Ardeth
Day turns to night and you continue to observe the Red Door from the alley across the street. Rats emerge into the alleys in greater numbers, but you do your best to ignore them. Fortunately the temple district is one of the cleanest parts of the city.
Night does not see a reduction of activity in the district. If anything- there seem to be many folk in the Shadizar that make their religious observances under the cover of darkness.
Sometimes after dark, you see four figures enter the alley. One of them bears a torch, but all four have dark cloaks on with big cowls that conceals their faces. They enter the Red Door and close it behind them.
An hour or so later the door opens again. A single figure emerges. It is very tall and wears a cloak like the ones that the four figures that firs entered wore. However none of them were as tall as this figure. This one is taller than Xanos or Juma. It moves to the end of the alley and looks out into the street. You notice its eyes glow yellow. It starts to sniff the air.
There is something odd about the way its cloak hangs off its back. It's as if there's some sort of growth protruding from its back that is causing the cloak to not hang properly. Kind of like what it might look like if someone were wearing a cloak over top of a backpack.
As it sniffs and looks around, its attention turns to the aley you are hiding in. It is looking right at you with those glowing yellow eyes, but you aren't sure if it actually sees you or not.
Ardeth will pretend to be a sleeping bum, keeping one eye slitted open to watch the creature.
Ardeth
You continue to watch the robed figure. After looking around the streets for a moment, it returns to the alley. It then sheds its robe. It is difficult to make out all the details in the darkness, but you can tell that the thing is not human. Its head is hairless and you think you make out large pointed ears and a mouth lined with fangs. Bat-like wings unfold from its back. It uses them to help it climb up the wall of a large stone building that makes up one side of the alley. Once up on the building's roof it is able to fully spread its wings. It then lets out a terrible, unnatural shriek and takes to the sky. You see if fly off into the night, possibly heading towards the caravan district.
After that things are quiet once more.
Bran, Temur, Juma:
It is after midnight on your second night at the Ice Worm Lodge. Bran, Temur, Juma and Ardeth have all been sharing a room on the building's second floor. While Xanos has his own room just down the hall. The three of you are sleeping or possibly just lying awake in your bed. Ardeth has gone off to keep an eye out on the Red Door that you believe leads to the Temple of Azoth in Shadizar. He wasn't very clear about when he'd come back, but you aren't really expecting him until at least morning.
Your sleep is disturbed by a terrifying screeching noise that comes from outside. A chill surges through you and you instantly wake up, fully alert. There's an thump on the roof above you, and it sounds as though something just landed on it.
Xanos
It is after midnight on your second night at the Ice Worm Lodge. Bran, Temur, Juma and Ardeth have all been sharing a room on the building's second floor. While you have your own room just down the hall. Given you don't sleep much, you have been in the midst of the various arcane meditations you do to recover your magical reserves and keep the demons inside you subdued.
Your trance is awakened by a terrifying screeching noise that comes from outside. A chill surges through you and you instantly become fully alert. There's an thump on the roof above you, and it sounds as though something just landed on it. The demons inside you are suddenly roiling and shrieking, highly agitated by something.
PH, Temur, Juma:
Xanos
A large, grey skinned, clawed hand suddenly bursts through the sloped ceiling of your room. With supernatural strength starts tearing a hole in the roof, chunks of wood, plaster and terracotta tile start raining down into the middle of your chamber, disturbing both you and your meditation circle.
You hear a unearthly voice in your head.
You cannot hide from me. I know what you are, and I will free your prisoners!
Juma, Bran and Temur
You hear more noise on the roof. There is still a terrible shrieking noise, but it also sounds like something is tearing the roof apart; the noise is coming more from the direction of Xanos' room (the room beside yours).
Xanos takes a series of deep breaths and quiets the voices inside him.
The contract has not changed. Be still.
This time is mine!
Except in times of danger or great need. Now be still and tell me what you know.
Wings. Wrath. Servitude.
Lesser spawn. It seeks those who escaped it's masters.
Let it come.
Xanos quickly tested the bounds of his circle, ensuring the voices were indeed fully bound again, then scuffed the circle of sand and stepped out. Then he completed it again with more sand poured from a small bag, taking care to leave no gaps.
Then he carefully rolled the floor rug across the circle, concealing it from view.
Then he walked next door, pulling on heavy leather gloves to mask the energies pouring from his hands, and opened it to speak to the others.
"There is a demon on the roof. It comes for us."
Xanos
Then, as Xanos enters: "They've found us. It seems your sanctuary isn't as safe as you claimed, magician."
Temur, Juma, Bran, Xanos:
Xanos burst into your room, and Temur issues his response. You all hear a loud crashing sound come from Xanos' chamber. It seems that the thing has made it through the roof and is now inside.
Well, my ass is killing me and the others should know about this. Another demon, great...wonder where it's headed in such a hurry? As soon as the beast takes flight and is out of sight Ardeth will spring to his feet and begin to hustle back to the Ice Worm Lodge. Whenever there are no people around he will run, if he sees anyone he will slow his pace to a very fast walk.
Juma, his reservations about sleeping under the roof of a devil worshiper confirmed, growls "Evil begets evil wizard, if any of our blood is spilled because of your sorcerous machinations, I promise you shall be the one to pay." before hefting his spear and heading out into the hallway
"Yes, yes, I'm obviously at fault for everything that has happened. Perhaps I should leave the demon come to slay us to your obvious arcane expertise and moral superiority?" Xanos said with a bored sigh as he follows Juma into the hall.
Juma you step out the door of your room into the dark hallway. Behind you is a dead end. The hall stretches out ahead of you, but just in front of you, on the right, is the door to Xanos's chamber. There is definitely something in there.
Temur follows Juma out into the hall. Stepping to one side of the door, he motions Juma to the other.
Suddenly, the thing bursts out of the room into the hallway. The creature is clearly a demon, something from the abyss. It is a hairless humanoid with iron hard, gray skin, glowing yellow eyes and a mouth full of fangs. It has a set of bat like wings sprouting from its back that are currently folded up behind it. Its muscular arms end in wicked claws, and it stands about 8 feet tall.
It immediatley spots Juma and Temur waiting to attack and raises its claws to strike, unleashing a roar of rage.
Bran runs into the hall after Temur and Juma... just in time to see the 8 foot tall demon.
Mind check:
Fighting back the animal fear in his gut calling on him to flee, he snarls and hacks at the creature.
Falchion:
ACR:
Temur recoils from the thing that bursts through the door, but grits his teeth and recovers enough to make a half-hearted strike at it.
As mentioned about the demon bursts out into the hallway. Temur ends up behind the beast and Juma and Bran are in front of it fighting side by side. Xanos is behind Juma and Bran. The hallway is pretty tight, which makes it a little tough for Bran to effectively swing his Flachion. Juma finds it a easier since he is thrusting with a spear, and Temur is okay since he doesn't have anyone fighting right beside him.
Both Temur and Bran are able to land blows on the creature with their blades. However the thing's skin is iron hard. Temur's blade doesn't manage to penetrate, and Bran's swing inflicts on minimal damage.
Xanos's brows furrowed and his mind raced. Ripping off one of his gloves he drew a symbol on Juma's back. The glowing energy rushed forward and formed a latticework around the giant man's body. The shadowy energy that accompanied it was turned back and seemed to write in irritation before dispersing.
"You are Warded. Hold it down."
Juma unleashes his war cry bolstering the party's confidence. He then plunges forward with his spear, stabbing at the demon.
Juma:
damage:
Juma lands a strike with his spear. The thrust has enough strength behind it to penetrate the demons' iron hard hide, causing a minor wound.
It howls in rage and tears into Juma.
It doesn't seem at all intimidated by Juma's war cry.
Demon attacking Juma with claws:
Damage:
Xanos's warding spell gives Juma some protection, but the demon is hideously strong and its claws still cause Juma pain.
Spoiler on the Demon's AR and LB for those who are really interested.
AR 5 (total coverage)
LB 25- current: 21
Round #2 can now begin. Juma and Bran are fighting side by side in the hallway. The demon is in front of them. Temur is behind the demon. The door to Xanos' room is right beside the demon. Xanos is behind Juma and Bran, pretty much standing in the doorway to the room that they were staying in.
Fear Check:
"There is a mirror on the desk in that room!" Xanos says to the other men, pointing down the hall. "Bring it to me."
As Xanos devil magic courses over Juma spins and growls at the man, raising is his spear to attack. But he is now allowed to do more than that, as the demon growls and reminds that it is clearly the most immediate threat. Spinning quickly the gladiator thrusts his spear into the creatures flesh and is wounded in return by a viscious strike. To his great surporise though, the wound hhurts far less than it should have, and he quickly twists his head to glance at the sorcerer again.
With no more time available than that, Juma turns back to the hell spawn and once again attacks with his favoured weapon.
Attack:
Damage:
Then Temur turns and runs down the hall to the door, tries the door and, assuming it won't open, kicks it open.
Temur you give the door a good kick and it nearly bursts open. You figure one more solid kick like that should do it.
Juma lands a good thrust with his spear that digs deep into the demon's stomach. It reaches towards Juma with a clawed hand, more annoyed by the cursed weapon than by Juma. It attempts to grab the spear out of his hands.
It isn't fully successful. It grabs a hold of the upper section of the spear shaft, but Juma does not relinquish his grip.
Ardeth
You are winded as you hurry back to the Inn. Outside the Inn you see the front door open. Several folk have gathered outside, many of them patrons who had been sleeping on the floor in the common room. They are raving about terrible noises from upstairs.
Falchion: =9
Bran attempts to bring his two-handed chopping sword to bear on the demon once more, but finds the tight confines of the hallway to be a hindrance.
Round #3 can start.
Ardeth will push his way into the Inn and up towards the rooms where he was staying with the others.
This time Temur steps back and throws a shoulder to the door, bursting through it.
Xanos begins a whispered incantation, and keeps his eyes on the demon.
Temur you kick the door open.
Temur:
The room is dark inside.
Temur
Temur Armor Check:
Damge
Temur
Temur someone must have been waiting for you in the darkness. As you kick open the door you hear a woman scream from in the room, but you also feel an impact as a blade cuts across your leather girdal. . You feel hot breath and hear heavy breathing. Some light streams in from the hall and you realize that there is half naked man attacking you with a dagger.
Ardeth:
You push your way into the common room of the Inn, as you do so the people gathered outside yell at you not to go in. Once inside you see several folk running down the stairs from the second floor, trying to escape. They all shout at you as well.
Don't go up there! There's something terrible up there!
You ignore them and make your way up the stairs. When you get to the second floor a long hall dimly lit by oil lamps stretches out before you. At the far end of the hall you can see the demon. It is fighting with your companions but you can't make them out well because it stands between you and them, and its bulk blocks your line of sight to your allies. The thing's back is to you.
Just as you are about to proceed, you hear a scream come from a room just up the hall.
As Temur kicks in the door and leaps into the room, you all hear a female scream from inside the room.