Iron Dawn: Of Science and Sorcery Obscura
By Jave Harron
Notes: Boddyknock is one of the henchmen from Neverwinter Nights.
Chapter III: Traitors and Treason
Anomen was bored. His father had died recently, from an assassin's blade. He had also been adventuring for a short amount of time. His group's leader had convinced him not to take revenge for his father's death, but had removed him in favor of some snot-nosed gnome, Jan Jansen. Since them, he had been in a downward spiral.
He had been hitting the bottle, and squandering his family fortune on ale at the Copper Coronet in the Slums. It was a tavern of ill repute, but Anomen did not care. His previous party leader had stopped the slave trade in the Slums, so it was as bad as it once was. Still, it was ironic a low place would several as such a frequent stop for such an arrogant man. He did not care. It was still a way to pass the time until he was needed again.
All of a sudden, he heard a distinct sound above the roar of the city's crowds. It sounded like a mechanical buzzing, but he could not be sure. He quickly rushed outside, holding his mace in one hand. Gazing up into the sky, he saw the origin of the sound. Several strange craft, each looking like it had canvas wings, were flying above the city. They began to drop strange metal egg-like objects onto the city, each making a whistling sound as they streaked towards the ground.
Anomen's instincts told him to take cover. Sure enough, a trail of explosions erupted wherever the bombs landed. This was confusing to Anomen, since he was seeing a carpet bombing for the first time in his life. It would also be the last time if he did not find cover.
He began to head for the Copper Coronet. There were some sewers underneath, which he thought would be a safe haven from the bombing raid. Just then, a huge hand grabbed his neck and pulled him back.
Looking up, he saw his captor. He was a massive half-ogre. Unlike his wild brethren, this one was dressed impeccably in mage's robes. A glint of cruel intelligence shown in his eyes. He was bald, but Anomen could tell he had immense physical strength and magical power.
"You are Anomen, correct?" the half-ogre mage asked in a cruel tone.
"Yes, foul creature! Release me!" the pompous fighter cracked.
"Not yet. The Overwoman still wishes to see you," the half-ogre mage commented. He then hit Anomen on the back of the head, knocking him out.
Anomen awoke strapped to a rack. All he had on was a loincloth, and he seemed to be in a torture chamber of some sort. There were iron maidens, shackles, racks, flails, and other torture instruments scattered all around.
A woman entered, with the half-ogre mage by her side, as well as an odd metal creature. This was the first time Anomen had saw a clockwork automaton, but he thought it was a golem of some sort.
"Welcome to my torture chamber, sheep!" the woman shouted.
"Woman! Release me! I demand respect!" Anomen shouted.
"You are in no position to demand anything," the woman sneered.
"What do you want, fiend?" Anomen asked.
"Information. I've heard you once traveled with the son of a dead god on this plane of existence," Alivina answered, "And I require information about his whereabouts."
"Cain? He once mentioned he was a Bhaalspawn, but I thought he was jesting," Anomen commented.
"Any ideas on this Cain or where he's heading?" the half-ogre asked.
"If I did, I would never betray him to the likes of you, wench!" Anomen insulted.
"If that's how you feel, then my friend Bismarck can persuade you a bit," Alivina sneered.
The half-ogre untied one of Anomen's legs from the metal table he was chained to, and pulled it back. Bismarck pulled the fighter's leg back until there was a very audible snap. The half-ogre mage had just broken Anomen's leg with his bare hands.
"Now, where is he?" Alivina asked, pulling a strange weapon from her side.
Anomen was still focusing on Alivina's strange weapon. It looked like a metal rod, with one end hollow. The rear was a wooden stock, similar to a crossbow. However, there was a 'hammer' mechanism on the rear of the metal rod. There also was a small lever on the underside of the odd weapon. The woman's finger was on the small lever, and she was beginning to depress it. It was the first time Anomen had seen a shotgun, especially one pointed at his head.
"He's in the village of Trademeet to the Southeast!" Anomen exclaimed, still reeling from the pain in his leg.
"Thank you. Now, Bismarck, mind breaking his other leg?" Alivina ordered.
"Yes, Alivina. I shall enjoy this," the sadistic half-ogre commented.
Bismarck undid the strap for Anomen's other leg, and twisted it until a snap was heard. Anomen cried out in pain.
"Stop, or I shall cast a spell!" Anomen shouted.
"Oh, like I'm scared. Do your worst," Alivina sneered.
Anomen began to chant the words for Magic Missile, but something interfered with his casting. Alivina held up a strange shield, laughing as he struggled to conjure a spell.
"This is my favorite device for mages. It's called a flow disrupter. Basically, there's devices on it that jam the casting of both arcane and divine spells!" the Overwoman cackled.
Anomen started breathing heavily. Vainly attempting to cast a spell had drained stamina from him.
"Miserable harlot!" Anomen exclaimed.
"Oh, a harlot, am I? You sure seen to have an interested in perverted topics," Alivina sneered, "So, I guess I'll have to help fix it."
Loading her shotgun, Alivina aimed right between Anomen's legs and pulled the trigger.
"You miserable-" Anomen could not finish his statement, as he began to struggle with words.
"There, there. It's been fun, but I've got other things to do," Alivina said, "Finish him off, Bismarck."
"Yes, Overwoman," the half-ogre mage responded.
Bismarck then broke both of Anomen's arms at once, twisting until he heard a snap, crackle, or pop. Then, Anomen began to beg for mercy.
"Don't you know what mercy is, you big brute?" Anomen shouted.
"Yes. However, I am choosing not to show you any," Bismarck answered with a smile.
With that, Bismarck punched Anomen in the head, shattering his jaw. Bismarck then pulled out the arrogant lout's tongue with all his strength. Now, it was getting boring for Bismarck even. Wanting to finish off the job, he quickly twisted Anomen's head back, until he heard a snap, signifying a broken neck.
Bismarck left Anomen's body in the torture chamber for the henchmen to clean up. "Never trust a traitor, even one you create," Alivina always said. By eliminating Anomen, they had reduced the chance that the Bhaalspawn would know they were coming. Alivina's army set out for Trademeet.