Suspicious as the greeting, Bastargrae peered out from behind his companions peevishly. Hmmmm...
Normally, Indio wouldn't be able to help himself and quickly insert himself in any conversation.
Here however, he decided it might interesting to see what the others might be able to do without his input.
Unless of course it looked like he HAD to jump in.
Though his gaze pores over the entire group, he focuses on Idril. His tone and demeanor are rather relaxed at this point.
"You may address me as Elgadazum. You have created quite a stir here. You've slain or sent scampering the insolent slugs who follow my mistress... I appreciate the distraction from my monotony. What, may I ask, is your reason for coming here?"
"We're the new owners; just checking out the property, seeing where we'll need to put down carpeting, track lighting. You know, new owner stuff. What, may I ask, is your reason for being here?" Idril said flippantly.
Bastargrae stepped out, dipping into a bow and tipping his top hat.
Tis as my companions say, Sir Elgadazum! We're merely inspecting our new residence and making sure things are on the up in up. You know how these things go. Making sure your investments hold water and all. Evicting squatters and eradicating pests.
He studied the chain devil, searching its visage for any tells to give him any information that could aid them
"How interesting.... I am here because I have been summoned, and bound into service of my mistress."
He tsks, and shakes head.
"Allowing you to usurp her authority would go against our bargain."
"Before you are slaughtered and flensed, I am curious.. I would hear.. outsiders'.. perspective. It is my belief that waiting for the cusp of adulthood to sacrifice a soul is a waste of time, and that souls are souls regardless of how long they’ve been lodged in living flesh. Would you agree?" He gestures toward the cell door to his left. From which you now start to hear muffled unintelligible sounds.. like attempts by gagged captives to scream.
The malformed heads atop the piles of less than solid flesh at both doors sway - mouths agape. Their partial limbs push against the stone floor - still hunched but more upright.
Stricia goes hostile.
Indio is NOT the self sacrificing sort, but he is capable of taking a blow to create an opening if necessary.
And someone as smug as this devil really should be brought down verbally as well as physically.
"Such a question betrays your limited intellect, lack of scope or vision and pretty much dooms you to the lower levels of intellectual reasoning.
Or, to put it in terms someone of your limited capacity to understand might grasp.
You are a fool and not worth talking to."
The devil Elgadazum snorts at Indio, then nods repeatedly with a smile.
"Ah well... discussion is a pleasant distraction, but violence is an indulgence I can sneak my teeth into."
He bares said teeth, and grips his glaive tightly with both fists.
Stricia adopting her defensive style moves in to close melee range of the fiend,and does a defensive spin attack!
Rather annoyed with the devil'sassuredness, the gnome cleared his throat and proceeded to address their opponent in Abyssal
We've had a pretty consistent track record thus far and by my calculations we can only progress further. I know you devils aren't to fond of being summoned and bound to service but your sort seem to REALLY dislike getting sent back in certain fashions. Now, how about you enlighten us: what exactly happens to your ilk when you get booted back down in hole?
He moved with his companions to attack, bared needle of his swordcane leading.
The devil redirects Stricia's strike with the shaft of his weapon, then drops it. He ignores Bastargrae's words and his blade - a clean jab to the thigh which seems to have left no wound.
Elgadazum claws at Stricia, and draws blood with a wicked claw.
The blob demon at the north door swings a bloated fist at Bastargrae, then swipes him with a clawed hand.
The other lunges to Erodel, and claws at him.
Preparation is key...
Calling upon his powers, Indio suddenly becomes blurry and indistinct.
Then he focuses the overwhelming force of his will through his glare, directly at the arrogant devil
Idril will tumble and flip over the southern blob to end up in the most SE square, flanking the blobby creature with Erodel.
She will whip out her bladed scarf and try to saw the little bastard in half.
for a possible slashing damage plus sneak attack damage.
Erodel hacks through the blob demon with one heavy swing.. it falls with a splat. He and Idril move into position surrounding Elgadazum.
"Barbazu, you will be returning to Hell this day!" Nio's voice rings out more loudly than normal, powered by some kind of magic as he draws arrows out of his quiver. Hasta, given no specific orders, goes for the more humanoid appearing of the opponents on the field.
With the blobby demon dead, Idril will instead roll into the space south of the bearded devil and use unwitting ally[APG] (will DC13 to negate) on the north blobby demon to make him her temporary ally to make her attack on the bearded devil a flanking attack for sneak attack purposes.
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Round 1 completed________________
Stricia adopting her defensive style moves in to close melee range of the fiend,and does a defensive spin attack!— The devil redirects Stricia's strike with the shaft of his weapon, then drops it. Miss.
Bastargrae moved with his companions to attack, bared needle of his swordcane leading.— He ignores Bastargrae's words and his blade - a clean jab to the thigh which seems to have left no wound.
Elgadazum claws at Stricia, and draws blood with a wicked claw. (10 points)
The blob demon at the north door swings a bloated fist at Bastargrae, then swipes him with a clawed hand.—The fist missed, but the claw caught him for 4 damage.
The other blob demon lunges to Erodel, and claws at him.—Both missed wide.
Erodel slashes at the amorphous blob of flesh and claws in front of him, hoping to clear a path to the true threat in the room. He hacks the little demon completely in half with raw power and precision, then advanced into contact with the bearded devil.
Calling upon his powers, Indio suddenly becomes blurry and indistinct.
Casting Blur
Then he focuses the overwhelming force of his will through his glare, directly at the arrogant devil
Hypnotic stare, suppressing the devil’s will.
Idril will tumble and flip into contact with the bearded devil, and her bladed scarf whipped out to inflict some damage on the devil.
Hasta is unable to close with the enemy.
Nio: Swift action Bane (1/5) vs bearded devil, Rapid Shot.
Nio Rapid Shot 1+PBS+Coordinated Shot+Bane: 1d20 + 6 + 2 ⇒ (20) + 6 + 2 = 28 (Effective +3 weapon overcomes Silver DR)
Nio’s first shot went through the devil’s eye with a silver flash, the second through his center torso. The devil collapsed and disappeared with a puff of brimstone, his two dretch companions immediately afterward.
This battle is over.
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Stricia winces at her wound and then nods at Nio. That shot through the eye was one to remember., then she moves carefully towards the door with the muffled screaming.
Stricia finds no traps that she can see, but the single lock is an excellent one of dwarven make. It will be difficult to pick.
It is also, oddly for an abandoned complex, clean and well oiled.
Erodel is defeated by the lock.
You estimate that if you took your time, no interruptions and maybe someone helping you, you might be able to open it in a couple of hours.
Meanwhile Stricia searches the area hoping for keys and estimates how easy it would be to batter down the door.
You find no keys in this room.
The SE door is iron banded thick wood. Whether it would be easier to batter down or chop through is anybodys guess.
Stricia pounds on the door Is there anyone in there? and turns to the others. I think while Erodal and Bastargae work on the lock we search the rrest of this area for the key?
Nio nods at Stricia. "When they overstep, even the forces of Hell will oppose a devil on this plane." He turns his head and clicks his tongue at Hasta. "Anyone check the desk yet?"
Idril sidled up to Erode.
"I worked as a magician assistant for a while. I can help." She said, unrolling a selection of thieves tools.
When you try reading the strange images and symbolic script painted on the walls...
Taking the time to search the desk and shelves reveals the contents stripped long ago, and the wooden supports rotted long enough to be easily broken.
When Erodel finally trips the lock open, he and Idril gain the fatigued state.
Remember that forcing the old, swollen door open requires a successful DC 14 Strength check.
Two young men, both thin and disheveled, cower in the corner of this otherwise bare chamber. Faces dirty and streaked with tears, both teens
are bound hand and foot by manacles chained to a single ring set in the stone floor. Scratches on the stone walls from desperate fingers attest to the fact that these twins are not the first of this room’s recent prisoners.
Sacrificial Cell
Finally after two hours of focussed and tedious work, Erodel managed to trip the final tumbler and open the stubborn dwarven lock.
Forcing the old, swollen door open requires a successful DC 14 Strength check.
Two young men, both thin and disheveled, cower in the southeast corner of this otherwise bare chamber. Faces dirty and streaked with tears, both teens are bound hand and foot by manacles chained to a single ring set in the stone floor.
Scratches on the stone walls from desperate fingers attest to the fact that these twins are not the first of this room’s recent prisoners.
They are unlikely to be anything but frightened at this point, a soft touch and gentle words is needed here.
"Fear not young sirs, your tribulations are over.
We are no friends of those that imprisoned you here, and if you let us, we shall endeavor to set you free forthwith."
The two boys burst into tears with relief at Indio's reassurances.
They name themselves as Angus and Phenio Shellet, kidnapped several
days ago, they’re hungry, thirsty, and traumatized by the recent events.
"She was going to sacrifice us..." Angus said trembling. "On our birthday!"
“Been more kids going missing... the latest is a pair of twins from the Iudeimus Tenement. The two just vanished into thin air, it seems!”
Nio translates the Infernal for the others. "The weird face imagery can be identified as the unholy symbol of Mahathallah, and the script conveys prayers to the Dowager of Illusions, particularly praising her role as an usurper of death said to cause ripples in the flow of souls to the Boneyard."
Looking at the twins, Nio proclaims "I will see you safely home to your family," as he digs some rations and his canteen out of his backpack for them. The Order of the Torrent is dedicated to rescuing the kidnapped, after all.
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(+2 if favored enemy humans applies, +2 if favored community Kintargo applies, +4 if both apply)
"You two are from the Iudeimus Tenement, right?" Erodel asks the twins.
Looking to the others, "Anyone find a key while I was fighting with that f$*$ing lock on the door?" Erodel asks, looking mentally exhausted after the previous lock and letting out a sigh as he looks at the lock on the manacles.
Do you know who locked you in here? Perhaps that will give a clue as to where the find the key, if not then I can try to break it...
Sweatong and fatiuged, Idril said, "One more time..." and used her tools to back up Erodel.
Indio says nothing, slowly stroking his mustache in contemplation at the events unfolding.
Live sacrifices were part of Cheliax, for better or worse (worse in his own humble opinion), which was hardly surprising, since the whole realm was styled after literal hell.
The kids, when released from their shackles, immediately tacklehug Idril as she seems the least threatening.
"There there..." She said awkwardly patting them on their heads.
Nio proclaims "I will see you safely home to your family," as he digs some rations and his canteen out of his backpack for them.
The kids immediately abandon Idril to tackle Nio and gobble down whatever food and drink he cares to share.
"Thank you mister!" They say over and over between taking bites.
"You two are from the Iudeimus Tenement, right?" Erodel asks the twins.
They stared at him wide eyed. "Un huhn" they murmured whiled nodding.
"Anyone find a key while I was fighting with that f##~ing lock on the door?"
While everyone not fatigued looked, no one could find anything that could fit.
"Do you know who locked you in here?"
The boys turned fearful.
"A devil." They moaned. "With a beautiful girls face. She told us what she was going to do to us..." They said before breaking down crying again.They were abducted by "Luculla", who lured them into her shop with promises of trying out a new type of candy—only to drug them senseless. They know she’s not human, but think of her as a devil with
mismatched eyes and sharp claws. Both are extremely frightened of her and want nothing more than to return home.