Save or Die: Outcasts Epilogue: Episode 01

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==Synopsis==
Renatus is captured by the Voraci. Magistrate Zerrah forces Renatus to work for her by holding his family hostage (wife and son). Zerrah plans to kill and replace her superior, the Censor, and needs Renatus to help secure power.
Renatus agrees to work with Zerrah. The first task is to aid her in entering Sigris Shadowhand's Tomb. Outside the tomb Renatus aids Zerrah and her Orcs in fighting their way in past some Draconians and Goblins.
After a month studying the tomb Zerran and Renatus return to Valebrook. Renatus is given a degree of freedom in the city.
==Recap==
===Ren's Darkest Days===
March 1524. Renatus Fur has been transported moved from Keygate to a dungeon in Valebrook. Ren is left in darkness for an unknown amount of time.
June 24 One day Renatus is taken, shackled, from the dungeon is taken outside the dungeon and brought up to the castle wall. On the wall waiting is Magistrate Zerrah, along with a pair of Orc Guards. Renatus sees that Zerrah has the Shadow Dagger, Nightblood, on her waist.
Zerrah explains that superiors want Renatus taken away for interrogation, but Zerrah wants to employ him as an asset instead. She takes Renatus inside the castle. They end up in one of the castle tower to a locked room with a slide on the door. Renatus is urged to peer though the opening and see Fausta, his wife.
Renatus and Fausta reunite though the tiny door slider. Renatus swears he will free both of them one day. Renatus is then shown he has a son, Aurelius Jr. Fausta only knew she was pregnant until a little after Renatus had been exiled.
Zerrah makes it clear Renatus's wife and child are hostages to keep him loyal. Zerrah says they are relative of a traitor and she is the only one who is keeping them alive. Zerrah is taking a large risk letting Renatus live.
===Zerrah's New Order===
Renatus and Zerrah go to Zerrah's office outside of the royal castle and in her small keep. 
Zerrah explains she needs him to help her take out people, framing it as killing far more evil people than herself, in order to secure her own power and safety. Renatus is very sceptical of Zerrah's "good intentions", but has no choice in the matter to work for Zerrah.
Zerrah explains how the Voraci Empire is structured. Troops are regularly rotated to different posts to avoid them getting attached. Underlings who show loyalty are richly rewarded. Zerrah is the Magistrate for Hornstead Kingdom, and her direct superior is Censor Weld who controls District 5. Zerrah has the ambition to replace her. 
The first step is that Ren will reveal where Sigris Shadowhand's Tomb is. After Zerrah gathers all the secrets the two will travel to Holy City Ember Stone where the Censor is. Zerrah wants Renatus to kill certain key targets, people loyal to Censor Weld. That way when Weld is killed there is less resistance to Zerrah taking over. Then to kill those who appose her when she takes over.
Renatus has to wear the Army of Voraci black cloak & tabard with the Voraci V on it. Renatus is disgusted to wear the uniform of the Empire, but will do so for a chance to spend more time with his family.
Renatus reveals what he knows of Sigris's Tomb. He also reveals that Autumn's Tower used to be Sigris's Tower. Zerrah says she and Ren will travel to the tomb in a few days. Zerrah has an slave named Paska to take notes of everything that Renatus stays.
===Journey to Sigris's Tomb===
June 28 A few days later Renatus is taken out of his jail cell where he is unshackles and cleaned up to be presentable. He is given his old clothing and leather armor. He is given the cloak and tabard.
Renatus is taken into a carriage with Zerrah and they set off for the tomb. Ren is alone inside the carriage with the Magistrate, but outside are her guard of 10 orcs. Zerrah says her goal with the tomb is to find something valuable for her superiors. She is a Divination Specalist, not a Shadow Mage so the discoveries there herself are not too useful.
Zerrah says that Lord Sackmore from the Falaror Kingdom had been causing trouble at the border recently because of Arachis not living up to his deal in regards to Sigris's Tomb. Zerrah delivered Arachis's head to Sackmore to calm him down. But Zerrah expects Sackmore's minions to be at the tomb ahead of them. 
Zerrah returns the shadow blade to Renatus to use in the coming fight. Renatus gives a prayer to the god of darkness, Relkor for besmirch the temple and magics of his domain by unworthy hands. 
===Trouble outside Sigris's Tomb===
July 6 Days later the carriage arrives at the village of Wikish which is near the tomb. They learn that there are monsters and Draconians at the tomb. Zerrah asks Renatus to scout them out.
Renatus leaves the carriage and sneaks up on the tomb. He sees some 18 goblins and 4 Bazz Draconianss outside the tomb entrance. The group seems to be lead by a Bozak Draconian.
Renatus returns and reports in to Zerrah. Zerrah describes the various Draconian types to Ren, and says they are the creations of Lord Oris, the leader of the Voraci Empire. 
The plan is for the orc troops to distract the guard and then have Renatus assassinate the Bozak Draconian. Zerrah casts on Renatus. 
The group enact their plan. Zerrah has the orcs form up and then demands the Draconians leave as they are trespassing. The Bozak casts casts upon himself.
Renatus moves into position to ambush, letting events unfold for now. After Zerrah calls out an ultimatum, Renatus attacks the Bozak Draconian, but doesn't penetrate the Draconian's armor. As the fight breaks out between the two foces, Renatus disengages out of combat to wait for another window to attack.
When Renatus see the Bozak casting another spell, he does another backstab, this time landing the hit, taking down half the Draconian's HP. The other draconians surround Renatus. The orcs continue to fight with the goblins.
Renatus tries to retreat into the tomb and finds there are goblins looting inside. Zerrah on 3 Baaz Draconians, killing them.
The Bozak casts on himself and vanishes. The surviving goblins flee, but only 3 escape in the end. During the fight half of Zerrah's Orcs had been slain, so only 5 remain.
Renatus shouts to Zerrah that the Bozak is invisible. However before the battle Zerrah had cast . She casts a at the Bozak but his natural magical resistance manages to resist the spell. Knowing he is visibile to Zerrah, the Bozak flees from the battlefield.
Renatus and the 4 orcs to into the tomb to clear out the goblins inside. One goblin gets a critical blow against Renatus, dropping him to 4 hp.
Zerrah order one of her Orc Riders to go to the nearby village to get the town guard to come help protect the camp. That nigh the orc returns with the guards. Renatus tries to sit with the Orcs at the camp, but Ren is belittled by the Orcs as a result.
Zerrah heads into the tomb with Renatus and Renatus find the secret chamber open and the wall have started to be cut off the walls to be carried away. There are sections where the goblins have been careless and ruined the text.
Zerrah stays at the tomb for about a month taking notes and reading magic of what she can. During this time Renatus gives some prays to the god of Despair, Solt.
When Zerrah is done after several weeks she has people from the nearby village to come to reburying the tomb. The location of the tomb is now to be kept a secret. Zerrah takes a note in her books on the location of the tomb.
===Back to Valebrook===
August 4. The group leave the tomb. The journey is uneventful.
August 11. they get back to the city. Once back in the city Renatus is given quarters and allowed to leave the barracks as he pleases.
Renatus finds he is to share a room with the slave scribe Paska. Paska is a short, middle-aged, human male, balding. Renatus is very adversarial towards Paska. Paska has adapted to his slave status over time. He knows he can't go back to the past where his friends and family were alive.
Renatus heads into the city and finds a wood-carver to get a small wooden horse made. It'll be ready in a couple of days. He then returns to the barracks.
While in the city Renatus is assigned to spy on the various Voraci Forces who work for Zerrah to see if there is any disloyalty or corruption. Renatus sits in the tavern where the attack in Episode 6 took place and listens in.
There are other times where Renatus is to hide in her office ahead of time with the shadowdagger and be invisible, and appear at request during the meeting to intimidate people.
August 16. Renatus is allowed supervised visits with his family, but isn't allowed in the room yet. He is told if he is loyal he will be allowed into the room. Fausta is worried about what horrible lengths Renatus will go to in this situation.
Renatus gifts the small horse toy to Aurelius Jr. Aurelius Jr names the toy horse Auguste. Renatus choaks up hearing the name. Fausta had been telling stories about Renatus and Auguste to Aurelius Jr.
Fausta speaks frankly with Renatus about drastic exit strategies which Renatus can't emotionally handle at the moment. The both agree not to do anything foolish or stupid.
==Experience==
No experience given during the episode.
Category:Save Or Die: Outcasts Episodes
Category:Save Or Die Episodes
Category:Save Or Die: Outcasts