Bhaakon's Midnight Isles IC

[Bhaakon]

Vang and his cohorts might have represented something of an immediate threat to Drezen, but the fortress's situation is hardly less precarious with their disposal. Particularly singe Vang remains out there, somewhere. The Crusade hasn't turned against you openly, but the train of supplies and reinforcements that marked the first month after the citadel was retaken has slowed to a bare trickle. The stores you found in the city, augmented by what was salvaged from the Wintersun holdfast will probably last until crops can be planted, but doesn't leave much extra in case of a siege. Magical transportation remains an option, but a few trips a day with extra-dimensional storage isn't a proper replacement for a weekly train of wagons bearing grain and other supplies en mass.

Then there's the manpower issue. With Nalin's passing, the tattered remnants of his order began to dissolve. Roderick led the dozen or so remaining back to Kenabres shortly thereafter. Kord's decision to leave was seen as permission to do the same by many of the stauncher crusaders, causing a rift that saw nearly a quarter of your force of paladins choose their principles over their orders and leave. Many civilians left as well, disheartened by the weakening of the garrison. And, of course, demons and the less intelligent hazards of the World Wound continue to pick off the unwary or unlucky at the rate of one or two a week. A few still braved the trip, the desperate or driven. That odd gnome, the score of volunteers with the hideous burn scars on the backs of their necks, where the Kelish usually tattoo a list of a convict's crimes. A century of Pure Legionaires, apparently sent here to be Merjana's problem. They had, of course, sworn to curb their usual activities in light of the greater threat, but old habits die hard. All an all, the previous force of a thousand soldiers had dwindled to seven hundred or so. The civilian population had fallen to three hundred--and would probably be quite a bit smaller if the road back to Mendev were safer.

Suffice to say, when Lily finally ponders out enough of Vang's notes and the nearly inscrutable secrets of the Lexicon of Paradox to risk an attempt at sealing Scorizscar's portal, it's the first bit of morale-boosting news to be had in over a month. It's just too bad it can't be shared beyond the inner circle of officers, in case the attempt fails.

Scorizcar's Tower (formerly Soltengrebbe's lair)----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"You say this plate goes here, and the other goes on the other side?" Aravashnial mutters, looking at the two thin copper sheets to which opposing pages of the Lexicon has been affixed. Liliy had excised them a week ago, following the directions smattered across several chapters of the book, and just as she'd finished the procedure or preparing the plates the mising pages had mysteriously grown back. "Which means someone has to go...inside? Well, it's true that it is easier to seal portals with agents on both ends, but still, do we even know if the demiplane on the other side will continue to exist? The volunteer could be shunted off in the void, or simply cease to be."

The books had, sadly, provided no guidance on that front.

"You should know that, despite my best efforts, I as of yet lack the ability to transport myself across planar boundaries on my own." The disgust dripping from the elf's tone at the thought of such shameful forays suggests that his 'best efforts' weren't very forceful.

"I'm sure Lilith will volunteer for that job. She is the expert after all. Giving her the trickiest jobs gives us the greatest chance of success." Irabeth mutters. It's hard to tell whether she's believes that or just hopes the tiefling will find herself trapped forever in some pocket dimension.

Scorizcar sniffs at Aravashnial, turning up its nose. "When was the last time you bathed, elf? I sense a hint of reek upon your robes. Hers are so clean that I can't even smell the fabric."

"I bathe regularly since...I bathe regularly!" Aravashnial snaps. "And why not one of the others? I don't believe it takes any particular skills to hold the plate and say the words. They might be more expen...er, that is, Lilith and my expertise will be needed on this side, allowing us to pool our mental resources."

You sense Aravashnial lying. There's a rumor going around that he remains somewhat aquaphobic even with the curse broken. Prestidigitation is no replacement for a proper washing.

Moderately Restored Temple of Desna, outskirts of Drezen---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lady Luck had never been a particularly popular goddess among the crusaders. At least not in a formal sense. There were plenty of gamblers among the crusade's mercenaries, and nearly every soldier carried a butterfly charm in the hopes's she'd smile their way at an opportune moment, but fiath found in card dens and trenches tends to be far too fleeting to support proper churches. So it should come as no real surprise that Drezen's only house of worship dedicated to the Starsong is little more than an open-air collection of standing stones around an altar where the main road enters the city proper, the closest thing to a crossroads that Drezen has to offer.

The shrine had been defaced by the demons, of course, but there were no walls to knock down to cieling to tear off, just inscriptions to chisel off of bluestone pillars and a purple-veined marble butterfly to shatter. Areushalae was not a trained artist, but she'd already smoothed the stone surfaces and was halfway through inscribing them with the same profusion of butterflies found in her old cell. She's refused all magical aid in the task, all aid entirely, at least from those not of the faith. The marble statue, alas, was beyond a simple nonmagical remedy, but she'd collected the pieces she could find and placed them back on the altar. The flower garden planted among the standing stones had long since wilted to dust and blown away, but the first sprouts of the replacement seed she'd surreptitiously collected during your travels in the World Wound were already beginning to show.

The work was, as always, done beneath the starlight. Which was rather less predictable than one would hope in this region of irregular sunrises, unpredictable weather, and general strangeness. For three nights in the last week the night had come with no stars at all. Another night, lasting a scant four hours, had seen a quartet of full moons spawning a twilight that blotted out all but the brightest planets.

So it has been the first properly starry night since Nadia arrived in Drezen astride her fuzzy traveling companion. She finds Areushalae pondering the shattered remains of the marble Swallowtail.

The succubus stiffens as Sir Chompsalot's paws crunch on the decomposed granite of the shrine's pathway. She doesn't turn around, though. "I've told you a dozen times, Lilith, I know this is your special talent, but this is a job I have to do myself. I'm just going to say it this time. I can't take help from...from someone who follows her. This is a task for the faithful, alone. I don't even think it right for you to tread this path. Please stop skulking around here."

[Hattish Thing]

Murtagh:

Murtagh stands patiently within the depths of Scorizcar's Tower, his expression grim. This time of rest within the crusader-city of Drezen does not appear to have done the Inquisitor much good, for he appears much as he did the day the others freed him from his confines within the labyrinthine tapestry. As the others speak of the demiplane, arguing with one another and discussing the nature of the task ahead, Murtagh's bulging, jaundiced demonic eye rolls about within it's clockwork frame. His eye swivels from person to person disturbingly from beneath his tall, intimidatingly high-crowned, wide-brimmed leather capotain. Long, stark white locks of greasy, matted hair still fall over Murtagh's aged face, however, the scraps of blood-spattered leather and gorey bandages that once covered the more putrescent left half of his disfigured face have been scraped off of his vile, crusted flesh, revealing horrors once covered by the wrappings.

The right side of his face appears much as it had before; flaky and sunburnt, dotted with liver spots and curious marks. Scars of all shapes and sizes race across his leathery skin, giving him a rather imposing appearance. Many of the scars appear as deep lines in the flesh, which split and spread into smaller branches of painful scar tissue, as if the figure had been struck by lightning. However, the left side of his face is truly a sight nauseating to behold. Sickening patches of wet, half-decayed flesh cling to exposed bone, teeth visible through the strands of sickly, coalgulated, semi-solid flesh. Putrid growths weep horrid fluids beside pools of festering rot and pus-filled craters, infection running rampant. Despite the horrifying nature of his wounds, the Inquisitor makes no effort to hide his cursed flesh, seemingly unfazed by his own appearence.

As before, Murtagh is clad in a long, threadbare, pitch black leather greatcoat lined with accents of faded silver and even darker shades of blood-stained black. Beneath his tattered greatcoat, the inquisitor wears a frayed vest, decorated with fearsome designs depicting demonic skulls,and glittering rows of perfectly polished onyxes set into lines of glittering, blood-stained silver threads. A cracked metal wayfinder decorated with flecks of gold and silver hangs from his neck, glowing with a soft light, and a sharp, angular collar of dilapidated black leather rests upon the man's broad shoulders, wrapping about his neck. A worn, black cloak of tattered cloth can be seen worn over his coat, torn sections patched up with chunks of tanned, demonic flesh. His metal brace composed of the same material as the prosthesis, fitted with leather straps and moving clockwork parts, can be seen worn over his left leg.

His curious mechanical prosthesis, lined with bones, can be seen attached to the his right arm, having received some alterations over time. The prosthesis itself appears to be a highly complicated clockwork limb, replacing the stranger's own flesh and bone halfway through his upper arm. Gears turn in place and grind softly, protected by layers of dented, skymetal plates, each panel decorated with faded silver inlay. Dozens of blood-stained bandages cover the prosthesis, and bones taken from the claw of some deceased demon now decorate the arm, giving it a frightening, claw-like look. Murtagh appears to have developed a strange fascination with hooks over time, for now each "finger" built into the clockwork prosthesis appears slightly hooked, bristling with spikes and chunks of rusted metal.

Despite the unhealthily tall and thin man's relatively weak-looking physical appearance, his equipment and garb radiate an aura of palpable threat, an aura made even stronger by the fact that the man appears to be carrying a rather horrific serrated hook at his belt, and his morbid firearm at his back. The hook itself is quite large, covered in powerful, rusted spikes and drenched in filth. Chains connect the hilt of the magical hook to a winch worn at his side, and each individual link appears to be decorated with celestial runes and carvings.

--

After several quiet moments, Murtagh sighs. He shakes his head, before gesturing with his battered clockwork prosthesis. "I agree with our crusader. I think it'd be best if we sent forth our member most experienced with these sort of things. I'll hold the damn plate and say the damn words. You needn't worry about that."

"It's our best chance, I think."

[Desril]

Lily

It'd been a tiring month for the quasi-goddess. Oblivious though she may be in most cases, even she couldn't miss how many of the Crusaders and civilians refused to work with her and Millia, nor could she forgive Kord for causing the problem and then making it worse. Still, she had other things to occupy her time than thoughts of the treasonous dwarf, like the Pure Legionaires who'd shown up. That was a problem that she needed to warn her followers to be careful of and ready to defend themselves if needed. Still, she'd made a great deal of progress on quite a few personal things, including having had Merjana's help in making a gift, shopping with Arueshalae and was wearing a new illusion to match a nice dress she'd found while out, tailored to her once more changed form, though this time the change was more subtle than the initial transformation. She'd even managed to make a memorial for Nalin before Roderick and his knights left. There were other matters that had more value to the Crusade as a whole, of course, the reason they were here now was one such example; progress on the Lexicon of Paradox.

As to whether Irabeth was simply telling the truth or hoping for a calamity, Lily didn't comment, but she smiled at Aravashniel's more obvious comment. "I'm not worried about blinking out of reality, Aravashniel. It's well documented that most demiplanes simply shunt their occupants into the Astral Plane when they expire, and Arueshalae's staff will let me return from there just as easily as the demiplane itself." She doesn't mention that she's hoping to find Lulu again, but quickly steps up. "Though it might take me a little while to get back to Drezen, unless someone wants to take the Sword of Valor down for a few moments," she adds, not expecting anyone to agree to that. "And Vash," she adds, uses his ex's nickname teasingly, "Maybe you'd care to join me in the baths later?"

If no one stops her, she takes the plate and steps up to be a scant few feet from Scorizscar.


Upon waking up and memorizing spells, Lily will cast Overland Flight every day to gain 12 hours of flight time. She'll recast it if it expires and she expects to be going anywhere.

[Ilorin Lorati]

Merjana, in the Tower

Merjana knew that keeping the city populated would be an issue, but the response that the crusaders had to Lilith and Millia was far worse than she figured it would be. There was little she could do about it at this moment, but gears turned in her head as she oversaw the city's repairs and went about repairing armor. Otherwise, it was just a normal month to the Khan. She had her plans already, she just need to go through with them and make her parents proud.

"Under no circumstances is the Sword of Valor going to be coming down while my head reminds on my shoulders. I may trust you, but I don't trust every single person in this town." There's a grimace on the woman's face... whatever is left of the town, at least. "You'd do wise to consider her offer, as joking as it may be. You're a terrible liar, Aravashniel," the woman quips as she scrunches up her nose, turning it into a weird grimace... scrunch... thing.


Taking 10 on Sense Motive for 20.


Nadia, Crossroads Demon Paladin

When the visions first came, Nadia was performing a harrowing. It had been some time since she had a client, and merely needed to practice the art, the play, the role she filled on the opposite side of the table from those who sought wisdom in the cards. For this, she chose a simple spread, a three by three arrangement of the cards that laid out the basics of a harrowing. She subject... herself. She hated doing this; alas, it was her job.

The past was of no concern to Nadia this evening, so she chose to draw from the middle. The bottom center card, the bearer of current ill. The Big Sky. In that position, it could mean one thing: at this very moment, there was a change happening in her life: the life she loved was being wiped away. A worry crept up in the back of the black-haired woman's mind, and half of it wanted to stop, to put down the cards and step outside, but the rest of her... she turned over the next card.

The top right, the bearer of future boons. The Hidden Truth. A partial match, a strong card... an important card. There was a deeper meaning behind this change, and she would seek it out. What's more, she would find it. The world would be better for it, but... after how long?

And thus, the first of the visions came, flooding her mind with the sight of a great, storm-borne demon breaking a city. It was one she had been to before, years ago... She knew those stones. Kenabres? The city of Crusaders? Would this happen? No, it was happening now. The world, as she knew it - as all knew it - was changing. She could see the dragon battling the demon, then six sparkling scales fading into darkness. And with them, so did she.

She awoke to one of the other caravaners shaking her on the shoulder; a small crowd had found her passed out on the floor, so many hours after that the sun had set. Nadia shook them off, assured them all she was fine, and looked out the still open door to the North Star. For so many nights, and so many years, she had gazed upon it almost nightly, but tonight... tonight was different. Its radiance was strange, driven. It seemed to shine on one last card... the upper center one. Surely this meant...

Nadia flipped it. The Paladin. The Knight in shining armor, the one whom would stand against the tides, resolved and mighty. As she did, she felt strength course through her. A calling, the very will of her goddess.

...She rejected it. She was scared, perhaps even terrified, of what she was seemingly being asked to do! She could not go up against an army of demons, she was no paladin, no great warrior!

Days passed, with the gnome locked away in her carriage. She kept her windows drawn, hiding from the light of Desna. But the visions never stopped. Night and day, the fortune teller was plagued by visions. Visions of the past, of soul shards and poor damned fools. Visions of the present, of foul, insect-like creatures tearing apart innocents. Visions of a future where she did not answer the call, of a world burned and left an overused husk.

On the fifth night, she couldn't take it anymore. Throwing open the doors and the windows, shoving everything she could into the only bag she could carry on her back, and setting off on her own, Nadia headed east, to Kenabres.

The trip from Varisia had been harrowing, to put it mildly. From bandits, to monstrous creatures made of metal that shot light, to the ruined city of Kenabres and the trip through the Worldwound to Drezen that threatened her life on more than one occasion. Still, these... powers, if she could call them that, had come in useful. She fought off the demons on her own with nothing more than her knife, and even ended up saving a few poor unfortunate travelers that were trying to flee the same place she was seeking out. Something about how it had been taken over by demons, itself? She wasn't surprised, not with the visions she had.

At least along the way she met with a curiously large dog that began to follow her; naming it Sir Chompsalot and purchasing a saddle for it to wear after some... negotiations, they both continued on the journey together.

And the visions, by the gods the visions and their continuing torment! Every night, while she slept, the gnome tossed and turned, through her mind blazing grand battles and sickening men of worms. Through her dreams rowed skeletal beings and behind her closed eyes stormed demons whose very existence threatened to drive her to vomiting on herself the moment she woke. Still, although they were nearly unbearable, the power she had been vested with granted her the will, the strength, to withstand them. For this, she was thankful... in a perverse fashion. And furthermore these visions were ones of hope, of groups overcoming the challenges, and... a horned, bat-winged with the colors of her goddess. Nadia at once knew and did not know the name of the demon. Although she could not yet find the way to vocalize the connection she felt, the way she knew who this being was and how she knew it was no threat to her, the "knight" knew where would be found: the crossroads at the entrance to a city, on a clear night under Cynosure's cold radiance.

And as she approached just that location, there the demon was, staring at the ruins of a stone butterfly. There were so many things she could say, questions or snark that she could let out! And oh how she wanted to pick this beings name until the sun rose, but through her sleep deprived state all she could do was give Sir Chompsalot a pat on the head and reply to Arueshalae simply: "Lilith is a lovely name. Your girlfriend?"

As she did so, Nadia slid off her companion's back and approached the statue in silence. There was nothing more she could find the words to say just yet.

[Frosty]

It has been quite the busy month for the burgeoning divinity. Between helping rebuild the city, shaping a statue memorial for Nalin, developing her religious doctrine, building her temple, oh and feeding most of Drezen, she has barely had any free time. When she has had time, she spent it contemplating her own worship (sometimes consulting with Sil), and how she is reconciling worshipping yin and yang at the same time.

With the changed focus of her worship, she found herself losing many of the special abilities she can come to enjoy. One of the abilities she has missed the most is her ability the change her form. She can no longer hide her new from form the city. To the uninitiated, she (like her sister) could easily be mistaken for a succubus, with her leathery wings, small pair of horns, and tail. To be certain, that did not help in keeping the crusaders that walked away instead of fighting the good fight. It wasn't all losses. Millia did gain some new abilities, In fact, she has found her spellcasting prowess to be much improved, even if she now has less flexibility than before. The cleric has been sneaking off secretly during some of her free time to practice one of her new magical abilities. It is very similar to what her sister can do, except her version of the fire explosion is so hot it burns blue and sometimes white, in contrast to the black fire of her sister's explosions.

Today, as luck would have it, the armor she had custom-ordered a few weeks ago finally arrived. It is gleaming, with a silver azure base palette, accented by gold, and occasionally punctuated by a flaming red. The Nephilim-aasimar wears the impressive suit of plate mail made from ore from the celestial heavens with grace. Adorned in such a fashion, she steps into Scorizcar's Tower.

After listening to the plan, Millia nods. "I would go with you, except we are likely to just be sucked into different realms once again. I will be here to aid with the ritual on this end. After that, I will also aid in the...cleansing ritual for Vash here. I don't need dragon senses to smell that." She gives the elf a smile with that last part.

Auto-pass Sense Motive on Aravashniel

[Bhaakon]

Arvashnial's eye twitches with annoyance at the thought of Lily's offer, but he doesn't offer up a response. Instead he takes up the plate for the one who will be standing on the Drezen side and mumbles through the words quietly and precisely one last time. "If you're going in, then go. The portal is open and, well, you very well know that means poor Scrozicar hasn't been able to eat for some time now. Granted, her kind can go months or years at a time between meals, but..."

"That's when I'm in a torpor, elf." The dragon groowls impatiently. "I hunger as anything else when active, and it's been four days, six hours and thirteen minutes since the last meal actually made it past my gullet."

"Never bring a dragon a water clock." Ara mutters. "Very well then, if you're ready I'll..."

"She looks ready." Scorzcar's jaw disjoints, dropping down at an obtuse angle and with a swinging looseness that discomfits anyone watching, instilling an unconscious designer to rubs one's chin to make sure their own mandible remains whole. The maneuver makes it rather simple to take Lily's form into its throat without chewing. It also makes it impossible to voice a request for permission as the dragon's head snakes out and drops on the teifling.

***********************

"Oh, you're back." Lulu exclaims, surprised. Lily eyes blink open, only to clamp down again as the noon sun scorches her retinas. "Yes, well, imagine that orb sitting like that in the sky constantly for all time. There are few things I wouldn't do to see it set over the far hill." Lulu responds to the reaction, smiling primly. "Tea? Fig cookie? I really wish I had packed something that wasn't sweet. A nice ham sandwich or a mutton pie. I rather feel like a child who has eaten herself sick on Yule treats."

***********************

There's a clatter as Aravashnial drops the copper plate, surprised and shocked at Scorzscar's rash actions and the site of poor Lilith being consumed whole. "Oh...oh, dear. Is she alive?"

"Just do the damned thing!" Irabeth barks at him, sending the Riftwarden scrambling to retrieve the instrument of rift closure. He picks it up, frowning at the bent corner where it impacted the stone floor.

"Oh, no. This will need to be repaired. A pliers and a chasing hammer, immediately! Where's a work table..."

Nadia*******************

Areushalae starts at the unexpected voice, one hand dropping to the starknife affixed to her belt as she turns to face the newcoming. "A...friend, at any rate." She answers, relaxing slightly as she sees the gnome's dress and the tattoo. "You are a newcomer to Drezen, then. I do not recognize you, and I hardly imagine that anyone who has spent more than an hour in town hasn't heard of...Lily. I see you are a fellow traveler. I...I'm sorry the shrine is in such a condition, but there are few of Her followers among the crusade, and I'm the only one with time to spare on this. I, uh, I'm hardly a trained craftsman." A glance at her work proves that. Her carvings might be numerous and heartfelt, but there's a childish quality to them, innocent, and crude.

[Desril]

Lily

Blinking her way into a new reality as Scorizcar devours her as readily as she once gulped down a whole turkey, Lily has to shield her eyes from the faux sun in the distance. The star was artificial, but it was still brighter and shone more clearly than any she'd seen from within the Worldwound in the last two months. Then, hearing her double's voice, she smiles. "Glad to see my theory was right. I was hoping to find you still here, Lulu."

Shaking her head, she sets about a very quick explanation, not expecting to have more than maybe half a minute to spare. "There will be time to eat outside," she says simply. Shifting her staff to her tail, Lily reaches into her illusory robes to pull out a scroll, "We don't have very long, so you're going to need to trust me. I can't take your body from here, but I can take your soul if you let me store it in a gem, creating a body for you is simple after that," she explains briefly.

"But I'll need you to agree to it...I can't imagine the brief time you'll be there will be any worse than this place though. Failing that, I'll just create a body and rip out the portion of my soul that is you to give it life." She shudders involuntarily a little at that, fully intending to go through with it should this plan not work but being somewhat worried about what effect that might have on both of them. Still, Nalin proved that a soul could be split and still function, so it was a sacrifice she was willing to make for her other half.

She'd already spent too long explaining herself to Lulu though, "I'm sorry I can't give you more time to decide, but the others are waiting on me. You need to make up your mind now...and if you have any last requests for your new body, now's the time."


K: Planes if it helps any (1d20+26)[29]

Diplomacy on Lulu (1d20+33)[52]

...Spellcraft for the ritual or whatever? I don't know what's needed. (1d20+21)[30]

K: Arcana (1d20+20)[22]

If Lulu agrees; Use scroll of Soul Transfer to put her into a soul gem. Then she'll start the ritual to close the portal.

[Ilorin Lorati]

Nadia, in the Shrine

Momentarily turning her eyes down the path she just came from - the way back to Kenabres - Nadia looked up at the succubus that she had just started talking to. "You could say that! Long and perilous has my journey been, tapped by the Great Dreamer herself to aid in the..." The gnome trailed off, shaking her head as she walked around the statue and leaned against the ruins of its base. "You know, I was prepared for a grand speech, some display of theatrics that would gain the trust of all those who heard. I spend days practicing even! But now I'm here, and you... whatever you were, whatever you are, and whatever name the stars call you... the one I think I was sent here for... and I'm suddenly so annoyed at the prospect of going through that rote cowshod one more time! So here it is: Desna, our goddess, our guiding light in the north, sent me here to help... and she was not subtle about it. Give me your name and tell me what you need of me, sister. I'm yours to command, or whatnot."



Diplomacy Take 10: 33

[Hattish Thing]

Murtagh:

As Lilith disappears into the beast's mouth, Murtagh frowns deeply, a concerned expression upon his scarred face. He wasn't much of an academic, nor did he have any particularly pleasant experiences when it came to mysterious portals, however, this particular method of planar teleportation seemed especially bizarre, even to him.

His musings are put to the side, however, as Aravashnial drops the copper plate, the terrible noise shattering his train of thought. The Inquisitor turns towards the Riftwarden, obviously quite concerned as he notices the large dent in the plate. "Oh, gods, what have you done? Does that break something? Is the spellcaster gone?!"

Murtagh's bloodshot eye flashes about the room quickly, enhancing his perceptive qualities as he searches for an appropriate tool.

[roll0]

[Frosty]

Millia immediately gets to work shaping some nearby stone into (at least some of) the tools needed. As she hands them to the elven Riftwarden, she tries to calm him down. "Deep breaths, master wizard. This is well within your capabilities. Whatever you need assistance with will be provided."

Cast Stone Shape to shape some tools.
Activate medal for +2 CHA. Diplomancy check to help Aravashniel concentrate and focus: [roll0]

[Bhaakon]

Lily------------------------------------------

"I...Yes, do it. Quickly." Lulu answers, a brief flash of initial trepidation replaced by steely certitude. Lily produces the prepared gem and speaks the command word to complete the spell. Lulu lays her ring-studded index finger on the jewel, a flawless sapphire the size of a robin's egg and immediately becomes insubstantial, her essence draining into the gem.

A shot of agony runs up Lily's arm, like a flap of flesh was cut loose on her palm and then then pealed back to her elbow, up her shoulder and around her neck to to her scalp. Then a second strip, and third, the manifest pain of her souls being unraveled like a loosely knitted sweater, from the perspective of the sweater.

[roll0] neg levels as per energy drain.

Hrm. I wonder what hill happen if you make the save to resist permanent neg levels...or remove the neg levels...

Scorizcar's Lair-------------------------------

Murtagh has not problem spotting the tools, as they're all sitting, as one would expect, on a portable work table nearby that Lily had placed just in case there was a need for last-second adjustments to the plates. The tools are either arranged at random or follow some organizational structure beyond the decipherment of mere mortals (probably the former, in all honestly. There's a good chance that she just tossed the files, pliers, chisels, and hammers down in a pile and just remembered where they all tumbled to rest). Aravashnial had, of course, utterly failed to remember its presence in his moment of panic.

A moment of panic that quickly passes as Millia coaches him. "Yes...yes, it's a simple repair." he takes the medium set of padded bronze pliers from Murtagh--the choice least likely to draw a spark or gouge the copper plate--and carefully straightens the bent corner. A bit of touch-up work with a thing chisel is enough to make the creased-over inscriptions clearly legible once again. Well, as legible as an incomprehensible amalgam of two dozen planar tongues can be (some of them, paradoxically, lacking a written form).

"Er, that is, please open wide and avoid inhaling me while I complete the ritual." The elf meekly asks the dragon. Scorizcar follows the instruction and Aravashnial presses the plate against the dragon's tongue. The acidic saliva of the wyrm immediately goes to work on the thing sheet, sizzling and popping as it etches the back of the soft metal. "Oh...no, no, no. I must hurry. Lily had better be prepared!" Aravashnial shouts, an immediately dives into the ritual as the copper corrodes away with troubling alacrity beneath the chemical assault.

Areushalae------------------------------------

The succubus's eyes go wide, then narrow, and go with again. Her face flits through a series of emotions from confusion to...well, an ineffable look of horror that silently shouts 'not another', but that passes so quickly that Nadia is left wondering if it was ever there at all. Finally the winged woman takes a steadying breath and smiles warmly. "I'm called Arueshalae, and mostly at the moment I'm in need of an eager artisan, preferably skilled. I don't suppose you're mason or sculptor, Traveler...what was it?"" She asked, using the formal title for a lay Desnan or cleric of low or indeterminate rank.

[Desril]

Lily

Screaming out in agony as she was partially unmade by her own hand, Lily collapses to her knees briefly, catching her breath and clutching the gem containing Lulu to her breast. It takes a moment, but she slowly rights herself, and moving to place the copper plates where they were needed.

Now...to make the body...


Short post, but K: Religion on the issue of her currently torn soul, whether she can be healed by magic without endangering Lulu, if sampling others via her Kiss could restore her without risk to Lulu [roll0]

K: Planes for same [roll1]

K: Arcana is Lulu's body as simple as casting Clone while using the soul gem as an additional component or is there something else that needs doing? [roll2]
Spellcraft for same [roll3]

[Ilorin Lorati]

Nadia


The gnomish fortune teller was perceptive enough to get what she felt was a sense of the succubus's emotions towards her, realizing that somehow she annoyed the much taller, possibly much more powerful creature before her. "U-uh. No, I'm afraid not. You see, I'm a, err. A fortune teller. My name is Nadia!" The gnome's eyes downcast for a moment, clouding over as she turned them towards the ground. Never one to let a bad first impression stop her, however, the gnome quickly resolved herself and looked back up. "But if it's artisans you want, I can do that! I can get in contact with my Caravan, they can get in contact with others of the faith, and we can find an artisan for you! There was just the one problem, though. "Just, uh... do you know anyone that can send a message?"

Nadia was still not quite sure what to make of the woman before her. She already knew Desna had made a mistake sending Nadia here, but... this was a succubus. Everything she knew said this was a creature of evil. Was she here to guard, or babysit?

Please, goddess, don't let it be babysitting duty.

[Bhaakon]

Nadia----------------------------------

"Fortuneteller?" The succubus wonders. "I've never actually engaged in that aspect of the faith. It just...I don't really know. I never had the talent or the teachers for it. Or maybe I didn't want to see what was coming." She shrugs, dismissing trh last thought. "Regardless, there are many here who can send messages, by courier or by magic. I believe the woman I mentioned earlier...that is, there's a priest of Shelyn whom I'm sure would be overjoyed to help. More Desnans in Drezen would, I think, suit his fancy more than adding another batch of stodgy Iomedaeans."

Scorizcar's Tower-----------------------

There's a long pause as Aravashnial finishes his invocation, a near-silence ruined only by the elf's gagging breath as he tries his best to ignore the tangy reek of Scorizacar's halitosis. Alas, not even desperate mouth-breathing can save the elf from the odoriferous assault of the massive belch let loose by the dragon. Followed quickly by another, even larger outburst, redolent of a copper dragon's unbelievably strong stomach acid, meals left to marinate in that soup for a week, wildflowers, decades of suspect dental hygiene, sweet pastries, and the barest hint of chocolate.

Scorizcar wretches, pulling away from the elf as he breaks out in a wet, wracking cough strong enough to shake the stone tower.

"We've...we've killed it!" Aravashnial blurts out between wretches of his own, but his assessment is premature. Instead the dragon coughs out a shard of...glass, perhaps? But bright, and dark, and neither. Faceted, but perfectly flat. Its edge a perfect line devolving into an infinite fractal regression. The seed of the portal, the tiny rent in the planes, evaporates away to nothing as you watch.

Lily-----------------------------------

You gather the strength to say the words in spit of the constant, acute, ineffable pain that stubbornly refuses to subside into a dull ache. The grassy hillside shakes and wobbles, jiggling beneath your feet like gelitan. The flowers fade, the picnic disappears, the blue sky fades to dull grey indistinguishable from the now flat and equally gray ground. Then the plane stabilizes, with you still in it.

[Desril]

Lily

Looking around at the dull, grey landscape, Lily makes a note to remember the planar coordinates of this place, should she ever need to secret something away into a location none can find before putting her soul gem inside one of her many pockets.

With strained, slow movements, Lily rises to her feet, using the spherewalker's staff as a support. "Now then...do I return, or take the opportunity to go pay my respects to my mother?" Staring hard at the Desnan implement, she remembers that she'd asked Arueshalae to come with her when the time came and resolves herself to returning to Drezen first. "Although I do wonder how close I'll be able to get, with the Sword's interference..."

Done talking to herself, she channels her power into the staff, concentrating on Drezen, and preparing to teleport above the city once she returns to the Material.


Using 3 charges to cast Plane Shift aimed at Drezen ([roll0] miles off target)
Teleport 10 miles above Drezen if more than 15 miles away

[Frosty]

Millia

She stands nearby, quiet and ready to spring into damage control if necessary. When the dragon starts coughing, Millia has a concerned look but does not panic. With the shard coughed out, the aasimar does indeed step forward to study it. It seems to contradict itself in many ways, but then, it did take the Lexicon of Paradox to dislodge this shard. She quickly scans the shard with magic even as it evaporates, and continues scanning even after the shard is gone, just to be safe. "Well, this appears to be a success. Scorizcar, how do you feel?"

Detect magic on the Shard and on the area after it disappears.

[Bhaakon]

Lily-----------------------------------------------

Noting the location of the now utterly unremarkable demiplane, an oddly positioned spot in the astral positioned in proximity--as such things go--with the Abyss and the Akashic Record, Lily activates the staff so as to shift back to the material...


...and lands with a bare-footed squelching warm pile of manure. "Ce dracu 'faci aici, rahatul tău? Dacă vreți să vă culcați taurii, sezonul de rutină nu este pentru încă trei luni! Du-te cu tine, sânge demonic murdar! Obține!" Shouts a man in a tall, wide-brimed hat from some distance, beyond a ramshackle wooden fence. Of more interest is the bull with the rather large horns--as long as Lily's arm if they're and inch--just a few dozen paces away. "Mooooooo!" it exhales, rather forcefully, shooting flecks of mucus past the big bronze ring in its nose.

Thankfully the aggressive bovine is far enough away fro the teifling to calmly recite her transportation spell (well, as calmly as one can manage when one's bare foot is marinating in dung). She pops back into reality a fair distance above Drezen, chill air filled with a puce-tinted haze that only seems modestly toxic. Probably only dangerous with week of exposure. Probably.

The fall/flight back to the tower takes but a moment. Maybe less, if she is particularly daring with the free-fall.

Scorizcar's Tower---------------------------------

The spot where the portal evaporates holds a hint of magic, but even as Millia watches it begins to degrade. In not terribly long it will likely dwindle to nothing.

"Hungry." The dragon grumps. "Does this town not have any livestock? I was getting damnably tired of salted pork before my condition returned...." Alas, the local flora will not support...typical livestock.

[Desril]

Lily

Suppressing the urge to shiver in disgust at her most unfortunate landing, Lily listens to the foreign tongue for just a moment before placing it as decidedly Ustlavic. Hrm, shame I can't speak the language. Offering her hands up in a gesture of peace, she responds in Taldane before vanishing, "Sorry for interrupting, my spell is rather inaccurate, I'll be going now."

Paying little mind to the bull, aside from noting internally that it seems a fine example of his species, Lily incants her spell quickly, reappearing in the skies above Drezen. Unfortunately, though the aid of gravity is greater than that of even magically conjured horses, ten miles is still a fair distance to cover without bending time and space. The benefit to this, however, is that it gives the tiefling more than enough time to magically wash away both the bits of manure still stuck to her body and the traces of its smell long before she comes into view of the others.

Having tucked them in and closed her eyes to think on other matters and rest from the ordeal of splitting her soul while letting gravity take her in free-fall, once much closer to the ground, Lily flares out her wings and lets her spell take hold to resist the ever present pull of Golarion before safely coming to rest on the ground next to Scorizscar. "You know, the weather in Ustalav is actually quite nice this time of year," she says casually. Looking up and down at the dragon and the others, "Everything worked well on this end, I take it? My double disappeared and the demiplane became a featureless expanse after I used the plates and I couldn't detect the portal afterward, so I made my way back." Though overmuch for a simple explanation, Lily is a fair bit distracted and trying not to make any mention of the soulstone in one of her many pockets, or look winded or hurt, a difficult task given the current state of her split essence.


...What would this be, Perform to not look injured? It's more acting than bluffing, no? [roll0] (+13 more if it's a bluff)

[Ilorin Lorati]

Adventures in Babysitting

"There's a Shelynite here?!" The gnome's countenance immediately brightened up when she heard of The Eternal Rose's follower here in the city; she may not follow the goddess but she had yet to meet a Shelynite she didn't like.

Wait, she was supposed to be acting mature. Ahem. "I'll talk to them and see if I can call more of our brothers and sisters to this wretched land to help. Would that the roads weren't so dangerous... Where may I find this priest?"

[Frosty]

Millia

Not long after the enigmatic shard disappears, Millia notices a speck in the sky that is getting bigger. "Heads up! Possible sky-drop in progress! Probably Lily porting back, but be aware."

Once Lily lands, Millia sniffs the air. "What'd you do, fight a Crap Elemental? I can still smell hints of it coming from you. Almost as bad as Aravashnial's robes!" She intones a simple orison, and sprays some water at her sister's legs. "So, good news, it looks like it worked on this end as well. I think we can call this a success. Scorizcar coughed up some strange planar shard that melted into nothingness, and now wants livestock. Know where we can find some?"

She notices some subtle hints of pained movement from Lily. Why is she trying to play it off? I'll ask her about it later in private...

[Desril]

Lily

Having thoroughly cleaned herself of most of the stench so that none but perhaps the dragon could've detected it, Lily glares at Millia for her commentary and the drenching of her feet. "There's a rather large bull back on some farm in Ustalav, but I imagine that's too far a journey for a light snack. I suppose I could call up a morsel from the depths of the Abyss or the peaks of Heaven if you want, Scorizscar? Such spells are usually for striking bargains, but pulling planar cattle across realities is well within my power."

"Although once that's taken care of, I think I'll retire to my keep for a while..."

[Hattish Thing]

Murtagh:

As all manner of strange things occur within Scorizcar's tower, Murtagh steps back for a moment, confident that his more magically-inclined allies would solve whatever bizarre thing was currently taking place.

For all his knowledge, Murtagh knew very little of the nature of magic.

--

When Lilith reappears, the Inquisitor smiles softly, listening closely.

As she finishes speaking, something she mentioned begins to stand out to Murtagh.

--

A suspicious expression forms upon his gnarled face before the crusader clears his throat, and speaks. "Pause a moment, if you'd please, spellcaster.
Double? You mentioned a double?"

"You... you're not the only, well, you?"

[Desril]

Lily

Drained as she is, Lily can't remember if they'd explained the nature of Scorizscar's curse to Murtagh or not, and simply shakes her head in the negative. "The demiplane that was linked to the portal in Scorizscar's throat was...unique. The last time we were all devoured, it seemed as if most of us encountered hostile versions of ourselves," she explains. "But their existence was ephemeral, only sustained by the nature of the demiplane, and mine was reasonable, so we didn't need to fight."

[Hattish Thing]

Murtagh:

A scarred brow raises slightly as the Neshenite steps to the side, his back creaking as he sits down within a comfortable chair, nearby.

As he sits, Murtagh begins to ponder a great many things...

--

Despite his distant expression, the Inquisitor's response is lightning fast. "What a most disturbing demiplane. I wonder what sort of thing I'd lay eye upon there. If anything, at all."

"Ah, but I'm intrigued, pardon my morbid curiosity."

"Where... where is this "hostile" double of yours, now?"

[Desril]

Lily

Raising her eyebrow, wondering what part of disappearaing with the demiplane Murtagh didn't understand, Lily raises a hand to her heart, "Here, I suppose." The fact that the soul gem was in a extra dimensional pocket that may or may not exist in the same location is purely coincidental.


Bluff [roll0]

[Hattish Thing]

Murtagh:

The Inquisitor stays perfectly still as he stares towards Lilith, his eye focused upon her.

Sense Motive: 1d20+30 (46)

--

After a second of dead silence, Murtagh cracks a small smile, his voice warm. "Oh, of course. Silly me."

[Bhaakon]

Scorizcar--------------------------------------------------------

"Celestial tastes better, of course. Fiendish meat always has a sulfurous taint, or worse, and you never know when you might bite into a tumorous sack full of hair, teeth, or hoof." The dragon shakes its head in a unsubtle show of disgust. "The grass-fattened aurochs of Elysium bear the honeyed flavor of their pastures. Far superior."

Aravashnial, meanwhile, can hardly hide his excitement. "A..success? A success!" He chortles, veritably dancing a jig beneath his robs. "Callooh, callay! But this is just the first step. Next we need a bigger portal, preferably connected to the Abyss itself, and mature. Not like that seed in the vescavor den. Something to truly test the strength of the ritual!"

"Yes." Irabeth cuts in, a little too eager. "There are no doubt many such portal deeper in the world wound. Perhaps you should go questing for one. Or many. Every portal closed is one step closer to the goal of the crusade.

Arueshalae-----------------------------------------------------

"Yes, there is. Sosiel is likely in the keep. As the ranking cleric among the crusaders, he's run rather ragged. Especially minding those..." Arueshalae hesitates an instant, almost covering her stumble as a pause for breath. "...minding the flock. Not all here follow the Rose, but many seek respite from the terrors of the wound in her house. Especially with the Calistrians departed." She stands, brushing dirt and stone dust from her leathers. "I think I've reached the limit of what I can do here without help, anyway. I will bring you to him."

A short time later, assuming Nadia agrees, the pair find themselves in Scorizcar's tower, walking in on a shaggy bovine being rather messily devoured...

[Desril]

Lily

It takes a few minutes to complete the spell, a useful distraction to keep from commenting on Aravashniel's little jig, but calling a trio of Elysium bovines is easy work for Lily these days, and as the cattle is both well behaved by nature, and promptly devoured by Scorizscar, there's little need to contain them to a circle, which allowed her to finish up just in time for Arueshalae to make her entrance with a newcomer. Unfortunately, though quicker to notice the succubus' presence than anyone else's most of the time, in her present state, Lily wouldn't be likely to notice a platoon of hellknights charging at her, and she turns to Irabeth, her tone somewhere between sad and angry. "I don't care if you want to hate me, Irabeth, but if..." Closing her eyes, Lily stops herself and takes a breath. There wasn't any point wasting more energy on a lost cause, "Forget it. I'm not dealing with this."

Turning to leave, the nephilim starts back toward her keep only to finally notice the new arrivals. Still upset, she still manages a smile at the succubus' appearance, "Oh, Arueshalae! What's going on?" Finally noticing the gnome next to her, Lily looks down, cocking her head, "Ah, hello, who might you be, miss?" The gnome wasn't unattractive, but seeing someone new brought to one of the command meetings was a strange enough occurrence to knock the drained and upset archwizard off balance from her usual social grace.

[Ilorin Lorati]

Merjana

"Well, do we have any idea where the closest stable portals with a connection to the abyss even are," the magus replies, adding in "...Maybe one of the books in the library could help? I have an... idea." The magus flashed a look over at Lily before shuffling off quickly out of the room.


Nadia

"Oh, of course not. I look forward to meeting this Sosiel, if for no other reason than to see how I can help take some of the weight off his shoulders." Of course, as Nadia said all this the little woman had a look on her face that practically screamed that she was trying very hard to no not go bounding off in the direction of the city, with or without her new tour guide / ward. It was a miracle that she didn't actually do it, since there was little chance she would find Sosiel without Arue's assistance.

The walk to the tower was filled with all sorts of questions, the paladin attempting as much to get the lay of the land as sating her own seemingly boundless curiosity while they went through the ruined space towards the keep. At the very least, however, she would quiet down if the succubus expressed any sort of irritation towards her.

~~

Once they arrived at the keep and made their way up into the tower that the dragon called its home, Nadia found her curiosity once again getting the best of her, rushing forward and stalking around the various people gathered there until, eventually, she realizes that she's being spoken to by the ... succubus?... she had found herself inspecting. "...You didn't tell me there were several succubi here. בהחלט שמרטף." No matter the tone she carried, Nadia had a bright, though somewhat forced, smile on her face. "My name is Nadia, Traveler and called upon soldier of the Starsong. Is Sosiel here? I have business I wish to speak with him about."

"Definitely babysitting.

[Desril]

Lily

Cocking her head toward Merjana, Lily is more than a little curious about what her idea was but is too tired to question it further before she tries to make her own exit only to run into Arueshalae and Nadia. Smiling, she responds in perfect Gnomish, "רק סוקובוס בחצי," before swapping back to Taldane for everyone else. "Lilith, a pleasure to meet another of the Great Dreamer's chosen," she says, genuinely happy that Arueshalae might have someone else to talk to who won't be as suspicious or wary of her as most of the crusaders. "But if you're here for Sosiel, I won't delay you." Turning to the others before continuing her departure, "I'll be in my keep, unless someone needs me?" Though she's open to a response from anyone, Lily's eyes linger a bit longer on Arueshalae than anyone else before she leaves, should no one stop her.


"Only a succubus by half."

[Frosty]

Millia

The armored Nephilim groans silently as she wondered how best to placate Irabeth once again, but before anything can be said, the real succubus and a gnome walks in. She looks over at the newcomer. There's...something about her. Strands of destiny? Power? Or maybe Millia is just imagining things. She does note the tattoos, however.

She walks forward and offers a smile and a hand. "A pleasure to meet you, Traveler Nadia. We are happy to have the Starsong's support in these trying times. I am Millia, a part of an elite team trying to reclaim Sarkoris from the demons."

A holy symbol is worn on a necklace around Millia's neck. On one side, it is shaped as a symbol of Sarenrae. On the other, symbol of Nocticula. Similarly, her armor religious iconography from both faiths and also a sun-moon yin-yang motif.

Looking towards the succubus, the cleric inquires, "How fare you lately. Is the restoration of the shrine progressing well?"

[Hattish Thing]

Murtagh:

As the newcomer appears, the Inquisitior remains seated, sipping gingerly at whatever foul concoction was contained within his shoddy silver hip flask. The scarred veteran glances towards Arushalae for several seconds, his demonic gaze lingering for reasons entirely separate from Lilith's.

He subtly shakes his head in disapproval before moving on to Nadia.

--

Murtagh taps his metal, clawed foot against the floor as Nadia moves about the room, his expression focused, concentration obvious upon his deformed face as he stares directly towards the gnomish holy warrior. The gnome may feel an uncomfortable sensation as her alignment is discerned by the rather ominous man in the wide-brimmed hat, half-concealed in shadows.

After a moment, Murtagh merely meets her gaze, before nodding his head in respect.

"Mm."

[Bhaakon]

Scorizscar's den--------------------------------------------------------

"Er...yes, as well as I can manage. But proper restoration requires many skills that I've never had a need to cultivate before now." Arueshalae harrumphs, but no longer with the dejection she expressed when the topic was previously broached. "But hopefully that won't be a problem anymore, with our new arrival here. Another of the Starsong's children sent to help, I hope. Or summon help..."

The succubus glances at Sosiel, biting her lip nervously. The man had never been unkind, but there was no denying the awkward tension stirred up whenever Arueshalae dealt with the faithful of another goodly deity. But Sosiel isn't paying much attention to Arueshalae at the moment, as Nadia has addressed him directly. "Yes, I am he." Sosiel bows down, extra low so that his head actually does drop down below the gnome's diminutive stature. "I wasn't aware of a shepherd being sent to tend your Lady's flock her in Drezen, but then the Starsong's church is rather...flighty."

Merjana, in the library, with the candlestick-------------------------------

The trip to the library was something of a cover, hence the sidelong glance to Lily... though who knew if the woman would figure that out immediately or three days later in retrospect. No books were needed to confirm what Merjana already knew: the best known stable portals to the abyss were much deeper in the Worldwound. Large, dangerous, guarded both purposefully and by the sheer number of demons pouring in and out on a regular basis. But the group had already uncovered word of another portal. One stable enough to transport the components of the volatile Nahyndrian elixir. One small enough to remain secret. One within convenient overland travel distance of the Templar way station the group had raided a month before. One that almost certainly featured prominently in the coded ramblings taken from Xanthir's study.

Indeed, it HAD featured prominently. The question was whether Lily had chosen to reveal that to the others...

[Ilorin Lorati]

Nadia, with the Party

The gnome starts to try and respond to all the ones that introduced themselves to her, but there is far too much going on and she loses track of Lily, Millia, and Murtagh when Sosiel introduces himself. "So polite! I always adore followers of the Eternal Rose for just that reason... nevermind, not important! She didn't send me to tend the flock. I'm no shepherd, I'm a guardian. ...It's complicated, and I can explain in private if you wish. I just... miss Arueshalae said you may be able to help me get in contact with those in our faith that could help rebuild the shrine? A sending spell, maybe a teleportation or two so they don't need to make the trek if we find someone to help? Neither of us can do much with it at this point." The gnome's words speed up as she talks, going from a calm explanation almost to the point of tripping over her own words as she explains the situation to the priest.

[Desril]

Lily

Given the nature of the portal and the implications it had for Lily and the other heretics, while she had elected to inform the party of the portal's general location, she neglected to mention where it was connected to. The truth, however, could be found sitting carelessly strewn among a dozen similar documents on a table in the nephilim's keep, as Lily decided the best way to hide the damning segments of the translated pages of the journal was to just leave them hidden in plain sight among other pages in a place that only she or those she'd approved could enter.

That Merjana might be searching for such information, however, was a fact that completely eluded her and likely would have even if she hadn't been trying to cope with her sudden spiritual splitting. While she did head for her keep, now much better furnished than the barren, lifeless state it'd been in a month ago, Lily did so with another purpose in mind. Talking to the soul gem in her pocket as she walks, partly to reassure Lulu and partly to give herself something to concentrate on to not think about how drained she is, "It'll take a while for the body to grow to full size, but after tonight waiting to grow up is all that will be left. Just give me a few minutes to catch my breath and I'll cast the spell..."

Assuming she can reach the keep with no issue, she quickly grabs the scroll she'll need before collapsing onto her bed, wearily putting both the scroll and soul gem on the nightstand next to her, intending to rest her eyes for a few minutes before carrying out her plan.


OK, so, Lily is in her keep for any interactions needing her. Once she's eaten Millia or otherwise had a moment to recover she'll make her way to wherever the secret cloning lab was set up.

[Frosty]

Scorizscar's den--------------------------------------------------------

The cleric nods. "I wish you both the best of luck then. I hope to see the restored shrine with the glory it deserves soon, but please let me know if I can do anything for you. I'll take my leave now." She has noticed the tension in the air between Arushulae and many in the crusade. She sighs mentally, and can relate to being discriminated against.

As much as she'd like to stay and listen more about what is going on with the newcomer, Millia has other concerns right now. Her sister seems much weakened, even if she denies it. Wasting no time, she immediately starts intoning a spell, and within seconds she is gone.

Spell cast was Word of Recall

Lily's keep--------------------------------------------------------

Millia arrives at the keep, and sees a tired Lily collapsing onto her bed. She approaches softly. "Hey sis, you look like you've burnt the midnight oil...or a week's worth of it. Spill, what's really going on? How can I help?"

[Desril]

Lily

Lily had barely shut her eyes when she heard Millia speak up, and the sigh is audible. It takes a moment before she composes herself to speak and she slowly rises from the bed, "You know, it's been nearly a month, and it's still strange to hear anyone call me 'Sis'."

Looking up at Millia, still in her armor and looking like some insane heretical knight, Lily takes a moment to consider the question. "I suppose it doesn't matter now anyway, it's too late for any of you to try and stop me," she says ominously, though her voice betrays that she's still clearly exhausted. "I...had a promise to keep, to the other me. But following through was draining, I just need time to recover," she says simply. "Well, time or putting Mother's gift to work, but I'm not going to ask any of my faithful to endure this just to hasten my own soul's restoration," she adds as an afterthought.

[Frosty]

Lily's keep--------------------------------------------------------

Millia shakes her head and smiles. "And you thought I would stop you? You haven't an evil bone in your body. Whatever came from your soul, I'm sure we can fix even if she turns out to be a bit...foolhardy. After all, the world can already handle Lily. How hard can a mini-Lily be?"

She sits down next to her sister. "Alright, why don't I provide you with succor? I can easily restore myself after I make you whole."

[Desril]

Lily

Furrowing her brow, Lily thinks for a second. On the one hand, the idea of devouring someone's soul was abhorrent to her, even more than it would be to most. On the other hand, she was so weak, and sore, and it was being offered to her freely. She could restore herself easily too. As long as I'm careful and don't consume her entirely, it will probably hurt but she could heal herself in an instant...

"Are...are you sure? I've never really tried to do this before...I can't promise it's safe."

[Frosty]

Lily's keep--------------------------------------------------------

The cleric nods and leans in. "Yes, Lily. It's fine. I'll push off if things get dangerous. What may be dangerous is Irabeth's attitude even after all this time. Can a true paladin really be wishing us dead? In anycase, we probably have a good target anyways for our next closing ritual. I want to ask you a bit about it after this."

[Desril]

Lily

Issues with Irabeth will have to wait, Millia's confidence that she'll be fine is enough for Lily, who was struggling to keep her eyes open, to succumb to the impulse to restore herself through her sister's soul, rationalized as it may have been. She doesn't bother responding as she pulls Millia into an embrace.


Omnomnomnom; Lilith uses Draining Kiss on Millia. Millia will be gaining 6 negative levels as Lily works off her loss.

[Ilorin Lorati]

Merjana, AKA 00KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN

Merjana searches the library, pulling all the files that she could manage on the portal near Xanthir's old base. She knew for a fact where the place went, having heard it privately from a certain wizard some days prior, and knew that this was the best way to get what everyone wanted...

Unfortunately, while the destination of the portal was among the notes, there was one crucial bit of information that she needed to collect up before she could make her move, and to get that she needed to collect it straight from Lily's hands...


~~~

A short time later, Merjana arrived at Lilith's conveniently placed tower, blinking into existence just on the far side of its doorway because, unlike some people, Merjana doesn't have to worry about the Sword of Valor. The magus doesn't bother knocking as she walks in through the front, calling out "Lilith, are you around? It's time, so we need to talk and I need the information on that portal." As she calls out for her friend, the Khan looks around, trying to find where the wizard would actually keep all this in her private study.

[Frosty]

Lily's keep (Lily's room)--------------------------------------------------------

Around the time Merjana arrives, the soul-sucking is nearing its end. At first, it wasn't so bad. Just some numbness of Millia's body. but, the more her essence was sucked out, the more the lack of feeling became and ache. Like how nature abhors a vacuum, a body abhors a lack of a complete soul! The pressure to get the soul bits back translates into pain as literally half of Millia's life force is taken away from her, and she can't help but moan out loudly in pain at the very end!

With sweat covering her body and her breathing ragged, Millia looks like she has been through quite a lot. "That...sucked..." Not wasting another second, she begins casting the spell that will restore her essence completely.

Millia casts restoration. Merjana probably hears moaning from inside Lily's room.

[Desril]

Lily

While Millia suffers from her soul being siphoned away, the half of herself that she lost is an elixir to soothe the weary ache Lily had been enduring. And whether it was because they were sisters, quasideities, or for some other reason, Millia's essence seemed compatible enough with Lily's soul that the wizard quickly felt revitalized and was back to full strength before she'd even heard Merjana's shout. Wide-eyed, she shakes her head, trying to resist the impulse to continue and bury the thought. It was even better than that bit of chocolate...The sheer bliss she felt at consuming another's soul, even only partially, worried her, but luckily the khan provided a timely distraction, snapping Lily back into the present.

"I'm here, just a second," she calls out before exiting her room and joining Merjana in the main area of the keep. "Time?" Cocking her head to the side, she looks confused for a moment before realization strikes and she frowns but nods her head. "Ah. Yes, that...makes sense. Now that Scorizscar has been tended to there's no reason to put it off any longer, is there? Blasted idiot crusaders..." Sighing, "What do you need to know?"

[Frosty]

Millia has recovered enough to walk after about 12 seconds, and she heads out into the main area as well. "Oh, I thought you were going to the library, Merjana."

[Ilorin Lorati]

Merjana's ears perk up as she hears the woman's pained cries from the main room of Lily's "fortress", a hand going to her hip and pulling Penn partway out of his holster just to be on the safe side. "Lil-- Oh, there you are." The mage's eyes flick behind her friend, keeping an eye out for anything that might suggest more was up than it seemed. She does, however, attempt to get down to business, replying to the question with "I need the notes that you have on the portal near Xanthir's base. I can convince the crusaders to let you go, but I'll need information that will be new to them otherwise everything will look suspicious."

As she talks, the woman's unspoken question was answered as her eyes lock onto Millia entering the chambers. The mage rolls her eyes and shakes her head, replying with "And now I am here. Did you two leave the meeting and just... you know what, nevermind. I don't want to know." As she talks, the woman relaxes her grip on Penn and slips him back into his holster.

[Desril]

Lily

Glancing back toward Millia, Lily has an amused grin as she shakes her head. "It really isn't what it looks like..."

Then, getting serious again, she nods. "Everything is on the table, with my other notes, including the parts I didn't mention to the others...I suppose this is as good a pretext as any, I was intending to use the portal myself in a few days to...verify a few things before revealing everything, but it looks incriminating enough this way..." Pausing, for a brief moment she looks uncertain, "Are you sure this is the only way? What about Arueshalae?"

[Frosty]

Millia just stands and listens. This sounds important.

[Ilorin Lorati]

"Unless you have a better idea the alternative is not telling them, which won't solve my problems at all. As far as your would-be lover, I'll be sending her with you, alongside the rest of the party. I will remain here, as discussed." As she replies, the magus walks over to the table with the notes, collecting up the notes and looking through them. "This should be enough. We close this portal with the same ritual you used on Scorizar, and you'll do the tasks myself and the other commanders ask of you." After a pause, she adds. "I'm sending you to save your goddess, by the way."

[Desril]

Lily

The news that Arueshalae would be going with them, at least, softened the blow, although she was worried about what the succubus would think about where they were going. But the way Merjana phrased the rest of it caused Lily to raise an eyebrow, "I'll help how I can, but we both know I'm not too fond of being ordered around. Well, at least outside of..." cutting herself off, she looks even more confused when the khan finishes. "Save her? What do you mean?"

[Ilorin Lorati]

Merjana

"Did I stutter," the woman says plainly - clearly not intending the question to be answered - as she continues looking through the papers and sorting them. "You say all the time you want to redeem your goddess, that it's the main goal of your life. I'm sending you there to do just that. No matter how long it takes, what you go through, the only way you two are going to be free is if she's freed from her demonic taint."

Finally satisfied with the way she had everything organized, the magus heads towards the door, adding "Stay here, wait for the guards, and follow their commands. The next few hours will be unpleasant, but I need you to trust me."

[Frosty]

Lily's keep, Confused Millia--------------------------------------------------------

Millia frowns. "Redemption and change is often a slow and arduous process. What would you have us do? I'm not sure this is something there is a McGuffin magic solution for." The other words also worry her. "I have responsibilities here I need to hand off if I am to be gone for an extended period of time. What exactly are you planning?"

She brings out a few letters as well. "Lily had warned me that we may have to leave for a while, but I didn't know it would be this fast. I'm glad I carry thee with me at all time. If you could please deliver them to Nurah, I would appreciate it. She will know what to do." The letters give control of the existing operations, both religious and charitable, over to Nurah. They contain words meant to soothe and reassure her followers, telling them that she has not abandoned them, and that they should not cause trouble in Drezen. If they must leave Drezen, they should stick together and help each other.

[Desril]

Lily

While Millia frowns in confusion, Lily smiles in realization. "You're not just banishing us from Drezen, you're exiling us from the material..." It was, admittedly, likely going to be a problem, but only if she intended to obey the command fully and if the Crusade had some way with which to enforce the exile, in reality it was little more than an excuse to put her plans into motion right away and finally stop delaying them for the sake of everyone else. Nodding her head once in affirmation as Merjana turns away, "In case we don't get to speak as friends again tonight...Good luck, Merjana...oh, and one thing, just a moment." Retreating back into her private chamber, Lily reappears after a brief moment with a sealed letter in hand, and her soul gem and scroll concealed within her pockets once more. "I want you to give it to my mother and Braxis, it'll explain the situation to them and should keep them from making things worse."

She'd penned it weeks ago, so that if this moment came suddenly she could keep her mother and worshipers from causing a problem. In it, she explains how if they're reading this then she's been exiled from Drezen, but they are not, and that she wants them to stay safe and trust Merjana. To follow the khan's rules and not make undue trouble, but know that she'll be back. And if they choose to leave Drezen anyway, to call in a favor from Aravashniel to teleport them to their destination as the roads aren't safe yet.

Once Merjana has left, however, she turns to Millia. "I suppose I should explain...I'm sure you noticed the crusaders abandoning this place? This is Merjana's home, I'm not always going to be here to defend it, and she still needs Galfrey's support to hold Drezen and the surrounding lands. Our presence here is...making that impossible. The Crusades don't trust us, they probably never will, so the only way the khan can protect her home is to banish us...and in this case, our exile is going to send us through the portal that Xanthir was using to transport the Nayhandrian Elixir...a portal that connects to one of our Mother's islands."

[Ilorin Lorati]

Merjana

The magus takes the set of letters from both of the cultists and stuffs them into her haversack, rolling up the other papers she collected and offering a two-fingered salute to the two. "May the gods - all of them - aid you in your quest, and may we meet again in this life or the next." She was never one for goodbyes, not even offering a true one to her foster mother then the magus left Kenabres what seemed like an eternity ago. So, without another moment the magus blinks out of the room, heading back towards the keep with the haste that only a mage would wield.

~~~

It was barely a few moments later that the khan was back up in the tower, appearing with a pop barely a few feet from Irabeth and the rest of the Crusaders. "Irabeth, call a meeting; I'm done protecting those two. They leave my home tonight, and I know just how to get them gone without any of your men dying." As she speaks, the woman holds the papers out to Irabeth even though her eyes are on a much more powerful member of the Crusaders - Murtagh. "I have a job for you, Murtagh."

[Frosty]

Lily's keep--------------------------------------------------------

Millia listens to her sister, but there are many unanswered questions still. "This is Sarkoris territory. Ideally, Merjana will build up and recruit people like the Wintersun clan to defend it. But you're right, I suppose if we're gone, this place will crumble without extra support. Still, I'm very curious as to what theatrics the Khan is going to pull in order to reassure the crusaders. Any sort of magical compulsion to make us stay away can be defeated by us, I'm sure. I mean, I suppose we can lie and say that Merjana is so much stronger than us magically that we can't break her magic, but I'm not sure the others will buy it. She should've just asked us publicly to leave, and we would've. Anything she does to discredit us may impact her legitimacy, I feel. After all, Drezen is freed partially because of us. If we're tainted, doesn't that mean her victory here is tainted as well?"

She sighs and sits down on a comfy chair, looking up at the ceiling. "But I suppose there are much more important matters than what the silly crusaders think of us. What I want to know is, what haven't you said yet? Do we have a clear objective in Mother's realm? Is the elixir produced there somehow? Is Mother complicit? I can't imagine Mother being ignorant of major operations in her own land. What does the Khan want us to do? Get Mother on the side of the crusaders and destroy the elixir operations in the Midnight Isles?"

[Hattish Thing]

Murtagh - Tower:

The aged crusader's fingers twitch as Merjana appears once more, instinctively resting upon the large, rusted hook resting at his belt. Her sudden reappearance had interrupted his line of thought. The Inquisitor had been pondering Lilith's previous response to his gentle interrogation earlier.

Why would she lie to him, knowing full well his expertise on the subject?

It couldn't mean well.

--

Once Merjana begins to speak, her tone authoritative, Murtagh raises a scarred eyebrow.

As she continues, The Inquisitor lurches to an upright position from his comfortable chair, his bones creaking, blood-spattered mechanical parts clacking. His bloodshot eye stares directly towards Merjana, a small smile appearing upon his deformed face beneath the shadow of his wide-brimmed cap.

His fingers tap at the rune-carved hook, before he grins slightly, his hideous half-smile revealing rotting, yellow teeth.

"Oh, deary. Me?"

"Ah... I see you've enough of them, you've realized it, eh? They didn't belong in a place like this, not good for it! Not good for the men, no, not good for the crusades, neither."

"Tell me, khan. What was it, the last straw; what made you see the light?"

[Desril]

Lily

Shaking her head at her sister, Lily sighs. "She can't just ask us to leave, Millia. We can't be seen as her allies, the crusaders can't handle it. The only way she has to protect this place is to take a stand against us and force us out. She can deal with having worked with us in the past, but going forward our presence will just deteriorate things further," she explains wearily.

"You read my translation of Xanthir's journal, didn't you? I...may have left out some of the details there...that the refinery they use to create the elixir is located on this side of a stable planar portal that connects to the Abyss, and that it's refined from crystals, wasn't an issue but much of the rest of it is...incriminating. The portal connects to the Midnight Isles, and the crystals that the elixir is being refined from are Nayhandrian Crystals...they're the crystallized blood of slain demon lords. The last it was mentioned, Our Lady hadn't given permission for their mining operation and it was being carried out in secret, but Xanthir mentioned that a delegation was being sent to treat with Nocticula and secure an alliance...Minhago, who you might remember as the lilitu who was in charge of Kenabres," Lily explains, her mind flashing back to the vision she'd had at the Wardstone's destruction of Minhago creating the cage around it. "And another, Hepzamira...A nephilim, like us, but born of Baphomet. I only finished the translation the other day, and given Xanthir's defeat I'm sure they've suffered some setbacks, but it was one of the issues I was going to address when I went to see our mother. But now? Merjana is going to use this as the 'last straw' and turn against us. We'll need to keep Our Lady in Shadow from siding with Baphomet and Deskari and stop the production of the elixir, all while being banished from this plane of existence."

[Frosty]

Lily's keep--------------------------------------------------------

Millia snorts. "Right. She can't just ask us. So she's going to FORCE us instead, right? Because everybody's gonna buy THAT piece of theatrics. The crazy dwarf got the drop on you, wrestled you, and STILL couldn't take you down. Well, whatever. The snowflake feelings of the crusaders are no longer my problem. The other things you mentioned...are."

She faces here sister with crossed arms and a serious look. "What in the name all of the layers of Abyss and all 9 levels of Hell were you thinking? You deliberately left out the MOST IMPORTANT BITS of the journal! If there indeed is talks of an alliance going on, we needed to leave YESTERDAY to investigate and put a stop to it! I seriously doubt Mother is in the dark about this, but still, perhaps the fact that the cultists of Baphomet and Deskari are flouting her commands can be used. She said no, and they ignored her. That's serious disrespect, and we can use it to squash alliance talks perhaps. If we're lucky, we'll get to kill Minhago and Hepzamira as well. Think we'll need backup? It was nice having the dwarf and Nalin in front of us at times, but the two of us are pretty powerful."

[Bhaakon]

The Tower (possibly dark)------------------------------------------

Irabeth looks around the room, noting Sosiel, Aravashnial, and, of course, Scorizcar--rough tongue rasping gristle off of the bones of the very dead bovine. "I can have the others here in a moment." She says. And, indeed, that's all it takes, leaving a brief window fro the Khan to finish her discussion with Murtagh before Anevia and Aron arrive, unkempt and bleary as they had taken to leading the night watch and had been sleeping.

"Whatsh this about, then?" Anevia yawns, finger fidgeting with the empty belt loop she'd missed while hastily dressing herself. Aron appears to have accidentally donned one of Sosiel's tunics, a garment large enough to billow on the slight man's frame.

[Desril]

Lily

"Of course I did," Lily responds flippantly, as if her reasons for doing so should be painfully obvious. "And I was intending to leave to settle things myself tomorrow, but I couldn't very well leave Scorizscar in her state, could I? But you're getting ahead of yourself, dear sister. Our Lady certainly knows what's happening, I can't imagine a scenario in which She's unaware of an operation like this given Her resources, but that doesn't mean they don't have her permission, explicit or otherwise. If they've already made a business partnership, we would need to disrupt that, but if they aren't allied and She's allowing the operation to continue, then it may be part of some bigger plan that we don't know yet." Lily, of course, had a few ideas, but just because she could envision all the scenarios that such a thing might be useful didn't mean she could divine which, if any, were true. "And I don't expect Merjana to send us alone. She's already said Arueshalae is coming with us, so I suspect Sileniy will come as well. And possibly Murtagh, if he can stomach returning to the Abyss...and I'm sure Nalin would've joined us as well if he were still around..."

[Ilorin Lorati]

Nadia

Looking at Merjana popping up, the gnome makes a quick exit through the main door, avoiding making any sort of sound.


Merjana

"Good, thank you." The half-elf lets Irabeth take her leave, turning to Murtagh with a wicked grin on her face. "You're right, they don't belong in this place; it's dangerous to keep them here and although I'm sending those two to the Midnight Isles, and I'm sending you with them to make sure they behave." As soon as the words leave her lips, the magus turns her eyes to Arueshalae - "What's more, I'm sending you, as well."

~~~

Just as she finishes the remark towards the succubus, Merjana sees the sleep-eyes crusaders coming into the main tower, covering her face with a hand momentarily. "Sorry for waking you, but this is important. First, I owe you all an apology; those two, such as their intentions are, have a road to hell paved ahead of them; I trusted them with positions of power and not simply as tools to be used and discarded. My trust was betrayed, and the result is that those two demon-whore worshippers were keeping information from us; essentially, there is not only an active portal to her domain near where Xanthir's base is, but Xanthir is in talks with her for permission to collect up the crystals they need to create more of those super-powered monstrosities in her realm. Naturally, neither of these we can abide by, but there is no way we have the firepower to invade the abyss by ourselves."

The woman pinches her brow; she hated everything about this for so many reasons. "As such, I think they should be arrested and sentenced to finish the job they failed to do with Xanthir originally, exiled from not only Drezen, but this plane of existence. And what's more, I think Murtagh and Arueshalae, being experts on the Abyss and its denizens, should be the ones to lead and chaperone them - if nothing else, he can be trusted to kill them outright if they decide to ignore their task and she can be trusted to keep Lilith pointed in the right direction."

[Hattish Thing]

Murtagh:

Murtagh remains seated, his rusted, metallic fingers clacking loudly as he stretches them backwards and forwards in ways that would cause a natural hand to break. It's a curious and mildly disturbing motion that's accompanied by a furrowing of his scarred brow, clearly the Inquisitor was deep in thought. As Merjana mentions the Abyss, Murtagh curls his lip in disgust, his metallic fingers pausing to squeeze at the side of the chair, leaving a small dent as the faulty clockwork parts hiss softly. "The Abyss? Are you mad?"

The Inquisitor glances towards the morbid shotgun up against the side of his chair and the serrated chain hook worn at his belt, a strange expression worn upon his gnarled face. He shakes his head for a moment, banishing gruesome images flashing through his broken mind.

When Merjana continues, and begins to apologize, Murtagh raises an eyebrow, somewhat confused by the sudden change of heart. As she reveals what had been kept secret, however, the Inquisitor grimaces, his expression darkening. "I had hoped for more from the spellcaster. I spoke with her, not long ago. For but a moment, she seemed so personable. As if, perhaps, she understood."

"Perhaps that was but a ruse as well, an attempt to gain my trust when I was least prepared for manipulation..."

--

Murtagh frowns deeply, his memory of their brief conversation quite painful now. His pain vanishes quickly, replaced instead by cold anger. "The succubus? What use could she possibly provide? The Abyss is horror incarnate, and Desna's pet seems far too delicate a soul now to endure it's barbarity. Steaming canyons boiling with tormented souls, gnashing clefts more akin to hungry mouths than sane terrain, glass-lined pits smeared with blood and shot through with the promise of pain, living wounds bubbling with noxious ooze and poison air! These are but examples of what madness awaits those who venture there. One should not lightly approach the Outer Rift, for to gaze within is to invite ruin! That is where sin goes to die. It is where reality is consumed."

"I fear for her sanity, first and foremost."

The Inquisitor steeples his fingers together.

"More importantly, however, I'm afraid I must insist that our previous conversation within your quarters be continued. You may have seen what sort of powers I possess, and while I'm certain I could put them down were they unaware of what was to come, they will certainly be prepared for an attempt on their life once they're informed of your intentions, and the task before them."

"What's your solution, then?"

[Frosty]

Millia facepalms. "Settle...things...by yourself? Sister, this is serious, DANGEROUS matters! You must include me in such ventures! ESPECIALLY for things including mother." She takes a deep breath. "Disrupting mother's plans...you really think we can succeed if she is in a willing alliance with Deskari and Baphomet? Although I find that to not be the most likely scenario. After all, she seems content with our work disrupting the forces of Bapho-kari here. As for who is going with us...haven't you heard? Sil left recently, to spend time with his sister. He has played his part, and earned his rest. About Nalin, I am quite worried about the state of his soul. Without a resurrection, he may be undergoing unspeakable torture regiments even as we speak. And Murtagh...I'm not sure we're better off WITH that maniac. He's more of a loose cannon than you are, sis!" She smiles, making it clear that the last part is a joke.

[Desril]

Lily

Staring at Millia, she says coldly, "Don't ever call them that again."

Then, taking a breath, she continues. "I've heard a few rumors about Sileniy recently, I was ignoring them until I could confirm one way or another. As for the state of Nalin's soul, given what you and he told me of what happened when you died, I suspect he is with the Inheritor now...but as whether or not we can succeed; Of course I think we can. If anything, I suspect this might have been Nocticula's plan all along. A gigantic test, perhaps even the final one, to see whether the forces of evil are destined to win or doomed to fail...either we succeed and stop Baphomet and Deskari, proving that She stands only to gain through redemption, or this world falls into the Abyss and She remains as She is. And in the meantime, by not openly claiming us, Our Lady is able to remain a neutral party and profit from all sides." It was only speculation, but it was what a less morally bound Lily would do.

[Frosty]

Millia

The cleric snorts. "You make Our Lady's redemption sound so...transactional. Regarding Nalin, I hope you're right. Maybe we can ask The Inheritor at some point. So, what's the plan? We go through the portal, close it, and then go the mother's palace on the main island and make an appointment?"

[Ilorin Lorati]

Merjana

"This isn't the Abyss as you know it, Murtagh; from my understanding the domains of the demon lords are, as a whole, much more stable than the 'wilds' between them. You need a guide and you need someone to keep Lilith grounded." The half-elf stops for a moment, her gaze piercing into Murtagh before turning and looking at the succubus for a moment and back to him. "In any case, if it's assurances and assistance you want, we can delay this for a few days while I make the tools necessary to restrain them and allow you to keep in contact with Crusaders. I have not the power to join you as of yet, but gods willing if they turn and I'm needed I will have made that as well."

[Desril]

Lily

Lily does her absolute best not to sigh in exasperation. It isn't good enough. Of course it's going to sound transactional. Lily had faith that Nocticula desired redemption, but that didn't mean she was oblivious as to Her current nature. "Yes, we go through the portal and close it, as well as disrupt the refinery or whatever system that is set up. Beyond that...I am not certain. There are myriad ways with which to gain Nocticula's attention, and I suspect She expects more of us than simply announcing our arrival."

[Frosty]

"Then how were you going to get her attention...alone? I mean, if we destroy their Nahyndrian operations, that might get her attention. Although it might be ANGRY attention if she's in on it. We can go in and set up a "Sanctuary of Good" in town. I bet that'd get her attention, heh. Or better yet, set up a place of worship for Heretics!" Millia's smile keeps getting bigger. She's (probably) joking.

[Desril]

Lily

Shaking her head again, "There's little point in planning for something like this when all I have to go on is my research. I was intending to figure it out once I'd seen the Midnight Isles for myself."

[Frosty]

Millia sits down and relaxes. "So, we'll need to take the Codex with us right? Think the crusaders will just let us walk off with it?"

[Desril]

Lily

"I made it quite clear that I am not a crusader when we left to retake Drezen, and that the Lexicon was mine and I was simply allowing the Crusades to make use of it. It's useless without a skilled practitioner of the arcane anyway, and while Aravashniel might be able to make some use of it, we all know I surpassed him weeks ago. As for whether or not they'll simply let us 'walk off with it', in order to stop us they'd have to know where it is and be able to take it from me," she says, pulling the tome from her the extradimensional space within her illusory robe before depositing it back.

[Hattish Thing]

Murtagh:

Murtagh grimaces once Merjana mentions the realms of the demon lords, rolling his shoulders back to relax himself as his trigger finger unconsciously begins to twitch. "Stable, yes. However, those foul places are usually no less horrifying than the wasteland between those Abyssal points."

"By the gods, oftentimes, they're worse."

The demon hunter shudders as he thinks back upon his time spent wandering through Deskari's maddening, insect-infested realm.

--

Finally, he continues, glancing towards Merjana once more, his eye focusing upon hers. "Bah, this plot of ours seems shoddily constructed. I haven't survived as long as I have by rushing into situations unprepared. If the time comes, and one or both of them need to be put down, I won't be fighting fair."

"A method of communication would be highly appreciated, yes. I need a day or so myself, to complete the infusion process."

"Where would we be headed first, Khan?"

[Bhaakon]

Areushalae deflates at the news that she'd be sent as a chaperone, wilting visibly as the argument goes on, even as he glazed eyes and near lack of breathing make it obvious that she's not paying much attention at all to what is being side. Finally she murmurs. "No...you, you can't do that."

Louder. "I can't go there again. You don't understand. It's so...the entire place is designed to tempt and tease, pull one in so that they can be pulled apart bit by bit. The lucky die horribly, the unlucky are simply rearranged in the image of the Isles' denizens. This is...such a bad idea. You're pointing an eclipse of moths towards an inviting bonfire."

"No, the Khan is right." Irabeth cuts in, nodding at Merjana. "This solves...that is, exile is a just--even lenient--sentence for demon worship, and the scope of a quest for redemption usually fits the...distance that must be covered to return to the light. And anything that limits Deskari's access to new weapons and allies as a worthy cause."

"Solves two problems, you mean." Anevia finishes her wife's initial thought, still rubbing her eye with the heel of her palm.

"As Drezen's chief advisors in matters spiritual, I find it...inadvisable to send these three from our oversight. Particularly as two seem to be turning away from the darkness." Sosiel adds.

"I, uh, that is." Gwerm mutters, finally arriving, quite late, stink of brandy stale on his breath. "Well, replacing their magical resources will be quite expensive, especially with the Crusade's stream of supplies trickling down to nothing.

"I'm sure I can convince the Queen to make up the shortfall." Irabeth returns. "Particularly once I explain that we've...lost access to these three. As for spiritual ministrations, I'm sure we can find someone to volunteer. There are many faithful who would jump at such a challenge." She isn't exactly wrong. The crusade attracts no shortage of zealots, equal parts committed and troublesome.

[Ilorin Lorati]

Merjana

"Arueshalae, I understand your concerns. Truly, I do," the khan interjects, looking at the succubus then towards Sosiel - the two that seemed to have the reservations. "But what alternative do we have? These crystals - and the potions that they create - none of you have truly seen the terrible power they grant. If the armies of Deskari gain a consistent supply line from the domain of Noticula, the fate of the entire world is not only in peril - it has already been decided. We must, at any cost, stop this from happening, but sending an army into the realm of a demon lord is impossible. We would be wiped off the face of the planes."

The woman speaks more sharply as she goes, pausing at the end to let the point sink in; this is no mere conjecture, in her mind even despite this being somewhat of a show she speaks nothing but plain truth. When it looks like someone is about to reply, she adds "So give me a viable alternative to this idea. Work with me to decide on the best course of action, one which will remove the cultists from the position they have where they can withhold this amount of information from us as well as give us the opportunity to prevent the demonic hordes from gaining the supply line they wish. Those of us in this room are among the most experienced people in the world of dealing with demons, I'm sure if this is impractical or ill advised we can find something that will work."

"As far as their magical resources, do not forget who you are speaking in the presence of: until this moment, it was I that had furnished most of the magical equipment that they wield, and with them no longer taking the brunt of my time I will be free to do such for the sake of the crusades. All I need is the time and material."

[Desril]

Lily

It'd be long enough since Merjana left that Lily was starting to get impatient. Tapping her foot, she looks over to Millia, "I'm going to to make sure Lulu's body is ready before they get here. If Merjana gets back before I do, just tell her I went to my, uh, temple," she says, still feeling weird saying that about the rundown tavern.

With Lulu's soulstone and the scroll that all of this hinged on in hand, Lily quickly made her way to the tavern. The basement there is as good a place as any. Mom and the others will keep her safe until she's grown...If she runs into Ayavah along the way, she'll ask her mother to join her, but otherwise doesn't stop for anything, concentrating on the modifications she'll need to make to the spell to connect the spell to the soul gem rather than her own. At least that should be easier since it is still my soul, just relocated.

[Hattish Thing]

Murtagh:

The Inquisitor grimaces as Merjana mentions what could possibly occur, should Nocticula and Deskari ever find themselves as allies. He continues to tap at his rusted hook with his mechanical hand, the quiet ringing echoing slightly though the chamber as Murtagh ponders over the situation. "Hrm. These are trying times. An alliance between the whore queen and the insect would prove disastrous, there's no denying that."

He pauses, before continuing. "Yet exposing the sisters to their wicked queen is no small risk, in and of itself."

--

Murtagh frowns deeply, before his eye flashes about the room, his grim expression darkening noticeably. "I've not known them as long as any of you, but I've known those of similar ilk. Imagine, if you will, what horrors the both of them could inflict upon this world of ours should they be turned?"

"A frightening thought, yet the alternative, refusing to use them, is just as unpleasant. Should we refuse to use the pair as weapons in our war against the forces of the Abyss, we put ourselves at a disadvantage. Their destructive power, particularly that of the spellcaster, is nothing to be reckoned with, after all."

"We must have them on our side."

--

The Inquisitor glances towards the other crusaders throughout the room, becoming painfully aware of how different they all appeared from he. These were a different breed of crusader, weaker, less experienced. Murtagh subtly shakes his head, before his eye briefly makes contact with Merjana.

He chuckles, a sinister tone to his gravelly voice before we continues. "Fellow crusaders. What if there was an alternative to all this? Rather than coaxing the sisters to do as we wish, or threatening them directly? They won't respond kindly to that."

"What if I knew of a way to convince the sisters, of their own will, to serve us?"

[Hattish Thing]

Murtagh - Monologuing:

Murtagh pauses at this point, glancing around the room, his demonic eye darting from person to person at an alarming speed. "I know of such a way. I believe I've a solution to our predicament, yet it is a solution that, perhaps, some of you may find distasteful. You see, I've always been a man willing to do what must be done, a man of action, a man of the greater good."

The Inquisitor leans back in his creaky chair, mechanical limbs clacking as he continues to speak. "During my time in the Abyss, you see, I'd one dear friend by the name of Prathus, one of the soldiers serving among the ranks of the Black Powder Brigade, the very same brigade I so famously captained. Noble Prathus, kind and loyal, led me through the darkness, blinded and crippled, for days, or months, or years. We wandered the wastelands as well as we could, doing what we could in order to survive our travels among those dismal banks, feeding on insects, and flesh, and unsightly things. A time came, however, many months after our arrival within that cursed place, where we wandered somewhere we oughtn't have wandered. A cave, pleasant enough for shelter. Warm, welcoming, the air smelled of incense and stronger aromas."

"Enchanted by the promise of pleasant rest, unaware of the trap which lay before us, we journeyed through the depths of that dark, cavernous expanse, until finally we were beset, you see, by a vile thing; blind as I was, I could hardly describe to you the creature. Yet it's voice, however, mesmerizing as it was, betrayed her true nature. A succubus of rare potency, her voice low and lustful, her silken whispers promising comforts alien to us, introducing herself as the concubine to some demonic patron known far and wide through whichever wasteland we were passing through. Worn ragged, yet still strong of will, I resisted her more powerful charms and enchantments, yet Prathus was not of stuff as strong as I. My one dear friend, he'd a hankering you see, to steal her away and make her his own, cuckolding her demonic master, whose name I've long since forgot. I joined his amorous plot at first, though somewhat loathe. Prathus laid a hand upon her, unable to resist, and at that moment, she'd trapped him, unarmed and surprised. I witnessed then, with blind, weeping eyes, that vile creature grasp at his heart, and thrust her wicked tongue downward, through his throat."

"His eyes rolled back, glazed and washed away, his skin crackled and torn. I ran to him in tears, spoke his name, yet he hardly seemed to notice. The cackling witch, in the distance, explained what she had done, how his mind was all but a gone, a slave, a thrall to her Abyssal charm. Her shrieks woke me from my daze as I broke the weaker enchantments placed upon me earlier. She noticed, ever perceptive, and so ordered Prathus, her thrall, to slaughter me where I stood, so she could later feast upon my entrails. With a half-shattered firearm and only one shot, I knew what had to be done. The shot had to be saved, a shot meant to pierce that foul enchantress's heart. In fear and desperation, I approached what was once my dearest friend, sobbing, cold, and all but delirious from exhaustion, I pinned him to the ground, my hands around his throat, metal fingers digging into ragged flesh. I felt them dig, I felt the flesh fold and thrash as the metal tore and crushed. I heard the squelch as finally, bones snapped and crunched, and I felt his last exhalation of breath escape from between his lips."

"Blood pooling about, I mourned for his death, embittered by what had been done, what I'd been forced to do. In rage and in pain, firearm in hand, I leapt towards the demonic enchantress with one dread spring, fell near her feet, still bellowing. Fighting back exhaustion in between sobs, I aimed and shot, piercing her flank as the shrapnel tore through vile flesh. A great wound started to flow, the bloody spray drenching me as she crumbled towards the ground like a doll, punctured and broken."

"If I hadn't done what I had and laid Prathus to rest, the witch would have finished me off with little effort, aided by him. Yet I did what I had to, to ensure her destruction."

--

"Part of what it means to be a Crusader, you see, is that you must be willing and able to do what must be done to continue our crusade against all of demonkind, even if it brings you great pain, or unease. Sometimes, terrible things must be carried out with in order to ensure our victory against our wicked foes."

"For the greater good."

--


"The sisters, should they fail to convert their whore queen but rather themselves convert to their side, risk endangering everything so many people have lost their lives for, people like Prathus, my dear friend. I will not allow their sacrifices, their deaths, their pains to have been endured in vain. We must control them, and ensure their cooperation, yet this cannot be done through brute force, or through emotional manipulation. The first simply won't work, their arrogance is remarkable, after all, and the second is hardly a reliable solution to our predicament."

"No... The sisters are far too strong to be controlled by threat of personal destruction, rather, they must be manipulated in different ways, as distasteful as these ways may be."

"Everyone and everything has a weakness, even individuals as powerful as those we now seek to control. I believe these weaknesses to be those they care for, those around them. You must know of these people, Khan of Drezen. I suggest that we construct, beneath this city, a prison veiled entirely by antimagic, set with guards and traps designed directly to oppose our problematic pair, since they are, for the most part, powerless without their magics. Rather than simply arm ourselves to deal with them, should we be forced to do so, we gather those they care for and lock them within this prison. They'll be treated fairly, and kept safe of course, yet should the sisters ever dare join the forces of darkness, or purposefully sabotage our crusades again, we inflict punishment appropriate to the crime upon those imprisoned within, since the sisters can hardly be themselves reliably punished, or reigned in."

"I recognize that this is... an unpleasant solution, one which many of you may find abominable, yet one that I fully believe to be appropriate. The punishment many of you seek, paired with the assurances of their loyalty which I seek. A more thorough solution than any previously mentioned."

"A solution that I believe must be put into play, for the greater good of all."

"For the crusades."

[Ilorin Lorati]

Merjana

The magus listens to the man's explanation and proposal, first with sympathy, then with growing frustration and then outright annoyance and even anger. By the time he was finished there was little "Yes, because putting everything the god-like wizard loves in a prison cell will end in anything but her turning on us. Not to mention how immoral and unethical it is to treat innocents like chattel. Under no circumstances will I ever support such a short-sighted, foul course of action that not only puts everyone in danger but sacrifices the values any decent society will hold dear. What you're saying does not assure compliance, it dooms Drezen in more ways than one. We will find something else."

The woman, finished with her pointed reply, takes a breath and lets herself calm down before continuing. "That said, you do have a point. Getting them to want to go will solve many of our issues even if it might sacrifice part of my own desire to get them both well and truly gone. But nor do we want to truly treat with them... There is another way we can go about this, in a method reminiscent of your idea, Murtagh. In exchange for their cooperation, we can grant amnesty to their disciples. Not a one of them, as far as I am aware, are truly demon worshippers. An offer to let them continue to live their lives here would make a fairly major carrot for the pair of them."

[Frosty]

Millia takes the time to head to her temple and talk to Nurah, and give her a heads up about what's going on, and also to ask Nurah to not tell anyone. "I don't know exactly what sorts of theater they'll put us through in order to make it look believable, but don't be alarmed. I'll need you to calm the faithful and make sure they don't do anything rash. And make sure to stay on the Khan's good side. She's a fair person, and won't let anything bad happen to you as long people aren't stirring up trouble. That said, if any of the crusaders decide to do something drastic against you and the congregation, contact me immediately via Sending."

[Bhaakon]

Preparations for the excursion take a few days, time spend assembling arcane tools, composing carefully worded sending to the right ears in Nerosyan, laying in supplies and making last-minute repairs to the fortress which would be more difficult with diminished access to magical aid. And trying to convince resident crusaders to do no more than keep a wary eye on the local population of demon worshipers. The same wary eye they keep on the growing population of native Sarkorans, many of whom cleave to the old ways.

Thankfully, the most stiff-necked and uncompromising paladins have long since taken their leave of Merjana's unconventional fiefdom, so it's not terribly hard to get through to the garrison. Galfrey's court is...reticent to offer formal pardons, but agrees to turn a blind eye to how the Khan decides to police her own citizenry. For the time being, at least. The demons' initial momentum has been blunted, but the queen can hardly afford to lose an ally, however problematic, or spend the resources necessary to re-establish Drezen under a more agreeable rule.

Less political preparations proceed apace, right on down to identifying and the location mentioned in Vang's papers. He doesn't exactly describe the spot in detail, merely naming the place as "Midnight Fane", whatever that is, and describing a location at the headwaters of a desiccated river a solid 250 miles west of Drezen. Assuming your maps that actually feature the long-dead waterway--most of them pre-World Wound--are correct.

So...do you have a plan for reducing the danger of teleporting in blindly?

[Desril]

Lily

The past few days had been...less than pleasant for Lily. While she did her best to ready her cult for what was coming and doing her best to soften the blow, emotions weren't something she could control...or at least, not something she chose to control. Still, she gave them a mission. Having set Lulu's incubator in the basement of the tavern that was turned into a makeshift church, Lily charged Ayavah and Braxis with keeping her safe, explaining that she might also need some guidance when she was grown and to treat her as if she was Lily's sister, or perhaps daughter, but that she lacked the divine spark of the original.

But there wasn't much else to be done once that was all arranged, as the process would take several months, and so when the time came, Lily was ready to leave. Unfortunately, mitigating risk wasn't something that the nephilim was well known for doing, and she hadn't bothered to do any real reconnaissance, fully intending to blindly teleport using Xanthir's directions once outside the Sword of Valor's oppressive barrier. Looking at the others and those who'd come to see her off, her gaze lingering on Ayavah longer than most, and anyone who might be there to ensure she follows the terms of her banishment, she sighs in resignation. "So...shall we be off?"

[Ilorin Lorati]

Merjana

The last few days had proven to be less than pleasant for anyone among both the crusaders and the cultists; with the khan being in the unenviable position in the middle trying to get the two convergent groups working together. But finally, the day had come, the items were all prepared, purchased, and handed out to their various people, and Merjana was on her way to collect up everyone that needed to know in order to get the show on the road.

The deal itself was clear, and Merjana made sure it was clearly shared with all parties involved: in exchange for Lily and Millia's continued assistance and, their followers would be given amnesty within Drezen - not a pardon, as the initial response was to suggest, more a delay of sentencing. They would not be allowed to perform any worship while still there, and would be subject to strict oversight by the crusaders for this purpose, but as long as they otherwise followed the rules of the city no harm would come of them by the law.

To this extent, at least, Merjana trusted the sisters. Their people would be kept under control one way or another, and this was the easiest method for everyone involved. She only hoped the two could redeem that bitch of a demigod before the Crusaders lost their patience...

~~~

With all the preparations complete, Merjana showed up at the meeting point, flanked by a set of guards and whatever other commanders wishing to come with, nodding at the cultist solemnly. "Yes, let's. The sooner we're done, the better."

[Bhaakon]

Vang's description wasn't heavy on detail, but it turns out that's in large part because the destination is utterly unremarkable, unless you have a particular interest in craggy badlands speckled with tufts of rasp-coarse grass. The riverbed is a snaking path of desiccated mud that hasn't seen water in months years or decades, there's not much way to tell. The place is a maze of interlaced canyons that would take an army the better part of a campaign season to search thoroughly.

Fortunately, you know it's there, and you know it's hidden behind illusions. Forewarned by Vang's notes, the mirage arcana hiding the double stone doors and the tracks and wheel ruts leading might as well be a beacon fire leading you right to the entrance. As far as you can tell, there are no guards outside. Perhaps because the spells cloaking the entrance would do nothing to disguise such watchers. Or maybe because they're just better at hiding than you are at spotting them from the spots Lily's spell deposits you, atop the cliff opposite the Midnight Fane's entrance.

[Frosty]

Millia

The past few days has been very busy for the Nephilim. She worked with Nurah and made sure her followers are ready to stand on their own, and told them to stay strong (and out of trouble) during her important mission. They are to support Lily's people as well, as well as continue their social work to improve Drezen and be model citizens. They should keep their worship quiet, especially if they are trying to worship Our Lady in Shadow instead of Millia. Nurah is in charge in the absence of Millia, and Nurah has instructions to use a scroll a Sending to contact Millia in the case of an emergency. Millia also writes letters to various important people in Drezen, wishing them well and apologizing for any inconveniences caused, but still standing by the good work she has done. With that done, she packs, makes sure her equipment are in tip-top shape, and is ready to go.

At the beginning of the day, she applies her usual enhancements to herself and her equipment. Before the teleport, she applies the same atmospheric protection she gave everyone when assaulting Xanthir Vang's fortress. Once the teleport is done, she brings up magic-vision, and quickly the double doors is found. "Over there! Shall we make a quiet or flashy entrance?"

Cast Freedom of Movement (24 hour duration) at beginning of the day. Cast Magic Vestment on my mithral shield.

Before teleport, cast Life Bubble. It'll last 6 hours if I share it with 3 other people.

[Desril]

Lily

Looking at Millia as she points to the entrance, Lily flaps her wings once and floats slightly into the air, as if she was preparing to channel a powerful magical attack before she pauses and instead opts to simply float in the direction Millia pointed out. "We don't need to be flashy, and they don't necessarily know we know where this place is. They might know our faces, but even if we can't trick our way in, we might be able to scare a few people off without fighting, so let's see what's inside quietly..."

If no one stops her, Lily will continue toward the entrance, intending to head inside and see what happens. Slithaint, however, is on alert.


Still doing her morning routine of Overland Flight!

Slithaint Perception [roll0]

[Frosty]

Millia decides to also bolster her senses and other defenses. Who knows what trickery lies ahead. She casts a few more spells and then follows Lily. A skull of some sort levitates and starting orbiting Millia.

Cast Pierce Façade (+10 to see through disguises. Her total is now +41 Perception when it comes to disguises). Cast Undetectable Alignment. Cast Defending Bone.

[Hattish Thing]

Murtagh:

The Inquisitor shrugs once the teleportation magic deposits him upon the unremarkable crag. Murtagh wipes a bead of sweat off his weathered brow as he looks about from beneath his wide-brimmed leather cap, clearly uncomfortable with the weather conditions being what they are.

Wordlessly, Murtagh steps forward, tapping at his mechanical eye with a disgruntled expression upon his face.

--

With a glance towards the double-door, Murtagh pulls the battered shotgun off his back before frowning.

"I can't imagine a stronghold like this would be left defenseless."

"Doesn't feel right."

--

OOC: Perception: [roll0]

[Bhaakon]

You approach with all due caution, picking float or slogging your way to the door with a wary eye out for ambush or worse. You make it all the way up to the big stone portal before you notice something out of place. Well, Slithaint does.

"There are no marksss" The snake observes. And indeed, the door is perfectly smooth and devoid of chisel marks, but that's not what the snake mean. No scratches where the door caught an out of place pebble while swinging open, no wear and tear, no sligh discoloration on the bulky stone knobs where oily skin has soaked into the pours of the rock. "A fake..." The snake concludes, and a close examination proves it. A sheet of parchment slipped into the razor-thin gaps around the door only penetrates a hand-span before hitting the terminus of the incisions into the cliff race instead of simply sliding through. Someone has put a great deal of effort into making this look like a real door.

The wheel ruts and footprints leading to the facade are real enough, though. Clearly they pass through the cliff face somehow, but a thorough search of the area just turns up some old sesame seeds that have managed to avoid being scavenged by rodents.

[Desril]

Lily

Frowning in irritation as Slithaint explains that the door is fake, Lily contemplates possible options right up until Millia mentions she couldn't find anything but sesame seeds. "Ah, so that's what it is...the door isn't fake, but the passage behind it is temporary. It seals itself when the spell they're using expires," she explains. "Luckily I don't need to waste any power making a more permanent path...well, assuming they didn't make the lair too far into the rock anyway."

Without wasting any time, she quickly shoves her hands into the door, casually pulling the material out and tossing it behind her, intending to simply burrow by hand into the base.


If it's looking like this will take more than 15 minutes she'll instead spend an MP to cast passwall after getting frustrated

Edit: Thank you Gloves of Shaping (archivesofnethys.com/MagicWondrousDisplay.aspx?FinalName=Gloves%20of%20 Shaping)

[Frosty]

Millia

Millia notices the seasame seeds, and mentions it to the group. "Well, a powerful wizard could use the seeds as spell components to get past barriers. It'd be very annoying for everyone else to use this as a base though, since high level magic isn't exactly common."

Looking at the seasame seeds, she smirks as she has a silly idea in her head even as her sister starts digging. "Wouldn't it be funny if all it took to open the passageway without spellcasting is saying 'Open Seasame' in Abyssal? 'Oeyl syiwipy'!"

The last thing she says of course being 'Open Seasame' in Abyssal.

[Bhaakon]

Whatever the password may be, if the 'door' even has one, it doesn't seem to involve a direct reference to sesame. The gloves have a mor noticeable effect, and Lily manages to scoop a passage out of the stone that's large enough for an adult to crawl through with fifteen minutes of back-breaking effort, burrowing nearly ten feet into the rock face before a finger pokes through into open air.

An eye held up to the peek-hole reveals a shallow flight of stairs leading down into an octagonal antechamber. The left side of the room is dominated by a large pair of double doors while the right opens on a another stairway leading upwards and out of sight. Straight ahead is a hallways ending in another pair of doors. The whole chamber is lit by blood-red crystals hung in wall sconces and dangling from chains anchored in the ceiling, each pulsing out a lurid crimson glow with the mismatched, arrhythmic throb of a faltering heart. The syncopated illumination casts liquid pools of shadow and light, making the flat-hewn walls seem to undulate with the fluid insistence of smooth muscle. Though where the rippling glow draws your eye changes with every beat, causing your vision to swim as your mind tries to follow the impossible patterns of the motion.

No, it's more than an optical illusion. The Midnight Isles themselves have begun to bleed out into this part of the prime, a subtle narcotic that dulls the sense of the unwary.

-2 on all Cha-based checks for good and/or lawful creatures

[Desril]

Lily

Just as she's about to give up, she finally breaks through the wall into the room, and almost immediately is hit by the wave of chaotic energy permeating the room. For her it's almost like opening an oven while standing too close and Lily has to blink a few times to clear the fogginess from her vision. When she does, the reality of the situation strikes her and she stands in silent awe for a brief moment. She wasn't truly in the Midnight Isles, not yet, but the Isles were here in a sense and she could feel it.

She can barely contain her glee as she steps out into the open chamber and calls out, letting her voice echo down each of the halls, "Hello! We're here to talk whoever's in charge!"

[Frosty]

Millia, Cleric of Nocticula (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=1285844)
F CG Aasimar (Garuda-Blooded) Cleric 8 / Dawnflower Anchorite 4, Level 12, Init 7, HP 136/136, Speed 20
AC 37, Touch 23, Flat-footed 34, CMD 31, Fort 17, Ref 16, Will 24, CMB +8, Base Attack Bonus 9
Scimitar ( , )
Is Medium Armor. Fly 1/day Celestial Plate Armor (25,000), +3 with Magic Vestment (which also increases Reflex Save thanks to Defensive Expertise) Heavy Mithral shield +2 (+12 Armor, +3 Dex, +4 Deflection, +2 Natural, +6 Misc)
Abilities Str 8, Dex 16, Con 18, Int 16, Wis 31, Cha 16
Condition Pierce Façade (2 hrs), Defending Bone (50/50), Undetectable Alignment, Magic Vestment, Freedom of Movement, Life Bubble (6 hrs), Resist Fire 30 (40 mins), Shield of Faith +4 (24 mins), Detect Fiendish Presence
Mythic Power 15/15

The aasimar follows closely behind Lily, and the moment she is in the room, she can *feel* the difference. It's a the same time inviting and repulsive. She feels like it's home, but she is still unsettled and distracted. "Wow, it's like being sung the world's most unsettling but seductive lullaby. Keep your wits about you, everyone. This isn't an illusion. Lily, what's your plan here?" She takes the calm before the likely storm to bolster more of her defenses. First she gives everyone resistance to fire, as fireballs are bound to be thrown around, and tis is an enclosed space. Then, she makes herself harder to be hit. Lastly, she starts scanning for fiends.


Cast Resist Energy, Communal. Divided amongst herself, Lily, and Murtagh for 40 minutes duration each. Fire Resist 30.
Cast Shield of Faith on self using Rod of Extend. 24 minutes. +4 Deflection to AC.
Cast Detect Fiendish Presence and start looking around.

[Bhaakon]

Lilith's words echo through the chamber, returning back ate you in increasingly strange combinations until they dissolve into unordered phonemes. "We're Hello to talk in here! Charge to whoever's.... To whoever's Hello, charge in! We're talk here.... Hege whollo? Inlker re towe charev.... Whores enter? Halt ok. Erotic hag, however."

The oppressive (or is it liberating?) atmosphere of the abyss grows thicker with every step you take into the chamber. The scent of the air, the color of the blood-red crystals, their mistimed beat, all shift with every inch and twitch of movement. Your mind grasps for meaning in the subtle shifts as you move in further, revealing the open side passage to the right to be a ichor-splattered shrine inhabited by a great obsidian statue of Deskari, his impossibly sharp obsidian scythe poised above an alter. The echoing words continue to twist in the air, gaining a discordant buzz as the letters are dissolved into base vibration and re-arranged.

"Head on the stone, worthy supplicants"

DC 25 Suggestion to put your head on the altar stone in front of the statue.

[Desril]

Lilith

Hearing her own words echo back at her, something else seems to be carried on the air, and as the mental compulsion to place her head on the alter, the demonette nods quietly to herself. That made sense...it was certainly a strange way to enter, but things were often strange in places like this, but before she could take the first step, Lilith paused and shook her head. "Urgh...be careful...this place can mess with your head...and probably don't put your head up on offer," she says, gulping and rubbing at her throat a little.

[Hattish Thing]

Murtagh:

Rolling his mismatched at Millia's "lullaby" comment, his magical eye rolling straight towards the back of his head, then forward once more, Murtagh merely raises his tri-barreled shotgun. As he steps forward to the front of the group, the many rusty chains dangling off of his form jangle and clang, echoing throughout the chamber.

Noticing the cultist wander off, the inquisitor mutters a curse before shaking his head. "Young lady, what do you think you're doing?"

[Ilorin Lorati]

Merjana

The magus crosses her arms as her friends and compatriots make their march through the portal, one hand resting on the holster underneath her arm. She played her hand close - this was no time for goodbyes, not with the guards and everyone watching. "The blood red rose shall guide your path. Bring righteousness to that cursed abyss."

And just like that, they were gone. The half-elf took a breath, closing her eyes for the barest moment and almost missing the blur of movement that came from behind them before bolting with padded sounds through the portal.

~~~

Nadia

The gnome squinted from as far back as she could stand and still be within line of sight to the portal that had been created - what is it that they're doing? Then she saw it - the group going through the portal. The group that included the succubus that she was supposed to be babysitting - ahem her charge. With an audible "pop", she smacked her palm against her forehead then, face still obscured by the appendage, climbed up onto her sleek-furred dog of a companion. "Okay buddy we're going to make a mad rush for it and pray to whatever gods are listening that they don't see us before it's too late. Alright. Ready? Three! Tw--"

Without waiting for the countdown to finish, Sir Chompsalot started his gallop towards the portal, swerving around the guards and the woman that she had so pointedly not wanted to see ever again and through the shimmering surface.

~~~

On the other side of the portal, the dog - and its rider - pulled to a stop, the little gnomeling's hair seeming to have fluffed up in alarm not terribly unlike a cat's (a likely amusing image considering she otherwise had her hair tied back, turning her hair into the likeness of a balloon) "Okay if you're going to do that you have got to warn me first - ohhellohowareyouall?" The cadence of the champion's voice turned upwards sharply when she remembered that she was not alone with her furry friend, the woman hearing the last of the echoing words and tilting her head. She could feel the power in those words and pushed back against the urge to follow through. Putting her head anywhere a buzzing noise of an echo told her to seemed like an exceptionally bad idea.


Will roll was 39 in the OOC.

[Frosty]

Millia, Cleric of Nocticula (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=1285844)
F CG Aasimar (Garuda-Blooded) Cleric 8 / Dawnflower Anchorite 4, Level 12, Init 7, HP 136/136, Speed 20
AC 37, Touch 23, Flat-footed 34, CMD 31, Fort 17, Ref 16, Will 24, CMB +8, Base Attack Bonus 9
Medium Armor. Fly 1/day Celestial Plate Armor (25,000)
+3 with Magic Vestment (which also increases Reflex Save thanks to Defensive Expertise) Heavy Mithral shield +2 (+12 Armor, +3 Dex, +4 Deflection, +2 Natural, +6 Misc)
Abilities Str 8, Dex 16, Con 18, Int 16, Wis 31, Cha 16
Condition Pierce Façade (2 hrs), Defending Bone (50/50), Undetectable Alignment, Magic Vestment, Freedom of Movement, Life Bubble (6 hrs), Resist Fire 30 (40 mins), Shield of Faith +4 (24 mins), Detect Fiendish Presence
Mythic Power 14/15

Millis stares off into space for a few seconds, and then snaps out of it, shaking her head. "Wow, this place does things to your head. I feel like I've been gone for a year and a half. What is Phonemic Awareness and why do I have that phrase stuck in my head? Bah, random Abyssal energies..."

The cultist cleric walks up to her half-sister (and occasional lover) and uses some of her mythic reserve to produce a potent effect. Casting a spell, she imbues it with long-lasting enduring so that Lily's mind is protected for the entire day.


Succeed on save vs Suggestion.
Spend a mythic point to cast Magic Circle against Evil on Lilith. Enduring Blessing mythic ability makes it last 24 hours.

[Bhaakon]

"Head on the stone, worthy supplicants." The voice repeats. Then a third time. The instance of the magic remains, but now weaker with each iteration. "Head on the stone, worthy supplicants." It continues, waning. "Head...stone..." It peters out, like a music box winding down as the echos of it source material die out completely. The last syllable falls into a second of crystalline silence before the the obsidian golem swings its scythe across on the blood-splattered altar with a smooth stroke that would have trimmed off a head as easily as a gardener trimming grass.

Dust rains off the statue as it takes one grinding step forward. If the lingering blood wasn't hint enough, apparently demon worshipers--at least these ones--aren't big on tidying up.

Map in discord. You all won initiative.

[Frosty]

Millia, Cleric of Nocticula (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=1285844)
F CG Aasimar (Garuda-Blooded) Cleric 8 / Dawnflower Anchorite 4, Level 12, Init 7, HP 136/136, Speed 20
AC 37, Touch 23, Flat-footed 34, CMD 31, Fort 17, Ref 16, Will 24, CMB +8, Base Attack Bonus 9
Medium Armor. Fly 1/day Celestial Plate Armor (25,000)
+3 with Magic Vestment (which also increases Reflex Save thanks to Defensive Expertise) Heavy Mithral shield +2 (+12 Armor, +3 Dex, +4 Deflection, +2 Natural, +6 Misc)
Abilities Str 8, Dex 16, Con 18, Int 16, Wis 31, Cha 16
Condition Pierce Façade (2 hrs), Defending Bone (50/50), Undetectable Alignment, Magic Vestment, Freedom of Movement, Life Bubble (8 hrs), Resist Fire 30 (40 mins), Shield of Faith +4 (24 mins), Bless (12 mins)
Mythic Power 14/15

Right around the time Millia shakes off the effects, she notices the newcomer gnome and the oh-so-cute dire corgi. "Hey, why're you here? It's REALLY dangerous here! Does Merjana know?" Even as she says that, she begins casting a spell to help the martials be able to hit more accurately.

Cast BLESS on everyone, Nadia and doggy included.

[Ilorin Lorati]

Nadia (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=1283090)
Female N/A Gnome Paladin (Dashing Hero) [Marshal], Level 12 [5], Init 13, HP / , Speed 30 (35 after attack)
AC 29, Touch 23, Flat-footed 18, CMD 31, Fort 17, Ref 18, Will 19, CMB +9/+4/-1, Base Attack Bonus +12/+7/+2
Stopgap. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ +1 Demonbane Starknife (1d3, x3)
Glamered, Champion +1 Small Darkleaf Leather Armor, +1 Small Mithral Buckler (+3 Armor, +2 Shield, +8 Dex, +1 Size, +1 Natural, +1 Deflect)
Abilities Str 7, Dex 27, Con 16, Int 13, Wis 8, Cha 22
Condition None
Mythic Power (13/13), Smite (4/4)

"I'm quite sure she knows now," the gnome said in response as she strode around the corner to get a better look at whatever it was that was making that noise. Seeing a giant stone statue moving was clearly not what she expected, a small squeak being released from her lips before she quickly tapped the sides of her mount with her heels. "Kip!"

The large dog moved on that strange command, placing both her and itself between the party and the enemy in front of them while she focused on it.


Move to G8. Detect Evil on the Golem.
If it's evil, smite.

[Desril]

Lilith (https://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=879858)
Female CG Tiefling Wizard (Exploiter) [Archmage], Level 12 [5], Init 15, HP 100/100 , Speed 40 (Fly 40)
AC 26, Touch 21, Flat-footed 23, CMD 31, Fort 12, Ref 14, Will 15, CMB +5/-2, Base Attack Bonus +7/+2
Spherewalker's Staff
Naked (+5 armor, +8 Deflection) Spell Resistance 18
Abilities Str 7, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 33, Wis 6, Cha 26
Condition: Overland Flight (12 hours), Magic Circle against Evil (24 hours)
Mythic Power (13/13), Spells (Many), Arcane Reservoir (8/14), Carnal Companion (8/8), Legendary Power (6/6), Mythic Spellpower (2/2)

Still reeling from narrowly clearing her head in time to avoid having it cleaved from her shoulders, Lilith turns just in time to see Nadia and her mount go racing past, "Wait, why are--nevermind, deal with this first." Holding out a hand, the nephilim aims toward the golem and conjures a slick puddle beneath it, little more than an inconvenience, but it was a swift way to check the constructs defenses and potentially leave it exposed for those less inclined to waste power on something that couldn't be affected.


Casting Grease under the golem at DC...uhh....22 Ref unless I'm missing something.

[Hattish Thing]

Murtagh

As the statue animates, Murtagh grimaces a little before shaking his head, letting out a small sigh as he raises his skymetal firearm up to his belt. Stepping forward slightly, the inquisitor continues to mutter to himself, as if frustrated with a mild inconvenience rather than a threat as serious as the golem might be.

His scarred face contorts, as if in pain, before jerking the gruesomely decorated weapon forward and pulling the trigger repeatedly.

--

"Damn thing. Don't have time for this."

[Bhaakon]

Ref: [roll0]

[Bhaakon]

The monolithic Deskari catches the first shot from Murtagh's hideous firearms square on the face, chipping the stone. The rest of the shot hammer the same spot until one of the figure's wickedly serrated obsidian mandibles goes spinning across the room to shatter into a thousand razor-sharp slivers. Hot lead and shattered stone ricochet off the construct wildly. Bullets bounce around the chamber, chipping stone from the walls and leaving the brimstone stink of gunpowder as they whiz betwixt and between you until their momentum peters out.

Murtagh's first shot hits, but the damage seems mostly superficial. You suspect it's resistant to most weapons.

Nadai watches with preternatural intensity as Lilith's magic does its trick. The stone creature--and Nadia can see that's all it is, simple stone with no intrinsically malign will--slips and staggers as viscous goop bubbles up out of nothing beneath its stone feet. It topples to the ground, spending the next few second struggling back upright. As it does so, one of its disturbingly insectoid limbs shoots out and slams Nadia across the shoulder with a blow that might have been strong enough to un-dog the woman if it weren't for Sir Chompsalot's quick footwork.

17 bludgeoning damage

On the opposite side of the chamber, behind Millia, the heavy double-doors slam open hard enough to throw chips from the wall. The bloated, scabrous figure thus revealed is clearly some kind of giantkin, and a particularly stupid specimen judging by the dull gaze and vacant features. It clutches a massive pick formed from a tree trunk that looks to have grown around an enormous shard of meteoric iron, the result of a fortuitous coincidence or some sort of shamanic magic. Either way, the great oaf is poised to bring the weapon to bear.

The newcomer is an ash giant, a mutant strain found in tortured terrain like the world wound. They're hardly the largest giantkin, but ash giants riple with muscle and pustuler growths, allowing them to wield weapons above their weight class and infect their victims with their virulent form of leprosy.

These cursed being have an affinity for vermin, allowing them to communicate with and tame such beasts. It is highly unusual to find one without some sort of verminous companions, though you don't see any present.

[Frosty]

Millia, Cleric of Nocticula (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=1285844)
F CG Aasimar (Garuda-Blooded) Cleric 8 / Dawnflower Anchorite 4, Level 12, Init 7, HP 136/136, Speed 20
AC 37, Touch 23, Flat-footed 34, CMD 31, Fort 17, Ref 16, Will 24, CMB +8, Base Attack Bonus 9
Medium Armor. Fly 1/day Celestial Plate Armor (25,000)
+3 with Magic Vestment (which also increases Reflex Save thanks to Defensive Expertise) Heavy Mithral shield +2 (+12 Armor, +3 Dex, +4 Deflection, +2 Natural, +6 Misc)
Abilities Str 8, Dex 16, Con 18, Int 16, Wis 31, Cha 16
Condition Pierce Façade (2 hrs), Defending Bone (50/50), Undetectable Alignment, Magic Vestment, Freedom of Movement, Life Bubble (8 hrs), Resist Fire 30 (40 mins), Shield of Faith +4 (24 mins), Bless (12 mins)
Mythic Power 14/15

The cleric could almost SMELL this disgusting giantkin before the door was slammed open. Turning around, she could tell that she definitely does NOT want to be hit by that pick (which likely weighs more than she does). Stepping back quickly, she uses her innate ability to charm people, and tries to get this dumb-looking giant on her side with a wink and some words! "Hey, big boy! I think you and I should be...good friends. Could ya help us out with a statue problem over there? It's trying to kill us!"

5ft step to the South West.
Use Charm Person SLA on the giant (will save 21)

[Desril]

Lilith
Female CG Tiefling Wizard (Exploiter) [Archmage], Level 12 [5], Init 15, HP 120/100 , Speed 40 (Fly 40)
AC 26, Touch 21, Flat-footed 23, CMD 31, Fort 12, Ref 14, Will 15, CMB +5/-2, Base Attack Bonus +7/+2
Spherewalker's Staff
Naked (+5 armor, +8 Deflection) Spell Resistance 18
Abilities Str 7, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 33, Wis 6, Cha 26
Condition: Overland Flight (12 hours), Magic Circle against Evil (24 hours), +20 temp HP
Mythic Power (13/13), Spells (Many), Arcane Reservoir (8/14), Carnal Companion (8/8), Legendary Power (6/6), Mythic Spellpower (2/2)

As the golem slips and falls to the ground and the ash giant opens the opposite door, the nephilim glances between the two. With the golem largely immune to her magics but not all of them and badly damaged, and the giant disease ridden and rather unpleasant to look at even compared to the statue of a demon lord, Lilith decided the best course of action was simply to hit them both. If only they were closer together that would be easy!

Deciding to leave the golem to those who were making quick work of it, however, she holds out Arueshalae's gifted staff toward the ash giant just in time for a wave of magical energy to pour forth from it, striking the brute in the face. "Don't let him touch you! It's filthy and carries diseases! Just deal with that golem."


Ah, it's been so long since I've used a mythic magic missile here...

[roll0] force damage on the ash giant

[Ilorin Lorati]

Nadia (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=1283090)
Female N/A Gnome Paladin (Dashing Hero) [Marshal], Level 12 [5], Init 13, HP 115/132, Speed 30 (35 after attack)
AC 29, Touch 23, Flat-footed 18, CMD 31, Fort 17, Ref 18, Will 19, CMB +9/+4/-1, Base Attack Bonus +12/+7/+2
Stopgap. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ +1 Demonbane Starknife (1d3, x3)
Glamered, Champion +1 Small Darkleaf Leather Armor, +1 Small Mithral Buckler (+3 Armor, +2 Shield, +8 Dex, +1 Size, +1 Natural, +1 Deflect)
Abilities Str 7, Dex 27, Con 16, Int 13, Wis 8, Cha 22
Condition Bless (12m)
Mythic Power (13/13), Smite (4/4)

Catching wind - literally and figuratively - of the filthy thing behind her, the gnome braces for the blow from the golem and moves to retaliate, instructing her steed to take the last step in with a press of her heels. Gripping the knife in her hand, she performs a backhand swing at the constructed "creature" in an attempt to shatter its defenses.


5-ft step, Melee Vital Strike

Hit: [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]

[Hattish Thing]

Murtagh fires once more at the golem, more than prepared to simply fire at the thing until it's overwhelmed.

[Bhaakon]

Magic and steal smash into the golem, knocking it down once more and raising a cloud of obsidian-tinted dust as the thing topples to the floor. When the dust clears all that remains is pile of shining, black glass gravel that promises to shred the soles of anyone foolish enough to tread upon it.

The giants just stands there, slack jawed, left cheek twitching slightly. His eyes focus and unfocus slowly and he drops his enormous pick as both hands move to grab the sides of his head. A whining groan escapes his flapping, scabrous lips, like a blacksmith's bellows fitted to an oboe. Its lungs empty, refill, and repeat as he rumbles towards the door you just entered, ignoring you as it tries to smash its way out.

[Frosty]

Millia, Cleric of Nocticula (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=1285844)
F CG Aasimar (Garuda-Blooded) Cleric 8 / Dawnflower Anchorite 4, Level 12, Init 7, HP 136/136, Speed 20
AC 37, Touch 23, Flat-footed 34, CMD 31, Fort 17, Ref 16, Will 24, CMB +8, Base Attack Bonus 9
Medium Armor. Fly 1/day Celestial Plate Armor (25,000)
+3 with Magic Vestment (which also increases Reflex Save thanks to Defensive Expertise) Heavy Mithral shield +2 (+12 Armor, +3 Dex, +4 Deflection, +2 Natural, +6 Misc)
Abilities Str 8, Dex 16, Con 18, Int 16, Wis 31, Cha 16
Condition Pierce Façade (2 hrs), Defending Bone (50/50), Undetectable Alignment, Magic Vestment, Freedom of Movement, Life Bubble (8 hrs), Resist Fire 30 (40 mins), Shield of Faith +4 (24 mins), Bless (12 mins)
Mythic Power 14/15

Millia looks at the giant trying to smash its way out, a puzzled look on her face. "What's wrong with it? I'm sure I successfully charmed it..." She tries to look for clues about its behavior. She also casts a cantrip to be able to see magical auras.

Sense Motive = 40 (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?497819-Bhaakon-s-Wrath-of-the-Righteous-OOC-II-The-Wrathening&p=24017162#post24017162) to see what's up with the giant, especially if there are any other enchantments affecting the giant. Use in conjunction with Detect Magic to see how many enchantment auras are on the giant.

[Desril]

Lilith
Female CG Tiefling Wizard (Exploiter) [Archmage], Level 12 [5], Init 15, HP 120/100 , Speed 40 (Fly 40)
AC 26, Touch 21, Flat-footed 23, CMD 31, Fort 12, Ref 14, Will 15, CMB +5/-2, Base Attack Bonus +7/+2
Spherewalker's Staff
Naked (+5 armor, +8 Deflection) Spell Resistance 18
Abilities Str 7, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 33, Wis 6, Cha 26
Condition: Overland Flight (12 hours), Magic Circle against Evil (24 hours), +20 temp HP
Mythic Power (11/13), Spells (Many), Arcane Reservoir (8/14), Carnal Companion (8/8), Legendary Power (6/6), Mythic Spellpower (2/2)

As the construct crumbles to rubble and the giant strangely goes to try and dig a bigger tunnel to escape through, Lilith just ***** her head to the side briefly before shrugging at her sister. "Well, he's not trying to kill us, so leave it for now, we've more important things to tend to, come on." Of course, while Arueshalae was on her mind, she still wasn't especially observant and didn't notice that the succubus had vanished as she turns toward the door opposite of where they'd come in. Eager to reach her Mother's domain, to set foot in the Abyss proper, and heedless of the possible dangers, Lily simply marches up toward the double doors at the end of the hall, intending to open them if no one stops her.

[Bhaakon]

Lilith reaches the stone double-doors without opposition. The handles are massive, silvered steel sized to be gripped by creatures at least as large as the giant trying to escape on the other side of the room. Their shape is...odd, though. They twist about in strange pattern that's either the work of an over-caffeinated art student or to cleverly designed to accommodate all sorts of limbs, whether they end in a hand, a claw, a tentacle or, a maw, or something stranger. Eventually, using both hand, Lily gets a grip and yanks while depressing a little lever that's probably a latch.

The lever swings easily. The handles turn freely. A bit too freely, actually, as if unconnected to any mechanism. The door remains stubbornly shut.

There's a squeal of improperly oiled hinges from the shrine room, where the dust that rose from the corpse of the obsidian golem still hangs in the air, threatening to shred lungs and sinuses. "Not again." A voice sighs, the tone more resigned than annoyed. A second voice, barely making itself heard through a hacking cough, replies. "Do you think it was the damned giant? I told him to dust it carefully this time, with the gentle swishing motions, as you said." "No...no, I saw him swishing around this morning. Perhaps it's the cow worshipers come for the vials? The golem might have tried to kill them again..." Three robed figures stand considering the mess you've made. It doesn't take more than a glance to tell they're not human, elf, or anything else born of the material plain. Incubi.

One finally notices you. "I think you're right" He mutters to the others, silencing them with a hand sign. "Tell me, who sent you, newcomers. The mistress is expecting guests from a certain...well, something. Name your patron and we'll deal with any more inconveniences for you."

[Desril]

Lilith

Raising an inquisitive eye toward the incubi, Lilith was trying to be on her best behavior, but she still couldn't help an appreciative glance. And technically, Merjana sent her, but an argument could be made that that never would've happened if Nocticula hadn't sent her to Ayavah all those many years ago in the first place, so it wasn't really a lie as the nephilim spoke up. "My patron is Our Lady in Shadow, and as I'm well aware that a portal to her realm lies within this little facility, I thought to come through...but I suspect your mistress might have words for us, so if you would be so kind, do alert her as to our arrival? Though I'd be happy to let the three of you take care of us in the meantime so we don't have to turn any more of your toys into rubble," she says with a flirtatious wink, playing the part of being a succubus, and only maybe serious.

Of course, they were probably just going to walk into a trap, but as far as Lilith was concerned it just meant that either they could talk this out without murdering everything...or everything that was going to need to die was going to be conveniently gathered into a single space where they might all be dealt with at once. It wasn't really a trap when you intended to turn an ambush on its head, after all.


Bluff! [roll0] oh right I'm good at this

[Frosty]

Millia makes sure that her unholy symbol of Nocticula is clearly visible. "Thank you for your concern, although you may wish to try to reign in your crazy servant first. What's wrong with the giant? He's going to bash a hole in the door soon."

[Bhaakon]

The incubus who first talked to you blinks at the mention of the Queen of the midnight isles. Clearly that wasn't the name he was expecting, insofar as he was expecting any name, but the second of the three cuts in smoothly to try and cover for the momentary lapse. "Yes, of course, the giant. We've grown somewhat accustomed to their tantrums. You tried to charm it, yes? We think they have some sort of mutated syphilis, and I'm sure your sisters can tell you stories about how well that plays with enchanting magics. Don't worry about the damage, it's easily repaired."

The first recovers from its stumble. "Yes...Erosandrus, see that the great oaf is put back to bed before he wears his fists to nubs." The third looks like he's about the argue, but acquiesces with a cringe instead. "Now if you'll please follow me, Her Magnificence is waiting." He waves his hand in a clear signal for you to follow deeper into the compound.

[Frosty]

Millia, Cleric of Nocticula (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=1285844)
F CG Aasimar (Garuda-Blooded) Cleric 8 / Dawnflower Anchorite 4, Level 12, Init 7, HP 136/136, Speed 20
AC 37, Touch 23, Flat-footed 34, CMD 31, Fort 17, Ref 16, Will 24, CMB +8, Base Attack Bonus 9
Medium Armor. Fly 1/day Celestial Plate Armor (25,000)
+3 with Magic Vestment (which also increases Reflex Save thanks to Defensive Expertise) Heavy Mithral shield +2 (+12 Armor, +3 Dex, +4 Deflection, +2 Natural, +6 Misc)
Abilities Str 8, Dex 16, Con 18, Int 16, Wis 31, Cha 16
Condition Pierce Façade (2 hrs), Defending Bone (50/50), Undetectable Alignment, Magic Vestment, Freedom of Movement, Life Bubble (8 hrs), Resist Fire 30 (40 mins), Shield of Faith +4 (24 mins), Bless (12 mins)
Mythic Power 14/15

The cleric whispers to her companions. "They're totally lying. They did not expect us at all. They are probably telepathically calling for backup. That said, we might be able to take care of them all at once if they get gathered up. What do you guys want to do?"

[Desril]

Lilith

Lily just ***** her head at Millia, that was practically her plan to start with as she turns back to the incubi. "Of course, well, such things do wreck havoc with the mind, so it's little surprise. And I'd be happy to go through this place without any more senseless bloodshed." Saying that, if she isn't stopped, she moves to follow. Regardless of whose trap it was, better to give them less time to prepare and not stand around stalling for time.


Perception as we walk down the halls looking for trap/ambush? [roll0]

[Frosty]

Millia shrugs and follows, also on the lookout for an ambush.

[roll0]

[Ilorin Lorati]

Nadia (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=1283090)
Female N/A Gnome Paladin (Dashing Hero) [Marshal], Level 12 [5], Init 13, HP 115/132, Speed 30 (35 after attack)
AC 29, Touch 23, Flat-footed 18, CMD 31, Fort 17, Ref 18, Will 19, CMB +9/+4/-1, Base Attack Bonus +12/+7/+2
Stopgap. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ +1 Demonbane Starknife (1d3, x3)
Glamered, Champion +1 Small Darkleaf Leather Armor, +1 Small Mithral Buckler (+3 Armor, +2 Shield, +8 Dex, +1 Size, +1 Natural, +1 Deflect)
Abilities Str 7, Dex 27, Con 16, Int 13, Wis 8, Cha 22
Condition Bless (12m)
Mythic Power (13/13), Smite (4/4)

The gnome muttered a series of non-word under her breath in response to the cleric's commentary, with a clear tone of chiding even if she wasn't saying anything. Otherwise, she made a point of staying in the rear and making an attempt to be as unobtrusive as any pair of two creatures could be. If this creature is going to make a point of speaking everything that was on her mind in front of an enemy... it took every ounce of energy she had to not bury her head in her hands at the thought. There were more important things to do, like figure out the angle.


Perception: [roll0]

[Bhaakon]

The lead incubus bows with an obsequious flourish that borders on mockery, then spins on his heels. "Please follow me." He intones, and advances back through the door they entered. The second stands outside the door, waiting for you to pass through at which point he closes it and follows as a read honor guard. The third is left behind. As the door shuts you see him extract a wickedly barbed whip from a fold in his robes and turn toward the giant.

You follow the incubus onto a balcony overlooking a large hexagonal workspace. Eight more incubi scuttle about below, operating a myriad of grinding and sifting machines on a series of solid stone worktables. The product seems to be a blood-red powder as fine as dust, which is collected up from some unknown purpose. All the workers are naked save a cold iron mask that completely covers their mouth and nose. They have no obvious locking mechanism, nor an aperture large enough to admit more than a shallow breath or, with great effort, a mist of water. You can taste the product of their efforts in the air, a metallic twang to the atmosphere as the devices throw up a minuscule portion of their product. One of demons moves about with a series of fine brushes and a perfectly honed razor, carefully scraping up every lost iota of the dust from whatever surface it settles upon.

The escort leads you along the overlook to a set of double doors on the south side. One of four exits in the room: the one you entered, the one you're standing in front of, and one small portal to the west all branch off the balcony. Two more sets of double doors lead from the workspace below to the east and south-east. A flight of stairs in the northeast of the chamber connect the split levels of the space.

"The Mistress's chambers." The lead incubus explains. "I suggest you comport yourselves appropriately. She remains a stickler for manners, even now." Then he opens the door.

A glass cauldron bubbles in the center of the room, suspended over a blue jut of flame by a labyrinthine tangle of metal supports. The bruise-purple content roil, belching out a mauve miasma that collects up in the hemispherical vault of the room, where it cools and condenses along a maze of grooves carved into the naturally cool stone and slowly drips and dribbles its way along winding channels into a gutter that rings the vault, which finally deposit the result it into golden ewers at four points in the room.

"Amazing, isn't it?" The voice is female, though shot through with steel. The owner--stepping out from behind the glass cauldron--is average height, lean, with mousey hair hacked short and unremarkable looks. Her face is lined and weathered, though you think by hard use rather than age. Her armor is immaculately cared for save the symbology, which has been mangled beyond recognition. Even when unblemished, it was clearly utilitarian in nature rather than some foppish showpiece. The sheath at her side is sized for a longsword, but sits empty. Instead there's a double-bladed axe strapped to her back, the silver blade notched like an old butcher's cleaver.

"The entire room is a still, and the stone here naturally leaches additional impurities. The product doesn't even settle on the ground in vapor form. Something about arcano-density and reversing dweomer polarity. Mustafen is a genius, though don't tell him I said that." The woman finally glances down from the roiling cloud above to consider you.

"But forgive my lack of introduction. Greetings. I am Yaniel."

[Desril]

Lilith

The elaborate stone laboratory is enough to distract Lilith's thoughts from their fiendish hosts for a moment, and her thoughts lingered on the red dust that was being so meticulously gathered and stored before Yaniel made her introduction. While the demi-succubus was expecting the leader of this base to at least not immediately try to attack them, she was caught off-guard a fair bit by the name. So much so, in fact, that she couldn't help but steal a glance back toward wherever Radiance was currently being held before looking toward its former owner again. "Sadly, alchemy isn't really my area of expertise, though it certainly sounds like a stroke of genius to my untrained ears..."

She doesn't bother with her own introduction right away, however, both because in her distraction it'd slipped her mind, and because there was at least the slimmest of chances that their ruse might yet be undiscovered and giving away her name would surely end that. "But...Yaniel? Surely not the Hero of the Fourth Crusade, Yaniel? I'd heard she was slain in battle years ago." And given that her sword was a relic that was returned, stolen, and then promptly looted back, it didn't seem likely that the paladin had fared too well.

[Ilorin Lorati]

Nadia (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=1283090)
Female N/A Gnome Paladin (Dashing Hero) [Marshal], Level 12 [5], Init 13, HP 115/132, Speed 30 (35 after attack)
AC 29, Touch 23, Flat-footed 18, CMD 31, Fort 17, Ref 18, Will 19, CMB +9/+4/-1, Base Attack Bonus +12/+7/+2
Stopgap. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ +1 Demonbane Starknife (1d3, x3)
Glamered, Champion +1 Small Darkleaf Leather Armor, +1 Small Mithral Buckler (+3 Armor, +2 Shield, +8 Dex, +1 Size, +1 Natural, +1 Deflect)
Abilities Str 7, Dex 27, Con 16, Int 13, Wis 8, Cha 22
Condition Bless (12m)
Mythic Power (13/13), Smite (4/4)

Nadia follows along, leaning forward and scritching Sir Chompsalot behind the ear lightly as she does so. Looking around the hall as they follow, the Desnan champion furrows her brow and looks at the incubus once they pass through the door onto the balcony. "Well, our giant buddy is about to have a bad time of it." She winces as she finishes the comment, feeling the tug of her goddess - real or imagined - back towards the giant. It should be freed one way or another; given leave from the almost-literal hell that it was now within. I'll take care of it later, she reasoned with herself, pushing it to the back of her mind as best she could. There were more immediate concerns to deal with.

Concerns like those workers below that she prayed she didn't need to go down and meet in person. That would be incredibly awkward.

Once they reach that final doorway and are given the warning, Nadia motions to the corgi-like beast that she was mouned upon. "Manners... manners... Should I keep my steed from drooling? He's a drooler. Would she consider that an insult?" Then the door opens fully and she shuts up.

What was within certainly looked like genius but she had no mind for alchemy or really creating anything. Her attention was rapt on the ominous cloud of pale purple pall that spun above. "It's beautiful," she had to admit aloud, reaching forward on instinct to pat the creature beneath her that she had begun to sense was agitated. Realizing that manners were a thing, Nadia climbed down and gave her own, wordless, bow as well while the woman was distracted by Lily. And... the aloud explanation that this Yaniel was supposedly some kind of hero, which made her instantly suspicious about what was going on here.


Paladin Detect Evil on Yaniel.

[Frosty]

Millia, Cleric of Nocticula (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=1285844)
F CG Aasimar (Garuda-Blooded) Cleric 8 / Dawnflower Anchorite 4, Level 12, Init 7, HP 136/136, Speed 20
AC 37, Touch 23, Flat-footed 34, CMD 31, Fort 17, Ref 16, Will 24, CMB +8, Base Attack Bonus 9
Medium Armor. Fly 1/day Celestial Plate Armor (25,000)
+3 with Magic Vestment (which also increases Reflex Save thanks to Defensive Expertise) Heavy Mithral shield +2 (+12 Armor, +3 Dex, +4 Deflection, +2 Natural, +6 Misc)
Abilities Str 8, Dex 16, Con 18, Int 16, Wis 31, Cha 16
Condition Pierce Façade (2 hrs), Defending Bone (50/50), Undetectable Alignment, Magic Vestment, Freedom of Movement, Life Bubble (8 hrs), Resist Fire 30 (40 mins), Shield of Faith +4 (24 mins), Bless (12 mins)
Mythic Power 14/15

Millia is less distracted by the scenery and equipment, keeping a sharp eye out for more trouble. The giant about to be whipped doesn't give her much pause, as there are more pressing concerns. Honestly, she half expects the giant to beat the incubus into dust. Entering the distillation room, the cleric can see how relatively relaxed everyone seems to be, as if they're not perturbed by this intrusion of strangers. A single Magnified EXPLOSION can set their work back for who knows how long. Should we need to leave in a hurry, we can least do that before we go. thinks Millia as she casually wonders why these demons seem to care about filtering the dust from the face but not from the rest of the naked incubi bodies. Slightly worried about what the dust may do, the cleric casts a very simple orison, to detect magical auras.

Then the mousey human introduced herself as Yaniel. It rings a bell in Millia's head, but it wasn't until her Nephilim sister shared her thoughts that Millia remember the name. The one with the famous weapon that Nalin had wielded. Where is the weapon now? asks Millia silently as she eyes Yaniel's empty scabbard.

Time to be polite. "Greetings, Ser Yaniel. I am a humble servant of Our Lady in Shadow. It is a pleasure to meet one as famous as yourself." She bows in respect, but keeps her eyes on Yaniel, looking both for physical signs of a mundane disguise, and of magical auras, especially illusionary ones. "Might we ask what you are doing here, good Ser?"

Examine with detect magic.
Mundane perception check to check for Disguises, with a +10 from Pierce Façade. Total bonus = 41. Take 10 for 51 Perception

[Hattish Thing]

Murtagh remains quiet throughout the introduction, merely glaring in disdain towards the surroundings.

[Bhaakon]

"Slain?" Yaniel asks, a bit of rhetorical chuckle livening her voice. "Dead to the Queen and her bootlicks, perhaps, but very much alive. No. I was banished to the wastes by their machinations and learned a simple truth: might and right are useless in isolation. Say what you will of the demons' goals, they are honest about them. They don't lie to themselves. Yes, they slaughter by the thousands, but then the church does the same, doesn't it? Feeding an endless stream of supplicants to the meat-grinder of their vanity. They worship purpose, but lack power. The demons worship power, but lack purpose. What I'm doing here is distilling power so that it can be used by those with purpose."

She looks up at the swirling cloud again, mauve and indigo and violet whorls colliding and combining with a milky luminescence. "It's difficult work, dirty, but necessary. Deskari, Iomedae, they play a chess game to a stalemate with a nigh infinite number of sacrificial pawns. It is time someone flipped the board, don't you agree?"

"But I don't expect you to take it on faith. That is for fools. Ask me for anything. Wealth? Insight? Strength of arm? Someone returned from the dead, perhaps? I have the power to grant it. Me. Not some false idol. My work here has given me the means to do so by my own hand. I only ask your loyalty to my purpose in return."

There's something not quite right about the figure before you. The shadows are a little too deep and defined for the ambient glow in the room. It moves with a lightness suggesting it's far less substantial than it appears, though the effect is extremely subtle. You're convinced it's not quite real.

If you have Detect Magic up, you find it cloaked in strong illusion.

Even more than being illusory, the face is ever so slightly uncanny. The motions too stilted, the skin too waxy, the eyes flit about in repeating pattern rather than natural saccades. It's clearly a high quality disguise, probably magical.

Whatever this woman is, you're sure she's not the person she claims to be. But everything else she's said seems honest and genuine. Even her offer of a boon.

[Hattish Thing]

As the figure, easily identifiable as some sort of falsity, makes her promise of extraordinary boons, Murtagh glances upwards with interest for the first time in several days. Loyalty to whatever twisted goal she was proposing was entirely out of the question, however, it would be foolish not to take advantage of such an opportunity.

With a wish, there were thousands of possibilities, thousands of chances to truly make a difference. What is one man to the most powerful spell ever designed, after all?

--

He steps forward, shotgun still aimed forward, wandering a few feet away from the others before murmuring a quiet, dreadfully soft request. "Flip the board... Bah, there is no board, this is no game. This is war, the great war, a war of good against evil. We just need to win."

"I've... a request fer you, witch. A wish."

--

"I wish for the spontaneous and immediate disintegration of all demons."

[Desril]

Lilith listened, doing her best to not be completely biased from the outset, but she was only growing more and more agitated as she listened and started to think that, if this really was Yaniel, then she'd been dropped on her head a few too many times. Demons were honest about their purpose, sure, but this wasn't doing them any good, she was just...creating more problems. And the offer of power and knowledge, as tempting as it was, even the nephilim wasn't that foolish, but the moment she opened her mouth to speak, Murtagh spoke up and made his wish clear before she could shout over him, "What?! No, STOP!"

Glaring daggers at the inquisitor, Lily just assumed a more defensive stance, focusing more on Murtagh than Yaniel or the demons, though her gaze does flick toward Yaniel even as she mutters, "You idiot...what do you think this is going to accomplish? Even if life were that simple, this...isn't how 'Good' can win..."

[Ilorin Lorati]

Nadia (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=1283090)
Female N/A Gnome Paladin (Dashing Hero) [Marshal], Level 12 [5], Init 13, HP 115/132, Speed 30 (35 after attack)
AC 29, Touch 23, Flat-footed 18, CMD 31, Fort 17, Ref 18, Will 19, CMB +9/+4/-1, Base Attack Bonus +12/+7/+2
Stopgap. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ +1 Demonbane Starknife (1d3, x3)
Glamered, Champion +1 Small Darkleaf Leather Armor, +1 Small Mithral Buckler (+3 Armor, +2 Shield, +8 Dex, +1 Size, +1 Natural, +1 Deflect)
Abilities Str 7, Dex 27, Con 16, Int 13, Wis 8, Cha 22
Condition Bless (12m)
Mythic Power (13/13), Smite (4/4)

The lack of aura from Yaniel gave Nadia pause - not because she wasn't evil, but because something around here was. So, she stayed in the background, pulling the chompy one by his reins back towards a wall to better see the room ahead of her. The speech, she felt, was typical fare - blah blah phenomenal power, cosmic strength - but it was the offer of a wish that raised her eyebrows. Could it be real? She considered the options, then considered better; something was wrong here, no matter what this 'hero' said.

The gnome opened her mouth to reply with some sardonic remark, only to have her breath and response snatched away from her by the inquisitor that so very much hated anything Demonic. The inquisitor that was... making a wish.

Wait, what?

She didn't know how to respond to that, the sheer stupidity of his request pulling every piece of wit out of her throat in the form of a low, mocking laugh that started off slow. "By the gods, you're an idiot," she barked out between heaving breaths as the laughter built to a hammering pace that eventually stole the air from her lungs and left her wheezing across her mount's back.

[Frosty]

Millia, Cleric of Nocticula (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=1285844)
F CG Aasimar (Garuda-Blooded) Cleric 8 / Dawnflower Anchorite 4, Level 12, Init 7, HP 136/136, Speed 20
AC 37, Touch 23, Flat-footed 34, CMD 31, Fort 17, Ref 16, Will 24, CMB +8, Base Attack Bonus 9
Medium Armor. Fly 1/day Celestial Plate Armor (25,000)
+3 with Magic Vestment (which also increases Reflex Save thanks to Defensive Expertise) Heavy Mithral shield +2 (+12 Armor, +3 Dex, +4 Deflection, +2 Natural, +6 Misc)
Abilities Str 8, Dex 16, Con 18, Int 16, Wis 31, Cha 16
Condition Pierce Façade (2 hrs), Defending Bone (50/50), Undetectable Alignment, Magic Vestment, Freedom of Movement, Life Bubble (8 hrs), Resist Fire 30 (40 mins), Shield of Faith +4 (24 mins), Bless (12 mins)
Mythic Power 14/15

Millia has enough self-restraint to not roll her eyes at the offer of cosmic power. "We don't even know what your purpose IS, yet you ask that we pledge loyalty to your cause? Of you know our reputation, then whatever else we are, you know that we also like the material plane intact, and free from the ravages of demonic inv..."

That's when the inquisitor makes his statement...this baffling statement wholly unmatching of his supposed vast wisdom. She turns slowly, incredulously to Murtagh. "Are you HIGH or something? Must be one of those demon body part concoctions you love to drink finally melting your brain. By the Lady in Shadows...sometimes I wonderif your sanity is truly intact after your time in the Abyss..."

[Hattish Thing]

Although Murtagh had been quiet and withdrawn of late, Lilith's mention of the word "good" causes something to snap. Less than a minute ago, his responses had been calm, yet ripe with conviction. Now, however, the inquisitor is all but shouting as he snarls towards her, stepping several feet away once more.

"Good? What would you know of it?" Huge wads of spittle soar out from between his scarred lips as he growls.

--

Gesturing with his shotgun, he shakes his head neurotically, staring down at the ground. "No, no. I will not be spoken to of "goodness" from the likes of you or your sycophants." His gestures grow wilder and more animated as his fury bubbles and boils, rising up from within. "No! If it works, if it advances the cause even a fraction as far as I would like, it will have been worth it! And if it doesn't? I will survive it."

"No, this... this is fear, from you. What is it, are you afraid for your little cult? Afraid that the universe won't see them for anything else but what they are, but what they truly are?"

[Frosty]

Millia keeps being wrong when she thinks "this is the stupidest thing that Murtagh will say today."

"You should slow down and think about this. Remember who the REAL enemy is..." she says in an even tone.

[Bhaakon]

"Hmm" Yaniel mutters. "A true test. Well...I think it's worth a try, anyway." The figure grins, flashing the crooked but pearly smile a commoner who places value in discipline rather than vanity.

There's a chorus of choked screams from beyond the door you just walked through. At least for a split second, before they die out in a whimper.

"Hmm. More than I'd expected to be honest, but the deal is struck. You didn't say "complete," after all. I'm afraid most of them only got a surprise manicure. I'm sure those will be grateful. I'll be having your allegiance, of course."

[Hattish Thing]

Rather than acknowledge the wish-granter at this point, nor the others in the room, Murtagh grimaces before simply firing down upon "Yaniel" again and again, his shotgun belching forth a cacophonous barrage of steel, trusting in his powerful will over whatever magic that the likely demon had referenced during "her" casting of her spell.

--

Posted in OOC.

[Bhaakon]

Hot lead slugs slam into Yaniel and blast through the other side, leaving nothing but an ephemeral hole in her form and a trail of wispy shadowstuff as blow out the other side. The paladin laughs as the missile ricochet, taking chunks from the wall and piercing one of the golden ewers. The burgundy liquor spills in two flaccid jets that quickly fade into trickles as the vessel drains.

Yaniel frowns, glaring at the ruined potion. "You have no idea how much effort went into collecting that, do you, wurm?" She mutters. "Just that puddle is worth thousands of souls. Good ones, mind you. Stolen straight from the gates of the heavens."

[Frosty]

Millia, Cleric of Nocticula (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=1285844)
F CG Aasimar (Garuda-Blooded) Cleric 8 / Dawnflower Anchorite 4, Level 12, Init 7, HP 136/136, Speed 20
AC 37, Touch 23, Flat-footed 34, CMD 31, Fort 17, Ref 16, Will 24, CMB +8, Base Attack Bonus 9
Medium Armor. Fly 1/day Celestial Plate Armor
+3 with Magic Vestment (which also increases Reflex Save thanks to Defensive Expertise) Heavy Mithral shield +2 (+12 Armor, +3 Dex, +4 Deflection, +2 Natural, +6 Misc)
Abilities Str 8, Dex 16, Con 18, Int 16, Wis 31, Cha 16
Condition Pierce Façade (2 hrs), Defending Bone (50/50), Undetectable Alignment, Magic Vestment, Freedom of Movement, Life Bubble (8 hrs), Resist Fire 30 (40 mins), Shield of Faith +4 (24 mins), Bless (12 mins)
Mythic Power 13/15

The Nocticulan cleric sighs as her ally goes all 'shoot first, ask questions later' on the 'paladin'. "Goddess damn...you're more impulsive than Lily, and that's saying something! That thing is some sort of IMAGE! Look for some hiding sport where the real target is. They usually need line of effect. So, maybe a small window to another room, or a slightly open door, or maybe a good hiding spot in this room." She starts casting her own spell to dispel the illusion.


Spend one MP to use Inspired Spell to cast Greater Dispel Magic at "Yaniel": [roll0]

[Desril]

Lily

Even as Millia dispels the illusion, Lilith's eyes remain fixed on Murtagh, glaring at him with a similar contempt she'd had for a certain dwarf and invidiak, though the burning hatred she'd felt for the latter wasn't quite there this time. But he was an active threat at this point, and she treated him as such. Deciding to deal with him first, she barely had time to speak, not that she truly had the words for the situation, before finishing her spell. "You idiot! There's no time to deal with you now, I'll leave you to Merjana once we're done here."

Even as she says the words, Murtagh will feel a cold, creeping sensation as his flesh starts to calcify...


Mythic Flesh to Stone, DC 27 Fort to avoid being petrified, but success means you're Slowed for 5 rounds or until you break off the petrified chunks.

[Bhaakon]

The last thing you see before Millia finishes her spell is "Yaniel's" face grinning wildly. Then the image blinks out of existence without even the sharp 'pop' of atmosphere filling into the vacuum where it had existed.

As for The woman's suggestion, the only doors out of the circular room are the one you came through, which is shut and, judging by the mechanical clicks and whirs when it was closed behind you, quite locked. The other, smaller door on the other side of the circular space appears closed as well. The only furniture lit by the whirling fog of mauve quintessence overhead are the simple plinths supporting the golden ewers and the glass cauldron.

[Hattish Thing]

Murtagh:

Having shaken off the worst of the mythic spell, Murtagh glances down at what is left of his intact flesh, noticing that patches of his body remain partially petrified. Glaring towards Lilith, the inquisitor snarls, making eye-contact with his vile, singular orb before digging the sharpened fingers of his mechanical claw-hand into his own arm, preparing himself for the pain to come.

Before he begins the process of ripping apart his own stone-infected flesh, he instead spits several venomous words out to the caster, layered with a magical hex.

"Merjana warned me you'd turn. That you were weak, she's always known. Always doubted."

"They all have, and rightly so."

(Standard Action = Agony Hex, DC 28 Fort Save, Mythic Accursed Hex Feat)

--

Moving with mythic speed, the inquisitor steps back, before letting loose a shot from his firearm with almost supernatural speed.

(Swift Action, Fleet Charge, Ranged Attack (If 36 Hits, 54 Total DMG))

[Ilorin Lorati]

Nadia (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=1283090)
Female N/A Gnome Paladin (Dashing Hero) [Marshal], Level 12 [5], Init 13, HP 115/132, Speed 30 (35 after attack)
AC 29, Touch 23, Flat-footed 18, CMD 31, Fort 17, Ref 18, Will 19, CMB +9/+4/-1, Base Attack Bonus +12/+7/+2
Stopgap. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ +1 Demonbane Starknife (1d3, x3)
Glamered, Champion +1 Small Darkleaf Leather Armor, +1 Small Mithral Buckler (+3 Armor, +2 Shield, +8 Dex, +1 Size, +1 Natural, +1 Deflect)
Abilities Str 7, Dex 27, Con 16, Int 13, Wis 8, Cha 22
Condition Bless (12m)
Mythic Power (13/13), Smite (4/4)

Nadia sighed wearily at the exchange, reaching over and scritching her dog's ear before letting off a soft "Yip" and guiding her mount between the two of them - next to Murtagh, and facing perpendicular to the both of them to keep an eye on the fighting pair. As she does so, she draws her starknife and Detects Evil on Murtagh - something she honestly should have done a long time ago - irritation moreso than anger on her face. "Both of you need to stop this, now. The damage has been done and we're still in the middle of a demonic fortress. If any of us want to get out of here alive, and able to help those we care about, we'll need to do this properly!"

I'm going to get up in the middle of them and they're going to both kill me. Desna, please guide me through the next few minutes. I need all the help I can get.



If he pings evil, Smite but otherwise do nothing.

[Desril]

Lilith

Lilith holds a hand out as Murtagh pulls the trigger on his gun, causing the shot to ricochet harmlessly off a barrier that wasn't there a moment ago while his words seem to find no purchase on her at all. Shifting her posture slightly, the demi-succubus glares at him with a fire in her eyes and is clearly about to retaliate before Nadia steps between them, making Lily make an agitated snarl. I could fire past her, but dealing with him is easier if I don't worry about the collateral, damnit, get out of the way! Silently fuming to herself, she just continues making plans to deal with the fallen inquisitor as quickly as possible but otherwise, for now, holds her position, though her skin starts to take on a diamond like luster as she speaks.

"Helping the people we care about requires keeping them safe from him! He's a threat, worse than the lackeys we'll have to deal with!"


Emergency Force Sphere, blocking line of effect for the hex and hardness 20, HP 110, so it's at 76/110 remaining.

Stoneskin on self.

[Bhaakon]

Laughter precedes the advent of the creature in the mists, harsh, staccato, and only vaguely feminine. Cloven hooves emerge from the roiling mauve fog, followed by a body human enough to be a common teifling, at least until the face becomes visible. Woman has great, curling horns, the sight of which alone would elicit neck pains if you weren't distracted by the flat plain of unmarred skin where her eyes should be.

"Please, continue." She says. "This is ever so entertaining, but I think a bit lopsided. A fair fight would be far more interesting. How about...yes, newcomers against the old. You," She points at Nadia, "I don't even know who you are. Let me see what you have..."

Energy, dancing on the edge of visibility on the violet end of the rainbow, lances towards the gnome. "Help your human friend defeat these half bloods."

DC 28 Will save or Dominate Monster

[Frosty]

Millia, Cleric of Nocticula (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=1285844)
F CG Aasimar (Garuda-Blooded) Cleric 8 / Dawnflower Anchorite 4, Level 12, Init 7, HP 136/136, Speed 20
AC 37, Touch 23, Flat-footed 34, CMD 31, Fort 17, Ref 16, Will 24, CMB +8, Base Attack Bonus 9
Medium Armor. Fly 1/day Celestial Plate Armor
+3 with Magic Vestment (which also increases Reflex Save thanks to Defensive Expertise) Heavy Mithral shield +2 (+12 Armor, +3 Dex, +4 Deflection, +2 Natural, +6 Misc)
Abilities Str 8, Dex 16, Con 18, Int 16, Wis 31, Cha 16
Condition Pierce Façade (2 hrs), Defending Bone (50/50), Undetectable Alignment, Magic Vestment, Freedom of Movement, Life Bubble (8 hrs), Resist Fire 30 (39 mins), Shield of Faith +4 (23 mins), Bless (11 mins)
Mythic Power 13/15

Millia groans as she looks up at the fiendish enemy. "You are blind to who holds true power. Oppose Nocticula at your peril!" With that, she throws white energy at the flying enemy, which explodes into a burst of radiance.


Cast Burst of Radiance at the enemy. DC22 Reflex save or be blinded for [roll0] rounds. Otherwise, dazzled.
Damage: [roll1]
SR check: [roll2]

[Bhaakon]

"You think that cheap trick will save you?" The battered, wretched old man snarls, launching globs of spittle that spatter against Lilith's bubble and dribble down leaving frothy trails. Gnarled fingers, bent with rheumatism, do the trick they've had carved into their meat--the only trick they can do now without great effort and concentration--and the long iron in the inquisitor's grip is once more gravid with lead.

But Murtagh doesn't unload again. He reaches for the whip on his belt instead, a coil of barbed steel heavy with rust and similarly colored stains. He mutters under his breath and, just as you catch the name "Neshen" the weapon comes to life, unraveling in a blink and wrapping itself tightly around Murtagh's arm. "Damantation!" He bellows. "Then I'll do it alone, you craven weakling!" As he unwinds the weapon from his flesh, tearing free several chunks of his own leathery hide in his haste. "Just like I always have."

Millia, meanwhile, launches her magic against the floating demon, a flash that would melt any retina--or at least flash fry them. The demon doesn't even flinch, whether it's because she resists the magic or because she lacks eyes, you can't be sure. She doesn't seem keen on enlightening you as to the reason, as her response is merely more laughter, first at the failed spell, then at Murtagh's predicament. "I told you that you serve me now. Not...whoever you pledged to before."

[Desril]

Lilith

Tensing up as she sees Murtagh try and fail to call upon his god, a flame burns in Lilith's eyes as she responds, even as she starts to weave arcane sigils in the air, "You're one to talk of cheap tricks...for all your bark, in the end you're nothing more than a puppet for a demon that wasn't even really trying!" In other circumstances, the nephilim would've felt a bit of pity for the ex-inquisitor, but her thoughts were far too filled with rage and worry to do anything more than mock him now.

Then, with a quiet pop, Lily vanished from within her bubble, reappearing behind Murtagh, her hand outstretched toward him and pulsing with a black and purple light. Lowering her voice, hopefully so that only Murtagh can hear her, she whispers even as she unleashes the full force of her magical might on his back, "Pray to whatever gods will take you that Arue is unharmed...or this won't be your last death." And an instant later, a second blast, just as devastating as the first, strikes him again.


Move: Dimensional Slide out of the bubble to behind Murtagh
Augmented Mythic Magic Missile! [roll0]
I miss empower.

Amazing Initiative: Time Stutter
While in the 1 round time stop, I ready an action to use Augmented Mythic Magic Missile on Murtagh the instant the time stop ends...
Augmented Mythic Magic Missile (rolled in OOC because can't roll in an edit): (20d4+30)[84]

[Frosty]

Millia, Cleric of Nocticula (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=1285844)
F CG Aasimar (Garuda-Blooded) Cleric 8 / Dawnflower Anchorite 4, Level 12, Init 7, HP 136/136, Speed 20
AC 37, Touch 23, Flat-footed 34, CMD 31, Fort 17, Ref 16, Will 24, CMB +8, Base Attack Bonus 9
Medium Armor. Fly 1/day Celestial Plate Armor
+3 with Magic Vestment (which also increases Reflex Save thanks to Defensive Expertise) Heavy Mithral shield +2 (+12 Armor, +3 Dex, +4 Deflection, +2 Natural, +6 Misc)
Abilities Str 8, Dex 16, Con 18, Int 16, Wis 31, Cha 16
Condition Pierce Façade (2 hrs), Defending Bone (50/50), Undetectable Alignment, Magic Vestment, Freedom of Movement, Life Bubble (8 hrs), Resist Fire 30 (39 mins), Shield of Faith +4 (23 mins), Bless (11 mins)
Mythic Power 12/15

"Curse her lack of eyes..." Millia says as she looks around. Settling on the dire-Corgi, the cleric of Nocticula smiles. "Well, how about something more solid? Hey Chompy, you ever wanted to fly?"

With that, Millia moves to the canine, and calling upon her inner mythic reserves, she produces a spell (an enduring spell, in fact), to let the mount walk on air. "Nadia, your steed can now take you into battle against the flying enemy!"

Move to Sir Chompsalot.
Spend a mythic point to cast Air Walk (CL 14) on the doggo. It will last 24 hours thanks to Enduring Blessing.

[Ilorin Lorati]

Nadia (http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheet.html#id=1283090)
Female N/A Gnome Paladin (Dashing Hero) [Marshal], Level 12 [5], Init 13, HP 115/132, Speed 30 (35 after attack)
AC 29, Touch 23, Flat-footed 18, CMD 31, Fort 17, Ref 18, Will 19, CMB +9/+4/-1, Base Attack Bonus +12/+7/+2
Stopgap. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ +1 Demonbane Starknife (1d3, x3)
Glamered, Champion +1 Small Darkleaf Leather Armor, +1 Small Mithral Buckler (+3 Armor, +2 Shield, +8 Dex, +1 Size, +1 Natural, +1 Deflect)
Abilities Str 7, Dex 27, Con 16, Int 13, Wis 8, Cha 22
Condition Nadia: Bless (12m)
Chompsalot: Air Walk (24h)
Mythic Power (13/13), Smite (4/4)

Nadia nods at the cleric, shifting her stance and whispering something low to the dog, an almost growl that the two of them would surely understand. "HA," she calls out sharply, pushing her feet against the large creature's flanks, pulling up in his reins and bringing him into the air just like Millia promised.

Getting as close as possible to the demon, she curses the creature in the air above them with a holy inflection before following it immediately up with a twist of her wrist and a particularly biting starknife.



Control Mount is DC20; with a +30 modifier I can't fail.

Move into melee range with the demon. Smite, Vital Strike Starknife.

Hit: [roll0] (+1 Bless, +1 PBS, +6 Smite, +2 Evil Outsider Bane)
Damage: [roll1] (24*3 Paladin, 2*3 Bane, 8*3) + [roll2] (Bane)

Mythic Power Amazing Initiative, Vital Strike.

Hit: [roll3] (+1 Bless, +1 PBS, +6 Smite, +2 Evil Outsider Bane)
Damage: [roll4] (12*3 Paladin, 2*3 Bane; 8*3 Dex) + [roll5] (Bane)

[Bhaakon]

Nadia's blad guts slices right across the demon's middle. A terrible slice across the abdomen and halfway to the spine. A normal woman would be trying to cradle her viscera in her hands. The demon Lets her guts dangle, conjuring up invective potent enough to darken the air around her. She punctuates her rage with a shriek. "I'll be back!" And blinks into nothingness with the familiar immediacy of teleportation magic.


Murtagh is a tough old goat, more leather than man, but bullets are bullets. All the more so when they're made of magic and unerring in their flight. Each impact shreds fabric, tenderizes meat, splinters bone, until there's not much left holding the man upright than willpower.

He coughs, spitting blood and chunks of several teeth. The words rasp out from somewhere deep inside. "You think you won? No one wins. You fight and you fight and you fight until you give up or die. But I'm sure as the hells not giving some demonic whore-spawn the satisfaction of killing me."

He reaches into his bandolier and pulls out a vial of oily liquid. He holds it up above himself and crunches the glass in his gnarled fist, showering himself in alchemist's fire. There's no scream, only laughter. It starts ragged and weak, but grows stronger and shriller as the flames take hold. Then the fire reaches his arsenal. Rounds cook off like popcorn, sending a hail of lead around the room at random. The slugs aren't deadly, but there's enough force behind them to bruise, to chip stone, dent gold, and shatter the massive glass cauldron in the center of the room. Its liqueur spills forth in a wave, staining boots, pants, and any other low-hanging clothing up to the knees in its initial crash before settling into a sticky puddle that covers most of the space.

Of Murtagh, there's nothing but damp ashes and slag from his melted gear.

DC 20 ref save or [roll0] damage from Murtagh's bullets

There's no way the fire was hot enough to render Murtagh's body and gear down to ashes.

[Desril]

Lilith

The nephilim doesn't attempt to evade the ricocheting bullets, holding her position with a look of pure rage on her face until nothing but molten slag is left of the former inquisitor as his ammo explodes off the wall behind her. A brief pause is all this lasts for, however, as she breathes out and looks around in a wild panic, rage and fury quickly fading to be replaced by fear and worry. There were still enemies to deal with around here, she was sure, the on in charge in particular, but all of that paled in comparison to the more important concern as she calls out, "ARUESHALAE! ARE YOU ALRIGHT?!" Please, please tell me you're okay!


Can't fail the knowledge check, but Lily doesn't care about that right now.

Not sure if we're still in initiative or not but talking is a free action!

[Frosty]

Millia is also concerned about the succubus. "We really should keep a status spell on her...****, where did she go? Did that Wish actually kill her?"

The cleric helps her sister look for Arueshalae.