The paladin bursts into the room, a look of revulsion crosses his handsome mixed racial features and he fights hard to suppress the urge to knock the head from Em's hand.
Instead he approaches and takes Em's other hand in his and looks her square in the eye, no anger there. Just saddness and mayne a bit of hope that she will do the right thing.
You don't need to do this, sister. The more we traffic unnecessarily with evil to ease our battle the more we lose ourselves. I have returned and my faith in you all has never faltered. The mere convenience of an airborne scout...is not worth restoring and immortal horror. Please stop.
She feels the man's passion through his words, pulling at her heartstrings, the thoughts running through her mind. Was this REALLY worth it?
Unfortunately, Euphemia is still within the throes of the spell, and despite her chaotic nature, is irritated with the thought of the elven mage's broken promise.
It is unfortunate that Daniel enters when he does. Had he come but moments earlier, it would have been easy to dissuade Euphemia (especially with such an impassioned speech!). She hates devils. She hates Khazrae. She hates that she even has to touch the ...thing... by proxy. Unfortunately, it would take a physical jar to pull her from auto-hypnosis.
"Ooooooooh, you just shhhhhh, yourself! You clanking metal clockwork." She pushes back on Frank's repulsed body makeing sure the connection is there.
Andrea is startled by Daniel's entrance. This is not good.
I won't ask you to compromise your principles Daniel, you have enough trouble when we had to deal with the Redcaps. I don't want disharmony in the group and am willing to forgo aid from Khazrae, we can restore her body and mind as repayment for her aid in Delvehaven and then part.
Aurelio is bewildered by the appearance of the good looking half-orc, and the undead demon head. His features are drawn into a grimace at the idea of restoring a dead devil.
Not to put to fine a point on it, but I'm with the half-orc. Some choices, no matter how well intentioned, corrode the soul. Deals with devils are those.
He tightens his hand on the kukri in his belt as he looked at the demon head.
Gerard is wary, circling in deep thought and ready to shred the mad-woman at any sign of treachery.
"Do all the men have to talk?" She sneers, " Both of you are better eye candy, so let us agree to a little quiet time while witch cast hers spell."
Seems to me a head aught to be more respectful of people that can walk, lest they end up kicked against a wall.
I am truly sorry.
Daniel moves over and grabs the devil's head, removing it from Frank's touch and breaking the connection. He then shakes Em from her spell.
Andrea sighs. She doesn't blame Daniel and Khazrae did antagonize him by running her mouth.
"Wh-," Euphemia shakes her head quickly. She sees Daniel and the still-maimed head of Khazrae."Oh. Oh."
She cringes, pets Frank once by way of apology, and then runs out of the room with the complimentary green of her face clashing with her faux-red hair.
Frank, I am absolutely filthy. Why did I think that was a good idea?! And the head... what are we going to do with the head? Please respon-Blurgh- d without mentioning my starting the previous sentence with a conjunction!
Once outside, she retches.
Dear Frank, please keep guard. Enact distraction protocol-BLERG-.
There is very little to say, dear mistress. Aside from the shame that it is that your reunion with Daniel happened to occur when it did.
The hedgehog hunkers down next to the door, ready to pounce on the leg of whomever follows.
Though, in retrospect, it is best that you did not complete the restoration without the wretched creature's sanity in check.
As admirable as your intentions were -HEAVE-... Frank, that does not make me feel any better.
Andrea stands up. Daniel, please to not smite the head, I am going to see about Euphemia.
Andrea heads out after Euphemia, following the sounds of retching that she knows so well. Drawing a flask of soothe syrup out, she calls out Euphemia!? As she is going through the door, she suddenly has a hedgehog on her leg.
Frank paws at Andrea's ankle.
Frank? Andrea looks at the hedgehog who is giving her ankle a serious gnawing. If Euphemia could learn to make him big, then he would be a terror.
Frank, I am going to try to help Euphemia with her tummy problems. Andrea moves over to the retching witch, a spiney accessery wrapped around her lower leg. Phem, drink this soothe syrup, it helps prevent nausea.
Daniel looks at Andrea as she asks him to stay his hand.
She is an evil undead outsider of Malevolent intent. Immortal at that. The suffering she has wrought and would in the future is beyond what I might heal in a hundred human life times.
He speaks no more. But neither does he destroy here yet. There might be a reason to allow her to continue. But he wouldn't wait long.
Euphemia pushes the medicine away.
"This is a purge brought on by my own actions. There is no need to...," Euphemia gives one last retch.
"-waste that on my account."
Andrea sighs. As you wish. Andrea gives Frank a little chin pet as Euphemia composes herself. We can't start infighting now, Khazrae will just have to wait.
Daniel produces a small sack and places the head inside.
Think on how you could possibly be of value to what we are trying to achieve Devil. I am not bound by any contract you made in the past to someone I don't know, their souls will be judged by their actions and so will mine.
He scribbles a note and finds a servant.
The attendant goes a bit pale and scurries out of the room.
Most revered Sword of the Inheritor. I am in need of your guidance. It seems the adventurers I had thrown in with have in their attempts to bring order for the sides of light have been tempted to restore an undead Erines to strike a bargain for aid against the Twins and the Devil Lord that threatens us. "The enemy of my enemy is my friend. "
While I am not so vain to pretend I have not erred in the past, any sullying of one's soul should be worth it for the good of many. Not an unworthy sacrifice, but one I do not believe necessary in this case.
We have in our possession the head of the undead Erines and I would ask you take possession of it in the temple under a dimensional lock to prevent escape.
Unless it proves vital to the safety of the thousands of Westcrani I would see it simply extinguished. Till then I can think of no safer recourse than it's imprisonment.
Regards,
Daniel Tilneros
With the head secured on his belt for now (and against his better judgement for he had not been gone long and was worried that his allies would trade a deal like a resurrection on a devil), Daniel surveyed the newcomer, a man he had not seen in years but knew very well.
Aurelio was about the same age as Daniel and the two had come from allied families, had occasion to train together since both boys had chosen militant vocations, though the formerly prideful Half Orc was well aware the tally of victories was well in favor of the fighter.
Certainly not close but a healthy respect had existed between the two. Daniel had quickly lost contact once he'd had sufficient training to take up the crusade at the Worldwound. It seemed Aurelio had found a similar situation at lastwall.
Daniel was a man of faith, if these two noble sons had returned at such similar times from such important causes, then the fates willed it so.
Half Orc? I know it has been some time Aurelio but I had not thought I had changed so much. Though if memory serves my eyes were blackened my your practice sword at our last meeting.
Daniel?! Gods man, I'd heard from our companions you'd accompanied them, but it's been years. If you'll recall I got hustled off to Lastwall at 12 when I started asking why I should have to bow to devil worshippers and where the Dawnflower's temple in the city was.
A quick grin lightens his features. His own face, battered and scarred as only an old hand in the infantry's front line could be, contrasted with his handsome counterpart's.
I don't suppose I could persuade you to dunk that head in a font of holy water and leave it there for, say, a few years?
She pauses and her eyes roll showing only the whites, then her voice changes to calmness, "You fool, you have cost us a chance, at peace."
Daniel looks down at the interupting sack, Quiet yourself. We will resolve what to do with you later. From what I heard, you don't have any pull with anyone that can help. You will think very carefully about what you say you can offer considering I risk my gods displeasure for dealing with you at all.
He takes Aurelio's hand in a warrior's grasp, We both have issues with the darkness in this city. Perhaps if we survive the next few days we can consider some more positive changes to bring light to Westcrown. It is good to see you.
He stood resplendent in new Mithral Armor that had been orderd by Tilneros after they returned with the hoard. And a new sword graced his back. A very LARGE sword. Heaven's Razor was still on his left hip as always.
He looked the the Rogue, Apologies for my absence. I was to meet the hellknights at my brother's behest but found the old headquarters of the Brotherhood had been discoverd and attacked. Seemingly common thugs but I aided the Lantern Bearers as best I could as waves of common thugs and the odd spawn made attempts on Areal. Needless to say Imoedae was with the pair of us and the attack was put down. We have suffered a few losses but it was within Areal's power to raise some of our dead back to life, much to the relief of thier families.
The nastiness of the talking head reemerges, "Oh, go ahead smite me down you oaf." She tries to bite at Daniel as he is stuffing her head in the bag, "You ungrateful..." The sound is muffled in the sack.
A chill overtakes your spine when Khazrae's voice shifted to calmness. You believe the eryines was a conduit to a divine source. Unfortunately the paladin broke the connection before you could determine which divinity. You think it could have been Iomedae, Pharasma, Calistria or the believed deceased Aroden. You have an empty feeling though.
Andrea will pull Daniel aside and whisper in his ear. I felt a chill when her voice shifted to calmness. I felt that she had become a conduit to a divine source but the connection was broken before I could determine which. Iomedae,Pharasma,Calistria or perhaps Aroden. I have an empty feeling in my gut from this.
The emptiness is not like an adverse effect to you directly. No spell loss or anything like that. It's more like a missed message, opportunity or piece of the a puzzle.
Still clinging to Andrea, the hedgehog's eye widen.
He is not willing to share this information with the witch for obvious reasons, but all the same, has to admit he too feels a sense of loss.
Although the erinyes has a foul nasty mouth you sensed that she is far from truly hostile to the group's cause. There is even touch of indebtedness owed to Andrea and Orsin. Then again, she is an undead devil that is missing her body.
Daniel looks incredulously at the cleric, then he dicides to detect evil on the bag.
How could she possibly have a link with anything good? you know as well as I what an Erines is and what it is capable of. How can we honestly contemplate her restoration?{/b]
He does hand the bag back over.
[b]The heart of this group is a good one Andrea, but the more we drag oursleves through hell for this, we lose oursleves and could well find ourselves failing anyway. What's the point of succeeding if at the end we have poisoned ourselves to the point of being as bad as what we are fighting? or worse- being tricked by or indebited to a creature who can wreck havok long after our grandchildren are gone? Everything in me screams this is wrong!
Andrea and Orsin know about Khazrae's history. Faelyn really dug up more details and he would have told most of it to Andrea and Orsin. Faelyn had a binding contract with her. It is well known that she was instrumental at helping the group tackle Delvehaven about a half a year ago.
The last millennium has been hard on Khazrae Kuelata. Once a prominent erinyes assassin and scourge of a legion of the damned in Dis, she lost a key political battle against a longstanding nemesis for the favor of her patron, the archdevil Moloch.
Rather than slay her, Moloch had Khazrae’s body destroyed, wings and all, and left her a talking head so that she could endure perpetual humiliation at the hands of her successors. Centuries later, when her devilish rivals finally bored of her, they casually gambled Khazrae away in a failed intellectual gambit against a pesky mortal spellcaster
named Dargentu Vheed—a wizard who was only a few short months away from assuming the role of Mayor of Westcrown back in 4661 ar.
Dargentu was quite pleased with his new trophy, and for many years kept his noisy but amusing prize as the centerpiece of his table in the
mayoral residence. Yet after Khazrae humiliated Dargentu by revealing some of his more delicate indiscretions to an important guest, the wizard locked Khazrae’s head into the Chelish crux, and then promptly forgot about her.
The years of dark solitude has left Khazrae humiliated with periods insanity, but more importantly, her innately evil ways have lessened. Daniel as you wave you hand over the bag, there is trace of lingering evilness, but nothing truly alarming. Definitely, not what you expect based on your knowledge. You do know she is a devil, not a demon, so she is lawful.
Here is what the book states about helping the devil. A lesser restoration or restoration spell clears her mind for a few moments. Completely curing her madness requires a greater restoration, and restoring her body requires a wish or equally powerful magic. I would permit the regeneration spell that Euphemia casts.
You speak the truth and are right to be concerned, especially when we are so close to a resolution regarding Westcrown.
Andrea takes some time to relate what she knows of Khazrae and the group's interactions with her in the past.
Think of it this way, Khazrae's long isolation has changed her, she has forgone any evil acts and during her times of lucidity has been able to reflect upon her nature. She has the potential to change her ethos once her mind is restored. If not outright redemption, than breaking away from the Infernal mindset.
Unfortunately, due to Khazrae's undead nature, I cannot place her under the Quest miracle, otherwise I could use it to ensure behavior that you could find acceptable. I could use the Miracle of Atonement but her nature is strongly lawful and opposed to Calistria's free-willed nature. Perhaps we could consult the head of your household. Perhaps Tobian can help.
Daniel feels the bag in his hand and notes she barely detects as evil.
Could a devil possibly find redemption? I know of only one. Ragathiel. But that is one one how many? I will hold and yes, we should comsult with Tobian.
I can ease her madness with the use of our Restoration wand, but for a permenant cure we would need magic that is still out of my grasp.
As the Khazrae's history is being recounted by Andrea, Orsin scrunches his face in contemplation.
Orsin you recall from you research a piece of lore about Moloch, who rules the sixth plane of Hell, a flat, stinking plane of acrid smoke and soot. He is currently plotting to wrest control of the plane completely from its true ruler, Baalzebul, for Moloch is nothing more than a lieutenant in Baalzebul’s infernal army or seneschal to Baalzebul’s court. Yet before he puts in motion steps to secure his plane, he must first deal with the machinations of the Great Serpent, Geryon. Geryon and Moloch hate each other; their infernal armies are constantly warring with each other either openly or through subterfuge. Of course, you certainly know Geryon.
Aurelio groans inwardly at the idea of helping a devil regain its form instead of simply destroying it.
This is what I get for coming back to Cheliax. Soon this will all be over and I can head back to Lastwall. A nice camp tent, some clear sky and all my enemies arrayed in front of me instead of all around me. Heaven.
Perhaps Tobian can COMMUNE with Imoedae on the matter....In any case, that will take at least a day. Were you successful woth the Hellknights? And are we any closer to making a direct strike on the twins?
We were successful in both defeating the heretic Signifier and her remains have been turned over to Chard so he can dispel her ghost. We also defeated and scattered her followers.
We are currently trying to locate the former actor Thesing. He ran afoul of Ilnerik and was transformed into a vampire. Ilnerik's destruction freed Thesing from Thralldom but he has taken to making his own and attacking people at night. So we have been planning on tracking him down, I have divined his location.
As for the twins, not yet. we have no idea where they are. She looks at Orsin. Plus we still have other things to talk about.
Daniel was listening, but his mind remained preoccupied with the head.
Then he is a lesser vampire than Illnerik. Let's find him and end him, before his infection spreads....
He thinks hard about the Devil. It was incredibly strange she did not detect as thoroughly evil. She was borne of it and he was not ready to believe an immortal infernal creature could change after a mere 40 or more years of imprisonment. His allies had walked a gray line but so far much good had come of their actions.
He pulls the head from the bag and looks at it.
I will have to pray for guidance and speak to Tobian but....understand no prayer available to me can influence your actions, should this brotherhood see you restored. I can punish you however. If my goddess will show her approval by granting my request for a MARK OF JUSTICE, will you submit willingly to the prayer? It's conditions would form a divine contract that will allow you to chose your own actions and take vengeance on those evils that have wronged you. I need to think of the exact wording but basically you will do no harm to the innocent and your vengeance against HELL's Denizens my take whatever form you wish. Should you violate the agreement, Iomedae will stike you with a curse that will sap your power greatly and alert me to your transgression. That is MY condition and I make to representation on my allies conditions. Agree, and if my Goddess grants me the spell I will not oppose your restoration. Should you break the contract the curse will take effect and I will come for you. You would not survive the encounter.
The paladin spoke with a finality that meant he intended to carry out the threat.
Her eyes glare at Daniel, "I'm sorry if I don't exactly trust you or your friends at this moment." She tries to look at Orsin and Andrea. "I already have one unfulfilled bargain made by a member of this group. For which I kept my end of the agreement; yet, I'm still without a body." She focuses on Orsin now, "Threaten me, destroy me, or worse stuff me back in the bag but know this, the handsome one will endure a hardship - I can feel his binding - without my assistance, which is NOT currently forthcoming."
Anyone who glances at Orsin can see he is visibly nauseated and sweating.
"Where is that elf, Areal, we had some matters we were working on."
Although Daniel has Khazrae out of the bag and he is speaking with her, you do not sense the divinity you previously felt that connection was lost.
"Hey sporty can you scratch behind my left ear." Her sultry comments are directed at Aurelio.
Aurelio pulls his kukri and stretches towards the head.
Sure thing, hold still.