Well for me is is either dexterity or Intelligence. Take your pick
Koldur helps his friend along even as he pats Hundor and gives him a grateful smile.
"I have several questions but since the lady has already invited us to her home, it'll be churlish to reject her wouldn't it?" as he ensures that the others are fine before stepping forth onto the archway.
"I'm certain that we'll likely find even more questions." he grumbles that last part out.
Oscar gets hit by a beam of light as well, sucking him of dexterity.
Jevar is able to step through the portal with Koldur finding the portal solid as a stone wall to him.
Moments later Jevar puts his hand back through the portal and signals the group to follow. Now each of you are able to enter the portal.
Inside you find an alien atmosphere. There are all sorts of vegetation that you have never seen before, each of a different color. There are many strange shaped pots that hold different animals and creatures.
"Ah sorry, I thought you would have other important matters but since you decided to come my way I did not have a chance to change it." She says simply without trepidation.
With a wave of her hand, some of the vegetation seems to solidify into a place to sit as other vegetation forms into something akin to chairs.
He stays behind looking after Sable.
"You must have more questions, please feel free to ask. I am going to get into something a bit more comfortable, is there anything I can get you?" She asks, soon returning with another body rather than new clothes but the same voice. With extra charm in her voice she asks, "How does this suit you? Better than that plain form?"
Her appearance is that of a tempting succubus. Raven black hair spilling over two massive horns and a massive mane behind. Glowing red eyes, stark white teeth in comparison to her dark ruby glistening lips. A glittering diamond on her forehead and a necklace of bones and black leather. A red dress leaving little imagination to the viewer of all her deadly curves. Pert and amble breasts nearly ready to be free from the lack of clothing covering them. The rest of the dress covers her front and back, leaving cuts along the side to let her athletic legs be viewed easily. No wings or other demonic appearances as her hands are delicate with clean fingernails. On her head is a strange metallic hat of sorts made of flat strips of metal some six inches long with strange runes upon them, they almost seem to suspend in the air around her face as if ioun stones without the rotation.
"To perhaps answer some of your questions before they are asked. Those of you who offered your ability will be rewarded, though I cannot heal that which I have taken, I can offer to strengthen your other abilities. I can create magical devices though I will need the raw materials, a sacrifice of experience by yourself or another, and something more to pay for my service. Also you have vowed to protect me in that binding contract, through that contract as I gain power you will as well."
"You might be asking, why did I land here? That would be a good question, your halfling holds a cleared contract, one that many outsiders would kill to possess. Of course killing him would do little to the contract or himself, though there are the dull demons that would simply strike out hoping to gain it. I have been looking for a beacon of power to aim towards and once his contract was cleared my spell moved me right to your vicinity. I see that there is a blood pact between him and several of you but that merely locked him to this plane and to you. There still needs to be a contract made and one with a being of power, an outsider would be most beneficial. He does not have the will power to make decisions concerning it but those who have the blood pact with him by proxy or proximity do. As you can now tell why I chose you as my protectors."
"What am I, I am an outsider. One that comes from the deep space rather than another plane. Though in most minds from this time you would say it was another plane. To put it crudely I am a lawful succubus focused on power, contracts, and magic. I mean you no ill will, in fact as you gain power I will as well."
"So are you saying we need to have a pact with you for you to benefit from us and us to benefit from you? As in only those who have given will benefit and you will only benefit from them?"
"That is true. Please introduce yourselves so that I can remember your names and faces better. I will only need those who I have made a pact with me but I would be willing to make other pacts. One of my unique pact spells allows a subject to offer up one of their ability scores to help you in that ability score, though their capabilities are severely limited then, I would take care of them for you here, should you ever find such a willing subject." She says as she sits down on the large pillow like sitting spot making herself comfortable.
Jevar looked about and found the area...intriguing. "Please, perhaps lets keep it like this for future visits. Well, of course unless it's preferable for you to be otherwise." he said not fully paying attention to her for the first while.
He gawked a bit when she returned and just sat there listening before finally speaking up. "Ah, succubi. A common favorite amongst my kind for making pacts with. Though from what you say, you are quite different. One might even be able to court you and live?" he said the last bit coming out as a question in a manner.
He looked around at the pots with animals in them "So...would these be fulfilled contracts?" he asked curiously.
He realised at this point he was being a bit rude and stood before bowing to her. "Jevar T'soryn at your service, a drow with a heart of...well it's not gold, it's a fleshy bits." he said before finding a spot to sit near her.
Upon Reknar's insistence the halfling helps bring Sable into the mansion. Shaking his head most of the time. He helps the best he can but can't do much, just assisting Reknar more than anything else.
"Well you could try and find out Drow," she responds with a hint of sarcasm as she tilts her head back just a bit and broadens her smile.
She then addresses Reknar and Hundor, "Why would you move him in such a weakened state. Take him downstairs and put him in the green pool. Let him be fully submerged he won't drown in it."
"Oh no!" She laughs at his inference that the animals were transformed from another state. "Those animals are just a hobby of mine, to collect unique strange creatures. My last contracted individuals fell to the passing of time and I have been adrift for likely years possibly decades."
"Excellent Jevar T'soryn, now I have a name for your face." She responds with a wink.
She then addresses Reknar and Hundor, "Why would you move him in such a weakened state. Take him downstairs and put him in the green pool. Let him be fully submerged he won't drown in it."
"Because I don't leave a companion behind, that's why" - the man snorts - "Name's Reknar, I'm no one in particular, just an old army sergeant" - he chuckles - "Nothing compared to an 'outsider from deep space" - then moves off to take Sable down, drop him in the pool and confirm if he is not drowning.
"Come on old friend." Koldur says as he gently yet firmly supports the elf down. His strength an old comfort and also because he had not offered up any of his vitality to this strange being.
"One i have ensured that everything is well with Sable, I'll join the rest of you back here." he nods to everyone.
Hundor stays with Sable unless Reknar drags him up with him. It appears that Sable is able to breathe in the glowing green liquid as bubbles come up.
Jevar went a bit darker in color and a finger went to the neck of his tunic as he began to fumble out a semblance of words. "Well...I, um..I, yes. Forgive me, I have a bad habit of making an ass of myself. Nothing like breaking the ice with a bad joke about one's race to break the tension yes?" he managed to finally get out.
He cleared his throat "Besides, I haven't even asked you to dinner...unless that pact earlier was technically dinner for you, in which case I do hope it at least was enjoyable. Had I known I might've asked the little halfling to sing or play an instrument for a bit better background for the event." he said rambling a bit.
He shook his head and combed back his hair with his hand "So, from what I gather you offer a comfortable life for those who offer their abilities for others in exchange for draining them of them...yes? I think that summed it up and in exchange we get a bit of the power, not a terrible deal all in all. A little hard to sell but with the right context easy enough. Was that perhaps all you wished of us?" he asked curiously.
After listening to the various words spoken by all and trying to get a handle on what's going on
"So what sort of pact could I form with you my lady, it seems the others that have already given will need to strive to work with you to increase your and their power, if I am going to continue travelling with them, I shall need to have some tangible benefits as well."
She giggles at Jevar's awkwardness. Her smile broadens as she responds to his second statement, "It was quite pleasant." Then she laughs at his babbling. She then quietly says in a soothing voice, "Calm yourself before you give yourself a stroke, my dalliances take more than a drain or dinner, so don't worry your pretty little head off."
"Yes if you can persuade someone to live a simple life, a dedicate, in order to give you an endowment. You are correct Jevar for all simplification of that pact. Also for my payment I take just a little for myself. Though I did not wish that life on you, I knew those around the cleared pact to be able and likely agents for me. Other than abilities you can give the endowment of sight, hearing, smelling (scent), among other such." She responds to Jevar's third statement and tied questions.
She offers a few pacts she can do right now with her intoxicating smile, "If you choose to take me up on a pact your options right now are:
A minor pact, gain an increase in one ability by 1 of the loss of another by 3,
A major pact, gain an increase in one ability by 3 of the loss of another by 6,
and finally become an official agent of mine, bear my mark, connect your destiny with my own, I will drain you so later you may grow stronger.
The elf below, Jevar T'Soryn, and Reknar have all become my agents, though the mark will not display until they accept it fully."
"I will think on it and maybe talk with the others.. thankyou."
After ensuring that Sable is fine, the aged dwarf returns. After being told what the lady offers, he turns to her.
"You mentioned that the little one ha a blood pact with several of us. What exactly does that mean? Does it mean he'll draw fro us power like some of my companions do now? What sort of advantages would they gain from you as they grow, strenghtening you in the process."
"Presently the magical pact is blank thus the blood pact does nothing but anchor the contract and the halfling to this plane and those in the blood pact. If you allow me to be a proxy in the contract I can make you even stronger in ways you can imagine. We can also add others to the blood pact if you wish. With my regained powers, knowledge, and know how I should be able to have eight at the most and then myself included. So Jevar, the old dwarf, Sable, Reknar, Hycan, the paladin, and you have two more spots though they not need be filled right now. We could increase an ability score, allow the group be invisilbe for a time each day, harden your skin to not take blows so hard, temper your bodies to be more tolerant to a specific energy, the list is nearly endless but we need to pick one thing and then get the material components for the spell."
"So we need to decide the terms of this pact?"
Koldur sighs.
"My knowledge of such is severely limited and most of your words don't make sense to me, I fear. Am I to understand that the little one gains those abilites or he gains the ability to grant those."
I thank you but i already serve someone else, and do not need any pact. I am fine as is. Byt the way iam Oscar Cray The III he says still trying to adjust physically he says by way of introduction
"Darn it, Oscar is correct, I don't serve another really, but I can't make myself beholden to someone else on such a level, I guess i'll have to find my own route to power."
She smiles at the old dwarf and tries to simplify it, "I understand if you don't have an understanding of basic magic this would likely be complex. The halfling will gain in spades what those gain simply as a boost. If you chose to increase the strength of those in the blood pact. Each would increase by 2 in strength but the halfling would gain at least 4. Or if you chose to use damage reduction, each in the blood pact would gain 1/magic as he would likely have 3/magic. Does that help? He and you gain those abilities."
She looks at both Oscar and Hykan indifferently and shrugs then simply says, "You know where the door is located."
Jevar looks around at the others and smiles "Come now men, it's rude to discuss such things in front of someone who offered us a place to rest and relax. Perhaps it's best we discuss this while we take on our work? Best to file out with me last, I'm not sure 100% how this magic works but some portals close after the person who opened it and since I was first best not risk it" he said to the group. He looked over his shoulder at the Succubus and winked.
"M'lady, perhaps a bit of time for us to mull over the contract...er pact is in order?" he asked as he looked at the others.
"Take as much time as you need. I will be busy while you are away. Perhaps you will leave the halfling here for some training." She says plainly.
Koldur mulls over the what he has just learned.
"Let the little one decide if he wants to stay or not."
Unsure about almost everything recently he looks around at each of you and says, "Ummm, I don't know. What do you think?"
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Koldur takes a depp breath and begins to speak.
"I." he looks at Hundor intently
"Am one who has already sworn his axes to another and thus I'll soon be walking from this place as I cannot, will not consider giving my word to another while I am pledged to another. You however. Have now something far greater than what you ahve had to suffer all these years." he pauses as he places both his gnarled yet still strong hands on Hundor's shoulders.
"You have a choice. One you can make freely. Once that you can choose to uphold or withdraw as you feel fit. This is a fresh new start for you and not one forced upon your shoulders. As a friend I tell ye that you should consider your choices and make them wisely for even if you don't you can still live right by them. It's what the forge of life will mould you."
"I am Koldur of the Axe, weapon master, sworn bodyguard to a Princess whom I have a soft spot for. My little Moonshine whom I have seen grown up before my eyes. She needs my help and I'll find it here in this place, and I'll keep searching until even if my body gives out and never will I be stopping." here he stops and smiles gently at Hundor as he begins to move towards the door.
"I'll say this: Here be Hundor's first step to a new life."
A short bow to his gracious hostess as he speaks.
"You have heard my reason as to why I cannot enter such a pact with you. Hence with your leave I shall depart and await my companions outside."
Hykan follows Koldur out
"Well said good sir." he can be heard to comment to Koldur
Jevar leans back relaxing as the others make their decisions, he wasn't one to influence anyone one way or another so he preferred to stay silent during such times. He did however find that most of them were at least cordial in their rejection and he was thankful of that.
He stretched a bit and relaxed on the comfortable scenery, it was a delightful place at least to relax. He looked at Hundor "If...I were to give you advice and that's a big if. I would say, that at least here you would be safe while you train and recover. The road that myself and the others follow is indeed a road you could follow and if you survive it you could gain in experience and ability perhaps quicker...but it is a road fraught with danger. She does offer an alternative to that, letting you learn in safety. But that is all the advice I can offer." he said yawning a bit, it was late after all.
Hundor nods at your words, soaking in all the meaning in them. He watches as most of the group leaves. He then nods to Jevar and says, "For now it looks like I will stay here, you can let the others know my decision."
Most of the group returns to the kobolds to rest and possibly sleep some before the new day comes,
Starting a bit later than normal all are awake a few hours before noon to an overcast morning. It has only sprinkled once so far this morning.
Well then Hundor, you made a choice. That is good for you he says with a genuine smile
Jevar watched the others leave and waited as everyone let. "I'm afraid it seems that no one is keen on your request at this time. Would you be opposed to me leaving my answer as...unsure at this moment. While I am happy to have saved you from your earlier situation, I am hesitant to enter into any pacts I don't fully understand. I've seen many of kin enjoy the bad side of a pact even if they thought they were a 100% sure they weren't gonna be screwed.[/b]" he said as he smiled politely at her.
He stood up at this point and held his hands in front of himself realizing what he had said "Not that I think you would do what most have done to my kin, after all they asked for it by going into a pact with those most foul and untrustworthy...unlike yourself. I'm sure I've judged your character well enough not to lump you in with the typical 'succubi'" he said before bowing.
When he looked around and made sure all had exited, he flushed a bit and shook his head "Honestly I shouldn't ask, but I can't help but be curious as I've not been so fortunate to meet any other otherworldly beings....but would you do me the honor of a kiss before I go? Maybe just to keep my attention to possibly coming back." he said, the last part being a bit teasing and playful.
Jevar exited the portal and looked at the others "Well...that was at least interesting, yes? I suppose in the morning we shall head off to try and deal with this Bandit lord, yes?" he said as he picked himself up and proceeded to head with the others back towards the cave and his own camp.
"Bandit lord...? What are we up against?
"I'm still here" - Reknar nods - "And I serve no one. Just wondering if you are 'paying' enough to hire me" - he chuckles - " Though you haven't been exactly straightforward about how this works" - the man adds.
She looks at Reknar as if she is insulted and responds in kind, "Don't worry about it. Don't worry about me. Once I can repay you with your 'generosity' you won't need to worry about anything that I have to offer you. Yes I will get you a bag of gold or even a magical weapon of your choice then I will be done with YOU!"
Jevar stood up at this point and looked at Reknar with a rather exasperated look. "What kind of shake down is this, I had hoped not to find a human so incredibly....well human. You saw a being in need and you did not ask for anything when it asked for help. Yet, now that you have given freely without requesting in question, you suddenly demand compensation. I knew that the Elves had spoken of human greed but to see it with my own eyes, this is far too similar to my kind with their indentured servitude." he said looking rather disappointed in the man who stood before him.
He looked at Olivira and back at Reknar "Give him back what he gave and take it from me if needed, I would not let my offering of help be soiled by this greed." he said with his back to Olivira and his arms crossed looking at Reknar.
Reknar looks at the Succubus then back at Jevar, and seems about to blurt something out.
Instead he just shakes his head - "Lad, you don't even know me to jump to such conclusions... I could have done the same just looking at your skin..." - he smiles at Jevar - "This is no shake down, but mere questions looking for straight answers, instead of riddle talk" - and shrugs.
"The first time we saw her, it was her who said 'help me and I will help you', but suddenly everything got oh so complicated didn't it? Pacts here and there. Some sort of servitude not quite well explained, and rewards that are... Wait... We don't know what they are. But maybe we will in the future, when it is convenient for someone, but definitely not for us" - again he shakes his head - "If you can't see how poorly this is is explained, maybe the fact that no one else in the group wanted to pledge himself would give you a hint?"
He looked at Olivira and back at Reknar "Give him back what he gave and take it from me if needed, I would not let my offering of help be soiled by this greed." he said with his back to Olivira and his arms crossed looking at Reknar.
"Ye, do that, and let the paladin here learn by himself how harsh life can be when you trust half words from a pretty lady" - he chuckled - "I'm already regretting having helped in the first place. Things always go to crap when one is expected to act out of the kindness of one's heart. Geeeez..."
Create magical weapons and devices but I need time and resources to do that. I never said anyone had to become my agent or that any of you would have to pledge yourselves to me in any way. Many of you, especially you two did become my protectors whenever you offered your ability score to me. Pacts are merely magical agreements benefiting both parties. If the pact on the halfling is not fulfilled soon, demons will begin coming with other outsiders. Does that sate your answers Reknar? Or was there a question unanswered?"
"I am afraid there are unanswered questions yes" - Reknar actually chuckles - "You see, I'm a straightforward guy. And stuff like 'As I gain strength so shall you, the sameness in reverse' are vague to say the least. Wouldn't you agree?" - he insists.
"A King can tell his subjects if their country grows stronger so will they - and they will understand this means a better life, maybe more gold, or a better chance to grow their business or find a brighter future for their sons" - the man points out - "An army captain can tell his men and women if they tackle harder missions, they will grow stronger, more trained, and better equipped than the others - it is something anyone can understand" - and presses on.
"In your case, it is completely uncharted territory" - he smiles at her - "But you know what? I made a promise to someone. A friend. And I am making an effort to be a better person. Also, Jevar is not all hot air, and he is right in some of what he said" - the warrior seems to ponder - "So let's leave it at that - you took what you needed to get back on your feet. And now you are back on your feet and stronger. Good. Maybe we'll talk again in the future, and maybe not. Doesn't matter. The deed is done. All the best to you girl, and... Yeah, I would keep that form you have adopted. It is bombastic" - he finishes with another chuckle and a bow - "Take care" - and leaves.
pretty much what is says in the name. This so called Stag lord is the head of a local bandit group. He has been enslaving people to work in mining camp and has a necromancer who then reuse the corps. Right now we are on our way to bring him low
"Ahh excellent, I was hoping to participate in great deeds." says Hykan excitedly
"You would find that not all deeds are great." Koldur points out while slowly sharpening his axes with a whitstone.
"You'd find that we get our fair share of troubles while in this lands. We might even have to battle other lords or claimants, demons, dragons or even the very land itself."
Turning on the flames just a little from his hand
"Well that's why i've got this nice fire that I can throw around, making troubles go away one puff of ash at a time."