Seeing the pustules on the giant burst all over Iona's face causes Aladir's face to pale and he re-doubles his efforts to bring the giant down, knowing that the sores are likely to leave his companion in ill health.
Iona glared in annoyance as the disgusting filth from the creature's arm landed upon her face. While this was one of the few times she wished that she wore a helm, it didn't matter at the moment. Not to mention it would make casting her spells harder.
So Iona lashed out at the creature once more.
Round 2
Hyram's blade weaves a complicated pattern, but none of his strikes break through. He does seem to distract the giant enough that two of Aladir's arrows penetrate the giant's furious defense, one causing an eruption of black blood and pus from the side of it's head.
The giant sways from the injury to it's head, and Iona takes advantage, first coming in close and hamstringing the giant, causing it to fall to one knee. Then, it's head now at a more comfortable height, Iona proceeds to slash the giant's neck open, sending it face first onto the stone floor, it's black blood spreading in a widening pool...
Iona stepped back from the creature as it fell to the ground. The cleric tried to keep herself composed as she cleaned herself up. "That, was disgusting." She said as she finished up by cleaning her blade and returning it to its scabbard. "Everyone else is fine yes? Did any of it get on you when it went flailing?" She asked.
"Everything is fine here." The timbre is Milamber's voice shows a level of admiration in Iona's courage.
Yes, these heroes are as impressive as Queen Galfrey has proclaimed.
With the power of the pearl completed, Milamber returns it to his magical pouch. "Hyram, I have prepared a spell to assist you as well. Would you allow me to cast it upon you?"
Milamber looks over the dead body and wonders perhaps there is some kind of magic here - let me check
Milamber draws upon his arcane knowledge to scan the area for any kind of magic.
"I don't think 'disgusting' is a strong enough word...we should probably ensure that you haven't contracted some malady from those sores before we advance too much farther." Aladir says, moving away from the group to scan the area and make sure the fight hasn't drawn the attention of any further miscreants.
Once he's certain of their (relative) safety, the elf goes back to the others, preparing to move on while reaching out to Arueshalae again with their telepathic link.
"Thank you for the help! You were right, surprise surprise. The ash giant was no friend of ours. You're going to hear this from me a thousand times, I'm sure, but I want to tell you again how much I...we all...appreciate all the help you've given us in the last few weeks, and all the help I...we...hope going to give. I sincerely doubt we'd have gotten as far as we have if not for your presence with us."
"Hehe, you're very correct but I am trying to play it down as much as possible... I'm just glad I didn't get any in my mouth, I'd likely be vomiting from it." Iona said calmly as she looked to the group properly now. "I'll watch myself for anything out of the ordinary. However I don't feel bad... Yet." Iona added as she began to remove her gauntlet to check her own pulse and see if there might be something wrong.
"I've heard other clerics say that we clerics are the worst patients to have." She aid with a slight smile on her face from the joke. Even here, miles aware from anywhere that could even hint at being safe and surrounded by Corruption from the Abyss, this cleric still smiled and cracked a small joke at her own expense.
Incanting his simple spell, Milamber waits a moment for it to affect his vision, the magical auras of ensorcelled items becoming evident.
In his immediate area, the fallen giant's breast plate and bone club both show enchantment.
As a few moments pass and he sees that there are quite a few auras to the south, and then turns to the southeast and has to hold his head, the aura of something on the edge of his magical perception, is almost overwhelming...
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Iona monitors her own heartbeat for a few moments, noticing nothing amiss, until a wave of fatigue hit her, then passes just as quickly...a sure sign that she's caught whatever the giant was passing! It is concerning how quickly the disease has affected her, it is not usual.
-------
Arueshalae responds to Aladir, It is both my pleasure and responsibility to assist, Aladir. Do not hesitate to prevail upon my time and my knowledge...beware, there are likely more of those giant and others guarding the Fane!
As Aladir stops and listens, he hears an individual approaching, talking outloud to itself, "I distinctly heard the golem! Those others are hard of hearing...and brains! The Master is expecting visitors, the golem speaks and I'm the only one who hears? Idiots! "
The rest is just indistinct muttering as the individual approaches the door to the room...
Milamber uses his knowledge of magic to attempt to identify the magic coming from the breast plate and bone club.
The bone club has the expected Evocation magic used to increase it's striking power. Likewise, the armor the usual Abjuration to increase its defensive potential.
"Both the breastplate and club are valuable, but I doubt any of us can benefit from them. I fear there are more immediate concerns at the door. The strongest magic is to the southeast. It is likely that is where the rift is located."
Iona shook her head a bit as a wave of fatigue hit her from no where. "Ah... how strange..." She muttered slightly.
"Hmm? Oh, of course the more powerful things are further within." Iona said with a small sigh. "That's how it always is."
Hearing the voice on the other side of the door, Aladir takes a few steps back to the others, in a whisper warning them of a voice mumbling about a golem, "others", and "the Master expecting vistors".
In anticipation of additional combat, Milamber activates a charge from one of his five wands. This wand will bolster his strength for a few minutes. He retrieves another wand which improves the accuracy of his attacks.
Iona, ignoring the soreness from the bruising that was slowly coming to the surface under her armor and clothing, held her shield up and moved slowly to door, keeping herself on guard as she opened it.
Hyram will be right there with Iona when she opens the door in case this 'voice' is trouble!
Iona opens the door and you all see a demon standing there, about to open the door himself. He straightens as he sees you, then smiles and bows low, "Ah, there you are...The Heroes of Drezen, and Kenabrae...etc...etc" he announces, then with flip of his hand, turns on his heel and calls out, "Come along, The Mistress of the Midnight Fane has been expecting you. If you will accompany us, I shall escort
you to her Magnificence for an audience."
The demon is being completely honest...
Expecting us? How did she know we would be here? This sounds like a trick to me. Milamber realizes that he has never been good at knowing when someone was being dishonest with him. He hopes his companions will know if they are being duped.
From what he knows about demons it is likely that the group will need to fight. Milamber does his best to recall the specifics on the demon at the door.
The look on Iona's face could only be known as pure confusion. Blinking a bit to try and understand that her eyes where indeed seeing what was before her.
"Um... Pardon?" Iona asked with a raised eyebrow. "How... Uha, come again?"
This was hands down the most pleasant interaction she's had from a demon and was unsure how to take it.
You recognize this demon as an incubus. Generally, demon's motivations are malice and power. Incubi are servants to more powerful demons, as this one is most likely. Fear is another great motivator. If this incubus' Master bid it to escort you safely to it, chances are the incubus will do just that to the best of its abilities, for a time repressing it's desire to rend you limb from limb :)
At Iona's confusion, the demon turns back and says, "Come dear, yes, the Mistress has bade me to escort you unharmed to her chambers. To what end, I do not know, " it says with a shrug, speaking with a tone most adults reserve for talking with toddlers.
It stands, hands on hips, waiting for you to follow....
Hyram stares hard at the demon for a few seconds. He then turns to his companions. He is not lying, at least not now.
He then turns to the demon.
Fine! We will meet your mistress, but know this! Just because we follow you to her does not mean we won't strike you down if you give us reason!
Milamber is concerned about following this demon and asks the abyssal creature
"Who is your mistress? Is it Nocticula?"
Hearing Hyram speak up for this demon, at the very least to say he isn't lying, made Iona put away her longsword.
"This, is still unexpected...." Iona said, obviously unsure how she felt about it. "I mean I fought demons the whole way to Dezen." She added.
The demon waves away Hyram's threat, "Yes, yes....you'll maim me and behead me and do many horrible things to me...." he states, then smiles directly at Hyram, "Hmmm, I can think of many horrible things we can do to each other....hmmmm?"
Then it laughs, a rich, deep laugh that stirs something in each of you, but it's merriment is interrupted by Milamber's question.
It turns its head, its mouth still frozen in the rictus of it's amusement, then speaks with level seriousness, "Who the Mistress is...is for her to reveal. Nocticula? " it repeats the name with obvious trepidation, though it tries to conceal it's discomfort at saying the name with a greasy smile, waving away that question with a flap of its hands.
It turns its smile on Iona, hands held open at it's side, "That is why my Mistress wishes to parley....your reputation precedes you!"
Turning , it begins walking away, calling back, "Come, come...", but then mutters something under its breath...
"Nocticula! Why do they ask of her? The Mistress will be very interested in this! "
"Oh that just put an image in my head I did not need." Iona muttered as she shook her head. "Incubi are often more sadistic." She told Hyram, "Your uha... threats are more like... pick-up lines..."
Though it's laugh has Iona taking a step back closer to the group than to the Incubus. He made her very uncomfortable, even more so when it turned attention to her. "My reputation? I believe you mean theirs." She motioned to Hyram and Aladir. "I am not one of the heroes of Kenabres or of Dezen. I was not with them for that..." She stated honestly.
Hyram strokes his beard. Well he won't be laughing when I thrust my longsword in him! He says totally oblivious to the double entendre.
Hyram then says of the demon. So! Your mistress will be interested that we know of Nocticula? Please tell us why she would be foul demon!
"Uha, Hyram stop stop!" Iona said as her face turned a shade of red. "You're just giving him more to use against you." Said the beet red cleric.
Before he is spotted, Aladir takes advantage of his innate gift for disappearing, vanishing from sight andfollows the others, making as little noise as possible, only observing and listening, waiting for a moment where the element of surprise would give them an edge.
"Iona, Hyram enough of the jokes please."
Milamber was under the impression that his mistress was Nocticula.
"Wait, his mistress isn't Nocticula? And he won't say who she is? How do we know we aren't walking into an ambush?"
"I'm not making jokes!" Iona defended herself. "I'm trying to keep Hyram from making more!"
The demon stops and looks at Hyram approvingly, "Oh, we could have so much fun! " he says archly, flicking a glance at Iona, winking at her discomfort.
He then looks at Milamber with disappointment, "You on the other hand, are no fun at all!"
The demon taps his foot in impatience, sighing dramatically "The idea that Nocticula , the Demon Lord of the Midnight Isles, would concern herself with this operation...." he says, his tone indicating that the idea was preposterous.
Then with a shrug, "Any mention of her name on the lips of Crusaders is noteworthy." he states, looking at Hyram, "Is that explanation enough? Can we go now? My Mistress will be wroth with me if we tarry!"
You have the measure of this demon. It speaks the truth (mainly out of fear of its Mistress), especially about what fun you'd have together :)
"Fair enough Iona. Hyram, we will follow your lead."
Whispers to Iona "But if we see any more demons beside this 'mistress', you should have the Inheritor's favor"
Hyram looks questioningly at Milamber. Who is making jokes? he then turns stern. This is not the time for jokes!
He then looks at the demon. Let's see how much fun it will be when I pound you into the ground, Wretch! Hyram says oblivious that he is feeding right into the demon.
When the demon asks if his answer is satisfactory, Hyram nods. Keep speaking truth, Demon! I'll know when you are not!
"The Inheritor is always with me" Iona said softly in return as she placed her free hand upon her forehead where her birthmark was.
Iona just let out a long sigh. "Yes, just go." Iona said as she moved to walk and quickly get this over with.
The demon claps delightedly at Hyram's threat , "Oh my, promises...promises!" he exclaims. Then he smiles at you all, and with a wave leads you back toward the stone golem.
As you get closer, the golem once again proclaims loudly,
The demon roll his eyes, "So repetitive, I know!". Just as he says this, the double doors at the end of the long hall burst open and two other ash giants stride through, each gripping a large pick.
Spinning, then striding down the hall to confront them , the demon shouts, "Get back in there! You're not needed!"
The giants pause in confusion, then shuffle back into a larger room beyond, closing the double doors.
With a shrug, the demon leads you on, up the stairs towards the golem, then rounding a corner to a door that was hidden from view earlier.
Pushing the door open, it steps through, then motions you to make your way in onto what appears to be a stone balcony overlooking a room...
Iona jumped back a bit, putting her shield up as the golem came running to them, however when it was shooed away the look of surprise on her face was easy to see.
"That... was a very strange thing." Iona said as they kept moving. "I was not expecting such a thing, that is for sure."
Iona gave a small look around before looking to the others then stepping into the room.
Milamber attempts to get a quick look at the larger room the giants came from.
Whispering to Iona "I think the strong magic I sensed came from behind those doors and those giants are guarding it."
You do catch a glimpse of some sort of large machine in the center of that room,before the door shut off your view.
Iona leaned closer to Milamber. "My guess would mean something big behind that. Keep and eye out, we may find out after this..."
As the group approaches the door the demon has led them to, Milamber whispers back to Iona
"Will do. I wonder who this 'mistress' is. Did you see the way those giants obeyed this incubus? From what I know of them, they are not powerful enough to command that kind of respect. The giants must fear whoever we are going to meet."
Aladir continues along with the group, willing his invisiblity as he goes, trying to be as quiet as possible, hoping that since he's made it this far, he will go unnoticed going further. As he moves inward with the others, he is careful to keep his eyes and ears open for any hint of a trap or ambush, or even anything noteworthy.
Your escort steps up and out from the balcony, his wings spreading as he shouts down into the room, "I was right, you ingrates! They've come, just as the Mistress said. Welcome the Heroes of Drezen....or at least some of them!" he exclaims, swooping about the tall room, continuing to berate those below for not listening to him.
As you step out onto the balcony, you see that the balcony is five feet wide where you are and ten feet wide on the opposite side of the room. Below you see a workspace with several stone tables below. Each table contains several empty iron chests. Arrayed around the room, looking thoroughly annoyed and in some cases angry with your escort, are another seven similar demons. They only vary in skin color, horns , wing shape, but all are of the same ilk.
'Your' demon alights in front of the double doors to the south, waving at you to descend the narrow stairs to your left, also imperiously waving the other demons to move out of the way and allow you to follow him.
As you follow the others into the room, you notice that a few of the other demons notice you, but merely shrug or give you a smile and a quick wave as you go by...
As you get closer to the empty iron chests, you see they are identical to the ones you found at the Ivory Sanctum, the once containing the demonic Nahyundrian exlixirs.
"Come, come, the Mistress awaits! " 'your' demon calls out to you.