Tell me, what does the paladin Grelthe think of your work? You can hear the smile in his voice.
Zadira, happy to be herself again, says
It's an illusion. Try to disbelieve it.
Sorry, cain, the paper from the Serpent reads, "I am Grelthe!"
Once she has pinned down Simon for good, she touches his nose with her own and licks his face.
Just as he started to panic under the assault, the thing started to lick his face.
"Emily? Sister, that's you, isn't it-mewpurrr!"
The monster that attacked Simon shimmers and becomes Emily!
It's all a singular illusion that can somehow be disbelieved and dispelled in parts. You've never seen anything quite like it.
Kayla searches her memory for that name wondering if she heard it mentioned before. how he, or rather, it knows her, as well as the others.
trying to be strong, and un-intimidated, He knows everything. he has no problem with it. now my turn, How do you know so much about us.
Kayla tries to keep an eye on the events displayed on the wall. all the same time looking for an opening to attack. if anything the distraction of a fight, may allow her friends to escape the illusionary mess.
If that doesn't work, she'll stand still with her hands out in a supplicating manner.
The Trickster hunches as if seeing which of you he'd like to devour first!
Zadira just sits still and doesn't attack or provoke anyone. Just waits.
The creature growls in frustration as she can't seem to break the illusion. She sits and begins to write her name in the dirt.
After a few moments of confusion and horror the room glows bright again with zero warning.
You open your eyes to a seeming wall-less and ceiling-less void. The only light comes from some kind of diffusion above you, as if you're seeing a lantern through linnen.
You are sitting in a circle around a master craft coffee table set with fine china and several pots of delicious smelling drink. There are also trays of small biscuits, tarts, sandwiches, and a couple crunchy kitty treats that are about ten times the size you normally see. Each of you is sitting in a soft, high backed, red velvet chair with footstool. Emily is on a large, soft pillow.
At one place in the circle in another chair identical to yours save in the golden color sits the Trickster Demon. He is sipping tea and daintly holding its saucer in the other hand. You all notice that his hands are backwards, palms facing out. He also manages to sip tea with grace in spite of his face being distinctly that of a jackal, which is impressive.
Greetings, all of you. I am Scramge, your tormenter of these past few minutes. I must say, few manage my little games as well as you have. Those corpses in my back room, for example, beat themselves to death rather efficiently. But not you! Delightful! And Grelthe, that thing with the paper? Ahh, well. Brilliant.
"Hello. It's a nice complement ve vork vell together. It's not every day ve speak to demons. Vat do vu want?" Vuzi picks up a cup, but does not sip out of it.
Disbelieve the new illusion:
Zadira, again, doesn't do anything else. Just waits.
She is a little worried that Grelthe will do something though, since Grelthe doesn't tolerate evil too well.
Scramage makes a resigned face. Yes, I see how you would lump me in with demons. But i am not one of them, in truth. I am a Rackshasa. My kind are the reincarnation of rulers and powerful leaders that were just a bit too tied to this world. So, instead of moving on upon our death, we end up back here with anthropormorphic fearures and reversed joints.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying im a being of virtue. I'm just making sure the paladin understands what's in the room.
I also want her to understand that attacking me here is suicide.
Cain folds his arms and glares, not amused
Grelthe picks up a tart and sniffs at it. Then eyes Scramage. "It's obviously important to you I understand you. You're very clever to have tricked us as well as you did. What is it that you want of us?"
Very few people make it down here, and even less of your ability. There is a temple of the not-nice variety on the next level down. They and I had a contact. They haven't held up their end. I'd like you to go murder the lot of them. In exchange, I can provide you one time one way travel to a destination of your choice anywhere on Golarion.
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prior to the illusion being dispelled, the reason I am letting you continue is the fact that I have no contract for you. but, If you do continue with these games, I may have to take action.
at that moment the illusion ends at the tea table.
Kayla sits quietly (actually kneeling on the chair) looking over the table she instinctively makes a small gesture with her hands and scans the table.
The food is not poisoned.
Zadira is surprised when she disbelieves and the food is still there.
So, if I eat a sandwich, is it just going to disappear on me? This is all illusion, right?
After the demon guy offers the murder deal:
Honestly, if they are evil, we were probably going to do that anyway. And free travel is nice, but we're committed to this place right now, so we can't go haring off into the forest or to a nice beach somewhere. ... You don't actually expect us to believe you are an ally, do you? Grelthe almost died, and you would have just laughed. You want some good will? We need healing. The non-illusory kind. Or supplies. Got some nice invisibility or illusion scrolls? Do you know how to save people turned to stone? Help us out with something tangible.
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He doesn't ping as evil, though you're beginning to think that might not be because of his outstanding moral fibre. He might have his alignment cleaned in some way.
Very few people make it down here, and even less of your ability. There is a temple of the not-nice variety on the next level down. They and I had a contact. They haven't held up their end. I'd like you to go murder the lot of them. In exchange, I can provide you one time one way travel to a destination of your choice anywhere on Golarion.
Simon is lost of words by this renewed trickery and foul talk of the demon.
Finally, as the demon spoke his latest words, he whispers to Grelthe:
"Are we ... actually considering this-miii?"
Then turns to the demon - not touching anything on the table.
"If you know us as you say you do...
Then you would know that we are going to put an end to any evildoing we encounter down here-grch.
So what is the point in this-miii?
Just let us alone and wait until either your time or that of your enemies has come.
Meow!"
Emily lies on her pillow and growls.
At the general situation really.
And those kitten treats ... they are just foul trickery again aren't they...?
How she hated such crazy, foul magicks.
Who could be so evil as to make treat illusions!!
She focuses all her senses on the treats.
What.Are.You?!
If you wish for tangible help, Zadira, here it is. He motions to the treats and drink. You have exceeded my expectations. This is your reward. Each bite is suffused with positive energy enough to provide healing. If you remember, I promised this with that little poem before.
As for stone people and scrolls, transmuting stone to flesh is beyond my powers and scrolls are tacky.
He listens to Simon.
Because, oh knight in cat armor, I've been down here for hundreds of years. And before youall set up that little trading post there was little hope of anything more than a trickle of adventures to keep me entertained. Now, however, you've opened the gates with your defeat of Saracek. Soon this place will be the next great adventuring destination! Sure, I should probably kill you here and now. I certainly can. But that would be boring.
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Zadira is still somewhat doubtful, but decides to take him at his word. He could certainly kill her at least, since she was still so weak. She nods to him and decides to have a sandwich. If it heals her, she continues until she feels completely well.
If it works, she encourages the others to partake.
To your surprise, it works!
To Simon: "I don't see as how we have much of a choice... might as well spin it to our advantage if we can."
Does he appear to be telling the truth?
If he does, she takes a bite of the tempting tart she's holding. Then waits.... if nothing bad happens, then she continues to gobble it all down, and grabs a drink too.
"Tell us more about this temple you wish us to destroy? Zadira is right, we would likely have killed them anyway, but we are more likely to succeed if well informed."
I've never been there myself, but I have met their leader, a man named Zehn. They follow Orcus, demigod of undeath. He's a nasty piece of work and tricky. I'd keep an eye out for traps. He has at least a dozen acolytes under his command, but those are nothing you can't handle, I'm sure. Also, beware the lava in the room. Unlike my fancies, it is very real. They're found of sacrificing people by throwing them into it.
He takes another sip of tea.
I also wonder why they set up camp THERE, specifically. But I can't offer any insights on that front.
They have been digging under the well though, so maybe it's connected to that.
He shrugs.
Vuzi eats the treats, and sips the tea. She gives Simon a glance, and slips a kitty treat down to Emily. "Dere is avays something about dat vell. Don't go down it. Ve threw a chicken down it vonce."
Kayla remained quiet nibbling on the food, mostly the desserts and pastries.
she also grabs several extra and shoves them in her bag (for later)
as the others ask questions, Kayla listens to the answers but eventually asks one of her own, ever hear of Kazleth?
Seeing anyone nibbling on the offered food and that their frostbitten skin is getting back their original colour, Simon finally gives in and take a careful bite out of an apple.
Noticing that it indeed makes him feel better, he eats two others as well and tips it off with a few stripes of bacon and a cooked egg.
He also nods towards Emily and the treat Vuzi tossed her.
Between chewing he replies to Grelthe.
Fine
Louder, he adds:
"I'd like to prepare better, before going into another prime evil lair-grch.
I remember a tale from the village that talked about a room filled with flames and searing air, inhabited by devils and evil beyond measure-frch.
I guess it is that what you are talking about.
My master taught me magick to protect myself from elemental harm, but there are stronger magicks that may protect us all-purrurr.
And Emily needs her new armor the smith is working on."
Scramage chuckles. No, that's someplace else. The temple itself is on the level below us. It's evil is quite measurable.
To Kayla, I don't think I have? Then again, I have been down here for a while and my powers are formidable, but not perfect.
So, they follow the demigod of undeath, but are the followers mortal or undead?
I would assume both. As I said, I've never been there.
[b]"Undead-frchh.
Yeahyeah, we will go down there and lay them to rest-meew.
Gozreth hates the cycle-breakers-grch as does the High Lady strong-greeny-purrurr is following.
Would you let us alone now-miii?!
You got what you wanted and I think there is not anything else you want to tell us anyway, yesyes?
Come on friends, I would like to breath some fresh air before going down that hell-frch."[/b
"I vill help clear dis. How do ve get there?" Vuzi continues to sip the tea.
I've never been there. I don't know.
But this has been fun and I can see that youall are ready to get some rest. I suggest resting in my antechamber, that first room you came to after the bloodied door. As promised, I will not harm you this evening. Go. Rest. You've earned it.
I would ask that you return my stuff to the chest. You can have the gear on the dead people, but taking what is mine would count at theivery. And that would be... unfortunate.
With that the illusion, or vision, or whatever, blows away like sand in the wind and your host disappears. You are back in his treasure room/meat locker.
"Well that was... interesting. Perhaps we should have struck out at him when we had a chance, but with our health so poor... didn't seem wise to risk it."
"Hmmmm.
Let us go-meowi.
I don't like this place and I don't trust this ...
Scramage one bit-grch."