Way of the Wicked (Pathfinder IC)

[Lost Demiurge]

The Cardinal smiles.

"Excellent. Let us make it official. Signing in blood is traditional..."

He brings out a quill, a silver ritual knife, and two copies of a contract written on some sort of unidentifiable leather. Written in dark red ink are flowing words...

THE PACT OF THORNS

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Behold on this day the 18th of Aypril in the eighth age of this world a perpetual Compact is made between Cardinal Adrastus Thorn (hereafter the Master) and those who would be bound to him as his acolytes (hereafter the Bound). Both the Master and the Bound shall hold fast and true to this Compact through all trial and tribulation. By blood and soul the Bound commit to the Compact and swear that it shall never be undone.

The Bound shall know and understand the Four Loyalties.

The First Loyalty is to their patron and god – mighty Asmodeus, first among the fallen, prince of the nine hells, our father below. They shall do all that can be done to further his worship and his glory.

The Second Loyalty is to their master – He who is called the Cardinal Adrastus Thorn, High Priest of Asmodeus in Talingarde. They shall do the Master no harm and obey his every commandment as long as those commandments do not clash with their First Loyalty.

The Third Loyalty is to their companions – the other Bound who serve alongside them. The Bound shall deal with each other fairly and honorably as long as doing so does not clash with their first or second loyalties. All treasure, wealth and reward garnered in their exploits will be equally shared with all of the Bound who aided in its acquisition.

The Fourth Loyalty is to themselves – for Asmodeus is the Lord of Ambition and all who serve him should strive to become great and powerful in his service as long as doing so does not clash with their first, second or third loyalties. By their weakness, ye shall know the
unworthy.

The Bound swear that they cleave to and uphold the Four Loyalties even in the face of death and damnation.

The Master swears that as long as the Four Loyalties are upheld, he shall reward the Bound as they deserve for their deeds.

Thus it is written, and thus it shall be.

We being of sound mind and free will do so swear and let they who violates this Compact know all the wrath of Hell unending.

Signed
____________________________________

"Sign both."

His eyes fall again upon Marthras and Sirin.

"Are your issues resolved, or shall your places fall to my second-choice candidates?"

[Frivolous]

Sirin Starshine


Sirin's frown deepens as the cleric speaks with authority of laws she has never heard of. She raises up one hand, palm outward.

"One moment, your Eminence."

She whispers to her dark god, "Hear me, Lord. If I am to be of continued value to You, I require your speedy legal advice."

Then she waits to see if anything happens over the next three thundering beats of her heart.

OOC

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No idea if Norgorber is gonna send a servant, but if wants to keep Sirin, he should. Otherwise she will sign.

[Lost Demiurge]

Sirin Starshine


Sirin's frown deepens as the cleric speaks with authority of laws she has never heard of. She raises up one hand, palm outward.

"One moment, your Eminence."

She whispers to her dark god, "Hear me, Lord. If I am to be of continued value to You, I require your speedy legal advice."

Then she waits to see if anything happens over the next three thundering beats of her heart.

OOC

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No idea if Norgorber is gonna send a servant, but if wants to keep Sirin, he should. Otherwise she will sign.

Sirin hears only the sound of silence. After a minute, Tiadora laughs quietly, a sound like crystal bells breaking.

[Frivolous]

Sirin Starshine


Sirin's pretty face turns red with humiliation. For the first time, she utterly abandons her genteel upbringing to publicly utter the coarsest of exclamations.

"Well, F***!!"

She gives the sneering Tiadora a poisonously sweet smile in return, then sighs as she lowers her head in defeat.

"It appears I must agree with your assessment of the situation, your Eminence. Yours is indeed the greater power."

She takes a deep shuddering breath, cuts herself a bit with the silver knife near the F rune on her arm, so that any scar will be near the already hideous brand.

She dips the quill in the flowing red blood, half her human mother's and half her elven father's, and kneels so that she may sign Sirin Starshine.

OOC, mostly for Angstrom/Bridget

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Anyone reading this contract who knows anything about theater will probably notice that Sirin looks like her human mother, Melissa Starshine, famous actress and the most beautiful human female of her generation.

And then of course there's the last name. Rovan Starshine is horribly wealthy.

Sirin rises, looking calm and pale. She takes slow deep breaths as she adjusts to her new situation.

[Morbis Meh]

Jodiah grabs the contract in both her tiny hands and holds it up to her lightly wrinkled face. She squints for a moment then holds it out at arm's length then moves it in and out until she abruptly stops. She begins mumbling to herself and stumbles halfway though the agreement which causes her to stop reading entirely. She looks up and eyes the cardinal suspiciously then begins reading again until she gets to the end. She slams down the document then smiles vacantly "No need Thorny dear, I have my own knife." Humming an oddly upbeat tune she pulls out the kitchen knife from prison and carefully slices along her palm. She sets down the knife and picks up the quill and begins to take up the blood pooling at the centre of her hand. Gingerly she presses it down on the paper and scrawls happily along the line in a very erratic scrawl.

[Finkmilkana]

"Well, I don't see any problem signing that, afterall it is far less restrictive and demeaning than swearing allegiance to Mitran and all the corrupt pomp that follows him. "
Marthras takes the knife, makes a swift cut in his left hand and signs with his right.

[Angstrom]

Having witnessed her fellow escapees sign, Bridget feels the pressure to follow suit. Taking the knife from Mathras she makes a small cut on her palm and dips the quill in the blood. She didn't have a choice in signing this, but the terms of the contract would haunt her for some time. Such vagueness. This wasn't a job, this was a life-sentence of service to Hell. Sure Thorn spoke of incentivizing with a comfortable retirement package, but with people like these, such thoughts were pipe-dreams.

Holding the quill in her shaking hand she prepares to sign next to Mathras's name, but her eyes stray over Sirin's signature, specifically her surname. Starshine. That b**** Melissa had a daughter? Interesting.

With this latest twist, she takes a deep breath to calm her nerves and signs in her delicate cursive and passes the contract to the half-orc.

[Starbin]

Rekker watched the others, noting the trepidation with which two of them signed. He grunted as the last woman handed over the contracts and the knife, opening both copies first. He checked to make sure he wasn't signing two different things, then nodded to himself.

Taking the silver knife, he held it for a moment, then cut across his own forearm. Dipping the pen, he signed his name twice, then took the knife and licked it clean. Handing them back to the priest, he waited to see what would happen now. While the others might have concerns, Rekker figured he had little to lose - sure, he had signed into servitude in exchange for his soul.

Didn't everyone sign away a part of themselves, in exchange for what they wanted in life? All this did was make it official ...

[Lost Demiurge]

"Good." Cardinal Thorne accepts the implements back, and picks up the first copy of the contract, examining it briefly then putting it away.

"Your first official command is to stay here for now. There are still guard patrols out looking for you, best to give them time to quiet down. Tiadora will see to your needs."

"Once she feels you are ready, we shall proceed to your next test." Looking back to his desk, he picks up a quill and starts writing on parchment. Clearly this interview is at an end.

Click. Tiadora unlocks the door and opens it once more. She gives the faintest of curtseys, indicating with one arm that you should proceed out. Her sneer is slight, for once.

[Starbin]

Walking out, Rekker gives her a once over, stepping outside the room and moving to the right for the others to follow.

[Lost Demiurge]

Tiadora says not a word, but leads you to the stairway landing. Gathered in the hall below are perhaps twenty individuals, men and women of the various common races, dressed in simple servants clothes. They are kneeling to either Tiadora or all of you, it's hard to tell. Their gazes are firmly glued to the carpet.

Tiadora gestures with innate elegance. "Choose a slave to be your personal servant. They shall be yours alone while you dwell here. Your servant shall tend to all your needs, including those of the flesh if you desire to indulge your lust. If you kill your slave then they shall not be replaced, so do try to restrain yourselves."

YOUR CHOICE

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I leave it up to you guys to describe who you're picking. Figure any of the core races are doable, though humans are the majority of this assemblage.

[Starbin]

Rekker looked appraisingly at the various servants, wondering which one to choose. Having sold his soul, he wondered if he should be completely kinky and take the halfling or gnome and simply ravage them, but something about that didn't really appeal to him. He didn't necessarily engage in cruetly for the simple sake of it, but as a means to an end.

After a few moments, he finally nodded towards one of the human females. She was pretty, with long reddish hair, curvy without being fat - some would call her pleasantly plump, but he prefered to think of her as having 'meat on her bones.' Besides, it didn't matter which one he chose ... the others would assume that his desires were based off of sexual attraction. For a part, sure, but he simply like the shape of her face and didn't take to the idea of a man following him around, waiting on him. Call it sexism, or healthy caution but for some reason he saw her as more harmless than some of the others.

Waiting, he watched to see what the others selected, and wondered what it would say about each of them.

[Morbis Meh]

Jodiah stood for a moment in quiet contemplation, a rare occurrence indeed, she noticed they were all young (not young enough for her liking) but her more primitive urges had died long ago. She desired the exact opposite, she wanted to be useful and motherly to someone. So deciding on a young female halfling with long, rich blonde hair and a young face. She points to her and says "You my dear, come with me and bring a hair brush."

[Frivolous]

Sirin Starshine


Sirin looks surprised as she glances at Tiadora.

Then she smiles in a pleasant and even shy manner as she examines the various slaves on display. Her gaze wanders over the elves and her breathing quickens as she contemplates...something.

Then she deliberately forces her gaze away from the elves and contemplates the dwarves and gnomes instead. Sirin seems uninterested in a human, half-orc, half-elf, halfling, or elf slave.

The half-elf says something in a strange language.

Undercommon translation

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"If any dwarf or gnome can understand me, raise your right hand and step forward."

From those who respond, she picks a male dwarf. If no male dwarf responds, she picks any gnome or female dwarf.

If no dwarf or gnome responds, she says something in a completely different strange language.

Sylvan translation

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"If any dwarf or gnome can understand me, raise your right hand and step forward."

From those who respond, she picks a male dwarf. If no male dwarf responds, she picks any gnome or female dwarf.

If still no dwarf or gnome responds to this, she picks a powerfully built male dwarf.

Whoever she picks, she bids him or her in Common, "Please stand in a corner and wait until I am ready."

Then she says brightly to the other ex-prisoners and to the half-orc.

"So. We escaped! Go us!"

She addresses the half-orc, "Would you like to talk to us, sir? We don't know you well, and you don't know us. It seems wise to get to know each other better. Like a soiree!"

[Starbin]

Rekker glanced at the girl, then to the pool of servants standing nearby, wondering at the woman's choice of words. Don't know me well? How would they know me at all?

Aloud, he grunted back, "Name's Rekker. I've got time to chat, unless the lady needs a one-on-one ..." He glanced at Tiadora before looking back at the others.

[Lost Demiurge]

Two of the dwarven men shuffle forward at Sirin's undercommon request, glance at each other, and await her choice. The chosen one obediently stands in the corner. Rekker and Jodi's choices move up to stand meekly to their sides.

Tiadora glances over to Rekker, and yawns, showing flawless white teeth. Too flawless. "Nothing at this time. I expect that your bodies will need some rest. There is a little business, but it can wait until the morning. Do not leave the house. Do not enter locked rooms. Do not damage the Master's assets. Aside from that, do as you please."

"Do you have any further questions at this time?" She inspects the nails of one hand, clicking them together in idle boredom.

[Morbis Meh]

Jodiah smiles "I have one dearie, where can I find Grumblejack, our ogre associate, I told him that I would visit him after we saw Master Thorny... also how can you stand to wear such tight clothing? Doesn't it chaf you, I know that when you're young you want to show off your figure and all but come on sweety put the fun bags away!"

[Angstrom]

"Thank you very much Tiadora, I shall await the Master's summons in my chamber."

Bridget gestures to an unattractive human woman and walks back to the rooms. The others can chitchat as much as they want, but that bed was calling to her. Maybe in the morning she'll be able to rationalize selling her soul to Hell.

[Frivolous]

Sirin Starshine


Sirin raises her hand like a schoolgirl seeking to address a teacher. When she speaks, her manner and voice are deferential and a bit saccharine.

"Yes, my lady. Does your lovely mansion have a library I can use later? I have much to learn about the Infernal Father, and I suppose I should do some reading first before I seek your wisdom."

Sirin does not mention that this is the first time she had ever heard of Asmodeus. For some reason the clerics of Mitra and of Norgorber completely forgot to mention him.

Sirin also glances at Nana Jodi. She nods minutely and then glances back at Tiadora.

[Finkmilkana]

Marhtras glances over the slaves I don't think I'll be needing a slave right now. A man grows weak if he only commands all his daily work to lesser men and they don't look like they would be usefull in battle or interrogation.

[Lost Demiurge]

Tiadora considers Nana Jodi. "Ah yes, your minion. It is currently asleep in the kitchen, having gorged itself to bursting. Once it wakes it shall be quartered with the servants. Your personal slave can take you to it at any time."

Sirin actually gets the faintest shadow of what could be mistaken in the right light for an approving nod. Maybe. "The library is in the eastern wing. Again, your personal slave can take you to it at any time."

She doesn't respond to Marthras' statement, merely turning and exiting the room. Silently, and taking care not to look at you, the rest of the unchosen servants stand and filter out through the exits, disappearing one by one into the darkened halls.

Briget finds her way back to the room with a few mistaken turns, which her servant quietly corrects. The bed is as soft, warm, and large as it looks.

[Morbis Meh]

Jodiah nods muttering the word floozy as Tiadora walks away, looking at her newest acquisition she gives a dark smile "This way dear, time to retire for the evening..." Allowing the minion to lead the way Jodiah leaves the others to their own machinations.

[Starbin]

Watching the gnome and the pretty woman with the wavy hair walk away, Rekker shrugged to himself. Seemed that no one wanted to talk this evening, so he motioned for the slave to follow him. Once they had passed out of earshot, he leaned over. "Name?"

After she answered, he nodded and gestured to the mansion. "What's the layout? What's available for us?"

[Frivolous]

Sirin Starshine


Sirin curtsies to Tiadora in thanks and acknowledgement, then hurries after the half-orc Rekker before he can get too far.

She leaves behind the male dwarf she had picked, still standing in the corner.

"Hey! Hey, Rekker."

She flashes the burly ugly man a friendly smile. "I'm Sirin. Sirin Starshine."

"So, I wanted to know how and why you were recruited. We can trade stories, if you like, since it appears we'll be working together."

[Starbin]

Pausing, Rekker stopped as the dark-haired girl called to him, turning to look her up and down. At her offer to swap stories, he shrugged slightly and waved for his 'assistant' to move away. "Nothing much to tell. I ran into an old friend and tried to say hi ... guards stopped me before I could break his f*&king neck. Blondie found me before they could arrest me. Guess I would've been with you in prison. Been here, sitting around on my a$$ for awhile - eat, sleep, crap, rinse and repeat."

Seemed likely enough, if a much easier route than Sirin and the others had taken. Glancing back in the direction of the others, he returned his gaze to Sirin. "So ... what got you thrown into the Scar?"

[Frivolous]

Sirin Starshine


Sirin smiles encouragingly at the big ugly guy as he tells an abbreviated tale. She too shrugs.

"Oh, I was accused of plotting the harm or death of a dozen or so of my classmates and teachers at school."

"It was all nonsense. I wasn't even in the same building half the time. They did it all on their own."

"I really want to get my hands on that insane detective and that crooked judge and prosecutor, though. I was shocked to learn they accepted magical evidence. After all, any caster can be bribed to say his spell uncovered this or revealed that."

The black-haired half-elf eyes the half-orc's arm.

"So you don't have the brand? Lucky. My skin was smooth and spotless until then. Not one pimple even."

Then, she suddenly snaps her fingers and asks a strange question.

"By the way, do you use a longsword?"

[Lost Demiurge]

The red-haired servant quietly tells Rekker that her name is "pudgy slave". And that the mansion has three floors. Most of the third floor is locked, as it is the Master's workrooms, private rooms, and storage. The second floor holds the guest rooms, library, study, and solarium. The first floor holds the kitchen, servants' quarters, gymnasium, dining room, greenhouse, and many sundries. She also mentions that Lady Tiadora is having the other staff move Rekker's room next to those of his new teammates, and that she can take him there when he is ready.

She fades back into the background once Rekker starts chatting with Sirin.

[Finkmilkana]

Marthras also silently returns to his chambers to meditate about todays happenings.
While on the outside calm, he still isn't sure how do cope with his turn to the very force he opposed most while still in Mitrans service.
While all he was taught says this is wrong, all his pent-up frustration and hate tells him it is so very, very right.

[Starbin]

Rekker nodded as Sirin told her story, glancing at her arm as he remembered how she had cut herself there for the signing. "No brand yet." When she snapped her finger and asked about the longsword, he shrugged. "Yeah, sure. Why? You planning on offing someone here?"

[Frivolous]

Rekker nodded as Sirin told her story, glancing at her arm as he remembered how she had cut herself there for the signing. "No brand yet." When she snapped her finger and asked about the longsword, he shrugged. "Yeah, sure. Why? You planning on offing someone here?"

Sirin Starshine

Sirin giggles like a schoolgirl and innocuously says, "Oh, we picked up this real nice longsword from the sergeant of Brandescar. He retired from service and won't be needing it anymore. Masterwork, very expensive."

"If you want it, you should talk to Marthras, Bridget, Nana Jodi and me. As per the contract we all signed, all rewards go equally to those who took part in earning them."

She shakes her head ruefully and sighs wistfully, eying Rekker's brandless arms. Then she stares thoughtfully at the woman who called herself 'pudgy slave'.

"I really should go. I'm sure you have, um, things of your own to do."

"Thanks for your time."

OOC

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Ending the post here just in case Rekker has something further to say to Sirin before she goes to do her own thing.