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Darth Occlus in Wrath of the Righteous
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She interprets that to mean her forces in particular, and not the rest of the demons and cultists throughout the city.

"I had a few mongrels I haven't finished shaping up into proper servants of your cause.  They are locked away securely in the maze for when we have time for their induction.  We have some earth elementals we bound to expand the maze, but their bindings aren't suitable for direct combat.  We have the material components to perform a few more rituals to call up some dretches."

She thinks a moment; it is hard, like her head is in a fog.

"There are more of my cultists in particular in the city above, but they are already committed to various missions, your servant Minagho should have command of them."

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Anevia has just now caught up to Darth Occlus and is listening in.  Darth Occlus certainly works fast!  She'll let Darth Occlus continue to lead the questioning, Anevia isn't sure if the technique Darth Occlus is using needs concentration or for her to be the one asking the questions or has other finicky limits.

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"What was your objective with the Wardstone?"

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The confusion starts to come back (why does Baphomet need their own plans repeated back to him), but can't quite break through to the surface of her mind.

"The Wardstone corruption worked as we planned, and there was also a plan to accelerate it and propagate the damage through the whole Wardstone line.  At least, that is what I think it was.  I wasn't officially looped in, but as you teach, observe your environment.  Minagho was supposed to be the one leading an assault to secure the Wardstone, but it ended up here instead of the Gray Garrison where Deskari was supposed to throw it towards.  So I took some initiative!"

Some pride manages to show in her voice despite the urge to comply flooding her mind and the fog of pain and fear.

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"Do you have any capability to enact the plan to accelerate the corruption?"

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"Well there is the obvious, you know, desecrate and vandalize the Wardstone.  I could mix in a few castings of Desecrate.  I don't have an Unhallow, it would be the obvious thing to add to the mix.  Maybe try a few sacrifices and profane rituals on it.  I don't think any spell I have could properly get inside the Wardstone or even damage the exterior.  Maybe the right ritual would do something?"

She's starting to wonder why Baphomet is testing her on this... maybe something has happened to Minagho and it will be up to her?

"If there is any strength as a caster that would enable me to carry out your will in this, I swear I will not let you down if you would so elevate me!"

Okay, but why is Baphomet a woman... who just attacked them?  Observe her environment... think about the puzzle.

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Occlus clamps down harder on the cultist's mind. There is no puzzle. There is no need to observe her environment. Only answering the questions matters.

"Give me the names of your cultists yet in the city."

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Something in Hosilla's mind rebels deeply at this.  It is a fundamental obedience to Baphomet to constantly observe her environment, to puzzle out the mazes around her.  My Mind Is A Maze!

She comes to awareness and struggles not to show it.  A plan rapidly occurs to her.

"As you well know my lord, your truly greatest servant is none other than Iomedae's must zealous warrior in this city, the Prelate himself, Hulrun Shappok.  Among us lesser servants... Piotr Kowalski is faithful to your cause..."

She begin listing off names, mixing in real cultists with innocent people to make it maximally convincing while maximizing damage if they act on it.  Maybe she shouldn't have started with Hulrun, it is too insane even as a plot of her (real) Lord's.

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Anevia totally saw the flinch as cultist broke the suggestion or whatever it is Darth Occlus is using.  She won't say anything, just whisper under her breath for Aquilia to relay to Darth Occlus that the cultist broke the effect, on the off chance Darth Occlus didn't notice herself.

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Oh, she saw. Liars lose leg privileges next. Her saber slashes out, just above the knees. She takes hold of the cultist telekinetically, preventing her from falling.

"I do not appreciate being lied to, child."

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She grimaces but holds back the scream.  The pain actually lets her focus instead of driving her further into despair.

"Before today, Hulrun had executed more innocents in Kenabres than all of us us working together.  But for all his bloodthirst, I don't think he will be willing to work with some like yourself?  Baphomet would richly reward your service, or even just your alliance, if kneeling isn't your style."

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Okay now, she kinda needs to step in.

"The Eagle Watch doesn't allow torture.  …we do allow extreme procedures to restrain spellcasters, but usually like, breaking their hands."

Aneiva is following that up with urgent whispering under her breath to get relayed to Darth Occlus… 

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A whisper from Aquilia comes through the previously cast message "Anevia says she is fine bluffing the cultist about leaving her to you as long as you don't actually use that opportunity to further torture the cultist."

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"Then we may as well skip to the end and kill her. I have no wish to babysit."

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"I can cast detect thoughts if you give me about 25 minutes to prepare it."  (His message carries this to both Anevia and Darth Occlus.)

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Hosilla is unaware of their debates and in fact misinterprets the pause in the interrogation.

"You surely can't hope to be judged Good by Pharsma?  You can make a place for yourself in the Abyss!  You're strong enough to take down Anevia, she's only a moderately seasoned adventurer."

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Anevia speaks out loud.  It is not against the Eagle Watch's rules if she doesn't say it primarily for the purposes of intimidation.  "A person powerful enough to resist your sleep effect might be able to resist mind reading.  We can try our luck with one of the lower ranking minions."

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Occlus snaps the cultist's neck and lets the body fall to the ground carelessly.

"Well enough, though surely they have less useful information. I believe you arrived in time to hear most of what that one had to say."

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"Sure... let's try one of the minions?  I should be clear before we go on... the Eagle Watch doesn't allow torture.  You aren't a member of the Eagle Watch, and I am well aware I have no realistic prospect of stopping you, and as a matter of pragmatism we won't enforce any laws against torture on you interrogating demon cultists, but we won't be willing to work with you going forward if that is how you want to do this."

Anevia says this all calmly and matter-of-factly, with a hint of resignation.

"Should I clarify on how we draw the line on torture versus other interrogation methods?"

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She tilts her head. "Best to avoid any... miscommunications, as you are attending. I would hate to sour our working relationship by accident."

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Well, that is better than a lot of responses Darth Occlus might have had!

"So the general rule is phrased as 'deliberately causing pain and suffering for the primary purposes of extracting information or for its own sake'.  Some things that don't count as that and are allowed... beating a subject of interrogation temporarily unconscious so that you can cast spells on them unimpeded is allowed.  You should try to minimize the pain and suffering as you do so, but that of course depends on your resources.  Directly causing pain so that they fail their saves against your spells isn't allowed.  Accurately informing a subject of the likely consequences of being a demon cultist is allowed.  Threatening them with death for the primary purposes of extracting information isn't allowed.  Falsely claiming you are going to execute them isn't allowed.  For restraining spellcasters from casting, you have broad discretion, but you shouldn't deliberately pick a method for maximizing pain or suffering.  I can tie their arms up securely enough that we can be sure they can't spellcast."

Anevia maintains her calm tone.

"Should I come up with a few more examples?"

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"No, I believe I understand the intent. A primarily psychological approach, or a magically-aided one, I presume. More reliable in the long term, but less convenient for field impromptus. Perhaps you would care to conduct the next interview?"

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"Sure.  How strong is your sleep effect, I think I'll go for this wizard and I would like to get his hands tied up in advance of waking him."

Anevia gestures at one of the cultist, who is notably different in that he is not wearing any armor.

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"I will ensure he does not wake until you are ready." An unaware mind is an unresisting mind.

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Anevia has rope on her, and gets her chosen cultist tied up in quite a fancy way.  If he struggles too much, the rope will eventually tighten to the point of potentially cutting off circulation.

She sits him up at an angle where he can see his sleeping comrades and his dismembered leader.

"Ready whenever you are."

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