As Ya'shenn psionically explores the torture chambers, the others may notice that her face (once more) turns a startlingly vivid shade of green. Rather like it had when Ii'Jyka'Vaar had put down Lavendar, actually, or when the cannibalistic ghaik had devoured another illithid's living brain with a spoon. At least she doesn't throw up this time.
After taking several moments to collect herself, the psion speaks as dispassionately as she can manage, looking at K'tch directly as she does so. "Our three siblings are alive, though Ha'kan'a is sorely wounded. In fact, they have overpowered the guards and ghaik here. Most likely, we can simply knock..."
Concentrating once more, she sends to Sark'ja: ~We are happy to find the three of you alive, and with the Enemy defeated. We are just outside these chambers. In truth, Ya'shenn is busy actively suppressing a great deal of loathing and disgust, not even directed at these three githyanki in particular, but at the vile aura of places such as this, and the act of torture itself. She's perfectly well aware that the extended physical torment of a ghaik would normally be considered laudable.
Unless one of the others outside objects, the psion tests to see whether their three siblings have been able to unlock the sturdy doors just yet. Should they remain locked, she knocks. Politely.
[Missive to Sark'ja.]
Game: Blades of Git'riban : Primal State
Gy-Nath politely refuses Kirath's healing, though a single look from him convinces K'tch to accept wordlessly. Kirath notices the young bard's demeanor changes like the weather. When they first met, K'tch seemed to be on top of the world, but being bested in swordplay by a graith, he became morose. Whatever happened on the far side of the gazeebo with Gy-Nath, it seems to have changed his mood again, for he seems now quiet but alert, watching their surroundings for signs of danger. There is plenty of it to go around, for in their travels through the gardens, each githyanki was obliged to kill at least one venomous snake before it could strike either themselves or another. Indeed, here outside the slave quarters the serpents seem more aggressive, as though they act as guardians.
*****
Recieving Ya'shenn's missive, Sark'ja goes herself to open the door to the gardens, taking with her as many key rings as she can find ....
[Is Ya'shenn still viewing? If so, where?]
[Edit: It'd make more sense to have her continue to view the room Kitiir et al are in, actually, but it's up to you, since that's not what I originally posted.]
[Edit: It'd make more sense to have her continue to view the room Kitiir et al are in, actually, but it's up to you, since that's not what I originally posted.]
[You have an excellent point. Apologies to Kitiir when he gets his face eaten off...Go for the earlier option, her 'view' will stay with Sark'ja.]
....
['K]
Once Sark'ja leaves, Kitiir turns back to the illithid on the rack. "Now, ghaik, the time is getting short. I promised what moments remain in your abominable existance would be filled with pain, and I keep my promises." She puts down the red-hot poker that she'd been burning the illithid with, and ratchets the rack two clicks tighter. Ya'shenn notices that the Git'ribani have used a scavenged belt to sinch the illithid's tenticles together, muffling its screams. There is also a very large bruise on the the illithid's forehead, with a lump large enough to partially close one eye. Evidently, this is how they managed to subdue the monster without killing it outright.
"I have to say, your ability to take pain without going into shock and dying is impressive. Of course, that's just what's going to happen eventually. I kind of hope I have to resort to ripping you in half in the end, but there are a few other things I mean to try before that." Kitiir takes out a dagger (scavenged from the guards, for it is of yuan-ti make) and starts cutting all the toes off the illithid's foot. The aberation struggles, straining the ropes and mechanisms of the rack ..........
[Didn't we just agree that Ya'shenn's 'view' stays with Sark'ja, not the torture chamber? 
]
gaa, simultaneous posts (or nearly so, shows you how long I edit)
[You're quite right, though; Ya'shenn wouldn't keep her clairvoyance on for that. ]
Sark'ja cautiously makes her way into the adjoining chambers looking for the garden door. Ya'shenn has to send another missive to guide her to the right door. There is then a couple of minutes of trying keys before the right ones are found.
"Took you long enough, Nath. Hunt well?" is her greeting when the door opens. She looks at the group with piercing eyes, and gives no acknowledgement to any others, except K'tch. The bard she gives a sneer, poking at the rends in his leathers from his fight. "Trip over a shiv, sho-dai?"
"I get by ..."
"Heh. Thanks for saving this berk's arse from his own enthusiasm, Nath. Not enough he wants to be the one who stirs up the stirges' nest, but he's gotta give his blood up too." She chides, then punches K'tch in the shoulder, hard enough to make him catch his balance. "Leave the cutting to the cutters, musician. You're awful cute, and I don't want to see you bled out quite yet. I hope your friends can keep you whole until you learn to use a blade."
Sar'ja's smiles quickly fades as she surveys the outside. "Lady's Wrath! What in the worlds is happening out here?" She sees the billowing smoke from the south end of the gardens, "What did you bashers DO?"
She gives the party an ammused grin.
(she's been down in the dungeon where she can't hear the explosions.)
Sar'ja's smiles quickly
fades as she surveys the outside. "Lady's Wrath!
What in the worlds is happening out here?" She sees the billowing
smoke from the south end of the gardens, "What did
you bashers DO?"
“We had a little picnic trip in the field, sister.” Du’minh follows Sark’ja’s gaze to the horizon behind them. “Seafood and snake meat for the whole family.”
He passes into the torture chambers to take a quick look around, greeting the two other survivors upon finding them.
“Sorry to cut short the fun you cutters are having, but we have to evacuate before this place is burned down to its foundation. Bomber brigs should be only a few minutes away.”
Catching sight of Ha’kan’a’s leg, Du’minh walks over to offer support when they withdraw.
“We met up with the commander in charge of this strike. He should be able to help you out with that little flesh wound you got.” The Rish downplays the maiming injury to bolster Ha’kan’a’s spirit, then takes a brief look at the tortured illithid.
“Did it tell you anything useful we didn’t already know? Or is this all fun and games?”
"The games should finish soon.. as the bombing will quickly commence..." Ii'Jyka says whith a serious face, as she is not in to fun and games when it comes to her military thinking logic.
"Let us regroup and start moving now so we can finish this excursion of..." and with that she turns to watch everyone and see what will happen..
Beyond is another chamber, similar but lacking the side-cells and containing a wider variety of torture equipment. There is another abused slave here, confined in a hanging cage far too small for even her emaciated frame.
Ya'shenn's demeanor is noticeably changed once the group enters the series of torture chambers. She manages to walk by the first few suffering graith without comment, but it is plain that the psion is becoming more and more uncomfortable. Such places as this might understandably make a telepath and psi-healer sick to her stomach, though.
She pauses next to one of the slaves. "Sister," she suggests, "if you could spare a few of those key rings...?" The psion had been markedly indifferent to the fate of the human graith earlier; the others might find it odd that she should show any compassion for a barbarian now. Doubly so, for a member of her Order. There is also the fact that these graith are so far gone that many might well lack either the physical strength or remaining strength of will to leave the palace on their own.
Ii'Jyka watches Ya'shenn with interest and when she shows the "compassion" towards the graith she frouwns puzzledly at her.. but keeps her thoughts to herself, instead, she askes: "Sister, do u wish to bring these Graith with us, or put them out of their misery if they cannot?"
Kirath takes in the scene of the dungeon and a look of disgust and pity flashes across his face,. It is quickly by a stony expression of indifference to the suffering of the barbarians. To Yashenn hes says "Whatever you intend to do with these pitiful wretches better be quick." "I have arranged for some skiffs to pick us up to escape all the fire and brimstone"
"One or the other, I suppose -- or simply release them," Ya'shenn agrees, as she examines both the lock and the slave's injuries, trying to assess whether this one would even be able to walk. "They are enemies of our Enemy, are they not? If they were not before, they must surely be now, after being brought to this place." Ya'shenn reasons that while some of them may actually be here for somehow annoying one of the illithids, the ghaik are often inclined to sadism -- not least because they mentally associate inflicted pain with food -- and would probably have visited here often in any case. It is also possible that Ha'kan'a, at least, may have been tortured already. "Accordingly, I would like for them to have a chance, at least." She also knows that appeals to ideas relating to mercy or compassion are unlikely to go over well (especially with a knight), though deep concern for the welfare of graith isn't her strongest motivation, exactly.
Silently Ar'dru also takes a key ring and opens a number of cells. He offers no other assistance to the captives beyond this and no further explanation for his actions, assuming his companions would already understand.
That done he examines the illithid for signs of life.
"Those who cannot, I will put to the blade, and now lets get to work.." with that she begins to open cells, and boot those who stir into action, those who do not seem to react she quickly, and without thought of any remorse, lets them be taken by the swords hunger...
[Pausing to open cells in the first two chambers precludes any action concerning Kadiir and the illithid. Anyone who posted an interaction in the main chamber should edit their post ... Or DM can just ignore.]
Na does not react to the prisoners' relese either way, and she doesn't assist in opening doors (the keyrings are probably finite too). Her attention is directed alternately between the unlocked door, the direction of the ghaik, and the ragtag gith that seem to have come along with the other warband. Na is ready to act, teleporting into melee with any sign of serious trouble.
Yashenn, Ar'dru, and I'jyka'vaar both begin opening doors, but what they do with the occupants they find could not be more different. Some of the prisoners are weak, long-tortured wretches kept for the ammusemet of their overlords. Those that cannot move meet either Y'shenn's sigh, Ar'du's back or Ii'jyka'vaar's blade. There are also several healthy slaves, seemingly plucked just a day or two before from the fields, pleasure houses, and stables of Hlondeth.
The healthy slaves were all kept in a block together, as if being readied for transport and sale. Indeed, each slave, normally tatood by thier respective masters, has had their ownership marks (found either on the shoulder, neck, or buttock) obscured or burned away with a branding iron to avoid confusion. There are fifteen of these.
[Ya'shenn , Ii , and Ar sense motive - DC 12 = realize most of these are essentially still cowed by their yuan-ti masters DC 15 = some will likely go directly looking for the guard once freed]
[Sense Motive below.]
[edit: With a natural 19, I wonder if she can tell which slaves are the most likely to be problematic?]
He passes into the torture chambers to take a quick look around, greeting the two other survivors upon finding them.
“Sorry to cut short the fun you cutters are having, but we have to evacuate before this place is burned down to its foundation. Bomber brigs should be only a few minutes away.”
“Did it tell you anything useful we didn’t already know? Or is this all fun and games?”
[assuming Du could have asked this of Sark'ja as they walked back to the main chamber.]
"Nah, the piker is smart enough to know it's good as written no matter what. Tried to bit-and-piece us at first, when it thought it could play for a chance to get away, but we stopped that nonsense right quick when we threw it on the rack. Now it knows its a gonner, so it won't tell us what archways the portal manifests at, like we could've trusted it in the first place."
Du'minh, Gy-Nath, Kirath, and Na'rai continue onward with Sark'ja, neither helping nor hindeing their companions with keys. When they reach the main chamber, the githyanki find Kitiir on the floor in front of the illithid. The monster has managed to free one arm, and with it its tenticles from the bindings, but is not yet fully free from the rack.
[Sense Motive below.]
[edit: With a natural 19, I wonder if she can tell which slaves are the most likely to be problematic?]
[In fact Ya'shenn needs only free {roll below} before she realizes what's likely to happen]
[edit: nice. A pleasure slave and a cook, both very well-fed, even pampered. They don't say anything, but Ya'shenn can tell, these two will return to their masters.]
[Good DM says since Ya'shenn was the first to start opening cells, these two are the first ones of the 'sold' slaves freed.]
"Fools," Ya'shenn hisses in old, obsolete Githyanki. Her hand tightly squeezes the key ring, as if she -- or rather, a githyanki with rather more physical strength than the psion possesses -- were strangling some barbarian's throat. An expression of anger, followed by disappointment, flashes across her features. Calming herself, she explains to the others in (more modern) Githyanki: "Most of these healthy ones are willing slaves. The thrall mentality is strong with them. If we release them, most will seek out their masters once more. As much as I dislike it... it is wisest to leave them where they are." At least this realization seems, to the others, to have put the psion into a mental state more typical for her.
She could simply reach into their minds and force them to heed her wishes, but she does not really want to expend such resources on a graith -- and it would rather defeat the point, in any case. Attempting to manipulate them short of psionics might help, but the group is pressed for time, and there is Ha'kan'a to consider.
She closes her eyes for a moment before opening them again. "Githees... if you would like to take care of these two..."
[If there are any slaves that Ya'shenn is certain genuinely want to be free, she may decide to release them. Are there?]
When they reach the main chamber, the githyanki find
Kitiir on the floor in front of the illithid. The monster has managed to free
one arm, and with it its tenticles from the bindings, but is not yet fully free
from the rack.
Du’minh’s eyes widen in alarm and he rushes the mind flayer, giving it not the slightest chance to enact further folly. His flail comes down mercilessly on its midsection which likely is near-breaking point due to the rack, knowing that being restrained and stretched in this manner is no insurance if the illithid gets a moment to gather its wits.
“Amiss!” he shouts out in githyanki tongue, calling the attention of those who stayed in the former chambers.
OOC
Can Du tell if Kitiir has been decerebrated or has other visible wounds? Is there any sight of Ha’kan’a?
[If there are any slaves that Ya'shenn is certain genuinely want to be free, she may decide to release them. Are there?]
[There are some of the weak, tortured individuals who still have the strength to flee, so they do. Some of the healthy slaves might too, but without probing them there's no way to tell. In general, the healthy slaves are still loyal, since they don't understand that thei masters sold them for illithid chow.]
Anyone who gets close, such as Du'minh since he's attacking, must make a DC 17 will save vs. Mind Blast. ]
Will save
Rolls. Post edited momentarily
OOC: First roll is will save. Hit post by mistake before I entered the modifier.
Na laughs of the Ghaik's feeble mental attack, and rushes headlong at the still-prone and relatively defenseless mind flayer. Nevertheless, she keeps a safe distance with he polearm.
"I have come to expect better from your kind, Ghaik."
Her strike is clumsy, but the immoblized ilthilid is still struck by her polarm, which glows with hate. This more than compensates for a clumsy hit.
OOC: I apoligize for gussing a bit more than usual here. Also, by the MM, a mind flayer has 44 hp. I just did 45 LOL. I love BoGr
Expending psionic focus (assuming I regain focus between battles) for bonus damage (sorry about all those dice, use the first. Assuming I am charging (which I didn't include, I do hit. If not I'll edit. I'd like to use the next dice (in order) as AoOs if you have no bjections.
.........
[Sort of waiting for Battledancer, as Kirath also is in the main chamber.]
[To Zim: Ya'shenn with that sense motive roll, coluld do a quick personality profile of each slave, but it would involve her questioning each one. She can probably find a few who might take a chance to flee Hlondeth in the coming chaos, like the healthy, strong, but also overworked fieldworkers....]
As Du'minh strips forward with Arbiter, the illithid looks at him with angry eyes, and he feels as if he just ran into a stone pillar. Na'rai fares better, and advances on the illithid with intent to slay ...
Sark'ja hangs back as Du'minh and Kitiir attack. She shouts in protest, "Shiv-happies! We got a brace of us now, spread out an re-snag the sucker!"
Gy-Nath moves around the back of a pillar to flank the creature on the rack.
[Na'rai's init roll is high enough, if she chooses subdual damage with the blunt end of her polearm she can.]
[I'm assuming here that Du'minh yelled "Amiss!" before getting mind blasted.]
Ya'shenn's eyes widen, not entirely unlike those of the Rish-i-Chal in the other chamber. She looks toward the main torture chamber with a deepening frown, quickly realizing -- in general terms -- what must be going on in there. The psion switches the key ring to her off-hand and draws the graith-forged longsword, using it to indicate what she wants -- that these two slaves should return to their block immediately.
The psion speaks brusquely in Common. "You two. In."
[Readied action: If either of these two slaves are inclined to make any sort of trouble, cut down the first one who does.]
[Oh, sure, but perhaps waiting until after the mind flayer has been dealt with would be a good idea. 
]
OOC: Na will put the Ghaik out then. What about all the bonus damage, though? I can't see how psionic weapon or bane for that matter is possibly nonlethal :/ 
Just bringing it up. It would be ideal to capture the ghaik. On the other hand, Na probably has some objections given her thoroughness.
OOC: Na will put the Ghaik out then. What about all the bonus damage, though? I can't see how psionic weapon or bane for that matter is possibly nonlethal :/ Just bringing it up. It would be ideal to capture the ghaik. On the other hand, Na probably has some objections given her thoroughness.
OOC:If Na doesn't get bonus damage, by not stabbing, she'd kill the ghaik (though 22 points of nonlethal is probably overkill, but she doesn't know that)
Na registers Sark'ja's comment as her attack is already underway. Not having time to figure out Sark'ja's cant (whcih she is unfamiliar with) she continues her attack, concluding that there is no time to interrogate the mind flayer, and therefore no reason to keep it alive, though her momentary hesitation makes it nescesary to correct the course of the weapon.
She turns a masked head towards Sark'ja, observing whit is presumably an angry reaction.
"In the future, sister, it would be best to use battle-speech. While the intent of your of your words is quite clear now, I am unfamiliar with Sigilian speech. I apologize."
Kirath starts to unleash his eldritch blast but seeing as the Rish-I-Chal and the formidable Na'Rai has made his involvent in the skirmish moot. Kirath turn's his attention to the rest of the group . He walks quickly to the crippled Hak'a'na's leg and burn's a a few charges from his his healing wand to stop the bleeding. He then turn's to the gathered githyanki"Tick-tock mates our time is running out"
(OOC ignore the d9's )
Sark'ja does not even reply to Na'rai, but she does look angry and her left eye twiches. She immediately goes, instead, to aid Kitiir and make sure she did not come in physical contact with the ghaik.
Ha'kan'a is still passed out, and extremely pale. Kirath notices where the rest of the young gith's leg lies. Cut off at the knee it lies over by a pillar, the skin black and tissues swollen, with two pin-pricks high on the heel. The offending serpent also still lies nearby, chopped in half. It is a very small snake, with bright orange lines making diamond patterns down its back. K'tch retrieves the snake's head and places it in a small pouch, actually dumping out the dozen or so coins that had occupied it. When he notices Kirath noticing he shrugs and simles, "I know some gith who might be interested."
The illithid is dead, run through by Na'rai, it flops around for a few moments, but soon ceases all movement.
[edit: it's Ha'kan'a not Hak'a'na (Ha-KAN-ah, not HAK-a-NA) 
Once the excessively content-with-their-lot slaves are locked in, Ya'shenn makes her way to the main torture chamber with blade drawn. Repressing her loathing of places like this, she checks on Kitiir and Du'minh, and thoroughly examines Ha'kana, feeling embarrassed about the state of the first two of her siblings in particular. At least the ghaik is now a former mind flayer. Once she realizes that Ha'kan'a has been snake-bitten, she attempts to determine whether or not the venom has progressed beyond his leg -- and makes a mental note to take even greater pains to avoid the nasty pet snakes that the yuan-ti keep.
As she does so, the psion silently meditates on her error. Obviously even a thoroughly tortured ghaik is still a ghaik.
[Does Ha'kan'a appear to be still poisoned? Is it possible, or even advisable, to awaken him?]
The Githyanki, their job done and the illithid's head collected, prepare to leave. Kirath's skiffs will meet them back at the garden door, and they must d-door into them. Du'minh, Kitiir, and Ha'kan'a must all be carried, and in Du'minh's case Ar'dru and Ii'jyka'vaar need to work together due to his heavy armor. Sark'ja and K'tch take Kitiir, who wears a medium armor of leather with bracers. Ha'kan'a is woken up, and in a couple of minutes he can move with the aid of one other while leaning on his greatsword [party choice].
[unless Ya'shenn decides to open all the cells and let some of the healthy slaves go running for their masters, there will not be any more opposition, at least untill evacuation time, but the PCs have a few minutes if they want to do something, scavenge, or whatever]
If time allows, Ya'shenn questions the healthy slaves and releases those that she feels certain do not wish to serve the yuan-ti (much less the illithid) any longer. She assists with Ha'kan'a and the mind-blasted githwarriors as needed.
[If she feels any uncertainty about a particular slave, she won't release that one. The party doesn't need any more battles at the moment.]
Ya'shenn has time to release four slaves ... and reject six (in additon to the two from before) ... before it
is time to go. As for the rest, it may be that here in the dungeons,
they will survive the coming armagedon, but if so it is unlikely their
masters will return to care for and feed them anytime soon.
ooc: will post hopefully tomorrow afternoon, when my own connection is back up and running..
Ar'dru tosses his keys into one of the occupied cells as he helps carry Du'minh from the chamber and leaves without looking back.
Glancing at Ha'kan'as leg he comments "I have a friend in Sigil who may be able to help you with that wound cousin."
Ii'Jyka silently kills all the weaker ones who cant even get themselves up (etc.), without it becomming a slaughter, just simple summary executions.. she does keep an eye out for Ya'shenn's weakened state of mind, but says nothing atm.
The Githyanki, their job done and the illithid's head collected, prepare to leave. Kirath's skiffs will meet them back at the garden door, and they must d-door into them. Du'minh, Kitiir, and Ha'kan'a must all be carried, and in Du'minh's case Ar'dru and Ii'jyka'vaar need to work together due to his heavy armor. Sark'ja and K'tch take Kitiir, who wears a medium armor of leather with bracers. Ha'kan'a is woken up, and in a couple of minutes he can move with the aid of one other while leaning on his greatsword [party choice].
[Any takers on who is going to aid Ha'kan'a? It may be important plot-wise, and Gy-Nath will not. He is a young githyanki with a greatsword that is too large for him. He wears leathers like the other Git'ribani, so even Ya'shenn could help him It would be much more interesting plot-wise for it to be Kirath or Na'rai though . . .]
[Evil DM says as the illithid was so frantic, its final mind-blasts are maxed out. Du'minh's Mind-jem allows him a second savings throw to wake up quickly, otherwise he's out along with Kitiir, who will still be too woozy to talk by the time the party leaves. If Du fails save#2, only a combination of Ar'dru and Ii'jyka'vaar can carry him.]
ooc: If none will assist Ha'kan'a, then Ii'Jyka will lend a hand, but she will make a sour face from here till Tokyo..
While waiting for Ya'shenn to remotely view behind the door with her psionic powers Kirath notices for the first time the bard and the Kith'rak are wounded. Sighing inwardly he once again brandishes one of his healing wands and whispers the command word several times.
After finished healing the two gith he sends a message via his mindlink to one of the skiff commanders. "Bring enough skiffs in 15 minutes to evacuate myself, Na'rai, and perhaps 10-12 other brothers and sisters."