"I was planning on just running interference," Ava says. "But I'll lend a swinging arm proper if that's what we need."
Weakness against good or silver based attacks
Strengths:
Immune to fire and poison
Resistant to acid and cold
Highly resistant to magical spells
Very strong and dangerous with their claws or glaives, also it's rumored they can cause substantial damage with their long beards, beards which are said to have a mind of their own when it comes to battle.
"Are you volunteering to be one of the ones left behind, Viscount? Because a pair of us will be stranded here if we don't take that devil's glaive."
"Unless there is another exit."
"Nevertheless, I think we can...remove that devil from this plane of existence...readily enough."
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You know I value mine own hide. I am just bemoaning my current state of exhaustion. Well rested and prepared with the correct assortment of spells, I could perhaps do some damage.
He's got summon I and II left, but neither can hurt the demon- all they can do is distract and soak up some blows. He could use his staff to recast web, although the spell may be far too big for the cell itself. He should have a second grease spell handy (he used one on the tiefling's crossbow). Ava can definitely take the invisible for maximum advantage.
What was the floor of the prison made of? Could an earth elemental burrow through it? If so: summon both summons- to at least get a flanking bonus. If the earth elemental can burrow up and grapple, that could help. Grease the weapon on the first round, and fire magic missiles (hoping they don't get resisted) from a distance while the party slugs it out, toe to toe, with the demon.
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@GMMUG: In that case, can an earth elemental carry the glaive with them when it burrows?
Also, remembering back to the circle trapping the devil: Crossing the line will break the circle, thus freeing the devil to come at us- but what about the cell door itself? Is it strong enough to withstand the brute force of the devil? And, is there an opening to shoot through?
Grease + Burrow + distract/blind = steal glaive without combat sounds like a much safer plan!
The bearded demon is holding his glaive, and communicates with it like it's his annoying little brother.
Caladius looks at the Viscount, the rotund man obviously deep in throught weighing the options and abilities of his spells. The burly tiefling, for his part, draws his sword in case a fight breaks out depsite all their precautions.
Ava rests her hammer on her shoulder. "We ready?"
Gird your loins! We're doing this the viscount whisper shouts.
Summon earth elemental, extended.
Invisible him.Grease at the Glaive.
The elemental will burrow and snatch the polearm and sink into the floor.
The invisible elemental sinks into the floor and (presumably) moves near the crazed devil dancing around in it's cell. The Viscount readies his grease spell, but needs a line of effect to the glaive as the one way 'window' at the back of the cell will not allow the grease spell to pass through.
After a little preparation you make a plan to try and steal the glaive. With a sudden movement, Caladius throws open the door. Corneleous casts the grease spell on the completely surprised devil -he just stares at you all by the open door with total shock- and the glaive he wields is quickly coated by the spell. Ava, seeing the spell take effect, slams the door shut with a bang. The glaive slips from its fingers to the floor and the devil rushes at the door even as Ava throws the bolt into place. Unseen, the earth elemental grabs the weapon and it slides eerily into the stone floor like a boat sinking into a still lake. By the time the devil realizes something is amiss, the sword is gone, and it takes up wailing and throwing itself at the walls, screaming about how you've stolen it's only friend!
As bidden, the invisible elemental flows upward out of the rock, the glaive held out for someone to retrieve.
Caladius snatches the glaive with a grunt, frowning at the cell as he watches the devil heave himself against the door.
"There, we have the glaive. I still don't feel right leaving it in there like that though. I think it'd be kinder to end his suffering rather than leave him to go crazier."
Caladius looks confusedly at the weapon as his hands grasp it, his forehead wrinkling in a mix of confusion and anger.
"What kind of twisted magic is this? Rescued? What?"
Seeing the strange looks blooming on the faces around him, he tries to explain, "Uhhh, I think the glaive is... alive? Is that possible?"
"Just your luck? How about just my luck!" The tiefling sighs deeply, then looks to the others, "It's bossy, rude, and arrogant. On second thought, maybe we should give it back to the crazy devil and just look for another glaive."
Sabinus laughs with nervous relief seeing the earth elemental emerge with the glaive. "That was a brilliant plan. I'm quite impressed." He then stares confusedly in response to Caladius' comments. "Alive? You mean someone got turned into a glaive? And it is speaking to you telepathically? Has it identified itself? What is it telling you to do?"
Caladius look to Sabinus, "Yeah, telepathically. It wants me to worship Asmodeus and use it to- well, conquer. But it's being very rude about it. And if the thing doesn't mind its tone I'm going to leave it buried in that filth we found the holy symbol in." This last sentence is directed more at the glaive than Sabinus. "I think it said it's name is Anvengen Edge." He glares at the glaive, "What'd you say your name was again? And don't call me 'boy' if you know what's good for you, glaive."
"I think it's best you hold onto it, since you and the glaive seem to have such a natural rapport. But please let us know if you feel it trying to exert itself over your will by means other than haughty commands."
You frequent conversation with Avengen's Edge gives you the insight that it (usually) only has opportunities to exert it's will over yours when engaging it in frequent conversation.
Caladius suddenly reaches out and slaps Sabinus across the cheek, "Shut up!"
His eyes go wide immediately after, "What? Sorry! I didn't-" then his attention shifts to the glaive. Glowering angrily at it, he utters a curse in Abyssal which he feels confident the spirit within will understand. "I don't like this glaive!" His declaration is loud and has a tone of absolute finality to it.
In an equally loud voice, Caladius continues to argue with the glaive, "Arrrrgh! Fine! Call me what you want! I'm going to use you to... to... to save orphans! And... and to kill devils! And I'm going to use you to deface every Asmodean altar we come across! The rest of the time you can just rust!"
"Hey! What was that for!? ... Caladius, are you sure you can control yourself around this sword?"
"I... Maybe you should ask it about this place? About... the shadowbeasts?" Lucon asks, staring at his feet. "Just... just a thought."
"Maybe..we should use it as a door opener before it drives Caladius insane. Or stow it in something," says Enko.
"Hah! Well, at least we know it's probably the right one then." Ava grins, clearly amused by the antics. "I wouldn't mind carrying it either - it sounds like a real riot."
A peal of thunder sounds from Caladius' backside and his shoulders slump as he glares wordlessly at the weapon. He looks at Ava, "It's not. It's not at all. Let's just hurry up. The sooner we're out of here the sooner I can leave this thing in a pool of holy water."
"Yes, let's keep moving." the dwarf says. "That execution was very clean, by the way. Well done."
You make your way back down to the heart of the Knot, and realize you have three main area's left to explore. Northwest of the heart is a hallway with a couple unexplored rooms. To the southeast of the heart is an larger unexplored area. Finally the area southwest of the heart, behind a closed door just south of the three artifact/door combo room.
Moving northward up the curving hallway, you come to a short hallway leading west. Inside you can make out something like a storeroom. This chamber is filled with clutter and junk. Crates, old weapons, partially assembled suits of armor, statuettes, poorly preserved monstrous trophies, torture instruments, coils of chains, and more are piled ten feet high along the walls, oars and spears and flagpoles and ships’ masts pressing at angles across the room to support one wall with the other. The cluttered floor looks difficult to traverse, to say the least.
Enko looks around, squinting at the debris.
From your vantage point at the door, nothing appears out of place or of interest. Granted it's such a mess than for a decent search, you'd have to enter and look around.
While the vast majority of the junk here is worthless or mundane, after spending some time looking through the clutter you find a spyglass, a functional suit of masterwork full plate armor, a heavy repeating crossbow, and a mithral scimitar.
"A spyglass. A masterwork set of plate armor. A repeating crossbow--a large one...and this scimitar, I believe, is made of mithral." Enko points out each item without touching them. "If someone could help me search a little more intensely-"
Ava follows in after Enko, clearly enticed by the prospect of treasure.
"A mithril blade?" she says. "A luxurious thing indeed."
If there is room in the room, Caladius presses into the chamber as well, poking and proding at the cluttered piles with rapidly waning interest.