With Vasha finishing her spell, two small versions of herself appear between the appoaching babaus and herself.
"Agnes! Gladys! Stand ready - here comes dinner!" Vasha then notices the newcommer and the dead quasit. "I take it you were running late. Glad to see you haven't missed all the fun. Get ready to prove yourself!"
"What throne of humans? Is it the Lord of Ash?"
Sicsivicus smiled; if a slash of wicked fangs in a wide evil grin could be called a smile at the appearance of two smaller versions of Vasha.
...now she is they? this could get fun. it could. indeed. we agree. yet again. this is becoming a habit. habits are typically bad. thats the idea. bad idea? indeed...
He wasnt sure who this newcomer was. Then again he didnt know any of these fellow demons. He decided to answer it anyways.
Waiting for the oncoming horde, Vashe steels herself for the coming onslaught. She focuses her mind, ready to aid her eidolons along with any other that fights with her today.
"A Nalfeshnee with delusions of grandeur, what a surprise." Nepshistal says, his voice thick with sarcasm.
"What is unusual is that he has the guts to even think about standing against the Lord of Dust."
Nephistal looks around at the others gathered. "You wish me to work with you and these others to topple the Lord of Dust? I don't really play well with others, but if the offer is good enough I may be able to tolerate you all for a short while."
Sene'sis emerges from the ground near Dimmu and speaks How do we know that you aren't jussst using those more powerful than yourssself to do your work? I would need many elvesss and gnomesss as a large down payment for my ssservicesss. My own throne lacksss them. They would fill it out nicssely.
telepathy to the gathered "allied" group
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"I have a master of my own, I'm only following his wishes" he looks at each one "I'll provide a 100 mortals to each of you if you're willing to join us"
Nephistal
Havikoryx allows the number to settle in for a moment as he does a quick bit of calculation.
"You would have us face the lord of this realm for a handful of slaves I could acquire by far safer means? One hundred mortal slaves? I, for one, would be in red just attempting such a venture!"
"Certainly one of your resources could manage something better..."
"Yes, I agree with this one - what can you sweeten the pot with?" Vasha says with a smile.
The abyssal creature's voice cracks out sounding like bones snapping, souls screaming and blood gurgling. A cacadence of evil that drives the weak mad.
An alliance? To end the deathless one? Sounds easy.
...no it doesnt! of course not. we suspect a trick. yes we do...
Sense Motive -
The large demons will both cock their heads to the side as their tentacles come to rest on each side of their bodies.
You ask the impossible and make blank promises as reward. Many have tried and succeeded only to find they had failed at this task. There is no killing the Deathless with finality. Or is there?
Both sets of Sicsivicus will cock their heads the other way as their tentacles start a rythmic thumping in the ash.
Telepathy to cohorts -
“Only a fool is ignorant of Ragnok's battle against the Balor Lord. My new friend here is right, anyone can kill the Lord of Ash, the question is how to keep him dead. Do know something you aren't telling Boar Merchant? Or does your master hold this secret?
I will entertain this foolishness for the hundred slaves, and even cooperate with these other Children of Degradation. But who is your master, who pulls you strings little piggy”, Vasha and her two eidolons licks their lips as if ready to bite into a succulent morsel of meat, while speaking in unison.
Is this the herald of the inky black ooze? Is say we squeeze this little sausage some more, maybe it will squeal?
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Dimmuborgir
The hooded creature in the stalls disappears, shortly after he reappears in in this middle of the host of demons, riding a giant skeletal monstrosity covered in flame and molten lava; the skeleton monster grabs the leading demon, Zyxlilot, while incinerating all the mortals that use to be his throne. The hooded creature creates a sharp blade from his flesh, a crystal blade of great beauty, far too beautiful to be something from the abyss. He points it at Zyxlilot and speaks in a voice fitting for a king or a god. ”You filth, I’ll reduce you to dust”, with that he points his sword at the demon. A dark green ray bolt shoots from his sword; it hits Zyxlilot who wails in agony for a few seconds before being reduced to nothing more than dust. With that the Babaus and the skeleton monster and the hooded creature disappear
Both of Sicsivicus heads cocked back and forth at this point in a state of confusion.
He spoiled our fun and left before we could rip his flesh from bones. Who was that?
His tentacldes now writhed in perpetual spirals behind his back, weaving in and out of each others path.
Dimmuborgir teleports next to the Sicsivicus's...
"The Deathless One holds his throne because of his ability to know what transpires in his realm. Did you all really think you could conspire his deposition in the middle of the Carnival of Pigs without him gaining the knowledge of such council."
As the scene unfolds, Vasha shakes her head in disappointment. Her twin eidolons titter back and forth to each other. Quieting them, Vasha watches intently as Zyxliot is incenerated. Observing the Deathless and his skeletal mount, she thinks;
Someday I will control creatures such as that magnificent beast!
“The die has been cast, the Lord of Ash knows we've been here and why we where here. Now we all hang together, or we all hang separately. I suggest we adjure to a more private meeting place.”
The bestial demon listened to Vasha intently and both heads nodded at her assessment.
We've been marked and we suspect by design. Together we might stand a chance. Name a suitable place to plot and we'll be there.
...we will? we will. it could be another trap. it could. then why? cuz we like springing traps. we do? we do indeed...
Does anyone know where our fallen herald's domicile is? Perhaps his still has some savory morsels there we can partake in; as well as being a more discrete area. Are we in agreement?
Moving over near vasha and nephistalI believe that with our combined power we can bring about the destruction of the dust lord. Lead on then to this demons now vacated lair.
Havikoryx telepathically messages the gathering, relaying "The deceased's lair may have its own scrying traps from the one who slew him, but it is also likely to hold the previously promised slaves. It is a good first stop."
"Today is a day of celebration for the passing of Zyxlilot. He has shed the forces of nature that have confined his true form and returned to the ichor..."
Dimmuborgir scans the group intently...Sensing the hesitation to act...
"Enough words. We are creatures of action. If we should find this Nalfesnee's lair and continue our discussion then let's move. I grow bored of this idle discourse. With his litter bearer emolated and the Babaus vanishing act we do not know where to begin. Did anyone here know of this Nalfesnee and his operations. Was he located here within the Carnival of Pigs or elswhere?"
"It appears that we have been outed to the Dusty Lord, I suggest we get out and in a hurry."
“There are ways of finding information when needed.” Vasha grins as she striding up to another merchant in the market and engages in the merchant as to directions to Zyxlilot's palace.
Sicsivicus teleports to where Zyxlilot was before the Dust Lord melted him and began looking for tracks.
Survival -
...dont see anything. no? no. disappointing. indeed. where to now? dont know. disappointing. yes it is...
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Nephistal
Vasha
Sicsivicus
Vasha screams in flustration, ”By the Blessed Host! May they take you!"
She stalks back to the rest of the group, fuming at her lack of information, ”A secret underground facility, I'm stumped!”
Hmmm hidden underground complex? We shall see.
Sene'sis dives into the earth and begins his search for the now vacant lair
Perception checks for the next few hours
As the twin to the demon faded...we are now me. we are? we were, now, i am...oh, no fun... the simian like beast rolled on the ground to scratch its back. Clambering upright he shook the ashy residue from its large form before responding to the others telepathically as was his want.
We are bored. Mighty Dimmuborgir is right. Action is needed. Why do we seek the lair? Is there another direction we can direct ourselves? This way or that, we are too open here.
Lets follow the burrowing worm. That should get us out of sight!
"I assume you are all familiar with the ruins at Hark'oka. Let us meet there where we may gather and discuss our current predicament."
Grunting...Dimmuborgir sweeps his gaze around the demons assembled as well as, the crowd in the marketplace.
"Better that standing around like a bunch of stunned children."
Leaping into the air Dimmu makes a few sweeps around the marketplace then disappears
Surfacing again Sene'sis looks around and say to the others. Nothing that i could find. I agree with nephistal let us head for the ruins.
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The Ruins of Hark’oka,
Sicsivicus had been a part of the group of demons that had caused ruination to the weak humans that dared to try to start such order as a civilization in the abyss so he knew it well and teleported to Hark'oka as soon as Nephistal suggested it and waited for the others of their cabal to arrive.
The Lady Clease licks her lips at the mention of Hark'oka, familiar with the weak dretch puppet king. She had hungered to seize the domain for herself; but others had learned of the human's foolish plan before her chance to infiltrate had time to be put into effect. Vasha teleports to the outskirts of the ruins and approaches carefully.
Nephistal appears in the middle of the crumbling ruins, their very existence a reminder of the treachery of the lesser beings. Soon after he arrives, Dimmuborgir, Sicsivicus and Sene'Sis appear. Nephistal postures up to appear even larger than his already towering stature. "Welcome brothers, hopefully we will enjoy a little bit more privacy here, away from the minions at the carnival. It appears that intentions are known to the Lord of Dust so the question is do we grovel at his feet and beg forgiveness or we remove him from the position that we all covet?"
We remove him from power, that isss the only way for him now. His time isss done and a new ruler must come forth.
Sene'Sis looks at Nephistal as she speaks. I believe you can lead usss to that victory so I shall help you.
Teleporting into the ruins, Havikoryx comments "A fitting choice for ones promised slaves." He listens hungrily to Nephistal and Sene'Sis both.
"The Lord of Dust is ever wary of those who might strike at him, as one will eventually have the key to defeating him. Our identities are known, and any clemency he might grant would be a thin veneer of forgiveness veiling a throbbing, angry tumor of vindictiveness. He dies, or we will."
From the distance a clapping is heard, Vasha approaches from the shadows, “Bravo Nephistal, always the swagger and bluster! And here I had assumed that I was invited to this party too; but do you forget that death comes often for our lord here but does not stay. If we seek his end, we need the key to his permanent destruction.”
Looking from each of the gathered demons, the Lady Clease licks her lips before continuing, "We need to know his weakness, we need to know what his enemies know. I am will seek out the succubi and find out what they know of the Lord of Ash"
All sorts of delicious thoughts flittered through Sicsivicus's insane brain at the mention of the succubi.
I would go with you. None of us should be alone from here out. This then will be our base of operations? Its suiting. What are our other options in seeking the death of the Lord of Ash?
“Then Sicsivicus and I will find what we can from the succubi, and return here. Perhaps, if it isn't too much of a bother, some of you would want to track down some glabrezu and see what they know. And maybe fortifying our little club house would be something else that could be done.”
Sicsivicus's head cocked back and forth while he watched the others plan.
Knowledge Planes - - to know where to find the succubi
If you know the way to go Lady Vasha; by all means lead the way
“Come my tentacled companion, we have winged women to tempt!”, Vasha chuckles to herself. ”Let us start back at the market. The filthy legion always has an appetite for a succubi's soft flesh. Hmmm, and perhaps we can capture an incubus or two. I suggest we take a round about way back to the market, teleporting a mile away and then scouting back into the market.”