Thrassk flies through the opening and into the room. His magically enlongated neck snaps out at the man impersonating Keel, trying to rip off one of his legs.
He fails to dismember the man, but does manage to rip a rough gobbet from the man's thigh. The imposter starts screaming in rage and pain.
Volyanni suddenly remembers that she exists, and slithers forward to get a better view. She touches Cladissa, and the witch becomes invisible.
::Oh, thank you!:: she thinks to the naga for the protection.
Cladissa floats in on her broom after the melee combatants move in. Noticing that Grommesson is still wounded, she touches him with a spell to cure some of those injuries.
Gianluca flies into the room on honeyed wings. He decides to join Thrassk in taking down the imposter.
The Honeyed Hand swings with the flat of his blade, hoping to keep the imposter alive to question. Doing so momentarily throws him off balance but then Cladissa's fate manipulation rights his swing.
____________
Argor retrieves a scroll from the side pouch of his pack, and works the magic held within. Two more searing rays blast the wall at one of the thinner looking portions. His fiery rays blast a door-like opening in the wall of ice.
Cladissa cackles and activates her broom of flying. She sits gracefully on it as it rises a small distance off the ground.
Thrassk flies through the opening and into the room. His magically enlongated neck snaps out at the man impersonating Keel, trying to rip off one of his legs. He fails to dismember the man, but does manage to rip a rough gobbet from the man's thigh. The imposter starts screaming in rage and pain.
Volyanni suddenly remembers that she exists, and slithers forward to get a better view. She touches Cladissa, and the witch becomes invisible.
Gianluca flies into the room on honeyed wings. He decides to join Thrassk in taking down the imposter.
The Honeyed Hand swings with the flat of his blade, hoping to keep the imposter alive to question. Doing so momentarily throws him off balance but then Cladissa's fate manipulation rights his swing.
The fiendish looking insectoid creature standing in the corner of the room steps up towards Gianluca and lays into him with an icy spear, teeth and a its spined tail.
As the spear pierces his flesh, Gianluca feels ice spreading through his veins, slowing him drastically.
================================
The ice insect thing steps back into the corner of the room and gestures up another wall of ice, cutting Thrassk and Grommesson off from the fight.
Wounded "Keel" and the remaining ice dog step up to flank Gianluca and attack him.
Miss
Miss, Miss
Adrenia and Argor fly into the next chamber, the angel continuing on and healing some of Grommesson’s wounds.
Meanwhile, Argor snarls his nose at the new wall and sends several more fiery beams at it to begin breaching it.
__________
__________
The ice elementals slide onward through the wall and continue to attack the nearest targets.
+
+
+
+
+
+
The beast who is Grommesson roars and attacks the wall.
Grommesson manages to break a single five foot section out of the wall.
Cladissa floats into the next room on her broom. When Grommesson busts a hole through the ice wall, she is able to catch a glimpse of the insectoid devil, which is all she needs. She glares at the horrific creature balefully, forcing a dire retribution if it keeps attacking.
Despite the ice in his veins slowing him down, Gianluca continues his assault on the false Keel.
Once again, Cladissa's meddling with the strands of fate helps him to avoid a near miss.
The ice insect thing steps back into the corner of the room and gestures up another wall of ice, cutting Thrassk and Grommesson off from the fight.
Wounded "Keel" and the remaining ice dog step up to flank Gianluca and attack him. The golden warrior's defenses protect him from their strikes.
Adrenia and Argor fly into the next chamber, the angel continuing on and healing some of Grommesson’s wounds.
Meanwhile, Argor snarls his nose at the new wall and sends several more fiery beams at it to begin breaching it.
The ice elementals slide onward through the wall and continue to attack the nearest target, which turns out to be the remaining hound.
The beast who is Grommesson roars and attacks the wall, ignoring the part that Argor attacked. Grommesson's adamantine sword slices through the thick ice easily. He hacks a large doorway out in a matter of seconds.
Cladissa floats into the next room on her broom. When Grommesson busts a hole through the ice wall, she is able to catch a glimpse of the insectoid devil, which is all she needs. She glares at the horrific creature balefully, forcing a dire retribution if it keeps attacking.
The devil's powerful mind throws off the hex.
Despite the ice in his veins slowing him down, Gianluca continues his assault on the false Keel. Once again, Cladissa's meddling with the strands of fate helps him to avoid a near miss and he strikes the impostor once.
Thrassk steps into the room and bites fake-Keel.
Thrassk's bite is enough to send Keel into shock, and the man passes out.
Volyanni ventures cautiously into the bedroom behind the Pathfinders.
The ice devil gestures at Gianluca, and the air around him freezes solid instantly, rime spreading over him.
The horny hand shakes off the ice before it can cool his ardor.
================================
The icy insectoid finds itself becoming rapidly cornered. It tries the icy entrapment trick again, this time on Thrassk.
The fire of rage burning in Thrassk's chest melts the ice off his golden scales into a puddle on the floor.
The icy hound attacks the wounded elemental.
The frozen beast's teeth rip another chunk off the ice elemental.
Argor flies onward into the chamber and studies the insectoid creature intently.
The elementals continue attacking the ice hound.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
The beast who is Grommesson squeezes through his hacked ice doorway and pushes past Thrassk to get to the insectoid creature..
Cladissa flies through the hole in the wall, emboldened by her invisibility. She casts a spell and tries to touch the frozen insect to draw off its life force to bolster her own.
"Ha! No ice can quell the sacred lusts that warm my breast, foul devil. Now let's see if your miserly heart protects you in the same way."
Gianluca steps forward and swings twice at the devil...but even with Cladissa's grace he only manages to connect once.
___________
The icy insectoid finds itself becoming rapidly cornered. It tries the icy entrapment trick again, this time on Thrassk.
The fire of rage burning in Thrassk's chest melts the ice off his golden scales into a puddle on the floor.
The icy hound attacks the wounded elemental. The frozen beast's teeth rip another chunk off the elemental.
Argor flies onward into the chamber and studies the insectoid creature intently. He recognizes it is as some kind of ice devil, but one which is exhibiting powers far beyond that of a normal specimen. He's not sure what it's fully capable of, but it probably hates fire.
The elementals land another couple of inconsequential blows on the hound.
The beast who is Grommesson squeezes through his hacked ice doorway and pushes past Thrassk to get to the insectoid creature. He takes a powerful swing, but the devil parries his slash with its spear.
Cladissa flies through the hole in the wall, emboldened by her invisibility. She casts a spell and tries to touch the frozen insect to draw off its life force to bolster her own. She feels her spell barely work through the devil's resistance to flood her with temporary vitality.
"Ha! No ice can quell the sacred lusts that warm my breast, foul devil. Now let's see if your miserly heart protects you in the same way." Gianluca steps forward and swings twice at the devil...but even with Cladissa's grace he only manages to connect once.
Thrassk flies over to perch on the couch, he tries to take a bite out of the devil.
The dragon-man's jaws do massive damage to the devil's delicate torso.
Volyanni slithers up behind the group and spits a wad of venomous phlegm at the devil.
She misses.
The devil protects itself with its spear as it gestures with its off hand. A huge conical explosion of deadly cold air and frost blasts from its hand into Gianluca, Grommesson, Argor and Volyanni.
================================
The devil does the same thing again, immediately.
This time it doesn't protect itself quite as well.
Argor snarls his nose at the devil. ”The insidious nature of your kind has vexed us long enough! Your immortality ends today, Hell-spawn!” he then sends three beams of fire at the devil.
__________
Cladissa floats back out of immediate reach of the devil, casting a puzzled glance at Argor when he castigates it. She cackles, hoping that its not too late to further extend the Fortune she had lent to Thrassk, Grommesson and Gianluca, then flings a mass of webbing to further stymie the insectoid.
Argor's spell fizzles out against the devil's resistance.
****
Gianluca's blade slices into the devil like its hide is nothing.
The frost hound attacks the elemental.
The frozen canine's jaws shatter the remains of the elemental's body, sending it back to its home plane.
Cladissa floats back out of immediate reach of the devil, casting a puzzled glance at Argor when he castigates it. She cackles, hoping that its not too late to further extend the Fortune she had lent to Thrassk, Grommesson and Gianluca, then flings a mass of webbing to further stymie the insectoid. The webbing catches the devil in its sticky folds.
Argor grinds his teeth at the creatures inherent resistance to his magics. He decides a different tact: he flies over roThrassk and begins weaving an enchantment while his elemental continues attacking the ice hound.
__________
The beast who is Grommesson slashes at the insectoid creature.
Gianluca throws his whole body into two more swings, shouting, "Your. Time. IS. UP!!"
_____________
Grommesson distracts the devil with his whirling falchion, but is unable to penetrate its defense.
The distraction is enough however for Gianluca to lean over his shoulder and thrust his massive two handed sword into the devil's heart. Gianluca twists the blade, and a crack like an iceberg breaking off a glacier echoes through the bedchamber. Wrenching the blade upward Gianluca splits the devil from heart to the the top of its head. The ice devil melts into a slurry of ice and stinking black ichor.
The elemental pounds the icy hound facing it with three swift body blows. Then Thrassk turns towards the last threat, and finishes off the hound in a flurry of rending claws and crushing bites.
As the outsiders rot and fade from the Material Plane before the Pathfinder's eyes, the room goes suddenly quiet. The ice coating everything begins to melt immediately as the room starts to return to normal ambient temperature. Imposter Keel groans quietly as Grommesson treads on his hand, but remains unconscious.
Gianluca smiles and wipes his brow as passion triumphs over ice.
"Time to interrogate fake-Keel?" I can tie him up and be ready to finish him if need be."
Argor nods. ”Yes, bind him.”
"On it," Cladissa says, and she begins to web him up in a cocoon once his weapons and belongings are stripped from him.
Fake Keel is stripped and bound, once his circlet is removed his appearance changes. This man is much shorter, with darker skin and shoulder length curly black hair. He is clean shaven and lean. The man is still unconscious.
Volyanni slides into the room. "I have some healing magics if anyone is badly hurt," she offers.
”Use them to bring that man around,” Argor says as he first checks the drawer, then the secret door.
"Oh..." Cladissa says sadly, gesturing at the frozen chunks of a reddish substance strewn across the floor. "That was a person. Frozen, then shattered. This room is about to become very, very messy."
”Use them to bring that man around,” Argor says as he first checks the drawer, then the secret door.
”I think you meant, 'Please use them to bring that man around.'” Gianluca gently chides. "She's not one of your summons or hirelings. But I agree, Volyanni, if you can bring him back to consciousness please do."
Cladissa looks up from the gory mess on the floor, Gianluca's words catching her attention.
"He has a point," she says softly to the arcanist.
Argor sighs, ”My apologies. My focus was on the secret door and drawer I’ve discovered and not on decorum. Of course, your assistance is greatly appreciated. My manners tend to lapse when my attention is on potential sources of threat.”
Argor's apology -- still somewhat unexpected -- causes a smile to slowly grow on Cladissa's face. She suddenly realizes that she's been looking at him for too long, and quickly turns her head away.
"Um, secret door, you said?"
"Well said, Argor. We're all under a great deal of stress."
Volyanni shrugs. "No matter." Slithering over to the bound man, she casts a spell on him.
Many of the man's wounds close and a moment later his eyes flutter open. He looks around before sighing resignedly. "I suppose I owe you thanks for freeing me from Xerazrix's control. Rysus Soth at your service." He does whatever amounts for a bow from a tied and bound man.
Argor opens the false bottomed drawer to find a journal which appears to have been written by VC Keel. Scanning the document reveals
several pages that stand out.
I miss Kyalla so, but am continually reminded of the secrecy we must maintain.
Thankfully, none have discovered not only that we know one another’s identity as
members of the Decemvirate, but that we share a much more personal secret. While
we see one another far too rarely, knowing that the portal to her in the Mwangi is
only feet from where I sleep warms my heart. Perhaps someday we will find a way
to be together without jeopardizing our positions within the Society.
…
Adril came to visit today, and quite unexpectedly. He seems to be using the Maze
of the Open Road quite a bit these days. He inquired a lot about my defenses here,
saying that he had heard rumblings of impending threats. I assured him that I
am very safe here, and he seemed glad to know what protections I have implemented.
I got a sense that he knew of my relationship with Kyalla, or at least of my portal
to her camp in the Mwangi. He can be trusted with the information, I’m sure, but
I nonetheless would have preferred he not know. I don’t think he knows either of us
sits among the Ten, though. That, at least, is a relief.
…
My silent partner in this lucrative slaving operation has brought some harrowing
news to my attention. It seems the Hellknight guards overseeing the Slave Quarter
report that many of the slaves—slips especially—are moving ever closer to revolt.
He indicated that they might be so near the verge of rioting that a simple word
of encouragement from those blasted Eagle Knight meddlers would give them
the confidence to throw off their chains. Hopefully none of those anarchic bird
worshipers will hear of this, though, so morale among our property will return to
its normal level of subservience.
Argor also finds a note written in a different hand pressed between several blank pages at the back of the journal.
My Beloved,
We have been apart far too long, and I am sorry that I must maintain
the illusion that I feel no love for you. Were anyone to uncover our secret
affair, there would be dire consequences for both of us. Know, however, that
we will one day find a solution to this problem and be together forever after.
Until that time, keep me ever close to your heart and pray for Shelyn’s
blessings. I shall, of course, do the same.With a love longer lasting than the ruins of Ancient Azlant I am forever yours,
Kyalla
Cladissa feels mixed emotions when hearing about the clandestine love affair between two Decemvirate members, but her eyes blaze in crackling violet energy when the passage about the slave revolts is found.
Turning to Soth, she focuses hard on him. "Where is Keel now?"
Argor reads over the documents as quick as his analytical mind will allow. He hands the note from Kyalla to Cladissa, ”It would seem Keel had a portal to the Expanse here close by. Adril had visited him under the pretense of being concerned for his safety and managed to trick him into revealing his defenses. We should move quickly, but first, let us get these slaves out of here through the portal to the Open Road. Based on these writings, they are nearing revolt and that could result in many lives lost. I will offer them fair employ at Verde Heights if they wish it. Then, we need to examine this secret chamber.”
Cladissa feels mixed emotions when hearing about the clandestine love affair between two Decemvirate members, but her eyes blaze in crackling violet energy when the passage about the slave revolts is found.
Turning to Soth, she focuses hard on him. "Where is Keel now?"
Soth tilts his head to indicate the human slurry on the floor. "I believe you are standing in him."
”And what ‘services’ do you render that they would draw the attention of a devil?” Argor asks.
"Ugh," Cladissa looks down, grateful that she had chosen to remain hovering on her broom.
"Actually, Argor, they may wish to flee their bondage, but they may also choose to continue to resist here. The Open Road could be a great source of freedom for more than these. You might be forbidden to participate in this, because of your geas. I have a feeling that such actions would be highly frowned upon by House Thrune."
She turns back to the captive. "You said you were controlled. How? Who are you, and what brought you into this plot?"
"I guess I can spin you all a tale. Best start from the beginning. I am from Daggermark, a deep-file blade. Or an "assassin" as you daylighters call it. I was hired by an Ulfen Pathfinder named Adril Hestram to dust Eddington Keel. What Hestram didn't know was that I had made a foolish deal with a devil. In my younger days, when I was just starting out, I made a deal with that gelugon, Xerazrix. He promised to help me become the most famous assassin in Avistan, in return for a favor at a later date. I'd almost forgotten about owing him it had been so long. Then, three days ago the devil called in his chit. I had just given Keel the stick when Xerazrix showed up and demanded I impersonate Keel and take his place to allay any suspicion. It seems Xerazrix wanted to usurp the position of another Gelugon here in Corentyn's government. He needed a safe base of operations here in the city to work from or somesuch. He wasn't in the habit of sharing details with me."
"The devil used that ring he gave me when we made our pact," Soth says, motioning to pile of his gear, "to bind me to his will. I'd have faded days ago otherwise. That's pretty much it. This was just a job to me, a job that went to the Hells faster than I could have imagined. Sorry if Keel meant something to you."