Varda helps find out where the group could rest in relative safety.
Gathering information about places to stay proves to be relatively easy. There are multiple taverns and inns that accomodate all travelers such as the Gory Red Room and the Vile Pit.
Varda passes along what she's learned to the others. Once a place is selected and a room is acquired, she frowns slightly. "Now, what do you think would be the best way to get Nocticula's attention?" she wonders aloud. "I don't suppose we can just walk up and ask to see her?"
"Let's ask around some more. Someone's bound to know how one gets an audience with this damned place's mistress."
Openly displaying afilliation with lawful or good deities will increase your notoriety but it will also increase your chances of the locals picking fights with you. However picking fights with locals will also increase your notoriety provided you win, and if you make a show of it(using performance combat rules), the increase will be greater. Speaking of which you can win fights in the local Arena known as Battlebliss, especially if you can defeat the current reigning champion Gelderfang. You can also provide entertainment at the brothel known as the Rapture of Rupture for affluent aristocrats. Such entertainment can include all manner of activities, as long as the entertainment provided is memorable and extreme. The succubus Vellexia is one such aristocrat, but rumor has it her recent call for skilled artists and performers at Rapture of Rupture has resulted only in her increasing disappointment. If someone could break her string of disappointments, her word carries much weight among the city’s elite. Lastly, you can arrange an audience with Shamira, the ruler of the isle of Alinythia and the city of Alushinyrra. Her power is second only to Nocticula’s, although in return for whispering in Nocticula’s ear, she may ask for more than a mortal is willing to give. However if you accumulate too much notoriety you may incur her wrath instead resulting in the demon lord having you murdered rather than wanting to talk to you.
Varda relates the information she learned to the others.
"Huh, this place really isn't so different from Wyvernspire. We should start by making our rounds through the city while Varda shows off her god's emblem", Na'shok says with a nod at dwarfish paladin. "And Gorn or I can challenge this champion while the other finds worthy challengers in the streets. We'll see if that's enough to get Noctila's interest."
Varda shrugs and places Torag's symbol on the outside of her armor. "Like that?" she wonders aloud.
Aenthurien nods at Nash's suggestion. "I can think of no better plan at the moment. Let us go find some trouble before it comes to find us."
Nash decides to lower the surrounding property values and harass some random travelers. His first targets are a group of six robed individuals with walking sticks. As he accosts them, they turn around to reveal their horned skeletal faces.
You hear a few voices in your head. "Perhaps we should teach this lowlife a lesson."
"A deadly one?"
"No, he will die in time like all creatures. But perhaps we should remind him and everyone else of that."
A large crowd of onlookers surround Nash and the group of daemons forming a crude ring.
One of the daemons try to stare into Nash's eyes invoking a feeling of fear. When that seems to have no effect, another will attempt it on Larissa.
Another pair move up and try to take the legs from under the wandering duo.
Nash is steady though.
Larissa is not steady and is knocked to the ground and the daemon twirls his staff.
Despite the unfair advantage of numbers, the daemon is able to get the crowd on his side.
They are Thanadaemons. They typically serve as the boatmen on the river Styx. They are the personification of death by old age. 1 fact.
They have a gaze attack that inflicts fear as you have witnessed. They can also drain your energy through their attacks including their quarterstaves. They also have constant air-walk and trueseeing. They can also animate the dead, desecrate the land, and evervate foes as well as the standard greater teleport.
"Larissa shield your eyes!" Na'shok warns as he whips Soulshear overhead and his form swells with primal might. "Die demon-scum!"
Between Soulshear's cleaving blows, he pauses to throw a punishing uppercut that threatens to know one of the daemons off its feet.
Nash and Soulshear slash and cut down his target and he has a few chances to sway the crowd.
The other daemon is knocked for a loop and is dazed.
Nash is able to get sway the crowd a little while Larissa's spell fails to effect the daemons.
Larissa is not well versed in showmanship and it shows. Two of the remaining thanadaemons rush to fight the pair.
The other pair will begin summoning.
Na'shok reacts with impossible speed to parry the blow!
Despite the draining blow, Na'shok focuses his wraith on the wounded daemon.
The daemon is still standing though very wounded and is unstunned.
Two of them will boop Nash while the other two do the same to Larissa after they finish summoning.
As they do so, the crowd turns against them, distracting them!
The new two frog-like demons spit at Nash and Larissa.
You hear the familiar voice of Soulshear in your head. "Let me out and I can help you! I promise not to murder you or the whore!"
Na'shok pauses long enough to channel some of his divine power into his Larissa at his side.
Nash brings down one of his attackers with a quick brutal strike and slashes at a frog-daemon. Nash can feel sadness emanating from Soulshear.
The crowd starts cheering for Nash!
Varda walks around proudly displaying her holy symbol, getting odd looks from people passing by. She also overhears that a lillitu named Minagho is on the lookout for a group of familiar sounding heroes including a horc, a hobgoblin, an elf, and a human.
Varda begins to ask around about this "Minagho", trying to determine what she might want.
Apparently she wants revenge on these heroes for foiling her plan and causing her to flee. She is the lillitu famous for slaying the paladin known as Yaniel.
Many arenas can be found in Alushinyrra, but most are located within the district known as Battlebliss. With a battle arena measuring just over 130 feet across at its widest point, Battlebliss is one of the smaller arenas in Alushinyrra, but it is also one of the city’s most exclusive. Its clients are universally powerful cambions and other demons, or visiting humanoids of great power eager to witness particularly gory or deadly battles. Owned and run by a heavily tattooed and quite obese cambion named Irmangaleth, Battlebliss accepts any challenger who wishes to step into a battle. There are no real rules for these battles, other than a demand to put on a good show. Gorn arrives in roughly a few hours.
Barda keeps prancing around town with her symbol of Torag openly displayed.
The thanadaemons and frog-daemons press the attack.
Finding himself trapped, Na'shok wills Soulshear into a less unwieldy form and renews his attacks on the skeletal daemons.
As Varda flaunts her holy symbol around a large spider-like demon seems to take offense and hisses at the dorfadin.