Empire's Last Stand - IC

[DM_Letholdus]

It was a hot day on the middle continent. A balmy and humid 97 degrees. The sweat pours off the condemned man. Less than twenty four hours now and he was to be beheaded. He sat rather quitely with a calm grin upon his face. Then in walks a tall blond haired man with piercing blue eyes. He throws a magical bag at the condemned man's feet and says gruffly, "Open it. Get dressed. You are coming with me." Then he chants a few words and reaches out to touch the forehead of the condemned man, a purple-silver glyph raises out of his forehead and fades away.

Inside the bag is a set of mithril breastplate that you recognize as your own, and the rest of the few belongings you had when you got captured. IE a spellbook and a scroll case filled with [roll0] scrolls. The case is magically locked however if you try to open it.

[Maugan Ra]

Harkon raises an eyebrow, but obeys none the less, donning the clothing and armour with practiced ease.

"Well, this is something of a surprise." he says smoothly, tightening the last few straps on his armour. "Unless my execution has been converted to death in the arena, I cannot see much reason to give a condemned man such treasures."

Spellcraft roll to identify what he just cast on me. I suspect it's a Mark of Justice or something, but might as well check:

[roll0]

[DM_Letholdus]

"Much to my chagrin, the emperor's oracles have something else planned for you. Now get moving." he motions towards the door where two more guards are standing with manacles.

[Maugan Ra]

"Oh? Should be interesting." The captive says with a small smile, willingly extending his arms so the other guards can secure them with manacles. "'To your chagrin'... I take it what I did personally offends you, then? They do say a man can be measured by his enemies, but I'm afraid I do not know your name, sir."

[DM_Letholdus]

"My name is unimportant. What is important is that you make up for your crimes against the Empire. You killed good men, some of them my friends." he shoves you out the door as the two guards take up their positions in front of you as you walk down the corridor. The blue eyed man follows close at hand, hand near his blade's hilt, just in case you try something.

[Maugan Ra]

Harkon debates the merits of prodding the man some more - there are so many ways he could antagonize or insult him - but eventually he decides to just remain silent for the rest of the trip. Wouldn't want to tempt him into using that sword just yet, after all...

[DM_Letholdus]

The little procession takes you into a judicial chamber; it is scantly decorated and high, thin glass windows circle the room. A matronly looking woman sits in the judge's pulpit. She waits for you to come to a stop as you approach the bench. She clears her throat and begins to speak, "The prisoner known as Harkon, step forward." She waits for you to respond as the blue eyed man shoves you roughly towards the judge. "For your crimes against the empire, including slaying the heir apparent, seven imperial guards and three imperial steads, you were found guilty and to be beheaded at noon tomorrow. We have determined it is in our best interest to keep you alive, and see if we cannot use you to find whoever it was that hired you. Through magical means it was determined that you were approached by a man through a sending spell, and contracted to kill the Emperor's son. We have determined this man is the same man that contacted the paladin of the court that brought you here today asking for a large ransom. I am rescinding your execution and releasing you into his care. A powerful spell has been put upon you linking the life forces of not you to him. If you stray from him by more than a mile or two, you will become seriously ill and hardly be able to move. The rest of your equipment has been taken and is to be auctioned off to raise funds for the family of the men you killed." She pauses and glares at you. "If there is anything you would like to say, speak now."

[Maugan Ra]

Harkon is silent for a long moment, considering the offer, before smiling thinly.

"An unusual contract. Find, and then deal with a mysterious shadowy figure, while remaining near to Sir Morally Offended over here. And in exchange, I get to live. Hmm."

He looks over at the paladin, emerald green eyes assessing. "I take it there's some kind of clause built into that spell that will make it unfortunate for me if you should suffer an untimely demise?" He asks mildly.

[DM_Letholdus]

"Your blood will boil and your bones turn to ichor." he says grimly, staring you straight in the eyes. He blinks and continues to stare at you, getting kind of unnerved by the way his piercing blue eyes dig into you. A few moments pass before he speaks again, "Now, I trust you won't try to escape again, is that right? Cuz the blood and the ichor thing sort of applies if you stray too far from me as well..." he says with an ever so slight grin. The two other guards unlock your manacles and tentatively step back, waiting to see what you will do. The judge slams her gavel and hollers, "Court dismissed!" She gets up and exits back into her chambers.

[Maugan Ra]

"My my, how very ruthless." Harkon says quietly, carefully rubbing his hands where the cuffs once were. "I think I've seen this sort of thing before. Let me think... a contract between someone with all the power and someone without other recourse. Terms that most assuredly favour one over the other. And all of it enforced by a threat of inescapable agony and death."

One hand rises to his breastplate, and an extended finger taps lightly on a small rune inscribed there, over his heart - the inverted pentagram, symbol of the Nine Hells. Harkon smiles, the expression radiating seemingly-genuine amusement.

"I approve. So, lead on, oh noble paladin. Do not worry - your tame murderer shall be right behind you."

[DM_Letholdus]

The paladin chuckles as you make your gesture, the spell activating it's "behavior monitoring" feature. You feel an intense pain in your skull as the glyph brightens then fades away just as quickly. You fall to your knees as the pain washes over you, then the other two guards pick you up and carry you back out towards the cells. "We forgot to mention the other part of the spell... Entertain less than favorable thoughts and the spell... Well, you felt it." He offers you some water. "The spell only zaps you if you think about it for more than a few moments, so whatever you were thinking... Try not to."

[Maugan Ra]

"Remove it."

With an effort of will, Harkon forces himself back to his feet, raw strength rendering the best efforts of the guards useless at holding him. He glares at the paladin, and where up until this point his eyes have held only mockery and amusement, now they are filled with an icy cold rage.

"That aspect of the spell. Remove it." He says again, every word ringing with deadly threat. "You would seek to bind me to your purpose with pain and threat of death? Fine. But do not take my Faith from me, for I would suffer an eternity of torment before I relinquish it."

He flexes one hand, and smalls arcs of raw magical power leap between his fingers. "You do not want to see what happens if you deny me this, paladin."

[DM_Letholdus]

The paladin purses his lips then sucks his teeth. "It will have to wait until tomorrow then. I do not have the spell required to disperse the magical effect currently."

[Maugan Ra]

"Acceptable."

And, as though a switch has been thrown, suddenly Harkon is smiling and casual again, back to enjoying the novel situation he finds himself in. "So. What's the first step? Do you have any leads, or are we planning to just wander around the country looking for mysterious individuals in dark cloaks?"

[DM_Letholdus]

You make your way to a guard house where you are shackled to a bed and given a decent meal and some grog. The paladin stays in his private room leaving you in the common room with various other guards. The morning comes and the paladin wakes you. "I have the spell of dispelling readied. Would you like me to use it now? ... You aren't going to try anything are you, Harkon?"

[Maugan Ra]

"You wound me, sir." Harkon says, though a faint smile indicates he does not feel any true insult. "To attempt escape now would just be foolish. I might not know the exact specifics, but I am quite sure there are a remarkably large number of soldiers nearby with very personal reasons to want my head on a pike, not to mention your good self."