Feral's PFS Special Event - Siege of the Diamond City [DM Feral] (Inactive)

Game Master Feral

"Please give us the job, if we survive. Someone who consorts with demons should be dealt with harshly."

The northerner returns the Chelaxian's mutterings with a rude finger gesture and a steely glare, but she quickly turns her attentions back to Jorsal.

"Seems wise," Sigrun concurs with a nod. "We've already had to deal with some crusaders suffering from morale issues - I'd hate to see the fallout if this leaks."

"But yeah... I would be happy to tear this guy limb from limb for you. You know who to call." The ranger winks.

Jorsal frowns, a bit discouraged at how quickly there was talks of butchering his former peer.

”You've done well to recover this missive but please go. This isn’t over yet and we’ll never get to the bottom of Thurl’s treachery if Nerosyan is overrun and we’re killed by demons this day.”

Torn between her fellow countryman and her companions Lexia starts yelling "leave him alone! she says putting herself between the two " now which ever way the blade falls we still have a city to save"
Faceing the Chelish man

The party departs Starrise Spire and returns to the Egelsee district. It seems the fighting in the immediate area has died down for now as there are no active battles in sight.

Suddenly a cry of panic splits the air and a fleeing citizen comes running down the street. She pauses for a moment upon spotting the party. Her face is a mix of fear and hope as she says, “By the gods, thank you for showing up! There’s a woman down the street defending an orphanage, bless her heart, but I don’t think she knows that all the children have already been evacuated... I’d tell her that her help would be more useful elsewhere, but her minions are terrifying. Maybe you can explain! I’ll go get some of the crusaders to help out.”

"Her... minions?" Sigrun blinks in apparent confusion. "What do you mean? Can you describe them?"

Happy for the distraction Lexia makes her way towards the orphanage I am not even surprised anymore she thinks to herself.

”They’re demons I’m sure of it but they seem to obey her commands. Hideous monstrous things!” the woman bursts into tears and resumes running away.

Moving further up the wide empty street, the party easily finds the orphanage. Standing at the building’s gates is a pale chelish woman with a delicate wand at the ready. Guarding her are three seething monstrous humanoids. They deftly wield vicious, saw-toothed glaives and below their toothy maws writhe hideous, twitching beards.

”Reinforcements!” she declares upon seeing the party. ”Good. Together we’ll keep the demons from harming the children inside the orphanage.”

"When is the last time you actually saw a child? There are reports that the children have already made to to safety. Thanks to your protection, of course!"

Knowledge check to identify monsters 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (8) + 7 = 15 on most creatures

The woman hesitates. ”I haven’t seen any since I got here but I’m sure they’re just hiding indoors.”

Tessara recognizes these creatures as not demons but devils. Although just as evil as their abyssal counterparts, devils are known to make willing pacts with mortals and will always respect the letter of these agreements.

Lexia pauses at the sight of the creatures " what made you think that summoning such monstrosities in a city that is besieged by daemons was a good ideal" she says as her eyebrows twitch in irritation .

Sigrun stares at the...surprisingly rather obedient devils...?... and then takes a half-step backwards. Using evil to fight evil seemed rather dangerous to her. Well... magic in general, really.

"I thought your countrymen all summoned devils or whatever?" she mutters to Imperia. "You're miss nationalism over here... thought you didn't mind it either."

"Lady, would you mind if we did a sweep of the inside? We can confirm all the children got out, and then rescue any who didn't. Meanwhile, you can sic your... uh... pets... on some demons outside the walls somewhere."

”I didn’t summon them”, she answers as she furrows her brow. ”They appeared when the attack began. I was frightened at first but I quickly noticed that they weren’t trying to hurt me. In fact, they do whatever I tell them! Once I figured that out, I thought I’d use them to help protect the children.”

At Sigurn's suggestion the woman studies her closely, as if she's not entirely sure she can trust her. Reaching some kind of conclusion, she nods. "Go ahead. I'll guard the front."

"I'm Katrina. Katrina Deckland."

'That is most curious. Certainly convenient as well. You really have no idea who called them here?"

Talwin fixes her with a stare.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21

"Those things are devils, and by their very nature, evil, I assume. How about we all go inside and make sure the children are in fact gone. If they aren't escaped, we will return out here and continue your fight with you!"

She seems to be a bit absentminded but Talwin doesn’t detect any falsehoods.

"So, uh..."

Sigrun begins to cautiously approach the entrance to the orphanage, keeping her eye locked on the devils and their strange summoner(?).

"... you don't mind if we go in here, do you?"

As soon as one of the other Pathfinders comes close enough, she'll mutter to them, "I think we should leave someone out here to keep an eye on her. This is too weird."

"I don't mind keeping an eye out, but perhaps we'd be better off sticking together. There's only four of us, after all."

A voice like grinding broken glass fills Sigrun’s mind. By all means...

Sigrun freezes mid-step as the voice scrapes through her mind. Frantically she looks back at the devils and the woman, searching for any sign of where it may have come from.

"D-Did anyone else hear that?"

Sigrun nudges Talwin lightly with her elbow.

"You should do your detect schtick on that woman... this is just getting scary..."

"No problem."

Talwin attempt to detect evil and then chaos on Katrina, then scans the orphanage to see if anything turns up. He tries to avid the devils, knowing they will likely be strong enough to perhaps even overwhelm his senses.

"I didn't hear anything, Sigrun? What's going on?"

"There was a voice in my mind... I guess... telling me it's fine to go on into the building. I don't trust it," Sig finishes with a mutter.

A sweep of the orphanage grounds uncovers no evil or chaos. When Talwin turns his magical sense on the devils, he’s immediately stunned and drops his weapon as the intensity of their aura overwhelms him.

Breaking her silence what ever do you mean before looking at the devil

"Talwin, get it together! By the gods, what is going on?"

"Those...devils...I looked at them...before...canceling my ability. If it comes to violence with them, I can only advise immediate and expeditious withdrawl."

Talwin picks up his dropped gear and looks at Sigrun.

"Let's get in there. All of us."

must be rather frightening seeing a devil for the first time but we have a mission to do we can not tuck tail and run every time we see something that scares us. If that was the case why don't you look over the walls and tell me we should stay . The paladin says chastising the sudden change of heart the inquisitor has.

"Hmm..." Sigrun feels that this has abruptly shifted far beyond her realm of expertise. She gives Talwin a hand with his gear, saying, "Let's go inside, I guess."

She'll slowly lead the others inside, constantly looking around for danger (and on the off chance that there are any orphans around).

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (6) + 6 = 12

"This is strange. Devils can cloud the mind of others. Perhaps they've done that to that lady out there. "

"You think they're controlling her or somethin'?" Sig blinks. "Any way to tell?"

" well we will never find out by running away" obviously not happy to with her companions sudden lack of a backbone.

The same horrifying voice fills Imperia's mind. We are here to fulfill a debt. The girl's parents have an arrangement with out patron: If her life was ever threatened, we were to be summoned to her side.

Even at a cautious pace, it doesn't take long for the rest of the party to search the orphanage. Sure enough it's been fully evacuated.

Imperia flinches at the sudden intrusion into her mind explains to the party what the devil said as a worried look plays across her face

Imperia notes something like a smile in one of the devil's eyes.

A price paid long ago. She owes nothing.

Once assured that the orphanage was clear, Sigrun returns to the girl, trying her best to not look directly at her devilish servitors. The whole thing still creeped her out.

"Okay, I can promise you that all the kids are gone. Would you come with us now and help out elsewhere in the city?"

A shiver goes down the aasimar's spine as she contemplates the meaning of her words

Turning to the girl " you are accomplishing nothing here you have the free will to leave to safety or help with the defense but these creatures were put in place by your parents to protect you I suggest that you honor there wishes and flee to safety "

diplomacy: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27

edit just saw your post sig sorry

Suddenly, from up the street, armored boots can be heard. "Crossbows at the ready men! We've got demons!"

A troop of crusaders appears a hundred feet away. Half take a knee and crank crossbows while the rest level polearms.

Taking stock I her options Lexia throws herself over the woman in front of her .

Talwin steps to the front, holy symbol clearly on display.

"Hold your fire! We can explain! These are devils, not demons. They are bound by oath to defend this girl's life. Some deal her parents made ages ago. Now it's not ideal, but they are exceptionally powerful. Why not turn them against our demonic foes?"

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (6) + 4 = 10

While holding the girl tightly Lexia try's one last time to negotiate wit the devils

total defense lol
diplomacy: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (7) + 8 = 15

Talwin's words were falling like raindrops on the soldiers' armour, barely effective at all. So Sigrun steps forward to add her piece.

"They've been here defending this orphanage, y'know? We just double-checked to make sure all the kids were out safely. Look, it's a Chelaxian thing..."

Diplomacy Aid: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10

... Then again, she wasn't particularly convincing either.

If the girl wishes to be rid of us, all she need do is renounce her family ties.

" dismiss them girl you control them not the other way around power is not a means to a end but a end onto itself" Lexia says pleading to the young girl.

diplomacy: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20

Sigrun shifts to put herself in front of the young girl, hoping that Imperia's silver tongue could convince her to... somehow get rid of the devils. Somehow.

"Imperia's right. Keepin' these devils or whatever around is just gonna lead you into tonnes of trouble. You don't wanna be indebted to a devil, do you?"

Diplomacy Aid: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23

The girl's eyes go wide in fear at the disaster that's about to occur.

"But I don't know how!"

" dismiss your families ties Imperia says desperately.

"If these devils require a witness, then as a servant of Abadar I stand ready. Swear that you renounce your family name for once and for al time, something like that. It'll need to be permanent to satisfy infernal law."

Diplomacy, Aid: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12

Katrina shakes her head with tears in her eyes. "Yes! I renounce my family. I don't want anyone to get hurt!"

The devils, having stood with their weapons aligned against the crusaders, look to one another, nod, and then vanish in a puff of brimstone.

Releasing her grip on the young girl looking down on her as she cries "you made the right choice she says pulling a pice of paper and writing on it " the temptation of the wicked is strong handing the girl the piece of parchment " here is a location of a cathedral they should still take in orphaned children ... I would be honored to call you my sister as a paladin" Imperia says in a serious tone that she has not used for a single moment of this adventure.