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Message: <blockquote data-quote="kumagroo" data-source="post: 4907453" data-attributes="member: 83866">What a mess that business was. Here’s how it went down: To actually attempt to capture an Inquisitor was no small task. The plan was made with Buron (whose arm is nicely setting but far from healed), Rivereye, Joven, a half-dozen Shahalesti (including Shealis) and myself. While my voice was heard, I always got the sense that it was with condescension from the Shahalesti, much like they were listening to a child explain why yellow was a pretty color. Still they did take my advice on one key matter: that we needed someone trusted by the Ragesians to help us out. Having nearly given up for lack of such a person, (a shame we hadn’t stopped the madness then), our infiltrator suddenly showed himself. It was none other than Kathor Danava, lieutenant of the now diminished Black Horse Mercenaries. Which guards and council members have been letting his mercenary company in and out of the city is no small matter of consternation for me, but the fact is after getting beat-on by The Coming Storm twice, he’s no longer affiliated with the Ragesisans. He claims to have come over to our side, and I honestly believe he’s telling the truth. Considering that his father is a hero to Gate’s Pass for fighting off an ettin invasion AND is leading the Ragesian army against Gate’s Pass, I can’t imagine how Kathor is feeling. Needless to say, we used Kathor to lure one of the Inquistors to the same warehouse that the Coming Storm defeated the White Wyrm band in, seeing as how Joven told us it had two pit traps already. Of course, the heretic didn’t come alone, but brought a bodyguard of three other half-orc soldiers. When they arrived, their suspicions were already aroused. Shealis was quick in conjuring a wall of fire between the Inquisitor and the door he came in from. Arrows from Joven took down one of his guards, and a melee ensued between the Shahalesti and the other two Ragesisans. From my vantage point, it seemed like the Inquisitor raised and swiftly dropped one hand. Like that, the fiery wall was out, sparing the warehouse from going up in flames but opening a point of retreat. He very well would have made it out, had Buron not swung a club into his kneecaps with his one good arm from the outside. We made it back to the safehouse though only one of Shealis’s companions survived and we left a rather messy scene behind us. All of our efforts were in vain. The heretic was beyond firm in his beliefs. Despite all the bravado of the stories, no normal man is capable of withstanding real torture. In fact, it is usually the fear of torture that makes even the strongest heart crumble. But the Inquisitor endured torments administered by the cold-faced eladrin that I feel nauseous even recalling. We got a name: Drengo Fletcher and the fact that he was a new initiate. That was all. A couple hours ago, someone took pity on the Ragesian. Already short many fingers and toes, blinded, and mad with pain: Drengo was killed by someone staying here in the Brotherhood’s temple. Now, the Inquisitors are tearing open people’s homes in search of those who took their comrade. It is only a matter of time until we are found if Shealis does not get us out of here. I received a sending ritual from the tiefling, “Az,” that took my and Joven’s place. They aren’t too happy with the short cut so far. The cooling draughts seem to be working wonderfully though only Ozric, Damner, and Milo seem to require them. But since entering the woods, the forest and its creatures seem to be continuously on the offensive. They describe the flames as possessing a sentience and awareness, allowing The Coming Storm to enter and then closing the path behind them with roaring flames. He mentioned something about two separate incidences involving fiery bats that swept down upon them, including two the size of large mastiffs that simply would not die.  He also told me of an elemental goblin and a bridge so worn with heat that Damner fell through and nearly died in the gorge below. And that was all before noon.   (Remember they killed the Inquisitor after breakfast at the edge of the forest, too!)  On the fortunate side of things, they did rescue a former student of Gabal’s school named Durval.   Sadly, he thought his magic could protect himself and his family as they fled the scourge through the Fire Forest. He was in a state of near madness from the death of his kin and the pain of continual fire burning him, but Ozric escorted him to the edge of the forest and worked some healing magic.  He left the man with Crystin and Haddin at their farm. Shortly after Damner's fall, they came to a cave with a an underground spring and took early refuge and rest. I hope tomorrow, they can make if farther than two miles, but we’ll see…  The winged seela moved closer.  “I am bound to a large boulder,” lied Kazyk smoothly, “much like a dryad is to a tree.” The flames that composed his beard flickered weakly, and he leaned heavily on the shaft of the serrated glaive. The gashes in his flesh and trickle of black ichor from his nostril contributed to his weakened state; he didn’t have to feign agony. His quarry had proven they fought well as a pack. “Oh, I know a dryad!” the seela said brightly, fluttering closer on large flame-wreathed wings that blurred like a dragonfly’s. “She’s named Timbre, but she’s not very happy any…” Kazyk’s left hand shot out in a blurring claw even as his right continued to grip the glaive for support. His claws snapped around the fey’s throat like a bear-trap and pulled her face up to his own. “Oh, do shut up.” His own yellow eyes bored into the seela’s crystalline green ones as they bulged dramatically from her head. “This forest will ensure your continued agonizing existence, but I need your skin right now. I won’t lie,” he added calmly, releasing his hold on the glaive and teetering slightly as the seela gasped for enough air to beg, “this is going to hurt even more than your burning. It’s a whole new level of pain. But if you’re quiet, I might be able to work a little quicker.” The devil extended the index finger of his right hand and touched it to the nape of the seela’s neck. He moved it in an upside-down”U”, clenching his fist on her throat to slow her struggles. As blood welled up from his incision, he pinched the area between his cutting with thumb and forefinger. He smiled again, “I lied. I think I’d like to hear you scream.” With that he began to slowly peel back her skin. It tore down nearly five inches before ripping free somewhere above her left breast. Kazyk lifted the flap of skin above his head and opened his mouth, as the seela’s screams were swallowed up by the crackling of the burning trees around her. “One down…” He dropped the slice of skin into his fanged mouth. As he did so, one of the small wounds near his neck began to close up. “…about forty-nine left to go.” As he ate, he pondered what to do with the band he was tracking. “We have what you’re looking for,” the halfling had stated. Clearly, he would have to rally the hounds as it were and fulfill his contract the hard way. If that failed, well, this burning sprite could re-nourish him again.</blockquote>

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