Falina was displeased at the lack of success of her spell, it had some effect but not as much as she hoped, and she knew it wouldn't be enough. She normally avoided drawing on the deepest portions of her abyssal blood but she was pissed off and desperate enough to do it. She pulled on the darkest portions of her blood, her eyes began to glow with a dull ember light, and she screamed in anger, rage, and hatred. Her scream wasn't directed at Nox though, so much as her glaive and if this worked it would leave her disarmed and much easier prey, and began to cause the weapon in her hand to vibrate at the noise.
Frowning as she notes Nox beginning to heal, Arani selects a silver arrow for her next attack, taking a gamble that something supernatural
is in play.
MANY STEPS MONASTERY/HQ OF THE SACRED ORDER OF ARCHIVISTS (8 Gozran)
T'chazzar shows some incredible dedication to the cause, slamming both of his blades home against Nox even though he's gravely wounded. Arani adds another arrow--this one silver--to the avalanche of damage against the devil woman. Falina's spell, however, fails to destroy Nox's deadly weapon.*
Jessibel, eyeballing T'chazzar and his frightful wound, grabs hold of Leora's wand and says, "Gimme!"
Nox's face is twisted with emotion: It looks like a mixture of disbelief, anger, and a growing fear that perhaps she's bitten off more than she can chew here.
I'm going to rule that you've used your shatter spell-like ability enough in the past to have a feel for how it works...including when it fails. You sense that Nox's weapon is still intact because it must be magical, not because of any failing on your part.
Leora lets go of the wand so Jessi can use it on T'chazzar!
Davina steps up, and stabs at the "woman" again. She prepares an Opportune Parry and Riposte as well.
MANY STEPS MONASTERY/HQ OF THE SACRED ORDER OF ARCHIVISTS (8 Gozran)
When things are at their darkest, T'chazzar shines his brightest. Not only does the often-snakebit drow score hits with both his shortsword strikes against the heavily-armored Nox--he also does decent damage! Arani continues to prove her worth, pumping another arrow into your foe. Davina adds to the onslaught with a precise strike from her rapier.
Knowing that another monstrous hit from Nox might send the badly-wounded T'chazzar straight to Pharasma's Boneyard, Jessibel steps over Leora's prone form and uses the powerful healing wand on the fearless drow . Unfortunately, she trips a bit trying to not step on Leora, allowing Nox to strike when the bard stumbles back to her previous position. The blade of Nox's glaive opens a long but shallow wound on her bicep: an ugly but ultimately glancing blow .
Nox's grievous wounds heal some more, but it's become obvious that this is a fight she can't win. "You win this battle, but not the war!" she hisses. Her eyes show neither fear nor hatred...more like concentration. T'chazzar and Davina realize she's likely invoking a spell-like ability, probably the same teleporting trick she used to initially blink behind the party.
for
Hearing Nox claim that she was retreating and begin casting a spell Falina was somewhat relieved. The fight had been going badly for them and though it was turning it was quite possible they could still be taken down. She wasn't going to look this gift horse in the mouth though and called out in the antiquated dialect of her time, "Tell your Masters to fear, the Demon of Kintargo has returned!"
T'chazzar drives forward with both of his blades, attempting to end this menace before she can escape.
Davina stabs at the creature as she tries to run. "Not taking my head today."
MANY STEPS MONASTERY/HQ OF THE SACRED ORDER OF ARCHIVISTS (8 Gozran)
T'chazzar manages to stab the escaping Nox, but Davina fails to finish her off. Still, the drow's damage is sufficient to break the devil woman's concentration on the spell-like effect.
"So be it," Nox growls, shifting her grip on the glaive she wields.
Determined that she wouldn't get a second chance to escape, Arani fires a pair of quick shots, hurrying the first, but focusing her follow up.
MANY STEPS MONASTERY/HQ OF THE SACRED ORDER OF ARCHIVISTS (8 Gozran)
Arani's second arrow takes Nox in the throat at almost the exact spot she took a dagger during the Aria Park Protest. This time, however, she doesn't pluck the projectile out like some mere inconvenience. This time she lets out a gurgle and slumps to the floor, motionless. A closer look, however, reveals that her many wounds are still healing!
Your best guess is that Nox is a devilbound being, someone who has signed a contract with a devil, exchanging their immortal soul for an increase in power and fiendish abilities. The nature of these boons depends upon the type of devil providing the contract.
Everything from the previous spoiler, plus....
Nox is likely bound to a bearded devil, as dimension door is one of the spell-like abilities such a devil would grant. She's still human but generates an aura of evil like an outsider would. Her senses are enhanced (darkvision and the ability to see in darkness).
Everything from the previous 2 spoilers, plus....
In addition to dimension door, bearded-devilbound creatures can use rage. A devilbound creature gains a high bonus on saving throws against poison, is highly resistant to fire, and (Here's the biggie!) has the power of regeneration (permanently damaged by good spells and good weapons only).
Leora stands up shakily, now that Nox isn't a danger, at least for the moment. "I think Nox might be devil-bound, giving some of her soul for powers. Maybe this regenerative healing is one of them. What works best against devils? Silver weapons? Maybe cold, to fight the flames of Hell?" She looks to her friends, to see if they have any insight on Nox's abilities or how to stop them.
Leora looks around the room, to see if there might be something useful to use against Nox and stop her from healing.
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"I'm pretty sure taking her head would stop her from healing no matter what you used to do it." Arani says with a look at Davina. "A fitting irony no?"
When Falina saw the attempt to flee fail she smiled viciously as she finished, "Or I suppose you can get an express ticket to the Master of your Soul." She watched as Nix was cut down and the discussion of how to dispose of a devilbound she suddenly seemed cranky as she said, "Before that damned lich got me I could have drained the life from her body and made sure she wouldn't get up again devil bound or no...she would have been begging for it by the end too." Stomping up to the body of Nox Falina lashed out with one foot and kicked her in the head before saying, "Thrice damned Thrunes."
With that Falina moved away and began looking around the room to see if there was anything of value to be found. She called back over her shoulder and said, "Oh, her glaive is magical. It should have broken when I hit it with that burst of abyss fueled sound but it didn't The only way that happens if it's magical."
Once he realizes that Nox is still regenerating, T'chazzar does not hesitate: he plunges one of his swords through her eye.
MANY STEPS MONASTERY/HQ OF THE SACRED ORDER OF ARCHIVISTS (8 Gozran)
T'chazzar drives home the tip of his sword into Nox's eye socket, hoping to end her life. He succeeds in making her uglier and keeping her out of the fight a bit longer, but the devil woman's still breathing--she has true regeneration.
A quick search of the room by Leora and Falina reveals nothing that might be used to end Nox, though Falina realizes that the books and scrolls the Asmodeans have here are very lightly redacted and might still have significant historical value if sold to the right person .
Now that Nox is down and no longer an immediate threat, your group can see more of the very unusual room the devil-woman emerged from. The eastern half of the colossal chamber appears almost theater-like, with an arched ceiling painted roughly like the night sky and hanging lanterns radiant with cool, white flame. The room presents an incongruous sight this far underground--a resplendent garden, complete with a babbling brook, a gravel footpath, and all manner of flowering and fruiting plants. The pathway winds through the lush grass, over a small footbridge, and to a book-covered knoll at the far end. The brook cascades into the room from the north and then flows through a grate to the south.
When Leora makes her declaration about what she thinks Nox might be, Davina and Jessibel put their heads together in the hopes they might recall some more details. Davina recalls a few things, saying she believes Nox is bound to a bearded devil and has some spell-like abilities, has excellent vision in the dark, and generates an aura of evil like any devilish outsider would (though Nox is still human)...but neither investigator nor bard knows the secret weakness to exploit to bypass Nox's regenerative powers!
"Anyone have holy water?" suggests T'chazzar.
"I don't have any holy water, but how about this? I could try making your sword holy," Leora offers to T'chazzar, recalling her one remaining spell for the day. "Otherwise, we'll have to wait til tomorrow when I could make some holy water."
T'chazzar holds out the dull iron backsword for Leora's blessing, then he pauses over Nox's prone form.
"I take no pleasure in killing," he says gravely, his mouth turning to a frown. Then he continues, "Unfortunately your continued depredations are an immediate danger to the community. I commend your soul to the pit where it will, after Pharasma's judgement, face its final reward. My only hope is that this provides a way forward for the poor and oppressed people of this city who have to date been subjected to your terror."
With that, he plunges his blade straight into her forehead, leaning his weight into it, grimacing before he finally straightens back up and pulls it forth.
"What if we take her head off? Do you think that would stop it. I think we need to get what we can and get out of here. Davina looks at the books that are across the bridge. "Grab what we can and let's get gone."
MANY STEPS MONASTERY/HQ OF THE SACRED ORDER OF ARCHIVISTS (8 Gozran)
Leora and T'chazzar have hit upon the one weakness Nox had: spells and weapons imbued with good. With this latest enchantment on his main blade, the drow paladin is able to put down the devil woman for good (pardon the pun).
Davina collects a dozen books from the grassy knoll, noting as she collects them that their covers are quite similar in appearance to the tome that made up the guardian scrivenite's head.
These are soul tomes that contain many of the thoughts and memories of the archivists who were cornered, captured, tortured, and eventually killed. The contents of these tomes are scattered and incomplete, but nonetheless represent a wealth of knowledge on not only various historical topics, but also on how to successfully found and run a secret society.
Their existence doesn’t harm the souls of those whose memories are recorded, and the books aren’t themselves evil. Indeed, the knowledge within them can be of great utility, and if used as a resource while attempting a Knowledge (history or local) check, the books grant a +4 competence bonus on the roll. The books weigh 20 pounds in all and can likely be sold for a tidy sum.
"Well that takes care of her then." Arani says looking down at the devil woman's corpse. "Given that she has the key, she's probably in charge of the whole facility."
"Yeah, Nox was one of Thrune's good buddies. Hopefully he doesn't miss her too much and start sniffing into what we did here." She pauses for a moment, staring at Thrune's lieutenant. "That was intense. Anybody need a drink? Thank the Drunken Hero we all made it out alive. And thank you Jessi, for saving my butt too." She offers her flask of whiskey to anyone who wants a swig.
Once they are certain Nox is dead, Leora gathers all the loot into her haversack. "We have a lot of stuff to identify and sell once we get out of here. How about we check the other rooms out real quick, then leave?"
Leora takes a look in the three rooms north of where they just fought Nox and her buddies, and the two rooms just south.
"I think there's another some double doors off of the chain room we haven't checked out yet either." She makes sure her friends have time to rest up and checks to see if anyone needs healing before they continue exploring.
"Yeah, that was a tough one. Well done everybody." Arani replies accepting a swig from Loera's flask. "This is good stuff!"
Grinning she pulls her veil back up. "Clearing out the rest of this place and getting out of here until the Scrivener's term up sounds like the best course of action for now. Though this might make for a pretty solid base of operations afterward."
MANY STEPS MONASTERY/HQ OF THE SACRED ORDER OF ARCHIVISTS (8 Gozran)
The smaller rooms in the hideout are more personal quarters, none having anything of great value (but your group's able to scrape together coins totaling 100 gp from the various footlockers). The unexplored room beyond the double doors proves to be a lecture hall with a toppled podium. The place stinks of sulfur and poop (or maybe sulfuric poop), and the discovery of some piles of excrement lead you to believe this place was used as the hell hound's kennel.
The only place that might still have some things of value is the chamber with the ominous metals web of chains and, indeed, Falina quickly finds a heavy paper packet of golden dust that might be worth something once IDed. Unfortunately, however, it appears someone beat you all to whatever treasures were once displayed in a now-ruined multi-shelved case to the southwest . One shelf holds a stand built to display an amulet or necklace with discarded note written in Celestial ; another shelf displays a stand used to hold bracers, or perhaps a pair of gloves; a third shelf holds an empty bookstand, the wood of which is stained black and smells foul; and a final shelf holds a red velvet cushion on which a fist-shaped stone or other object may have once rested.
You're all about to give up on finding any other goodies when T'chazzar's sharp eyes spot a section of wall paneling that seems a bit off. The drow slides this piece aside, revealing a keyhole about the same size as most of the others you've encountered in the museum and secret hideout. Davina tries Rexus's key and it's a perfect fit; twisting it, she pops open a secret vault containing a leather-and-silver headband inscribed with runes, a silver-and-mother-of-pearl ink pen, and a platinum disk depicting a leering angel.
The wooden frame around the display case's shelves are marked with arcane sigils. While not specific, these sigils give a friendly warning that the object once stored here were magical but cursed.
"Markings seem intended to lure worshipers of Abadar into peril."
This is a fabulous cubic gate likely linked to some kyton-controlled corner of the Plane of Shadow. Unfortunately, it seems to have malfunctioned and most of its magic is now spent. It might still be worth some money as a curiosity if sold to the right buyer (too bad Hocum's not still alive), but it might be dangerous to try to deactivate it. Anyone who wants to risk it can try any of the following spells or checks: dispel magic, Disable Device, Spellcraft, or Use Magic Device.
Having found the paper and little else Falina handed it over to those better suited to identifying it. Instead she looked around and spotted Jessibel and decided on a little mischief. While the girl was looking the wrong way Falina snuck behind her and reached around in a surprise grope as she said, "I need some entertainment Jessi, and Sabrinah is too far away just now." She breathed softly into the bard's ears, "You'll do for now luv."
Her chosen plaything in her clutches Falina turned Jessi and pressed her back against a wall firmly. Letting her hands roam a bit over the younger woman's form Falina pressed close and kissed her very firmly. Falina found herself enjoying the impromptu make out session and was more than happy to keep going until they were ready to leave or Jessi indicated she wanted to stop, whichever came first.
MANY STEPS MONASTERY/HQ OF THE SACRED ORDER OF ARCHIVISTS (8 Gozran)
Jessibel seems taken aback by Falina's sudden affection but she initially offers no resistance against the amorous advances. When she finally catches her breath and finds her voice, the bard manages to gasp, "Wait...wait.... I thought you and Sabrina were together? She'd never forgive me...."
You're certain there's a definite level of interest in you from the bard. You also realize, given that Jessibel seems to have no memory of the other night's three-way fun with you and Sabrina, that Silverbelle's spirit was controlling Jessibel that night.
Falina let Jessi push her slightly away but still kept the woman trapped between her and the wall as she smiled in amusement at Jessi's words. "Sabrina and I are together Jessi, and she knows she is not the only one I am physical with. She is the one I return to. That being said," she trailed one finger up under Jessi's chin to tilt it back as she finished, "I think you might be surprised at what she is amenable to," Falina leaned in closely and pressed her body against Jessi once more as she whispered in the girl's ear.
[spoiler-Jessi]"If you ask."[/spoiler]
With that Falina shifted back and laughed wickedly as she swished her way back to the rest of the group. When she arrived she asked, "So what do we have? Anything good?"
Leora takes a close look at the web box. "Wow, this thing is pretty crazy! I heard a story about something like this from a traveler staying at the Thrashing Badger once. I think it's a cubic gate, that links to the Plane of Shadow. But it's mostly used up. I don't think I can fix it or disable it, but we might be able to sell it. The lady visiting the Badger told me about all the things she'd like to do with the chains there on the shadow plane. I figured it was just a fantasy, but I guess it does really exist..." She goes on to explain possible ways it might be disabled, if someone else in the group felt more confident
Leora holds her flask up again, channeling positive energy to heal the group.
Once they are finished exploring the place, Leora realizes "We've found an awful lot of stuff to sell. I'm going to Laria's to see if she can help us figure out what it's worth and maybe help us sell some of it. Anybody want to join me?"
MANY STEPS MONASTERY/HQ OF THE SACRED ORDER OF ARCHIVISTS (8 Gozran)
Leora's healing channel removes any lingering damage from most of the party; the gash on Jessibel's arm from Nox's final attack has closed but it is still an angry red color.
The bard thanks Leora for the healing and briefly examines the box and the vast web of spiked chains that emanates from it. She tells the party that she's gotten recent training in the art of opening locks and fiddling with other mechanisms from 'an old friend,' but she says she's not confident she could disable the malfunctioning cube without triggering a potentially deadly reaction.
"I'm pretty decent with a lock and trap myself, but this thing....I don't think it's worth the risk honestly." Arany says looking at the box apprehensively.
T'chazzar regards the cube dubiously and says, "I'm... not really a fan of meddling with extradimensional traps."
MANY STEPS MONASTERY/HQ OF THE SACRED ORDER OF ARCHIVISTS (8 Gozran)
The group opts to leave well enough alone with the malfunctioning, already-killed-one-guy-and-spawned-a-shadow-creature cubic gate. At Jessibel's suggestion, they pull the old prisoners trick again with the scrivenite, claiming Nox wants them taken to the Holding House for proper interrogation; the otherworldly being once more falls for the ruse.
Topside, Jessibel says she's planning on staying at the Silver Stein Inn until Sabrina and Forrvian's Fighters return from the Tears of Aroden Cemetery; from there she'll likely drop by the relocated Kintargo Opera House Society to see what's new there. For her share of the treasure from the Irorian hideout, she asks for the platinum disk of a leering angel, having a strange fascination with it. She also asks to keep the silver unholy symbol of Asmodeus, saying she could make use of it as a prop for a disguise at some point.
THE LONG ROADS COFFEE HOUSE
Those who accompany Leora on the long walk back to Laria's coffee house are greeted with a disturbing sight: several dottari are coming and going from the place, and a contingent of four heavily-armored Hellknights stands at attention outside. From the gathered crowd of concerned citizens, you can hear talk that a shrine to an unsanctioned god was apparently found beneath the eatery and that Laria and the rest of her halfling staff have been taken into custody.
Davina looks shocked and waves the group back. "Let's head back to the manor, and make some plans." she looks around making sure they aren't noticed as she tries to slip away.
"This is bad." Arani mutters, falling back."Let's get out of here!"
The Long Roads Coffeehouse and Eradon Manor
Those who made the trip to the coffeehouse manage to melt away into the crowd without drawing any undue attention. Slinking down a side street, you regroup at the Eradon family manor. Davina's relatives noticed the clamor and, knowing that Davina occasionally frequents the place, asked around a bit. All they've heard is that a shrine to Calistria was found beneath the place, and as a result Laria and her staff were arrested.
Falina was shocked to see the coffee house overrun like it was. That they had moved out of the place was nothing short of a miracle. She nodded in agreement with the others but made sure to take note of the faces of any guards present that she could see. It might come in handy later if she had a few people she could target.
When they arrived back at Eradon Manor Falina found a seat and promptly used it. She looked at her companions and said, "Well that's not good. I'm going to miss the coffee." She sighed and asked, "So what do you think we should do?"
Davina thanks her family, and then runs them out of her library. She brings in tea and cookies for everyone, "Let's find out what's going on with Laria. We can worry about finding out what things cost later. I can disguise myself and skulk around trying to learn something. Does anyone else want to come with me?"
"I'll come with you." Arani says with a nod. "I'm a fair hand at disguise myself, and you should have someone to watch your back."
"$#*@, this is totally our fault, too," Leora adds once they are in the safety of Eradon Manor. "That imp thing saw us, and we didn't even warn Laria. I mean, I know it comes along with letting people like us live in your basement, but still..." Leora swirls the tea around in her teacup, too rattled to drink it.
"You're right, Davina, let's see what we can find out. Where they're taking Laria, or what they'll do to her."
Leora suggests asking some of the students who might have frequented Longroads Coffeehouse about what happened. She casually asks some of the students what happened to Longroads and Laria, and where they get their coffee now. If it fits with the flow of conversation, she'll press for more information about where Laria and her staff might be, and what the sort of punishment goes with this type of crime. If the students seem like the partying types, she offers them a drink from her flask as a friendly gesture.
THE STREETS OF VILLEGRE DISTRICT
Most of the students Leora interviews are truly distraught at the raid, sorry to have lost both a great neighborhood eatery and its ever-friendly staff.
From a young half-elven woman who swallows Leora's whiskey without a hint of a cough, the priestess learns that Laria and her halfling staff were taken to the main dottari watchtower in the district, north of the Greenwall House tenement. The young lady shrugs at their fates, guessing that Laria--as owner of the property--is likely in more trouble than her staff.
"Her bakers and servers might be released after paying a fine," the half-elf theorizes. Her eyes narrow a bit before she adds, "Then again, now that a Thrune is in power, they may be sold off as slaves."
Leora chats with the student a bit more about the university, how classes are going, and if anything else interesting is going on, before moving along.
.
Later, when the Ravens are somewhere quieter, Leora asks her friends "So, do we want to check out the dottari watchtower? Try to spring Laria and her staff? We could pay the fines for them, to start."
"Of course. We need to figure out how to spring them... and where they'll stay afterward; we can't take back the coffee house, they'll just get raided and arrested again," says T'chazzar.
Donning one of her customary disguises, Arani leads the way to a few regular haunts seeking any additional information, both on the actual raid and the facility to which they were taken.
Your footwork earns some rewards: You discover that Laria and her staff were led off to the main local lock-up for the dottari, located in the wall tower north of the Greenwall House tenement in Villegra (see the second-to-last map in the Kintargo District Maps Document.
Well I know exactly where they are." Arani says once they're alone. "They're being held in one of the wall towers in the same district, the one just north of the Greenwall House tenement."