A surprisingly clean and neatly written journal, apparantly it was written by the former inhabitant of the Torture Chamber below Hraldon Refuge. Thumbing through the pages speak of horrific means of torture and executions, carried out by the journal’s owner. A few entries stand out in particular.
Entry #1
Abborgardian Year (AgY) 604, 5th of the Claw of Winter:
Arrived at this place, called “Hraldon Refuge”, or so they said in Cyndarr, this looks more like a prison. Which is why they got me here, I reckon. Had my first day of work today; an old Half-Orc, apparently the one who had this job before me. Someone upstairs caught, from what I know, he spoke a little more than he should about some high ranking mage. Good to know, I’ll keep quiet like a wall.
Brought my own hood and mask, the one he left smelled of something foul, no need to keep it around. The man was already weak when I got to him, no fight left, for a savage like him, that’s impressive. By the sight of his ribs, the mages had probably starved him for at least a weak. Others would have passed out by now, but Half-Orcs are tough fuckers. The message from the mages, a puffy robed Gnome, but certainly one with a strong grasp on magic, said that the Half-Orc must die. But slow, and without being discovered by other mages. Apparently, the Gnome was hoping to find out, who the Half-Orc had gotten information from. i looked at him through the hood, chained up, his hands and legs limp already. In his state, I wouldn’t be able to get much out of him, he wouldn’t last long, a few days at most.
I started with his thumbs, a large mallet for his right hand thumb, a sharpened bone-scissor for the other. He barely even flinched, what I wouldn’t have given to get to him, while he was at his primal strength. He tried to get eye-contact, though he should know, that to be impossible. There were no pleas for mercy, no sign of him telling anything. Oh well, I was just told to kill him slowly, I wasn’t directly told to obtain anything from him. I got up in the middle of the night. He was sleeping, or unconscious, I slit his throat slowly. He woke for a second, gurgled, and finally joined ranks with his ancestors. Or something. He bled quite a lot, I should consider getting a tray with some tight-sitting grating installed here, make it easier to clean from time to time.
Entry #2
AgY 604, 7th of the Claw of Winter:
Spoke with the Gnome again, showed him the body. I had sealed up the throat-wound so it didn’t look fatal. Seing a Gnome angry is rather hilarious, a flame erupted shortly from his hand, was he trying to threaten me? Mistake on him if he were. I was told to get rid of the body, but the mages had had a recent attempt at poisoning. With their pantry being down here as well, there’s a lot of them coming and going. Can’t move a body out like that.
I’ll chop the body up, burn the flesh and blood off, and put the bones in the large cabinet. There should be plenty of room. I hope the smell of burning flesh won’t attract any of the mages or the guards they have hired in the barracks above. Should I have a taste? It’s cooked after all. Maybe just a little bite. Kept the tongue and sealed it in a jar.
Entry #30
AgY 604, 30th of the Drawing Down:
I was tasked with a public execution. Not something I normally do, I work best without eyes gawking at my work. A prisoner, apparently a rogue mage from the east, had been captured. I had to prepare the female Half-Elf for the pyre, a common punishment for witches. Two heavy-armoured hirelings with halberds, poked her forward, her tattered robe was clotted up with blood from the stab wounds, not enough to kill, but just piercing the skin, the guards kept their distance. Straight behind them, one of those hulking golems, that the mages enjoy to make. It could barely fit in the barracks, having troubles with getting through the door.
The Half-Elf woman was pretty, her green eyes had a wild shimmer to them, oft hidden behind the locks of her raven-coloured hair. The guards left, as I took over. Free to do my bidding. They had gagged her with a tightly locked leather strap, that was starting to gnaw into her cheeks. Her eyes followed me as I circled her, even here, in my lair, she had rage, anger, contempt in her eyes, I knew she would try and attack me, where I to release her shackles, or her gag. As I pulled forth my curved dagger, she began squirming, trying to wiggle out of my reach. I could feel her pulse racing as I grabbed her by the throat, it was enticing. I told her to hold still, unless she wanted to get cut in the face. It took some gasping moments for her to understand that I was planning to cut her gag off. I released her throat, my fingers left red marks on her pale skin, and reached into a bag. I slided the dagger very slowly, and slower than I needed to, up along her throat, letting her feel the cold steel on her skin. She gasped, but managed to hold her composure. The point of my dagger made contact with the leather strap of the gag, slowly I began to cut the leather, it was sturdier than expected, which only made it so much better for me. She was shaking, scared, feeling the blunt side of my dagger against her cheek. She didn’t notice that I placed my other hand, now fitted with a Sea-stone ring, on her one arm.
A short, dry snap, as the leather strap was cut over. And as expected, she spat the gag out at me, and began to shout and yell incantations at me. It took her a while before she realised; her spells had no effect. Oh the hopeless struggle of the people I am given. I didn’t explain what I had done to her magic. She didn’t ask. I had been studying her closely, too closely… With my dagger at her throat, I took her body for my pleasure, I had not had such a rush since I took the old Half-Orc’s life almost a year ago. This finally broke her, she didn’t even scream anymore, just a blank, soul-less stare. Cutting her tongue out was almost too easy, but the effect of the Sea-stone was fading. I branded each of her cheeks, as was requested; the mark of treason. She might physically have died on that pyre, but she was dead inside before any flame struck her.
Entry #65
AgY 605, 22nd of Highsun
The guards are confused, they speak about that the Abborgardian Empire have crumpled. Some mages had apparently tried to take power of Abhelm, with some magic conduits overcharging or something along those lines. And this happened about a week ago, given the distance from Abhelm to Cyndarr. I am not sure what this means, the guards talk about deserting, some of them already have. There are voices I can no longer hear, and the guards haven’t had their scheduled shift today.
As I went up to investigate, I heard the voice of the puffy Gnome. I hurried back to my chamber, and pretended to be cleaning some of my tools, when a sharp single knock, presumeably by the Gnome’s staff, was followed by the door being opened. It was never locked, no-one would leave unless they were meant to. The Gnome started a tiring tirade about loyalty, employment, my silence and such. I pretended to not know, which seemed to calm him significantly. The last thing he said before leaving was “Be ready, you may have a lot of work in the coming time…”
Entry #77
AgY 605, 6th of the Fading
The Gnome was right, of course. I had several mages that needed the treason branding, a couple of fingers were clipped, some toes as well, but I refrained from taking tongues, tempting as it was. The Gnome seems pleased that I’m following orders.
At least half of the guards are now gone, whether they ran, or were killed, I don’t know. And I don’t really care either. But I know that the time where I am the master of this place, with all the prisoners in the cells at my disposal, is coming soon.
Entry #82
AgY 605, 13th of the Fading
His paranoia finally snapped, his hair and beard and robe had scorch marks, when he entered my chamber. The calm, cold arrogance that had been in the Gnome’s eyes earlier, was exchanged for a cold, blank madness. He was stuttering, spitting at almost every word, I could make out something along the lines of backstabbing bastard and so on, but most of it was a mixture of Gnomish, common and Dragonic.
Using a new supply of Sea-stones, I calmly walked over and gently grabbed his one shoulder with a Sea-stone ring on my finger. At first he was furious, ready to attempt to hurl spells at me, but it seemed his madness was also tied to magic, as he started to calm down, and just as he was trying to reason, I knocked him out with the branding iron. It was a surprising hassle to tie him up, his limbs being much short than I was used to. I cut out his tongue, the blood in his throat woke him up. If he was incoherent before, it was even worse now.
I drove a nail through one of his hands, the blood dripping down in the grating I had made. And then I went for some food in the pantry, I didn’t see any of the guards. The meal tasted extra sweet that evening.
Entry #83
AgY 605, 14th of the Fading
I added a nail to the Gnome’s other hand, he is barely conscious now. So I brought him some ice-cold water from the creek up on the surface, keeping him alive till the very last point is going to be a lot of work. But I have time. Plenty of time.
Entry #84
AgY 605, 16th of the Fading
The Gnome hasn’t got far to live now, he have lost too much blood, he is constantly slipping in and out of consciousness. I had to sew his eyelids open, I needed to see the moment that life left his worthless body.
Entry #85
AgY 605, 17th of the Fading
He died shortly after midnight. As he did, the entire walls shook, and I heard a massive crash coming from the barracks above. Upon investigating, the cieling in the barracks had collapsed, cutting of access to the surface.
Entry #90
AgY 605, 24th of the Fading
The pantry is empty, the food I didn’t manage to eat have gone bad. There is still some wine left. The Gnome will do as food source now.
I’ve discovered a weakness in the barracks wall, I saw clayish water seep through a crack. If I can weigh out my strength and the rations the Gnome will provide, I think I can get through.
Entry #101
(no date have been entered for this entry)
I’ve made it, I’ve dug a tunnel up to the surface. I pushed the Gnome’s cleanly gnawed bones into the cabinet, where the bones of my first victim were still stashed.
I have found some books and have begun to study basic magic, if I had known the possibilities one could use magic to hurt… and regenerate and then hurt again. Endless torture, the thought warms my heart even now.
I’ve installed a sawblade to hurt anyone not observant enough, the wiring was difficult, but it should now be hooked up to the slab, just around the corner.
Entry #102
(no date, the text is barely readable, written by a visibly shaken hand)
Well, this is it, it is over. My freedom was short. I ate some roots and mushrooms from the forest. I am dying, I’ve hurled blood three times today already. Well, this will be the first, and only time, I end a life quickly.
Qa'Rajh Creations 