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With his limited (or rather, complete lack of) knowledge about the two enemies, Glimmil considers which word sounds more interesting.
Thatnak the Bebilith or Halalia the Avoral...?
Glimmil begins to mutter the names and types of creatures to himself quietly.
"Bebi... bebi... bebi..."
He presses a mailed finger to his chin.
"Ooh?"
I thought you'd always be mine?
Glimmil shakes his head and rubs his eyes.
I can't get it out of my head! Make it stop! This creature must be defeated simply because I can't get it's name out of my head!
"A test? I never liked tests."
Finneas stares hopefully at Dyrant and the Doctor.
@Bebilith:
1) What/how affects it? i.e. How do we kill it? (DRs)
2) Special attacks?
@Avoral:
1) What/how affects it? i.e. How do we kill it?
2) Weakest save?
Dyrant looks at Adimarchus wondering what how and why this test exists.
"Tell me, Adimarchus, what is the point? Why the tests? How many tests are there? What happens if we succeed? If we fail?"
"Does it matter how we pass either of these challenges?"
"Tell me, Adimarchus, what is the point? Why the tests? How many tests are there? What happens if we succeed? If we fail?"
"Does it matter how we pass either of these challenges?"
This room does not shift and appears to be purely the abyss.
"I am not Adimarchus. I am merely the proctor of the test and how you deal with the challenges is part of the test. If you pass this test, there will be another. The answer as to what happens if you fail is obvious."
"What happens if we succeed with the tests?" Dyrant glares at the proctor.
"How many tests are there? Who assigned you to proctor? By what power do they offer these tests?"
Dyrant is looking to make some sense of things.
"Adimarchus, as the ruler of this plane, designated me as the proctor of these tests. The tests are a contingency to allow for ascencsion of a new ruler should he become absent. Your presence here suggests that he is either absent or no longer in control of this plane."
"Dyrant you think too much. Let's just kill one and win."
Dyrant nods in happy understanding.
We get to rule the plane? I've never ruled a plane before.
"Uh...what would we do with the plane? Fly it through the Aether and pick up angels on Nirvana?" Dyrant shakes his head.
"Hey baby angel! Ever ridden an abyssal aetherplane before? Would you like to?"
"Since distance equals velocity times time, let’s let velocity and time approach infinity, because I want to go all the way with you."
"Hey Angelgirl! Want to join the Aether High Club?"
Dyrant banishes those thoughts from his mind and focuses at the task on hand.
"Well Cauldron 5.2? Which one would we face? I have a clear preference, but would hear your words."
"They're both demons, yes? Any advice on what to prepare for?"
Dyrant will relate what knows of both 'foes' to the Doctor.
"Naturally the bebilith should be our quarry. More so than usual, we must blunt the force of its attacks. Finneas, perhaps a good time for shield. I have more doses where that came from."
"Naturally the bebilith should be our quarry."
Dyrant looks at the Doctor and disagrees.
"No, Doctor, that is not the case. Or I fail to see it that way. Would you explain your reasoning?"
"Clearly we should not fight and slay the good. If we could be sure of talking our way around it perhaps. I do not like the idea of slaying a good creature to get ahead in the tests."
Atol casts Magic Vestment on Finneas. He thinks a moment, and adds Bull's Strength.
If it has expired, he'll add Protection from Evil as well. If it has not expired yet, he does not.
"Let us proceed then, shall we?" Atol offers to open the door as the others prepare to rush in.
"Clearly we should not fight and slay the good. If we could be sure of talking our way around it perhaps. I do not like the idea of slaying a good creature to get ahead in the tests."
Dyrant stares at Atol, disagreeing.
"Our 'foe' is not our foe. We should not face the Bebilith."
"We haven't time to debate the matter long. I'll not kill an agent of good if we have a choice. Why do you suggest otherwise, Dyrant?"
"'Defeat', Doctor? Or send home?" Dyrant looks at Atol, remembering the powerful scroll he carries.
"Perhaps we could instead free the Avoral from this service. Mayhaps it would even be able to aid us in our mission...or, at least, provide information to aid us. How long has it been bound here? Does it serve willingly? Why would it be here? We can expect little discussion or help from the bebilith, a creature of hate. But with the Angel, at least, there is a chance for spending less resources or even getting answers that we seek," Dyrant explains.
"And, if we need to slay it, then we will free it to go home. Our goals might not be different."
Toffitt considers and nods. "Seems sound to me!"
Finneas shrugs.
"Let's just hurt something, my head is starting to spin."
Dyrant, seeing some sort of accent, plans a course out action (outside the range of the mummy thing).
"We should talk to the Angelic Entity first. By all means, I'd like to see if we can engage in discussion with the angel before any blood is spilt," Dyrant glares at the orcish meathead.
"Glim? I'd like you to take point. A polite and non-engaged point. We want to talk first. It may have other ideas, but, in theory, it is as good as you are...and we are not foes to it. Your shiny shinyness will be what shines here. This is not necessarily a do-badder."
Dyrant smiles at the gnome.
"However, you won't be alone. Both Atol and I will be behind you. Atol, do you have that scroll from before?"
Dyrant waits for the priest to have the scroll in hand.
"It is important that you wait for me to act first before you read the scroll. If this angel will not aid us and seeks only to destroy, then we must work together to ensure the success of the scroll."
Dyrant looks at Doctor and Finn.
"Should our efforts fail, then we must rely on the our usual response...brute force. Let us hope for the best."
That said, Dyrant is ready to go if everyone is ready to go.
The party refreshes their buffs and opens the southern doorn. Hundreds of tin bird cages hang from the ceiling of this chamber. In the end of the otherwise featureless room is a circle of powedered silver. Inside is a forlorn-looking creature with a hawklike face, white bird wings, and taloned feet. Past the circle in the eastern wall is another door.
In the end of the otherwise featureless room is a circle of powedered silver. Inside is a forlorn-looking creature with a hawklike face, white bird wings, and taloned feet.
Dyrant eyes the creature and the silver circle.
Know (Arcana)
Know (Planes)
Spellcraft
The creature is indeed an avoral guardinal bound within the silver circle.
Toffitt rolls his eyes at Dyrant's plan. "Glimmil, let me know if you need any help negotiating. I may be able to help translate." He sheathes his sword and stands ready.
As the creature speaks he bows and translates. "Sir Glimmil, he says he gets few visitors who are not demonic. He is somewhat surprised to see us."
Dyrant, emboldened by the celestial speaking and seemingly non-confrontational avoral, addresses Halalia.
"Indeed not, Halalia. I am Dyrant Maynor and this is my celestial guide, Archon Aralynn. This here is Atol of the Cuthbertine Church. Our companions are Glim, ShineKnight of Garl Glittergold, Finneas of Kord, and Dr. Toffitt," Dyrant says, giving the Cauldron 5.2 a chance to speak as well.
...
"Atol divined from St. Cuthbert that we were to undertake the Test of the Smoking Eye...and so here we are. We do not fully understand what that means yet, only that this was the first test. Face you or face the Bebilith. We understand that our success puts us in charge of the plane, but we really don't know what that really means either. We chose to face you because you might be able to help us with answers. And we might be able to free you from this place. We might be able to help each other."
The avoral stretches its wings before folding them close again.
"The test of the smoking eye? And I am the test? If it is to free me, then the answer is simple. Just disturb the silver cirlce and I am free."
The mummy did not say 'Free.' It said 'slay.' If they are the same, as Dyrant claims, then so be it. Toffitt tsks audibly. "Dyrant..."
How do we know he's really an angel?
Male: The mummy said so.
How do we know he wasn't lying?
Finneas stands watching and sweating.
Atol grips the scroll of Dismissal in one hand and his cudgel in the other. He smiles reassuringly at the poor soul.
I hope we don't have to slay this creature. So forlorn!
"Tell me, angel, how long have you been here? How many foes have you faced? Have you ever lost?"
Dyrant looks at the ring of silver.
"Before we do whatever must be done, we must know things. And where would you go if this circle is broken?"
Toffitt steps forward.
"For our part, we aim to pass the Test of the Smoking Eye, in hopes of realigning this place with Celestia."
"Well, then. Dyrant, he does not consent to being slain, and dismissing him would not satisfy the test. We're meant to slay him, not send him to another plane. I propose we fight the bebilith, and set Halalia free."
Glimmil enters the room with his companions, hoping they know what they are doing.
If there's a good angel here, it's good that we've taken the opportunity to free it, otherwise it may have been here forever! We're doing good!
"I don't want to hurt him, especially if he's good. We should just let him go home. Perhaps avoral will leave us some feathers as proof he was defeated? We should've asked to ensure that sending him back to his plane would mean we passed this test."
"Free the angel and kill the demon. Sounds right."
Fifth: You realize what this test means?
Female: Say nothing.
Huh?
Fifth: Never mind.
@Finneas
Other voice: Kill the demon. Kill the angel. Kill them all!
Toffitt completely believes the avoral.
Dyrant nods.
"Let us ponder for a moment."
Dyrant turns to the party.
"The thing that I propose may or may not fulfill the first challenge, but this one will be vanquished, but not slain. We may need to face the bebilith as well. However, I can no more raise my cudgel against this one than leave it here bound."
"Avoral, my Cuthbertine friend has a scroll here that will send you home. It is designed to send one like you back to their home plane. However, it will not work if you resist. Further, you must lower your defenses so that it may affect you. Do this and you should go home. Will you consent?"
You are not my master.
Fifth: Don't listen to him Finneas.
Female: He is not welcome.
Male: Actually he makes a lot of sense.
Female: How dare you side with him!
Please don't fight in my head.
Fifth: Ignore them Finneas. You must free this angel. It is Kord's will.
Female: Well of course you would say that.
Male: I think we should kill them both and let Kord sort it out.
We're not doing that.
Male: Why not?
Female: Well now that you mention it...
Fifth: There will be no killing of angels on my watch.
You're watching me all the time?
Fifth: To my eternal regret yes.
"Uh..."
The sweat runs down Finneas face in rivulets as he stares at the angel in the circle.
Atol unfurls the scroll, ready to cast it if Avoral submits.
"It may be that we need to break the circle of protection first before we dismiss him though."
"Let us do so. Halalia, might you give us your blessing as we go to battle the bebilith?"
"I'd like to visit your home someday, mister big bird, sir. Thanks for being so understanding about our test and everything!"
Glimmil cheerfully hops off Cog and begins to brush away at the circle that contains the avoral, trusting the plan of his companions, who would better understand the rules of standardized testing.
Glimmil wipes away some of the circle and the avoral steps out without any fanfare.
As agreed, when the way is cleared, Atol walks up to Avoral.
"This won't hurt a bit."
He reads the scroll of Dismissal
vs DC 20 (high means he goes home)
"Farewell!"
He then makes ready to go through the next door with the rest of the party.