracks. Ain't gonna 'spect yeh in through there... but there's pirates, merc'naries 'anging 'bout in there."

 

[MadMaxim]

Partash looks at Doral: "Do you think we can trust this fellow? Maybe he's setting us up for another ambush..." He whispers to the beguiler.

 

[Deuce Traveler]

In answer, so to let the interrogators in the know also, Doral says out loud, "I detect that he is not attempting a lie. He doesn't know that the Prince has taken Baron Gaardasci captive and is holding him somewhere."

Doral maintains his concentration on the captive to see how he reacts to the news.


"Also, this sneak of a gnome he is talking about may be on the lookout for us. It might be wise if we bar the door until we figure out who to post outside and keep watch. Are there any other ways in or out of this place, my friend?" Doral asks the warforged.

 

[Bront]

"Also, this sneak of a gnome he is talking about may be on the lookout for us. It might be wise if we bar the door until we figure out who to post outside and keep watch. Are there any other ways in or out of this place, my friend?" Doral asks the warforged.

"Just the front door. Oh, and the back door too. And the windows could be used I guess. And I think someone could climb up the chimney if they wanted," Carver says.