"What is it about men in armor, does all that metal suck the fun out of you?"
Everyone has picked up on the fact that Orsin is wrestling with his own discomfort. However, his singsong voice penetrates the tension, "Nobody's destroying Khazrae. She's honored her agreement to Faelyn and this cause. I, for one, intend to see Faelyn's obligation through, since it benefited everyone. Besides, we would NOT be here today, if it weren't for her assistance in Delvehaven." He eyes Andrea, "Isn't that correct, Andrea."
You sense Orsin is desperate and willing to fight for Khazrae - not because she has him entranced, nor is he under any type of spell - but rather he believes she can help him with his contract.
With his free hand he extends it toward Daniel, "I'll keep her for now." His manner is soothing.
Let Orsin keep Khazrae, remember how he told us of his Infernal obligation? Khazrae can help him.
Daniel hands over the head.
I do not doubt the truth of her assistance, Orsin. I doubt her intentions once she is restored. Given her desperate circumstances, of course she would help. This group has the power to give her what she desires most. That may change when she is whole again. You are a good man in a difficult situation, I cannot pretend to understand, for my soul is not at stake. I only ask that you consider where your actions will take others in your fight to survive.
There is much sadness in the paladins eyes, he had truly gotten to like Orsin, but desperate men were capable of horrible things.
"The weight of this City has been on our shoulders, myself included, I'm usually thinking of others." He tries his best to smile, but his comrades words have sunk in. I gets the soft velvety sack and places Khazrae in, she coos to his touch.
When he gets a few minutes he will speak to Andrea.
In reflecting on Khazrae history, she was one of Moloch's faithful assassins, until she failed him. The archdevil repaid her loyalty by destroying her wings and body, then using her head as a conversation piece till he grew bored. The ultimate insult came when she was gambled away to that human wizard, Dargentu Vheed, who became mayor. He locked her in black box and forgot about her.
I bet that political battle was against the Great Serpent, Geryon, who is Moloch's arch-enemy. I bet Khazrae's hatred of Moloch runs deep and she want to help Geryon strike back at her former archdevil. Perhaps, Geryon will release my contact if...
Gerard is amused and enjoying the interplay, having missed the activity.
Looking at Aurelio, "You may as well know it...my soul is pledged to Geryon - Yes, the archdevil that rules on the 5th layer - for some foolish deed I did while seeking forbidden knowledge." He starts to laugh, "I wanted to know how to summon nagas; therefore, I read a forbidden book." He shakes his head in disbelief. "I was provided a choice of either immediate death or sell my soul. Well, I had my price. Besides the devil let me keep the knowledge, but I've only used that power once over the last year. Go figure was my soul worth it?" He has a nervous belly roll.
All this from a simple book that was supposed to be worth a handful of gold.Andrea has the look of twice her twenty years on her. This whole ordeal has taken a red hot knife to our mind,bodies and souls. We've hacked our way through a pile of corpses, been tortured on stage for the delight of the nobility, emptied our bellies due to the sewage that flows through this city. Andrea gives a bitter laugh.That is why we're the puke crew. All of this to just make the streets safer because of some bargin made by a vampire thirty years ago, and it can all still collapse in flames when the navy gets here.
Andrea shakes her head and spits on the floor. You know, I wouldn't be surprised if Eccardian and Chammedy had just stepped up and said 'hey there, we plan to clean up the streets and get all those gangs and shadowbeasts to stop bothering you, vote for us!' people would line up. But they had to decide to trash the place for some odd reason.
"There's lots of money in looting and retribution." The bard comments.
"Death would both be preferable and reversible, Orsin." Euphemia groans, having dragged her sorry ass back inside only moments before the explanation started.
"I would have lectured you further, but no punishment is worse than that -urp- that you have brought upon yourself."
She raises a shaky finger to point at Daniel. "You need to get off of your high horse to at least a small degree, Sir. Do you not think this man has learned to weigh the pros and cons of his actions? My ignorance notwithstanding, sometimes your words only serve to make the rest of us feel awful for a choice already mulled over with contempt. We do not want this anymore than you do, and you are right in that your soul is not at stake."
She cracks her own back. "That being said, I thank you for caring enough to try to alter the outcome of something like this."
Motioning outside, she finishes her bit by adding, "It cannot get much worse than it is right now. I did not know all the details at the time, but I pledged my assistance. If it harms a greater devil, all the better."
Daniel raises an eye brow at that comment, Money was not in short supply based on what we found. This is about power. The twins mean to rule the streets. They will fail. Every victory we have had has tested us and we emerge battered and scarred but we are stronger.
He almost looks angry at the 'High Horse' comment, but despite the few whispered words like 'bastard' and 'half-breed' he had still grown up in a noble house. When he speaks it is with a soft voice.
I do not profess to be any greater or better than any of you, Em. I have not been here since the beginning. I have only memories of a stern but privileged upbringing here, so no, I have not bathed in the city's filth or played the dark political games. Instead I have spent the last 7 years in a constant battle of black and white, all the while walking through the blood of my brothers and sisters. I do not wish to compare torture stories and scars, for in all honesty, I do not care. I simply try to support the choices my allies make towards the light, just as a Calistrian is bound to preach freedom, physical expression and sometimes vengeance. Just as you draw powers from a patron. You and I have it easier than a Bard or a Fighter or any other being who does not draw on faith to survive in this world because he have a very real consequence of Falling from our gods favor if we fail to uphold our faith and integrity. My speeches are not about guilt. They are a plea. As long as we do what we can for the benefit of ALL Westcrani, I will bleed and kill for you as I have done, even when the nature of it sickens me as it did with Madjaw or when I begged Imoedae to deliver that lightning bolt to me in order to save Andrea. But I will not help you, in fact I will stop you should this course become one that harms others more than it hurts, just as I would slay my own brother were he to fall to the manipulation of say, Zon-Kuthon.
By now his words were becoming difficult, he had great affection for Em and this was the harshest he had spoken to her.
I am not going to pretend we can win here without getting my hands dirty. They already are. All the guards and warrior's and thieves we have slaughtered were someone's son, father or brother. Evil or simply trying to earn a coin almost everyone is mourned by somebody. There are too many devils and evil clerics and dirty politicians to simply sweep away.
He looks once more to Orsin.
You ARE a good man. THAT is why he wants your soul. Please do not lose it anyway in our attempts to negate the contract. You have my sword. But think hard about the deal Faelyn made. Was it ONLY to restore her to life? What about her freedom? Is she to be turned loose to wreck whatever havok she wishes?
He looks at the head.
You know what I am. And you know what I am duty bound to do when I find your kind bringing harm on the material plane. All my paladin powers make me a nightmare to creatures like you. So, I will not oppose my allies restoring you to your previous state, to fullfill their obligation for services rendered. After you can agree to the MARK OF JUSTICE as you will or not. Bring harm to others once you are resurrected and I will find you. And worse than killing you, I will behead you again and give you to a summoned Movanic Diva, to carry back to the Heavens. Can you think of a worse existence for a Devil than an Eternity surrounded by Angels?
"Daniel Arrisen your offer to amend the contract is declined." There is no emotion in her voice. "I have fulfilled my agreement, Faelyn has not." She pauses. "Orsin has chosen to honor the original agreement, but altering the terms as Mr. Arrisen suggests does not encourage me to help."
She sternly glares at the paladin, "You can bet your holy symbol on this: Your high and mighty stance against me, a creature barely above peasant status, is shortsighted. Your individualism, which you masquerade loosely under the guise for the betterment of the Westcrown, will cost this city. Westcrown is simply a pawn to those ruling the 9 Hells and their eternal war. More than Orsin's soul is at stake. With a bit of forward thinking you could change the fate of many currently pledged and condemned to Hell."
The paladin does not bat an eyelid.
Pesants and mortal paladin's do not have the perspective of thousands of years to plan and conspire. And I for one hold a pawns life in equal value to a kings so long as both hearts are true. I would lead an army of those willing to make the sacrifice to save a single child from hell. Call that flawed logic or stupid. But every life matters. You have convinced me Devil. I will not oppose your restoration, but the message remains. If you bring harm to the innocent, then I will act as my heart, honor and goddess demands. Should I fall as a result of allowing it, then divinely empowered or not, I will see justice done unto you. The original agreement did not give you carte blanche on the material plane. Help if suitable contract can be made. I would even aid you against Hell if vengeance on the lower planes is what you seek, for you do not radiate the typical evil of your kind and I might dare to hope you may find redemption. If not then we will be enemies once again. That is how it shall be.
"Your message has been received and understood. I harbor no ill will towards you or this group, and I know this group removed me from an empty void." Her tone is appreciative.
The witch shudders.
"I never set off the spell, but I don't know if I still have access to it today."
Euphemia concentrates, shuddering.
"I might take you up on your offer of soothe syrup if I have to do this again, Andrea."
She looks at her hands.
"It will have to wait until tomorrow. The magic is gone."
Andrea sighs. It will be cutting things close, we have just two days remaining until all of this is ended one way or another.
In any event, we have a vampire to put down. Perhaps tempers can cool over taking care of a lose end. She takes out the Wand of Restoration and taps Khazrae with it, hope fully the magic will keep her stable until they can get all the proper magics available.
Orsin stands up. "I have a bit of research to perform, so I'm not going to chase down Thesling, if I find what I'm looking for I'll catch up with you." He picks up the devil's head and gently places her in the soft velvety sack. He looks at Daniel, "Thanks." As he walks away, he places his hand on Andrea's shoulder then gently squeezes, "We are the hope.'
Andrea smiles and kisses his cheek for good luck.
"No more bargains with the devil, understood?" Euphemia asks, but her smirk means she is joking (though we probably can't say she is joking tastefully).
"Well, if that is out of the way, we should get going on today's foray."
Glad for Orsin's (and the Devil's departure) Daniel is happy to focus on a (morally) easy target. Once again, his interactions with this group were making him feel unclean, but as long as they would tolerate his presence he would continue to steer his friends towards the light. Some days, like today, it felt more like it was they dragging him towards darkness.
Bleeding in war is easier than this game...
His eyes are set. Let's go find this vampire.
Aurelio punches Daniel in the arm good-naturedly.
Cheer up. After this is done you can come back to Lastwall with me for some old-fashioned border skirmishing against undead, evil cultists and murderous bandits. Just the thing to relieve you from soul searching.
He looks at the sword on Daniel's back and smiles.
Maybe we can even get your back on an even keel so you don't feel the need to compensate for anything.
Daniel smiles and gets the joke, but decides to answer.
I got tired of you dodging my practice sword and decided I kept missing because my old blade was too narrow. You will have to move much faster to duck a sword this long and wide.
The party departs the manor and makes their way towards Thesling's residence. You make your way to where the abandoned tower at the northern end of Rego Cader is located. The stone tower is in relatively good shape,
standing 30 feet high but with a slight list to the north, as if over the past 100 years the ground below had slowly been giving way to its weight. All windows have been bricked up, you can imagine that it will leave the interior cold, dark, and stuffy. A perfect setting for a vampire.
Few people venture near this abandoned tower. When you approach the front door to the tower is not locked, but it is stuck tight.
Once at the tower, Andrea preps the group with a few spells. Faint light plays over Aurelio as he feels himself wrapped in protective magics and She Blesses the group's aim and bolstering against fear.
Magic Circle Against Evil on Aurelio +2 AC/Saves vs Evil 10' radius for 120 minuted
Blessing of the Watch on everyone +1 Bab/Saves vs. Fear 12 hours
Resist Energy-Communal(fire) on Everyone 24 minutes
Once we can confirm The presence of Thesing, I will start protecting us against their draining touch
Edit: Also, once the group starts work on the door, Andrea will use Silence so that their entry is unheard and dispel it once the door is open
Gerard, please stand outside the radius of the spell so we don't get ambushed by something outside the tower.
The paladin waits for those able to detect magic and those more perceptive than he to search for mundane traps. When called upon he will try to force the door.
Aurelio chuckles at the burly half-orcs weak attempt to open the wood reinforced door. However, after nearly 2 minutes of struggling with the swollen entry, he manages to pry it open.
Andrea puts a Silversheen on her dagger, in case she needs to engage in hand to hand.
Euphemia stays in the rear, calmly putting Frank in his satchel.
Andrea watches Frank waddle proudly around in his new armor.
Andrea also uses one channel for Vindicator's Shield, boosting her AC by 9 for 24 hours.
Gerard slips through the door, followed closely by Aurelio and they enter a circular entry chamber. It is cool and dark within, their eyes takin in the scenery which reveals tall 10 foot ceilings covered with cobwebs. The floor is old stone and there are hundred, if not thousands, of scratches on the stonework. There is a solid door, reinforced with iron straps, directly across from the front door.