Open [Event] Humanity and the inhumane

[Crow]

NOTE: This event is open to whoever wants to thread, however once a player has reached 7 posts they may not post anymore. I reserve the right to post after any player where the threading order will then continue as normal after my post. Those wishing to purchase a slave for torturing practice must pay full price for the slave in the price list. Those that don't wish to purchase a slave will have scenarios set up to learn torturing techniques and have other unique opportunities. Those who purchase a slave can choose to kill them without consequences or keep them if they so desire. The difference between the two is like imagining painting a canvas one you will be finger painting while the other you will have an the tools ready at every post to take advantage of what your learning.


All around Ravok the city had been sharing hush mysteries of a rumor. Those involved in the gossip usually regarded it in disbelief, and those that were interested wouldn't dare share their interest publicly. A few of these rumors even made its way to most of the families within Ravok, and it was no lie that the Lazarin family were the most excited about it. They went to as far as publicly making an assistance to further the rumors even starting that they would offer some of their slaves for an added price to those that were wealthy enough to afford it. With all the concern and the hush of the rumors, they mostly only talked to those that seemed interested.

It was heard that some sort of secret individuals were giving lessons in torture just south of the city in the wildlands. That interested individuals that wanted to learn how to torture only need bring 10 golden rimmed mizas, no weapons, and if they wanted to they could conceal their identity in any way. One would only need to follow a trail of red.

Some rumored that it was a trap, and that the trail was blood of the victims that fell for it. Others rumored it may be people from the black hole. In either way, most would never decide to investigate the rumors, as that meant leaving the comforts of the city. People knew full well that outside the city there were dangers and some thought that any that went out there would just be asking to be attacked by a pack of black wolves.

- - - -

Just outside ravok in the wildlands of the North, the Sylira region was noticeably getting colder. In the mornings and nights one could notice ones own breath escape in a fog as they spoke. Riddling throughout the wildlands fog did just such the thing. Nestling from the canopies were strange cages hanging from the trees. Inside them would be a single prisoner, slowly being tortured within from a unique device.

The device, connected to the cage, moved every time the prisoner moved with spikes that pressed against one side. Constrains attached to the prisoner escaped out the cage down to the earth below, where a single weight worked in counter attached to the prisoners arms, legs, and a few might even have constraints on their more personal areas; both male and female alike. There was only a dozen or so of them with each featuring a unique style of torture, a few already impaled and leaving pools of blood on the dirt below. A few screaming in the cold with their naked bodies exposed to the biting wind. Their shivering only aided in the devices torture, and only the strong would survive this eventual death sentence. It was doomed, however, to lead to their death regardless.

Such techniques of torture were only known by one man within Ravok. His name was infamously Gruffys, and there he stood at the end of the trail of blood. A deep menacing smile as he watched and listened to the Symphony of screams. Standing the man only worked on sharpening his tools, winding his ropes, and readying multiple unknown devices all while staying down the path he made while silently smiling.

Standing taller than regular humans, Gruffys was scarily built. His body intimidating by looks alone, and his actions and commanding voice, even the more scary. It was unclear as to of why he wanted to teach others his techniques, and the Ebonstryfe stood by on the shadows quietly observing his behavior, and those who would dare to learn from the man.

- - - -

For Evarista (A note and challenge) : This is for you to rp. Evarista would hear rumors of the lessons from a very shady figure. Her Visage would be shrouded by a cloak and she would be vague. After telling Evarista of the lessons and if she didn't go then a Nitrozian would likely be tortured to death out there, she would disappear after a distraction by a rather rude man bumping into her. The man would slightly grope a feel on Evarista while doing such he would violate her. When leaving the scene he would then stalk her, then bumping into her again grope a feel once more in a more bold and embarrassing manner. He would then succumb to whatever punishment Evarista would do at that moment. However, will not be immediately disposed of. This man would stalk her again all the way up to the point where she reaches Gruffys.

- - - -

For Evarista (encounter with Gruffys) :This occurs once you reach Gruffys and encounter the horrors and screams of those being tortured.

With a menacing smile seen from afar, the intimidating man wouldst only strike fear into the heart of Evarista. His sunken eyes would observe her every movement until finally a chilling voice erupted with dark and prolonged sentences.

"A Nitrozian. What brings you out here?"

"Your far out of your comfort zone, but at least I don't have to worry about finding payment from you. We could always arrange a deal, if you are being tight with your money though. I have a few experiments... "

Interrupting his sentence the man seemed to change stature almost immediately by crossing his enormous arms and raising a brow at Evarista. "You know you've been followed right?" Gruffys walked straight towards Evarista, never stopping at staring straight at her. A large halberd like torturing device being picked up from a low stance up onto and across his shoulders as he got closer and closer to Evarista. Just when he got within reach he twisted at the waist and swung the halberd horizontally right over her head and lowered it mid swing to a tree trunk right beside her.

A man emerged from behind the trunk, piss running down his leg and trousers, as he was grabbed quickly by the neck with the opposite end of the halberd and pulled towards Gruffys. Picking the man up by the back of his shirt to present him to Evarista he simply smiled and coldly asked "An admirer of yours? I'm afraid I scared the excitement from him."

~Thanks to Aladari Coolwater for the template

[Evarista]

LedgerPaid 10 gm for the lesson. Evarista was in a sour mood that day. Everything started already in the morning, when one of her brothers suddenly started admonishing her for being a 'leech on the family's healthy body' right at the breakfast table. She had nothing to say in return, and didn't consider his opinion very important, but the ensuing awkwardness was enough to make the morning unpleasant. Wanting to get out of the estate, she went to her usual haunt at Café Fleurs, apprehensive about having to drink their horrible wine. Unfortunately, they served some sort of special wine today, which was even worse than their normal one. She decided to drown her anger in the sour drink out of spite. After downing a whole bottle of it in less than an hour, she was wobbling around the Merchant District, not wanting to go home but not having any other destination either. Hardly paying attention to her surroundings, she eventually strayed into the docks, and realized that she was lost. The winding walkways of this area were unfamiliar to her, and her expensive clothes made her stand out. Slightly concerned, she made an effort to find her way back to charted territory. The prospect of asking the scruffy people around her for directions made her anxious, so she went it on her own. After what seemed like half a bell of stumbling around, she was finally approached by a cloaked figure that definitely didn't belong in the docks. Or did it? Evarista wouldn't know. The low female voice from under the black hood reached her. "You look lost. Perhaps I can give you some directions..." As she was not in the mood for trouble at that moment, and she could indeed use some directions, Evarista heard the woman out somewhat apprehensively. The girl attempted to examine the mysterious woman's aura tentatively, but could glean nothing meaningful, other than the fact that her counterpart was good at hiding her emotions and intentions. The black cloak spoke vaguely of torture lessons being staged on the outskirts of the city, her muffled voice having an enticing quality to it. Evarista's wine-addled brain had some difficult processing the information, but she recalled overhearing a pair of other café customers mentioning this in a hushed tone earlier. There was something nasty in the brewing here, though Evarista herself never participated in any rumor-mongerings, so she didn't see how it concerned her. Her indifference was blown away when the cloaked woman suddenly changed her vague tone and addressed her directly, an ominous warning about a Nitrozian being on the receiving end of the torture in question. Evarista opened her mouth to ask for a clarification, but suddenly felt herself pushed to the side by something forceful. A stocky man, dressed like a dockworker, had bumped straight into her on the walkway. This walkway was rather narrow, and in acknowledgement of this, the girl moved to let him pass. But his intentions were more than just passing through, and he didn't turn away from her, instead rubbing up against her. Her back was trapped against a wall in the narrow passage, so there was no avenue of retreat. Even worse, it just so happened that there was no one else nearby. Her vision obscured by his broad torso, draped in a dirty blue-and-white striped top. Coarse fingers brushed up against her thigh. The young aristocrat simply froze in shock. Nothing of the sort has ever happened to her before, and she had no idea how to react. It was anyone's guess what would happen next when the walkway creaked under the weight of someone else's boot. The dockworker in front of her vanished as suddenly as he had appeared. A few moments later, another resident of the docks passed by her on the walkway, casting her a slightly suspicious glare. She was saved, somehow. Stammering from stress, she called out to the man and asked him for a way to the Merchant's District. Without fuss, this Rhysol-sent stranger pointed her where to go, and she fled the docks as fast as her legs could carry her. She was fairly sure she would never set foot here again without at least one armed guard. Still not wanting to go home, she decided to visit Hadrias, the owner of Ravok's lakeside whisky distillery and possibly her only friend. Truthfully, she wanted his whisky more than his company at the moment, but hopefully he'd understand. Having gone there many times before, Evarista was somewhat familiar with the captains in traffic, so she knew when she could get a ride to and from the distillery. There were two primary types of transports going to the distillery: for the whisky, and for the commuting workers. If she hurried, she could catch the latter, carrying workers for the second shift. Said and done. The girl was generally careful about imposing on Hadrias' hospitality, but right then, she had nowhere else to go. The boat ride among somewhat familiar faces calmed her down a little. Once she arrived at the distillery's pier, however, she was greeted by a strange sight. There were two other ships moored, both armed and bearing Ebonstryfe insignia. There was nothing unusual about this, as Evarista had seen Ebonstryfe make the rounds here before, but there was definitely something unusual about the situation today. Both ships appeared deserted, and there were no soldiers in sight. Evarista couldn't be bothered to think about it, though. All she cared about was getting to Hadrias and drowning herself in more hootch. It was not to be. She had joined the group of workers heading to the distillery, but since she was already rather drunk, she walked slowed and fell behind. That's when she felt a pair of strong hands grab her from behind. A spike of shock pierced through her; the same sensation that she suffered at the docks today. Barely forcing her self to spin around, she was greeted by the same sight; the blue and white stripes. This fellow had actually snuck aboard the ship in pursuit of her. This time, however, there were no strangers to save her. The man didn't say anything to her, and she didn't see his face, reaching only up to his chest in height as he pressed her close against himself. His hands stroked along her thighs again, pushing the folds of her skirt up along with them. This time, the alcohol-induced brain fog notwithstanding, Evarista feared for her integrity for real. It was fight or flight, and disentangling from the man's strong grasp didn't seem like an option. So, the young aristocrat pulled her trump card; the measure of last resort. The skin on her face rippled, splotched of black and gold spreading from her mouth. The tissue of her lips warped, suddenly baring her teeth entirely, and took form of of writhing spidery legs... protruding straight from her jaws. The brightly striped mandibles reached up towards the man's face, chitinous plates clicking menacingly. A high-pitched squeal, one unbefitting an adult male, erupted from his throat. Evarista's hands weren't far behind, fingers melting together in broad, blade-like exoskeletal protrusions. The girl's stress made them imperfect and not particularly sharp, but that didn't matter to her. Letting out a sort of battle cry, one that came out as a loud whistle between her teeth, the morpher squirted an accidental jet of saliva at the man's dumbfounded face and launched her attack. It was little more than flailing her hands at him, driven by rage and adrenaline. Letting out another ungraceful cry, the molester retreated with astonishing speed, vanishing into the forest. Evarista went after him for a chime, but couldn't hope to catch up. The lack of fitness showed. The girl eventually found herself on a narrow forest trail. Her clothes were soaked in sweat and covered in dry thorns and twigs, and her heart was racing like a wild animal. A thick stream of drool poured from her warped-open cheeks, accompanied by uncanny whistles of labored breathing. Blood-shot eyes scanned the surroundings, seeking orientation. The trail came from Southern Outpost, as the tower rising above the treetops close by indicated. But where did it lead? Evarista's eyes fell down on the dirt, and went wide. There was a red trail slithering along it. The path to pain. The cloaked woman at the docks had mentioned this. Yes. She'd almost forgotten. If she didn't go there, a Nitrozian would be tortured to death, eh? Fine by her. The smug faces of her siblings flashed in her mind, eliciting a disdainful grunt from her. If anything, she'd love to torture one to death herself. Yeah! That's exactly what was going to happen. Her legs already carried her along the red trail, ignoring the creeping fatigue. Her mind has shed all concerns but to find the promised place. There she saw it. On the clearing, an entire theatre of torture. It was almost surreal. As the chill of the evening began to set in, Evarista's roiling blood repelled it defiantly. The caged forms, twisted in agony, earned only a passing glance from her, until her half-crazed eyes found the man at the end of the trail. Their eyes met. Evarista recoiled, but only for a moment. More than daunting, he was awing. More than terrifying, he was majestic. The president of this carnage. He spoke. Her mouth had regained its humanoid shape, but she couldn't open it to reply. Her entire body was quaking from sensations she has never felt before. No, sensations she has always felt, but always suppressed. On his prompt for payment, she merely stuck her hand into her skirt pocket, pulling out a handful of coins. Ten gold mizas was a trivial sum to her; less than she usually carried for everyday expenditures. A small cascade of shimmering coins poured onto the dirt, escaping her shaking grip. She paid it no attention. Money never meant much to her, and definitely not in the face of what she was being offered in return. The ruffled aristocrat stood still, entranced by his approaching form, seeking his eyes again. She didn't move even as his axe was readied for the swing, and even as it nearly decapitated her. Had she been sober, she would probably have fainted from shock. But she wasn't sober. And the intoxication didn't stem from just the wine. Seeing the striped shirt for the third time on this mournful day, the girl couldn't contain a psychotic snicker. This fellow really had no sense of moderation. Much like her, she'd admit. His only mistake was ending up at the wrong place, at the right time. She relished the pungent smell of his fear as he was seized by the torturer. Without voluntary thought, Evarista's own fingers merged into a chitinous blade again. She felt horribly ill, and at the same time strangely elated. Her entire being was consumed by an overwhelming urge to vomit and an equally overwhelming urge to maim. The only thing stopping her was the even stronger desire to see the man behind the fool do it in ways she could never do herself. Do it in ways she could not even imagine. Do it in ways that were not human.

[Benare Nitrozian]

Date 516 AV //Location // Timestamp //

The Day Before Capture:

Not knowing what he wanted to do with himself, Ben decided to take a late evening stroll. Sure, things were going fairly well and all, but one could never be to sure. With the Ebonstryfe around, why would he need his weapons? Of course he could last a night without them, and being a Nitrozian, well it means a lot. There's a lot that could go wrong, but as of late, things are just fine. Ben fancied it that way, but he could never be to sure what his future might bring. He always wanted to check up on his family's tavern. The Silver Sliver Tavern. Jeb there, he's a nice guy and all, Ben always wondered where his father found a man like him to work at the tavern, but his personality certainly fits Ravok well.

There were still people walking through the paved streets of Ravok as Ben strolled through the city. He's been in and out of the city a few times in the past, but never without his sword and shield. Well, he can go without a shield if he really needed to. But, he told himself, "visit the tavern, then head home." That's what he kept repeating.

-----

Once at the Silver Sliver Tavern, Ben stopped before the door. He looked around to make sure that no one was following, well he thought the coast was clear any ways and decided to open the door and step through.

Inside, it felt welcoming, though the Silver Sliver Tavern is just like any other.
Tables spread across the main area, a few of them occupied tonight. Ben smiled slightly to see the tavern having some business coming and going. He strolled his way through to the bar.

"Ah, my Nitrozian friend." Chimed Jeb. The man nodded Benare over and so he took up an empty seat. "C'mere boy." Jeb added. "Good, good." He cooed. "What can I get fer ya?" Asked the bartender with a smirk pursing his lips.

"Some of your ale? Meal as well." Ben replied, placing four copper and two Golden Mizas into Jebs palm. Jeb nodded with a smirk and gracefully took the coins and located then inside one of his pants pocket. "Pleasure." He said. "Food'll be coming soon." He informed Ben. "For now, enjoy your ale." He said as he went to go fetch s mug of ale.

"Thanks." Ben replied as he took a mediocre swig of the alcohol. The liquid burned through his throat, just a little as it traveled through his esophagus. Just a few more won't hurt.

-------

"Be careful Ben, won't you?" Asked Jeb with a wave as Ben was getting up to leave.

"Yeah, sure." He said with a nod returning the wave. Ben half walked and half stumbled his way across the Tavern. He thought he told himself to just have a meal and check on the Tavern while he was out then just go home. He thought. Well, he also thought that it wouldn't hurt to have three mugs of ale. Ben managed his way to the door and opened it, once closed and a few yards out, Ben heard the door open and close again then things went dark.

~~~~~

The Day of:

Ben awoke, everything was pitch black he could feel wright on his legs as he sat. He was sitting, he couldn't really move, he was restrained pretty much. He could feel the cold metal that aimed towards his neck. He didn't know what was going on. He was a little timid.

"Let me go." He choked out still unable to move. Ben could sense the air that flowed around him, as it was touching his skin. It was running shivers through the back of his spine. Hairs on his skin began to spark up. Ben thought he heard conversation take place after awhile. Then he heard his noble name, Nitrozian that came from a dark voice, most likely male.

The woman's voice sounded familiar though. Of course it's another Nitrozian due to the man stating so, but Ben couldn't really focus on whoever it was that they man was talking to.

"This is a mistake. Do you know who I am?" He said as calm as he could, but his voice choked st the end. "Let me go, you can't treat Benare Nitrozian this way." He pleaded. All he wanted was to be free, and not end his life at this point.

Ledger = -12cm 3 cups of ale -2gm for meal.

[Crow]

Grufyss wasn’t the type to take submissive behavior lightly. He was the controlling type, the dominating type. The grim smirk across his face was smug when he realized that this man child have been the rapist that he heard about. He wanted to get his hands on him for a while now, and the man's piss only made him enjoy the situation even more. He knew that it would be easy for him to torture, both psychologically and physically. However, Grufyss' smirk was quickly wiped from his face when he saw his precious mizas fall to the ground. What a disgrace this submissive nitrozian was. Either way he acted swiftly.

Lowering the man to the ground, but still having a good hold of him it was time to teach her a lesson. Torture came in many ways, and Grufyss was known for his exotic and often cruel behaviors. Looking down at his coins for a moment his eyes slowly creeped up from Evaristas legs. Her skirt showing her delicate and pale legs. His eyes seemed to penetrate her in the most defile of ways. The rapist instantly caught on to what he was doing and shared a smile. That smile quickly turned to crazed shouts as Grufyss violently grabbed ahold of Evarista by her hair. Getting close to her he made the rapist watch. With a very obscene approach he pulled evarista into him and licked her up the cheek. His tongue pressing against her face in a manner that was far from seductive. It was almost vile.

"No she's mine! Mine! " The rapist decreed..."Only mine"

Going a bit further Grufyss made the rapist watch as he tore off her skirt revealing what the man wanted so much. The rapist despite feeling helpless was enjoying himself. For grufyss it was nothing other that a technique in torture. Allowing a brink amount of joy to the victim before absolutely denying them off what they want. It was a form of correcting behavior. Making the victim feel as if he can never get what he truly desires.

Shoving Evarista away he spoke with a harsh tone. "Your first lesson, scum. Now pick up my money and properly hand it to me. Did you enjoy that, Rapist?" the image would come clear and the rapist was still eyeing the exposed nitrozian. Covered in his own piss, he was noticeably enjoying it, something that grufyss was quick to take advantage off.

"During torture you must be in power. You are the constant reminder that vermin like this are on the bottom. Here let me help you out rapist, I'll let you do what you desire to the woman here. "

The rapist licked his lips and as she handed grufyss the coins... Almost beckoned to get his hands on her. That is when grufyss with a dark melancholy placed one hand on his shoulder and the other on his excited features and violently picked him up in the air. The screams were joyous. Tears of pain fell from the rapists face and just as the screams stopped and the man fell unconscious grufyss set him down gently. His while demeanor changed.

"when you torture if the pain gets to be too much, and they fall unconscious like such, wait for them to awake and then continue. "

Grufyss turned to evarista and had a dead look on his face. He didn't once falter or attempt to eye her in the way seen before. He wasn't even interested.

"you have a choice. You can wake up your rapist or there is that man over there by the tree. He's a very timid candidate. For torture you have to be creative. Show me what your capable of. "

Evarista would then hear the demands from her relative, completely unaware, that he was in no state to make demands of try to negotiate.

~Thanks to Aladari Coolwater for the template

[Evalin]

Date

The red trail marked a fairly clear and distinct path that cut through the woods and foliage like a sharpened knife through flesh. In the dimness of knight it wasn't quite clear what the redness was. It could have been blood like the rumors suggested, but somehow Evailn doubted this. The effort it required to pain a path of blood was more than it would be to simply use some other red tinged substance. In the dark the substance really mattered little as the effect was still the same. In any case the Immortal found herself shuffling down this path slowly, boots scuffing the dirt as she leaned heavily upon her staff with each and every step.

When she first heard the rumors of a torture lesson being held in the wildlands Evalin had scoffed. What fool of a person would do such a thing? Better still, what fool of a person would do such a thing and then allow rumors such as this to spread? All of her centuries told Evalin one thing that spoke loud and clear. It truly was a trap. A deception to lure in those with wicked hearts to cage the threats before they ever came to fruition. So she decided then that she would not be attending this farce.

But what if it wasn't a trap? That question niggled the back of her mind as the time drew nearer. If it were not a trap, which surely it was, then for what purpose was this being held? A show of strength? An act of recruitment? Common bandits would not use such tactics as it brought too much attention to them and their cause, while at the same time what sense did it make that the ruling bodies of Ravok would use such obvious tactics? Evalin had lived in Ravok for the entirety of her living years, and she knew that the Ebonstryfe were far more subtle when it came to ensnaring their enemies. More brutal as well. It made so little sense, and so she should stay away.

When the night arrived Evalin found her feet carrying her down the path into the wildlands, Tsenrika projecting an air of smugness through their bond as he secretly was amused by his master's twists of logic which caused her to make this grievously foolish trek.

It could be an opportunity to learn something new my dear Tsenrika, Evalin said to divert his amused mental sneer, Know we not who we might meet as well. They perhaps shall be of use to us, or hold knowledge we seek.

Perhaps so. he replied, but his words did not express agreement in the least.

Tonight Evalin walked slower than usual, bent close to doubled over as she shuffled forward, barely picking up her feet as wrinkled hands grasped almost desperately at her staff for support. For this the Immortal had erred on the side of caution, taking upon herself the body of an old crone with spots of aging on her limbs and scalp, white wild hair that stuck out from beneath the raised hood of her black robes, and a mouth with several missing teeth. It always surprised Evalin how comfortable she was in this body. More than in any other form, as an old and twisted crone she was more invisible than air. Eyes passed over her and people disregarded her presence as if she were less than the dirt upon which they walked. As an old woman she was expected to talk like she was older than all, and her words were taken with ample amounts of salt as many would assume her well into her senile years. It was like the most perfect of masks, and despite her marks people seemed to care little about her presence at all.

The trail ended rather abruptly, and suddenly Evalin was faced with a peculiar scene. Some commotion was going on as she approached. One man was holding a smaller person up in the air, dangling him in front of a girl who looked well close to soiling herself like the captive had. Evalin watched them for a few short ticks before letting her eyes roam up and around at the various cages that hung from robes in the trees. Whether or not the trail itself has been made of blood seemed to matter little, for great rivers of blood flowed in this place as their sources wriggled, cursed and pleaded from their confines. Though she wouldn't say it, Evalin was impressed by the number and variety of torture devices she saw. Perhaps this would be well worth her time after all.

She was closer now and Evalin caught the name Nitrozian uttered a few times. Something about a rapist, and it became apparent as the smaller man screamed that a lesson of some sort was being given. Just as Grufyss finished giving his instructions to the hatchling Evalin closed the gap to stand beside Evarista.

"Go on child, make up your mind quick. I haven't the time to spare to wait for the timid to struggle with their bowels." Evalin's voice was just over a whisper, gruff and coupled with a wheeze. From one of the many pockets in her robes Evalin produced the 10 gold rimmed miza's required and held them toward the large man with one trembling hand, "Here now, what does this get me?These old bones still have a bit of strength left in them to learn something new."
.

[Evarista]

Evarista's body went rigid when she saw his hand reach for her. She didn't even attempt to struggle as her hair was nearly pulled from her scalp. Even then, with her stunted emotional expression, she wasn't capable of high-pitched screams. Her reaction was limited to a wide-eyed stare and sharp breaths as she endured the pain, her body following the force of his pull like a rag doll. It happened so fast that she couldn't even process what was going on. Pain was replaced with confusion as his warm tongue left a wet trail on her face. Most would have found it repulsive, but Evarista did not. Compared to the things she did with her magic on a regular basis, a human tongue was rather far down on the list of things that could upset her. On the contrary, it felt new and exciting. Would this count as a kiss? Her first one! A barely noticeable blush spread across her cheeks as he finally pulled away from her face, almost leaving her disappointed. Erotic thoughts flooded her mind unstoppably, suddenly painting the entire situation in a new light. The other man's voice, claiming possession of her, brought her back to reality for a moment. She could do nothing but silently question his tastes in women. The man with the striped shirt would not keep her attention for long, however. Her legs were assaulted by a sudden chill as her skirt was torn off. Drawing another sharp breath in alarm, she mechanically pulled the hem of her blouse to conceal what the skirt once did. Mechanically, because the gesture was an exercise in etiquette rather than genuine modesty or embarrassment. Even being completely nude in this situation would be something trivial, even if not something she knew how to handle. She has spied on people in unmentionable contexts many times in the past, but being stared at herself was a first. No, there was no embarrassment. Instead, the confusion intensified, leaving her limp in his grip for another moment before he shoved her away. The girl collapsed on her knees like a sack of potatoes, dizzy from the unfamiliar sensations. She wouldn't get to rest for long, commanded to pick up the money she had dropped. If someone demanded her to do this exact thing in a more mundane situation, she'd have scoffed at them and walked away. But not now. The thought of questioning the man's command didn't even cross her mind. She was completely entranced by the force he projected, and was happy to obey him, already crawling on the ground to gather the scattered coins. How careless of her to drop them in the first place, she thought, as the money found itself in her clumsy grip once more. When every last shimmering piece was off the ground, she rose to her feet unsteadily. Cradling the glittering pile of money in her palms, she held it out to him, this time making sure not to drop a single coin. Their eyes met again briefly, sparking a rather rare thought in her mind. She looked not at his eyes now, but at his aura. She didn't really care what she was going to find, she was just craving to see it, in her true voyeuristic spirit. Her revulsion for the auras of sapient beings made an exception just for him, savoring it in the small window of time as he took the money from her. Her attention was so consumed by the experience that she didn't notice the imminent danger of the second man, whose presence she has all but forgotten about. Only his agonized screams brought her back to reality once more. Ah. The lesson had started. All of this was part of the lesson. At some point, she had stopped paying attention to the line between torturer and victim. In fact, she rather enjoyed the lack of distinction while it lasted. It was only so she could absorb the wisdom of his lesson. His methods of teaching were less than conventional, but that was what she needed. It was the only way she learned. Had he seated her at a desk and politely explained the theories of the craft, she would not have understood anything. But after this magnificent instruction, she did. Torture was control. Benare's voice reached her, distracting her momentarily. It felt dulled, as if he was speaking from underwater. She looked around, eventually finding him in one of the cages, and it took her a moment to recognize him. Her mind registered the cold fact that he had to be the other Nitrozian, the one that would get killed if she hadn't come here. Well. Now she was here, so he would not get killed, went the logic. Or he might as well be. There was no emotional response. She felt only complete indifference. As far as she could recall from their sparse interaction in the past, Benare was on the nicer side of her siblings. And that would make him even more fun to maim, if she ever got the opportunity. But for now, she would attend to the rapist, for no other reason than that he was a bit closer within reach. The voice of an old woman urged her to choose, seemingly appearing out of nowhere. Evarista wasn't in a state to examine who was talking. Her attention was already absorbed elsewhere. She stared down at the man that lied unconscious before her, and a contorted smirk spread across her face. He wanted an intimate moment with her, huh? She was all for it... but on her terms. The thin fabric of her underwear could no longer hide her excitement. Clambering on top of him she latched onto his larger form like a parasite. Countless arachnid jaws emerged on her bare legs, with countless spiky teeth shaving the fabric of his clothes until they found skin, sinking into his flesh and holding it convulsively, sucking up the trickling blood. Her entire face shifted into legs, the aposematic stripes warning of what was to come. The mandibles hugged his face firmly, covering all of it, forcing open his mouth. A surge of digestive fluid erupted from the girl's stomach and rushed down his throat in an acidic kiss. He'd wake up, and their dance would begin.

[Benare Nitrozian]

Date 516 AV //Location // Timestamp //

Beads of sweat trickled from Benare's face. He had an itch in his back that he wanted to get to, it was bothering him. If he ever moved his head, he would know what would happen as he could feel the cold metal poise just a few centimeters from the sides of his neck. Ben felt drowsy, but he could hear what was going on. He sighed. Knowing, his death would come to him soon. Of course, some had targeted the Nitrozians. Ben promised himself that he'll find whoever brought him to wherever he was.

Winds coursed through his hair as he sat uncomfortably within the metal cage. He decided to be quiet. He didn't know what was coming for him, but he was prepared. He decided to focus in on what he could hear, though almost everything sounded like a blur. Ben heard cries of something... pain, joy, pleasure. Pleasure, it has to be, Ben was beginning to understand what might be going on. Though, he still couldn't see and that bothered him, he could be anywhere. Ben assumed that he could be dangling over a cliff for all he knows. Though, Ravok's geography was flat lands, for the most part, and it's city was located over a lake. He couldn't hear any water flowing from where he was, so he assumed that he's outside of Ravok.

He wanted to regurgitate his last night's meal. Or however long it was ago. He assumed it was day, for the most part. All Ben hoped for was that he could live. He prayed silently to Rhysol, he wanted to be free. But, if he wouldn't get that chance, then he'll endure whatever needs to be done. He waited until it was his turn. He needed to come up with a plan. One that preferably could save himself.

[Crow]

As screams sounded from cages scattered around the clearing, there wasn't much to be heard of the subtle and completely un-noticeable forces observing the lessons. The Black Sun were curious as to of who would show up to such an event, but that wasn't the only thing they were curious about. They took careful notice of those being tortured, and the most fresh to join the ranks of the damned was Benare.

His overall state was far less than those who had been accompanied by Grufyss for a longer time. This was his purging. He needed to get rid of prisoners to make room for what was to come, but Benare... he was a unique case. Instead of someone paying him to teach them how to torture Benare, Grufyss was paid to see that Benare was tortured. An unusual demand, and one that Grufyss didn't even care to ask any questions towards.

He didn't much care about the why in anycase. He found much more pleasure in finding out the how. Every person was different and required a different form a torture to truly eat away their souls and hope. Upon the arrival of the unexpected older woman he could tell that tonight would be interesting. He had dealt with nuits personally before and held a deeply guarded secret of inflicting pain on them. Pain that would make even the oldest of Nuit cry for mercy. Luckily, this nuit seemed to have some sort of manners.

After she held out her hand to Grufyss he shared a cold and unforgiving look towards the old woman. He had no remorse to those who were inpatient. For patience was a part of torture that he knew all too well. Looking at Evarista the man wasn't a bit surprised. He turned his look away from the old woman, still holding out her hand with mizas and put up a single finger, warning her to wait.

He observed the change, watched as the nearly naked woman turned to a beast. One which would result in fear and panic. He watched as she kissed the rapist and as fluid went from her mandibles down into his throat.

The rapist awoke in a violent gargle, his insides burning, his heart raced. His eyes turned bloodshot and his body suddenly went limp. Grufyss wasn't too pleased, but such training such novices was to be expected.

"You both must have patience. Torture isn't about killing. Torture itself is a tool. It can be used to correct rapists like that one, or to get information from people. What use is a dead victim?" The man laughed and finally returned to Evalin and snatched the money out of her hand.

"You see that person up in the cage?" Grufyss went to a nearby rope and started to lower it by letting the cage slowly down before finally dropping into a violent drop. The drop would startle Benare, and likely cause him to fall over on his side into a most uncomfortable manner.

"This Nitrozian was paid to be tortured. I wasn't paid to kill him, just like you didn't pay me to learn how to kill. Torture isn't just fear and pain..." He turned towards the parasitic Nitrozian "If you would have waited you might have been able to get something far more valuable from him than just screams. Now you will never know what he has done or had wished to do to you. Once you find out those bits of information you can then use it against them."

Walking over the cage the man removed sections of his clothes, revealing almost his entire body. He preferred to work in such a manner. It allowed his victims to see exactly who they were dealing with. He was such a man of intense definition with large muscles and other defining features which were intimidating themselves. One could say that he has even used such features to torture victims psychologically as well, and these two females that he was teaching would surely if not embarrassed before might be at this moment.

"Torture has no pleasantries. No manners. Everything you do will be in question to the victim. They will wonder at every moment what will happen to them. Use this fact to tease them. Eventually they will beg for you to just end their life. When they reach that point you will know that you are in control."

The man smiled and retrieved Benare from the cage, removing the fork from his neck and throwing his body before the two.

"This fork for example, it is used to prevent a victim from falling asleep. If they do fall asleep the fork will penetrate their neck. Sleep depravation will eventually cause them to hallucinate, without any manner of magic. Beautiful, right?"

Grufyss wondered for a moment if he should remove the hood which prevented the Nitrozian from seeing them, but came to the conclusion he didn't care. Kneeling down Grufyss began to whisper in the Nitrozians ear, his harsh voice menacing, still loud enough to be heard by the two learning how to torture.

"Do you know why someone would pay me to torture you?"

~Thanks to Aladari Coolwater for the template

[Evalin]

Younglings must always put on airs musn't they. Evalin thought as she returned Grufyss' cold look with an unblinking stare of her own. Still she lowered her hand slightly as the finger was raised, offering no words of protest. Instead she turned her eyes on Evarista, studying the woman closely for the first time.

It was obvious the magic she was using, and the sight of it made the corner's of Evalin's mouth twitch ever so slightly, The girl is a morpher.

A crude one at best. Tsenrika's words were icy with contempt. In all their years Evalin had learned there was nothing the Irylid disliked more than wanton displays of power for the sake of it. Not that this had ever prevented his master from doing the very same.

She felt him looking through her eyes as Evarista did her work. It appears like an insect model of some sort.

Grotesque if nothing else.

Ineffectual beyond the simplest applications.

My dear Tsenrika it sounds as though you simply do not like bugs. Evalin's mocking words made the Familiar withdraw into himself, and she smiled despite herself as she looked back to Grufyss.

When the coins were at last taken Evalin pulled her bony hand back within the confines of her cloak. Then she listened as Grufyss spoke, leaning on her staff once more as the cage was lowered though she paid little mind to the who and why the person in the cage was there. With a bit of interest she watched the torturer remove his clothing, and Evalin took the opportunity to study his body, racking her eyes up and down his form as she chuckled softly.

"Big man." she said, scratching her chin. The Immortal did not agree with all that the man said. She had come across a few in her lifetime that would have died before being broken, and others who took so much pleasure in the pain of others and themselves that they would beg for it long after the information was won from them. The items and techniques of torture though? Now those were useful things she could learn.

When the boy was slung before them Evalin would inch forward slowly, looking him over while she continued to scratch her chin. What interesting devices would she get to see demonstrated tonight? Who knew. Still she might very well be leaving with an item or two to add to the chest which Gresshal carried wherever they went.

[Evarista]

Evarista felt the rapist's body convulse underneath her as his eyes snapped open for a moment. His throat made one futile attempt to reject the corrosive liquid flowing through it, before accepting its fate. The man's body went soft. Evarista didn't expect it to be over so quickly, and was slightly disappointed. So was her teacher, evidently, as she heard his harsh voice carry his disapproval, but not without words of wisdom. Patience, huh? Before she could continue listening, she had to disentangle herself from the corpse she was mounting. It proved to be not so simple. Her improvised face-hugging device was airtight enough to create a small vacuum in his canals, the resulting suction making her unable to pull away. With some effort, she tore away her legs first, the taste of blood in the many mouths nearly overwhelming her senses. The tiny teeth flayed what they touched, catching and pulling off entire swathes of his skin and exposing slabs of blood-squirting muscle. With strenuous effort, Evarista finally freed her face, air pressure releasing with a sickening pop. A slurry of blood, slime and acid spilled from her warped maw and onto the man's already half-melted visage. Rising to her feet unsteadily, she girl saw her bare legs completely drenched in red, as was her victim's destroyed body. Was this really her own doing? Her clouded mind doubted that for a long moment. Whatever the case, there was nothing left to do here. Still dizzy from the onslaught of strange sensations, she wobbled after the other two, who have already moved on to the next display. Slowly pulling the djed of her face into its original position, she took a moment to examine the older woman that newly joined them. Was she also here for a lesson? Her relaxed posture suggested that she wasn't unfamiliar nor uncomfortable with the painful scene around her. An uncanny sort of confidence emanated from her, one Evarista could sense without any use of auristics. It was as if she was holding a secret, but didn't attempt to hide it deeply, instead dangling it in front of an onlooker's face smugly, and snatching it away before anyone could get a good look. The girl couldn't ignore something so conspicuous, but she was somewhat intimidated to talk to the woman directly. Instead, she paused to sneak a glance at her aura. It was strangely deeper than that of Grufyss, but contained a few elements she remembered from the man's aura as well, though for the time being she seemed less serious and focused on the task at hand than he was. The young aristocrat looked away, almost timidly. She felt out of place in the company of these people in this place, doing things she found difficult to understand. It was as if she was a four year old trying to eavesdrop on a complex adult conversation. It made her feel inadequate, but she was used to that feeling, as she was generally the dumbest person in the room at any one time. Instead of the indifference or sardonic eye-rolling that was her usual reaction to displays of superiority, there was a sense of admiration now. These two scary individuals actually had something she wanted. Secrets worth knowing. This drew her to both of them. She returned her attention to Grufyss, who was... undressing? The girl stopped in her tracks, watching his skin be revealed gradually. She felt her heartbeats rise, and tugged the hem of her blouse again, trying to conceal her renewed excitement, and was secretly a little disappointed that he didn't undress completely. Damn it, was he trying to distract her on purpose? Or, perhaps, this wasn't a distraction at all. No! She got it now. This was a part of the lesson, and a very important one. No pleasantries. No manners. Only absolute, primal domination of the victim. It appealed to the deepest aspect of her psyche, that exact same aspect that yearned to abandon the human form forever. And unlike the rest of her personality, this aspect wasn't dull and monotonous at all. A sense sharp enough to cut emotion, and the near-nude man before her offered to temper it yet further. He was holding her by her weakest point, and pulled her in whatever direction he saw fit. Admittedly, she saw no problem with that. With renewed morale, she approached the cage that Grufyss had dropped on the ground, idly eyeing the male form lying on its side. Benare, this poor bastard. He was completely down on his luck. Someone put his life on the line, and made it dependent on her actions. The girl her out a sardonic cackle, gargling the spider slime that still remained in her throat. Putting a life in the hands of Evarista Nitrozian was a novel concept. Whoever brought Ben here probably didn't care about his well-being too much. On the flipside, now that she was here, he had a small chance of survival. If their positions were reversed and she was the one in the cage, good ol' Ben would probably not even show up, dooming her to whatever gruesome fate Grufyss could come up with. To her siblings, she was like thin air, and Benare was no exception. She liked it that way, but it also meant that there was no one in the family who would stick out their neck for her, just as she wouldn't stick out her neck for any one of them. Meh, then. Fair enough. Watching her unfortunate sibling being pulled out of the cage, the girl pondered Grufyss' words. Patience. Uninhibition. Control. Prying into the victim's mind, toying with them, searching for weak points in the deepest crevices of their mind, and then exploiting these weaknesses mercilessly. It sounded very appetizing, but also rather complex. The experience with the man in the striped shirt just now re-emerged before her. His desperate convulsions. His final gasp for air. His blood-shot eyes, filled with absolute terror for one sweet moment before they rolled back into his skull forever. It all lasted only for a flash, but it was an intense satisfaction unlike the slow-slicing now described by Grufyss. She didn't know how she would be able to do what he said. An absent-minded glance around her revealed all manner of devices and contraptions, all waiting to be chosen in a competition to break the human body and mind. However, she found herself indifferent towards most of them. They were too complex and unfathomable to her, and she didn't see torture as neither an art nor a science, at least not yet. For now, it was a formless craving, and elaborate toys would only get in the way. She was going to do something simple, and somehow familiar. Crouching behind Benare, the treacherous sister pulled him up to a sitting position. The marks of the fork fasteners were still visible around his neck. Yes, his neck hasn't seen the end of it yet. Shoving her hand in her mouth, the girl pulled out a length of glistening silk fiber, which she then braided into a thicker wire. When secured in several loops around her hands it formed a garrote. The thick string fit closely to his throat, pressing against his windpipe gently. Evarista could not see his face, as it was behind a hood and turned away from her, but she watched his aura for reaction instead. Leaning forward, she whispered into his ear, her lips almost touching the fabric of the hood. "Hey, Ben. Fancy meeting you here. Late for your evening practice? Huhuhu, swordsmanship... What a waste of effort." She knew that Benare was one of the more martial siblings, and she saw him practice with his sword in the courtyard many times before, while the others were busy polishing their more mercantile skills, and she herself was doing nothing. Was it a natural inclination of his, or was it Baratieri who talked him into it? Maybe he was an Ebonstryfe candidate. Either way, his fencing abilities couldn't help him much in this situation. If he wasn't bound, he'd floor her in two seconds, and the feeling of control over someone stronger than herself gave Evarista a rush. She continued whispering to him. Remembering Grufyss' short lecture, she wanted to provoke him, insult him, upset and distress him even more than he already was. Maybe he'd say something that could be used against him. "Tell me. Why are you spending your days waving around a piece of metal? That's not how money is made. Hmm, tsk tsk... father must be secretly disappointed." The garrote tightened around Benare's neck slightly but menacingly.